Name: Eliza York
Community/State: Yarrawonga, Victoria
School: Goulburn Valley Grammar School
Age/Grade: 17 Years, Year 11
Overcoming the odds – how can we push through barriers to achieve gender equality?
Equality or equity? These terms are commonplace in my year 11 economics class as we debate the way in which income should be distributed. However, I believe these terms have an even greater relevance in relation to society and gender stereotypes.
Gender equality does not mean that men and women must always be treated the same. Instead, it is about treating them differently in order to bring them to the same level to ensure that differences in qualities and attributes are recognised. That is equity. Women fought for the right to vote in the early 20th century and are continuing to fight today in relation to the gender pay gap which is prominent in male-dominated industries such as manufacturing and construction. What needs to be addressed is why women continue to have to fight for gender equality in the first place. That is because there is an ongoing cycle of gender prejudice and bias. So how do we create this change?
It starts with parents from as early as possible, reinforcing the message to their daughters that they can be whoever they aspire to be. One study asked children at the age of six whether the ‘really, really smart’ protagonist in a story was more likely to be a woman or a man. It found that girls were less likely to guess that the protagonist was a woman than boys were to guess that the protagonist was a man. Therefore, parents are essential in breaking the cycle of gender bias so that the young girls of today can grow up with the confidence that they can be who they want to be, but equally that boys are taught that they are neither smarter, more powerful or better than girls.
In schools, the push for programs like STEM are effective in enabling girls to work in fields that have previously been male dominated. Furthermore, the continuation of programs like these that encourage female participation, are essential in breaking down this harmful, repetitive cycle that we have seen for generations.
Leo Buscaglio, an American author once said, “Change is the end result of all true learning.” Once we are aware that a change in attitude needs to occur, the breakdown of gender bias will begin and allow us to overcome the barriers to achieving equity.