Schoolbooks and the female stereotype

In the United States schoolbooks tend to show females as a passive and dependent creatures, who are used to serve males. A University of California professor claims that the most widely-used textbooks demonstrate girls in an inferior position to boys. Louise White, of the U. S. Office ofEducationexpresses that because of a strong stereotype most girls think themselves as a servant who only does four jobs – nurse, secretary, teacherand mother.

Lenore Weitzman points out that different types of texts were examined and the result was the next: boys are shown in a good way with great qualities and the girls play a passive role usually hidden in the house. If they are together, the girls are either watching the boys do something or they are helping them. Adult men are addressed with various skillful jobs. Elementary texts failed to reflect the complexities of the mother and housewife jobs, in spite of the fact that these “ jobs” are simple but time-consuming.

A study was done including many books, companies and stories, and this survey shows that the role of a housewife is a burden done by the women, but for them, this is the only source ofhappiness. In illustrations women are in a hard and unpleasant position while working, but, the typical father is the “ good guy” who is the fount of all happiness. Professor Weitzman says that young girls tend to think themselves to serve others and have a good-look in order to please others. However, they are generally better than boys by the time they reach adolescence they are getting worse than boys.