When, Why, and How to Talk to Children About Gender: Research-Based Advice for Parents and Teachers

Most children endorse gender stereotypes and prefer same-gender peers well before they enter kindergarten. Importantly, children’s gender attitudes affect their cognitive, social, and emotional development, often in ways that serve to limit (rather than maximize) their potential. In this talk, I will summarize findings from psychological science concerning the causes and consequences of children’s gender attitudes, with the goal of providing concrete recommendations to parents and teachers for how best to address gender issues with preschoolers, children, and adolescents. New trends in gender socialization, including the sexualization of girls and use of single-sex programming and classrooms, will be discussed.