Are "gender norms" really all that bad?

In class, we've discussed the whole concept of branding children and selling to them. Now we're focusing on the theory behind the branding such as colors that coordinate with a child's gender or toys that are specifically designed to appeal for a boy or a girl. We've scrutinized these elements as if to say they are horrible and detrimental to a child's mental health a development, but is that necessarily true?

I pose the question because I come from a background that is very similar to what we read. When I was very young, my parents built and moved into a new home. My parents left it up to me to decide what color carpet I wanted in my room and I remember, without a pause, I told them pink. They asked me repeatedly if I was sure and if that was the color I'd be okay with having and I said yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Nowadays, I'm not the biggest fan of the color pink.

As a little girl, I was often asked what I wanted to become when I grew up and up until the age of 6, I would say that I wanted to be a princess. I remember family members laughing at me and dismissing it as a "child's" thing to do. But now we're questioning that answer based on the idea of what a princess is according to Disney and other major companies have that have shown us. Basically, as a child I was heavily influenced by gender norms and what was expected of men and women. 

But is it actually a bad thing to have gender norms for children? I mean, look at me. I'm living proof that a little girl can go through her, "I love pink and want to be a princess" phase and still get out alive. I'm working towards achieving a higher education, I have two jobs, I'm an advocate for equal rights, I plan on owning my own business someday, I'm part of three campus organizations, I'm a positive contributing member of society (meaning I've never been arrested or engage in illegal activities. I also pay all my taxes), and I still enjoyed playing with Barbies and doing my hair and makeup when I was a kid. 

I will admit that part of the reason I got out alive was the nurturing I received from my parents. Even though I was permitted to watch these movies and play with these toys, I wasn't permitted to engage in those activities in excess. I was told to play outside whenever I had the chance, I need to try and help myself before asking anyone else to help me, I participated in sports, I learned music and how to play several different instruments. Sitting around and having someone pamper me was never truly an option and I thank my parents for that. Much of the "princess generation" we see projected on television (like Toddlers in Tiaras) is an effect from parent's not providing the proper nurturing to their children. But that's not what this post is about. I just think it's an important part of the bigger picture that I needed to point out for this post's sake. 

So as terrible as some of our readings make it sound, I don't think that allowing young boys to play with Tonka Trucks and giving young girls Barbies is going to negatively impact their social growth or alter their ability to function in our society. I would have to agree with what Sydney brought up in class today about this idea simply being a phase and that, in order to avoid isolating a child from other children, it may even be necessary to introduce such concepts to children when they are young.