By the age of five, a child is taught that only girls play with dolls. By doing so, they are practicing in the role of motherhood. "Little boys are expected to roll around in the dirt and explore. Girls should keep their hands clean and play with their dolls" (Kantrwitz 442) A statement like this is a result of the public discourse in American society. If a girl goes out to play with the boys, she is called a "tom boy." Instead, she should be playing house pretending to have a family consisting of a mother, father, and a baby. Television shows such as "Leave it to Beaver", gives viewers representation of the perfect family and you will notice that the mom is always in the kitchen. It identifies where women belong. In every episode, the father goes to work everyday, handles the money, and solves the problems. Barbara Kantrowitz says that machines like the microwave and the dishwasher are meant to be used by females (442). Looking through a magazine, you will see an ad of a boy playing Gameboy. In this instance, the message is right in the title of the machine. Boys tend to get more into video games like Nintendo and Gameboy. "Video games involve lots of shooting and dying. Boy Stuff" (Kantrowitz 443). Girls are more involved in playing Barbie. Barbie symbolizes a perfect American woman; tall, skinny, long blonde, silky hair, and clear white skin. Females constantly strive for this look, but not only because of Barbie; they continuously see this image through the public discourse of gender. .
Looking at the magazine cover of Cosmopolitan's June 1999 issue, you see a beautiful, tall, skinny female with blonde hair, green eyes and half her breasts showing. Subtitles are as follows; Meet a Guy by the Fourth of July, Money? Success? .
Happiness? , Cosmo's Seduce-Him Beauty Guide, and The Love Mistakes Even Smart Women Make. This front cover attracts women to purchase the magazine. Women are socially constructed to believe that they have to be beautiful to be successful and that women stand as sex objects.