Recently, I read an article which explored the progress that women have made. The article noted that today, women are earning more college degrees compared to men. I found this to be surprising given the many challenges that women face in their quest for education. The progress that women have made is indeed commendable. They are breaking glass ceilings and challenging stereotypes. As I read the article, I reflected on an experience that I had when I was in the eighth grade. The experience led me to believe that girls lack the competency and talent needed to excel in academic pursuits. However, today, I am convinced that girls are just as capable of displaying excellence in the classroom as boys.
Growing up, my parents always reminded us that we possessed the capacity for excellence in whatever pursuit we focused our efforts on. However, my aunt believed that girls were naturally weaker and that it was unfair to expect them to register impressive academic performance. While I was 14, my mother allowed me to stay with my aunt and her children for a month. I remember a day when my cousins returned home with their report cards. I noticed that my aunt was particularly upset and disappointed with her son. I expected that she would direct much of her anger at her daughter because her performance was more disappointing. Later, I gathered that the family places higher expectations on male children. They are believed to be more gifted and therefore better placed to excel in class. I must admit that this experience shattered my view of the world. Before the experience, I had witnessed as girls outperformed boys in class. I had also seen girls excel in such male-dominated pursuits as sports. During my stay with my aunt, I learnt further that there are other areas where the daughter is required to perform better. For example, I watched as she was made to clean her room and attend to her dollhouse. It was only years later that I was able to understand the underlying meaning of the chores and the expectations that children are assigned.
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My experience with my aunt is not isolated. I have had other experiences where boys and girls are required to meet different expectations and standards. For example, I have a male friend who constantly laments that his parents find him to be unmanly and weak for being unable to perform such tasks as fixing the television. These experiences have challenged me to question the roles that society assigns individuals based on their gender. I understand that males and females possess different gifts which allow them to excel in different areas. However, I feel that the strict requirements that society imposes causes more harm than good. There are many young girls who are told that they cannot excel in class. On the other hand, boys are discouraged from pursuing endeavors which are associated with femininity. I believe that our society needs to re-examine its position on gender and academic achievement. From my experience, one’s gender has no impact on their ability to perform impressively in the classroom.
In the reflection above, I have called on society to move away from the traditional notion that girls and boys are designed for certain exclusive pursuits. I feel that it is important to add that society needs to actively encourage boys and girls to pursue the desires of our hearts. Today, many women and men are bitter and resentful because they were told that their gender barred them from particular pursuits. To avoid creating another generation of people who hold regrets, our society should create a supportive environment that encourages all manner of dreams.
