Feb 5, 2012

Vietnam - Textbooks are sexist: lecturer



Sexism is obviously represented in elementary school textbooks, says a research by Nguyen Thi Minh Tuyet, a sociology lecturer at the Hanoi-based Academy of Journalism and Communication.

According to Thanh Nien newspaper, Tuyet arrived at the above conclusion after scrutinizing 487 lessons of 10 Vietnamese language textbooks currently used to teach elementary school students.

Women are often designated as either teachers or participating in professions that require simple skills in the textbooks whilst men are always depicted doing skilled work or jobs that need good physical health, the research says.

The study eleborates that the lessons and their accompanying photo illustrations tend to associate needlework, cleaning, and farming with women while displaying men dominating such skilled occupations as researchers, scientists, soldiers, police officers, sailors, and pilots.

In this way, Tuyet says, the textbooks seem to create a very clear-cut divide between the two genders: men are looked on as ‘breadwinners’ while women as homemakers.

This is a sexist prejudice which will prevent gender equality from being achieved as urged by the society, she warns.

The Ministry of Education and Training told Thanh Nien newspaper that it would make neccesary changes to textbooks at all levels if there was sexism at all.

TUOITRENEWS



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