I'm glad I'm a boy! I'm glad I'm a girl!
By Whitney Darrow (author and illustrator)
1970
This book is about what boys like and do compared to what girls like and do. For example, "boys are strong, girls are graceful" and "boys invent things. Girls use what boys invent."
Just a bit sexist, don't your think?
"In 1970, when the second wave of feminism was reaching
critical mass and women were raising their voices for equality across the
“social media” of the day decades before the internet as we know it, an odd
children’s book titled I’m Glad I’m a Boy! I’m Glad I’m a Girl! began appearing
in bookstores." (Popova, 2014)
This book could be interpreted one of two ways: extremely sexist, why would someone create such a book? Or if you do a little research, you find that this author actually wrote very satirical cartoons for the New Yorker for nearly 50 years. We don't know if this book was written in all seriousness or is meant to be satirical. The children in this book, I believe, are portrayed as caricatures. The definition of a caricature is as stated, "a picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect." I feel like this book could be serious, but with Darrow's background, it would make more sense for it to be satirical. Especially because it was published at a time when girls weren't necessarily thankful to be girls in a world of, "outdated cultural expectations." (Popova, 2014)
These children in the book are very stereo typically portrayed. Boys in general have the power in the story, and girls are very helpless and do things like cooking, cleaning, and work in very woman dominated fields. They are looked at as not able to do a mans work (such as be the president, policeman, doctors, pilots, etc) Girls act and behave in a certain way, and boys act and behave very opposite. The word choice, "what boys are" as compared to, "what girls are" is very demeaning and causes little boys and girls to think you have a limited about of things you can be when you grow up, toys you can play with, etc.
At the time this story was published (1970), women were JUST beginning to shed their gender norms coat, and Darrow was from a time where men and women participated in very different things. This book has nothing to do with any other race but Caucasian men and women. I can only imagine with the demeaning undertones for them, what it would be like for people of color, oh goodness. The narrative and pictures in this book tell us that girls aren't as capable as boys are to do certain things, and that girls should be happy with that. The achievements of girls are minute when compared to what the boys do in this book. The story would turn out completely different if the roles were reversed, and there would be no question that it was meant to be satirical. Boys aren't portrayed in nurturing roles with their families, it is the girls who do the roles associated with having a family.
Some of the pages that show stereotypes include:
"boy are Presidents. Girls are First Ladies."
"Boys are strong. Girls are graceful."
"Boys invent things. Girls use what boys invent."
"Boys can eat. Girls can cook."
It is hard to believe this book could have been written and meant to be funny and ironic. I have a hard time getting past the ridiculous stereotyped portrayed in this book. In the end, after all of the roles are laid out there, it says, "I'm glad you are a boy! I'm glad you are a girl! We need each other." This is how the story ends and it leaves more questions that resolutions in my mind! Is this really a children's book or is it meant for adults to get a good laugh at? I would never recommend this book for children simply because it sets the standards to what boys and girls can and can't do, and that isn't the case. Boys can do girly things, girls can do things boys do. We are all one and if a boy likes dolls and a girl wants to be a police person, we need to make sure they know that is okay!! We don't want children to think certain labels apply to each gender.
The reviews on this book are mixed. Some people don't feel as though it was satire, and others loved it simply because it was funny.
"I think this book does a horribly great job at showing how far society has moved from this type of thinking when it comes to gender roles." (Mayberry, 2014)
Popova, M. (2014). I'm Glad I'm a Boy! I'm Glad i'm a Girl! Retrieved from http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/20/im-glad-im-a-boy-im-glad-im-a-girl-darrow/
Mayberry, E. (2014) Comment retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2882044-i-m-glad-i-m-a-boy-i-m-glad-i-m-a-girl
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes I would be reluctant to read this to children. Would they understand the irony of this. If this was in my home and a child would pick up and see the image and text of the boy who fixes things while the girl needs things fixed what message are they getting? I would be in real trouble if I had to wait for some of my male friends to fix things. Sad but true some people still believe that men are more able bodied than women.
ReplyDeleteThis book is dated, sexist and should be discontinued! With that said I loved that you did a review of it. It was a great was to show how far we have come with equality. I too would never share this with a child at any age. As you said you wouldn't want to limit their gender in their eyes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you does not sound like a book I would read to my children. It makes you wonder how some of these book do make it on the shelves and others have such a hard time. I also wonder if the writer ever think about how inappropriate the text they are writing is?
ReplyDeleteI read this one as well and actually made my blog about it. (not realizing I had to chose a different book than everyone else) I couldn't believe what I read. It aggravated me to say the least. But i did read somewhere that the author had a strong sense and maybe a little bit inappropriate sense of humor. Even if this book wasn't completely serious, it still sets a horrible example and should be on shelves.
ReplyDelete