Feminism

Introduction

A major problem that persist in today’s classroom is the fact that there are too little gender education. The important role of women, as well as men, should be addressed in the curriculum. I just think the role of men is overemphasised and the role of women is underemphasised. If we look at the learning area of history, for instance, you will notice that there is not many heroic women figures we learn about, but only great historic men figures. What about women? What about feminism? In today’s classroom there is most certainly still an underlying atmosphere of gender discrimination against women – there is a general assumption that men are stronger, better and more clever than women. This is an atmosphere experienced in classrooms all over the world, if we will admit it or not. There should be more education on the struggles and victories of all women around the world, but particularly with an emphasis on heroines in South Africa on Afrikaner women organizations who fought for women rights, for example Frances Baard. Feminism can be incorporated into learning areas such as history, civic/politics/ government and literature subjects. We are so privileged to have a women’s day on the 9th August, but how many students actually know what it’s all about? And what about apartheid? Where was the women rights? Apartheid did discriminate against black people, yes, but women rights is not even mentioned. Talk about discrimination. African women was oppressed in the worse sense of the word. (If apartheid wasn’t enough). Feminism will help students analyze the intersectionality of oppression and the different root of oppression. It will help students understand the roles in society. We need to show students that women have an equally important   role in society, and by doing that, we can work on diminishing future discrimination against women and prevent an atmosphere of superiority towards women. Feminism can build put the emphasis a bit more on women, and in...