Girls Vs Boys

I'll try to avoid a rant, I promise.
I've been thinking recently (please bear with me) about social expectations regarding girls/boys and continue to be increasingly depressed with the attitude (which dictates) that girls are soft voiced spangly pink princesses who float delicately around the room, the embodiment of glitter encrusted serenity, whilst boys can be vocal, expressive and dirty (by that, I mean caked in mud on occasion).
It's so unfair. Who decided that girls must be quiet, genteel and ladylike (shudder) whilst boys are entitled to an opinion, a voice and are not expected to look polished and well presented?
There is nothing I loathe more than stereotypes, but I've fallen foul of the double standard on several occasions, so you can accurately refer to me as a hypocrite. Sadly, I've felt the need to admonish my girls for being too feisty/opinionated/vocal, whilst silencing my inner voice which shouts 'this is fine and you were the same at their age Melissa and why should they be mute and devoid of expression because they are girls?' And here endeth my mini rant, before it develops into a fully fledged rage against the machine of gender politics !
ps. in case you wondered, the image above is an attempt at tongue-in-cheek humour. For the record, I don't hate men or break balls.