- Definition
Gender is how society groups people as masculine or feminine, based on qualities and roles, not just their physical body.
The idea that pink is a 'girl colour' and blue is a 'boy colour' is an example of a social rule about gender.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Gender is like how stores sometimes put toys in a 'boy' aisle or a 'girl' aisle, based on ideas about who should play with them.
Ask your child: What makes people think some colours or toys are 'for boys' or 'for girls'?
Common mix-up: Kids often think gender is the same as being a boy or a girl. Gender is actually about the ideas and expectations society has for how boys and girls should act, look, or feel.
Examples
- Expecting boys to play with trucks and girls to play with dolls.
- The belief that it's okay for girls to cry but not for boys.
gender is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 5 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 6 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 7 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 8 Health and Physical Education
+8 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
