Jeremiah J. sent along a cute cartoon series, found at pdviz, that illustrates “the difference between boys and girls.” It simply tells a story with which many of us are familiar:
So let’s say that it is true that women take longer to get ready in the morning than boys. (It isn’t categorically true, but it may be true on average.) In any case, let’s say it is. The question that needs to be asked is “Why?”
Someone inclined to believe that boys and girls are different biologically may say that women are naturally more fastidious and concerned with appearance.
Someone disinclined to a biological explanation may say that this is the result of socialization. That Disney princesses and made-up moms teach little girls that they need to be “pretty” and so girls prioritize this (over sleep) as adolescents and adults. They do this automatically because they’ve internalized the idea.
A sociologist, however, would likely argue that neither of the above are true. As one of those, I would argue that the reason women, on average, spend more time on their appearance is because (1) the bare minimum for looking presentable is different for women than for men and (2) the social costs for neglecting their appearance is greater for them than it is for men. It is not biology, nor socialization, but the realities of social interaction that draw women out of bed earlier than men. We learn that our appearance matters to others and that others — strangers a little bit, friends more so, and bosses and lovers especially — offer rewards and punishments related to how well we conform to their expectations. So we make a measured choice. We primp and preen not because it’s natural, or because we’re socialized robots, but because it’s worth it or, conversely, we don’t want to pay the cost accrued when we do not.
