Video 3 - Gender discrimination Video discussion notes

Video synopses
Part 1 This video communicates the serious issue of gender discrimination through a hyper-real music video. During a careers lesson where students are choosing their work experience placements, the teacher asks a student, called Beth, what she wants to do and she explains she would like to be a plumber. The teacher dismisses her career choice as a joke and her peers laugh and ridicule her choice. Beth is furious and escapes into an imaginary world where genders are reversed. Beth and her friends are dressed as plumbers, fireman and mechanics, singing and telling the boys that girls can do boys jobs and asking them how they would feel if boys were resigned to jobs such as dinner ladies.

Lesson plan activities

The following lessons include main activities that use this video: Lesson 1 - Action and consequences Lesson 2 - Empathy Lesson 5 - Negative attitudes Lesson 6 - Discrimination

Beth is suddenly pulled back to reality and the teacher is persuading her to take a placement as a wedding planner. Beth is so angry she walks out. Part 2 Beth decides she isnt giving up without a fight. An urban style of music starts and she goes back into the classroom, singing and making an argument for her career choice and challenges her teachers and peers views. By the end, the teacher concedes that Beth has made very good points and her peers all cheer her choice and feel empowered to choose whatever job that interests them regardless of their gender.

Equality issues in the video

Discrimination and prejudice  The teacher and students are discriminating against Beth because of her gender. They hold prejudiced views that there are womens and mens jobs and plumbing is a mans job.  The discrimination manifests by the teacher dissuading Beth from pursuing an apprenticeship or career in plumbing, and by the students ridiculing her decision. Equality Act 2010 By discouraging Beth from a plumbing apprenticeship, the teacher is likely to be conducting unlawful sex discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Under the Equality Act 2010 the school has a public sector equality duty (PSED) which means that they must take active steps to identify and address issues of discrimination towards individuals with protected characteristics (these being disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation). If the school failed to take active steps to tackle gender discrimination in their careers education, once they have clearly established that it is taking place, they would not be meeting the requirements of the PSED. For more information on the PSED, refer to the Gender discrimination - Background research and information section below.

Class discussion points

After part 1: What is the serious issue in the video? What is happening and who are the key people involved? What are the consequences/impact on the people involved? How do you think the people are feeling? How is the teacher treating Beth? Is this discrimination? What protected characteristic are they discriminating against? What prejudiced attitudes do you think the teacher might have? Are these prejudiced attitudes linked to any stereotypes? How does it make you feel when you see the roles reversed in Beths imaginary world? How could the situation be improved? How could the teachers and students attitudes be challenged or improved? Is the teacher fulfilling their public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010? Could the teacher be breaking the law under the Equality Act 2010? After part 2: How have the attitudes/behaviour/feelings of the people changed? What action was taken? How has the situation improved? Do you think it is right or fair for there to be girls or boys jobs? How do you feel about a girl being a plumber or a boy working in a beauty salon? What is the serious message in the video?

Background research and information

Gender discrimination in the UK - How fair is Britain?
Every three years the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) produces a report on the progress that society is making in relation to equality, human rights and good relations. The first report, How fair is Britain?, revealed that gender inequality still exists:  Women occupy 77% of admin and secretarial posts but only 6% of engineering and 14% of architects, planners and surveyors posts. 83% of people employed in personal services are women. Women hold 1 in 3 managerial jobs in Britain.  Women remain unrepresented in Parliament and other political institutions. After the 2010 General Election there were 144 female MPS out of 650 in total.  Women with degrees are estimated to face only a 4% loss in lifetime earnings as a result of motherhood, while mothers with mid-level qualifications face a 25% loss and those with no qualifications a 58% loss.  Women aged over 40 years earn on average 27% less than men of the same age. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/key-projects/how-fair-is-britain/

Gender discrimination in the UK Apprenticeship research

Research reveals inequalities: Sector Early Years: Hairdressing: Engineering manufacturing: Electro-technical: Gender pay gap for apprentices - 21% Percentage of students by sex 97% female 91% female 98% male 99% male Average weekly rates 142 109 189 210

Gender discrimination in the UK - other stats

 Only 2-3% of child care workers are men (www.daycaretrust.org.uk).  On average, women in Britain working full-time earn 109 less per week than men working full time (Office of National Statistics 2008).

Tackling gender discrimination

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a public sector equality duty (PSED) which means that they must take active steps to identify and address issues of discrimination where there is evidence of prejudice, harassment or victimisation, lack of understanding, disadvantage, or lack of participation for individuals with protected characteristics (these being disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation).

As the PSED is for all public authorities, it is not defined specifically for schools, but any decisions made on how to take steps to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations must be made on evidence, not on assumptions or stereotypes. For further information and guidance on delivering these duties, refer to the Equality and Human Rights Commissions website: Equality Act 2010: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/guidance-for-educationproviders-schools/ Public Sector Equality Duty: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/public-sector-equality-duty/

DFE guidance
This section of the Department for Education provides information to assist schools in preventing gender discrimination: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/inclusionandlearnersupport/inclusion/ equalityanddiversity/gender For more information on gender discrimination, refer to the useful links section of Equal Rights, Equal Respect: www.equalityhumanrights.com/equalrightsequalrespect/usefullinks