I am not surprised that young women are concerned about equity and discrimination. I am surprised, though, that this has been picked up by Mission Australia’s landmark youth survey for the first time.
It is a double-edged sword; this is beyond the ‘Gillard Effect’. Young women are more conscious of their gender and where they sit in Australia. The role of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency research, particularly regarding the gender pay gap, and the publicity it has received in 2013, play into this as well. Young women are acutely aware of the limitations that exist in Australian society.
The research presents an opportunity for us to discuss these issues with young women. It’s important, however, that we tell young women the good news too because in people aged between 15 and 19 schools of thought form fast. When females who fall into this age group see sustained limitations of female role-models we can’t fault them for having concerns. It’s why we must talk about and demonstrate how individuals can displace those limitations.
All of us need to share stories of success and growth with those in that age group. These are young women who are connected and listen well. Showing them the story of women who are defying norms will help create change.
It saddens me that I can list the number of female engineers I know on one hand; but I’m excited because each of them are out there spreading their stories about being fanatical about maths and science. They’re open about what it is like being the only woman on a site. They’re leveraging their individuality to inspire others to follow them.
Kylee Bates from Mission Australia told ABC “clearly young women have seen a range of social discourse and discussion that has impacted their views”, and she’s right. It means that we have the next year to show them that gender isn’t the great limitation.
When I talk with women who are aged between 15-19, they’re definitely aware of their femininity but there’s also nothing they don’t think they can achieve. We should encourage them to take this attitude into their later life. When I ask groups of young women what they want to be, the answers I hear are diverse, ands most often they’re informed. “She’s good at human biology, so she’s going to pursue health. I’m better at maths, so I’m looking at commerce and engineering courses. Our other friend is interested in history but great at design, and she’s still trying to figure that out.”
They implicitly understand they can do and be whatever they choose. I’m glad as they set out on their various paths, they know gender inequality is a genuine problem. Being aware of the incidence of discrimination on the basis of gender is a positive development for these young women with the world at their feet. Not because it needs to shape their future choices but because it will help them shape our future. Because being aware means when they enter the workforce, they will enter knowing they can and will be a force to change entrenched gender inequity.