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Gender

The first time that I remember becoming aware of my
> gender identity and that of those around me was
> probably when I was in nursery school. Of course we
> all new that there was boys and girls, but thats as
> much as we ever gave any thought to it. You could
> notice even at that young of an age how the boys
> played with the trucks and building blocks and the
> girls would play dress up and barbie. Other than
> that, its really hard for me to try and remember
> when
> I was a young kid. Its a lot easier for myself to
> look at children now and see the differences between
> boys and girls and even the roles that society plays
> upon them. I think that growing up as a young boy,
> certain stereotypes were placed in your head at a
> rather young age. Whether it was the media i.e..
> (movies, television ect.), friends or family, the
> boys
> learned how to act as did the girls. The boys were
> the ones who were told to play cowboys and indians,
> sports, to like fighting, cars, motorcycles, pretty
> much everything that the stereotypical male likes;
> while the girls were always taught to play dress up,
> house, tea parties, cooking ect. Boys were always
> taught not to cry while the girls were taught to
> express their feelings more often. As for myself, I
> guess you could say that I am the "All American
> Guy,"
> at least thats what my girlfriend tells me. I love
> sports and have played them my entire life. I am
> into
> cars and trucks and also have my own Harley Davidson
> motorcycle. I enjoy going to the gym, watching old
> westerns on tv and would rather watch a shoot em
> movie
> than a chick flick.
> Growing up I don't think that there were any
> specific
> gender expectations put on me that weren't put on my
> sister. No one in my family ever told me I had to
> be
> mr. tough guy and never cry. My sister and I both
> played sports at a very young age...