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LESSON 14: SEXISM
Gender equality: more than half of women fear their gender will hurt their
career by Zlata Rodionova
Female students are wary of sectors with reputation for gender inequality.
More than half of female students believe gender may hold them back in their
career, a study has found. Only 42 per cent of women are confident that their gender
will have no influence on their pay and their career progression, compared to more
than 70 per cent of men, according to the first national Think Future Study from
KPMG and the 30% Club, a group of chairs and CEOs committed to better gender
balance through voluntary action. The study launched by Cambridge undergraduate
Helena Eccles in November has polled over 20,000 students at 21 universities.
It found that more than 70 per cent of young women are confident in their own
abilities but doubtful that a traditional career path will enable them to progress their
careers as far as they want. The findings also highlight the issue of “gendered”
sectors, which continues to restrict talent pools in certain industries.
Nearly half of female students felt that a sector’s reputation for gender equality
would influence their decision about working in it. While only 27 per cent of male
students considered gender equality as a requirement for working in an industry.
Financial services was the 4th most popular sector choice for men and only the 12th
most popular choice for women, according to Brenda Trenowden, Global Chair of the
30% Club. Melanie Richards, vice chairman of KPMG UK and a member of the 30%
Club Steering Committee, said it is “concerning” that women are considerably less
optimistic than men about their future career prospects.
“As business leaders we need to play an active role to promote gender parity, bust
these myths and recast the image we are projecting to attract the best talent,
regardless of their gender. Within our own firm this includes setting targets to recruit,
promote and bring through female talent,” Richards said. “We know better
commercial performance comes from the innovation that happens between different
people, and we want to recruit graduates from a wider range of backgrounds and
disciplines. Having a more diverse workforce gives us a better array of viewpoints on
client matters and challenge around our actions,” she added. Finding a job they enjoy,
having time to spend with family and friends and being intellectually fulfilled were
the top three priorities for job satisfaction when it came to entering the working world
for both male and female students, according to the study. Three out of five firms in
the FTSE 350 were failing to meet the target and fewer than half increased female
board representation in recent years.
STUDENT TASK I
1) Define the highlighted words
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2) Answer the questions below:
• Are there more male or female managers and executives? Why do you
think this is?
• What jobs do men do and women not do in your country?
• Why are there generally so few women in top positions?
• In your country do men, women or both normally do the following jobs:
Secretary, shop assistant, bus driver, train driver, airline pilot, taxi driver,
ship's captain, building worker, doctor, primary school teacher,
receptionist, prime minister, house wife/husband, nurse, university
lecturer.
• If some of these jobs are generally done by women or men, why is that?
• Do you think that there are any jobs, which only men or only women can
or should do?
• Would you rather work for a male or female boss?
• Which gender do you think makes the best bosses? Can you give a reason?
Have you had any direct experience or is it just an opinion?
• Would you rather have a male or a female secretary? Why?
• Does one gender take more time off from work than another?
• Is there any legislation in your country, which tries to equalize the
opportunities that men and women have when they are searching for jobs?
Does it work? If it exists, are there many prosecutions?
• In your country is it legal to advertise specifically for a man or a woman?
• Have you ever come across the so-called "glass ceiling" (the point beyond
which women don't get promoted)? Do you think it exists or is it an urban
myth?
• Do you know of any top managers in your country that are female? What
percentage of the total do you think they are?
• Which gender works harder?
STUDENT TASK II – Homonyms
Homonyms are words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings.
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.
1.
a. Aye
b. Eye
c. I
2.
PART I
___ love you.
a. sea
b. see
Those who follow a vegetarian diet
eat no ___.
a. meat
b. meet
c. mete
3. Oats, wheat and barley are all used
to make breakfast ___.
a. serial
b. cereal
4. Go away! ___!
a. shoo
b. shoe
PART II
A. What do you ___?
B. She was overcome by a fit of
___.
a. peak
b. peek
c. pique
C. A small shovel is called a___.
a. spade
b. spayed
D. A type of tender chicken is
called a ___.
a. friar
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b. fryer
5. I will ___ the job that you offered.
a. except
b. accept
6.
a. quiet
b. quite
If one baby bird begins to ___, all of
the the others will start.
a. cheap
b. cheep
F. Andrew ___ his bicycle to
school every day.
a. road
b. rode
c. rowed
7. Go ___ in peace.
a. forth
b. fourth
8.
E. He had ___ a bad cough but it
did not get any worse.
G. A basic chemical compound is
___.
It is father's job to ___ out
punishment in our family.
a. meat
b. meet
c. mete
9. A ___ is said to be able to tell the
future.
a. profit
b. prophet
10. You can't really buy anything for
one ___.
a. cent
b. scent
c. sent
a. fennel
b. phenol
H. I prefer __ music to
instrumental music
a. choral
b. coral
I.
Some people like corn on the
cob but I like ___ corn.
a. colonel
b. kernel
J.
Meet me in the back ___.
a. lain
b. lane
STUDENT TASK III
Questions: Choose the best response for each one
1. Their profits increased dramatically. = Their profits went
_____________________.
by the wayside
through the roof
on and on
2. Not many people use this product. = The _____________________ for this product
is weak.
request
use
demand
3. The company is _____________________ ( = being criticized heavily) for some of
their policies.
overvalued
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under fire
under-funded
4. He didn't write the report himself. He ____________________ it with his
colleague.
co-authored
authorized
cooperated
5. To write and release a public letter = To __________________ a public letter
issue
insure
inspect
6. The buyout took him by surprise. = He was __________________ by the buyout.
emboldened
unaffected
blindsided
7. They couldn't reach a deal. = They couldn't __________________ a deal.
hammer out
put out
come across
8. They rejected his first offer. = They rejected his __________________.
initial bid
first bidding
innovative bidding
9. He wasn't sure about accepting the proposal. = He was __________________ about
accepting the proposal.
hesitated
hesitant
hesitate
10. The talks are at a __________________. = There is no progress being made at the
talks.
buyout
bankruptcy
standstill
STUDENT TASK IV
Questions: Choose the best response for each one
1. The two candidates have never argued, so there is no _____________________
between them. ( = there is no grudge stemming from previous arguments, disputes,
etc.)
bad blood
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bad news
bad manners
2. Investors got _____________________ ( = very upset) about the news.
bent out of shape
an earful
blown out of proportion
3. This is not as serious as it seems. It just got _____________________ ( = its
importance was exaggerated).
bent out of shape
an earful
blown out of proportion
4. Jim got ____________________ from his boss. = Jim was reprimanded by his
boss.
bent out of shape
an earful
blown out of proportion
5. To affect the stock price = To __________________ the stock price
insure
instigate
impact
6. Jim wanted to __________________ his house against fire.
insure
impact
instigate
7. They wanted to create a conflict between the two firms. = They wanted to
__________________ a conflict between the two firms.
instigate
insure
impact
8. He focused in on a good strategy. = He __________________ on a good strategy.
called up
pulled up
honed in
9. Let me explain/clarify. = Let me __________________ on this.
shine light
shine some light
shine the light
10. They went bankrupt last year. = They __________________ last year.
flooded
folded
fell
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STUDENT TASK V
Choose whether the words in the box are Antonyms or Synonyms
Antonyms/Synonyms
Words
grave - cheerful
glide - lurch
garish - vulgar
general - rare
genius - brilliance
genuine - authentic
ghastly - wonderful
gigantic - puny
glad - exhilarated
grant - allow
greedy - liberal
groggy - dazed
grumble - complain
STUDENT TASK VI - READING EXERCISE
Busting Gender Stereotypes Can Benefit Men In Life And Career
by Betty Ann Heggie
The recently released film Arrival casts Amy Adams as Louise Banks, a linguistics
expert who must translate sounds emanating from heptapods (seven-limbed aliens)
who have landed on earth. Recruited by the American government, Banks is tasked
with finding out what they are doing on Earth. Unarmed, she bravely removes her
hazmat protection and, through facial expression, the inflection in her voice and
listening, she manages to communicate with the aliens, preventing war with the
nations of Earth.
Demonstrating both empathy and fearlessness, Adams convincingly offers up a
poignant view of the strengths and foibles of humanity. Her ability to establish a
connection is a wonderful demonstration of the value of Feminine Energy, and with
strategic courage, she heroically depicts the value of Masculine Energy. It's a great
reminder of the importance of incorporating both energies into our repertoire.
“They can embrace skills, talents and passions irrespective of gender, which benefits
individuals, corporations and the world.”
The case for shifting between energies (utilizing the positive characteristics of both
genders) has made huge strides in the last few years. People are realizing that, without
the weight of gendered expectations, they can embrace skills, talents and passions
irrespective of gender, which benefits individuals, corporations and the world.
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Feminist, journalist and activist Gloria Steinem calls this "developing the full circle of
ourselves".
It is a long way from where we once were, labelled "pink" or "blue" at birth and put
into our gender-specific boxes with their predicted (and limiting) gender-specific
behaviours.
Women taught to avoid risk are reluctant to access their masculine traits and
volunteer for stretch assignments, thus missing opportunities to be seen as leaders.
Meanwhile, men discouraged from the display of feminine traits avoid feeling their
own feelings and have difficulty relating to the emotions of others, the basis of all
meaningful relationships.
Clearly, both lose. Growing up, I realized that life was like a game of snakes and
ladders -- rife with the cultural rules inflicted upon us. Due to socialization, girls are
given more permission to shift between the gender energies, while the gender role
transgressions of boys are viewed in a negative light.
Globalism requires innovation, service-orientation and communication skills, all
stereotypical feminine qualities.
As a girl child, I quickly observed that I could be accepted, even encouraged, for
being a tomboy; using masculine attributes elevated and helped me to climb the
ladder in the game of life. Conversely, boy children were denigrated for exploring
feminine pastimes; they were teased, ridiculed and punished by peers, parents, and
teachers. Adopting feminine attributes diminished their credibility. They rode a big
snake downward. No wonder some boys become men who avoided all things
feminine.
This early indoctrination continues to their detriment today. Globalism requires
innovation, service-orientation and communication skills, all stereotypical feminine
qualities, which many men have been taught, are weak and less-than. Overcoming
their attachment to traditional masculinity will not only help their personal lives, it is
critical for the advancement of their careers as well.
STUDENT TASK VI
1) Define the highlighted words
2) Answer the following questions:
a. Are some jobs too dangerous or difficult for women to do? Does your
country employ women fire fighters, soldiers etc? Do you think
women should be allowed to do jobs like these?
b. In your opinion, why are so many successful artists, chefs and racing
drivers (etc.) men? Why aren’t there more women in these fields?
c. Generally speaking, what do women tend to be better at than men?
Why?
d. Generally speaking, what do men tend to be better at than women?
Why?
e. In some countries/schools girls are educated separately from boys.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of single-sex education?
f. Do you think that children should receive sex education classes at
school?
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g. How have the roles of men and women in society changed over the last
fifty years?
h. How do you think the roles of men and women in society will change
over the next fifty years?
i. In what ways, do you think, the world would be different if more world
leaders were women?
j. To what extent do you agree that ‘platonic friendships between men
and women are impossible’?
k. Do you think men and women should have equal opportunities and
rights? Why (not)?
End of Lesson
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