The undeniable sexism in textbooks designed for the world’s children

Aaron Benavot and Catherine Jere of the University of East Anglia in Britain write that women are dramatically underrepresented in textbooks worldwide. Even when featured, the authors say, women are often shown conforming to stereotypical gender roles such as a homemaker or teacher, while men were often presented in leadership roles. The sexism appears remarkably widespread all around the world. The authors cite studies that show that just one-fifth of characters in Chinese history books are female and that they “appeared dull and lifeless in comparison with the more vibrant males.” Read More…