->     Alert the class to gender bias.
I do this ALL the time. The most notable example that comes to mind is
an announcement that ran in our school's daily bulletin (announcements
to be read out in homeroom) either this past year or the year before. It
requested that those interested in being a Stat Girl for some sport team
(I don't recall which) report to a meeting at such and such time and
place. This REALLY galled me. I told the class it was sexist and that
why couldn't a boy be a Stat PERSON also? The kids laughed and told me
that it was always the girls who did that Stat duties. They don't even
realize when it is POINTED OUT to them how perverted that point of view
is.
What's really bad is that the girls accept this as the status quo and
don't think they need to do anything to change it.
A few years ago (maybe five?) one of our teachers (a nun) commented to
me that a girl at our school would never run for ASB president, and even
if she did, the student body would never elect a girl for that position.
Secretary or Treasurer, sure. Maybe even Vice Pres, but not President.
I recall at that time feeling that she was correct. I am happy to
report, though, that since that time we have had one girl ASB President
(two years ago). So, in the entire history of our school (founded in
1950) we have had _one_ girl ASB President. But it is a reflection on
the subtle discrimination that goes on that (1) in general, girls simply
don't decide to run for that position (again this year, we had only male
candidates), and (2) even if a girl should run, they would be at a
severe disadvantage of being elected simply by virtue of their gender.
I think that many of us are so comfortable with the way things have
always been, that we don't even notice this type of thing when it
occurs.
Sheila
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