I suppose there are some activities the male gender tends to be more interested in. My poor dad always had to ask, “Who wants to cut the grass with me?” throughout my childhood, and my sisters and I never mustered up a “yes” because there are things I’ve learned to enjoy more.

I’ve gotten my fashion sense from my mother and my sisters. They taught me how to pick out clothes, do my hair a certain way and set up Barbie doll houses during every day of my childhood. Not once did it occur to me maybe I should spend some time with my dad getting to know the rules of football.

A lot of these gender differences have to do with the way men and women are raised.

Parental guidance has a huge effect on the sorts of activities and interests an individual becomes accustomed to.

Being the youngest of three girls in my family, my dad always has been outnumbered as to whether or not we watch football all Sunday or go to the shopping mall to get the season’s latest — shopping mall wins every time.

To this day, I cheer from the MSU football student section without really understanding why everyone complains about various referee calls. Sure, I could take the time to actually learn what each call means, but in reality, football just isn’t my cup of tea.

While watching sports on TV, my dad shouts for me to pay attention to each play, but I stare at the games and confusedly resort to asking questions as to what the heck is actually going on.

Perhaps there is something missing in society. I’ve been raised to like the color pink because I’m a girl, and frankly, I am more concerned about what I’m wearing to the football game than who MSU is playing against.

I wish I was taught to pay more attention to sports. But I also wish my boyfriend knew what a crop top is when he points out the fact that my shirt “looks like it has been shrunk in the wash” when it’s really the latest trend.

This is the way many of us were brought up.

Men pay attention to sports, while women focus on their wardrobe and appearance.

I’m slowly acquiring my sports-related “language,” but I still feel a bit like a lost puppy.

But I know not everyone is like this.

It’s true that some women pay attention to football more and some guys are interested in fashion, but ultimately, the environment a person is raised in has a huge influence on who they are.

If we could be more accepting of all the things a person is interested in despite their genetic X or XY chromosome, we could become aware of the gender differences we are placing on today’s society.

Cayden Royce is a State News staff reporter. Reach her at croyce@statenews.com.