A LOYAL FRIEND AND TSP READER, Josh Cohen, alerted me to these outrageous illustrations, which are part of a children’s book published in the early 1970s called I’m Glad I’m a Boy! I’m Glad I’m a Girl! I think Josh introduced this content the best when he wrote to me, “More blog fodder in the vein of that spanking ad you found.”
The book is beyond words and I’m really not sure if I should be thrilled or completely horrified by it. It’s is available used on Amazon for $266, but I suggest you check out the digitized version in an archived post of Emily’s Blahg. How do these (dated, but perhaps not dated enough) gender roles affect our culture’s collective concept of sisterhood? That’s a question I’ll be thinking about for days…
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
My indignation is sparked because of the anguish and confusion that can come from forcing these roles. The end of the book is charming, but the harsh lines fire me up. I am glad to be a boy, but I despise that men have historically defined (and continue to define) what is acceptable for girls and boys to be and do. The limits are oppressive and make me mad and claustrophobic.
Yes, I see the facet of this book that illuminates the glory and contrast of femininity and masculinity. I just hate that It states what we ‘are’ rather than what we can be. Out with the old.
Right on, Keith. These gender roles are the root of much personal and collective anguish for both men and women. It’s rather horrifying to see them spelled out so clearly in a children’s book. (And in 1970 no less! That was not that long ago…)
It is easy to forget how far we have come how fast (and sad to think how far we have yet to go). Watching MadMen with my daughter (in her mid-twenties) was a shock – I had forgotten myself how indoctrinated I was (growing up mid50′s and on) into a set of expectations limited by gender.
It reminded me of how powerful (and horrifying) it was that Virgina Slims advertised along those lines – women had now come “a long way baby” so we could have “our own” cigarettes. Way to reward ourselves, yeah? Same with Secret deodorant (Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman).
I didn’t mean to get sidetracked into advertising (from children’s books) but it all goes to the idea of creating spaces we are meant to grow up and fill. Only we don’t. Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Deb, welcome!
Your connection between advertisements and this children’s book makes sense. Especially because gender essentialism is so rampant in advertisements–in history and even today.
While it seems like a crime (at least to me) to be teaching impressionable children these kinds of damaging roles, it’s important to connect how other mediums teach us similar false values, even today.
Someone is always trying to tell us how to “be”, what to do (especially advertising). We need to teach our children and ourselves to be thinkers.
If you look at the link to the full book, you will see that it was a satire. Thank goodness! It seemed off for the time period.