Featured Articles
The Gender Games We Play
by Brad Jensen
Liv Fun: Vol 6 – Issue 1
Imitation … it’s often said to be the sincerest form of flattery. It’s how we begin our lives, watching and learning from those around us. We observe our parents and siblings, soaking in the way they make their way through their world. And we follow suit.
As we get a little older, our circle becomes a little bigger. With every interaction, our psyche is learning how to function in society as part of our journey to becoming autonomous, self-sufficient adults. We observe people in our immediate surroundings and see how they treat, and are treated by, others. All of this helps to create our expectations of social behaviors. It also helps to cement certain stereotypes, including those related to gender. Those stereotypes, if we aren’t careful, can serve to limit our quest for autonomy and the happiness that comes with it.
The Impact of Gender Stereotypes
At their core, gender stereotypes consist of shared beliefs about the characteristics and attributes associated with each sex. Women are commonly believed to have more communal, nurturing qualities, like expressiveness and kindness. Men are more often associated with traits like independence and aggressiveness. The trouble is, these stereotypes often describe not how men and women truly are, but how they should be in the minds of many people.
If children move through their formative years with specific “traditional” gender roles displayed in several aspects of their lives, a girl would probably not think to become a scientist, or a boy a nurse. Social proof bears this out. A recent study at Facebook demonstrates the importance of parental modeling on the choice of jobs; sons tend to follow their fathers’ career choices, while daughters were far more likely to follow their mothers’.
Liv Fun
by Leisure Care
Spring 2017
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Shearing Narcissus
by Skye Moody
Every public appearance feels like the first. Stomach lurches usually strike days or even weeks before the actual event, as, gripped with stage fright, I imagine standing metaphorically naked before an audience that expects me to enthrall them. Some years ago, preparing for an important public appearance, eager to look the part of a first-time author delivering wisdom to her audience, I decide to visit a hair salon for some advice on what wisdom looks like.
The Gender Games We Play
by Brad Jensen
Imitation … it’s often said to be the sincerest form of flattery. It’s how we begin our lives, watching and learning from those around us. We observe our parents and siblings, soaking in the way they make their way through their world. And we follow suit. As we get a little older, our circle becomes a little bigger. With every interaction, our psyche is learning how to function in society as part of our journey to becoming autonomous, self-sufficient adults.
Just Say Yes
by Nancy Gertz
In the words of Shakespeare, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” On our own private stage, we live out this reality in every scene and every conversation. We all want to be understood, and we want to be heard. We seek validation and real connection, even when we aren’t terribly aware of these basic drives.