Despite gains in gender equality, ingrained biases about males and females still exist — and can have grave consequences. Stubborn beliefs cultivated from an early age such as “girls are bad at math,” “girls are better at cooking,” or “boys don’t cry,” pave the way to sobering statistics about the number of female leaders in business and politics, and disturbing truths about the frequency of sexual harassment.
By talking about gender biases early, parents can blaze a trail toward equity long before girls and boys are engaging in romantic relationships, choosing college majors, or entering the workforce. Here, we providetips for parents to deconstruct gender stereotypes and prevent bias. These strategies come from developmental psychologistRichard WeissbourdandLeaning Out: Teen Girls and Leadership Biases, a report fromMaking Caring Commonat theHarvard Graduate School of Education.
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