Beyond Pink And Blue

If you were to buy an item of clothing for a baby boy, what colour would it be? Blue, right? The idea that blue is for boys and pink is for girls has been so ingrained in our psyche that it is hard to imagine other way round. And this belief begins to condition individuals' minds from a tender age. Recently, my nearly five-year-old son reacted strongly when the vacuum flask we had ordered online for him turned out to be pink upon its arrival, saying, “This flask is for mummy, not for me. Buy me another one that’s not pink.” Surprisingly enough, he was adamant about it. 

That left us wondering how he picked up this belief, one we had no idea we had talked with him about before. But there was one certainty: There is no escape from the gender stereotype that societal norms shape us. Intrigued, I made a quick Google search to learn whether children are born with gender preferences.

Nearly an hour into the search, it became clear that this colour association is neither universal nor timeless, and not even biological, meaning that it is shaped by nurture, not nature. Interestingly, such a gender stereotype is a relatively recent social construction, only dating back to the 1940s.

Gender stereotypes are overgeneralised and oversimplified beliefs, notions and expectations about how people should carry themselves in society based on their gender. And they are perpetuated by societal norms and cultural traditions. Though they appear innocuous, there’s no denying that they are restricting and limiting. That’s because individuals are expected to behave in a certain way and perform prescribed roles that align with their gender identity. For example, girls are given dolls and a kitchen set to play with as toys while boys are handed cars, guns and other action figures. And, women are expected to perform domestic work, while men are supposed to work outside. 

Gender stereotypes have existed in society for centuries. They are so deeply entrenched in our culture that it is very hard to alter them. Their endurance with the passage of time, despite much debate and calls for change, is a testament to this fact. The fact that people often don’t question their validity or think about their impacts on individuals ensures that it is continued.

But they do have impacts, sometimes adverse, especially to girls and women. Women who do not comply with the traditional gender roles can face discrimination at home or work. Similarly, if a man chooses to be a stay-at-home dad to care for his newborn baby, he might be looked down upon, if not criticised heavily. Perhaps the most glaring consequence of this gender bias is seen in career choices. Women are often discouraged from pursuing STEM (Science, technology, engineering and math) careers, as they are thought to be hard subjects meant only for men and not suited for women. 

In the same vein, men are discouraged from pursuing careers in nursing or care work, as they are seen as feminine jobs. This discrimination not only robs individuals of the opportunity to follow their passion by denying it. Given such impacts, we must challenge such stereotypes to promote equality and an inclusive society. The long road to that end begins at home by assessing our own biases and rectifying them.