Early years visual references-ABC of careers

[RainbowOctopus]

Hello all,
I'm not going to pretend to be anything I'm not. I am looking to find out whether there is an appetite for a product I'm creating.
It's an artwork for children's rooms, nurseries, pre-schools etc. It's an alphabet A is for astronaut etc. Why am I discussing this in a feminist forum? Because the characters depicted are in roles that challenge social norms. Female astronauts, male social workers. During the course of my studies I came across a video of 7 year old children being asked to draw a fighter pilot, fire fighter and police officer (pretty sure that was the professions). All drew them as male. When the children were introduced to females in these roles they thought they were fake, or dressing up. Sadly this is quite a recent video. I feel sad that a male might be brought up to consider a role in the caring profession might in some way emasculate him, and even sadder to think he might be brought up thinking a female can't be an astronaut, Judge or mechanic! The artwork is also addressing the issue of race. There are so few children's books and pictures that have anything other than white children. We all want to believe that our children can be who they choose, that they can excel and be accepted in the world of work, but can they really if by the age of 7 they already have firm ideas about what boys and girls can do an achieve? I would really appreciate any thoughts or ideas

Sounds great to me!

I love this idea.

What's not to love?

I think the show you are referencing was called no more girls and boys.

I am in two minds on this, on the one hand, I think it's a great idea and so does DH (both teachers).
However, we're not the movers and shakers and senior leadership in my experience either don't care or actively don't want progression.
It's an interesting concept because most schools I have worked in end up doing boy heavy topics and the girls end up just coming along for the ride.
By KS2 most boys will object reading a novel with a female protagonist for example.
So if you got them earlier it'd be interesting to see if stereotypes still prevailed.
I'd suggest the girls would, sadly, have to look quite girly, as boys will believe it's a boy with long hair before they believe it's a girl if they're doing something cool.
I remember having a convo where I googled Joan of arc to show there were girl knights. Was told by said 4 year old it was a boy, don't be silly.
Anyway, good idea, but would need to get in with sl to implement it.

I don’t think a male social worker challenges gender norms at all, they just get the glass elevator while being hailed as revolutionary, all for doing what women do for zero thanks.

@SqueakyCarrots

I don’t think a male social worker challenges gender norms at all, they just get the glass elevator while being hailed as revolutionary, all for doing what women do for zero thanks.

Yup.

I think it's a lovely idea and there would be a market for it but that sadly the problem isn't so easily solved, this stuff seeps in even if they have more balanced role models too. My friend's daughter told her that men are doctors and women are nurses even though my friend is a doctor and her daughter knows that! It would definitely help, though, and that can only be a good thing.

You could also use famous examples like:
A is for aviator Amelia Airhart
C is for cook Jamie Oliver
S is for Scientist Madam Curie
P is for Pop Star David Bowie

Making some phonics flash cards might be a good way to make it relevant to eyfs

Just make them cartoony
The bedtime stories for daring girls is a good resource

Thank you so much for your really valuable insight.

Sorry me again- it also might be good to put the feelers out to local services or. Fire, police, universities and have some real life 'guests' come in to schools to launch the product. You'd need to specify you'd want a female though because male seems to be the default in this kind of role.
It's the kind of thing that could run and run with proper planning, an entire scheme of work could be run off it, complete with child initiated activities. I imagine young, hip eyfs teachers already do a great deal on this. In my school they pay it lip service and then invite male police officer in etc.

This already exists. A friend of mine illustrated it - bossbabs.com/

Obviously not saying you can't do your own version! Sorry, realised my message sounded unintentionally abrupt. The more the merrier with this sort of thing I say.

I'm so glad I asked and am inspired and spurred on by your comments. A scheme of work, I very much like that Idea! I was hoping to catch the pre-schoolers but can see how this can run into early primary too

[quote SnowyAlpaca]This already exists. A friend of mine illustrated it - bossbabs.com/[/quote]
I really like that but am I right in thinking that it's all women? I think that's really important but it's also just as important to show men in stereotypically 'female' roles. I feel like there's actually much more societal resistance to that (I know a lot of parents who take their daughters to toddler rugby but none who take sons to toddler ballet), and that one inherently impacts on the other.

The more versions of this the better I say !

Cracking idea RainbowOctopus, particularly in respect of trying to ensure that caring roles aren’t devalued - so it’s great that women can astronauts and its great that men can be nurses.

Plus TheBuffster you need to start an educational channel your ideas are brilliant, I wish you worked in my kids school!

Haha Aww shucks. I'm taking time out from work at moment due to ds health but would collaborate on something if anyone was up for it later?
I literally spend all my time at school going 'but girls' in staff meetings. So you know I'm super popular 😉

I've just had a look, it's fab, I love it! Mine is quite different but I feel they could compliment each other.

It might actually be something to think about how to do something that would maximise remote learning, since I don't think we're moving away from that any time soon.
You could do a jolly phonics style song to introduce each character.

Can I also please request you don't use Christopher Columbus for anything. He's evil personified and for some reason really popular in ks1 ATM.
I'd love to see someone like Katrina Webb represented too.

I'd suggest the girls would, sadly, have to look quite girly, as boys will believe it's a boy with long hair before they believe it's a girl if they're doing something cool.

Girls and boys aren't astronauts or social workers. Make them look like adults. Make the scientist look like someone's mum (as many are). The sex of an adult is usually clear.

It most definitely is not harder for men in traditionally female roles at all. Look at the top managers in any traditionally female career - almost always men. All the top celeb chefs- men. Top celeb hair dressers- men. Even best known ballet dancers are men. Not to mention the people who make real money out of roles considered to be traditionally female are almost always male.

Besides even if there wasn’t the well observed glass elevator, it’s men who belong to the class who have all the power and it really isn’t ground breaking or revolutionary to push sex role stereotypes when they are the ones with all the power. For women fighting against those deeply ingrained sex role stereotypes it can mean actual death. Men face at worst getting mocked, but mostly they just get fawned over and paid more and come home to put their feet up while the wife (whether she’s the doctor or the nurse) still comes home to do the lions share of house work and child care.

It would be worth talking to Librarians about it too. There aren't very many junior school librarians, but they would absolutely be on board. Try the School Library Service. (I'm a secondary school librarian, so no good for my library, unfortunately)

I’m a female civil engineer, abs I have a ds(12) and dd(9). This is something I feel quite strongly about!

I’m 50 and the “girls can do STEM” has been pushed at me all my life. I’ve been heavily involved in school and community engagement for 30 years. The “Boys can be carers” message is less well promoted, if at all. I feel very much that this is psyche needs to change.

I really am very grateful for everyone having taken the time to share their comments and thoughts. Real food for thought!

@ErrolTheDragon I did mean women, not girls, but was just thinking of my own experience eg. Joan of arc.

I've also had a full scale argument with a 5 year old why girls are Jedi's lol.