The majority of people in the modern world live according to the long-established rules which dictate the generally accepted ways of behavior, attitudes, world perception, and self-knowledge depending on cultural background. However, the overall development in human thought enhances the advancement in the framework of people’s understanding of the world around them. The issue of gender is one of the significant elements that define a person’s beliefs and worldview imposing some limitations to his or her boundless development.
While listening to the podcast, I thought that the way individuals treat each other in daily life is unconsciously marked by gender. However, not many people recognize it as a significant problem. According to the podcast, people with uncommon views of life are capable of making the change. The family interviewed in the program included an activist and a feminist, people who have strictly defined and specific attitude to life that enables them to be brave enough to confront common rules. The scientific approach that the parents applied to their daughter’s upbringing in an environment free of gender stereotypes empowered the child to grow in a necessary direction without any extra influences.
As for my personal childhood experience, I have been influenced by my family in the choice of toys, playground activities, and friends with whom I could spend time. I do not think the fact that my parents encouraged me to behave in a gender-appropriate manner imposed any limitations to my development. Nevertheless, now that I understand the dominant mechanism of gender-related influences in all spheres of life, people’s views on the issue seem bounded.
The information I got from the podcast has made a significant impact on my perception of possible ways of children’s upbringing. In my opinion, widening the boundaries and eliminating the limitations raised due to stereotypes will provide a lot of opportunities for my children. When interacting with them, I will do my best not to impose any gender-related expectations allowing them to develop in their unique ways.
In conclusion, it is difficult to eliminate stereotypical views of people on fundamental elements in life, such as family relationships or child upbringing. The modern developing world driven by change underlines the importance of uniqueness in all its manifestations. Being honest with oneself and trying to develop without any society-imposed boundaries are the features of a full personality capable of changing the world starting with themselves.