Gender Roles

GENDER ROLES

 

Are You Sexist?

 

Are men and women equal in all things?  Are men better at some things and women at others?  Men are different from women but does that mean they are better?  Take this quiz to see if you have sexist tendencies.

 

1.        Your connection to the internet is hopeless! You call the broad-band internet service providers to send a technician. The technician who arrives turns out to be female. You:

a.        tell her the problem is solved, then when she’s gone call for another technician.

b.        think she’ll need help but you’ll give her a chance.

c.        invite her in and show her the problem.

 

2.        A female friend of yours says she hates it when men open doors for her.  You think she:

a.        should let men open doors for her and thank them for their politeness.

b.        is dead right

c.        is making too much over nothing

 

3.        You see a lady in a fur coat in an expensive car.  Your first thought is:

a.        she must have a rich husband or boyfriend

b.        she must have a highly paid job

c.        some innocent animal died for her coat.

 

4.        You go to visit a female friend.  At her house, her brother is busy sewing a button onto his shirt. You:

a.        tell your friend she should be sewing the button for him.

b.        Laugh and ask where he learned how to sew.

c.        Ask him if he could mend a tear in your trousers.

 

5.        You are in the car.  The car in front of you goes through a red light.  You say:

a.        “That driver must be colour blind”

b.        “I’ll bet that was a woman driver.”

c.        “That driver is very irresponsible.”

 

6.        There is a girl in your class who has sexy pictures of male actors and pop stars all over her notebooks.  You think:

a.        it is dreadful the way that she is treating men.

b.        she has a terrible taste in men.

c.        It’s one thing for men to have pin-ups of women but it’s in bad taste for her to have pictures of men.

 

7.        You are eating in an expensive restaurant.  The food is excellent and you would like to tell the cook.  You go into the kitchen and see a lady in a uniform.  You ask her:

a.        “Could you tell me where the cook is?”

b.        “Are you the cook?”

c.        “Do you work here?”

 

8.        You are working in a restaurant.  A man and woman have just finished their meal and asked for the bill.  You:

a.        present the bill to the man.

b.        present the bill to the woman.

c.        place the bill on the table between the two of them.

 

9.        You are about to buy a book about European philosophy when you turn the book over and see the author’s photo.  She has long wavy blonde hair, and is dressed in a tight blouse and a mini skirt and has a lot of make up.  You:

a.        decide you want a book that looks more academic

b.        look inside for a details about the author's credentials.

c.        buy the book.

 

10.     You have a little brother.  For his birthday he says he wants a girl doll more than anything. You:

a.        get him the exact doll he wants.

b.        tell him boys don’t play with dolls and get him a football instead.

c.        get him a boy doll.

 

RESULTS:

Key:  Score as follows:

1/ a-15 b-10 c-5                              2/ a-15 b-10 c-5                     3/ a-15 b-5 c-10

4/ a-15 b-10 c-5                              5/ a-10 b-15 c-5                     6/ a-10 b-5 c-15

7/ a-15 b-10 c-5                              8/ a-15 b-10 c-5                     9/ a-15 b-10 c-5

10/a-5 b-15 c-10

 

125-150 points. Oh dear!  You need to take a look at male and female stereotypes.  Remember you can be chivalrous without being sexist.

75-120 points. Confused?  Aren’t we all!  You have good instincts but need to think things through more carefully.

50-70 points. No worries – you must be sensitive to both female and male points of view.  Do you have a lot of brothers and sisters?