CIAO DATE: 02/2012
December 2011
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative
Gender stereotypes exist in all cultures, conveyed through media messages, television, music, religious and cultural institutions, and even toys. Parents convey expectations of gender role conformity starting in infancy , with one study finding that parents hold gender-typed expectations of their sons and daughters in the first 24 hours following birth. Another found that children show an awareness of their parents' communication about gender roles from two to two-and-a-half years of age , with the early provision of gender differentiated toy selection typically reflecting parental stereotypes.
Resource link: Modifying Gender Role Stereotypes in Children [PDF] - 116K