Do You Feel Constricted by Gender Norms?

Yes, I feel that gender equality exists in my community. At school, I can see kids of all genders wearing what they want, participating in what they want, and acting how they want. I think that the amount of kids that take advantage of it to choose a job and more based on what they want to do for themselves is what contributes to gender equality’s existence. However, I have noticed that the way kids were raised affect their decisions. If they have certain toys and decor, they’re more likely to keep liking the color or activities that are associated with their gender. The majority of students in technology classes are boys, since the stereotype is that boys like cars, technology, and sports, and go into more technology jobs while girls like arts and humanities and go into related careers, because of what they become practiced at as children. Only 1% of preschool and kindergarten teachers are men, while 99% of mechanics are (USDoL). This huge distance between genders isn’t as surprising because of how normal it’s considered. Gender equality would improve many communities by not only helping more people feel belonging, but also make decisions on their own and choose things right for them.

While I applaud the march for equality in most situations, the ongoing gender norm debate has become more and more of an emotional dispute rather than a carefully planned, well-backed argument. Instead of viewing facts and evidence, we as a society turn toward emotional manipulation to curve a debate one way or another. Gender norms, in my opinion, exist minimally. What we fail to realize is the difference between generalizations and stereotypes regarding gender. In the 1985 issue of the “Journal of Applied Physiology,” researchers determined that men had an average of 72.6 pounds of muscle compared to the 46.2 pounds found in women. The men had 40 percent more muscle mass in the upper body and 33 percent more in the lower body. Biologically, the average, untrained woman bears mess muscle—and overall strength—than the average untrained male; this is a generalization. The common argument often brought up in 3rd wave feministic debates, however—“All men are rapists”— is statistically incorrect, and in turn contradicts the ‘gender equality’ social justice warriors preached and rioted over. This is a stereotype. Gender norm debates have emphasized the unfortunate reality of our generation—most Americans are still chained in a Plato’s cave and consulting with illusion and falsehood of victim mentality. Gender generalizations, which are patterns, affect everyday life, not as restrictions or to boast supremacy, but as a result hardwired and biological diversity.

Being born in the 2000s, all of my life society is changing around me every day. Lately, there has been a lot of question about genders and how gender norms are being more and more contradicted. As of right now, I feel I live in a world where girls are persuaded to be anything they want. Girls are encouraged to go into STEM or be able to do sports that only men could do, to show that femininity is not all about beauty or personality. You can see that we are somewhat evolving, seen in CNN’s social experiment from 2015. They asked multiple girls and boys to see what they would do when they heard the words “like a girl”. The responses were surprising as the older kids refer to “like a girl” as weak, flawed, and scared. The younger kids all had shown what a girl can really do. This shows how the gender norms have changed and ties into the fact that the world has many opinions about everything. I believe that in most situations, our world is becoming so cruel and scary that being a girl is a matter of life and death. In the movies, you always see kids being able to go outside and play or go somewhere without fears of kidnapping or raped, which should be the case. In an article about gender identity and roles, they talk about how girls used to be associated with blue and pink for guys, but now we have switched roles. This proves no matter how much we change things, someone will always disagree. We should be able to live in a world and just be ourselves, no images or “the norms”.

I for one do not think that gender norms should be a thing. At first I was kinda hesitant with this decision thinking that there are still ton of things that boys would do that girls wouldn’t. Then I put a little bit of effort into my research, and I changed my view. This is a poll taken by new York times, “63 percent of respondents said men and women excelled at the same things at work, while 37 percent said they were good at different things.” - Claire Cain Miller. This poll can show that things are more similar than different between genders. If society always tries to inflict the same idea into people's head then nothing would have ever changed, we would still be in the stone age. We need a more diverse society so we could be economically stronger.. One website that I was looking at stated that something as little as new types of clothing, can make or break some gender norms that we have been accustomed to see over the decades. “What we have is a sort of situation where the farther our science goes, the more we have to admit to ourselves that these categories that we thought of as stable anatomical categories that mapped very simply to stable identity categories are a lot more fuzzy than we thought.” - Alice Dreger. With all of society changing at our fingertips, I just don’t understand why we are trying to control something that we can’t. So my question is why try to stop it?

The international community has worked tirelessly to eliminate such stereotypes from society. In my opinion, they have not yet succeeded. Beneath the surface of someone’s mind there lie multiple gender-based stereotypes which change the way one acts toward women in certain environments. A study attempted to reveal the true nature of these stereotypes. It randomly selected men and women and presented them with quality ratings in characteristics of an engineer. Participants were asked to rate themselves on the same qualities. The study concluded that women consistently rated themselves lower on those traits; most women disagreed when asked whether they thought themselves suitable for the job. This stereotype creates lack of interest in computer science and STEM fields and can greatly harm a girl’s future. (Ehrlinger) The international leap towards gender equality has not been much better. Under 50% of employed women take jobs in STEM-related fields. There is a drastic difference between male and female demographics (BLS). Ehrlinger, Joyce, et al. “Do Gender Differences in Perceived Prototypical Computer Scientists and Engineers Contribute to Gender Gaps in Computer Science and Engineering?” SpringerLink, Springer, 7 Apr. 2017, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-017-0763-x. “Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19 Jan. 2018, www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm.

Have you ever heard the phrase that “You punch like a girl” or “Women belong in the kitchen!” I’m sure most of you have heard something along the lines of that. Woman are one of the most overlooked people in the world. Women are always thought of as weak or useless, but we are now going to fight for our rights. For one thing, women get paid less than men and there is a considerable pay gap between the two. Women who worked full-time, year-round in 2014 earned on average 79% of men’s median annual earnings.(Gender Gap Breakdown) We still get paid less while we are doing the same job as the male workers. Women are under-represented in many or the highest-paying occupations. For example, women only make up 1 in 3 chief executives and 1 in 6 software developers. (Gender Gap Breakdown) On average, women get paid 80.5 cents for every dollar a man makes.(Gender Wage Pay Gap) That means that we normally get paid 19.5 less than men just because of our gender! Annually, women get paid about 8000 dollars less than men. (Gender Wage Pay Gap) Women always get the short end of the stick and we are blamed for most things that aren't our fault. Women are always overlooked because “being feminine“ is weak and and girls are seen as a weaker gender most of the time. Women do as much as work as men, sometimes more so why do we get paid less? Simple, women are just seen as the weaker gender, but now we are fighting back. We are not as weak as society thinks.

I feel that men and women should recieve equal pay because in a lot of cases men and women could go to the same college or university and when they receive the same degrees and get hired for the exact same job. Except when they receive their paycheck at the end of the week the man’s paycheck will always be more than the women's paycheck even though they had been working the exact hours. Not to mention that there has been a couple of laws that have been passed that promote and promise gender equality. Although the laws of fair pay have been passed hardly anybody follow the new laws. I feel that it is unfair that women will work just as hard as men but receive less money for there hard work. The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women be given equal pay for equal work in the same establishment. It prohibit compensation discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, or age (USEEOC). So technically speaking women should recieve equal pay for the same job. Specifically, the EPA (Equal Pay Act) provides that employers may not pay unequal wages to men and women who perform jobs that are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment (USEEOC). That’s why I feel that men and women should recieve equal pay. Women Deserve Equal Pay (WDEP) https://now.org/resource/women-deserve-equal-pay-factsheet/ U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (USEEOC) https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-epa.cfm

Gender stereotypes are having many negative effects on children. The gender norms that have been created and carefully cultivated throughout centuries are causing people to settle into certain, stereotypical “roles” just to be accepted in their community. Gender norms are fallacious and negatively affecting the choices people make. Gender norms are extremely influential, and are greatly impacting young children. By the age of six, girls already affected by gender norms. Girls are notably less likely to correspond intelligence with girls than boys, and are also less likely than boys to play games associated with smartness (National Science Foundation). This is because by a young age, children are already impacted by adults’ reactions towards the child’s actions (Healthy Gender Development and Young Children). The gender norms that many adults are familiar with are affecting children's’ mindsets and limiting what they think they can do. The gender norms for boys are generally relating to stoicism, strength, and independence. These gender stereotypes are causing male adolescents to have more violent behavior and earlier drug, tobacco, and alcohol use (USA Today) caused by a need to feel more accepted and “masculine”, in terms of the gender stereotypes. Gender stereotypes are causing children to become afraid of being themselves, and are negatively impacting their decisions. The gender norms so ingrained in society are causing children to limit and negatively change themselves.

Just because your a girl doesn't mean everytime something happens to you, you go cry or complain about it. Or just because your a boy doesn't mean you hide all your feeling inside. Also the way boys and girls dress. If a girl decides they don't want to wear dresses, but they like sweatpants and shorts, then people think their trying to like boys. When boys want to wear skinny jeans, then people their gay, or trying to be like girls. Not every girl is wants to be girly and not every boy wants to only wear shorts and a regular t-shirt. Society should just accept people for who they are, not the way they dress or act. Some girls like to play Football. It’s not just a sport for boys, and Ballet and Gymnastics is not only for girls.

Yes ,gender equality should exist in school and community.One reason gender equality should exist in school and community is because it is important for teacher to tell students what is important and what is not.they might cause different troubles like (bullying,humiliating)There is a reason the legal protections described above exist. Our society’s limited understanding of, and appreciation for, gender diversity has a very important consequence: bullying. Individuals who are seen as different are frequently targets for mistreatment. But unlike many forms of diversity, when individuals perceived as different with regards to gender are the targets, there is frequently an indifference, if not overt approval, for the mistreatment they face .So in school Boys and girls must feel welcome in a safe and secure learning environment. Governments, schools, teachers and students all have a part to play in ensuring that schools are free of violence and discrimination and provide a gender-sensitive, good-quality education .”When someone with the authority of a teacher describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing”. In the community one of the issues is (woman equality)Globally, women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to basic and higher education, greater health and safety risks, and less political representation.

In school, we are taught to follow our dreams and passions no matter what gender we were. If our dream was to be an astronaut or designer, we were told to follow our dreams. We support girls in their choice of what career path, clothes, and more. But do we give the same encouragement to boys? Today, gender norms are apparent, especially in schools. A study conducted by CNN in 2017, showed that if girls acted like “tomboys” they were accepted more by parents and peers, but if boys were to dress more “feminine” they would be outcasted (“This is what happens when gender roles are forced on kids”). We often associate boys behavior by the bad decisions they make, like drugs, smoking, etc. But if a boy were to do household chores or say “No” to bad activities, they would be rejected by society (“Addressing Gender Socialization and Masculinity Norms Among Adolescent Boys: Policy and Programmatic Implications”). In my opinion, I think that we should support both genders and each of their individual passions. Yes, as girls we have fought to be recognized by society, and the view of who we are has changed. We can be a doctor or an engineer and so much more. Yet, for boys, is it the same? In the end, it’s about doing what makes us happy. If as a boy, dressing in a different way than society generalizes is what makes you happy, then go you. And the same goes for girls. We as a world should realize that times are changing and the gender norms we have put on both genders no longer stand.

Gender norms have always been present, there’s no denying it. Whether it be physical attributes for women, or mental attributes for men, gender norms will always be gender norms. Even as they have become less extreme, they’re definitely still there. They can also cause a number of risks, such as suicide and depression, while trying to uphold the gender norms (“This is what happens when gender roles are forced on kids”). Gender stereotypes affect everyone to some degree, and they can be self-depriving. For girls, they’re told to be quiet and let men lead. In studies done from 1977-2008, researchers were able to find that less people believe that men should earn the money and women should stay at take care of the house in family. In 1977, the percentage of men that agreed with that statement was 74%, while 52% of women agreed in 1977. In 2008, the percentage for men dropped to 40%, while it dropped to 37% for women. (“Times Are Changing - Figure 8”). As a society, we’ve become more open-minded, though that isn’t the case everywhere. In many places such as Delhi, girls as young as 11 are told that they won’t work a job, or go out alone at night (“This is what happens when gender roles are forced on kids - ‘Cover up, and don’t go out’”). Stereotypes have led to many unjustified things, so we shouldn’t deprive our new generation of opportunities because of their gender. There are more steps we can take to get rid of gender norms, and doing so would create a better place to thrive.

While it may seem like it, sexism isn't only a woman's world. Sexism affects both men and boys in a way that usually makes it so that they can't talk about it. A common phrase we say is “man up”. Meaning “stop being weak” or “stop crying” but when said to a small child it can make them feel weak or go by the common view that “boys don't cry”. So if “boys don't cry” then boys shouldn't talk about how they feel or how they are being treated because if they do they are “weak” or “acting like a girl”. While it may seem like a stretch this is actually a common thing. It's called Hegemonic Masculinity. Studies show that men are biologically born with a gene that can be more aggressive but aggressiveness must be encouraged and nurtured in order to turn into something that would be used in a situation(“Unexpected Social Pressures in Males.”). Media promotes aggressiveness to men and boys as if its a good thing. When we are born we don't have gender roles. A boy may join his sister in a game of dress-up and have fun as a child won't realize that there's anything wrong with that. What we are told creates these gender roles and differences and how we view what's right and wrong for a child (“Let's Talk About Gender Baby.”) While it is true that women do face things that men do not there are also a lot of things that men can't do and the gender roles we push onto them make it so that they can't talk about it. We should continue with women's rights but don't leave men in the dust.

Gender norms and expectations limits our potential and a community. Women have been portrayed in the past as being cooks, caretakers of children, and not being able to work a high paid job. Today women work for about 31.7 hours on average vs men who work 39.1. This is the after effect of years of social discrimination against women. Kids should be able to be whatever they want regardless of gender. Although in 2018 most women work that doesn’t change another major gender problem facing women. In Germany 32% of men think it's justifiable to hit their wife. Even 16% of women think its ok to hit your wife. Why is this even still acceptable. Our children can't grow up in a world where hitting your significant other is tolerable. The US has the best anti discrimination laws in the world and yet we still have major discrimination issues. We need to put in more of effort to change things and together we can eliminate problems associated with gender.

There are many gender norms in life that bother some and not bother others. Society nowadays just focus of girl norms because it used to be a huge issue but no one notices that boys have gender norms too that affect them. I personally, in my life now, am not affected by gender norms. I’m not a huge complainer so I believe I am “mostly treated fairly compared with boys”(Proulx, 2018, para. 6). I believe there are gender norms but I personally am not affected by them. Gender norms for boys and girls consist of personality, strength, what they wear and so on that I am not extremely affected by and it might be because of who I am or just at my age I haven’t gone through it all. Also none of the surveys taken on students really surprise. I understand and seen the things asked in the surveys or at least know how my peers act to it to know what the surveys will say. The survey that said “ 82 percent, said they had heard someone criticize a boy for “acting like a girl”(Proulx, 2018, para. 11) does not surprise me one bit. I have seen this many times and like other things just in school. All in all people are affected by gender norms when we should all just be treated equally, boys and girls.

I believe that myself and many other female and male students can agree that there is an abundance of- what some may call unfair- gender norms and stereotypes. Traditionalists are still bludgeoning beauty into little girls heads and corroding the minds of young boys with toxic masculinity. Though we may believe these ideas are wrong, often nothing is done about it. Our schools and our parents sit in complacency; allowing the future of our world to grow up with discriminatory ideas about the opposite sex and disheartening beliefs regarding their own gender. Yes, girls are moving into new career fields, but they are still treated lesser in these jobs. Boys, however, are stuck in a butch stereotype that is continuously difficult to escape. Gender stereotypes and conformity push children into a personality that they did not get to choose for themselves. I, personally, have been told that I cannot properly do my job as a lifeguard simply because I'm a woman, and women are too weak and dainty to save a life when it's needed. But, over the past two years I have been able to do a perfectly adequate job when there is a dangerous situation; just like all the men at my work. I believe that if parents and teachers can encourage boys and girls to break gender norms at a young age, that we will eventually become a less biased, more inclusive society over time.

I agree that gender norms and stereotypes have constricted individuals from being their true selves. Even in the modern age, people tend to stick to the traditional ideas that men and women are expected to behave in specific ways that are determined by their gender. Consider the gender roles that evolved in the early centuries as a way to organize the necessary tasks done in early human society: women cooking and cleaning while men work. Since then, gender stereotypes have expanded into each generation, and eventually people began to see it as normal for girls to be seen as soft-hearted, put together, and polite, while men are assumed to be tough physically and emotionally. While some may say that traditional gender roles shouldn't be changed since they've been practiced for so long, societal norms are constantly changing, therefore, gender-specific behaviors are outdated and irrelevant. Gender stereotypes are harmful and condemn and oppress those who feel they don't fit into their own skin. Without gender norms, more people would be able to reach their full potential.

One is under no obligation to adhere to gender norms here in America. They are not laws, but rather norms. In criticizing gender norms for their adverse affects on the human experience, a logical fallacy is encountered. The inherent contradiction is that one is under no obligation to adhere to the gender norms they claim to detest! Rather, one should look inwards and self-evaluate personal reasoning as to the internal rationale used to legitimize the claim these gender norms have. In fact, one need only disassociate from adherence to these gender norms to be free of their supposedly oppressive influence. Disassociation is aided by the existence of social media and the internet, where those who do not wish to adhere to common gender norms can certainly find a like-minded group of individuals from around the country and the globe. In conclusion, it is a fallacy to criticize the effect an oppressive system has on oneself when participation in the concerned system is voluntary to begin with.

I personally believe I am constricted by gender norms. Nowadays, girls are thought to look a certain way. I don’t fall under the category that men think a woman is supposed to look. The article says, “Yet when it came to their bodies, girls said they did not feel equal. About three-quarters of girls 14 to 19 in the survey said they felt judged as a sexual object or unsafe as a girl” (Proulx, 2018, para. 11). I think that what is said in the article is very true. I do think that women are judged by how they look and are used as sexual objects. Social media plays a big role in this too. You see models and you see the comments that people are making about them and you naturally aspire to be them. But, do we all have to look the same and all fit under one category? I don’t think so. I think that this plays a very big role in schools and students peers. I do not believe that gender equality exists in my school. I think that efforts are made by faculty and staff. But, I still always hear boys talking about a woman’s figure. I feel that this issue is probably never going to change. It’s 2018 and this still is a big problem. We can try all we want but it seems as if nothing is working.

I believe that women now, more than ever feel free to do whatever it is whether it be something in science, math, or politics, etc. However, I have noticed that many girls think that only the physical and superficial is what validates a girl’s worth and beauty. The extreme is what seems to be most attractive now too. You’re only “sexy” or “cute” if you’re very skinny or very curvy... but not every girl has either of those body types. It’s not so much “Wow, that girl is so smart!”The pressure of being a girl is not soley based on looks, but it is not soley based off of one’s intellect or personality either. It’s about all the above. To be a girl, you suddenly have to be perfect in every way and in every aspect. The good thing is that because women have more a voice now, they can use it to correct this misunderstanding so that young girls won’t have to worry about whether they are beautiful enough to be important. When it comes to the males in our world, I think that they have, in some ways, been forgotten. How do we expect women’s rights if our men are being told that to be a woman is “weak”? There is even a double standard when it comes to something as basic as which toys kids are allowed to play with. Girls have a variety of toys to choose from-a doll, basketball, etc. On the other hand, boys are teased as “too soft” if seen with a doll. Just like strong and smart mother/female figures are important, loving and gentle father/male figures are necessary to better our world.

I think everybody at times, if they will admit it or not, sometimes feels restrained to the gender norms of what they are. Maybe it's a piece of clothing that they might want to wear, but may be taken as clothing for the opposite gender. This is normal, but in my opinion you should always do and wear and act how you want to, no matter what gender you are. It doesn't really matter how people look at you to be honest because their opinion of you is going to get in the way of how you view yourself. If you spend your whole life trying to make others happy, then you aren't living for yourself but for the people you are trying to impress. Personally I don't even care or notice gender norms in my life because I just am the way I am.

I personally identify as a female and to me that is most definitely something to be proud of however I guess gender norms haven't really affected me. That does not mean someone has never said something to me such as, "You run like a girl," which is meant as an insult but women run just as hard and fast as men. Most people associate being a women with being less than that of a man, and are said to be weak physically. However I strongly believe that these gender assumptions are something that our society still considers to be unoffensive and normal. But based off of the surveys I do believe that the world is becoming a better place that accepts everybody for who they are. Women are starting to feel more empowered and equal in the roles that used to be solely defined as being done by men. And men are starting to come to terms that being strong or masculine is not a necessity for their gender. Men are too serious about what they physically look like but society has now helped them to realize it is what is on the inside that really matters to others. Gender norms are a very touchy subject which I feel we ave made progress on, although I am still sure that there are people today who feel otherwise.

I completely agree with how the boys answered these surveys. I relate with the common things that the majority talked about. I have always felt like I need to portray myself as a strong male. The word “masculine” means to be strong, not cry when you’re sad, but instead be tough and plow through anything. The standard male does not show their emotions and values the physicality of a person’s being over an emotional connection. Boys do sports and don’t care about theatre or music or singing. I do not go along with a lot of these norms, but I completely agree with the fact that they are in place. I do theatre, sing and do no sports, and wouldn’t really consider myself strong. I have no trouble showing my emotions whatsoever. I disagree with general gender norms and I choose to defy them daily.

I agree completely with this article. Girls and boys are each set at different standards of what they want and need to accomplish. Being a girl I fell as if I can never fail at anything or be a failure. There is so much pressure to succeed. Yes I want to do big things in life, but I fell as if everything has to be perfect. I have to look right all the time I have to make perfect grades all the time. Everything has to be perfect. I fell as if social media is what is playing such a huge part in this. If I'm on Instagram and I see a girl posting that she just graduated from the University of Georgia the first thing that is gonna come to my mind is that wow she must have a good life she was smart enough to get into Georgia and she graduated from Georgia. Seeing other people accomplish things's makes me want to be able to accomplish the same things.

I believe that the information found in the survey isn't that surprising. With social media and how people are portrayed now, it's clear that there is an issue with the gender norms. I, however, find myself not held back by gender norms. Sometimes, it can be hard of course. Seeing skinny girls on social media and the clothes others wear makes me feel sometimes as if i need to dress like them to get "approval" from others. I however have found that I have friends and family that support and love who I am. I don't want to be skinny, I want to be strong. I'd rather gain muscle then eat less for a few more likes on Instagram. I would rather train hard to set a personal record than put on a ton of makeup and go out with friends till three am. I believe in my community, people are accepting of who you are rather than gender norms. People understand everyone's different and find people to have a group of friends with that are like them. I value my determination, my goals in life, and my compassion for others. Society can sometimes just view a girls looks rather than their goals, and compassion / personality towards others. This makes me heartbroken that people may not have others to talk to, and I feel fortunate to have so many people who support who I am. I hope that someday I won't need the support of others, and that it will not matter. There won't be social norms and people won't have to worry about who they feel they are and hide it. I hope that someday this can be a reality.

I personally do not feel restricted by gender norms, however, it is not surprising that a lot of people do. Social media, and the people around you can pressure you to act and look a certain way just because of your gender. There are so many social expectations that make people feel pressured to conform just to be accepted by the people around them. Today, I think that social media is the biggest influence of displaying gender norms and because a majority of people have access to this, society now expects people to look and act like the ‘perfect’ people they see on social media. Society expects that men are strong and women are just supposed to look good. And when people don’t feel like they ‘fit in’ with these gender norms, the pressure is on them to be that way and ultimately it’s damaging. However, I think that slowly, society as a whole is becoming more accepting and realizing that these gender norms aren’t realistic for all people.

Overall I'm not shocked at the outcomes of this survey. I love how our society has finally started to become a place where women feel as if they are capable of anything, and breaking gender stereotypes has become a pretty common occurrence. I can't speak for all my friends, but I believe it's pretty inevitable to feel restricted by gender norms. These norms have become so ingrained within the American society over hundreds of years, they're pretty hard to run away from. From my personal experience, I believe gender norms don't as much constrict me, as they push me to break them. The biggest influence on my behavior would honestly have to be social media. There are so many platforms online that have been able to educate me on social issues (Black Lives Matter, women's rights, planned parenthood, etc.), and are dedicated to uplifting people as a whole. While I know my family is acceptive of others, even if they might not quite understand, I know they are willing to learn. As for my community, and society in general, gender equality does not exist yet. As long as boys are raised listening to the phrase "Be a man," just as girls are subjected to listening to the "insult", "You play/fight/etc. like a girl!", I don't think we have achieved complete gender equality, however, I definitely don't think it is impossible.

I feel as though everyone should be allowed to express themselves however they would like. It’s 2018; gender norms should be a thing of the past. We are breaking grounds with same sex marriage laws and the ever growing popularity of becoming transgender. I believe that this minor bump in the road should be just that; a minor bump in the road. I personally don't feel constricted by gender norms; I believe that nobody should feel pressured to act a certain way because of their gender. I bond best with guys; though, I have no idea why this is the case. I can only assume that because I am always around them, their behavior has begun to rub off on me. Leading me to believe that I act a certain way, which might not be considered a gender norm. This hypothesis does not scare me, or make me want to change the way I act; if I’m being completely honest, I don’t care about gender norms. They shouldn’t exist in the first place. My parents are always telling me to become friends with more girls. I hear them, though it’s not what I would prefer to do. I don’t know if I would consider my school a representative of gender equality; but I would most definitely consider my group of friends to be. For example, One of my friends really likes acting, but nobody calls him gay or makes fun of him for it. I truly believe that no one should follow gender norms just because they are pressured to. Everyone should do what makes them happy no matter whatever other people think.

I’m not so much surprised as I am struck with this reminder that these gender norms and behaviors actually exist. They are all around us and they probably aren’t going away any time soon but sometimes I forget about them. If I pretend that they don’t exist hopefully I can make some kind of influence on the people around me; to get them to see that if I don’t follow the norms of my gender, then they will feel that they can too. Yes, sometimes I do feel some pressure to act and dress like my gender, but it’s almost subconsciously. I think that most gender norms come from social media, your parents, and classmates. As for people that are accepting of you or close to you, they shouldn’t care if you follow gender norms or not, they should just care about who you are as a person. I do not feel that gender equality exists in my school. Not so much in the opportunities in my school, but certainly within the social scenes. There is widespread sexualization of women and discrimination and bullying of boys that don’t act or look like how their gender is “supposed” to look. I don’t care if a girl wear dresses and puts on makeup or a guy that plays sports and has big muscles; I value a person by who they are on the inside and what their personality is. I value honesty, intelligence, and common decency in not only myself, but in others I chose to call my friends. I believe that gender does not define a person and it should not hold anyone back from being themselves.

I never feel conflicted with societal gender norms nor do I feel pressure to conform to anything. While I have become confident in who I am, I admit that their are serious issues existing among genders and the stigmas surrounding them. I try to be open and accepting of anyone, regardless of their orientation or what they identify as. However, it should not come as an outrage that some tendencies and attributes can be associated with one gender or another. Sure, generalizing when it comes to humans can be dangerous, but in certain situations it is not unreasonable to assume things about people. Either way, an easy way to make sure you are open and accepting of all is to treat everyone like a new and unique individual. Get to know that individual on their own before making any assumptions or classing them in a certain way. And that should go for everyone regardless of their situation. For example, maybe we should assess the stereotype of an athlete. It seems ridiculous to think that the "jock" faces prejudice, but the assumptions as stigmas can be just as hurtful. For someone to see a football player and automatically class them as a blockhead is unfair and wrong. While it is easier said than done, in this society of norms and assumption, we should try to treat everyone as their own person.

I was not surprised by any of the findings of the survey, as I feel like we still live in a society with very strict gender roles. I have found that those around my age feel like they need to compete with each other, instead of empowering each other. There always seems to be an underlying urge to be the smartest and prettiest girl, or the strongest and most handsome boy. In a society where we idolize celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Zac Efron, I think we are imposing these gender norms upon ourselves. We see attractive celebrities on social media, and expect to have the same body as them, creating unrealistic standards for our generation. Everyone is built differently, which is what makes each individual person beautiful. Instead of valuing each other on our looks, we should value personalities and intellect. I love my friend Vanessa because she is witty and can always make me laugh. I love my friend Maddy because she gives the best advice and is so accepting of everyone. I love myself because I’m diligent and passionate. We shouldn’t care if we are the prettiest, skinniest, or have the clearest skin. What society expects from us is unrealistic, and if we focused on praising people for their personalities instead of appearance we would be a much happier generation.

Honestly I do not personally feel conflicted with the "normal" system between the genders, but I know there are many people who do. Even though I don't feel constricted with the norms, I do not think they are all accurate or correct. I think some norms are accurate also, but way to many are not. Boys are born genetically stronger and girls tend to be smarter. That is how it is. We can not change everything so that we are completely equal. That is not how genetics work. If you want to be stronger, don"t fight about it...Go to the gym! And if you want to be smarter...Read!

I guess I feel restricted. I'm not entirely sure if this fall into "Gender Norms", but since I hang out in the drama room I have a lot of friends who are girls. People then call me gay even though I'm not. I do have friends who are guys I just don't have a lot. Most of my friends are girls since most drama students just seem to be girls. I am around these people and form good relationships with these people. One of my friends who is a girl, I have known for nine years and I plan to be friends with her for a lot longer than that.

I don't personally feel constricted by gender norms because I feel like you can do whatever you want. You can be whatever you want. Some people feel like everyone's opinion matters, yet others don't really care what people say at all. There are a lot of people who really care what others say and get offended easily. People now are free to say whatever they want and be whoever they want to be.

I kind of do feel constricted by gender norms. For example, most people see women or girls as weak or helpless nerdy people (or at least in my experiences.) A lot of people also restrict girls and women from doing certain things. Like in sports they don't always restrict certain genders but I don't like how girls are always seen as the ones to be worse than guys at a sport. I mean sometimes yes it is true but then for some it isn't. Some girls are athletic and like sports, running and things like that but they're still seen as the weak ones. Another example would be my parents. They let my brothers do almost anything they want and go out with friends all the time. When it comes to me though they usually say no. They only let me go out with people they know but for my brothers it doesn't matter. I asked them why once before and they said it's because I'm a girl and they need to be more careful about me. I don't really understand why though.

Sometimes i do because i get told A LOT that i look like a tomboy or get told i wear black, and that sometimes i get told i cant do things a certain way because i'm a girl but that's usually by my mother or by people in public but by my father, brother, and 2 of my sisters don't really care if i dress like a boy or dress in black i sometimes i forget what other people say about me being a girl and i cant do things that boys usually do, so only sometimes i feel constricted.

I personally don't feel constricted by gender norms. I do however think there are people that feel constricted. With the rise of sexism, the feeling of being constricted rises, especially for girls. I don't think there should be a way to act and look because people should be allowed to be themselves no matter what. What I personally don't understand about this article is how boys have become more restricted over the years. Back then boys did everything from science to running companies and being star athletes. Nowadays girls are being given the opportunities to be on the same level as boys. With this, I don't understand how society went to boys being in every industry and girls being left in the dark and girls being in every industry and boys being socially pressured to be athletes. The main conclusion of that I'm confused about is why isn't both girls and boys on the same level being available to be in any industry. The traits that I most value about myself is my intelligence and my interest in technology. This doesn't match up with societies idea that boys should be strong and athletic. I personally don't care because I'm not athletic at all and I don't plan to just because society wants me to.

I do feel restricted to gender norms. Well, not really restricted but more uncomfortable disobeying the norms. Why can't girls be shirtless? I don't think the problem is boobs, magazines and photos show them just not they're nipples. So I think that if I get surgery to replace a dude's nipples with mine then I can go shirtless. Also, for some reason legs are now hairless? I never cared but my dad told me I have to (which he should have no say in). I do now and when I don't shave them I feel disgusting and I have to hide my legs. I'm lazy though so I just wear pants. I guess I value that I believe in people. I trust people until I can't. Society values looks. I value if someone is trustworthy, trustful, gives people a chance, patience, stuff like that. I don't care if your leg looks like a dogs leg or if you're not a skeleton. It makes me angry that some people care what you look like. If you feel uncomfortable now I'm sorry. just kidding.

To tell the truth, a lot of girls feel like they are constantly being judged by people about their looks and a lot of boys probably feel like they're being judged by their peers about how strong they are. This isn't something people can openly talk about though, because no matter how true or valid your point is... people are going to ignore it. If girls talk about how they feel pressured about their looks people will make feminist jokes and things like that. If boys try to explain how they feel, they might get called weak or even worse things by their peers. There are so many jokes about gender equality and it's come to the point where no one can really take it seriously.

Yes, I do personally feel constricted by gender norms. I don't like how girls are treated and told to be a certain way because I feel it is offensive when boys say sexual and hurtful comments to us girls and people tell us what to do most of the time. Also, boys and girls could be however and whatever they want to be and act. Boys don't have to be strong or athletic and girls don't have to be good at math or science. I think all genders should be treated how they want to be treated and with respect. Traits I value in myself are artisticness, kindness, ability to cook, smartness etc. These don't really compare to what society values in my gender because most of these traits don 't really matter that much in society. This makes me feel mad and disappointed in society because people should value each genders traits with respect.

There is a point in life while growing up that, to the astonishment of a younger part of you, makes you realize that you are in control of your life. I personally believe that if you live your life, not the way you want to live it, but to the expectations of others, you are not really living. Commitment to self happiness, although it may be portrayed as selfish in different areas of media, is actually the most important thing that anyone can strive for. With regard to "gender norms", I believe that the societal beliefs of typical traits associated with each gender are a product of the natural biological tendencies of humans. Males may be often portrayed as tougher; females more emotionally expressive, and I do not think that these are necessarily inaccurate observations. I am a male, but the expectations of society have played a very small part in shaping who I am. I do not believe that these expectations are as intrusive to life as often portrayed. I am a musician, and I don't play sports. I rarely feel pressure to conform to a stereotypical "male" gender norm. This is why I believe commitment to self is so important. Some people will feel pressured into fitting "gender norms" - these people are focused on pleasing others and not themselves. But when you have that moment of realization in life, the realization that your happiness is more important than the expectations of others, you will be free of gender norms, and free to live your life.

I feel that gender norms are important because I feel that boys should be boys and girls should be girls but im not against anything else but I feel like that girls should be girls and they should act like girls and look like girls because a girl is a girl and they should be a girl. Then boys should act like boys and look like a boy and they should stay as boys because it should be like that. Then i feel that i value mostly the way i act. Then boys also act different from girls. I feel like that i want to be a boy and only a boy.

I do not feel constricted by gender norms. Sure I am not the strongest or most fit guy, or the prettiest boy, but that does no mean I have to care about what others think. If you believe what others think, you are putting pressure on yourself to be perfect, but nobody is perfect. Some traits that I value most in myself is confidence, leadership, and bravery. I think my traits compare well to the gender norms, but not all of my traits are following gender norms, but I am fine with that and I won't be affected if I am brought to shame about it.

I guess sometimes I feel constricted by gender norms because of the way I prefer to dress. It is expected of girls to wear dresses, skirts, sandals and heels, for most girls this is comfortable and they like dressing up. For me, I prefer to wear jeans and a t-shirt with sneakers, I don't like to wear to dresses and skirts and dress up. Many people in my family don't like this because they think I need to act more like a lady. I think that people should allow girls to wear what makes them comfortable and happy, not what is expected of them to wear.

No, I do not feel constricted by gender norms because I am fine the way I dress and the things I do. It does not really bother that girls have to dress this way even though they do not or that some boys have to dress like this even though they do not have to. I value the most about myself how understanding I am towards others. Society values mostly how strong and brave a man can be.

While I don't personally feel constricted by gender norms, I think the whole concept is ridiculous. Why should your personality, hobbies, likes, and dislikes be predetermined by your gender? You can be whoever you wish. I feel that people are people, and it doesn't matter what gender you are as long as you get to express yourself and act the way you want to. That is why I don't feel pressure, I simply don't care enough to worry about it. The traits I value in myself are that I can remain calm in most situations, and am a good reader and writer. I am a girl and though in the past, it was frowned upon for women to read or get a proper education, today that is normal. That shows that we have already made great improvement and are sure to make many more.

Personally I don't feel constricted by the gender norms. But as a boy in this society many boys fall under peer pressure and I believe that many must act tough or hide there feelings. As a boy me I make my own choices I don't let peer pressure get to me. I do what i feel is right. I have a lot of friends who I know are really soft on the inside and must act tough to prove that they're men or trying to prove that they're cool. Everyone has a soft part of them it's what makes us human. Many guys run away from there feelings by making jokes, talking smack on each other, or making sexual comments. We only do this to run away from our feelings. As human nature I feel as if we're obligated to be strong or tough as boys turning into men.

Personally, I don't feel that gender norms have constricted me. We live in a generation where acceptance is growing and appreciation of all forms of personal expression are moving towards being seen as equal and welcome. Although not everyone sides with this perspective, I personally appreciate each individuals choice of expression and for that reason don't feel restricted to act or look a certain way. I believe that anyone has the ability to be who they want to be but fear of not following social expectation for ones gender is what makes people feel restricted. I feel that gender norms affect everyone differently depending on one's confidence and how important they feel the opinions of others are.

I feel that i am not constricted by gender norms because in society people are working to give girls the same education and treatment as men. Also most men are not treated differently because the choose to become a different gender same as women. I think that the world today is trying to create equality through gender issues.

I don't feel constricted by gender norms. I don't because no one makes fun of me for being a male. The traits that I value most about myself is my personality. I think the society wants us males to stop playing fortnite and pay attention to our females. I think this society wants these 9 year old males to stop being so toxic. I feel that we should keep playing fortnite grinding late night and text our females when we are waiting in the lobby.

I feel like this isn't a problem I honestly really don't care if they make a joke it's just a joke they don't really mean it. If they are actually are not joking I don't mess with it doesn't really matter. I feel like everyone is so sensitive now in society. I feel like men and women are both equal and what other people say doesn't really matter what matters more are actions.

Yes, very. Although I don't like to express it, I look in the mirror every morning and wonder how different my life would be if I could express myself freely. If I was able to cry freely and not suck it all up, to not act tough and just relax. If I wasn't pressured to join sports or be physically active. A lot of these factored and melded me into the person I am now, and genuinely, I grew to accept it. This is the society we live in, where people are blind-sighted by norms and there is nothing that I could do about it. If I continue to sulk about being a male and being in the wrong gender group, then the more I'll get anxious and paranoid about my actions. Actually, I still am affected by gender norms. Not particularly constricted, but multiple men who do get affected. Women may be suspect to sexual objection, but their defense and power in society is much more stronger then men. If a woman accuses a man of sexual assault, even with no proof, they will most likely receive backing to the point of removing the man of his hopes and dreams, although he did nothing to the woman at all. The power they wield is terrifying. Not only that, but their protection is amazing as well. If a woman, is well, "violated", there are programs and systems out there to support them and nurture them back to proper health. If a man is violated, there are no programs. If they are accused, no programs will assist them. So yes, I am constricted by Gender Norms, but most importantly, I am scared by them.

I actually, personally don't feel constricted by gender norms. I mean, you be whatever you want to be and do whatever you want to do(don't do illegal things though). I think that every person in the world was born how they were supposed to look and they can act and be how they want to be because other people don't control their thoughts and life. They can only control themselves and if they want to make a bad decision, it's up to them to make a choice between doing it or not. They cannot make decisions and choices for other people and control them. If I want to look like what I want to look like then I'll be it. If I want to act how I want to act then I'll act like it. The world, society, and the people that are living in it don't control you. You can only control yourself. And it's up to you whether to believe in other people's words or not.

I do not feel personally constricted by gender norms because I simply don't care. My family doesn't make a big fuss about gender roles, so they always seemed very unimportant to me and never really affected my life. The traits I value most in myself are my intelligence and ability to not be a jerk. These things are qualities that are valued in everyone regardless of gender, so I don't relate these things to my gender.c

I don't feel constricted at all. I think that I can do whatever I put my mind to. I am not stopped or restricted by anything. I value my smile. I think that smiling at someone can turn their day upside down for the better. When you show someone a smile it's like telling them that you hope they have a wonderful day.

I do feel constricted by gender norms because it is true that girls think that they are pressured to look this one way. Women believe that the sexual discrimination for women will never stop. Comments and jokes, assaults, and being safe are the biggest insecurities and problems that can happen to girls. I value myself that I really don't care about genders or acting the right gender, boys can act like girls or girls can act like boys , I don't have a conflict with that kind of stuff.

No, I do not fell constricted by gender norms because, it does not matter to me what someone else likes to where or how they are supposed to act unless they are messing with me. The trait I value most is me being lazy, and I do not care about what the rest of society thinks.