'Masculinity' proposal prompts debate

Supporters, detractors

The proposal triggered widespread debate. On Sina Weibo, a popular social media platform, some supporters attributed the feminization of boys to the influence of "Little Fresh Meat" idols, a reference to young male icons regarded as squeaky-clean and well-groomed, and boasting delicate features.

Opponents criticized it as displaying a sexist bias. "The proposal has an implicit attitude, which stands against the diversity of society from a gender stereotype perspective. Moreover, it makes 'feminization' sounds like a negative word," commented Weibo user "Romance".

In fact, gender stereotypes about intellectual ability emerge early and influence children's interests, according to research published in the journal Science in 2017. It showed that common stereotypes associate high-level intellectual ability with men more than women.

These stereotypes discourage women from pursuing many prestigious careers. For example, they are underrepresented in fields where brilliance is "cherished", such as physics and philosophy.

Moreover, these stereotypes are endorsed by, and affect the interests of, children as young as 6.

Zhang Yaohua, founder of the You&Me Sexuality Education Platform, one of China's biggest promoters of sex education, said: "Gender differences do exist. But we should be alert if the stereotypes of different genders begin to influence our expectations of men and women or even result in an unhealthy standard to value people of a different gender."

According to Zhang, previous studies indicated that the influence of gender stereotypes, even those only experienced during childhood, can affect people for a long time and even have a negative impact on their attitudes toward marriage and the next generation.

"Moreover, many issues associated with school bullying are related to gender stereotypes," he said.

According to some reports on school violence conducted by NGOs that promote gender equality, a sizable number of students in China's high schools and colleges have been bullied because they failed to meet general social expectations of their gender.

Gender schemas

Sandra Bem, a US psychologist who studied gender issues for decades, believed gender schemas－which assert that children learn about male and female roles from the culture in which they live－were limiting for men, women and society.

She said that raising children free from these stereotypes and limitations would lead to greater freedom and fewer restrictions on free will.

Liu Wenli, professor of education at the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning at Beijing Normal University, said: "Parents, teachers and social media are all factors that influence a child's understanding of different genders. Education, if conducted via gender stereotypes, will bring negative influences, not only to boys but also girls."

For example, having been told to be "strong and brave", boys may be afraid to express fear or weaknesses. Conversely, a girl who lives in a society with low recognition of female academic or work performance may be less motivated to attempt high achievement at school or in jobs.

"In addition, gender stereotypes will affect how they value themselves as well as other people. And they may lose the opportunity to gain more diverse knowledge because of such negative influences," Liu said.

To reduce the influence of gender stereotypes, she suggested parents should pay more attention to preschool education, which plays a crucial role in early gender recognition.

Also, parents should reflect on their own understanding of gender differences and avoid adopting a biased attitude.

"Communication between parents is also important, and they should encourage their children to meet more people to learn about individual differences," Liu said.

"Last, but not least, we should encourage children to be themselves and not allow gender stereotypes to limit their future potential."