Gender & Identity        

    Gender stereotypes have an impact on a person’s identity because it affects who they

become. Identity is how a person behaves, what they like, or even who they are as a

person. Gender is an important aspect of identity, mostly because of the stereotypes and

standards society has created. In Shakespeare's classic play “Romeo and Juliet” characters

are forced into following gender stereotypes. Romeo dislikes violence although he can’t

defy. Juliet doesn’t want to marry Paris although it is not up to her, she exists mostly as her

fathers property. Both, Romeo and Juliet are required to act in ways they truly don’t feel.

Not following gender stereotype expectations can be detrimental to a person because of

society's narrow point of view. Society’s expectations for gender are and were very strict.

    In Romeo and Juliet, there are a lot of characters being forced to conform to gender

stereotypes. Juliet’s father and mother both are aware that she does not want an arranged

marriage with Paris. She even says “Paris whom you know I hate” (3.5.) Juliet hates the

idea of marrying Paris but has no ability to rebel. Juliet’s father, Capulet, was being very

cruel about her opposition. He was very angry she was rebelling against them. “I tell thee

what: get thee to church on’ Thursday”(3.5.) Juliet’s father told her when she was to marry

Paris (he did not know Juliet was already married). Her father seemed fine with her

hesitance to marry at the beginning of the play. It is only once she refuses that he becomes

infuriated. He treats her as his property; he will not be challenged by her, considering she is

“just a girl”. Juliet was in love with someone else but because of the gender expectations in

their time period she wasn’t allowed to choose her marriage. Juliet is being forced to

conform to the gender stereotype here and eventually leads to her and Romeo’s death.

    Defying gender stereotypes can be detrimental in modern day too. In a recent article,

“Parents Keep Child’s gender secret”. It seems that keeping a child's sex a secret can lead

to bad criticism to the child or even their family. “They made their announcement that was

met with a stony silence then the deluge of criticisms” (Jayme Poisson, pg.1) which goes to

show that society is not okay with a child's gender being a secret so that they can give the

child “him or her” toys or colors. Considering that baby Storm has two older brothers that

are both stereotyped as “girly” their parents chose to keep Storm’s sex a secret to allow him

to choose his or her own identity regardless of what society thinks, although this could lead

to a more difficult life for Storm. Keeping a child's gender a secret has its positives, although

it really has its negatives too. It can have a negative impact on the child's identity, it was a

good idea to make the child be more comfortable with however it chooses to dress or what

toys it chooses to play with. (Poisson, baby storm article)

    Defying to gender expectations can negatively impact a persons life. What is detrimental

is not the conforming or defying but the stereotypes in the first place. Maybe society needs

to open up it’s definitions of gender expectations. Perhaps if more families could take a

similar stand by not revealing their child's sex, society will begin to loosen up on its gender

expectations. Being forced to conform to gender with gender expectations can cause a

person to rebel. Society is very judgemental. Most people follow the gender stereotypes just

to please society, however, it will not lead to their happiness.