Value messages

Girls learn how to act, dress, look, and speak from many sources. Your first and most important teachers are your parents. When you are very young, your parents are your role models for everything you do, from what toys you play with to what you want to eat.

As you grow up, you become more aware of other people in your life like your sisters and brothers, cousins and friends. Slowly but surely, girls are introduced to many other role models who have a strong influence on us. These include friends, teachers, coaches, religious leaders, television and cartoon characters, musicians and models.

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A girl's behavior is molded

Did you ever think about cartoon characters being girls or boys? Who are the main Sesame Street Characters? Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Ernie and Bert. They are all boys! Barney, Bugs Bunny, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winnie the Pooh -- BOYS! And, what usually happens in animated movies? The beautiful and sweet girl character is in some sort of trouble, and eventually gets rescued by the strong and brave boy character. Think Alladin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast.

What is the value message here? In the most simple terms, girls look beautiful, but are not very bright. They get themselves into trouble and cannot get out of it by themselves. Boys are smart and brave and need to rescue girls from trouble.

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