Foreign Literature
Breaking Gender Stereotype
By:Carol Gilligan and the Harvard Center on Gender and Education, HGSE graduates
“I became interested in how men and women unconsciously collude with societies and
cultures that have ruled out women’s voices. That’s when I began to look at how people
over the millennia have found their way to change, and I realized that education is the
nonviolent revolution,” Gilligan told HGSE News.
Lyn Mikel Brown, Ed.D.’89, worked with Gilligan on the influential book, Meeting at the
Crossroads: Women’s Psychology and Girls’ Development, identifying the uncertainties
girls face as they enter adolescence. Brown has gone on to research and write books
about female friendships, sexualization of teenage girls, and female empowerment. An
activist, Brown has also co-founded organizations like SPARK Movement and Hardy
Girls Healthy Women, which work to build supportive, feminist, anti-racist coalitions.
Yet boys too face their own gender-based developmental challenges, as noted in
Packaging Boyhood: Saving Our Sons from Superheroes, Slackers, and Other Media
Stereotypes?, written by Brown with Sharon Lamb, Ed.M.’80, Ed.D.’88, and Mark
Tappan, Ed.D.’87, and in Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendship and the Crisis of Connections,
by psychologist Niobe Way, Ed.M.’94.
“One of our messages in the end is there are still really important conversations parents
and teachers can have with boys about the narrow stereotypes that are not benign but
could have an effect on their propensity for violence or their performance in school or
how they treat girls,” Tappan told Harvard Ed. Magazine. “…It’s easy to take a ‘boys will
be boys’ attitude, but I think there could be more conversations with boys growing up
about those kinds of messages.”
Forming healthy relationships is central to Making Caring Common’s (MCC) recent
report that looks at the intersection of hookup culture, sexual harassment, and
misogyny. To promote the essential conversations between teens and the adults that
lead to the growth of healthy attitudes and relationships, MCC developed resources to
help parents and teachers lead the discussion.”I became interested in how men and
women unconsciously collude with societies and cultures that have ruled out women’s
voices. That’s when I began to look at how people over the millennia have found their
way to change, and I realized that education is the nonviolent revolution," Gilligan told
HGSE News.
Lyn Mikel Brown, Ed.D.’89, worked with Gilligan on the influential book, Meeting at the
Crossroads: Women’s Psychology and Girls’ Development, identifying the uncertainties
girls face as they enter adolescence. Brown has gone on to research and write books
about female friendships, sexualization of teenage girls, and female empowerment. An
activist, Brown has also co-founded organizations like SPARK Movement and Hardy
Girls Healthy Women, which work to build supportive, feminist, anti-racist coalitions.
Yet boys too face their own gender-based developmental challenges, as noted in
Packaging Boyhood: Saving Our Sons from Superheroes, Slackers, and Other Media
Stereotypes?, written by Brown with Sharon Lamb, Ed.M.’80, Ed.D.’88, and Mark
Tappan, Ed.D.’87, and in Deep Secrets: Boys’ Friendship and the Crisis of Connections,
by psychologist Niobe Way, Ed.M.’94.
“One of our messages in the end is there are still really important conversations parents
and teachers can have with boys about the narrow stereotypes that are not benign but
could have an effect on their propensity for violence or their performance in school or
how they treat girls,” Tappan told Harvard Ed. Magazine. “…It’s easy to take a ‘boys will
be boys’ attitude, but I think there could be more conversations with boys growing up
about those kinds of messages.”
Foreign Study
Breaking gender stereotypes brings out children’s full potential
By:Teacher at Quang Nam province, Vietnam
Can a little girl play with construction materials? This question could be non-sense to most of us.
However, many teachers in the center of Vietnam have worked hard in recent years to convey a
“Yes” to this question. In Vietnam, gender stereotypes often limit boys and girls at very early
ages in preschools and in their daily life.
I have participated in gender-responsive training, after that I let boys and girls in my class choose
the activity corners that they want. Some girls chose to join the construction corner. When their
parents learned about this, they were unhappy and complained to me about their daughters
needing to play with something for girls.
Breaking gender stereotypes, Quang Nam province, Vietnam
By :Teacher at Quang Nam province, Vietnam
Gender stereotypes settle boys mainly at the construction corner, girls need to be at role-play
corners or cooking corners.
Gender-based violence remains a major problem in Vietnam, though it is often invisible.
Research shows that nearly 70% of married women experience some form of violence. This is
often caused by harmful gender-stereotypes linked to the definition of men and women’s role in
a family. Such stereotypes are shaped at a very early age – this is what the GENTLE project
helped pre-schools to address.
By removing gender-stereotypes from the children’s learning and playing environment, all
children are able to develop to their fullest potential. They no longer absorb potentially harmful
stereotypes that could become the basis for gender-based violence later in life. “
BREAKING GENDER STEREOTYPES. EARLY
Gender stereotyping can be tackled in preschool, promoting equality in the
skills children learn and the possibilities they see for themselves. But it’s
not about banning books
By Dr Tania King, University of Melbourne
We all know that children are like little detectives. They are constantly seeking to classify
and categorise the world around them in order to make sense of it.
Part of a child’s development is the process of beginning to understand, and grapple with,
the complex concept of gender.
Recent media reports have highlighted that it doesn’t matter how old you get –
understanding gender, and all its associated misconceptions, judgements and assumptions
– remains complex well into adulthood.
Despite reports to the contrary, Victorian councils are not planning to remove any
children’s books from library shelves under new gender guidelines informed by our
research over the last few years.
In 2016, Associate Professor Naomi Priest from the Australian National University and
myself were commissioned by the City of Melbourne to conduct a literature review, to
bring together evidence related to gender stereotypes in preschool children.
Local Literature
Passion has no gender: Filipino Olympians break gender stereotypes
By MICHELLE ABAD
A female weightlifter, boxer, and skateboarder, alongside a male gymnast, mark the
beginning of ‘endless possibilities’ for young girls and boys looking to pursue their
passions in sports that may not be ‘in line’ with their gender
Olympic medalists Hidilyn Diaz and Nesthy Petecio made strides beyond their legendary
victories when they won the titles as women in stereotypically masculine sports.
Hidilyn won the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal for the 55kg weightlifting event in
the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The second medal for the Philippines went to Nesthy, who
clinched silver for the women’s boxing featherweight division.
After Nesthy’s victory on Tuesday, August 3, she dedicated her win to the LGBTQ+
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+) community in an international press
conference in Tokyo.
“Para rin po sa LGBTQ community ang laban na ‘to (This fight is for the LGBTQ
community),” said Nesthy.
Other Stories
Carlos Yulo’s coach targets 2032 for next-gen Filipino Olympians
With more grassroots investment, Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya hopes there will
be more Filipino gymnasts in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics
Carlos Yulo qualifies for 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Gymnast Carlos Yulo becomes the second Filipino to make it to the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics
Chinese COVID data from animal market gives clues on origins – report
‘This adds to the body of evidence identifying the Huanan market as the spillover
location of Sars-CoV-2 and the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,’ says the report
“I am proud to be part of the LGBTQ community. Sulong, laban (Move, fight)!”
Meanwhile, Margielyn Didal captured hearts as a Filipina skateboarder, and Carlos
“Caloy” Yulo was the Philippines’ pride in gymnastics this Summer Olympics. In
Caloy’s case, it was a man in a stereotypically feminine event.
Typically gendered ideas of sports did not stop the athletes from pursuing their passions
and giving their best for the country. For LGBTQ+ community members Nesthy and
Margielyn, they even used their time in the spotlight to take pride in their identities.
For two advocates, the athletes served as an inspiration for young girls and boys looking
to pursue sports that may not be “in line” with their gender.
Making herstory: PH celebrates strong women feats even under misogynistic rule
In the Tuesday press conference, Nesthy encouraged other members of the LGBTQ+
community to pursue their dreams.
“Kahit anong gender natin, basta may pangarap tayo, laban po. Hayaan mo yung mga
taong may mangda-down sa ‘yo, kung ano ang sasabihin nila,” she said.
(No matter what our gender is, as long as we have a dream, we fight. Ignore people who
bring you down and the things they say.)
EnGendeRights Executive Director Claire Padilla said Nesthy’s dedication to the
community was a “strong call for the fight for diversity and inclusion.”
“Women and LGBTIQ people have come a long way in breaking gender stereotypes and
sexism by not just participating, but excelling in Olympic events, such as weightlifting,
boxing, and skateboarding,” said Padilla.
Meanwhile, Young Feminists Collective co-founder Shebana Alqaseer said the athlete’s
representation was just the beginning of “endless possibilities” for young girls and boys.
“Sana after nito, wala na tayong maririnig na (After this, I hope we don’t hear any more)
‘this is for girls only or for boys only,’ or ‘you can’t do this because you’re a girl,’” said
Alqaseer.
Role of parents, schools
Margielyn Didal, who finished in seventh place in the skateboarding women’s street
event, has been outspoken in interviews about her strong support system, from her
parents to her girlfriend.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa parents ko dahil pinalaki nila ako nang maayos, sinuportahan
nila kung ano iyong gusto ko kahit pasaway ako. As an LGBT din, tanggap ako ng
parents ko. ‘Yun lang, mahal ko po sila,” Margielyn told ABS-CBN in 2018, wiping tears
on her father’s sleeve.
(I want to thank my parents because they raised me well and supported my aspirations
even if I misbehaved. As an LGBT member, my parents accepted me. That’s all, I love
them.)
Feminist researcher Alqaseer said one way to foster a gender-sensitive environment at
home was for parents to “go beyond the norm.”
She cited introducing the stories of the Filipino Olympians as one example, along with
other examples of men and women breaking stereotypes.
Beyond the family, schools and institutions could also serve as avenues to normalize
these themes for children.
In her work dealing with LGBTQ+ rights, Padilla recalled receiving reports of certain
schools doing “femininity tests” for members of their women’s basketball teams who
expressed masculine gender expression. The school administrations called the studentathletes’ attention to “be more feminine.”
This “clearly discriminates against one’s sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression,” said Padilla.
“Schools, parents, and the whole of the Philippine population should eliminate gender
stereotypes in sports. People, especially women and LGBTIQ, who have long
experienced discrimination in engaging in sports should be encouraged to join whatever
sport they may be interested in,” she added.
“We see the praise for Hidilyn and Nesthy, but it should also go beyond them as
individuals. We should invest in our athletes and our institutions – and part of that is
providing the space that the next Hidilyn, or Nesthy, or Caloy would need in the future to
excel regardless of their gender,” said Alqaseer.
Local Study
How to support women and girls in science: Create safe spaces, break down stereotypes
By Angelica Y. Yang(Philstar.com) – February 17, 2022 – 6:58pm
This December 7, 2018 file photo from the DOST Science Education Institute shows
students of Ligao National High School.
DOST SEI website
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines needs to do more to erase gender-biased
stereotypes that discourage girls from becoming scientists, and support women who wish
to pursue science careers.
It begins at an early age, when young girls receive toys that are deemed appropriate for
them by their families.
Girls and women in science: Where do they stand?
With Duterte as president, implementing ‘Bawal Bastos’ law will be hard — Gabriela
“There is still a gender stereotype and I see that’s still in a lot of families. It starts
with…the toys you give boys and girls, like when you [choose to] give a girl feminine or
‘kikay’ stuff compared to toys that are more exploratory or [those that enhance] science
background,” Dr. Aletta Yñiguez, a marine scientist from UP Diliman, told Philstar.com.
This kind of early introduction may prime girls into what they may or may not get into in
the future, ultimately shaping their career paths.
Dr. Gay Jane Perez, deputy director general of the Philippine Space Agency, observed
there were a few women engineers who have worked on developing the country’s
satellites.
A fifth, or 15 out of 67 engineers who participated in seven major satellite projects were
women, data showed. Some of these projects include the Diwata-1, Diwata-2 and Maya
cube satellites.
Scroll to continue
“Women are underrepresented in those teams that are developing our satellites. Now,
when we are searching for the new team to develop new satellites, it’s turning out to be
the same. It looks like that’s still the trend,” Perez told Philstar.com in a mix of Filipino
and English.
It's a different scenario, however, at the Department of Science and Technology’s
Industrial Technology Development Institute, where women researchers outnumber male
researchers by 16%.
“Many women are now engaged in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math) area, but we need more,” ITDI Director Dr. Annabelle Briones told Philstar.com.
She shared that the ITDI observes gender equality, with women enjoying equal
opportunities.
Last year, the Philippines slipped down one notch to 17th place in terms of achieving
gender parity, but has been able to close 78.4% of its gender gap to date, the World
Economic Forum (WEF) said in its latest Global Gender Gap Report.
The report monitors the progress of 150 countries in closing the gender gaps across
economic opportunities, education, health and political leqdership.
Despite its lower rank, the Philippines’ performance last year was the “second-best” in
East Asia and Pacific, after New Zealand.
“Not only has the Philippines virtually closed both its educational attainment and health
and survival gaps, but it is also among the 18 countries in the world that have closed at
least 79.5% of their economic participation and opportunity gaps,” WEF said