Gender inequality a growing realisation

AUSTRALIAN girls say life would be a lot easier if they were treated the same as boys and weren’t judged on their looks over their abilities.

A new survey of girls aged 10 to 17 reveals perceptions of gender inequality grow as the girls get older, while confidence levels and leadership aspirations fall.

The Plan International findings say girls are constantly told they can achieve anything they desire.

“But this report shows there is a ‘dream gap’ between what girls aspire to in early life and what they believe is realistic as they become young adults,” the research says.

Despite many aspiring to be leaders, about 40 per cent of girls thought gender was the biggest barrier to achieving their goal.

Girls felt inequality pervades in sport, the media, school and at home, where many say they are asked to do more housework than boys.

Teenage girls were less likely to describe themselves as confident or powerful and many did not recognise they had qualities that good leaders should possess.

Plan International Australia deputy CEO Susanne Legena said as girls transitioned from being a child into adolescence they started to look like women and often had their first confronting experiences of sexism.

Keira Wright, 17, said by the time she was a teen she felt like she was expected to be fearful for her own safety.

“It suddenly means I can’t go out at certain times, or walk somewhere my male friends can. It’s normal to have people yelling out from cars commenting on my body or what I am wearing and that just doesn’t happen to boys.”