TED İZMİR COLLEGE / 11-B
Transformation of Roles:
Cultural Norms Versus Reality
Mısra OSMANLI ‣
128
Have you ever wondered how roles evolve from their actual meaning to the cultural interpretation? Gender determines a person’ s role. This is rather weird and raises an important question. What exactly is this concept of‘ gender’ that redefines our roles in life and makes us believe we must perform these roles throughout our entire lives? From how we act to how we talk, everything is designed for us based on our gender.
Throughout childhood, we learn to understand roles through cultural lenses rather than their actual meanings. The role of a woman or a man cannot be inherited from their ancestors. Cooking or bringing money are merely fixed patterns that are instilled in us from childhood. To clarify this point, a professor from İzmir Institute of Technology conducted a social experiment with kids. The research team gathered girls and boys aged 5 to 8. Initially, they gave girls magazines full of princesses and princes, while providing boys with superhero comics such as Batman and Superman. After a while, the researchers asked the children to exchange magazines and asked them whether they would like to read them. The children’ s responses were so surprising:
“ I can’ t read this, this is girl / boy stuff!”
This was the common reaction from almost all kids subjected to the experiment. This shows us how we characterise genders. However, gender is only a biological classification. The actual meaning of gender is covered with a biased perception of women and men.
The transformation of roles from their actual meanings to cultural interpretations may challenge personal freedom and identity.
In conclusion, the transformation of roles from the cultural interpretation to their actual meaning is essential. Cultural norms should not bias either gender’ s role. This change can help future generations live more freely.