Gender Stereotypes Lesson Plan

A few years ago I decided to cut my hair very short.  When I walked into my elementary school the overwhelming reaction I received from the kids was that I looked like a boy, some even told me I shouldn't have gotten my hair cut like that because only boys had short hair.  The next day at an assembly a big stink was made by the adults about one of the male teachers wearing a pink shirt.  I decided that week I needed to talk about gender stereotypes and how we should respond if someone behaves in someway that we consider out of the norm.  The kids responded well and I quickly noticed changes in their behavior.  Since then I have kept my eyes open for opportunities to teach tolerance around societal gender norms. 

Media Awareness Network has produced a very thorough lesson plan for middle school (also appropriate for high school) that uses some activities similar to ones I have used in the past that the kids connect well with.  I especially like having students identify "boy" and "girl" things and putting them in a box showing how society reinforces these ideas.  It is easier in some places (cultures/countries/religions) than in others to simply say - "be who you want to be".  In some cultures this is very difficult.  However, we can still reinforce the idea that we need to be respectful of all types of people.  Teasing, name-calling, bullying, etc. a person because of how they dress or act is not ok.  We can also help our students recognize that not all people feel like they fit into those boxes and we can be supportive of that in different ways.

Click here to go to the lesson plan: Gender Stereotypes and Body Image lesson plan