Gender stereotypes

Animalloverb

I am so sick of society categorising things into genders. In my mind it's wrong. Things shouldn't be associated with gender. Especially with kids.

For example, my son loves dolls, he likes to 'care' for them, look after them, but society see that and judge my parenting, saying things like he is a boy you should let him play with those. It hurts, I am raising my son in a way that will ensure he is respectful to others as he gets older. He is just being a kid, enjoying childhood, if he wants dolls then he can.

I just don't understand why society thinks that certain things are for certain genders. It just doesn't sit right with me.

Callum

Hey @Animalloverb, it can be so frustrating when things are gender stereotyped, such as dolls. Your son should not be judged at all for liking dolls and caring for them, and you don't deserved to be judged for how you parent him, what matters the most is his happiness. As you say, you are raising your son in a way that will make sure he is respectable to others, that sounds so thoughtful of you and definitely something that will benefit him when he gets older. I'm curious, who has been judging your parenting for this specifically, if you don't mind sharing?

Animalloverb

@Callum

It's mostly just strangers and a few colleagues at work.

It's also towards clothes aswell, like they just judge the clothing I put my son in, but I let my son pick his own clothes, fair enough he is 2 years old, but I feel giving him choices helps him. He picks clothing that he likes and to me all I want is for him to be happy.

I just hate having my parenting judged just because of the way I raise my son.