Gender roles

I'm tired and will probably rework this at some point - for now it remains more of an internal monologue :)

I just read a really interesting article about gender specific colours - and how the switch from pink as a boy's colour (rather than our contemporary interpretation of pink as a girl colour) came around WWII and the Nazi rule. Interesting how a fascist dictatorship can influence gender identity in such a profound way. Which makes me all the more determined to dress my boy in whatever colours I choose. Relating to that - I don't understand why gender expectations are forced upon our children before they're even born. Why does society feel the need to impress suffocating ideals of what boys or girls 'should' be? Parents often treat their sons and daughters differently - the concept that girls naturally talk earlier than boys is often because parents of girls talk to them much more than they would to their sons. Exposure to language inevitably leads to earlier language acquisition. They also respond faster to thei daughter's cries, cuddle them more, and are more likely to allow their boys to try things out like walking or climbing. In fact, boys are more fragile in infancy than girls - so why are we more likely to be comfortable with our boys exploring? It's that whole 'damsel in distress' thing, right? Gender expectations. We are constantly setting our children up for the roles they will play in their lives and it is ultimately our responsibility to allow them to grow and develop into well-rounded human beings. Allowing a boy to play with a doll doesn't mean he'll grow up to be a sissy, or gay (I constantly roll my eyes at that assumption) - it means he will be adopting the role of care-giver into his being. Colour is just that - colour. And toys? They are creating a wonderful world for children to play in. I refuse to force gender expectations on my one-year old, he will be facing a lifetime of that. So now when people comment on him wearing pink, or carrying around his doll, I will feel secure in the knowledge that he is a loving little person without the pressure of gender specificity.