User:Rbriggs1/sandbox

= Gender Discrimination in Childhood = Gender discrimination is any action that denies opportunity or privileges to one group on the basis of sex or gender. As a gender identity is developed in children by around the age of four, it is theorized that gender discrimination can begin occurring before children can recognize gender as a concept.

Gender discrimination is also believed to be a learned behavior, though socialization by relatives, school, and media. Gender discrimination towards children is both perpetuated by outside sources and between peers.

Disparities in the Home
During childhood, parents are the first example that allow children to form concept of gender and by extension gender stereotypes. The attitudes of those caretakers are largely adopted by those children in the early stages of forming an identity. This is the first exposure to behavior patterns that either conform or reject societal gender roles.

The development of a child’s attitudes towards gender roles are associated with the caretaker’s education level, and political and religious affiliation. The parent’s conformity to traditional gender roles is also an indicator of how gendered attitudes will develop. In households that encourage fluid gender expression and nontraditional divisions of labor, children were less likely to develop attitudes reflecting benevolent or hostile sexism.

Even as these gendered attitudes develop in children, parent’s own biases are already affecting the way a child is raised, and the subtle differences exist. The wage gap in allowances exists in some form, though it is difficult to do widespread studies on interfamily dynamics. The wage gap in children is reflective of differences in what is expected vs. rewarded. Boys were more likely to be paid for good grades and upkeep of hygiene. This wage gap results in an average weekly allowance increase of almost 100% when comparing boys to girls.

Though girls are paid less on average, girls spend more time doing household chores. From the ages of 5 to 9 years old, girls are spending 30 per cent more time on household chores than boys their age. The disparities grow as girls get older. From the ages of 10 to 14 years old the disparity moves up to 50 per cent more time on household chores than boys their age.

Disparities in School
The implicit bias of all people can manifest in benevolent or hostile sexism from educators and facility members of primary school. This can manifest in grading disparities, opportunity inequality, unequal punishment, and differences in dress codes. Research indicates children are aware of gender disparities before the age of ten, with the reports of observed sexism being similar for all age groups. However, female students were more likely to report observing or being a victim of sexism than male students.

Bias in grading happens at all levels of schooling, with similar indicators of biases from primary school up through college. In the case of biased grading, research indicates either boys or girls can be victims. It is well documented that girls generally perform better in schools, but it is not well understood the reason why. The differences in the individual (self-discipline, intelligence, etc.) does begin to close the gap, but does not entirely account for the observation of gendered differences in performance. Both genders perform better when the questions are tailored towards their interests, so biased curriculum most likely plays a role in the performance of a student.

Discrimination effects girls at a higher rate than boys, with reported academic sexism, athletic sexism, or sexual harassment reported at high rates among girls 12-18. With age this disparity grows larger.

Sexism Among Peers
Benevolent sexism is the benefits of living within certain gender roles for each sex. For example, women ae more likely to be protected as they are viewed as more fragile. Benevolent sexism is a double-edged sword, as being perceived as weaker can lead to discrimination in future jobs and relationships. Hostile sexism is outright hostile views of any person not conforming to traditional gender roles. Hostile sexism is more likely to occur in elementary school children than hostile sexism, as girls and boys do not need to coexist in close relationships.

Elementary school children are likely to hold hostile sexist views, with studies showing boys and girls were able to list more negative attributes of the opposite sex than positive ones. The traits were highly gender normative. Children are more likely to define the separate genders around the concept of difference, and are likely to regard their own position according to traditional discourses of femininity and masculinity. Children have reported sexist behavior exercised by fellow peers, as young as primary school.

Though children are more likely to display hostile sexism, benevolent sexism has shown to be present in children as young as three. However, research suggests children who hold benevolent sexist view are also more likely to also hold hostile sexist views. The same research also shows a decrease in hostile sexism as children age.

= References =