Gender Socialization – What is it?

Normally when we discuss child development we just talk of developing the ‘child’ and we are sort of blindto an important aspect that has a bearing on whether the ‘child’ gets opportunities for optimaldevelopment that leads to self-actualization or not – GENDER.

This is a very difficult topic as the term gender is often associated with negative connotations and misconceptions on feminism yet it is a very important one especially in child development as it entails gender identity.

So what is gender? What is socialization? Sociologists and Anthropologists argue that gender is a social construct and sex is just the physiological make up of an individual. Gender encompasses socially constructed and accepted roles for boys and girls and what is considered feminine and what is masculine in the framework of different cultures. Socialization from a simplistic view is a process by which we learn ways of being and beliefs of what is acceptable in the different societies that we are part of from birth from the people around us.

So it follows that gender socialization is the process by which we learn our culture’s gender-related rules, norms, and expectations. Gender socialization begins at birth and intensifies during adolescence. Through gender socialization, children begin to develop their own beliefs about gender and ultimately form their own gender identity.

The most common agents of gender socialization that
is the people who influence the process are parents,
teachers, religious leaders, traditional leaders, schools,
and the media. Gender socialization is reinforced by
these agents of socialization and they in turn are also influenced by factors such as the socio-economic conditions, political structures, social and cultural norms, the global media, and their local communities and networks.

The terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably. However, in a discussion of gendersocialization, it’s important to distinguish between the two. Just to be clear I will list the differences between sex and gender below:

Sex versus Gender

•  Sex is biologically and physiologically determined based on an individual’s anatomy at birth. It is typically binary, meaning that one’s sex is either male or female.
•  Individuals develop their own gender identity, influenced in part by the process of gender socialization.
•  Gender is a social construct. An individual’s gender is their social identity resulting from their culture’s conceptions of masculinity and femininity.
•  Gender exists on a continuum it is not a clear cut either-or concept like sex and differs across cultures and amongst individuals.Gender socialization: the child development linkGender is one of the first social categories children become aware of. In early childhood gender stereotypes are passed on to children on what constitutes feminine or masculine in things such as colors, games, toys, house chores, clothing etc.Children develop an understanding of gender categories at a young age. Studies have shown that children can distinguish male voices from female voices from around six months old, and can differentiate between men and women in photographs by nine months old.By age three, children have formed their own
  gender identity. They have also begun to learn their culture’s gender norms, behaviors and attitudes that are associated with each gender.Gender is a delicate issue, in a study by UNICEF, gender socialization was found to contribute to gender inequalities in education, employment, income, empowerment and other significant outcomes of well- being. Because girls and boys are seen as having different roles and abilities, opportunities are given or not given according to those roles.Children’s knowledge of gender roles and stereotypes can impact their attitudes towards their own andother genders. Young children can get rigid about what boys and girls “can” and “cannot” do. This either- or thinking about gender subsides around the ages of 5 and 7 and then becomes more flexible. This is a critical time in development to instil positive concepts of gender(s) that does not elevate a particular gender at the detriment of others. People cannot always agree on gender(s) and they are obviously different beliefs around this issue – accepting our differences is key and teaching children the same.

Gender socialization: positive nurturing in early childhood

Whether we are aware of it or not we are affected by gender socialization to a greater degree and in turn we influence others. So it is important that we are in the know and we consciously influence positivity around gender issues and encourage acceptance.

Parents are typically a child’s first source of information about gender. Starting at birth, parents communicate different expectations to their children depending on their sex. The child may learn from their parents that certain activities or toys correspond with a particular gender. Even parents who emphasize gender equality may inadvertently reinforce some stereotypes due to their own gender socialization.

Because gender categorization is a significant part of a child’s social development, children tend to be especially attentive to same-gender models; this places a huge role on the role models to model equality and acceptance. This in turn creates self confidence in children regardless of sex and empowers them to self-actualize.

Educators play an important role in shaping gender roles because children spend a larger part of their childhood at school. Educators model gender roles and sometimes demonstrate gender stereotypes by responding to male and female students in different ways. For example, separating students by gender for activities or disciplining students differently depending on their gender which may reinforce children’sdeveloping beliefs and assumptions.

Media, including movies, TV, and books, teaches children about what it means to be a boy or a girl. Mediaconveys information about the role of gender in people’s lives and can reinforce gender stereotypes. It is important as parents and caregivers to be mindful of what we allow children to be exposed to through the media as it is a very strong agent of socialization.

Parents, caregivers, teachers and any professionals working with children are encouraged to provide children with a wide range of toys and activities during early childhood and create playful environments where children interact positively with both boys and girls. These interactions would help children to develop skills to interact effectively in mixed-gender groups and to gain a better understanding of gender differences and similarities in a positive nurturing environment.

It is also highly encouraged to pay attention to the stereotypic beliefs children express regarding each gender and addressing them by exposing children to counter-stereotypic models e.g. a male nurse or a female engineer and teaching them that being a girl or boy is not a limitation. It is also recommended that parents and educators discuss and challenge gender stereotypes with children and encourage a more egalitarian attitude.

Some parents are showing a preference for being gender-neutral that is encouraging their children to take up any activities they so choose without gender role limitations. Such approaches provide their children with less rigid concepts and less divisions between boys and girls –ultimately as the first influence on gender identity parents contribute a large part and studies have shown that children from families with parents that are not rigid on gender are more adjusted, accepting,

successful and independent in terms of their gender identities.

Gender socialization is a lifelong process; the beliefs about gender that we acquire in childhood can affect us throughout our lives. The impact of this socialization can be big that is shaping what we believe we are capable of accomplishing and thus potentially determining our life’s course. This makes gender socialization a very important aspect in early childhood that needs to be consciously crafted not passively left to beliefs and norms that more often than not do not provide equal opportunities to individuals based on the assigned gender roles.

Gender socialization: The African paradigms

Ideally children should play an active role in shaping their gender identity but some cultures are particularly rigid leaving no room for personal agency. Most African societies are prescriptive to what constitute femininity and what constitutes masculinity.

•   Sons are seen as the bearers of the family name therefore of more value than daughters and families investing more resources in their education and opportunities.
•   A wide spread culture of marrying off young girls in exchange for material things like cows, grains etc.
•   An intolerance of other genders that divert from the ‘norm’.
•   Patriarchal orientation of most traditional African societies that maintains inequality betweengenders.
•   Rites of passage to womanhood or manhood that reinforce gender roles for example the rite ofpassage of Xhosa boys to manhood and its emphasis on the fact that if you have not gone through it you are considered not ‘man enough or not a man’. Female genital mutilation in some parts of Africa.
•   Poverty – affecting how resources are prioritized in early childhood development.
•   Traditional practices on things like inheritance, land ownership etc. that further entrenchesdivisions on gender and affects how children are socialized into these roles.There is definitely a shift in paradigms in African societies though very slowly and facing resistance in some societies. Traditional roles and practices are being questioned. Much closer to home in South Africa the constitution protects the right of every child to have access to resources for their well-being equally but in terms of the beliefs on gender, research shows that we are still a long way from an egalitarian society.Most African countries still have a long way to go on this issue however the most important gender socialization that has a lasting impact on a child’s life is the one that takes place in the home.Talent Adamson Behaviour TherapistBA (Health and Social Services) Applied Psychology, BA Hon (HSS) Psychological Counselling – (UNISA)