Raeana gall

Unit 2 essay 2
OPTION D: PARENTS, PEERS & GENDER ROLES
How did your parents influence the development of your gender role? In what ways did you
model yourself after your same gender parent? In what ways are your conceptions of appropriate
gender roles similar to or different from those of your parents? During high school, what
influences did your peers have on your gender role development? How important were your
boyfriends or girlfriends in developing your sense of yourself as a woman or man? Who are the
people who most influence your gender-role concepts today? As a parent, what gender roles will
you model for your children?
My parents influenced the development of my gender role by giving me girl toys and buying me
clothing that was meant for girls. They also influenced me by the way they talked to me and the
way I was dressed when I was born I was instantly put into pink. My parents influenced me more
of the nontraditional way my parents still dressed me like a girl but treated me like a tomboy. My
dad played rough with me when I was little so I wasnt soft like a normal girly girl would be. I
believe thats why I was influenced into sports and liked them more then dance or cheerleading.
My dad influenced me by making me instrumental and assertive and very independent, were as
females are more depicted as dependent and passive(Strong & Cohen, 2014, p. 123). The ways I
modeled myself after my mom was, being very independent, self-sufficient, and confident in
who I am and where I am going. She taught me to have manners and to be very lady like with my
body and language, she taught me the ways of being strong but to still realize I am a women. My
mom taught me that I am not to take crap from anyone if disrespected to always stand my
ground. I also learned from her that I dont need very much make up to be pretty she taught me
to love myself and the way I look. My conceptions of gender roles are similar to that of my
parents. I believe a lot of what they believe in. I believe that both roles can do anything they
want if thats what makes them happy, I also believe in both genders being confident independent
and assertive. My peers in high school influenced me to dress very pretty and girly but then when
we played are sports we could act a little masculine. They also influenced me to dress
comfortable and to be the player not the played. My peers are also the reason I have so much
confidence because we built each other up and we knew we had each others back. Having a
boyfriend made me act differently than I would around my friends, like I would act ore girly
because I didnt want to act to manly but in the end I eventually was truly myself around them
and we got along better. It influenced my women hood by teaching me how to act around men.
The people that influenced my gender role the most was definitely my parents and siblings. My
parents influenced me most by teaching me everything and what they bought me and how they
talked to me. My siblings influenced me on how to act around my peers and people I liked such
as boyfriends and what to do. What gender role I will influence as a parent is to let them do what
makes them happy and keep the stereotypical role such as boys play with boy toys an dress like

boys and the same for my girls except I want my girls to be tomboys so they get along with their
brothers better and play sports like I did.
References: Strong, B, & Cohen, T. F. (2014). The marriage and family experience: Intimate
relationships in a changing society (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.