Gender inequality from textbooks

Discrimination and preference for boys over girls appear clearly in textbooks from primary school.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Tuyet, lecturer of the Faculty of Sociology - Academy of Journalism and Communication, has had a quite interesting and thought-provoking research on this issue.

Illustrations in textbooks always set stereotypes about the division of labor between men and women, making it difficult to achieve gender equality as required by society.

Only men are scientists

The study was conducted based on the analysis of the content of 10 current Vietnamese textbooks from grades 1 to 5. According to Ms. Tuyet Minh, the research results show that the appearance of both main and supporting characters in 487 lessons of the 10 books mentioned above shows that: women often participate in simple professions that require little expertise, and if they are intellectuals, they are always associated with teachers. Men often appear in all fields that require high professional qualifications as well as good physical strength and health.

	Gender equality will not be achieved if the next generation is still socialized according to gender stereotypes.
	Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Tuyet , lecturer of Sociology Faculty - Academy of Journalism and Communication

Up to 8/8 articles mentioning professions that require qualifications, intelligence, and creativity such as researchers and scientists are all male. There are absolutely no female researchers or scientists. Men participating in this field is still absolute. In addition, the research results also show that 16/19 articles mentioning professions that require expertise, intelligence, and health such as soldiers, police, sailors, pilots, etc. are all male characters, with absolutely no participation of women.

Women are still associated with sewing and housework.

The only female in the group of intellectual occupations mentioned in the textbooks is teachers, with 23/34 lessons showing female teachers, 30/38 illustrations of female teachers compared to 4/38 illustrations of male characters, the remaining 4 illustrations show both male and female characters. 7/7 illustrations of occupations and jobs that require dexterity, diligence, and diligence (such as sewing, weaving, sewing, etc.) are all female; in the cleaning profession, the image of women also occupies an absolute position!

In farming, a profession that is considered to be hard, tiring and low-income, the proportion of women appearing is higher than men with 12/22 articles.

In a broader view, Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Tuyet's research also pointed out that the illustrations and lesson content in Vietnamese textbooks for primary school students also show that the scope of women's activities is mainly introverted (in the house, kitchen, yard, etc.); while men are present in almost all extroverted activities.

Introverted female, extroverted male

From the above analysis, Ms. Tuyet believes that this will create and maintain a pattern of gender division of labor between men and women in the family and society in the direction that men are assigned to be suitable for specialized functions (tools, professions) to create material wealth; while women are only suitable for expressive functions (culture, emotions) to create spiritual values... "And so, gender equality will not be realized if the next generation is still socialized according to gender-biased models," Ms. Tuyet commented.

The Ministry of Education and Training is researching to adjust

Talking to Thanh Nien reporters about this issue, a representative of the Department of Primary Education (Ministry of Education and Training) said: The Ministry is currently assigning the Institute of Educational Sciences to research this issue in textbooks of all levels, not just primary school. When there are research results, specific solutions will be proposed; if really necessary, appropriate adjustments must be made. However, the Ministry of Education and Training also recommends that teachers should not consider textbooks as laws; explanations and evidence from real life by teachers to help make lessons lively and easy to understand are much more necessary.

Tue Nguyen

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bat-binh-dang-gioi-tu-sach-giao-khoa-185414895.htm