Gender socialization and femininity vs. masculinity

For an individual, the process of gender socialization is a lifelong ordeal. Right out of the womb the sex is revealed, a name is given, and already gender status has begun. There are appropriate colors, toys, decorations, sayings, and even conducts of behavior that go for if a child is a “boy” or “girl”. Culture has created “gender norms and expectations…enforced through informal sanctions of gender-inappropriate behavior by peers”. Mothers today would take offense to their little girl being praised for her manly biceps and aggressive demeanor. Although, in recent years, it has become more acceptable for females to enter into male dominated sports (and vice versa) the stereotypes of male vs. female activities still remains. Delicate graceful girls take ballet while strong brawny boys play contact sports like football. If a boy takes ballet he is automatically labeled a “fag”, even if he is a heterosexual who just has an excellent talent in dance. The same public judgment applies for a female as well. They only way these barriers will ever be shattered is if society makes a change. The time has come for the world to say “it’s ok” for a boy to dance and a girl to get her hands dirty. That wall separating boy/girl, male/female, masculine/feminine needs to be abolished.
Growing up I have encountered many influences that shaped my idea of femininity and masculinity. Looking at my parents alone provides great insight to the jobs for a man and the jobs for a woman. My mother owns her own childcare business and my step-father is a custom home builder. In my mind, their roles could never be switched. When they both come home in the evening, my mother cooks the dinners and my step-father makes the fires and works on bills. However, going back on generation gives an even better example of societal roles. My grandmother never worked. She married out of high school, cooked, cleaned, and had babies. My grandfather, the still very handsome man, joined the army, worked in construction, drove a pick-up truck, and brought home the bacon. Seeing these differences in a woman and a man was very beneficial to me. I wanted to be like both my mother/grandmother and father/grandfather. I guess you could say I got the best of both worlds. I went shopping, learned to bake, got my nails done, and other girly things with the females in my family. But at the same time also loved fishing, hunting, and other manly type of hobbies that I experienced with the guys in the family. Growing up idolizing both parents and their allowance to be both girly and boyish helped me bypass some of the gender socialization that most experience today.