Do we need to change what we teach our kids?

Why do we gender stereotype? Why do we have biases against what men and women can or cannot do? Before we attempt to answer these questions, let’s understand how did we grow up to be a community that biases genders. The answer lies in our formative years, where gender structured roles become a part and parcel of our everyday. To become adults that understand gender equality, we need to start early, as children.

Introducing gender sensitization in schools has become the need of the hour. To delve further into introducing gender sensitization in school curriculum , we spoke to two experts from the field who gave us some interesting insights into how to enable the topic in schools and the kind of barriers it faces.

We spoke to Srini Swaminathan, a freelance teacher, and Iesha, a social venture for gender equality, about the merits and obstacles of introducing Gender Sensitization in schools. Here are snippets from the Twitter conversation:

Do we need Gender Sensitization in schools?

Gender lessons in schools

Hurdles in Gender Sensitization

Hurdles in Gender sensiti

Changes required for Gender Sensitization

Changes to system

There is a very thin line separating gender biases and gender sensitization. They don’t mean the same but are interlinked. Gender sensitization can stop gender biases that we see and face in society and gender sensitisation is not possible unless we recognise gender biases in the society. There needs to be a proactive outlook in understanding how children think and react. If they know and understand that all sexes are equal, they will be able to live that principle and help promote a healthy and safe society.

Power Of 49 Manifesto

Power Of 49 Manifesto points out the need for gender sensitization to be made compulsory for boys and girls from Std. V to XII in order to counter eve-teasing. What are your views about this? Share your opinions in the comment section below:

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More about the Experts:

Iesha is a social venture that builds and delivers digital courses on sexual, reproductive, and gender education, through teachers using tablets or computers in schools. iesha believes that delivering accurate, empowering information on gender and sexuality to adolescents at puberty is a fundamental paradigm shift that will lead to creating a gender-equal India. iesha - Know Yourself.

Srini Swaminathan is an independent freelancer/teacher. He joined Teach For India in 2010 as a Teacher in Dharavi, Mumbai, inspired by the children of tsunami affected villages of Chennai where he had volunteered as a UNDP volunteer. After that, he moved back to Chennai to start Teach For India in Chennai with 30+ Fellows and staff in 2012. He continues to be involved with individuals and teams working relentlessly to change the life path of children in low income community schools.

Disclaimer:

Views expressed here are of the experts alone and do not necessarily represent that of the brand.