Undoubtedly
speaking about the differences between genders nowadays, it is like
opening Pandora's box, because although many people want to claim
labour, social and family rights among many economic policies,
paradoxically they resist it.
We can not deny that there are clear differences between genders, the
most obvious biological and perhaps psychological ones are usually
"manipulated" in some way. Socially, since our parents have
knowledge of our gender, a specific arsenal of behaviors is employed
towards the new being that will be part of that family.
As
a professional in the educational field, I have always wondered if we
could develop the same skills in both genders. Being a mother I have
been able to put this question or hypothesis to the test. I realize
that regardless of our gender a boy or girl can learn to have skills
supposedly characteristic of the other gender. The ability to express
our feelings is not reduced, or should not be reduced only to girls
or women; teaching to be assertive, proactive, resilient is possible
in both genders. Likewise, it is also possible to develop
spatial-logical-mathematical abilities in girls, but of course if
this is possible, something is failing or needs to be done. Because
even in the 21st century the work developed by women is undervalued
even if it is the same and/or of a higher quality than that of a man.
It
would seem that to be a woman is to be destined to choose between
professional aspirations or motherhood, and in the best of cases,
when these two roles can be balanced, we can see the enormous social
pressure that this entails. Nor is there an economic reward for this
double effort. In fact, it is inexplicable why an actor earns more
than an actress for the same job, why an executive can have unlimited
aspirations just for being a man.
These differences between genders are even more marked in my country (Bolivia) as in many others in Latin America. I still do not understand how the percentage of women graduates in universities has tripled and very few or almost none have access to real command posts.
Hypocritically, equality is sought for and even claimed; however,
roles and even salaries are defined, the proof is in the pudding:
there are more women nurses, nursery education teachers; there are
more firemen or pilots, there are more midwives, more maids, there
are more men presidents, politicians or businessmen ....
I'm not sure when or how to achieve a theoretical-practical equality,
hopefully my daughter or my grandchildren will live it ... but I
think in a pessimistic tone that this will take another century or
more for it to become a reality.
