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>>> I have a boy and its obvious gender differences are innate, not learned. There are a few gender differences that I find quite obviously to be social constr

>>> I have a boy and its obvious gender differences are innate, not learned. There are a few gender differences that I find quite obviously to be social constructs. Things like pink/blue or dresses/pants? There's nothing innate about those preferences, we're obviously taught "x is for boys" and "y is for girls" about a lot of things.

toasterlovin 9y ago
I think most parents would say that you have the causality backwards. Children are not taught the "x is for boys and y is for girls". Instead, they figure it out on their own, because they are driven to distinguish themselves along gender lines.
- vilmosi 9y ago
  It's obviously not backwards since pink/blue used to mean the exact opposite and pants are a relatively recent invention.
  - toasterlovin 9y ago
    The specific colors are irrelevant. They are an accident of history. What I'm saying is that the assumption that gendered color preferences are pushed on children is, IMO, faulty. Most parents I've talked to have the same experience as me: their children identified their own gender, figured out what people of that gender do by looking around at the world, then started imitating that. You're assuming that gender roles are pushed onto children. My experience (and the experience of most parents I know) is that parents are too busy to really care about trying to indoctrinate their children into the proper gender role. The kids indoctrinate themselves.
    - vilmosi 9y ago
      >>> figured out what people of that gender do by looking around at the world, then started imitating that. Well of course. I'm not saying babies reinvent gender roles every generation. I'm saying the opposite. Society is the one who defines gender roles and teaches the kids what's expected of them. Like in the article. >>> What I'm saying is that the assumption that gendered color preferences are pushed on children is, IMO, faulty I never said pushed. But the fact that pink is seen as a feminin colour or that boys don't wear skirts because reasons is entirely made up. There's nothing innate about it. >>> You're assuming that gender roles are pushed onto children. I never said pushed. I'm saying it's not innate. >>> The kids indoctrinate themselves Again, that doesn't mean it's innate.

toasterlovin 9y ago

I think most parents would say that you have the causality backwards. Children are not taught the "x is for boys and y is for girls". Instead, they figure it out on their own, because they are driven to distinguish themselves along gender lines.

vilmosi 9y ago
It's obviously not backwards since pink/blue used to mean the exact opposite and pants are a relatively recent invention.
- toasterlovin 9y ago
  The specific colors are irrelevant. They are an accident of history. What I'm saying is that the assumption that gendered color preferences are pushed on children is, IMO, faulty. Most parents I've talked to have the same experience as me: their children identified their own gender, figured out what people of that gender do by looking around at the world, then started imitating that. You're assuming that gender roles are pushed onto children. My experience (and the experience of most parents I know) is that parents are too busy to really care about trying to indoctrinate their children into the proper gender role. The kids indoctrinate themselves.
  - vilmosi 9y ago
    >>> figured out what people of that gender do by looking around at the world, then started imitating that. Well of course. I'm not saying babies reinvent gender roles every generation. I'm saying the opposite. Society is the one who defines gender roles and teaches the kids what's expected of them. Like in the article. >>> What I'm saying is that the assumption that gendered color preferences are pushed on children is, IMO, faulty I never said pushed. But the fact that pink is seen as a feminin colour or that boys don't wear skirts because reasons is entirely made up. There's nothing innate about it. >>> You're assuming that gender roles are pushed onto children. I never said pushed. I'm saying it's not innate. >>> The kids indoctrinate themselves Again, that doesn't mean it's innate.