AIBU to expect my children's Xmas play not to promote gender stereotypes

[Swimbikerun]

I fear I may be unreasonable in my expectations, and perhaps over thinking this. My DD is in yr1 and their class (girl heavy) has been split into 2 groups for the play, each half will do a dance. Half 1, all girls, are angels. Half 2 are a mix of boys and girls, and have been told they are nurses and doctors. My DD told me all the girls are nurses and all the boys are doctors.

I have phoned the school this morning to discuss this, they agree this is the case, but say the children were given a choice whether to be doctors or nurses, and think this is ok. I am worried that this encourages gender stereotypes and am actually quite horrified that they think they are reasonable.

I think they should say that all children are nurses, or all are doctors.

AIBU?

I agree with you. To the 'is this all you've got to worry about' commenters - why do you belittle people who notice and raise things like this? Is it because you don't believe that children learn gender stereotypes through situations like these? Or do you just not think that gender stereotyping is a problem anyway? Of course there are bigger problems in the world. Doesn't mean we can't discuss this one.

Yanbu. The school needs to be promoting equality. Gender stereotyping happens by the death of 1000 cuts. All the little tiny chips like this sculpt out the picture that men=this & women=that.

It's not very progressive & I'd be disappointed if it were my children's school. You are right to challenge it & point out how they could have helped come to a better conclusion.

Even ask them to sit down with the dc & have a discussion about why did they all choose the way they did & point out that many years ago, that's most likely what would have happened but we're lucky now that there is more choice & boys & girls can become almost anything they want & if anyone wants to change to come see the teacher. It's not very educational of them to ignore this

What stereotype? 48% of gps are women

I don't think you understand what the word 'stereotype' means, by definition it's something that's not true...

* You are so very lucky that this all you have to worry about*

Gosh, yes.. so true..

not.

I sit on an advisory committee set up specifically to address a truly desperate impending skills shortage in a profession that has been traditionally quite male dominated. We know that a very easy win for us would be to get even a small percentage of the talented girls that are out there choosing this profession. (Which is very well paid btw)

But when I speak to young children as part of our research, we find that they ALREADY have entrenched stereotyping. And don’t think it’s ‘for them’

So yeah. Go and worry about something ‘more important’ and then wonder why we have a major shortage of entrants into some vital STEM professions.