Society likes to box in people, developing stereotypes in homes, schools, and the real world. Between family, friends, classmates and the media. Picture from India Today. 

School is a place with a variety of perspectives. To students, it feels stressful and limitful- confining them like a bird to the cage school turns into. To teachers, it seems to be a beacon of learning and knowledge. Parents, though evidently affected by school’s harshness in their  own childhood, mostly come to accept it does hold a lot of good. 

Nevertheless, all these mindsets fail to acknowledge the cleverly hidden toxic culture school provides and nurtures its students with. The sexism, bias and gender stereotyping that blooms in schools is influenced by teachers, students and the school environment. 

Sexism in Sports 

This aspect of sexism is most commonly seen with sports teams and exclusion in after schools due to gender stereotypes. Girls will often be excluded in PE unless a pass to them is desperately needed to win a game. Even then, the chances of actively contributing to a game are quite low, especially considering the responses many people gave after being interviewed about this. 

“In P.E the girls are always separated from the boys. Even if we are put together, they won’t pass to us because there is no reason to. Even if you try your hardest, you will still not be contributing as much - not because we don’t want to, but because we don’t have the opportunity,” Esme. L, an ISM seventh grade student shared. 

I rarely receive the ball, or puck, or whatever item we’re playing with. It’s gotten a lot worse  in 7th grade specifically, with me and many other girls not touching the ball a single time in a 20 minute game. It gets very repetitive and tiring, getting to the point I stopped caring whether or not I get to play. It’s a cycle that’s getting worse and worse - slowly slithering from not just PE classes to extra-curricular activities and classrooms. 

Another example of sexism showing in sports is the lack of students attending competitions where girls play in. In many schools, competitions where boys are playing are not only attended more, but the hype and build up for it is more intense and exciting. This bias towards boys playing sports in schools starts to develop into this tendency to lean towards boys playing sports and habitually attend these events more in any place, not just school. 

The discrimination against girls playing sports, especially in school, is as clear as day at ISM during the international sports event, IASAS. In my experience, there are usually a lot more people and hype in the boys games than the girls game. Sometimes, barely 20 people fill up the stands for the girls game. I shared my notice with Janice L, a 7th grade girl, and she said the following; “I feel like both events are equally interesting, but sometimes the girls are more interesting SAS. It does not change the fact nearly all schools are oriented and biased towards the competitions boys play in. 

This toxic orientation towards men playing sports spills into the real world as well. The WNBA gets only 36 million views in 2023, dulling in contrast to the 11.64 million viewership in the NBA. The actions we do in school develop into habits we continue to do in the real world.  

There is also the issue of tackle rugby. In elementary school, both genders learn touch rugby. This is sensible as it builds the skills needed to tackle bodies that aren’t ready for that level of physical contact. Unfortunately, only boys actually get to move onto tackle rugby. Girls are still training in tackle; something that continues all the way to IASAS. A group of girls including Anais W and Esme L brought this matter to the superintendent. His reasons included ‘girls need to protect their reproductive organs’ and ‘parents may feel unwilling,’. However, all his concerns are concerns that can be shared with the opposite gender. Why does ISM, a self-proclaimed inclusive school, enforce gender stereotypes without any real reasons? 

Teacher Bias 

Teacher bias is a more complicated topic, as many teachers do not intentionally mean to be biased. They are influenced by modern society and past experiences, and may not realize they might have prejudice or even favouritism towards certain racial groups, ethnic groups or even genders. 

This is called implicit bias; this sort of bias in teachers can make students who are discriminated against lose confidence in themselves. It also influences the activities and careers students might want to pursue. It creates stereotypes and poisoned viewpoints because society deems it “too girly” or “too manly.” It instills the fact that females must be passive and emotional, while the male should have strong leadership skills and dominance. While it isn’t wrong to have these traits or strive to have them, gender stereotypes harden them as a criteria to fit in society. If a male isn’t strong and bold or if a female isn’t kind and quiet, people shun and ignore them.

These mindsets and stereotypes are built from small comments - a simple click of a tongue to show disappointment, or even jokes that people take seriously. These small, deemed “innocent” comments create a mountain that keeps piling up throughout life. It’s a cycle that will never end. Because in every joke, every comment, every word,  a prickle of bias hides. Every rose has its thorns. 

Dress coding 

It is a widely known fact that many school’s dress codes are biased towards girls. It targets them for wearing blouses, saying they have “too much shoulder,” and skirts. This sort of dress coding not only sexualizes girls, but it shows how boys' education is favoured over girls. A girl might be sent home for wearing a skirt because it’s “distracting to the boys.”

Is it not the boy's fault for seeing a girl as an object? We are not marionettes to dress and puppet around. And although ISM has uniforms, dress coding in other schools fails to change even though it is heavily publicised in films in the media. 

Excessive Competition

I added this aspect of school to specifically target ISM as I feel it’s a topic that is neither acknowledged nor addressed. I’m not saying competition is bad or shouldn’t be enforced - it can be incredibly motivational and makes a lot of people put more effort into their 

work. It also develops skills such as dedication and helps students get out of their comfort zones. But ISM’s tendency to create competition in every little thing creates tension between students - even friends - and makes students toxic  towards each other. It’s not only pressuring, but can lead to a decline in the students self-esteem. The expectations of perfect grades or being superior over classmates is mentally and physically draining. It strips everyone of personality, or even passion of a particular topic. ISM's tendency to prioritize winning rather than is not only contradictory; it creates a jealous and inconsiderate environment.

The web of bitterness that develops when competition is enforced sacredly just grows and grows. It’s a hole of bitterness that doesn’t end. 

The inequalities school presents us with are issues that should not exist. They all diminish equality, and the first step to fixing them is recognizing implicit bias that occurs in your own actions and thoughts. Then it’s getting family and friends to acknowledge behaviours that develop the issues in schools, and finally getting your own school to understand these issues and solutions for them. 

“The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: ‘It's a girl.’” - Shirley Chisholm

Have you ever felt looked down upon or underestimated? Called uncomfortable names, like “baby girl” or “little thing.” Names that crawl under your skin, making you feel inferior. Have you ever been told to know your place? To know your role in society as a woman?

Women have always been expected to choose certain careers and roles which are linked to people-pleasing and caretaking. These are called gender roles, and they are often used in our society to restrict females and pressure them into roles that are to be more “feminine” and delicate”. They limit what a woman can do and therefore what they can become. Gender roles are the foundation on which females are stereotyped. Hence excusing inequality and violence they experience throughout their lives. The world is designed for men to have influential and dominant roles, providing them with easy grabs at power. We must create a world where anyone, regardless of their gender, can have the opportunity to have that level of power and authority. This means our expectations of men's and women's roles in our society have to be questioned for the better good of our society and individuals. 

A illustration of airbus and Boeing Airplane- Taken from https://www.gatehaber.com/airbus-vs-boeing/

Introduction

Two titans dominate the aviation industry, Boeing and Airbus, together capturing 99% of the market share. Leaders in aerospace innovation and manufacturing, their ongoing rivalry shapes the dynamics of global air travel.

Historical Overview

Boeing: A Century of Aviation Leadership

Boeing, founded in 1916, debuted with the Model 80 biplane, marking the beginning of its aviation legacy. The breakthrough came in 1950 with the launch of the Boeing 707, a jet that revolutionized air travel with its reliability and safety, earning Boeing the reputation of a global leader in aviation. The iconic Boeing 747, known as the ‘Queen of the Skies’, further cemented this status.

Airbus: Rising to the challenge  

Airbus emerged as a significant contender in the 1990s with the introduction of competitive models like the A330 and A340. Although a younger company, Airbus swiftly became a formidable opponent, expanding its influence in the commercial aircraft market, a primary revenue source for both companies.

Fleet comparison -

Illustration of Airbus Zero e airplane world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft taken from-https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/low-carbon-aviation/hydrogen/zeroe

 Aviation is changing and it is being led by Airbus, they are introducing ZEROe, the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. This comes with an upset for Boeing, as for the future Boeing has nothing planned and their next aircraft, 777x which was supposed to launch and enter service in 2020, but was delayed to 2025, due to engine and certification issues. 

Boeing is also dealing with their most sold aircraft, the B737 family, because the  blowout on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 of the unused plug door happened on Jan 24, 2024. Boeing has 2 planes on their hands, the B737 and B777x and is financially very unstable, compared to Airbus which is stable with no issues with their airplane,  in fact Airbus recently launched the a220 which has advanced aerodynamics and 25% less fuel consumption from the previous generation.

Conclusion-

I would easily choose Boeing over Airbus, just because its a classic, looks better,  it made the Queen of the skies, B747 and because Boeing is simply better for me but there isn’t a straightforward answer to which company is superior. Boeing has been in the aircraft business for longer and has set the standard for what passengers can expect. Although Airbus is a younger company, it has faced fierce competition and is the only competition left standing. 

Technical specifications and sales numbers alone don’t make an aircraft successful. A prime example is the A380, a marvel of engineering but an economic failure. Similarly, the 737 outsold the A320 for years until bad decisions ruined the aircraft’s reputation. 

At the end of it all, personal preference is what matters. Most pilots would pick a Boeing over an Airbus. Because Airbus’ are more computer-controlled, Boeing gives the pilot more control. On the other hand, some passengers might enjoy the unmatched comfort that only an A380 can provide. In contrast, others prefer the redesigned and quieter flight that a 777 offers over the A350.

Every little girl's favorite doll finally got a live action movie. Around 549 million dollars worth of tickets were sold domestically and about 9 million people saw the movie. Following the release of the movie, 63% of Americans said that they were more aware of patriarchy in the workplace as well as 53% of Americans said that the movie improved their view of women in the workplace. 

But to much surprise, it was not about Barbie and her life. Instead the director, Greta Gerwig decided to take an approach to feminism when creating the movie. In Barbie Land, the gender roles are reversed. Meaning Barbie does everything, and Ken is just, well Ken. Shown in the movie, the barbies can be anything that a man can in the Real World. 

But when Barbie and Ken travel to the Real World, Barbie realizes how damaging their fantasy life in Barbie Land affected the lives of women all around the Real World. Ken starts to realize that men are favored more in the Real World. Upon this information, he travels back to Barbie Land and spreads the influences of the gender roles in the Real World, turning Barbie Land into Kendom. This shows men of the real world taking what isn’t theirs and making it theirs no matter the effect it has on others. 

The fact is, the Barbie movie got turned into a movie about Ken and how discriminated against the Kens were in the movie, when in reality the movie reality is supposed to be about sexism in the Real World and how badly women are treated. Although the song ‘I’m Just Ken’ is about Ken and was a wonderful add on to the movie, people are making the movie centered around that one song. In my opinion, everyone should focus on Billie Eilish’s song ‘What Was I Made For’, which talks about the suppression of womens’ thoughts and feelings. 

Gloria’s speech in the Barbie movie is most likely the most important part of the movie. It talks about the struggles a woman faces and how hard it is to be a woman in this day's society. It’s so unfair to not only creators and actors in the movie, but also to women as a whole that it is one of the most underrated scenes in the movie. 

Barbie wants to be human and experience feelings, embrace herself, and express her own way of life.

Just like any other girl in the world.

As the school year draws to a close, it’s once again that time within Grade 8 where attention spotlights around one event: Grade 9 Council Elections.

Student Councils. They are widely seen and recognized as the epitome of democracy and the closest form to autonomy within the student body. These councils are not only centered around the ideals of leadership and representation, but are also a form of student representation in administration, a platform for students to voice their opinions and advocate their needs, and a way of fostering engagement and camaraderie between batches. 

The Texas Association of Student Councils defines a student council as:

“... a group of elected and volunteer students working together with an adult advisor within the framework of a constitution or bylaws to provide a means for student expression and assistance in school affairs and activities, give opportunities for student experience in leadership and encourage student / faculty / community relations.” 

Looking at it from the outside, the concept of Student Councils are extremely beneficial for students not only in the fact that they help in developing leadership skills, but it also teaches students the skills in running a campaign and the importance of authority and control inside of a society or a group. 

However, in its actual implementation, especially during the campaigns and votings, we can see the flaws and potential dangers of a mismanaged or under supervised student council elections. This all boils down to two conflicting attributes: Merit versus Popularity.

Part I: Understanding the role of the Student Council in ISM

Compared to other more senior administrative bodies inside of a school, a student council is one of if not the most underpowered council holding some power. However, this is not to say that it has no power at all. 

In International School Manila, the councils are divided into five roles: two presidential positions, and three cabinet positions. The president and the vice president are the two most senior positions respectively, and are elected from the top 2 candidates from the presidential pool, while the cabinet positions are likewise elected from the top 3 candidates in the cabinet pool. Notably, the cabinet positions must be mixed gender unlike the presidential pool, to ensure a balance between both genders.

The duties of the various grade level councils are organizing events, fundraisers, etc. Some of the school's most exciting and beloved days, such as Battle of the Bearcats (BOB), the End of the Semester Parties, as well as various other fundraising, sports and competitions are planned and executed by the student council. Additionally, each grade level is responsible for voicing the concerns of their respective batches in the ISSBA (whole highschool council). 

Part II: The Issues & Complexities

From the offset, the idea of a student council seems almost flawless. Preparing and exposing students to ideas of authority and responsibility at such a young age will allow them to develop and harness these skills going into adulthood. “Sounds Great!”, you could say. However, there’s an almost unspoken rule of the universe that anything that seems as simple and sensicle as this idea almost always encounters problems.

The main issues that student councils face is the issue of choosing who runs them. Oftentimes, the council falls under the supervision of a senior teacher, which may sound as a counter for students wishing to cause trouble, however this doesn’t defeat the fact that those who are often chosen to fill up the positions of a student council tend to be more popular.

Popularity in itself isn’t a negative thing, in fact popularity is something that everyone needs if they ever want to win any type of campaign or competition. This is the separating factor between the outgoing students and the more gated students running, and it is the outgoing students that often exhibit the behaviors of leadership more. According to a LinkedIn page, “Extroverted leaders are better with social connections and are often more dynamic and energetic.”

However, what if the wrong type of popular people are given the seat of student council? This is the dilemma that can always occur during student council elections. Students who run and win solely based on their popularity and outgoingness, whilst not having the capability to actually run the council and make decisions. This is not only seen in schools, but is an issue that plagues modern politics. Politicians who have more social appeal are more likely to win than those who lack it, however that doesn’t make them any more or less credible.

Furthermore, there are other factors that can influence this. For instance, the use of social media and “propaganda” can further impact a student council. Students who may not have access or simply don't use these platforms can be at a severe disadvantage to those who use and capitalize on them. Not only this, but connections to influential figures such as teachers, seniors and parents can also prove critical on the results of election day.

In an interview in Coppell Student Media, a group of students interviewed William Harrington, an AP Pre-Calculus teacher and a student council sponsor. When asked whether popularity and social status play a part in elections, he stated:
“I hate to say it but yes, students who are more popular, more well known are statistically more likely to win just because they are more well known. So people who don't necessarily know the candidates, they're probably going to vote for someone that they just, they've heard the name because they're gonna be less likely to vote for someone who doesn't necessarily ring a bell in terms of who this person is. So if I know of person A, just based on their name, based on their social status versus person B where I've never heard anything about them, I might be more inclined to vote for person A just because I've heard something about them.”

Furthermore, William Harrington stressed the importance that every student deserves an equal chance at being able to run for student, which while possible, is simply impossible to achieve. The existing social hierarchies that exist by the time students move to high school make student council elections more of a popularity poll rather than an actual election. Furthermore, the influence held by certain students, especially those who are more popular and outgoing, can also drastically affect the results of any council election.

Part III: The Advantages… of the Disadvantages?

However, it may surprise you to know that such a system may not be as bad as it might sound. In fact, there are some benefits and advantages to including popularity in student council campaigns, and it all stems from the fact that these are aspects of human life that cannot be removed, no matter how hard one may try. Popularity and influence through authority and popularity is cemented into today's society, and can be seen everywhere, especially in the halls of government. No matter how hard we try, we can never eradicate the influence of these concepts completely.

Take real world examples of this. As stated previously, in politics, politicians who have more influence and popularity win more often, and that’s something that we all need to accept at a young age. Student council teaches us that we aren’t always all on the same playing field, as some start more ahead while others start further down. As unfair as it may sound, it is something that we everyone has to deal with more than once in our lives, and this isn’t just confined to elections. In our jobs, in our social lives, from our homes to countries, it is fundamental that students and youth are able to accept the existence and power of popularity in a society, so instead of trying to subdue and revert this, we can learn to use these to our advantage.

In the same interview as the previous part, William Harrington had the following to say regarding this:

“So, the big thing that I would wanna see is the more not really underserved, but I would say the less visible kind of side of the student body, I'd like to see them be more visible, which I know is easier said than done. And I know it's a perfect world but seeing them campaign more, seeing them be more visible, making themselves more well known because I mean, when you think about politicians, they campaign, they spend a lot of money on making themselves known about establishing their platform. You kind of have to do the same thing. If you're running for a student council officer, you gotta make yourself known. What's your platform? Why should people vote for you?”

We can see this play out well in the Batch of 2028 elections. There are various types of candidates, each ranging from a variety of different backgrounds, but more importantly various levels of social influence. There are some who can instantly be recognized by the batch, while others may be less or even completely unrecognizable. While this may hinder or boost the results of some, everyone still has one common goal: to convince the student body why they should be the ones earning their vote.

Conclusion

Whether or not a student council election is entirely a popularity contest is for you to decide. However, there is one thing for sure, and that is that popularity and influence plays a big role in influencing the votes. This is not just an issue we see in the confines of our schools and batches, but a bigger, more widespread “issue”, where how well one can influence others can all boil down to their ability to appeal as popular and please the masses. It is an issue that often plagues the politics of modern societies, and debatably the ones of our student councils.

I firmly believe that all candidates should have a fair and equal shot at being elected to whatever position they desire, regardless of who they are, their background or their social status inside of a school. However, these are aspects of life that cannot be overturned regardless of how hard we may try to limit their effects. In the words of the CHS student Lindsey Yoo.

 “I think that it all depends on their attitude and how they want to improve and get better to earn that position because having some sort of leadership position comes with responsibilities, but it's not your past, it's how you decide to change for the future.”

Uono L.