A large body of research has proven that, when you reinforce gender roles, you do damage to young girls and boys. But a global study published this year shows the depths to which enforcing gender stereotypes harm children. Researchers behind the Journal of Adolescent Health study found that youth subject to strict gender expectations are at an increased risk for mental and physical health problems during and after adolescence. Girls, for example, are at a higher risk for pregnancy, exposure to violence, child marriage, pregnancy, and leaving school early. Boys, on the other hand, are more likely to experience substance abuse, die by suicide, ad have a shorter life span, according to the study's findings.

According to a recent OECD report, it’s the only country in the developed world where fathers spend more time with school-aged children than mothers, to the tune of eight minutes a day. The Global Gender Gap report rated Finland the second most equal country in the world in 2016, and the Economist recently rated it the third best country to be a working mom.

Pink has spent her entire career challenging the conforming restrictions of gender norms - and it's a viewpoint she's keen to pass on to her children. She told The Sunday People that she's intent on raising her daughter Willow as gender neutral, allowing her to make free choices that aren't dictated by what society states women should or shouldn't do. "We are a very label-less household. Last week Willow told me she is going to marry an African woman. I was like: 'Great, can you teach me how to make African food?"

Critics have claimed that gender specific toys can shape girls’ career ambitions, while parents and teachers also play a major role in influencing children’s career choices. A study by the Institution of Engineering and Technology found parents’ outdated perceptions of jobs for men and women are discouraging girls from pursuing a future in the science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) sector. The research showed that parents were more likely to recommend careers in caring and education for girls.

When it comes to women who make an informed decision to ask for sterilization, everything from age, marital status and previous number of pregnancies to a hospital’s religious affiliation or a doctor’s personal beliefs can be used as a reason to deny care. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists makes these biases explicit in 2007: The procedure “may have important effects on individuals other than the patient,” such as the patient’s husband or partner (whose approval some doctors require). The unusual requirements some doctors impose — waiting periods, age restrictions and psychological evaluations — are similar to those that legislators opposed to abortion have enacted for women seeking to terminate their pregnancies.

If conforming to nursery norms goes even as far as the colour of a bucket, is it surprising that boys who play with dolls or put on tiaras only do so when other children aren’t watching, and that most girls never try to play at superheroes? Children learn through play, and getting involved with different kinds of activities is vital for the breadth of their experience. Being stopped by other children from exploring a full variety of play styles and equipment limits children’s experience and can affect their learning in the longer term.

A new character is joining the Mr Men and Little Miss series - a female engineer. Little Miss Inventor has been created as a "positive role model" for girls, its author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves said. She will be the 36th Little Miss character and joins the likes of Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Magic.

We may be living in a feminist-leaning era – with some leaders like Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau proudly calling themselves feminists. But society in the US, as in many parts of the world, has not yet reached a tipping point. Feminism is still seen as a protest, a dividing line in the political landscape – or a sound bite. Many boys and men are reluctant to define themselves as feminists, and even fewer are willing to put a cog in the patriarchal machine.

Girls today receive two conflicting messages: Be mighty and be good. Now-pervasive “Girl power” messaging declares that girls can be anything they want. But in practice, the more subtle rewards for compliant behavior show girls that it pays to be sweet and passive. The sexual harassment revelations that have come to light over the past few months show just how dangerous this model can be.

Between ¨gender neutral parenting¨ and ¨the Google manifesto¨, there’s a recent ongoing conversation about defying traditional gender roles we can’t ignore. With powerful influencers as role models, such as Malala and Emma Watson, who are constantly inviting us to challenge our perceived notions about gender, women and equality. And, inspiring men, such as Justin Baldoni and John Legend, who are redefining what masculinity looks like — the fight towards gender equality is slowly, but surely, becoming an intersectional affair.

"Taiwan has really improved a lot in terms of gender equity education," says Yang, who is part of the panel working on revising the national guidelines. "But all the progress doesn't mean there will be no setbacks; especially when we are talking about social movement."