Abbie E. Goldberg
Associate Professor of Psychology, Clark University
Beyond Dolls vs. Trucks: How Children of Same-Sex Parents May Be Less Constrained By Gender Stereotypes, and Why It Matters
Posted: 12/03/2012 10:00 am
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abbie-e-goldberg/gay-parents_b_2221249.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abbie-e-goldberg/gay-parents_b_2221249.html)
In today's society, parents and educators are increasingly realizing the benefits of playing with all kinds of toys. That is, a preschool-aged boy who happily investigates a toy kitchen is less likely to be chastised by his teacher or parents than in decades past. Likewise, a preschool-aged girl who plays intently with a toy truck is less likely to be scolded or redirected to playing with a doll. Of course, some parents still feel uncomfortable with their children's gender nonconformity -- particularly their sons'. A boy snuggling with a doll is not universally accepted as a sign of healthy development, and may create anxiety for some parents.
Yet, still, gender norms and roles for boys and girls, and for men and women, have become increasingly less rigid. Related to this, there is an increasing understanding that restricting the types of toys that children play with may limit their ability to develop skills and interests, and also to develop into well-rounded human beings.
In a recent investigation of preschool-aged children of first-time adoptive parents (44 lesbian- parent families, 34 gay-parent families, and 48 heterosexual-parent families), my colleagues and I found that the children of same-gender parents were less gender stereotyped (more flexible) in their play behavior than the children of heterosexual parents.