Gender Norms, Breaking the stereotype

Up until the early 1900s, it was absolutely standard practice to put young boys in dresses until they were about seven years old. While up until the 1940’s, boys wore pink and girls wore blue. Pink was considered a more masculine colour and it was said that pink is a stronger and more decided colour for boys.

Gender norms are social norms defining acceptable and appropriate actions for women and men in a given group or society. Who exactly decides on the acceptableness and appropriateness of it all? Well society does that. This is why, it often changes yet remarkably, everyone seems to forget quickly how it was before and insists that their methods are the right and only ones to adhere too.

Take high heel shoes for example, they were originally not meant for women. It was a men’s shoe. Read up about men in heels at

Louis XIV (Louis-The-Great) showing off his red heels. He had a rule, if he liked you. You were a Nobel of a certain stature, then and only then would he allow you to wear red heels.

(I am talking to the men here now btw)

One day, society woke up and simply decided no. Blue is for boys, heels and dresses are for women and society was just like… ‘okay then’. Why? Because its all made up at the end of the day. One day we can do one thing and the next it is entirely opposite. It is all made up, and it will continue to be made up.

We as humans, make stuff up. We create our own boundaries and rules and get so worked up if someone else doesn’t want to obey the standard you believe is the correct way of doing something.

Society is filled today with more and more Gen-Z’s that are breaking the gender norms once again. A man showing off his pecs with a short short shirt? Have you seen a man in a dress – or what about the Tiktok frenzy of men wearing French maids outfits and dancing about?

It is all the craze and it is liberating to see. So a man puts on eye liner or decides no, he is going all out and does a full make-up tutorial kitting himself out to the T. How exactly does this impact your life if you do not like it? Simple answer. It doesn’t.

Men being liberated and enjoying their life to the fullest is something more people should embrace. Seeing a guy wearing more feminine defined clothes doesn’t mean he is a part of the LGBTQIA+ community anymore as so many heterosexual men are finally understanding the freedom of being yourself, regardless of societies opinions.

What about women? Why do they always have to wear dresses, and make-up and a certain hairstyle etc? Nonsense. Society changes often because people make it change. Gender norms are being thrown out of the window and I for one are all for it.

Let a boy play with a barbie, it could make him understand women more and treat them better. Let a girl play with trucks, it could make her be more independent and realising her full potential… or, it could do absolutely nothing because they are toys and the child just wants to play and be happy. Don’t overthink so much.

The next time you see a nice sweater, buy it. Don’t think about what others would think.

If someone calls you babe and hun, and you are a 35 year old straight male with a beard that hasn’t been touched in 10 years and muscles so hard it could break basically anything… just smile. Accept it. Love yourself. Love others for being themselves.

Showing respect and kindness towards others does not mean you want to be like them – it means you appreciate seeing them finding themselves.

Fuck gender norms and societal constructs. Be you. Be beautiful.

Thank you for reading… #TheSomethingGuy #SouthAfrica

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