Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
Inhaltsverzeichnis |
Men and Women - basically different
What women (in this English LK) think ...
What do men expect of women? - We should be…
- beautiful and sexy
- able to cook well
- innocent
- harmonious
- exciting
What is typical of men?
- They aren’t multitasking
- They don’t understand what we say because they don’t listen
- They are unreliable
- They want to protect us
- They think they are better car drivers
- They are spontaneous because they don’t make plans
- They always want to watch sports on TV
- They love to drink (beer)
- They hate to go shopping
- They are not romantic
- They are childish
- They always think about sex
What men (in this English LK) think
Expectations women have: We should
- be faithful,
- be romantic
- be creative, smart
- be funny
- be good lovers
- earn much money
- spend a lot of time with them
- treat them well
- make them compliments
- be honest
- support them in their plans and moods
- listen to them
- help them to fulfill their dreams
Typical of women
- love to go shopping
- buying shoes
- talk badly about other women
- are ambitious
- cook , always clean flat/house
- constantly criticize men
- can`t handle a car
- are too proud
- always make men feel guilty
- use sex strike … :( and tears as weapons
- call their mothers if there are problems
- spend a lot of time in the bathroom
A traditional - and new - thesis: Men and Women are VERY different
- Read the short wikipedia article and describe the main ideas in your own words! (==> on your user page in this wiki)
- Explain the images/connotations Gray uses in his thesis "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"
Articles/Videos supportig this theory:
How can the differences between men and women be explained?
- different basic instincts because of evolution from stoneage: hunters and gatherers
- education of boys and girls especially parents
- society influences our behaviour
- development in different countries
- friends reaction to what you do
- media e.g. reality TV,role models (stars,celebrities), music TV
- school: different reactions to boys/girls behaviour; older pupils
What neuroscience has found out: different, but this needn't be a problem
- men's brains are bigger ==> men are cleverer ??
- men's brains contain more gray matter
- men's part of the brain which controls sexual and social behaviour is bigger
- men mainly use one side to complete tasks
- women's brains work faster because they contain more white matter
- white matter contains more neurons and connections
- women use two halfs of their brain, which are better connected
- women usually score better at language and communication tests
So women and men think differently, but often come to the same results
Reasons for differences:
- evolution?
- society influences boys' and girls' brains in different ways
- attitudes are passed on e.g. from mothers to daughters
- certain areas of the brain are neglected
- for boys e.g. spacial perception is trained by playing football, baseball ...
==> brains are shaped by society and peergroup
Men and Women - born and to be seen as equal?
An answer many psychologists and feminists give: They are quite similar and to be seen as equal ....
Sex-Stereotypes and how they work
| Girls are typically seen as ... | Boys are typically seen as ... |
|---|---|
| * talk a lot | * are quiet |
| * emotional | * unemotional/don't show emotions |
| * illogical | * logical |
| * passive | * active/aggressive |
| * dependent | * independent |
| * kind | * brave |
| * cares for the family | * family provider |
| * unassertive | * striving |
| * weak | * strong |
| * patient | * impatient |
| * creative, like beautiful things | * men don't give a damn about beautiful things, exept women |
How are we turned into real boys or girls? Who is responsible?
Ways of influencing boys or girls:
| behaviour/attitude encouraged in girls | behaviour/attitude encouraged in boys |
|---|---|
| told to be careful | taught to go out and explore the world |
| told to help their mothers | told to help their fathers |
| told to ask for help | solve the problem |
| behave like a lady | behave like a gentleman |
| crying is ok/ feel better after it | don't cry/ cry secretly |
| have to be home earlier/ stay nearby | may roam freely |
| driven everywhere | have to go alone |
boys and girls learn by imitation, from the reactions of their surrounding, from explicit rules and from media and adverts
Sexism in schools - how it used to work
Typical examples of different treatment of boys and girls and the effects
- BOYS
- get more attention and feedback due to being loud
- get more praise
- are instructed how to do things themselves
- Effects:
- get more independent
- learn that it pays to interrupt, be loud ...
- get more time in discussions and are taken more seriously
- score higher at tests ==> better jobs
- GIRLS
- are not taught how to solve a problem but problem is solved for them
- are interrupted in discussions
- get less attention from teachers
- get less feedback, less praise
- Effects:
- more passive in discussions
- girls score lower after 8 years of school
- learn to become dependent
- learn to passively consume what teachers say
Is our school sexist???
- Look at This questionnaire used in America to decide if a school is sexist!
- Print it out and answer it (make crosses) for your school life (Grundschule and Gym). Leave out questions 8 on page 1, 10, 13, 18 and 19 on page 2 and questions 9, 10, 11 on page 3.
The Feminization of Education - A war on boys?
Yes, that is what has happened!
There are several differences between boys and girls mentioned in the text
Girls, for example, prefer the safe method of learning constantly and understanding what they are doing. This is what gives them satisfaction and makes them successful. In contrast to that, boys like taking a risk by working towards one final test. They do better if learning is competitive and they are satisfied if they are better than others.
Subjects that girls tend to choose are languages, humanities, while boys succeed at maths, physics and sports. The main reason why girls perform better at school is that British school system has been feminized, that mean has been organized in a way that favors girls. Boys on the other hand are disadvantaged.
Girls have a clear understanding of what it means to be a woman, whereas boys must prove their identity by behaving different from girls, which means doing the exact opposite of girls and refusing to accept female values and ways of learning.
What does the author see as schools' main mistakes and what are the effects on boys?
The author criticizes the way boys are treated at school for several reasons.
In her opinion one problem is that the government tended to see boys and girls as identical, which they aren't. The unfortunate effect was that they wanted to make boys and girls equally good in maths or languages and used identical forms of teaching.
But because of the government failing to see the differences the result was a discrimination against boys, and girls were suddenly privileged, e.g. they got more attention by teachers than boys and female values were regarded as more apt at school.
Furthermore textbooks and school at large got feminized and typical boys' topics no longer appeared at school or were seen as politically incorrect. Typical male characteristics/values/ behaviour/qualities (e. competition, physical activity, being loud) were regarded/seen as negative/undesirable. Instead, being quiet, sitting still, constant working and lerarning, paying attention, soft subjects – according to the author all rather female aspects of learning – became dominant.
The ultimate effect is that school offers no role models and examples for a male identity that boys need so badly. So they reject school with its increasing number of women teachers as feminine “activity” at a time when they want to prove they are real men. They will do worse a school, or turn to “extreme” forms of masculinity and become machos. The other option is total failure at school after resignation or rebellion against a “feminized” school or dropping out.
A war on boys? - No, that is anti-feminist propaganda!
- A war on boys? by M. Kimmel He clearly says that is not the case. The problems lie elsewhere, and the date have been presented in a misleading way!
