Women in Education

Mill's Analysis:

John Stuart Mill was an influential philosopher who advocated for women’s rights. He believed in equal opportunities for women, specifically education, and argued that women and men both have the same intellectual functions (Martin, 1991). In Martin's reading “The Contradiction and the Challenge of the Educated Woman”, he notes that “women who read and write and do history, philosophy and mathematics will not be viewed as contradictions” and women should be “given access to men’s education” (Martin, 1991). Mill's believed that it was a “waste” to restrict women from educational opportunities. He rejected the social construction of gender, which questioned the intellectual equality of women. He concludes his beliefs by stating that women who receive quality education would not only challenge gender equality, but also factors of social reform and societal progression. He strongly believed that educated women would benefit society economically and socially, make women better mothers and wives, and improve self autonomy. His groundbreaking advocacy later introduced feminist movements and continuous discussions on women’s rights in education.

History vs Today

Historically, women in education were often seen as “contradictions'' and faced extreme gender disparities. The marginalization of women in education began with the social construct of traditional gender roles (Martin, 2003). These deeply ingrained expectations served as a reason to deny education to women. Women were seen as primary caretakers, children bearers, and expected to have domestic roles. Education was seen as detrimental to their traditional role in the household, where being educated and a mother simultaneously was not a matter of discussion. In contrast, male roles were assigned as breadwinners, leaders, and were highly educated. Thus, women suffered from intellectual inferiority, where stereotypes suggested that women were not intelligent and were not capable of handling education in contrary to their male counterparts (Martin, 1991). This bias not only restricted their access to education, but they were even denied careers that were restricted for males.

Today, women have made significant progress in education, breaking many of these historical stereotypes and biases. Despite these efforts, it is vital to acknowledge that gender stereotypes continue to be a topic of discussion today. There continue to be many “male” and “female” directed jobs, where men continue to dominate in leadership roles, while women are often given inferior positions. It is essential to continue challenging these historical biases and move towards the eradication of gender inequality in education and in the workforce. While it is interesting to note that women have now broken the education barrier, there continues to be a double standard of women being educated while keeping their children-bearing roles at home. When women pursue higher education and high-profile careers, some may perceive this as a deviation from their stereotypical role as mothers. This myth does not reflect the ability of women managing both roles, nor does it make her career or role as a mother less meaningful. As a society, it is our job to continue breaking down these implicit biases and fight for gender equality.

Why this is Important to Me

As an educated woman, I feel deeply connected to Mill’s ideologies. Living in a country like Canada, women are blessed to freely choose their education, careers and aspirations. However, in many developing countries in the world, such as Sudan or Afghanistan, females are often denied an education at early ages in life. Whether it be due to social/cultural norms or war torn countries, many females continue to be denied an education worldwide. According to World Education, 95% of females living in Somalia do not have an education (GEM, 2022). As someone who has always been a life-long learner, this is extremely heartbreaking to know. Education goes beyond individual advantages and is a powerful tool for empowering women, creating an equitable society, and helping boost a country’s economy.

References

Arnot, M., & Philip Miles. (2005). A Reconstruction of the Gender Agenda: The Contradictory Gender Dimensions in New Labour’s Educational and Economic Policy. Oxford Review of Education, 31(1), 173–189. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4618611

FFWE. (2016). Fighting for Women’s Education. https://fightforwomenseducation.weebly.com/

Martin, J. R. (1991). The contradiction and the challenge of the educated woman. Women’s Studies Quarterly [Special Issue on Women, Girls, and the Culture of Education], 19(1/2), 6-27.

Martin, J. R. (2003). What should we do with a feminist educational theory when we have one? A response to Audrey Thompson. Curriculum Inquiry, 33(1), 67-77. doi: 10.1111/1467-873X.00250

Thorpe, J. R. (2017, May 11). Here’s how women fought for the right to be educated throughout history. Bustle. https://www.bustle.com/p/heres-how-women-fought-for-the-right-to-be-educated-throughout-history-53150

Report, B. G. (2022, February 4). The bottom ten countries for female education. World Education Blog. https://world-education-blog.org/2012/11/09/the-bottom-ten-countries-for-female-education/