Gender Stereotype Threat
Stereotypes refer to the generalizations made about a particular group, and they may influence one’s behavior being a member of that group. Gender stereotypes are the generalizations about the characteristics of men and women. Gender stereotype threats refer to the risk of confirming negative stereotypes about one’s gender. Gender stereotypes generally affect the behavior of males and females in society. Gender stereotypes define the roles of each gender and how they are supposed to carry them out. Gender stereotypes are restrictive, and people are judged for acting differently, and this puts their mental health at risk. Gender stereotypes manipulate a human’s perception of life and behavior. Ultimately, gender stereotypes have detrimental effects on both men and women, and society at large since they do not give people a chance to be in their true self, and express their real identity.
Gender stereotypes can be categorized into two. Gender stereotypes can either be descriptive or prescriptive. Descriptive gender stereotypes are the stereotypes that describe how men and women are like. Descriptive gender stereotypes portray the nature of men and women and are usually consistent. Prescriptive gender stereotypes are the stereotypes that describe how men and women should be like (Koenig, 2018). Prescriptive gender stereotypes stipulate how men and women should act and behave. Prescriptive gender stereotypes may vary from one community to the other since customs may be relatively diverse from one community setup to another. The role of each gender is defined by the stereotype the society utilizes. These stereotypes guide men and women and this affects the general lives of people in a community. Stereotypes are not written or spoken laws, but they are beliefs inculcated in human beings, and their effects do not go unnoticed, and they generally observed in how human beings carry out their daily activities, from speaking to acting.
Gender stereotypes are evident in many forms. In some communities, men are viewed as stronger people and are not supposed to display any weakness. Men are supposed to maintain their bravery, even in the most challenging situations. A man’s masculinity is at risk when he cries. Men who cry receive a lot of backlashes, especially when they cry in public.
On the other hand, women are viewed as the weaker creatures and are allowed to cry in any circumstance. Another example of a gender stereotype is that women should nurture and take care of the children while the man should work hard and acquire wealth for the family. This stereotype makes it difficult for men to take care of their children while the woman is at work. These stereotypes affect relationships since a man who is not lucky enough to acquire wealth for his family is bashed, and his masculinity is jeopardized. Another instance where gender stereotyping is applied is in the selection of colors. In some films, toys that are blue or green are considered for boys, and those that are pink in tone are considered for girls. Many parents, when purchasing toys for their children who are boys, cannot buy a doll for them. Dolls are considered girlish toys, and boys should not play with them but play with other types of gadgets such as cars. Girls are encouraged to portray feminine qualities when playing, and boys are taught to avoid any form of femininity when playing. Gender stereotypes apply in different age groups ranging from childhood to adulthood.
Parents and adults need to be concerned about gender stereotypes threats. Gender stereotypes hurt the education sector (Igbo, Onu, & Obiyo, 2015). Education of the girl-child is at risk since they believe that boys perform better than them when it comes to science-related subjects. Laxity is observed in girls since they already have that mentality. Children do not work harder as they should be working because of societal beliefs and norms. These gender stereotypes have led to poor achievement academically. Female students may also not work hard in their education since they believe that at one point they will get married and it will be the duty of a man to look after them. This belief puts male students under pressure to perform so that they can take care of their families in the future. Self-esteem issues also arise as a result of gender stereotypes. Male students who perform poorly in academics are ridiculed and made to feel as if they are useless instead of encouraging them to work harder and make use of their full potential. Rejection and ridicule affect the emotional well-being of the students. The education sector is generally affected, and it is the wish of every parent to take his or her child to school to excel. Therefore, this raises concern amongst many parents.
Adults need to be concerned with gender stereotypes because they not only affect children but also adults in working places. Descriptive stereotypes create a problem for women as they are perceived not to fit in in the male-dominated fields (Heilman, 2012). Women are discriminated when it comes to employment as a result of these stereotypes. Career growth in women becomes difficult, especially in men dominated fields like engineering. Gender stereotypes also dictate that men must hold topmost positions in any organizations. Women are discouraged from competing for those positions even when they are up to the task. Women in leadership face a lot of opposition because of doing what they “should not” do. These stereotypes have denied institutions, societies, and nations at large good leadership. When women are faced by such situations of not being liked by people because of going against the perceptions and stereotypes, they become demotivated and empowering other women to go for what they believe is right for them becomes a difficult task. Gender stereotypes not only affect how others evaluate women but also how women evaluate themselves. Gender stereotypes have made women look down on themselves and hinders them from producing quality performances at work. Low self-esteem causes inner destruction thus reducing performance in an individual.
Adults also need to get concerned over gender stereotypes because they are the root of gender-based violence. Gender stereotypes describe men as powerful living creatures, and every male grows up seeking power and dominance over everything. The entitlement of men creates conflicts in society. When a woman tries to stand up for what she believes in, men, in turn, fight her emotionally, and in some instances, it goes down to physical abuse. Gender stereotypes make men be the heads while women are nurtured to be submissive in all matters. When a man or a woman goes against the stereotypes, their mental health is at risk. Women will backlash men who have gone against gender stereotypes, and men would do the same to women who have gone against the stereotypes.
Although there are genuine reasons to make parents and adults worry about gender stereotypes, various steps have been taken to teach people that the stereotypes do not necessarily matter. Some of the stereotypes are slowly getting phased out. The stereotype that men are active creatures and that real man should not cry is gradually becoming outdated. In the modern day, people understand that it is reasonable to cry and that crying is not gender-based. Men are encouraged to speak out these days, and the act of men crying is not ridiculed, but necessary actions are taken to help men overcome challenges. Another gender stereotype that is being phased out is that men can do better in science-related fields as compared to women. Women these days have believed in their potential, and they are attempting male-dominated careers. Some women are doing well or even better than their male counterparts in science-related fields. Also in leadership, several countries have embraced women leadership by appointing women to leadership positions. Society has also embraced women leadership in the modern day since women contest for various positions in politics, and they are elected. The stereotype that women are not supposed to be vocal has also been outdated. In the present day, women speak out against various issues affecting society. Women are at the forefront of fighting vices in the communities they live in. Women also empower fellow women to take up the tasks that were believed to be for men only. Women are also breadwinners in families, and men are helping women take care of children at home. In general, the present day society has made significant positive strides in countering gender stereotypes.
Although some stereotypes are outdated, people, especially women, describe themselves stereotypically compared to men (Hentschel, Heilman, & Peus, 2019). Some stereotypes, like women being less assertive, still exist. In the present day, people have, however, become bold and are going against gender stereotypes. People are expressing themselves and revealing their sexuality, a thing that could not have been done in the past. LGBTQ community existed in the past, but people were not too bold to speak about it. In the modern day, people have come to appreciate different people’s sexuality. People have come to terms with the LGBTQ association and its agenda in redefining sex and gender. People should be sensitized about gender, and they should appreciate the fact that not every person understands or knows her gender. Some people are born bisexual, while others are hermaphrodites. There is, therefore, the need to redefine sex and gender to accommodate such people.
Redefining sex and gender comes with its advantage. Redefining sex and gender brings forth inclusivity in society. The LGBTQ community will be integrated into society, and this will help in maintaining a peaceful coexistence in society. Redefining of sex and gender will help in reducing the stigmatization of LGBTQ youths in communities and schools. LGBTQ youths receive a lot of negative encounters, including physical harassment in communities, schools, and religious institutions (Higa et al., 2014). Redefining sex and gender will give the LGBTQ community members a sense of belonging. LGBTQ members tend to shy away from people because of their sexual orientation. Redefining sex and gender will help them appreciate their sexuality, which will be not only good for their mental health but also their general health. LGBTQ community members will be able to seek guidance and mentorship openly without fear of rejection. When they learn of what is required of them, LGBTQ members will live a fulfilled life, and everyone in society will be accommodated. An all-inclusive community breeds a greater future for its members.
Gender stereotypes are limiting, and they are a threat to the general well-being of individuals. Gender stereotypes existed in the past, but some of them are outdated. Education has helped eradicate the stereotypes and brought forth a better life. People have also come to terms with the fact that some people do not have the same sexual orientation as theirs. LGBTQ community is slowly being integrated into society, and this has brought positive outcomes in society. Indeed gender stereotypes affect society at large since people are not given a chance to express their true identity.
References
Heilman, M. E. (2012). Gender stereotypes and workplace bias. Research in Organizational Behavior, 32, 113–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2012.11.003
Hentschel, T., Heilman, M. E., & Peus, C. V. (2019). The Multiple Dimensions of Gender Stereotypes: A Current Look at Men’s and Women’s Characterizations of Others and Themselves. Frontiers in Psychology, 10.
Higa, D., Hoppe, M. J., Lindhorst, T., Mincer, S., Beadnell, B., Morrison, D. M., … Mountz, S. (2014). Negative and Positive Factors Associated With the Well-Being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth. Youth & Society, 46(5), 663–687. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X12449630
Igbo, J. N., Onu, V. C., & Obiyo, N. O. (2015). Impact of Gender Stereotype on Secondary School Students’ Self-Concept and Academic Achievement. SAGE Open, 5(1), 2158244015573934. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015573934
Koenig, A. M. (2018). Comparing prescriptive and descriptive gender stereotypes about children, adults, and the elderly. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1086.