GROUP TALK ABOUT GENDER EQUALITY
I was happy to be able to sit down with the children today at the dinner table and have a group talk about gender equality. It was great to hear that many of them knew what it was, while some didn’t know. We spoke about different genders in different job roles and if everyone is allowed to work in any job. Many of the kids commented that when they think about it, everyone can work with whatever they want. But they never see this in their community. They think many people would get made fun of, say for a woman to be a mechanic and a man to work with cosmetics.
We spoke about where they got these ideas from and that as long as you’re happy, everyone can work with whatever they want to work with. We spoke in depth about the biological and evolutionary reasons and ideas behind different sexes and the inequalities they face. We spoke about the different gender roles within the home. Some thought that women get tired more easily and that men always should help the woman but not the other way around.
Lastly we spoke about how everyone deals with emotions and that some boys feel they must keep their feelings inside. Every boy commented that they must keep their feelings inside but they only open up to one special person in their life. We spoke further about the idea that it’s okay to be vulnerable, to cry, to express emotions in other ways other than anger and happiness.
At the end of our talk many of the kids commented that they learned today that everyone can be anything the want to be, no matter who they are. I felt that our conversation opened minds, inspired new thoughts and allowed them to think a little bit differently about the world around them. I was very grateful for their attention, input, comments and honesty!
Morgan Young
Lööf Foundation Representative
