GENDER EQUALITY
Lifting Limits Overcoming gender stereotyping in education
The charity Lifting Limits has a mission to challenge gender stereotyping and promote gender equality, in and through education. “By the time they reach secondary school, children often have entrenched views about gender norms. It is therefore important that children are educated about gender equality in primary school.” (Women and Equalities Committee, 2016) From a young age, children can be bombarded with gender stereotypes through colour schemes, toys, books, media and even family compliments. This ‘gender wallpaper’ can send messages to children about the “right” ways to be boys and girls, with children’s choices potentially limited. Children could be steered in different directions that may be reflected in later life, such as in career choices, pay, mental health, and certain behaviours and expectations.
Research shows that, even with the best intentions, schools can unthinkingly exacerbate stereotypes with examples within the curriculum and language used in teaching, as well as in books, routines and assumptions. Lifting Limits supports schools to examine how gender stereotypes may be perpetuated or challenged in education environments. “I now see things completely differently when it comes to gender and what we do as a school.” This is a quote from a teacher that received training from us recently, highlighting that staff awareness and reflective practice is key in supporting gender equality in education. Our programme of training and resources has reached nearly 2,000 primary and early years educators and over 12,000 children. Pupils are equipped to demand a more genderequal world and are given
ample opportunities to see all genders in non-stereotypical roles. Support is also given around engaging families in these conversations, and they are provided with practical suggestions of ways forward. We are a national charity with bold aspirations to work with a growing number of schools and early years settings in the state and independent sector. One school that has recently partnered with Lifting Limits is Falcons School for Girls in South West London, educating boys and girls in the Nursery and then catering for girls from 4 to 11 years old in the Prep School. The school is led by headmistress Sara WilliamsRyan, who is a passionate advocate for gender equality and building on foundations of excellent practice. Sara explains more about her school’s involvement with Lifting Limits: “Whilst we all agree that girls and boys are equal, the subjects they choose in school, the careers they aspire to, their sense of self, their behaviours towards one another, and their ability to articulate their emotions are often shaped and restricted by gender stereotyping. These messages and assumptions about a child’s interests, likes, dislikes and characteristics risk becoming self-fulfilling as the child picks up from those around them what is seen as ‘normal’ or ‘appropriate’ according to their gender. I wanted to ensure that, as a school, we were not unwittingly perpetuating these messages through our curriculum, our language, or our environment. Working with Lifting Limits, who are as passionate about gender
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EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | WI NT ER 2022 | 43
