Video of young boy asking his father to buy him a Barbie

As I've been working on my contribution to the zine regarding gender identity, I came across a video I wanted to share. I thought it was interesting because it creates a scenario of a young boy and his father (both actors). In the store the boy tries to get his dad to buy him a Barbie, and his father refuses. This scenario was secretly filmed to get shoppers reactions. If you are interested in seeing how they reacted, the link is attached. Gender roles are predisposed to us as children, and influences from our parents are one of the first ways we learn about gender "norms". Many times a father might see his son playing with a doll and take the doll away because he doesn't want his son to become too "girly" or become gay. However, parents should encourage their children to explore the world around them and engage in activities to foster their creativity despite traditional gender roles/norms.

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/son-wanted-doll-challenging-gender-stereotypes/story?id=12637591#.Ts_nUmO5P1Q