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In a new poll, girls say they feel empowered, except when it comes to being judged on how they look. Boys still feel they have to be strong, athletic and stoic.
EDIT: Forgot to include this interesting bit from the article
I think this part in particular is a very bad sign. The US already has declining birth rates and I think its important for children to grow up with the idea that marriage and parenthood are important milestones even if the exact manifestation of those milestones doesn't necessarily conform to traditional expectations.
Girls have been told they can be anything they want to be, and it shows. They are seizing opportunities closed to previous generations — in science, math, sports and leadership.
But they’re also getting another message: What they look like matters more than any of that.
Boys seem to have been largely left out of the conversation about gender equality. Even as girls’ options have opened up, boys’ lives are still constricted by traditional gender norms: being strong, athletic and stoic.
In the survey, three-quarters of adolescents had heard of MeToo. A majority of girls, and one-third of boys, say it has made them feel able to tell someone if they were harassed or assaulted.
What do you guys think? Is this shift in gender norms a promising or discouraging sign for this generation of young people? Is the resiliency of traditional norms for boys to be stoic and strong and the importance of girls' looks good or bad? Do you think the long term effect of #metoo will be positive or negative for this generation?These are findings from a new nationally representative poll of 1,000 children and adolescents 10 to 19, along with other research on this age group, which is not surveyed often. They show gender attitudes of a generation on the verge of adulthood.
EDIT: Forgot to include this interesting bit from the article
When boys and girls were asked about their goals and aspirations, the responses were similar. Three-quarters said having a successful career was very important. A third of respondents or less, of either gender, said marrying or having children was a very important goal.
I think this part in particular is a very bad sign. The US already has declining birth rates and I think its important for children to grow up with the idea that marriage and parenthood are important milestones even if the exact manifestation of those milestones doesn't necessarily conform to traditional expectations.
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