Argumenative Research essay

Although many people think gender stereotyping is a good thing and how it separates boys and girls. However parents and teachers should try to combat stereotyping one way is by children’s books having a set mindset for children on what role they must display if there a boy or girl. Parents also affect their kids on stereotyping by sending hidden messages they don’t realize to their kids. Also schools are trying to help and support children with gender identity.  

Gender stereotyping is a very controversial topic in what people see as normal or correct behavior between genders. Gender stereotyping is when you see objects, ideas, or actions that you feel belong to either a male or female gender. People don’t think much of gender stereotyping and many people do it every day. People see girls playing with dolls, dressing in tutus, even colors such as pink are associated with girls. Boys are associated as being tough and playing with trucks and are always under the color blue. This is what gender stereotyping is and many people develop this idea of stereotyping between the ages of three and five on what is a girl or boy action, object or idea. A lot of issues occur when people see a boy with pink nail polish on and rise against the idea of confusing the boy’s sexuality. Brining up issues of transgender and making a child become gay. This occurs with more boys than girls seeing that it’s more ok in many people’s eyes for a girl to wear a baseball cap but not ok for a boy to wear a Tutu.

There was a study on how kids develop early gender stereotyping with a game that involves presents and Santa Claus. Kids between the ages of three and six are asked to deliver presents to boys and girls. They were given cards with toys on them and they were asked to place the card in a box for either a boy or girl. Kids at a younger age didn’t show much stereotyping with the gifts. Kids at age five show a range for stereotyping at 78.5% (J. Bruce Morton, et al).While eleven year olds show an increase from 78.5% to a 96.5% (J. Bruce Morton, et al). This data shows how stereotyping with children starts at a young age and they start separating a boy or girl toys.

Another experiment was done on kids age’s five and eleven where they were shown a picture of an object like an iron and asked “who can use this mommy, a daddy, or both? Both girls and boys were asked who can use the object and where shown stereotypical pictures like dolls, vacuum, hammer, helmet and two neutral pictures such as ice cream and bed. They are asked who can use the item mom, dad or both? Then they removed the both part of the question and asked mom or dad? Data shows kids at the age of five shows a 33.8% of stereotyping with the objects (J. Bruce Morton, et al). While 11 year olds show an 87.8% in stereotyping patterns (J. Bruce Morton, et al).

So studies where done on children to see if they gender stereotype at a young age. Another question that rises is why are children at a young age start to gender stereotype? One factor that seems to cause children to gain a gender stereotype at a younger age is children’s literature and parents. The way gender stereotyping is displayed in children’s books is this gender bias that relates to the content, language, illustrations that are shown to kids in children’s books. Children’s books have been an important part of culture and but does show gender roles portrayed by a male and female figures. Male characters in books are more shown in titles, pictures and in the text. While woman and rarely shown or have a central role. “85% of the main characters in stories are male, and female characters rarely do anything.” (Ya-Lun, Tsao) This shows that at a young age of when kids are starting to gain those stereotypical ideas just makes it more dominant in their mind site. The books display males to be powerful and more active characters. Female’s descriptions in the books describe them as beautiful, frightened and worthless in some cases. Illustrations show females to be placed in a passive observer role while males are more shown as active. Children’s books also show that male characters use their brains effectively and creatively to solve problems, while female characters are shown more concerned. Females are also shown to be dependent on men and show to be emotional, silly, clumsy, and lacking intelligence. For young children picture books are important in teaching but are showing and defining standards between feminine roles and masculine roles.

Parents affect children’s stereotype views at home by giving them stereotypical gender toys. Children at the age of three and five are asked to separate toys that would be a girl or boy toy. Also parents are asked to do the same as their children and it showed that children and parents results are the same. Children would separate the toys just as their parents would have showing that parents give signals to kids without realizing it. 46% of parents would buy their sons and daughters the same kind of toys (Freeman, Nancy). A father’s goal is to have his son become a caring and nurturing individual. This would mean giving their son a doll to enable those goals to occur. 56% of parents would give their son a doll (Freeman, Nancy). Girls should be show an interest that reflects what they want and not ones that are stereotypical created by the media and marketing experts. Chores in the house should be given to children based on their abilities and interests and not by strength or mind set.

Now in the educational setting teachers are now becoming more aware of gender identity between children. Some children will grow up heterosexual or gay. Children who have gender identity start showing signs at an early age of four. Behavior differs between individual children but trying to see a child with gender identity is difficult. Elementary schools in San Francisco are trying to help children with gender identity issues but they can’t base on stereotypical views. Society is changing on what they feel is appropriate for a girl action or what is a boy action. School systems are trying to catch gender identity early on in children but using stereotypic views is one way that doesn’t help. Also children don’t start stereotyping objects, actions and ideas till the age of five.    

The argument against this is that boys and girls are different genders and should be treated like separate genders. Having the roles, ideas, and actions is nature how a woman is supposed to be nurturing, kind and sweet. Men are the more dominant, strong and protective type. A lot of issues arise on how sexuality is being affected if a farther allows his son to play with “girl toys.” Parents worry that their child will grow up to be gay, lesbian or transgendered if they allow them to take on the same role as the opposite gender. Also men and woman are physically different as women are built to give birth to children. So teaching little girls to be nurturing and kind helps prepare for when they are ready to have children of their own. While boys are going through there phase to become men and be able to protect woman in a fragile state as pregnancy.

            Teachers and parents must find a neutral way to balance out gender stereotypes among children. People have their beliefs on how a girl or boy should present themselves to people. But when can it be ok for a boy to wear nail polish? Also why it is a boy wearing nail polish is such a negative idea but its ok to have a girl wear a baseball cap. Teachers should incorporate books that are gender friendly for both sexes. Also parents should educate themselves more on this topic. Generations change over time and what’s accepted and not accepted changes. So if parents and teachers become more aware and educated on this idea gender stereotyping probably won’t be such a controversial issue.

                                                              Works Cited

Freeman, Nancy. "Preschoolers’ Perceptions of Gender Appropriate Toys and their Parents’ Beliefs About Genderized Behaviors: Miscommunication, Mixed Messages, or Hidden Truths?." Early Childhood Education Journal 34.5 (2007): 357-366. Academic Search Premier.Web. 27 Apr. 2011.

Ilene, Lelchuk. "When is it OK for boys to be girls, and girls to be boys? / Many kids want to look and act like the other sex. For some, it's a phase; for others, it's not. Parents and schools are adjusting." San Francisco Chronicle (CA) n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

J. Bruce Morton, et al. "The development of spontaneous gender stereotyping in childhood: relations to stereotype knowledge and stereotype flexibility." Developmental Science 13.2 (2010): 298-306. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

Ya-Lun, Tsao. "Gender Issues in Young Children’s Literature." Reading Improvement 45.3 (2008): 108-114. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

                                                                       

Annotated Bibliography

Dreger, Alice."Gender Identity Disorder in Childhood: Inconclusive Advice to Parents." Hastings Center Report. 26-29. Hastings Center, 2009. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

·         This author writes about how to help parents with kids who have GID (Gender Identity Disorder). This article shows how parents may identify their child with GID. Also it shows how it a child may act at an early age that may show signs of being gay, lesbian or transgendered. This is a creditable source which the research was done by the author studying many psychologists printed works.

Freeman, Nancy. "Preschoolers’ Perceptions of Gender Appropriate Toys and their Parents’ Beliefs About Genderized Behaviors: Miscommunication, Mixed Messages, or Hidden Truths?." Early Childhood Education Journal 34.5 (2007): 357-366. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 27 Apr. 2011.

·         This talks about how parent’s reactions may cause children to gain that gender stereotype. Children pick from toys and parent’s actions show a “hidden message” that kids pick up that parents didn’t know they portrayed. This was a studied that was done and is a written journal that was published. 

Good, Jessica J., Julie A. Woodzicka, and Lylan C. Wingfield. "The Effects of Gender Stereotypic and Counter-Stereotypic Textbook Images on Science Performance." Journal of Social Psychology 150.2 (2010): 132-147. Academic Search Premier.Web. 27 Apr. 2011

·         This article is about how education between female and male students gives that stereotypical view. It talks about how education factors in with stereotyping. It also gives information on how as a child becomes an adult’s things that influence there thinking also comes from TV. This article was published in the journal social psychology and much research was done.  

Ilene, Lelchuk. "When is it OK for boys to be girls, and girls to be boys? / Many kids want to look and act like the other sex. For some, it's a phase; for others, it's not. Parents and schools are adjusting." San Francisco Chronicle (CA) n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

·         This article is about how children want to act more like the opposite sex. Also schools are now learning to accommodate kids at an early age with this gender identity. This source comes from a published article in the San Francisco chronicle.

                                                                                                            

J. Bruce Morton, et al. "The development of spontaneous gender stereotyping in childhood: relations to stereotype knowledge and stereotype flexibility." Developmental Science 13.2 (2010): 298-306. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

·         This is a study done on children ages 5-11 to see if they develop stereotype as they grow older. They show images to the children asking them if the imagine is a boy or girl thing. They also give children toys that are considering either a boy or girl toy. This article is from a database and is published in developmental science and is research from the psychology department.

Ya-Lun, Tsao. "Gender Issues in Young Children’s Literature." Reading Improvement 45.3 (2008): 108-114. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

·         This paper talks about how children’s literature portrays imagines of stereotypical actions of male and female characters. This is a situation where it shows girls are showed as helpless and needs to be saved by a male character. Is showing these imagines at a young age to children show that children are already taken on that characters role. For kids who don’t take on that stereotype role is more out casted? This source came from a database and was published by someone from the University of Pennsylvania. 

                                                                       

Research Idea

Question: Why is Gender identity such a controversial topic and why do people try to set the way a boy or girl should act with their environment?

I’m interested in this topic because not a lot of people talk about it. It seems like a hush from people and I would love to learn more about this. I would like to know why is it ok for girls to wear a baseball cap while it’s not ok or allowed a guy to paint his nails.

I know very little on this topic but I have a good understanding of why it seems to be an issue among people and especially parents. But it’s a good topic to learn and see it in a different kind of light.

I will look for my information in the databases and look to see if I can find any good books related to this topic and see if I can learn anything new from this idea.

Ethnography on Staples "That Was Easy"

Ever since I was smaller I always loved school supplies. My mother always bought me all these different kinds of pens, pencils, and crayons. Now I work at a very popular office supply superstore that store is Staples. Staples are stores where you can by a variety of products for your office and home. Malcolm Gladwell’s article “The Science of Shopping.” Talks about shopping in retail stores that are more clothing stores. However a good amount of that article can be connected to how Staples runs and operates its business. The article talks about the different scientific selling technique studied by Paco Underhill, a person who studies different shopping trends in different stores. Staples main focus is to grab the eyes of many business people and help produce sales. Since I work at this store stepping outside the box and giving you to different views on this store is my goal with this ethnography.  

Staples is a store that targets people in or running any types of business. When I walk into work I can always recognize the staples logo from miles away. As I look up I recognize staples by the huge red sign with the white lettering detailing the red rectangle. People especially know a staples store by the L in the logo is stapled shaped. I approach the front and see windows with huge posters displaying laptops and yellow sticky notes. Walking inside is like walking into a bright waiting room. When looking up I see that the building has large high ceilings with bright lights running up and down the aisles. Once you enter the store is divided into many sections. Always to the right you have the copy and print center with shades of different blue designing this area. Then straight ahead you have the office supply section with very high red shelves with product below to buy. The shelves are so tall that you need a ladder to get to the over stock. Above the product is the over stock with closed boxes with numbers on them. Then to the left of the office supply section you have shelves that are not as high. It’s about an average height of a person and able to look over these shelves. Behind the electronics section you have the furniture show room where desks and chairs are displayed. The desks are all in the front while the chairs are all up against the back wall. Then as you walk in to the right are the registers and the service desk. What you can clearly observe with product though is that this environment is meant to be bright and eye catching. Above all the products are long white light bulbs the same one used to brighten the store.           

When walking into aisle five seems as if you are walking in a long hallway at school. Looking to the right of this aisle are the staples and staplers. In a row are testing staplers and paper to staple together. This shows what Paco Underhill calls the “make up play area” in which customers are able to interact with products and seeing what best fits their needs. Staplers are very important in many work environments and are used daily. Lots of factors play a key role in what a customer is looking for in a stapler. People may want a stand up stapler or the traditional table top stapler. It’s also important how many sheets of paper each stapler may be able to punch. I see some small hand held staplers and also bug huge gray bulky ones. One stapler you try and press down on it and it doesn’t even work. The reason it didn’t work is it’s because it’s an electric stapler. People who have arthritis need staplers too and doing that constant repetitive motion makes their hands tired. So Staples even have staplers for people who may have medical problems such as arthritis. Throughout the store staples have these “make up play areas” so customers can interact with products to get a feel for what they might be looking for.

            Walking around a little bit more one customer caught my eye. It was an older gentleman who is dressed in a suit. He was looking at some cross pens which are fancier pens for business people who work in an office. The pens are in a rotating wooden pallet like a spinning desk organizer. Looking at this man and looking at the pens they seem to fit one another perfectly. Walking more I saw a Chinese woman near the register rolls. Really looking at her I saw that she must have her own business. She was looking to see if her role she had would match another one of the roles on the shelf. She also smelled like food and is wearing a white apron with some Chinese writing on it. Looking at these two customers I noticed how a lot of people who own their own business or work for a business come here. Then a sales associate goes up to the Chinese woman and asked “do you need any help?” She said “Yes I need the right register role” The sales associated assisted her and asked her questions to find out what register role she needed. “Twenty years ago the sale staff would consult with you and tell you what you needed, as opposed to asking and recommending” Burns said “And in those days people believed what the sales person told them” The Chinese woman was happy she got her register role and thanked the associate and went to the front of the store. Here I see that the associate helped the customer and showed her the correct register role. This shows how customers really rely on associate help.

            Going deeper into the store seeing all the different kinds of products and office supplies I noticed one thing. More customers are in the back of the store than in the front. I walk around to see the difference in people from the back of the store from the front of the store. I noticed that higher concentrations of customers are in the back of the aisles. The store seemed to layout “destination items” throughout the store. So the more popular items are in the back of the store vs. the front of the store. I think the store does this layout because it gets customers to see more products than they would if the more popular items where in the front. It makes customers go that extra mile to get what they want but without them realizing this. This store seems to have more sales in the front half of the aisles then it does the back half. So this trick Staples is doing is to make customers. Customers spend money on something that wasn’t there main focus in the beginning.

            When seeing customers head to the registers everyone has something to buy from this store. With its variety of products in all areas of the store and having good deals why not buy something? Staples has its goals in targeting business owners which is staples goal to help their business thrive. Staples do have its interesting variety of customers here and there and the company grows with the business they help support. Through the variety of marketing skills talked in “The Science of Shopping,” Staples can attract any variety of customers eye and may in fact grow even more as a company.

Works cited

Gladwell, Malcolm. “The Science of Shopping.” The New Yorker Nov. 1996.Web.24 Feb.2011.

Loss and Coping but learning the Real Lesson

Loss is an emotional time in a person’s life, we all go through it, and we learn and grow from it, each and every day. It’s that strong hurt or painful feeling in your chest, that ping in your stomach that just won’t go away. Coping with a huge loss in your life is one of most difficult things you can do. We have all experienced this feeling in one way or another. I recently felt these tumbling emotions not too long ago. In October, I lost my dog, my best friend, of fourteen years, Blacky from old age. We must always remember the good times we had with that special someone or something in our lives. The key however, is learning what they have taught you. Blacky taught me a very important thing about life. What Blacky taught me was don’t judge a book by its cover or in his way a dog by its collar. It might seem silly a dog, or any animal for that matter, teaching you a lesson. However, its true Blacky taught me you should never judge someone by appearance, or what they have, or don’t have.

Animals are truly amazing creatures, but the one thing they never do is place judgments on you. When I started school I started to realize kids had different social groups. I didn’t think I had to be in a group, I’m me and I didn’t know where that group was. I didn’t and still don’t label myself as anything different other than Brian. I started to be bullied by other kids because I didn’t have what they thought were nice clothes. I was also picked on because I wore glasses. The other kids used to pick on me, calling me four eyes and other mean names. When I was in sixth grade something horrible happened to me and I will never forget it. One day at school, during recess, I was playing with some other kids, when all of a sudden some mean boys in my class started to pick on me. What happened next was so surreal to me in such a way I was breathless. They pushed me and took my glasses and broke them in half. Being a little kid, it was the scariest thing ever; it was so bad I went home early that day. I cried; I cried a lot and my mom took care of the school problem for me. I was with Blacky and told him what happened and said “those guys are jerks.” Then my view on other kids changed and I became what I feared the most that day at school. I also became a bully by placing judgment and not accepting other kids. 

 Then when I reached eighth grade it was a good and bad year for me. During this time a lot of pre-teens where being mean and hurtful to one another. People where two-faced and harsh to one another on every aspect I could think of. I was being mean and started to place judgment on other pre-teens my age. I had my own little group of friends and we make fun of people. We make fun of physical appearance how someone had weird gross teeth. To someone who didn’t have a cool clothes or nice iPod. Then one day a new boy transferred into class. He was very different kind of boy he wore band T-shirt and skinny jeans from Hot Topic which not a lot of people where into. He had longer hair than other boys in the class. He was out casted right away from everyone in class. I was also mean to this boy to just because he was different looking than me. One day the teacher assigned the glass a group project which we had to work in pairs of two. I was stuck with the out casted boy and people didn’t like me hanging around him. So I didn’t like him even more because he made me less popular. Than something happened it was unexpected and I didn’t know how to react. The boy turns to me and says “why does everyone in class hate me so much?” I was so surprised I didn’t know how to respond to him. Seeing the hurt in his eyes and that sad look on his face changed me. It was such a shock that I was hurting him that way and I felt like such a jerk to do that to someone else. I remembered right then and there how it felt to be out casted by others and hated it and remember telling Blacky how those kids where so mean. Just then I realized I was no better that the little kids in grade school who picked on me. Then I said “I don’t know they don’t like how you dress” trying to make the conversation and not trying to ignore that he spoke. He then said “I like how I dress its different I know but I think it’s cool” Everything hit me so fast I was so shocked and from that day I realized I would never judge people that harshly ever again. The boy and I became good friends and people didn’t like this but I didn’t care. His style grew on me and he helped let the real me out that has been locked away. I locked myself away because I didn’t want to be judge and just fit in.

High school comes around the corner and it was a huge change from any learning I ever had. I noticed all these social cliques in place at the school. I went to Bristol County Agricultural High School. There were more girls than guys at this school and I noticed and much more judgment and fewer acceptances of others. I already realized who I was and not going to change myself or be bullied by no one ever again. I was not going to turn into that bully either. I understood the whole picture the social dynamics of people. I became a nicer person and didn’t place judgment on to anyone in any way shape or form. I was liked by a lot of girls and some guys in the school. Naturally not all people get along but I made sure I never picked on anyone’s faults. I have my own faults to bear why pick on someone else’s? I want to be friends with everyone I came in contact with in school. I didn’t care on what grade level either I made friends in all grades with all kinds of people. It felt good to see the variety of people I was friends with it felt nice. All the girls who love anime and dress like me with skinny jeans and Pac Sun store clothing. Also the people who are very smart and helped me in English. Even the popular girls who thought I was so nice and sweet and thought I was the best. Even helping some guys who didn’t understand math to well it’s a good feeling to help everyone.

We just need to learn and see that even with a loss in our life we need to see how the huge impact of that individual changed you as a person. A piece of that person or animal can change you and help shape you to who you are today. I am glad Blacky did this for me and if he was here today I would thank him. I am going to grow as an individual and take this huge important life lesson I learned with me throughout my life. I think it’s an important way to think and see the world this way because people tend to not see what hurt they may cause others. Respecting and understanding a person is important before you judge anyone and I’m glad I learned this at a young age. I can’t lie and say I don’t ever judge people we all do its human nature. I do however never jump to any conclusions about anyone and see how that person is in time. I learn and see why that person may act, feel and do what they do for a certain reason. I think more people in this world should see people in a different view and not label and stereotype one another. I love meeting new people and seeing how people are different from myself. I always respect people on how they are and present themselves. I wish Blacky was here so he can see how he has helped me change and grow into the nice proud individual I am today. He would also love the saying “Never judge a dog by his collar.” 

Personal Essay Coping with loss

            Loss we all go through this emotion in life. It’s a part of life and we learn and grow from it every day. It’s that strong hurt or painful feeling in your chest. That ping in your stomach that just won’t go away. Coping with a huge loss in your life is one of most difficult things you can do. We have all experience this feeling in one way or another. I recently felt these tumbling emotions not too long ago in October. When I lost my dog my friend of fourteen years Blacky of old age.

            I remember the first day I got Blacky he was so small and cute. He had a long black coat that looked like you are staring into the darkest of nights. His coat was soft to the touch like cotton or silk. Blacky’s eyes were so warm and friendly inviting you to pet him. He came up to me and tried to jump on me. But he fell off of me he was always a silly dog. He was the one I wanted out of that litter of puppies something about him made him stand out to me. It was a weird feeling but a good kind of weird. That moment in time when I got my first puppy changed my childhood forever and has taught me so much. Blacky has taught me so many things in life it is hard to believe a dog could have such a huge impact on one person’s life.

            On a warm summers afternoon I was in the back yard with Blacky. A nice warm summer’s afternoon a cool breeze drifting through the air. Smelling flowers, barbeques in the still summers air, early in the afternoon. The cicada’s in the tree’s making noise me carefree having a good time a boy and his dog. I lay on the pavement Blacky right by my side. He would always lay himself out spreading out all his legs. He was my little black carpet I used to call him. It seems kind of silly to be such close friends with an animal. Animals are so similar to people and have so such personality like us it’s unbelievable. I would always tell Blacky little secrets here and there about myself. How I used to say I don’t know what life is all about and what’s to come of my life. I was and scared what the future may hold for me and I go on being a silly ten year old boy. Talking to a dog but you know something as weird as it may sound. Blacky understood where I was coming from and how I was feeling in this world. That dog had such understanding I thought he was human for the looks he used to give me. He always did have this Brian your crazy look.

            Then as life seems to go on forever in this world death is here to take it away from us. Blacky and me had so many fun adventures. From a simple walk around the block to me washing him and even watching movies together. Blacky was getting really old I’m nineteen and already in college having him for so long was such a great gift. I could tell he was going to leave me soon and I made sure I was by his side as much as I could be. But work and school kept me more busy and away. Then that day came in October which is so ironic because Blacky’s birthday was October fourteen and it was October thirteen. He died before he turned fifteen years old. The day I came home and saw that look on my mom’s face and that look in her eye’s I knew what she was going to say without her saying it. I’ll never forget what my mom said “Brian Blacky is gone now but he walked around a little bit in the backyard and then laid back down fell asleep and never woke up.” I never cried so much before like that in my life. My mom’s words shattered me into so many pieces. It was like glass that is broken and you trying to find and fix all the pieces together.

            I went over to see Blacky and saw him laying there as if he was asleep. All the wonderful memories we shared together in my mind whirling around and around. I think that happened to him to before he left this world. He remembered all the fun times we had together. Blacky getting up and walking around the yard was such a shock to me. Pets don’t care if you’re perfect, rich, or different. They accept and love you for who you are as a person which is one thing Blacky left behind to me. It doesn’t matter who you are people should love you for the way you are no matter what. That is the biggest lesson I learned while I had Blacky in my life up until this point. I think all pet owners feel this strong deep connection with their pets. The one thing people should do more of is not to feel sad and lonely once their pet is gone. Your pet would never want you to feel that way I know Blacky wouldn’t like it if I was sad. Losing an important part of my life my childhood has affected me greatly. I just learn to control those strong deep emotions and hope in time they will heal over my saddened heart.          

Personal Essay Idea

I wanted to write about losing my dog his past year who died in october. I had my dog for fourteen years and wanted to write about what its like to lose a pet. A lot of people dont see pets as bestfriends or anything but a pet. I would like to share my story about what it was like having my dog and how they are really good friends. How we take for granted how huge an impact an animal can have on your life and the life of many people.