Sexism is discriminatory and prejudicial beliefs and practices directed against an individual based on their biological sex. Sexism is associated with acceptance of sex-role stereotypes and can occur at multiple levels: individual, organizational, institutional, and cultural. The goal of this project is to encourage parents to have conversations with their kids encouraging curiosity and to provide a children's book that does so.
No Dream Too Big
This children's book shares a story of a little girl overcoming sexism when she wants to participate in sports. The purpose of this book is to encourage little girls to participate in sports. It is also to encourage all children that everyone belongs in sports.
The main purpose of this book is to shine a light on women's sports and to provide a space for everyone to feel welcome and seen. Narratives are a powerful way to do this. In addition to reading with your child, conversations are equally as important. Children who have parents who elaboratively and emotionally reminisce with them have a more solid self concept and have greater insight into their own feelings as well as others. Reminiscing with your child can also advance their narrative skills more than an interactive reading program. Some ways to do this are:
Provide examples
As we learned from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk, "The Danger of a Single Story," it is important to provide multiple stories and contexts to avoid children thinking only one story is truthful. In this case it may be to provide different examples of different examples of different athletes or teams, or show different paths to success.
Encourage equality
Gender stereotypes feed into sexism. These stereotypes are dangerous as they can make children feel like they do not have a place where they belong. Title IX has greatly helped with inequality within sports, but there are still stereotypes present. Teaching your child about Title IX and what that does for sports may be very important for them to learn about equality in sports. Title IX prevents discrimination based on gender in school or programs that receive federal funding. This is also applicable in sports where there must be equal opportunities for both sexes at all levels. Narrative practices can encourage equality in sport because they are a good way to spread information. If narratives are a good example for equality, the readers will be more likely to follow.
Provide a good example
Be conscious and mindful of the words you choose to use and the facial expressions shown. Kids are perceptive and pick up on what you implicit biases are based on the cues you show. For example, if you only buy pink toys for your daughter, your son may think that pink is only for girls. In addition, if you buy trucks or footballs for your son but not your daughter, she might think that she can't like football. While these are implicit behaviors, this is encouraging gender stereotypes. So, being mindful of your behaviors may help your child to understand gender stereotypes and not fall into them.
Encouraging questions and curiosity
Provide a safe space for your child to ask questions. You have the power to influence the thoughts about their thoughts about the world around them. Allow them to feel comfortable asking you any questions they may have. In social essentialism, children defer to experts in the subject. They are aware enough to know who knows more about topics then them are direct their questions to those people. As their parent, they are likely to go to you, so make it a welcome space for them to be curious and ask you questions when they are unsure.
My name is Mara and I am a junior at Pacific University. I'm majoring in psychology with minors in psychological health and well being and communication sciences and disorders. In addition I am a campus captain at Pacific for The Hidden Opponent which is an organization dedicated to raising awareness for athlete mental health. I also play on the volleyball team at Pacific. I plan on going to grad school to become a sports psychologist. It was important to me to write a book about sexism in sports because as a female athlete, I constantly see less support for women's teams both in person and online.
