Such subtle shaping, much of it out of the realm of conscious intent, permeates the lives of girls and boys. It is the essence of the socialization of gender. In the traditional setup, girls are encouraged to fully develop connection and relationship, but are discouraged from fully developing and exercising their public, assertive selves. Boys are encouraged to develop the skills of public, assertive action but discouraged from fully developing and exercising their relational, emotional selves.
