#StopTransformationForConfirmation

Gender is not biological. Rather, gender is taught and internalized throughout many different cultures. For my final project I wanted to discuss the effects of pushing rigid gender roles on children.

More specifically, I wanted to discuss the issue of young transgender kids who feel as if they're in the wrong body. At such a young age, kids are not thinking of their genitalia and sexual reproduction. In most cases where children felt as if they were born in the wrong body, it was mainly about their interests. If a boy wanted to wear dresses and dance he was obviously meant to be a girl. If a girl wanted her hair cut short, wear boys clothes and play sports she was obviously meant to be a boy.

However, as I've stated, gender is not biological. Girls liking pink, dresses, and cooking is not rooted in biology. Neither is boys liking blue, guns, or fast cars. Numerous institutions subliminally teach children how to act as boys and girls. When young girls and boys reject or can't relate to the images and lessons being taught, they may begin to feel as if they don't belong.

I named this campaign #StopTransformationForConfirmation because I feel that in today's society we need to confirm who we are at such a young age. With the pressure to conform to societies standards of gender, kids tend to feel the need to transform themselves to fit in.

Below is a short introductory clip of my topic. I feel that though there has been much conversation about transgender children as of late, there has not been much public discussion of how culture has affected their decision. Thus, my proposal is to start a social media campaign where everyone (transgender or not) can come together and internalize how culture has truly shaped them, and if they are who they're meant to be, or what society has taught them to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXktIukkYn8

 

Bibliography

Day, Elizabeth. "Transgender Kids: ‘Everyone Was Calling Me Sebastian, but I Knew I Was a Girl’." The Guardian. N.p., 4 Apr. 2015. Web. 9 May 2015.

McLaren, Melissa. "This Isn't the Same Thing as Pretending Your Child Is a Dog." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 09 May 2015.

Rosin, Hanna. "A Boy's Life." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 01 Nov. 2008. Web. 09 May 2015.

Talbot, Margaret. "About a Boy - The New Yorker." The New Yorker. N.p., 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 09 May 2015.