According to a study, a chemical in plastic has been linked to cause boys to act like girls. The study found that boys who were highly exposed to the phthalates chemical were less likely than other boys to play with guns, cars, and also less likely to join in ‘rough’ games. Now, parents are worried that their boy might not be as ‘masculine’ as they should be. Some are seriously considering buying toys that do not contain phthalates. They are afraid that they might ‘turn’ gay or that they won’t become ‘real’ men. Shouldn’t parents be glad that at least their child is not going to mimic dangerous acts (such as gun games) or that their child may be less involved in fights? Nope. Also how does a child know what a certain toy represents? They don’t. This article shows just how much pressure is put into our biological sex and the stereotype that toys have over gender.
Video Just For Fun:
This YouTube Video is Entitled “Stay-At-Home-Dad”. The man in this video raps about his experience as a Stay at Home Dad. One comment stood out from many posted was this one: “it is only a considered a full-time job if a woman is doing it”. Though I do not agree with this comment because I believe that men are just as capable to take care of children, the stigma associated with Stay-at-Home-Dad is that they are being lazy because they are the ones who are suppose to be working. Making men feel inadequate and shameful, relating to the message that Warner makes about the troubling ‘norm’. Instead of people being indifferent to this, many choose to criticize, reinforcing the idea that a group needs to be looked negatively, in this case it’s the men.