We live in a culture deeply flawed by the insistence that individuals live their lives according to very strict definitions of gender. As girls grow into women, and boys into men, they are provided with instructions on how to look, act, think and feel -- all based on a set of societal beliefs about what is expected of their sex.

These rigid gender norms are sadly limiting, narrowing the potential for both boys and girls to live rich and fully human lives. A glimpse around the schoolyard, a quick scan of the daily paper, or an hour or two in front of the TV, make it abundantly clear that there can be harsh consequences for those who don't abide by these "rules."