Advice re teaching daughter about feminist issues

[Mymindblown]

Hi all

I've been looking up things to help with this for a while... I'm aware there are books which give these messages of female empowerment etc but haven't found anything that was suitable for her age.

She's just turned 10 and clearly the messages she is getting from me are consistent around equal rights etc and she's done about suggested in school so we've talked about that but I need ideas as to books, activities and tv film etc.

I've seen a preview of mercury 13 coming soon on Netflix which tells the story of women pilots in 60s who had to step aside and allow the men to go into space. That looks like it should be suitable for her.

Any ideas as to how people are doing this with their own children would be appreciated.

Bedtime stories for rebel girls is really good.

Thanks I might give that a go! I had seen it but wondered from the pictures of the text if it might be too low a level for my daughter who reads a lot. But actually it's a good starting point for her then you be able to do her own research or we research topics further together. Could become like an on going project to learn about the different women and situations!

My DD who is y6 got it for Xmas and has read it several times since then. It is not at all childish.

Bedtime stories for rebel girls is really good

Apart from the story about a brave boy who likes pink, so they were actually a girl who bravely stood up to their school to be able to use the girls' toilets.

Maggie Thatcher is in their too.

They both provide interesting talking points.

I was about to make the same comment as ItsAllGoingToBeFine re: Rebel Girls. I've just never read that page to DD. Rebel Girls 2 is worth a shout too if she likes JK Rowling.

Great thanks any other ideas generally?

I bought DD the books 'Fantastically great women who made history' and 'Fantastically great women who changed the world' by Kate Pankhurst.There are some good stories in there, and DD was a bit at the idea that people used to think women weren't capable of being doctors and were not entitled to vote.

Regardless of your politics I'd be tempted to find ways of drawing attention to women in the upper echelons of power at the moment. There are decent numbers of women in the cabinet/running the police/running the judiciary/running Germany/running Scotland etc and sometimes it's easy to forget that (because as adults we are seeing a bigger, more depressing, more political picture). Does your 10 year old know that a woman won the popular vote in the US election?

When our kids were 10, Hunger Games was just out and the girls had a phase of dressing up like Catness and playing hero in the woods. The film seemed positive for them.

If you find a movie where the female scientist doesn't have a scientist dad, please let me know.....

Would she be old enough to read I Am Malala?

personally I would stick to positive stuff at that age. I think 14/15 is more the age for discovering that the world is not as you wanted it to be.

Thanks everyone

BrashCandicoot I may get the book and have a look for myself if it's suitable.

HawkeyeInConfusion Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanksforthatamazingpost thanks for the advice.

It is difficult knowing how to broach things and I think the most important thing is to teach her to think for herself and question "status quos" which often go unchallenged and lead to girls and young women "making choices" and falling into patterns which are based on the perpetuation of these accepted "norms".

I've found another book which looks ok Galaxy of Her Own: Amazing Stories of Women in Space.

If she likes science fiction/fantasy, how about the Dragonriders of Pern books by Anne McCaffrey? Some wonderful female characters in them, as explained below.

www.kissmywonderwoman.com/2012/05/anne-mccaffreys-women-dragons-and.html?m=1

Sally Nichols Things a Bright Girl Can Do
Five Children and the Western Front Kate Saunders

These are both historical (Suffragettes and World War One) but that is a great starting point to talk about feminism.

I model critical thinking and talk about current affairs but explore and give my view plus other views, not define. I love that dd will now challenge things I or others say.

Have you come across 'A Mighty Girl'? I follow them on Facebook, but I'm sure there are other ways to engage with them too. Sometimes a bit US-centric, but lots of great examples of inspiring women and girls.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I will look up all of those.
I have heard of mighty girl but hadn't seen the fb page.

I am reading The Uncommoners with my DS1. It's a kid's fantasy world thing but the main POV character is a girl who has to rescue her brother.

It's fun and good for that age I'd say.

Thanksforthat - "If you find a movie where the female scientist doesn't have a scientist dad, please let me know....."

Passed a blue plaque recently with a "Lord Byron lived here" type of inscription, and DS said "who was he". My dad replied without missing a beat "Ada Lovelace's dad..."

That's what we need, a biopic of Ada Lovelace.

In a Galaxy of Her Own is fab - and starts with one of my heroes, Emelie du Chatelet.

(Footnote - DS did remember Byron from the "Twitlight" skit on Horrible Histories.)