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The Gender Gap: Girls Gaining Ground Slowly but SurelyBy KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant Over the centuries, females have challenged the traditional roles thrust upon them by society. Women have certainly come a long way from the "damsel in distress" image; they now have plenty of opportunities to prove that they can accomplish the same kinds of things that men can. Women have proven themselves as physicians, politicians, performers, professors, publishers—and athletes, accountants and—well, you get the idea. There is still a gender gap between females and males, however, and it starts, in many cases, at birth!
Girls and boys are routinely treated differently. If you have heard the expression "boys will be boys," you already know that many people have different expectations of girls than they do of boys. Sometimes the differences are subtle, but lifelong behaviors are shaped by these and other societal expectations. There are, of course, some parents, teachers and other individuals—including young people—who go against society's traditions. Newspapers and other media routinely publish "famous firsts" accomplished by females. In general, though, stereotyping still occurs throughout childhood. Girls may be given gifts of dolls and dresses while boys are more likely to receive trucks, electronic games or toy guns to play with. Girl babies may be used as showcases—dressed in pink frills and lace, or decorated with pierced earrings, for instance—while boys are admired for their intellect and athletic ability. A newspaper article published recently in The Daytona Beach News-Journal brought attention to the popularity of cosmetic surgery among girls and women. Some of the people interviewed claimed that their self-confidence had risen after cosmetic surgery. The article reinforced a popular view that while men are taken at "face value," women are judged first by looks and then by their thoughts or actions. The popularity of beauty pageants, and the roles created for TV and film actresses, reflect how women are viewed in society. Advertising media also perpetuate traditional roles. Ads routinely target household (grocery, cleaning, laundry, etc.) products at females, for instance, while ads aimed at men (for cars, lawn mowers, tools, and the like) may have a more serious tone and even use women as objects to persuade men to buy their products. While girls may start off with equal academic abilities, too many lose interest in math, science and computers and other technology fields during their years in school. Many observers fear that schools buy in to the gender gap by encouraging boys and girls into traditional roles. Outside of school, girls see that many doctors, lawyers, politicians and scientists and other professionals are male. Without role models in these and other fields, it's hard for girls to imagine themselves in those professions. Adult women may find that if they "jump" the generation gap to enter a career once dominated by men, they are paid significantly lower salaries even though they have the same educational background and qualifications as their male counterparts. Slowly but surely, though, females are making inroads into traditionally male professions and activities. Girls today make take for granted playing on a soccer or baseball team, earning a college degree or running for public office, for example. Not long ago, none of these opportunities were available to females! Thanks to efforts by the National Organization for Women and other women's movements, females enjoy more freedoms than ever before. According to a recent News-Journal article, however, anyone who assumes the women's movement is over "couldn't be more mistaken." This week's newspaper activities and Web links will help both females and males explore, identify and continue to challenge traditional gender roles in society. Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal1. Search articles in The News-Journal for different words used to describe males and females. Make a list of the adjectives and other descriptions as you locate them. Compare your findings for each gender. Can you draw any conclusions about gender stereotyping from the words used? Tell a friend what you learned. (Sunshine State Standards LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.1.2.4, LA.A.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.1, LA.D.2.2.5)
2. Films and TV shows routinely reflect gender roles in today's society. Study TV and movie display ads found in a current issue of The News-Journal. Is there a difference between the way females are portrayed, as opposed to males? If you can identify several differences, you deserve a gold star! (Sunshine State Standards LA.D.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.5) 3. Turn to the Sports section of The News-Journal. Find and list the professional sports mentioned in which females are not represented. Now do the same for males. How many did you find for each? Can you draw any conclusions about gender roles in pro sports? Share your thoughts about this with a friend or classmate. (Sunshine State Standards LA.D.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.5) 4. On a blank sheet of paper, draw a vertical line to form two columns. Head one column "Products" and the other "Targets." Next. scan all the display ads you find in The News-Journal. For each ad, list the product or products offered and whether the ad targets males, females or both. Did you find any evidence of gender stereotyping? Write a letter to the manufacturer of the product stating why you do or do not believe the ad promotes gender stereotyping. (Sunshine State Standards LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.1, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.D.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.5) 5. Turn to The News-Journal's Comics section and select several of your favorite comic strips. After you read, try to determine how each character perceives him or her self. Is there a difference between males' self-images and those of females? Can you generalize any patterns? Draw a comic strip of your own creation, using characters who possess all the attributes you admire in your favorite cartoon heroes. Hang your comic strip on a refrigerator or bulletin board. (Sunshine State Standards LA.D.2.2.1, LA.D.2.2.3, LA.D.2.2.5) A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org. Check out these links to learn moreRecognizing that gender should not be a factor in determining what a person wishes to accomplish, one professor at Rutgers University has put together a list of links designed to empower females in a variety of activities and disciplines. Visit some of the sites described. www.scils.rutgers.edu
Read about many "famous firsts" in Women's Sports at this site provided by the Girl Scouts of America. You'll also find information about issues faced by girls and women today, and have a chance to read or write some history of your own! jfg.girlscouts.org Take a look at some fascinating biographies of Distinguished Women of Past and Present. You may be inspired by some of their stories. www.netsrq.com The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. Visit the site and check some of them out to see if they have recently published any articles on this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries. The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published March 11, 2002 |
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