In This Math Textbook, The Problems Are Sexist. Women Go To Spa Retreats And Men Do Sit Ups. Oh Stop Already
Thanks to my absolutely shitty and unreliable memory, if I were ever to be asked to recall the time I was in school, and reiterate part of my curriculum while growing up, I’d draw a blank. Not remembering much about the concepts we were taught and especially the problems we were asked to solve, it was only after a man named William Sutcliffe shared a screenshot of the math problems in a textbook in Scotland on Twitter, that I realised how the bigger problem at our hands all this while wasn’t adding two plus two, but subtracting the apparent stereotypes that were also quite evident in children’s curriculum.
A twitter user William Sutcliffe recently shared a rather thought provoking picture one of a page taken from a Mathematics textbook in circulation in Scotland. Showing somewhat 5 math questions, all of them reeking of stereotypes that parked men and women into separate categories based on how the society has always looking at them in certain ways.
The caption wrote, “My daughter’s ‘curriculum for excellence’ maths homework (used throughout Scotland) features sums about women going on spa breaks and calculating weight loss; men buying bikes and doing sit-ups.” The caption went on to say, “Very unimpressed wife has changed the names on the worksheet.” And it was certain just at the first look, why the wife and several other netizens were left unimpressed.
My daughter’s “curriculum for excellence” maths homework (used throughout Scotland) features sums about women going on spa breaks and calculating weight loss; men buying bikes and doing sit-ups. Very unimpressed wife has changed the names on the worksheet. pic.twitter.com/nMtux73VMM
— William Sutcliffe (@Will_Sutcliffe8) December 6, 2020
Also Read :This Twitter Thread Revealed How People Still Find It Difficult To Accept Women In Tech Positions. Why The Stereotypes?
It is perhaps these stereotypes that further the patriarchal notions which see women just capable of taking weekend spas, or being reduced to their weight, while men are referred in statements where in they are hitting the gym or purchasing a bike. Because that is what the society has always believed, to undersell women as timid, weak and vain personalities while overselling men as the macho, breadwinner types. Except, times have changed and coming from a working woman who works out on a daily basis herself, I can sure as hell vouch for it along with a group pf irate netizens.
I remember doing this when my girls were in junior school (England). As a teacher myself I also realised when demonstrating metaphors without thinking I said: "He is a pig; she is an angel". Always use more neutral metaphors now!
— Bookweazel (@KerryMarriott42) December 6, 2020
I'd also be concerned with the questions endorsing weight loss in the minds of impressionable young females. The schools endorsement of these questions continue to push the unrealistic beauty standards on females at an age that eating disorders can develop.
— thefastestspider (@fastestspider) December 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/Teejay_Maths/status/1335948800960159746
A user commented, “I’d also be concerned with the questions endorsing weight loss in the minds of impressionable young females. The schools endorsement of these questions continue to push the unrealistic beauty standards on females at an age that eating disorders can develop.” While a few people urged that it is not possible for the schools to keep up with the changing times. And the funny bit is, this is in a math textbook.
Meanwhile Teejay Maths, the ones printing the math textbook commented on the thread, taking responsibility and saying, “Hi William, this content is old and we are sorry that it is still in circulation; we have worked through many years of resources to ensure that content is updated and will be updating this to ensure that the contexts we use are truly appropriate.”
It is a shame that such misogynist labels are being propagated not just by the society and those with an orthodox mindset, but also the very curriculum that is responsible for shaping the minds of young kids. This is exactly where the problem starts from, we must correct the basics if it is the world we need to change. And that can’t happen unless we change our ways.
