Nine out of ten Australian girls don’t believe they’re treated equally to boys, and many say sexism is preventing them from reaching their potential, according to new research released yesterday.
They’re disturbing stats that show inequality and sexism starts early, and affects girls while they’re still finishing school.
The survey of 600 girls aged 16 to 20 by Our Watch and Plan International Australia found jut 14% believe they have the same opportunities to succeed as boys, with one in three also agreeing with the statement, “it’d be easier to get my dream job if I was a man”.
Meanwhile inequality in household chores also starts young, with one on three girls saying it’s rarely shared equally with their brothers.
And appearance is still a significant issue, with more than half saying they were sometimes, seldom or never “valued for their brains and ability more than their looks”. Just one in six respondents said their talents always garner more respect than their appearance.
Other findings included that 41% of girls say a lack of support will impact on the decision to start a family.
Earlier released results from the study found girls also feel unsafe: with 23% agreeing with the statement that “girls should not travel alone on public transport”, seven out of ten saying women are often bullied online, and 51% agreeing that girls are often pressured to take ‘sexy’ pictures of themselves and share them.
The results go a long way to dismiss the idea that inequality starts later in life, particularly as women have children, take career breaks and encounter discrimination at work.
The fact these girls see sexism in their every day lives indicates the problem is everywhere. As Plan Australia deputy CEO Susanne Legena said on the release of the report, it’s “in our homes, in schools, and on the street.”
Such inequality will affect the career aspirations of girls, their earning potential, their decisions to have children, their confidence, and may put them at greater risk of violence later on – given violence against women begins with disrespect.
It also puts into perspective just how big the challenge is for employers and industry sectors that are aiming to eliminate workplace gender inequality, especially by addressing unconscious and conscious bias. When such bias is present well before girls and women start their careers, you can see just how insidious it really is.
This is the current ‘normal’, as Legana said yesterday. We need to find a new one if we ever hope to live in a world where men and women are treated equality, and violence against women in eliminated.
