We knew that women are subject to countless injunctions regarding their physique. But what we knew less is that these beauty standards are internalized very early. A Fast Company study, noted by Slate shows that, starting from the age of 3, girls are trained to care more about their appearance than boys.
Researchers from the University of California questioned 170 girls and boys aged 3 to 5 years. First, they asked the children to what extent they identified with their gender. Then they showed them four photos of different outfitsranging from neutral outfits (a T-shirt and jeans) to highly gendered fantasy outfits (a suit for boys or a purple dress with rhinestones for girls), and They were asked which one they would prefer to wear. They also tested the children’s ability to remember strongly gendered clothing.
Additionally, they showed the children photos of four different work clothes. Two of these jobs were appearance-related (model, makeup artist) and two were not (teacher, librarian). Finally, the children were asked what their favorite media characters were, such as superheroes and Disney characters, and why they liked them.
Little girls give more importance to appearance
The results are clear. Overall, girls were more likely to like it personal appearance compared to boys. They were more inclined towards fancy clothes and also had a better memory for those same clothes. So were girls, particularly those with strong gender identification they are more likely to choose clothes for jobs related to their appearance.
The girls were too five times more likely than boys to say they liked a character for the way they looked : For example, they liked Rapunzel for her long hair and her shoes. The kids said they liked the characters more based on what they did: for example, they liked Spider-Man because he spins webs.
Several reasons explain this clear early gap between the sexes, the study authors indicate. Stereotypes conveyed by the media clearly bear a responsibility, especially since previous studies have shown a relationship between media consumption and concern about appearance. Even in cases where parents encourage gender-neutral education, this may not be enough to offset these influences, suggests the study, which supports the need to implement education from an early age. educational policies intended to combat these stereotypes.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
