Blog #8

In the TED Talk, Colin Stokes talks about how movies help influence gender roles upon our children. One of the major things I took notice in his inspirational talk was his story about his daughter and how in the end she did not succumb to gender roles.  She took it upon herself to look up to the wisest people in each movie she saw, which in this case was Glinda the Good from The Wizard of Oz and Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars.  Children should not feel subjected to a gender that they were born into.  They should be able to freely look to other figures of the opposite sex as role models.  For example, Mulan is a great example for kids to look up to a mighty warrior while also being a woman.   It does not have to be just for the girls, but for the guys too.  Forcing children into  a certain ideal can be harmful to their self-esteem and well being.