Development of Gender Identity

• Gender identity means a person’s understanding of themselves as a boy/man or a girl/woman.
• It is the awareness: “I am a boy” or “I am a girl.”
• This awareness usually begins around 2–3 years of age, when children start noticing differences in clothes, toys, hair, and behaviour of boys and girls.
• As they grow, this sense becomes stronger and is reinforced by adolescence.

Gender Identity can be defined as "the conceptions that individuals have of themselves as being male or female."

• The first information about gender comes from parents’ words and behaviour.
• Different terms are used: Boy: son, “he” and Girl: daughter, “she.”
• Parents often give direct messages such as: “You are a boy, why are you playing with girls’ toys?” and “You are a girl, don’t wear boys’ clothes.”
• Boys are usually told to keep short hair and not use jewellery or hairpins.
• Girls are allowed long hair and may use jewellery and hair accessories.
• If a boy wants to dress like his sister or wear jewellery, parents may stop him and say he will be called “effeminate” (girlish).
• These daily rules and comments sow the seeds of masculinity (how a man should be) and femininity (how a woman should be).

• Gender identity is seen as based mainly on biological sex (male or female body).
• Some parents even show differences in sex organs to explain that boys and girls are different.
• As children grow older, they are often told: "Boys should play with boys; girls should play with girls."
• In traditional Indian culture, if a child breaks this rule, they may be scolded or punished.
• Through such treatment, children learn that they are different from their brothers or sisters. They have different roles and are expected to behave accordingly.
• This is part of socialization – the process by which children learn the rules, customs, and values of their society.

Once gender identity develops, children show it in simple ways:

• When a boy is asked, “What are you?” he replies, “I am a boy.”
• When a girl is asked, “What are you?” she says, “I am a girl.”
• When a girl is asked, “Why are you wearing a different dress from your brother?” she answers, “Because I am a girl.”
• When a boy is asked, “Why are you playing with boys and not with girls?” he says, “Because mamma told me to play with boys.”

These answers show that the child knows their own gender and the behaviour linked to it.

Special example from families with only daughters:

• Some mothers who wanted a son may allow their daughters to dress, talk, and behave like boys.
• Even then, in this text, it is said that the girl’s gender identity does not change because it is based on biological differences.

1. In traditional and conservative cultures:

• Strict rules exist about what boys and girls should do.
• Children who do not follow these rules may be heavily punished.

2. In progressive cultures:

• People are more flexible about toys, dress, and behaviour.
• Children who do not follow old gender rules may be ignored or not given much importance.

How gender identity grows :

1. Cultural transmission: Rules, customs, and traditions about male and female roles are passed from one generation to the next.

2. Social learning and modeling:

• Children observe parents and relatives and copy them.
• Mother and female family members act as models for girls.
• Father and male family members act as models for boys.

3. Reinforcement :

• When children follow expected gender rules, they are approved.
• When they break rules, they are stopped or punished.

4. Cognitive growth:

• As intelligence and thinking develop, children better understand gender rules.
• They accept and adjust to their roles, usually without strong revolt.

• Gender identity is the awareness of being a boy/man or a girl/woman.
• It starts around age 2–3 and becomes stronger as the child grows.
• Parents and family give the first and strongest gender messages through words, dress, toys, and play rules.
• Culture fixes different roles, custom,s and expectations for boys and girls, and these are passed on through socialization.
• Children learn these roles by observing, copying, being rewarded or punished, and by their growing thinking ability.
• Traditional cultures strictly enforce gender rules; progressive cultures are more flexible and less punishing.