Sexism at School

1195 Words3 Pages

If someone was to type “define: sexism” into Google, the first definition that would appear would be “sexism: prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex” (Google.ca). However, that definition given is demonstrating sexism itself by stating that it is “typically against women”. Sexism is something that is still common in the world today, and is demonstrated towards both women and men. Many teachers act in ways, not always intentional, that contribute to sexism. It is important for teachers to recognize that sexism is something that still happens to both men and women and that anti-oppressive educational practice should be used in order to benefit all students in the classroom, regardless of their gender.
Throughout my schooling experiences, I was someone who experienced sexism first hand. As a child, it was common for me to be labelled as a “tom boy”, which by definition means “an energetic, sometimes boisterous girl whose behaviour and pursuits, especially in games and sports, are considered more typical of boys than girls” (Dictionary.com). I was not considered a “typical little girl”. My three closest friends were boys. I enjoyed climbing trees, building forts, and playing with Lego and pirate ships. I cut my hair because long hair was a nuisance, I did not wear dresses, I hated the colour pink, and my career choice consisted of wanting to be a “house painter”, rather than a princess. However, who makes these definitions about what a “typical little girl” should look and act like? Why was it made possible for people to tell me that I was not being a “proper girl”? Sexism is a common oppressive behaviour that people demonstrated. I have chosen to research sexism not only because o...

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... Sex Roles, 1. Retrieved November 21, 2013, from http://link.springer.com.libproxy.uregina.ca:2048/article/10.1007%2Fs11199-006-9161- 5/fulltext.html
Johansson, T. (1996). Gendered Spaces: The Gym Culture And The Construction Of Gender. Young, 4(3), 32-47. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://you.sagepub.com.libproxy.uregina.ca
Mansome2012 - YouTube. (n.d.).YouTube. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l60Y450vwTM
Sadker, M., & Sadker, D. (1986). Sexism in the Classroom: From Grade School to Graduate School. JSTOR, 67. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20403143?uid=3739472&uid=2&uid=3737720& uid=4&
Shellenbarger, T. (1993). Eliminating Sexism In The Classroom. Nurse Educator, 18(1), 17-20. Retrieved November 21, 2013, from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com.libproxy.uregina.ca:2048/sp-3.10.0b/

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