Equal Pay Day

Yesterday (Tues 4/8) was Equal Pay Day, a day dedicated to reflection on the gender wage gap. President Obama signed a new executive order into place yesterday assisting women in getting information from federal contractors on pay rates and protecting women during conversations about pay.


Some have even discussed the gender wage gap as not only a women's issue, but a "family issue" as it relates to children, education, and social class.

This blog on the US Dept of Labor even cites Joan Holloway (a lead character in Mad Men!), relating today's gender issues in the workplace to those in the 1960's.

Read the above articles and think about what Equal Pay Day means for you. Do some brief research on your future career (if you know what you plan to pursue) or on a career of interest to you. Link to articles or webpages that provide salary statistics for the career. What are men paid on average vs. women?  What are your reactions?

Reflect on these questions and reply by 8am Thurs 4/10.

*Extra Credit*- Superbowl Commercials

This Sunday, while watching the Super Bowl, pay attention to the commercials (which we know so many people look forward to every year!).  Do you see any gender stereotypes being portrayed?

Write a response about a commercial that reinforced gender stereotypes or one that went against them. What is your reaction to the commercial? What does it say about our society today?

Happy watching!

Disney & Gender Stereotypes

Disney movies are popular among children of all ages and many of us grew up watching these classic films. As we begin our conversation on gender development and socialization, consider how some of your favorite films portray gender stereotypes and other stereotypes for social behavior. 

 Answer the following questions (commenting below)  by Friday 1/31 at 8am. 

Choose your favorite Disney movie...
1.  Describe the main character's personality, behavior, and general characteristics (briefly... 3-5 sentences)
2. What gender stereotypes does this character reinforce? 
3. Who is the villain in the film? Do you see any gender stereotypes in this character? 
4. In general, what does this film teach children about gender and other components of socialization? What are the pros and cons of this film? 


TED TALK: How Movies Teach Manhood