A few days ago, I saw a story on Yahoo! news that has had me scratching my head in wonder. On one hand, I feel that this has merit, on the other, I feel like this is going to backfire as a whole and that there has to be a better way to do this.
In Sweden, they have added a new word to the national dictionary. "hen" has now been added as a word to cover both boys and girls. They are striving for gender neutrality as a nation, and are trying to keep children from being locked into gender roles at a young age. They are also in many schools getting rid of free play time where they feel that gender roles are locked in and bullying starts taking root.
Now, I am all for children being allowed to play with what they wish and play with whom they wish. I was around boy cousins growing up as the only ones close to me in age, and that I saw frequently, felt that I was more like a younger or older sister depending on the side of the family I was with, I was treated like a boy. I played with G.I. Joe, Transformers, and I owned He-Man figures right along with my Barbie (who save G.I.Joe's behind more than once). I was a huge fan of Voltron, Knight Rider (LOVED the car), Dukes of Hazzard (again the car and John Schneider) and a fan of sports at young age with a father who only watched golf, I became a fan of football and baseball. I am still a car nut, and my older cousins taught me how to throw a punch, shoot a bow and arrow ( I literally cannot hit the broadside of a barn), throw a football, and how to win a fight against a guy if I don't want to be fair (that was an accident). I had baby dolls and tea sets and played dress up, but I also had a killer Hot Wheels track and the cars to back it up.
I did not know that was "progressive" of my parents to allow me to be into all of that, or that I was not in a gender mold, so as to speak. I don't wear dresses or skirts all that much, but that is because they were for special occasions and my mom prefers pants herself, so she did not force the 1950's idea about clothes on me. I don't wear make-up unless it's a special occasion, but I love earrings, jewelry, and other accessories. I love nail polish and have rainbow of colors to pick from (I don't do that as much now with swimming because the pool plays havoc with a manicure). Yet, I am cool with worms, play in the dirt (I love to garden)and I can yell at a sports event with the best of them.
I have never let anyone tell me that I cant' do something just because I'm female. If I can't do it, it is due to lack of knowledge, physical limitations, or the like. I understand the theory behind the plan. If you can change society to forget the roles, then people who are "different" won't be seen as "different" and hopefully racial, social, and political lines will change, blur,and possibly erase.
Yet, there is no mention of whether or not other characteristics will still be in play, like short, tall, fat, thin, black, white, Jewish,Catholic, etc. Instead of dwelling on not having a gender (which I'm sorry, that is decided for you at birth) how about just helping kids be the best person they can be and not go nuts when a boy wants to wear a dress at 6 or if a girl wants to play football? Yes, I understand that is the point they are trying to make, but instead of a genderless society, how about celebrating the fact that we are all people and leave it at that?
I am not sure how this is going to play out on a world-wide stage. When these "hen's" go out beyond the borders of their country, will they be able to handle the forced gender roles in other societies, religions and the like, or will Sweden become xenophobic and close off from the rest of the world? It sounds to me that yet again humans are striving for a Utopia, but that like others before it, the tragic flaw is already present.
In Sweden, they have added a new word to the national dictionary. "hen" has now been added as a word to cover both boys and girls. They are striving for gender neutrality as a nation, and are trying to keep children from being locked into gender roles at a young age. They are also in many schools getting rid of free play time where they feel that gender roles are locked in and bullying starts taking root.
Now, I am all for children being allowed to play with what they wish and play with whom they wish. I was around boy cousins growing up as the only ones close to me in age, and that I saw frequently, felt that I was more like a younger or older sister depending on the side of the family I was with, I was treated like a boy. I played with G.I. Joe, Transformers, and I owned He-Man figures right along with my Barbie (who save G.I.Joe's behind more than once). I was a huge fan of Voltron, Knight Rider (LOVED the car), Dukes of Hazzard (again the car and John Schneider) and a fan of sports at young age with a father who only watched golf, I became a fan of football and baseball. I am still a car nut, and my older cousins taught me how to throw a punch, shoot a bow and arrow ( I literally cannot hit the broadside of a barn), throw a football, and how to win a fight against a guy if I don't want to be fair (that was an accident). I had baby dolls and tea sets and played dress up, but I also had a killer Hot Wheels track and the cars to back it up.
I did not know that was "progressive" of my parents to allow me to be into all of that, or that I was not in a gender mold, so as to speak. I don't wear dresses or skirts all that much, but that is because they were for special occasions and my mom prefers pants herself, so she did not force the 1950's idea about clothes on me. I don't wear make-up unless it's a special occasion, but I love earrings, jewelry, and other accessories. I love nail polish and have rainbow of colors to pick from (I don't do that as much now with swimming because the pool plays havoc with a manicure). Yet, I am cool with worms, play in the dirt (I love to garden)and I can yell at a sports event with the best of them.
I have never let anyone tell me that I cant' do something just because I'm female. If I can't do it, it is due to lack of knowledge, physical limitations, or the like. I understand the theory behind the plan. If you can change society to forget the roles, then people who are "different" won't be seen as "different" and hopefully racial, social, and political lines will change, blur,and possibly erase.
Yet, there is no mention of whether or not other characteristics will still be in play, like short, tall, fat, thin, black, white, Jewish,Catholic, etc. Instead of dwelling on not having a gender (which I'm sorry, that is decided for you at birth) how about just helping kids be the best person they can be and not go nuts when a boy wants to wear a dress at 6 or if a girl wants to play football? Yes, I understand that is the point they are trying to make, but instead of a genderless society, how about celebrating the fact that we are all people and leave it at that?
I am not sure how this is going to play out on a world-wide stage. When these "hen's" go out beyond the borders of their country, will they be able to handle the forced gender roles in other societies, religions and the like, or will Sweden become xenophobic and close off from the rest of the world? It sounds to me that yet again humans are striving for a Utopia, but that like others before it, the tragic flaw is already present.
Human nature.