Gender Codes; A Summary The title to this essay is, Boys-R-Us: Board Games and the Socialization of Young Adolescent Girls, by Jennifer Scanlon. Many toys are made and distinguished by different age levels. Many of the infant toys are usually made for girls and boys. Infants will not distinguish the difference between something that is made specifically for a girl or boy. So therefore the infants toys are usually made for a boy or a girl. But as the child progresses in age, the toys seem to change. Now the toys are made specifically for boys and girls. In early adolescents, the child can now distinguish the differences. The child now knows what's a girl toy or a boy toy. The dolls for girls become more feminized. The toys for the boys become more masculinized. And the colors of the toys also change. The girl's primary colors are replaced by pastel colors.
Board games
Board game collectionThe boy's soft colors become darker, such as brown and green.
Now we come to these board games. A lot of these board games teach young adolescent girls, that they must learn dependence on males to be successful in life. They also teach these adolescent girls that they must please others, putting the needs of others first. A lot of these messages that these young children receive, not only come from home, they may also pick up these messages from peers and popular culture as well. Most children and teenagers will have stereotypical beliefs about gender roles. There are also many magazines that often remind girls that they must continuously cultivate sexual attractiveness, there greatest asset. By playing these games girls learn to think that they need boys to complete their self-definition. All of these board games promote that in a girls life the central object is...