Girlie Girls and Manly Men: Children's Stigma Consciousness of Gender in Sports and Physical Activities‪.‬

Introduction Sport is a common and popular leisure pursuit among children and plays an important role in how they develop their future leisure behaviors and understandings. However, children's participation in sports and activities can be bound by social constructions of gender and gender stereotypes. Individuals who grew up in the United States and attended public school or participated in after school programs are likely to have memories of playground protocol (e.g., boys play football, soccer, or baseball and girls play jump rope or four square). Research has provided supporting evidence that the childhood rules of the playground exist beyond the scope of personal memories. Children as young as two are aware of and practice gender roles (Boyle, Marshall, & Robeson, 2003). Although advances have leveled the playing field for girls and women somewhat, a subconscious yet widely held perception of boys' sports and girls' sports persists.