1. Are there more images of men than women?
Answer:
Yes, there are more images of men than women.
2. In what kinds of jobs were there more images of men than women?
Answer:
There were more images of men in jobs like farmers, factory workers, scientists, and pilots.
3. Have all the nurses been drawn as females? Why?
Answer:
Yes, all the nurses have been drawn as females because people often think that nursing is a job suitable for women. This is due to the stereotype that women are more caring and gentle.
4. Are there fewer images of female farmers? If so, why?
Answer:
Yes, there are fewer images of female farmers because many people think of farming as work done by men, even though many women work in agriculture.
5. See what images your class drew by filling in the table below. Add up the number of male and female images separately for each occupation.
(This is an activity to be done in class by filling out a table.)
6. How does your class exercise compare with Rosie Ma’am’s class exercise?
Answer:
Our class exercise is similar to Rosie Ma’am’s class because in both exercises, more men were drawn in certain jobs like farmers and pilots, while women were mostly drawn as nurses and teachers.
7. If you were Xavier, what subject would you choose and why?
Answer:
If I were Xavier, I would choose History because it’s my favorite subject, and I enjoy learning about the past.
8. In your experience, what are some of the other pressures that boys experience?
Answer:
Boys often face pressure to be strong and not show emotions, to choose high-paying jobs, and to act in ways that society expects boys to behave.
9. What percentage of children leave school at the upper primary level?
Answer:
At the upper primary level (Classes 6-8), about 4% of all children leave school. For Scheduled Caste (SC) children, it’s about 5.5%, and for Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, it’s about 8.6%.
10. At which level of education do you see the highest percentage of children leaving?
Answer:
The highest percentage of children leaving school is at the secondary level (Classes 9-10).
11. Why do you think that the percentage of Adivasi girls and boys leaving school is higher than that of any other group?
Answer:
Adivasi girls and boys may leave school more because they face more poverty, schools might be far away, they may have to help at home or work, and sometimes they face discrimination.
12. From the given table, convert the figures of primary class children who leave school into a bar diagram. Two percentages have already been converted for you in the bar diagram on the left.
(This is an activity that requires drawing a bar diagram based on the data.)
13. Find out about the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign launched in 2014.
Answer:
‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ is a campaign started by the Government of India in 2014 to save girl children and educate them. It aims to stop discrimination against girls and encourage their education and well-being.
Exercises
1. How do you think stereotypes, about what women can or cannot do, affect women’s right to equality?
Answer:
Stereotypes limit opportunities for women by making people believe that women can’t do certain jobs or tasks. This affects their right to equality because they may not get the same chances as men in education and work.
2. List one reason why learning the alphabet was so important to women like Rashsundari Devi, Ramabai, and Rokeya.
Answer:
Learning the alphabet was important to them because it allowed them to read and write, which opened up opportunities for education, expressing themselves, and challenging unfair practices against women.
3. Poor girls drop out of school because they are not interested in getting an education. Re-read the last paragraph on page 62 and explain why this statement is not true.
Answer:
This statement is not true because poor girls often drop out due to reasons like poverty, lack of nearby schools, having to help at home, or facing discrimination—not because they are not interested in education.
4. Can you describe two methods of struggle that the women’s movement used to raise issues? If you had to organize a struggle against stereotypes about what women can or cannot do, what method would you employ from the ones that you have read about? Why would you choose this particular method?
Answer:
Two methods used by the women’s movement are:
- Campaigning: They campaigned to change laws and bring attention to issues like domestic violence.
- Protesting: They held public rallies and demonstrations to show their concerns and demand change.
If I had to organize a struggle against stereotypes, I would choose Raising Awareness. I would use plays, songs, and meetings to educate people because this method helps change minds by spreading knowledge in a positive way.
Additional Questions from the Chapter
5. Read the story below and answer the questions:
(Story about Xavier and his parents discussing his subject choices.)
If you were Xavier, what subject would you choose and why?
Answer:
If I were Xavier, I would choose the subject I am most passionate about, like History, because studying something I love would make me happier and more successful in the long run.
In your experience, what are some of the other pressures that boys experience?
Answer:
Boys may experience pressure to choose certain careers, to not show emotions, to be tough, and to conform to what society expects from boys.
6. From the given table, convert the figures of primary class children who leave school into a bar diagram.
(This is an activity involving drawing, which helps understand data representation.)
7. What percentage of children leave school at the upper primary level?
Answer:
Approximately 4% of all children leave school at the upper primary level.
8. At which level of education do you see the highest percentage of children leaving?
Answer:
The highest percentage of children leaving school is at the secondary level (Classes 9-10).
9. Why do you think that the percentage of Adivasi girls and boys leaving school is higher than that of any other group?
Answer:
Because Adivasi communities often face more challenges like poverty, remote locations, lack of schools, and discrimination, leading to higher dropout rates.
10. Can you describe two methods of struggle that the women’s movement used to raise issues?
Answer:
- Protesting: Organizing rallies and demonstrations to bring attention to important issues.
- Campaigning: Working to change laws and policies by spreading awareness and gathering support.
11. If you had to organize a struggle against stereotypes about what women can or cannot do, what method would you employ from the ones that you have read about? Why would you choose this particular method?
Answer:
I would choose Raising Awareness through education and public discussions because it helps change people’s thoughts and breaks down stereotypes by informing them.