It may be 2026, but some people still hold very deeply-rooted prejudices about gender roles and gender expectations. Just show a young boy with fingernail polish or a young girl with very short hair, and see the judgment written all over some people's faces.
Though the southern United States and much of the country music genre are still known for perpetuating gender stereotypes, country singer Maren Morris from Nashville is arguing against these stereotypes and is warning parents of the negative impact they have on children.
In a recent TikTok video, Morris reflected on a recent conversation she had with a man at a party about gender stereotypes and the messages we send to our kids through them.
Morris reflected:
"They hear this s**t at school, like, from a friend, and it's my job as his parent to correct them."
The guy she was talking to was not convinced, however.
"He was pretty dismissive and said, 'Oh, these boys need to toughen up.'"
Morris disagreed, saying that emotional regulation was more important than physical toughness.
"My son has to bust his gums or something to cry, but he's also, like, extremely gentle."
"And he loves baseball. He loves musicals. He's obsessed with 'Hamilton' right now."
"He loves colors. Sometimes we paint his nails. He loves to make jewelry now and friendship bracelets."
"And it's like, he's a person, and our job is just to never shame them for expressing those things. It's the best part about being a kid."
The man became furious at Morris's remarks, so much so that he "very dramatically" left the party.
"My son can emotionally regulate himself better than this man could."
"My son can say, like, ‘I’m frustrated.’ Or if he’s overwhelmed, he can, like, go take a beat in his room."
"He does that for himself without me even needing to step in now; he just knows how to do it."
Morris also voiced the importance of raising children in a community of supportive people.
"It's my job to make a safe environment, physically and emotionally, for my son to grow up and be able to have the vernacular and be able to talk about these things."
"It did give me a lot of hope because my son and his friends, girls and boys, are all doing so well."
"This generation, I have hope for because they’re being raised by communities like us, that are breaking those patterns, and hopefully, you know, it leads to a better life for all of them."
Morris also felt for the man and how he must have been raised.
“We have to be able to talk to each other about these things in order for that to progress."
"I don’t know if that guy storming off learned anything; he was p**sed."
"But, I just felt bad for him. And I’m really glad to be raising a boy that’s not going to end up in a sort of echo chamber or prison of shame and anger like that."
You can watch the video here:
Fellow TikTokers applauded Morris for her positive influence.
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Newer parents are becoming known for their cycle-breaking and shifting of generational beliefs, and transforming the public mindset around gender roles and expectations is one of the bigger changes taking place.
It's important for children to be able to be who they are and to express themselves, even if how they do so looks different than previous generations. It will teach them to value individuality, creativity, and empathy, and help them understand that there are allies out there when they need them.
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