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Sexism - Noun
“Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex”
(Definition from Oxford Languages Dictionary)
Sexism Across the World
Sexism Across the World
Despite improvements throughout the past few decades, sexism still remains prevalent across the world, and schools are not exempt from that. Sexism, in simple terms, is discrimination, mainly against women, because of their gender. According to france24.com, a 2020 United Nations study found that nine in ten people, including women, are sexist or hold sexist beliefs. The 75 countries studied represented 80 percent of the world’s population. In the United States, the study found that 57.31 percent of our population has sexist views. The most startling figure from this study is that 28 percent of people think that it is acceptable for a man to beat his female partner. Pewresearch.org found that 42 percent of working women in the U.S. have experienced workplace discrimination on the basis of gender.
These numbers may seem surprising, unnerving, or just hopeless - how could change possibly come to a worldwide issue? Although workplace sexism is tough to handle, focusing on a smaller problem - sexism in schools - may be easier to manage. According to independent.co.uk, 57 percent of teachers in a survey of more than 8,600 had stereotyped their students on the basis of gender, regarding science, technology, engineering, or math. This stereotyping by teachers and trusted adults, who should be role models to their students, caused students of both genders to believe that they were correct. This led to a decrease in female students pursuing a career in these subjects or enjoying them at school. Only 14 percent of Britain’s STEM workforce is female. Without inspirational and encouraging role models, female students will not strive for success. “Why be sexist when you can be… not sexist?” asked C, an anonymous student at David T. Howard Middle School. (Because of the sensitivity of the content in this article, all quotes have been anonymized and names have been replaced with a letter of the alphabet. This letter does not correspond in any way with their initials.) “Sexism is dumb and stupid,” added D, another student. This fact may be obvious to some, but many deny that sexism even is a problem to begin with. The cycle of change cannot begin until the problem is recognized.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms
Before a recent revision to this rule, the David T. Howard Middle School bathrooms were being locked during the school day. When students needed to use them, teachers would have to message the administrators to unlock them or bring the entire class on a “bathroom break,” disrupting class time. The reason for this is that students were vandalizing the school bathrooms, following a TikTok trend. However, on the eighth-grade floor, this was mainly only happening in the male bathrooms, except for one case. The school’s response to the incident was to lock bathrooms during transitions, class time, and lunch - for both sexes. Although prior to this incident, students could visit the bathroom between classes at designated bathroom times, now the only opportunity for students to use the bathroom was during their class - if the teacher was willing to bring the entire class out into the hallway to unlock the bathrooms, remain outside until they finish, and then relock the doors - or during lunch. However, students could only use the restroom during lunch if they were assigned to “cafeteria lunch”; students eating outside have no access to the restrooms.
Although unjust to all, this rule was particularly unfair to the female students for a number of reasons. First, the female students did not vandalize the bathrooms, but they were still being punished. Just because a few people decided to follow the trend and steal school property from the restrooms, the bathrooms were kept locked for everyone, mainly affecting those who had no knowledge of the incidents. There are hundreds of eighth-grade students - meaning that hundreds of students have had their bathroom access revoked for absolutely no reason. Second, females are very different from males, and they have different anatomy, meaning that females could be urinating blood at any point in the day, and they would not have the time to ask their teacher, go to their locker for supplies, and wait at least 20 minutes for some administrator to unlock the bathroom. Third, during some of these time periods, the male bathrooms were unlocked, while the female bathrooms were locked. Both restrooms were supposed to be kept locked unless a teacher unlocks them, waits outside, and then relocks them, but the male restrooms tended to be left open while the female restrooms were kept more strictly locked. If they had to lock the bathrooms in the first place, they should have at least kept them locked the same amount of time - being more lenient with one set of bathrooms could easily be interpreted as sexism.
During class time, students are supposed to be learning - the Atlanta Public Schools Code of Conduct emphasizes that all students will have equal educational opportunities at school. But when the bathrooms weren’t locked for equal amounts of time, that meant that some students weren’t able to concentrate in class because they were focused on waiting for the bathrooms to be unlocked. Not only could this be perceived as a sexism issue, but it was also a violation of basic human function. Although a number of students did participate in stealing items from the bathrooms, that doesn’t mean the whole student body should have to pay the consequences - and depriving us of bathroom access almost certainly caused more problems than solved them.
In the Classrooms
In the Classrooms
During class time, in the school building, and anywhere on the school campus, all students are supposed to be treated equally, no matter what gender they identify as. In fact, the Code of Conduct specifically states that “No student should be subjected to discrimination or harassment because of the student’s race, color, religion, sex, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status in any of Atlanta Public Schools’ education programs, activities, or practices.” However, during class time, teachers tend to allow males to goof off and disrupt class more often than females, or any other gender for that matter. Sometimes substitutes (or, less often, teachers) will make stereotypical comments about how one gender is better behaved than another, and often teachers have higher behavioral expectations for female students.
Occasionally, teachers dismiss students by gender, leaving students who do not identify as female or male feeling uncomfortable. (After being emailed by a student, a teacher who did this during the first few weeks of school responded respectfully and tried to use other methods to dismiss their class.) And what about the students who were born one gender, but truly feel like they are another? When this happens, some teachers (or substitutes) will say that it doesn’t matter what you feel; it only matters what is written on Infinite Campus. How is this fair to the students who were born one gender but identify as another and whose parents/guardians won’t contact the school to make the change?
Additionally, dividing students by gender has the potential to be interpreted as sexist behavior, especially if one gender is dismissed first more often than the other. Another problem is that occasionally in class, teachers or substitutes will call students by Mr./Ms. followed by their last name. These honorifics are based on physical appearance or Infinite Campus records, which might not be how the student identifies. By doing this the teachers can make the student feel uncomfortable, and then the student could feel like correcting the teacher might be rude, fearing chastisement.
Teachers
Teachers
Most people will just assume that all teachers are being paid just for how well they do their job, but some female teachers (or non-white teachers) still get paid less than male teachers in the same profession. The only reason that male teachers are being paid more is because of their gender. Basically, people doing the exact same work are given less money - meaning less food, less medical care, less housing, etc. - for reasons they have absolutely no control over.
According to nces.ed.gov, male teachers at public schools are paid 10 to 13 percent more than female teachers in similar positions. Additionally, married women earn less than non-married women, while there is no significant difference between the salaries of married men and non-married men. Weareteachers.com states that women teaching elementary school make 91 cents on the dollar compared to men teaching elementary school, meaning that for every one dollar men are paid, women make 91 cents.
At David T. Howard Middle School, diversity of teachers for each student is also an issue. This is especially a problem in eighth grade, when students are not sorted into “teams,” a group of students that rotates within a set group of teachers. “About half of my teachers are white, middle-aged men,” said A, a female student. “If I’m being honest, I do feel more comfortable when my teachers are female or people of color.” Studies, including one by Quartz found here, have shown that female students perform better when taught by female teachers. Students may participate more in class if they are taught by people that they can relate to and feel comfortable speaking to.
Substitute Teachers
Substitute Teachers
When teachers are unable to attend class, substitute teachers hired by the district take their place. Unfortunately, some of the substitute teachers will address a student by assuming their pronouns, which may or may not apply to the student. For example, B, a female student, said that “During one science class when we had a substitute, the teacher assumed that a male student was a girl, just based on the length of that student’s hair.” Other substitutes will let the students at the back of the classroom - who tend to stereotypically be boys - goof off in class and cause trouble, while the other students (female or not) who sit at the front of the room have to constantly deal with it. Some will also let the boys play around, while the girls must always be paying attention, even when they can’t concentrate.
One student reported having a substitute several times in sixth grade who kept saying that she liked girls better than boys because “girls are better behaved.” That is a stereotype and this problem should be addressed; assuming that students have different temperaments just because of their gender is unfair and sexist. This particular substitute often held girls to a higher standard than boys, because she believed that boys weren’t as well behaved.
Issues with substitutes can be difficult to deal with because they are usually only present for a day at a time. Problems can be hard to report when teachers aren’t present, and oftentimes students don’t feel as comfortable communicating with a substitute as they would their typical teacher. However, this does not mean that substitutes are exempt from being expected to exhibit non-sexist behavior; they should be held to the same standards as everyone else. Assuming students’ genders and spouting gender stereotypes will demonstrate to students that it is acceptable to do the same thing, while students need strong role models that will show how to be respectful about gender.
Enforcement of Covid-19 Precautions and Protocols
Enforcement of Covid-19 Precautions and Protocols
One of the brand-new rules of Howard Middle School is that all students are required to wear a face mask over their mouth and nose while they are on school property to reduce the spread of Covid-19. However, with most rules, there are some rule-breakers, and this one is no different. Some students are taking off their masks during school hours, endangering themselves and their classmates who might not yet be eligible for vaccination against Covid-19. (As of September 24th, 2021, the FDA has issued its full approval for the Pfizer vaccine for people 12 and older, and the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for adults. The vaccines are safe, simple, and effective and come at no cost to you.) When these people are being disciplined, it is usually the boys that get off easy, while anyone else, no matter what they identify as, was more strictly disciplined. All students should feel safe in the school environment, and when there are students taking off their masks just for the pleasure of taking them off, some students are not feeling comfortable.
“I would feel the most comfortable if everybody wore two masks, but that is never going to happen. If everyone could just wear the one mask then this whole pandemic could be over, and then we could go back to not wearing masks at all,” said B. “Some people are taking off their masks to talk, and for me, that makes me very uncomfortable. Every time I want to ask them to pull their mask up, I get too shy and then I have to deal with it until they stop talking.” This kind of behavior is against the rules, as you cannot pull down your mask unless you are eating or drinking. However, B and many other students have found that these mask rules are not being enforced equally. Some students have found that while a teacher is usually quite fair about telling people to pull their masks up the first time, when students need more reminders, “For girls, they just go on and on and keep nagging you, while for boys, they pretty much just ignore them.” Rules are for everyone - not just for the girls.
Dress Codes
Dress Codes
“The first time that I really understood what sexism meant was in fifth grade, when they separated us by gender and started telling us about the middle school dress code,” said A. The teachers began by asking the students if they had ever had a crush on a boy, and then continued by stating an extensive list of what female students were not permitted to wear for fear of “distracting” male students. “Our list was so long - we couldn’t wear crop tops, tank tops straps had to be a certain thickness, necklines had to be a certain height, and skirts, dresses, and shorts had to pass the fingertip test, meaning that if your arms were flat at your sides, the shorts had to pass your fingertips,” A continued. “The boys were basically told that they had to wear clothes.”
Although some of these restrictions were later revoked after protests from students and parents, many female students remember hearing with horror that they couldn’t express themselves because it might “distract” or “bother” other students. “Teachers shouldn’t sexualize children’s bodies - some dress code rules are valid, but others are just unnecessary when the reasoning is to not ‘distract’ other students,” said C. “It feels like the teachers are the ones getting distracted, and if students (or anyone else) get distracted, that is a problem that should be addressed. Victim-blaming and saying things like ‘boys will be boys’ is very harmful.”
This school year, the dress codes have become much less restrictive, but “they shouldn’t have even been there in the first place,” added A. “Instead of telling us that we had to change the way we looked or acted, they should have given the boys a lesson on sexism, stereotyping, and objectification.” One student said that even though the dress code permits it, she has avoided wearing certain clothing for fear of being judged by boys, although she said she wouldn’t have had this concern had the dress codes not existed in the first place. As well as being sexist, dress codes are often classist because poorer students might not be able to find clothes that fit, and wearing oversized or too-small clothing is not permitted. “For schools with dress codes, students should be able to choose what they want to wear,” stated D.
Transportation To and From School
Transportation To and From School
It’s important to keep in mind that sexism doesn’t end when students exit the school grounds: The next challenge is making it home. When asked if she felt comfortable biking to and from school by herself, A replied that once, when she was biking home from school alone, she passed a group of male high school students. “One of them pointed to the Biden/Harris sticker on my bike, and just started cursing at me. It was pretty unsettling. I doubt that they would have done that if I were a boy, but as a girl I’m stereotyped as being weak and incompetent.” One student said that her mother wanted her to take a defense class if she was going to be biking to school alone.
“When I’m going to or from school by myself, I am constantly glancing around me, looking for any creepy men that I need to stay away from,” said A. “It takes a lot of emotional effort to do this, and I don’t really think that boys have to be as cautious as girls do when out alone. I don’t think that they have to fear for their safety every time they leave the house.”
How the Patriarchy Flourishes - Takeaways
How the Patriarchy Flourishes - Takeaways
“Why is sexism still a thing?” asked D. We wondered that as well - why is something so completely wrong, so utterly unfair, still prevalent in our society? The answer is you, all of you, everyone everywhere. We are the reason that the patriarchy is flourishing. We are the reason that the people in power are older, white men. Sexism is a problem, and it will remain a problem until we take action. It will remain a problem until we are brave enough to stand up to the people in power, until we have the courage and strength to speak out against it.
It’s important to remember that sexism is only prevalent because we have allowed it to be. It’s essential to realize that change isn’t going to come from wishing and waiting. It is going to come from words, from actions, from peaceful protests, from showing the world that we are here and we are equal. Change will sprout from the seeds our feminist ancestors planted, but only if we try enough to water them. In the words of D, “Everyone, be feminists.”
A Note From the Authors
A Note From the Authors
While most of this information is anecdotal, the anecdotal evidence speaks louder than numbers, percentages, and other statistical figures. Additionally, we were trying to show an accurate representation of sexism at David T. Howard Middle School specifically, and we were unable to find statistics regarding sexism and discrimination on the basis of gender in our school. We did our best to convey the experiences of students here, and numbers could not show that.
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