Gendered inequality - external Flashcards
gender differences in 2016 A Levels
80% of girls got A*-C grades and 75% of boys
gender differences in university
women = 35% more likely to attend and men are more likely to drop out when they do go
gender differences in 2016 GCSEs
girls outperformed boys in gaining A*-C by 9%
what are the 4 main external factors?
impact of feminism
changes in family
changes in women’s employment
changes in girls’ aspirations
how has feminism impacted girls?
challenged the acceptance of the traditional role of women
raised expectations and self-esteem
led to changes in family and careers
how does McRobbie’s study show the impact of feminism?
magazines in 1970s emphasised importance of getting married and now they contain images of assertive, independent women.
changes in the family since the 1970s?
smaller families
increase divorce rate
increase cohabitation
increase lone-parent families
how might changes in the family affect girls’ attitudes towards education?
increased number of female-headed lone-parent families means more women need to be breadwinners
creates new adult role model - financially independent woman
women need good qualifications to gain this independence
increase in divorce rate shows its unwise to rely on husband as provider
what are the changes in women’s employment?
1970 Equal Pay Act - illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value
1975 Sex Discrimination Act - outlaws discrimination at work
since 1975 the pay gap between men and women has halved
some women breaking through ‘glass ceiling’
how have the changes in women’s employment changed girls’ attitudes towards education?
see future in terms of paidwork> housewives
greater opportunities and pay act as an incentive to gain qualifications
how does SUE SHARPE’s study show girls’ changing ambitions
interviewed girls in 1974 - believed ed success was unfeminine and appearing amitious = unattractive. prioritised love, marriage and husbands
by 1990s, girls placed careers as their biggest priority
what do BECK and BECK-GERNSHEIM argue?
modern society has become increasigly individualised - aspirations of girls are more self-orientated compared with previous generations of women.
what did FULLER’s 2011 study show about girls’ aspirations?
ed success was central part of identity.
aimed for professional career that requires educational qualifications, whereas those of the 1970s girls did not.
why might social class be more important than gender as a differentiator?
W/C girls contrinue to follow traditional gender paths. motherhood and low-paid traditional women’s work.
why might W/C girls’ aspirations remain traditional accoring to REAY?
they percieve job opportunities as unavailable to them and a traditional gender identity as attainable and offering status.
