The patriarchy in education

[noblegiraffe]

I saw this article on twitter and thought it was interesting, about how the language in education is becoming more 'male', how job adverts for teaching are becoming about status and money. More mastery, control, rigour. Not sure what I think of it, but an interesting view nonetheless.

twitter.com/teachertoolkit/status/657845450616258561

It's not the first time I've heard this- someone at the IOE is doing some research into how academies are using really gendered language. This might be her: www.ioe.ac.uk/newsEvents/110399.html

I'm not sure if it's specifically a problem in education, I read a fair bit of history and have been saying for years that past cultures are being re-cast in terms of only status and power. I think it's a sign of our times and how every other value is being slowly stripped out of our lives, at least formally. The. only values that are officially recognised now are those of the marketplace, or at least of individualistic greed, all others are dismissed as unrealistic, idealistic, and not 'go-getting' enough.

Could also ask, does the seeking for status and power have to be a 'male' trait? So language using that is immediately 'male'?

Could also ask, does the seeking for status and power have to be a 'male' trait? So language using that is immediately 'male'?

It's anachronistic patriarchal labeling designed to discourage women from pursuing status and power, and it is still permitted a baffling level of effect. The same applies to a lot of 'dominant' concepts like mastery and control or the capacity for violence.

In truth, none of these concepts are gendered, but continuing to label them as such serves to promote aa subtle form of social control.

Great minds alike, Mephistopheles, definitely. Not the other thing . You can see that more easily if you substitute 'value' for status, and 'responsibility' for power. We all seek value in our lives of one kind or another, and usually that comes through responsibility. The different vocabulary pairings are kind of like the positive/ negative aspects of the same thing, but they don't have to be male/ female linked. When they are, that's the sexual stereotypes talking, whether the person doing the talking claims to be feminist or not.

'kind of like'? My common roots showing. 'Scuse me while I rearrange my petticoats.