Teaching New Gender Ideals

Gabriel Leão in his recent post in the gender-based violence forum, “How Rwandan schools are teaching students to promote female empowerment”, discusses methods placed in schools that prevent the spread of ideologies that conform to gender inequality.  Progressive schools in Rwanda teach their students the power of respecting women and specifically educate the females that they do not have to be finically reliant on a man. The frequent stereotypes of women that are broadcasted on media fronts have implications by limiting women to what they perceive they can achieve. As we discussed in class when communities do not see themselves being represented they have lower self-efficacy. However, as Leão discusses in his piece, programs such as Safe Schools for Girls Project, are attempting to decrease the wage gap along with increase women’s rights. Leão concludes his work, by remarking on the potential spread of safety programs like this in school districts additionally commenting that the work needs to be done with both girls and boys. I think that this article points of the significate impact of stereotypes in gender roles that limit and control those being depicted. I am optimistic that programs like the ones discussed will have great benefits, however also strongly believe that there needs to be more of them implanted in school districts.