Talking Point #7

Peggy Orenstein Anita Hill is a Boy

Orenstein argues that there is not enough female role models in our history to create equality in the class room when teaching both genders.

"it disturbed me that although girls were willing to see men as heroes, none of the boys would see women that way." This is not surprising to me, when you look back at our own histroy most of the predominate figures are males. They call them our "founding fathers" even when women played a role in that too. Children are brought up that way. We teach our kids how to be girls and how to be boys. If a boy picks up a barbie and want to play with it we tell him thats for girls and give him a G.I. Joe, but if a girl startes to play with a G.I. Joe or likes to play sports its okay she is just viewed as a tom boy and thats acceptable.

"it's like 'Oh, a girl,' not like 'Oh, a body.'" this is said by one of the girls in Ms. Logan's class when they are talking about sexual harrasment. She also talkes about how she feels safer at school when she where cloths that are too big so she gets the reaction quoted. Girls want to be people not just an object, yet still many men see them as just object that cook and clean for them. The expectations of a women are not as high as they are for a man in the buisness would. Men get paid more to do the same job a women does. Men are expected to make the money and women are expected to stay at home and raise the family. Two things are wrong with that. First, today it is impossible for the average family to live off one income so in most cases both parents work. Second, there is nothing wrong if a women brings home more money or is the prime provider for the family.

"its not just a female job to change it, but a male job as well." I really like how the teacher said this to the class. It really help put into there heads that not everyone of the same gender acts the same. Its not just the job of females to change how men see them men have to start to call out other men when they act in a disrespectful way towards women and women can not just walk by and take it.