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| Photo attribution: WellspringCS on Flickr/CC 2.0 Generic |
An article about how women view themselves really touched a chord today with me. It is from Psychology Today.
Here is that link: The Trouble with Bright Girls.
Essentially, the article explains that girls and boys are talked to differently as they grow up. Boys are more active and it's harder for them to focus. They are told that with some more effort, they can succeed. Girls are praised for being docile and quiet, for fitting in. If something is hard for them to grasp, even if they are bright, they give up much easier than boys.
They are not told that "Yes, you can do anything, but sometimes this requires effort and hard work." Instead, they believe that they don't have what it takes if things don't come easily.
Women often undervalue themselves. From the article:
..."in my experience, smart and talented women rarely realize that one of the toughest hurdles they'll have to overcome to be successful lies within. We judge our own abilities not only more harshly, but fundamentally differently, than men do. Understanding why we do it is the first step to righting a terrible wrong. And to do that, we need to take a step back in time.
What a great article. It makes me want to immediately knuckle down! And I can see how explaining the value of hard work and how it doesn't necessarily mean a girl is stupid if she doesn't get something right away... she can work for what she wants. Being intelligent happens in boys AND girls. And girls will succeed more often if they don't quickly give up, as some do - - and I know I have in the past.
Great article, and great for people with girls who need this sort of knowledge about themselves, and about their future and future success.
Betsyanne
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