What Should I Know About Gender?

Wondering how to become an askable parent? AMAZE is here to help! In this episode, you’ll learn how to talk to kids about gender roles and rules, including how to challenge bullying and why gender is just a part of who we are, not a measure of our worth. 

Become An Askable Parent is a podcast from AMAZE.org. AMAZE creates free educational videos + resources to help families talk openly, honestly, and less awkwardly about sex, health, relationships + growing up. The goal of the podcast is to help parents learn how to communicate better (even when they don’t have all the answers!) so their kids know that they can ask them anything. 

Connect with AMAZE.org on YouTube (@amazeparents), Facebook (@amazeparents), and Twitter (@amazeorg).

Transcript

Host:   0:02
Welcome to the AMAZE podcast! AMAZE creates free educational videos and resource is help families talk openly, honestly and less awkwardly about sex, health, relationships and growing up. Our goal is to help you become an askable parent through short, actionable podcast episodes. In today's episode, you'll learn how to talk to kids about gender roles and rules, including how to challenge bullying and why gender is just a part of who we are, not a measure of our worth. worth.  

Educator:   0:36
Hey, welcome back, everyone. I'm thinking that tonight we should get back to a really important subject we talked about early on: the gender roles or rules our kids are exposed to.

Parent 1:   0:47
What bothers me is when toys are made in girl and boy versions. Even bingo! Seems like companies are just trying to make twice as much money.

Educator:   0:56
I think you're right about that, Adele. And yet for that very reason, toy stores are great places for helping kids notice and think about gender labels. They give us an opportunity to reinforce the message that kids can be who they are. They don't have to fit in with what somebody else thinks they should be or should like to play with.

Parent 2:   1:15
But when they get older, they'll be picked on if they're different. I was teased in the third grade by the boys...so mean they made me cry.  

Parent 3:   1:21
I was raised to think that you had to prove your masculinity constantly or you might lose it. What a ridiculous idea that is. Where the heck is my masculinity? I just had it a minute ago.  

Parent 2:   1:33
My kid sister Carmen was teased about being a lesbian because she liked to play baseball instead of softball. And she felt really stuck because our aunt was gay and we always thought it was cool. So Carmen didn't want to say, "Don't call me that" as if it was a bad thing. But she did want to defend herself from the name calling somehow.

Educator:   1:52
Unfortunately, lots of kids use sex and gender to bully other kids, and kids who are targets often feel powerless to make it stop. That's why parents and teachers need a challenge bullying right away. Children need reassurance that there's no right way or wrong way to be a male or female. Gender is just a part of who we are, not a measure of our worth.

Parent 1:   2:14
My friends have a five-year-old son who insists he's a girl. It hasn't been easy for them, but they let him take the lead on this. Their preschool is supportive, too. I give them a lot of credit. I don't know how I'd react if it were my child.

Educator:   2:28
It's not a bad thing that you feel tested by this idea, Fiona. People who are transgender help everyone think through their own assumptions about gender. 

Parent 4:   2:37
It also helps me think about what's really important to me. I just want my child to be honored for who he or she really is.  

Parent 1:   2:45
And I think everyone should get to yell "bingo!" no matter what kind of body parts they were born with. Bingo!

Parent 3:   2:51
Hey, we're actually going this weekend if anyone wants to join us.

Host:   3:01
Thanks for joining us today! To find more free educational resource is from AMAZE, including videos, book recommendations, conversational scripts and more, visit AMAZE.org. You can also connect with us on YouTube and Facebook at @amazeparents and on Twitter at @amazeorg. Thanks for listening!