to feel that Cbeebies is gender biased in its programming?

[fifimcq]

I was marking an essay yesterday which was discussing gender socialisation referring to research conducted in 1972 (40 years ago!) which criticised books for having mainly male main characters. This reminded me how surprised I often am at the blatant sexism in programming on Cbeebies. The plethora of active male main charaters (Mike the Knight, Tommy Zoom, Kung Fu Tom, Justin (in 300 programmes) and many many others) is quite startling in comparison to Rosie (from Everything is Rosie) who is nice but VERY girly. Then I watched an episode of Dirt Girl, in which the girl is the main character and got a bit excited, only to be left jaw open when her water tank had a leak and she got Scrap Boy to fix it!

Have the last 40 years of attempts at equality meant nothing for under 5's television? I find it incredible and genuinely shocking that girls are still given messages that they should be in support roles and that boys are the ones having all the fun and adventures! But am I being unreasonable?

Role models are important, whether on TV or in real life.

I'm with the "you guys need to get out more/are overthinking" crew - well, off you go then.

I'm with the crew who thinks these things are important and need to be discussed.

I am in agreement with many people on here, but I'm left wondering what YANBU means?

you conveniently left out the plethora of programmes with female leads as others have pointed out.

There are loads of shows with a male lead, loads with a female lead and a ton where its mixed.

surely anyway if geder equality is your thing you shoudnt be seething for any gender to be lead. i do not understand people who say they cannot stand it then rant about needing their gender winning. if you truly want equality you have to stop trying to score points. Watching programs that only have female leads because you are female is going back to inequality and gender favouritism.

I thought I knew kids tv backwards until I read the OP. I've never heard of half of them! Most of the kids tv I seem to watch seems pretty gender biased the other way. Just look at Peppa Pig!