INQUIRY RESEARCH
Topic: Gender Roles
In this section, you will be keeping a "living bibliography of your inquiry research. In order to do this, you will include the links to articles you find, useful images or graphics, videos or news stories, and pdfs of academic research. After or before each item, you should include 1-2 sentences on what the item is and if you think it will be helpful for your project. You can organize it in any way that you would like, but I suggest that you do have an organization method.
Some Videos on the Issue:
Goldieblox Toys
This video is a commercial for Goldieblox: The Princess Machine. Its lyrics have been changed to reflect the need for girls to have access to more "boy-geared" toys such as engineering tools.
Interesting Note: Goldieblox apologizes to Beastie Boys for taking their song.
We are molded into certain gender roles from the very beginning:
This video is almost like a PSA for the Representation Project. It explores how the way we represent certain gender roles to our children may affect their self-esteem. It also expands the issue to include race, class, and sexual orientation.
Little Girl Rant on Toys
This little girl's rant on gender restrictions in toys became a viral sensation last year. She brings up some great points, but you have to wonder if her parents set a lot of it up for her to say.
It is interesting though to go to Target and take a look at what is offered (or marketed) to boys and what is offered to girls.
What would be some gender-neutral toys?
Throw Like A Girl
In this commercial by Always, they tell participants to "throw like a girl." The older participants throw in a haphazard or pathetic way whereas the younger participants throw with a purpose and with strength. At what point, do we teach ourselves that throwing like a girl is synonymous with weakness?
Music and Music Videos
"Been a Son" by Nirvana
"If I Were a Boy" by Beyonce
"I'm Just a Girl" by No Doubt
"Run the World (Girls)" by Beyonce
"Boys Don't Cry" by The Cure
"Keep Your Head Up" by 2Pac
Academic Articles or Books on the Construction of Gender Roles:
Lindsey, Linda L, and Sandra Christy. Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall, 1997. Print.
Colatrella, Carol. Toys and Tools in Pink: Cultural Narratives of Gender, Science, and Technology. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 2011. Print.
In this clip from the show, Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope (a declared feminist character) taps into the idea of gender stereotypes.
I'm Just a Girl
Aziz Ansari is a Feminist
In this clip. Ansari explores the definition of the word feminist and why it often carries such a social stigma. He uses an example to explain it that makes it easy for anyone to understand.
Not so Academic Articles or Books on the Construction of Gender Roles: