Any of you accidentally assign roles to specific genders?

[Bronium 512]

I hate gender roles.

 

For example, I hate the idea that females like pink. And blue is a boy color. Yeah, I like blue. But I also like pink. I like pink a lot. Yet people still seem to think pink isn't a color I should wear.

 

The thing is sometimes, I accidentally assign specific genders to specific things (and they don't have to be the traditional ones).

 

Like when I was reading this thread about driving without a license, I couldn't help picture the illegal drivers as young boys. I even wrote most of my post using male pronouns (I corrected myself afterwards).

 

Or when I was reading this article about many cars being unsustainable (which they are, it still ticked me off though. The way she(See?) wrote it was extremely condescending). And I constantly thought the writer was a female, even though it was a male.

 

I'm not saying I'm subconsciously sexist (or am I?) but it's annoying that I would think about stuff like that.

 

So any of you guys do this as well? Or am I alone in this?

 

And if you do it, what are the things you assign these roles too? Like, thinking girls are supposed to dance because god gave them parts that jiggle (#sixseasonsandamovie).

Edited August 19, 2012 by Bronium

[Pencil J. Doodle 242]

Everyone is subconsciously judgemental, whether it be sexism, ageism, or even racism. It's not wrong, it's human nature. If you express it outwardly and verbally/physically, THEN it's wrong.

 

Anyway, i don't like to be sexist, but sometimes i am without thinking. I know it's wrong, but you can't stop yourself.

I always assume that the smarter and more important members of society are males, but that is not the case at all. My town has a female mayor

And i always assume that woman play the supportive roles, which isn't true either. Jobs such as nursing, teaching, and shop owning are all filled with male participants (hell, i hope to get a job as a male nurse one day)

[Abstract 832]

I feel like that it's mostly influenced by the way society actually did have assigned gender roles for so long. We've tried to rid ourselves of them, but it's kind of been ingrained into our cultures for thousands of years, and will take a lot more time for them to wane.

 

Of course, those gender roles wouldn't even exist without us creating them in the first place, so there must have been some kind of basic, common reasoning that went on behind them, so I believe they will always exist to an extent no matter what we do. It's just the way we think.

[Twiliscael 3,960]

I unfortunately must say I do this and more. My brain tells me one prejudiced thung but I do my best to not listen. Usually it works.

[TheBreech 91]

Yeah, and I'm looking at the poll results, I half expected to somebody BS it and put no which is a complete lie (thankfully, nobody is that dishonest), everyone does it, the question is; do you actually believe in that crap or do you realize gender has no real influence on what someone can and cannot do and try to avoid having those thoughts?

 

I feel like that it's mostly influenced by the way society actually did have assigned gender roles for so long. We've tried to rid ourselves of them, but it's kind of been ingrained into our cultures for thousands of years, and will take a lot more time for them to wane.

 

Of course, those gender roles wouldn't even exist without us creating them in the first place, so there must have been some kind of basic, common reasoning that went on behind them, so I believe they will always exist to an extent no matter what we do. It's just the way we think.

 

I've actually thought about those origins, and the stone age that they were most likely born in, the theory I've come up with is pregnancy; when a women is pregnant, she isn't going to hunt for food or do hard labor, her maternal instincts are telling her not to do those things for the sake of her unborn child, and then she has to stay with the child and take care of it after birth, which leaves the men to go out and hunt for food and other base minded, visible needs. This was back in caveman times when people didn't think about deeply philosophical ideas, they saw that women were having to stay behind and take care of children and the men were making the world. This was away from female influence, and guys lets face it, we tend to show off, brag, and exagerate and in this unbalanced society, men's egos were able to florish until it was decided (by us...) that we should be the ones in charge and women should be the housewives. It was these base ideas that evolved into the sexist beliefs we're trying to fight today.

Again, this is just a theory, I'm reading it over and in my mind I sound almost overly confident in how correct I am, and I don't want to start a flame war so I'm just saying.

Edited August 19, 2012 by TheBreech

[Cocodrillo 1,565]

I really don´t like it, I have a reasons as the only daughter out of four children, while I´m the youngest. Especially this summer - my mother broke her leg, then she ended up in the hospital because of trombosis so I have to do all her chores - to wash the dishes, do gardening, clean the cat´s litter box (this sux the most..), wash the floor, do shopping and the list continues + I visited mother every day, brought her stuff from home/water etc. So I have to do all this stuff while there are 3 more people in the house (2 brothers and father), and they don´t help at all. As they come home, they eat the food I buy, then they make a mess out of it and go out/watch tv/play computer games... Why should they do something, it´s women´s job, right?

Another reason is that guys are fixing things and stuff like this. As I said before, my father has three sons but I´m the one who´s changing lightbulbs with him, fixing whatever breaks (and there´s always something that´s not working)... Wait isn´t this supposed to be men´s job? No.

Because nothing´s women´s nor men´s role.

 

Another thing I can´t stand are those ultra funny jokes like go back to the kitchen & go make me a sandwich.

A) It´s old

B ) It´s not funny anymore

C) I make the best sandwiches in the world but how on the Earth could you recieve it, should I send in in the box or? Gimme adress.

 

Geez. I could continue til the Dooms Day but I think I´ll leave some space for other people.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Suntouched Coco

[Guest]

I do from time to time, but its something I try to not let influence my actual thoughts or actions. Usually it is a "first reaction" to an idea, or something, then as I think about it more I logically work it out and come up with a more refined viewpoint. Humanity just does this, its how we've been brought up and like others have said it will take many generations to work the kinks out (and they may very well never all go away).

[FordFan99 9]

I think everyone assigns gender roles from time to time. I know I have. I like things that are considered "girly" but as long as you don't make a big deal about the "gender roles" it doesn't matter too much.

 

People can think what they want but if they don't say them out loud and stuff, it's not a problem.

[Discordian 6,015]

I don't believe in gender roles at all, not just that I defy them I don't think they truly exist, just that humans try to force a gender into a specific role. We are taught, whether through upbringing, solicitation or subliminal messaging, that genders have roles. That girls like this and men only do that but I don't truly believe it. If these roles existed people wouldn't be able to defy them in the first place. And it's not like people do it just to be different, no they do it because it's what's natural for them.

 

Of course, because of society still assigning these roles my mind still does it on occasion despite my loathe of the notion.

 

That isn't to say I am against people choosing a gender role for their own, of course, just that I hate when people try to say it's set in cement that it should be one way or the other. Personally I'd prefer a girly-girl as my significant other, one who'll be likely to want to make dinner instead of being a deadbeat like me.

[Nah 3,182]

This is why Stereotypes are old, the only thing that they do is just insult people and makes dumb people dumber, I am expected to like football, CoD, horror movies, and crappy reality TV shows at school, but don't, it's just excuses by society today to not progress in life.

 

Also if any of you watched PBS's idea channel on Bronies a while back, pink was actually a boy's color for a long time.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

Not really, if I do it's not on purpose. I used to be very bad at it, but then I accepted that life isn't gender specific. So no...

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

not as much as i did when i was little. however, at certain points, when something comes up i do tie that to a specific gender.

[Lostwanderer 367]

I've always associated the role of cooking with males. but that is in all likely hood, because my mother can't cook for @#$%

[NostalgicPony 310]

Well, I'm not a proponent of gender roles. I feel people should be who they want to be without being forced or heavily pressured into following certain codes for genders.

 

For me, I prefer certain male gender roles, but I have a few female ones I guess.

Edited August 20, 2012 by NostalgicPony

[Music Chart Fan 819]

Have I assigned roles to specific genders? Yes. I will admit I have certain gender, race, age, etc. prejudices; I have lived in a society where these things exist, so it's natural that I have them. However, when examined closely, I can logically conclude that many of them are arbitrary and maybe even harmful. Consequently, I try not to act on my prejudices, and if I have kids, I will try hard not to pass on these unjustified prejudices.

 

This makes me think of people that I've met who feel the need to always do "manly" things to keep up their "manly" image. I have been made fun of because I don't follow sports or I listen to soft pop/rock (among other genres of music), which are not what "manly" people do, but I don't care. I will do what I want to do, regardless of whether it fits someone else's gender stereotype.

[Evilshy 5,090]

Some gender-roles are ingrained in us on a biological level.

For example, females are naturally better suited to nurturing young, and not just because they have breast milk. A mothers love and caring for her child is often on a completely different level than the fathers. I'm not saying fathers don't love their kids, or that all mothers are perfect (because many clearly aren't). Also, females have an instinct to care for things, more so than males (again, not saying that all females do, or that no males have above-average nurturing instincts).

 

On the other side, males are, on average, bigger and stronger, which makes a lot of sense. In lesser primates, males fight each other for rule of the group, territory, food, etc. Males are naturally competitive, and instincts drive us to fight to get better stuff for us those close to us.

 

Now, obviously, evolution and society have mellowed us out a lot (Human men don't brawl over, say, a pizza, and human women aren't as actively nurturing as other primate mothers are (a chimpanzee mother is almost never more than a foot or two from her child, and is seldom not touching them somehow)), but a lot of gender roles are still their, in our biology. Those roles aren't something to be ashamed of. I will agree that things like "blue is for boys, pink is for girls" are unnecessary, but it sure helps when you can;t otherwise tell what gender a baby is XD

 

also, I found this amusing:

 

Why yes, I accidentally ass all the time. I occasionally ass on purpose, as well

[Mindrop 412]

I hate gender roles.

 

For example, I hate the idea that females like pink. And blue is a boy color. Yeah, I like blue. But I also like pink. I like pink a lot. Yet people still seem to think pink isn't a color I should wear.

 

The thing is sometimes, I accidentally assign specific genders to specific things (and they don't have to be the traditional ones).

 

Like when I was reading this thread about driving without a license, I couldn't help picture the illegal drivers as young boys. I even wrote most of my post using male pronouns (I corrected myself afterwards).

 

Or when I was reading this article about many cars being unsustainable (which they are, it still ticked me off though. The way she(See?) wrote it was extremely condescending). And I constantly thought the writer was a female, even though it was a male.

 

I'm not saying I'm subconsciously sexist (or am I?) but it's annoying that I would think about stuff like that.

 

So any of you guys do this as well? Or am I alone in this?

 

And if you do it, what are the things you assign these roles too? Like, thinking girls are supposed to dance because god gave them parts that jiggle (#sixseasonsandamovie).

 

Gender roles are a cultural thing. Now, they do shift, as in the 1950's and before, pink was a "male" color because it was closely associated with red.

 

Gender roles are used to help compartmentalize work in societies, NOT because one is better than another, but for various reason. For instance, Females give birth to children and have a natural mothering instinct. Therefore, they usually take child rearing (especially young children. There are plenty of cases where older boys go to dad after like 7ish to learn) and work around the home and community to help with child rearing. This by no means makes them weaker, or means that, it is just the roles assigned by the community to form a well balanced sustainable community.

 

Today, in america, gender identifiers (which is what I believe you are specifically talking about) are shifting. They shift with cultures and what a culture views aesthetically pleasing and acceptable. Colors, clothing style, etc. That even goes with mode of speech and likes. It usually ties in closely with the culture's gender roles.

 

Gender identifiers are necessary to help fit gender roles. If the gender roles begin to break down, then roles begin to be left out, and the community loses its balance. Sometimes, roles/identifiers need to be changed, as in here in America. The specific example I am thinking of is men. Men are supposed to be strong, tough, unemotional, etc. Well, emotion is a necessary part of life, one that if stuffed away, causes problems. Emotions do not mean you can't be tough or strong, but america views it as such. The Spartan, and all of Greece, were great warriors, and very emotional. Their is a time and a place for everything, and they need their balance. Bronies are males, many who are becoming more emotional, in good, constructive ways. These are good shifts.

 

Basically, Gender identifiers and roles are necessary for community balance. However, here in the west, they are gone, and it causes all sorts of problems, and makes things confusing as the community is out of balance.

[Brook 663]

Nope, not really, well... I guess that you could call what I'm about to say a gender roll, but not really.

 

I like cute girly girls, as in the ones who are genuinley nice, doesn't matter the size bra they wear or how wide they are around the thighs. Cute girls are extremely attractive to me, what can I say :3

 

Once agian, not sure if that's a gender roll, but it's the closest thing I could think of (I'm very open-minded).

thinking girls are supposed to dance because god gave them parts that jiggle.

 

LAWL XD boys have parts that jiggle too you know :3 I've got a money-maker and I'm gonna use it if neccessery.

[Bohtty 1,775]

@@Bronium,

I have gender stereotypes like "girls like pink" and "boys like blue". The difference is that when I see a boy who likes pink, I don't think of him as being weird or abnormal.

 

Stereotypes aren't wrong unless you discriminate against someone for it. Stereotyping is a strong organizational technique that helps to fit vastly different people into more refined schema sub groups. It's perfectly fine to believe in stereotypes, it is not, however, fine to call someone a "faggot" just because they like pink.

 

Think about it this way. I don't know somebody, but I know they are male. I need to get them a colored piece of paper and my only option is blue and pink. I will pick blue because the average male would prefer it over pink. If I give it to him and find out he actually would have preferred pink then I simply reorganize him into my mental group of males who like the color pink.

 

Of course I forget sometimes. It's much easier to remember something like "All men like blue" and be accurate most of the time than it is to remember something like "Joe, Rob, Bill, David and Sean like pink". After awhile the names pile up and your bound to forget.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Bohtty

[AnonBrony 1,468]

I try not too. When i was younger i did it more. I don't really like it either. And i also don't like it when other people do it either. Like i have met a male nurse before, and i have also seen men working hair salons, girls that play video games, and now boys that play with ponies. Basically all that asigning gender thing is just stupid, but society has done it for so long sometimes u can't help it. Its in ur brain i guess. I try not to do it but it just happens. But most of the time i don't.

Boys can do and be whatever the hell they want and so can girls too.

[TwilightRainbow 10]

Gender roles are irrelevant in my opinion.

For example, I am biologically female, and I recognize that.. But besides that point I am definitely gender less.

I consider myself a BRONY instead of a Pegasister, for example. To me it shouldn't matter and gender stereotypes should be overridden.

 

... Idk if that made any sense lol

[thegoodhen 698]

Well, when we talk about respect, I don't make any difference. I even hate to see how women are treated as a plain sex symbol in pop culture. -_- And I honestly think because of their calmer nature, generally speaking, they should ascend to powerful positions in order to help world peace dream come true.

 

Other than that, I usually think of guys as of those who have similar interests, so they are easier to talk to. But this is not true for my tomboish/semitomboish friends

 

Such as my "sis". I wub my sis.

[Cosmic Charlie 129]

It's okay to recognize that the genders are indeed different, but only so far as their actual, measurable differences. Men TEND to be taller than women, but that's not always the case. Men and women have different distributions of muscle and fat in their bodies, leading men to GENERALLY have more upper body strength and women to have breasts. It has been suggested that women are faster and more accurate at interpreting facial expressions. These are the types of differences it's okay to recognize. And once you apply LGBT and variations in people's DNA, even these lines become blurred. In tests of intelligence and many other intellectual skills, women perform at the same level as men virtually across the board. There are some differences, yes, but it's like asking what weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks?

 

Social attributes like color preferences and ability to do specific jobs and ear piercings and, say, cartoon preferences, are NOT the kind you want to be starting fights or losing sleep over. None of that should matter, and it really doesn't.

 

That being said, I will never carry a purse or wear high heels. I have pink sunglasses, and I never want to see a lady with beard.

[spas-ticShotty 3,584]

This is why Stereotypes are old, the only thing that they do is just insult people and makes dumb people dumber, I am expected to like football, CoD, horror movies, and crappy reality TV shows at school, but don't, it's just excuses by society today to not progress in life.

 

Also if any of you watched PBS's idea channel on Bronies a while back, pink was actually a boy's color for a long time.

 

At mah old middle school, it was "expected to like football and any sport other than soccer". The boys at mah school hated soccer for some reason . Also, pink was a boy's color? Interesting.

 

I usually don't assign gender roles, although I sometimes associate certain colors to certain genders, like, pink with girls, and blue for boys. Then again, a lot of the boys would wear pink shirts on dress-down days (Light pink, not hot pink), so that pretty much makes mah point a little invalid.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

I often accidentally assigned females to the only gender capable of child-bearing.

What and outdated and unfashionable notion.