It's no big mystery why so many boys willingly embrace believing when they're told that males are superior to females. Being superior means that one is ENTITLED to control and authority over others, so of course they would want it to be true. The less mature a person is, the more they want to be in charge of others for no reason other than they feel powerful being "the boss". In human beings, whoever is given the Royal Scepter of entitlement and authority is usually loathe to give it up.
It's also no big mystery why so many women go right along with cultural stereotypes and gender "roles". One's beliefs are tied to one's IDENTITY, one's sense of "self", who we are in relation to others, how we fit into the world, and WHY.
A MAN wouldn't want a GIRL to be able to fix cars, build houses, be a math or science expert, be a master musician or artist, be physically strong, or LACK FEAR because it contradicts his feeling of automatic superiority... boys were often TOLD that many tasks and even FEELINGS are "male only", that girls and women aren't ABLE to do certain tasks or learn them, understand them, or feel certain emotions because they just aren't "equipped". They were told and shown that they were superior to females when they were children, so of course they want it to be true.
But why would a WOMAN also not want a GIRL to be able to do those things? Because... she may have bought into the stereotypes when she was growing up too. MANY women were told or SHOWN over and over while they were growing up that the REASON they were being treated with LESS RESPECT than their male relatives and friends was because females are UNABLE to learn and do certain things.
These beliefs became internalized, part of their IDENTITY.
So when Dad taught their BROTHER how to fix the car, but not THEM, they BELIEVED IT when Mom and Dad said that it was because "boys are naturally good at fixing cars and girls are not", or that "girls are not strong enough to fix cars, but boys are".
(As if all boys have the same strength and ability, and all girls have the same lack of either.)
They BELIEVED IT TO BE TRUE, so they made it part of their REALITY.
Giving those kinds of beliefs up means DISMANTLING THEIR ENTIRE BELIEF SYSTEM, about who they are, and about the world itself. And it would also mean that they would have to face the fact that they were taught less than true things by the people they cared the most for, their own family. It would likely feel like a terrible betrayal, or like the floor is falling out from under one's feet, and that's too much for many people to deal with, understandably.
BUT ALSO~~~ Women who KNOW that the gender roles and stereotypes are not really REAL often USE THEM to gain and keep control over BOTH women and men.
Controller/Narcissist MEN often do the same thing, and have been doing it for CENTURIES.
A Controller/Narcissist KNOWS that other people are emotionally invested in stereotypes, gender roles and expectations, so they can easily use them to HURT others, to control others, to hurt the reputations of others, to sabotage them in business and in any other goals they may have, and even to destroy their social ties.
For example, it's EASY for a Narcissist to get others to turn against a woman who is an automechanic, or a man who cares for children, because those are NOT culturally stereotyped "gender roles".
They are not within the parameters of the stereotypes.
It's NOT NEARLY AS EASY for a Narcissist to get others to turn against a woman who is a Registered Nurse, or a man who is a Contractor, because those jobs are WITHIN the cultural stereotypes.
People will BELIEVE that a person is "GOOD" just because the person does a job that fits with the stereotype of their sex, and they EASILY turn on those who are doing something that does NOT FIT the stereotype of their sex.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERSON doing the task, the job, or having the interest, it's about PEOPLE'S BELIEFS that are TIED TO THEIR OWN IDENTITIES AND EGOS.
It's also no big mystery why so many women go right along with cultural stereotypes and gender "roles". One's beliefs are tied to one's IDENTITY, one's sense of "self", who we are in relation to others, how we fit into the world, and WHY.
A MAN wouldn't want a GIRL to be able to fix cars, build houses, be a math or science expert, be a master musician or artist, be physically strong, or LACK FEAR because it contradicts his feeling of automatic superiority... boys were often TOLD that many tasks and even FEELINGS are "male only", that girls and women aren't ABLE to do certain tasks or learn them, understand them, or feel certain emotions because they just aren't "equipped". They were told and shown that they were superior to females when they were children, so of course they want it to be true.
But why would a WOMAN also not want a GIRL to be able to do those things? Because... she may have bought into the stereotypes when she was growing up too. MANY women were told or SHOWN over and over while they were growing up that the REASON they were being treated with LESS RESPECT than their male relatives and friends was because females are UNABLE to learn and do certain things.
These beliefs became internalized, part of their IDENTITY.
So when Dad taught their BROTHER how to fix the car, but not THEM, they BELIEVED IT when Mom and Dad said that it was because "boys are naturally good at fixing cars and girls are not", or that "girls are not strong enough to fix cars, but boys are".
(As if all boys have the same strength and ability, and all girls have the same lack of either.)
They BELIEVED IT TO BE TRUE, so they made it part of their REALITY.
Giving those kinds of beliefs up means DISMANTLING THEIR ENTIRE BELIEF SYSTEM, about who they are, and about the world itself. And it would also mean that they would have to face the fact that they were taught less than true things by the people they cared the most for, their own family. It would likely feel like a terrible betrayal, or like the floor is falling out from under one's feet, and that's too much for many people to deal with, understandably.
BUT ALSO~~~ Women who KNOW that the gender roles and stereotypes are not really REAL often USE THEM to gain and keep control over BOTH women and men.
Controller/Narcissist MEN often do the same thing, and have been doing it for CENTURIES.
A Controller/Narcissist KNOWS that other people are emotionally invested in stereotypes, gender roles and expectations, so they can easily use them to HURT others, to control others, to hurt the reputations of others, to sabotage them in business and in any other goals they may have, and even to destroy their social ties.
For example, it's EASY for a Narcissist to get others to turn against a woman who is an automechanic, or a man who cares for children, because those are NOT culturally stereotyped "gender roles".
They are not within the parameters of the stereotypes.
It's NOT NEARLY AS EASY for a Narcissist to get others to turn against a woman who is a Registered Nurse, or a man who is a Contractor, because those jobs are WITHIN the cultural stereotypes.
People will BELIEVE that a person is "GOOD" just because the person does a job that fits with the stereotype of their sex, and they EASILY turn on those who are doing something that does NOT FIT the stereotype of their sex.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERSON doing the task, the job, or having the interest, it's about PEOPLE'S BELIEFS that are TIED TO THEIR OWN IDENTITIES AND EGOS.
