Dismantling Gender Inequality at Home and School

Gender inequality is in the air, and we breathe it in every day through books and television commercials that depict these gender norms. At a very early age, children who are the backbone of society, are exposed to gender expectations and stereotypes that they internalize. We need to encourage children and support them as individuals instead of emphasizing gender differences.

Gender Inequality Sprouts at Home

It is an apt saying that ‘Home is where the heart is’, but it is also the first place where the gender gap begins. From birth, a baby’s gender shapes how he or she should behave or how they should be treated according to existing gender stereo-types in society. Even their toys and colours are differentiated. So, boys are given balls, Lego sets, rockets, and kites, while its dolls and kitchen sets for girls. Movies on outer space are supposed to be a boy’s domain while girls are encouraged to watch Barbie. Pink is the preferred colour for girls while for boys its blue! But why can’t a boy wear a pink shirt in a flowered pattern?

Boys Don’t Cry

In some traditional societies it is even laid down that females should be submissive and dependent while males are supposed to be protective and stoic. Boys are told ‘don’t cry like a girl.’ But, a boy, if hurt or upset, has as much right as a girl to cry, just as a girl can vent anger by shouting. In extremely traditional families, boys are even considered more valuable and worthy of investment and higher studies while it is believed that it’s better for girls to learn how to take care of a family. Even the chores set for children at home reflect gender differences.

Sports are for Boys

Boys are entrusted with maintenance chores like watering the garden or painting the fence. On the other hand, girls must lay the table or dust the furniture. Boys play sports, rough play and  take up outdoor activities. Whereas girls are more delicate. They play indoor board games like Ludo and Carrom. These belief systems prioritize life choices in childhood itself.

Gender Inequality Must be Shattered at Home

Ages three to six are very crucial for a child for it is then that they learn lifetime lessons of gender sensitization; and unless handled with care, they could pick up negative attitudes and stress disorders.

Movies and Stories

What could we as parents and educators, do to protect our children from the ever-present gender bias? We can challenge gender discriminations through the stories we read and the movies our little ones watch. Traditional damsel-in-distress stories or those featuring princesses rescued dramatically by a charming prince, such as Snow White and Cinderella do not reflect proper gender roles. On the other hand, ‘Frozen’ and ‘Dora the explorer’ are great films for young ones because they show strong female lead characters.

Tell the little ones stories celebrating children in all their diversity, cultural differences and make sure to include children with disabilities. Change traditional children’s rhymes, songs and finger play including both genders in every activity by switching names or activities. In ‘Mary had a little lamb’ sometimes replace Mary with Rahul. In ‘Wheels of the Bus,’ use ‘parents’ instead of ‘mommies’, emphasizing that the father has an equally important role in bringing up children.

Inclusive Language

Look for games developing creative skills, and problem-solving activities in everyday life. Avoid segregating boys and girls in separate lines. Instead divide them according to age, height, or alphabetical order. The same applies to seating arrangements in class. Try all inclusive names like ‘children’ instead of ‘boys’ and ‘girls.’ Do not tell a baby girl that she looks pretty or a baby boy that he looks smart. Instead, focus on their achievements and skills. In plays and skits, try to depict boys and girls in the same roles. While dramatizing Ramayana, don’t specify that only girls can play Sita or boys Ram and Ravan. Anyone should be able to act whichever role they want and both sexes should portray the main characters.

Career Choices

Our expectations of what boys can do, and what girls can choose to do when they decide their careers, have drastically changed. Boys these days increasingly pursue careers traditionally thought of as a girl’s domain and become chefs, nurses, artists, and musicians while girls are now becoming construction workers, pilots and even join the army and navy. Girls also take up leadership roles occupying important positions in the defence forces or even become CEOs of big firms. Boys often participate in domestic tasks and take care of families. The school can provide a range of role models from real life to inspire them to think differently: male cooks and female firefighters who can come to school and talk to the children about their work.

Gender Inequality or Level Grounds: Choice is Ours

Thus, consciously, or unconsciously, because of tradition and pre-conceived ideas, parents, teachers, and peers are coaxing children into a restricted choices based on gender. We must do away with it, for it is the root cause for the suppression of individuality. Gender- neutral teachings in early childhood days will help to make sure that a child grows up into a strong. It shapes them into unbiased person in later years. The Covid 19 pandemic further exposed deep inequalities in societies around the world. Thus fueling threats to the future of our children. If we are unable to make a child understand that he or she is more alike from birth than different. We must treat all equally, else our world will remain gender biased. Undoing the deep- rooted gender assumptions is a very difficult task, but we can definitely succeed with repeated efforts. A good beginning is to ensure equal opportunities for both sexes to education. Next, is to empower women in the workplace, provide equal medical care, legal protection, and political representation.

The formative years are the best time for a child to express who she is. Encourage them to ask questions about what they feel is counterproductive. We can make sure to provide our children a gender- neutral environment both at home and school. Further on, encourage them to think for themselves. Let all of us work together as a combined force to try and bust gender discrimination in all fields!