Policing the Parenting of Boys

Tags: children/youth, crime/law/deviance, gender, masculinity, 00 to 05 mins
Year: 2011
Length: 2:20
Access: YouTube

Summary: This YouTube video from CBS News discusses the controversy behind the J.Crew advertisement showing a mother with her young son and his neon pink toenail polish. The image has sparked a debate, which has been discussed in terms of "appropriate" gender identities and the role parents play in cultivating such identities for their children. Marysol Castro interviews a number of parents for the report and finds that many have mixed feelings about the advertisement. CBS News discusses the significance of this advertisement and suggests that it might be indicative of changing ideas about gender. Note that this video is similar to a growing number of other videos on The Sociological Cinema, which draw attention to the policing of masculinity (see here, here, here, and here). This particular clip works nicely with Tony Porter's recent Ted Talk (here), where he reflects on his role as a parent who actively policed the boundaries of masculinity for his young son.

Submitted By: Beatrice Sorce

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