~ Moguli Tsai
English Teacher
~ Moguli Tsai
English Teacher
Embedded Files
English Teacher
Imagine a world where no boys cried, and all the girls were sweet. This sounds unrealistic, right? Even so, stereotypes like these sneak into our daily lives so subtly that we may not even notice them. Recently, our students unveiled how gender bias can negatively affect individuals and society, and wrote stories to raise awareness and encourage others to challenge instances of this in their daily lives.
Recognition of Gender Bias
“What are the police like? And how about nurses?” These were the questions students started with when discussing gender.
“The police have short hair.” “Nurses wear white skirts.” Most students provided responses similar to these without hesitation. However, some immediately objected. “Not all police officers are like that. Some have long hair.” “I’ve seen male nurses. They don’t wear skirts.”
Through class discussions, students recognized the presence of gender stereotypes in their lives. Once aware, they began sharing their own experiences and struggles with the issue. For example, some boys said their parents discouraged them from crying, while some girls said they were encouraged to dance but not play sports.
Students were asked how they felt when they experienced gender stereotypes in their lives. Asking this sparked deeper discussions. They realized how gender stereotypes made them feel uncomfortable and unfairly treated.
“I feel annoyed whenever my teacher says boys should carry heavy things,” said a G5 boy. “I want to write a story that lets my readers know that everyone can do these things.” After brainstorming, students were encouraged to choose a gender-stereotypical situation that they experienced or observed and write a story challenging the bias that arose from the situation.
From the Protagonist’s Eyes
Our students narrated their stories from the protagonist’s eyes, imagining their unfair treatment and vividly depicting what the characters experienced, along with their feelings. In class, we observed students emotionally immersed and engaged while writing their stories. One of the students said, “I felt like I was laughed at by others too.”
Furthermore, to build a strong connection with readers, students thought about what small incidents of gender bias would unfold as the story progressed toward the most challenging moment. They did this with careful consideration of how each part of their stories would move towards the ultimate payoff of the narrative, which contained the lessons about gender bias.
While planning their plots, they also remained focused on their purpose—encouraging society to reduce gender bias and encouraging victims to stand up for themselves. As a result, despite the challenges depicted, each story concluded with a positive message they wanted to convey to their readers.
Podcasting: Voices in Action
Students also shared their stories by recording podcasts. Through podcasting, they can achieve the goal of helping listeners feel truly immersed in a story. They patiently recorded their stories multiple times, perfecting their vocal expression and articulation. During the recording process, students felt as though they were narrating their own experiences.
At the end of the course, we listened to the podcasts together. As listeners, we could sense the protagonists’ depression, anger, and frustration at the start, which gradually gave way to hope, joy, and delight by the end.
Please take a moment to listen to their podcasts and start a conversation with them. You might find that they have become little advocates of gender equality.
Also, enjoy reading the stories written by our students and choose your favorite podcast cover design!
Breaking Stereotypes: A Ballet Dancer’s Journey
★ Jasper Hsu 徐詣帆 502
On a peaceful morning, Bonnie saw me dancing ballet in the school’s gymnastics room and secretly recorded a video. She shared it with Roger, who encouraged her to spread it further. Though I told her that nothing would stop me from dancing ballet or K-Pop, I didn’t realize she was still recording.
The next day, the entire class was talking about me. Roger revealed that Bonnie had emailed everyone, encouraging them to mock me. When I confronted her, she smirked and said, “Are you mad? You should be. I posted your video on Instagram and Facebook.”
Anger surged through me, and before I could stop myself, I punched her. She collapsed, calling for the teacher. When the teacher arrived, Bonnie played innocent, while I stood there, facing a look of disappointment. No matter how much I tried to explain, no one believed me.
As I walked to school the next day, strangers whispered about a boy who danced ballet. When I arrived, the teacher was watching a news report—about me. Shocked, I asked what was happening. Just then, Bonnie passed by and casually said, “Not my problem. I only posted the video.”
By the fifth day, reporters swarmed me, demanding to know why I danced ballet. Frustrated, I lost control and yelled, “CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP!”—even throwing a punch in my anger. The police arrived and took me away.
But something changed. On my last day before moving to New York, the streets looked different. Boys wore pink dresses, girls wore blue shirts and pants. At school, students gathered at the gate, cheering, “Happy Non-Gender-Stereotypical Day!” I was confused until they explained—people had stopped following gender stereotypes ever since that moment.
It was then I realized: strength has no gender.
The Broken Glasses
★ Justin Sun 孫宗立 501
Hi there! I am David, a 9-year-old student at Jerome Elementary. I relied on glasses due to my poor eyesight. That day was my first day of fourth grade, and I was excited to start! Everything went smoothly in the morning as I got ready for school—brushing my teeth, changing my clothes, and having breakfast. However, things took a turn when my sister Anne teased me about a recent accident. She told my dad, "Remember when David slipped into the pool? What a silly baby!"
As I felt tears fill up in my eyes, my heart was full of sadness. My dad telling me not to care about her only added to my frustration. When he drove me to school, he said, "You're a boy, you shouldn't cry. Be strong." As I made my way to the entrance, I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever challenges awaited.
In my new class, I was joyful to discover that my best friend Billy was also in the same class. Throughout the day, we had fun lessons in math, English, and history, and we also enjoyed our time together during recess, especially on the monkey bars. It felt wonderful to have everything go so smoothly.
During lunchtime, the cafeteria staff served us a delicious plate of spaghetti with meatballs. However, my enjoyment faded as I accidentally spilt my food. To make matters worse, Billy found it amusing and laughed at my accident, calling me a "crybaby" when he saw my tears. Unable to stabilize my emotions, I reacted and hit him.
I hit him with such force that he let out a cry, and soon we created a food fight. The Director of the Academic Affairs Office promptly sent us to the principal’s office. During my conversation with the principal, he said to both of us, "You both made mistakes. Billy, you shouldn't tease David. David, you shouldn't resort to physical aggression. I understood that boys can express their emotions, and everyone has feelings. However, Billy, you shouldn't speak to him like that. Now, both of you, correct your mistakes and leave my office."
As we went out, a wave of remorse washed over us, and tears streamed down Billy’s face. "I'm truly sorry for mistreating you. I couldn't stabilize my emotions for you," he confessed. I reassured him, "It's alright. You're my BFF (Best Friend Forever)," and we embraced. After returning home, I noticed my sister behaving weirdly. When I asked, she explained, "Our new teacher highlighted the importance of expressing our emotions. I'm expressing how I feel!" "About what?" I asked. She replied, "My best friend moved away!" "That's heartbreaking," I said.
Later, I found out my dad was chit-chatting with my mom. He mentioned, "I discovered that everyone is capable of experiencing emotions. I had a discussion with your mom about my day at work." This showed me that my behaviour greatly influenced everyone's ability to express their feelings. As I went to bed, I enjoyed a peaceful night, drifting off quickly in complete comfort.
I Am a Baseball Girl
★ Katie Kao 高若宸 503
One day, while walking home, I saw people playing baseball and wished to join. Excited, I asked my mom if I could join the school team. But my sister Kailey said, "Baseball is for boys! You should wear dresses and go to sleepovers." Mom agreed, suggesting dance classes instead. Disheartened, I went to bed upset.
At school, I told my teacher about my dream, but she hesitated. "Isn’t baseball for boys?" She explained that the team didn’t accept girls, believing they weren’t as strong or fast. Determined, I challenged the boys: "Let me try! If I fail, I’ll admit you’re right."
At my first tryout, I missed every ball. The boys laughed, and my confidence wavered. But during my second tryout, a teammate encouraged me, "You can do it!" Taking a deep breath, I swung—and hit a home run!
The boys realized girls could be just as skilled, and in turn, admitted that boys could be great at dancing too. With my teacher’s support, I started my own baseball team, proving that passion, not gender, defines what we can achieve.
Breaking the Silence
★ Elliot Wang 王靖綸 506
Our company has a serious issue with sexism against women. Yet, many women still work here—perhaps because of the high salaries. As a staff member at Company 1, my job is to ensure employees stay focused on their work.
Today, a new female staff member joined us. Her last job at Company 2 was plagued by bias—despite her hard work, she earned less than men who did far less. Unfortunately, she soon realized Company 1 wasn’t much different. While she worked tirelessly, many male staff slacked off. In meetings, women barely got a chance to speak, and her boss treated her harshly over minor mistakes.
After months of enduring unfair treatment, she decided to push back. The female staff, long silenced, began speaking up and asserting their ideas. Their collective strength shifted the workplace dynamic. The men, once dismissive, started showing more respect, finally acknowledging women as equals in the workplace.
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