ABSTRACT
Our gender identities begin to take shape from the time we enter the world. Once our biological sex has been classified, to some degree, so are certain expected social behaviors, personalities, standards of appearance, and other aspects said to typify being female or male. In this chapter, we examine how these and other gender-based roles are socialized within and beyond our family relationships. In so doing, we explore the social influences and interactions—patterns of thoughts and behaviors, media images, family forms, and other social institutions—that affect how individuals come to identify as women, men, girls, and boys. From a diversity perspective, we explore the division of household labor in relationships with transgender men and provide a global depiction of gender in children’s textbooks.
