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Are We Stereotyping Our Children On Facebook?
30 March 2012
I recently analysed the photos of the 254 of my Facebook friends who have children.
Does early-years stereotyping of our children influence their own career aspirations and image of themselves?
We picture sons actively doing things.
We picture daughters passively posing.
82% of photos of sons, and just 46% of daughters feature them busy on some activity like playing, or interacting with others.54% of photos of daughters, and just 18% of sons and feature them just passively posing for the camera.
We compliment sons’ prowess.
We compliment daughters’ looks.
65% of photos of sons, and just 18% of daughters attract compliments about an attribute other than their appearance. The most popular ones were “strong” and “determined”.82% of photos of daughters, and just 35% of sons attract compliments about their appearance. The most popular ones were “cute”, “gorgeous”, “pretty”, and “beautiful”.
Does early-years stereotyping of our children influence their own career aspirations?
I recently gave a talk at the Fraud Women’s Network annual event. (I wholeheartedly recommend this to any women working in the profession who want to connect with others, or who could benefit from mentoring.)As in many other professions, women are under-represented in number and in seniority.
Prowess and activity are far more valuable in most worthy jobs than looks.
Are we holding girls back by making them feel appreciated mainly when they look beautiful? And could this be why more girls than boys feel self-conscious about their looks?
Are we encouraging boys to perform well in the workplace by recognising their activity? And do we inadvertently make girls feel that their activity is less valuable?
Write a comment if you have a view.
Get in touch if you have performance and equality issues in your workforce.
And share this if you know anyone who posts photos of their children on Facebook!
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I have three daughters and thinking about my Social Networking pics, videos and comments about them they are featured power sliding our car in the snow, skydiving, kayaking, climbing, there are articles about them fighting attempted muggers (emphasis on attempted as they are streetwise Hackney / Tower Hamlets Girls).
We praise their achievement at getting into top universities, their extensive travel, creativity, leadership and of course, their good looks and beauty!!!
I like to think that as the father of three daughters, I have brought them up to directly confront the sorts of prejudice they will face not only as women, but also being Inner City reared kids who went to state schools in Hackney. So far so good they are allo close to or top of their classes with excellent predicted results at Uni or A Level. Now they need good jobs – interested – call me.