Gender...

Great presentation!!! I think those girls (don't know if that is bad, but you all were girls) did a fantastic job! I really thought it was great, it help my attention span really well especially with how tired I was feeling.

They asked us, what if we woke up tomorrow and were the other sex, what would change? I really struggled with this one. I think that I don't fit the stereotypical girl, I break a lot of the "rules" of being a girl. I don't really dress up to look pretty, I enjoy sports ( I play to win), I don't think I need to fit the mold that society shows me, and there are definitely times that I don't care what people think.

The slide discussing the study that was done on 15 and 16 year olds was quite interesting. I definitely could tell that they were a bit younger but it correlated with what we had brainstormed for answers too. I think it would have been cool to have collected the sheets of answers from our group and just put them up; not have anyone necessarily have to own up to them because I think a lot more answers would have been great to hear.

I think about the question posed and really wonder?!?! The thing that sticks out the most for me, probably would be that people wouldn't think that I am such a giant anymore, guys are suppose to be bigger than girls, so why am I so huge they wonder... but I am not even 6 feet tall, that isn't tall!! Maybe that is the one thing that would stand out the most to me, my going out shoes would definitely have to change, can't really see me as a boy rocking stilettos but hey?!? Maybe, I do really love my shoes!

As well, the boys that we all want to date!! The David Beckhams, I can definitely say that I used to be thinking that every guy should look like that but, honestly, now, I see that and this little warning goes off in my head and it is like you are probably a big jerk (to put it nicely) because I have encountered and unfortunately dated guys that do look like that and they aren't what you want to be around or with. So maybe I have stereotyped them in a negative why? Is that just as bad as the original stereotype? Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but for me, especially in these cases you have to prove it to me that you are the exception.

I think that as we age, (I am maybe a little older than most of the people in our class) we discover how wrong these set gender roles and images can be. It would be awesome to learn earlier but I hope we do all realize that.

This group did an amazing job of pointing out some of the obvious things that we wouldn't notice because it is right in front of our face. I have seen first hand what little statements to a girl can make. My niece no longer wanted to ever wear pants, only dresses because she wanted look like a little princess, daddy's little princess. She was in kindergarten and now grade one. A daily fight would occur because she only would wear a dress, even in winter. I actually got a chance to live with my niece this summer and I tried to point out a different view. I tried to point out that it was good to want to excel at sports (she is a strong athlete but very hesitant to show it) and it wasn't bad if you were good at them even though you were a girl. You don't always have to try to look pretty!! Be happy with the person you are. Yes these are tough issues for such a little girl to understand but in my modelling it maybe she will understand it better.

I think that because I had a strong role model who didn't try to fit the mold it made it okay for me not to have to. My sister, closest in age, is definitely not a run of the mill girl. She broke down the, what she should have to look like, she wears sweats more than I do (if that is possible), her hair is frequently everywhere, etc. but she is good with who she is (and happily married). That is the key, we need to focus on that, if you want to be the mold but you are happy being the mold maybe is that okay?

This topic was an amazing choice ladies... GREAT WORK! You have had me pondering it since your presentation!! :) Thank you!