#HeForShe

The document under study is a video that promotes the He-for-She campaign, published in 2014. It is promoting an organization that aims at supporting women through the challenges of life at every level. It is interesting to note that these men belong to different ethnic groups and different walks of life and are united to fight for the same cause namely gender equality. They share several words of advice: it is important to be in women’s shoes to sympathize with their condition and to understand more their difficulties. They should be treated equally as they could be a sister, a wife or a daughter. Moreover, the change should come from them as men. Indeed, they should stop having chauvinistic behaviors and sexist stereotypes that diminish women’s status.

As a matter of fact, the main action that should be put in place to achieve gender equality is that men should radically change their way of thinking and behaviors towards women.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Reaching for the stars

The first document under study is a movie poster promoting the film entitled Hidden Figures, released in 2016. The characters on the poster are fictional although they are inspired by the real life of three African-American scientists: “The women you don’t know behind the mission you do” (know). They look determined, proud and sure of themselves even though they were working in a field dominated by white men.

These characters are Katherine Johnson was a human computer and she was the one who found the good calculations to send someone in space and back safely. Dorothy Vaughn became the leader for all the female human computers. Mary was the engineer.  

The second document is a picture of the cast of the film being interviewed. We can see the three actresses, the producer, Pharrel William, the movie director, Theodor Melfi and 2 NASA staff members to make the movie realistic. Behind them, we can see a poster with the pictures of the three female scientists who actually inspired the movie.

When we compare the two documents, we can see the NASA logo and the main actresses in both of the documents.

The main issue at stake is that the place of black women in the 1950s and 1960s in the USA was very complicated, they suffered from a double burden: racism and sexism.

As a matter of fact, without the movie, their stories would have never been told. They are the real hidden figures.

Homework: Learn the lesson

Unit 4: Is it a Man’s World?

To what extent did gender roles start evolving in the 50s and 60s?

Axe: Private and Public Spheres

The document under study is an extract from a TV show entitled “I love Lucy”, released in the 1950s. We can see three people in this scene: a mother, a child and a father. The mother is asking the men of the family what they would like to have for dinner. The husband tells her to do what she wants to do, he trusts in her good judgement. However, she feels lonely, desperate and exhausted because she does not the help she wishes to have. She seems to be stuck in some an ending tasks. She even counts the amount of meals she had cooked for the family in 18 years of marriage. Nevertheless, her husband does not take her seriously and mocks her. She complains about all the tasks a woman should do in a house with no help. She even lists all the tasks she has been doing for a long time and seems exhausted by doing them.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Unit: Is it a Man’s World?

To what extent did gender roles start evolving in the 50s and 60s?

Axe 2: Private and Public Spheres

The document under study is an extract from the TV show “I Love Lucy, broadcast in the 1950s. We can see a family (wife, husband and a child). They are trying to decide what they are going to eat for dinner. The woman is asking her husband and her son their opinion on the matter. They reply back by saying that they do not care what they will eat. They want her to make the decision and chose for them. While the husband just sits there and read his newspaper.

Then,  the wife is complaining because no one is helping her: indeed, being a housewife, every day is the same. She feels lonely, exhausted by her daily chores that she does on repeat.  At some point, she has no idea of types of meal she could cook, because she has cooked so many of them that she runs out of ideas. She even counts all the meals she cooked in 18 years of marriage. Nevertheless, overlooks her exhaustion. He even makes fun of her and never offers a real form of help.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 Balance for Better

The document under study is a video for Balance for Better campaign, for women’s rights and their future in our societies. It was published in 2019 for International Women’s Day. We can hear several people, men and women. They were answering a question: What do you hope gender equality looks like in ten years?

They think that, in ten years, women will have their voices heard in every level of leadership. Moreover, women’s ideas will be celebrated and be given credits. Furthermore, they wish to see more equality in the working world. Besides, women will stop feeling the need to be coached to know how to feel confident and worthy. Instead, they will use this energy for other meaningful projects that will help the world improve. On top of that, women are more and more encouraged to join the scientific fields. As a result, boys and girls should receive the same education in order to have access to the same opportunities.

To conclude, we are all human beings; therefore, everyone should have the same rights and be treated equally. No one should be discriminated against or limited because of their gender.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 Balance for Better

The document under study is a video published in 2019 for International Women’s Day. We can see several women and men who are answering the same question: What do you hope gender equality looks like in ten years?

For example, one of them said that she hopes in ten years women will have a voice in every level of leadership. Moreover, it is important to talk about men and women equality in every field to make a change. Besides, it is important to take the time to listen and involve women more so that can be more represented and feel more worthy and confident. On top of that, women should have the same opportunities on the social, economic and political levels. Furthermore, there should be more women in scientific fields. As a result, boys and girls should be educated the same way in order to access the same opportunities.

These statements are relevant because there are still too much inequalities in our societies. It is very important to help and support one another. No one should be limited or discriminated against because of their gender. Indeed, inequalities are not only about rights, it is also about opportunities, values and behaviors towards one another.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

 (At the fllowing of what we did last time)

The reason why she created this device was because of the Flint water crisis in 2014 (Michigan), she was willing to solve the problem by inventing a new device that could help everyone. Her love for science started when she was 4 years old, her uncle offered her a chemistry kit. She felt the need to finish it in one day. Besides, her opinion on innovation is that it is important to be motivated so that it will be pleasurable. To conclude, her teacher in second grade, when she was 7 years old, told her that she would change the world because she was motivated, creative and generous.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Enjoy Your Vacation! 😉