My family has been seasonal campers at Lazy Ds campground for ten years. Each year we have a seasonal potluck gathering at the lodge. Lazy Ds in located in Whitewater State Park and is very beautiful. The families that gathered today are mostly ones we have known for years. The owners provide the supplies of forks, plates, and napkins. Each family is to bring a dish to pass.
      When everyone arrived the women were flocked to two tables and the men stood and talked by the food. The children sat at their own table planning a huge water balloon fight later followed with flashlight tag at night. This was a common conversation the children had each year. This year I paid attention and noted a few different behaviors and asked some questions for a better understanding for this blog.
      There were twenty-two dishes total. When I asked a show of hands who made the food, not one male raised his hand. The women all prepared the potluck food. This reminded me of the "traditional" roles back in the post-war climate. It was a great feeling at that. Looking around I notice each family was caucasian. There were not any other races present at this time. I asked the owners if any of the other seasonals not present where of a different race. One family had an Asian mother with four kids with Caucasian father. Otherwise, all Caucasian as seasonals. This was a statistic I would have never thought about until this blog.
      When the food was ready, the children went first. The boys did not let the girls eat first as they should have. Not one of the parents spoke up including myself. My teenagers were through that line before I noticed. If this was socially constructed it should have gone different. In this day and age girls first is not such a concern. Some of our learned gender rituals have vanished. Judith Butler enlightens on this subject. Butler speaks of gender trouble which could fall into this category. Men didn't open the doors at lodge for the women and the children did not open doors for their elders. Times have surely changed.
       During the meal the genders segrated with the adults. The women sat together and talked. Majority of the men stood and ate while talking. The children sat together giggling while eating. Not one of the parents monitored what their children ate or how much of the food thewas eaten. The kids ate for five minutes and left the lodge to either go to park or ride their bikes. The adults sat in lodge eating and then talked forty-two more minutes. The women cleaned up the food area and plates. The men folded up tables and chairs. Typical stereotype of gender socialization.
      Gender schemas was obvious during this potluck. Everyone played their part as usual and did not enhance their gender roles for the occasion. The women preparing food, the way the conversations were held, and the order of feeding were all expected behaviors.
      Gender socialization was present and notable. The friendly behaviors to one another was predictable but a norm for this group. There were no negative attitudes, and everyone played their roles as expected. The women setup the meal and had the children go first. The women let the men go first for whatever reason. This could be due to women being used to making and serving dinner to spouses and children. All participants appeared to be on their best behavior for this occasion. Not one of the parents was drinking alcohol or went outside to smoke. When noting the smoking in my head, I looked around to see who all smoked and how many. Smoking is becoming an abnormal social norm. Of the forty-six adults only four were smokers. I find this ratio unexpected and surprising.
      Noting the children as a group related to socialization a few thoughts came to mind. Each familys' children go to different schools and majority of them live in different towns. They all have been friends in the summer time down at the campground but now stay in contact throughout the winter thanks to facebook. Listening to the adults, minimal curse words were heard and that was after the children went out side. All families were dressed better than usual, not in their typical camper attire.
      This blog has been an eye opener and hopefully will make myself and others more observant to the changes in our society and that of which is still the same. The norms of our genders have changed as time goes by. We have learned how to perform our gender from our parents, family, and friends. What will it be like in 20 years from now. Will the husbands be cooking and cleaning while the women have careers. You do hear of stay at home dads and male nurses. Anything is possible in this day and age. The responses to what is learned is differet for everyone. Everyones perception is different and that is what makes us all individuals in whatever gender we are.