Anomica
Trooper
Onhell said:
You've got a point here, Onhell. But I believe another reason why girls outperform boys in school is quite simply that so many teachers in the lower grades where the foundations are set are women - as role models and in other ways - which may suit the girl students better (just like the theory that today's school system is more suited for the middle classes than working or upper classes, due to language, coda and views on education and rewards, i.e children of the middle classes are brought up understanding the idea of working now for a future reward, like good marks or a good academic career, while children from the working classes learn that rewards should come instantly thus not seeing the point in learning something today that you can't use in another 3-4-5 years).
@LC: I agree that things are changing to a more equal society, although there seems to be a push to run women back home, to a 50s image of women. I see this in teenage boys, mainly, who say that women should be pretty to look at but quiet, stay at home, take care of children and home etc. I don't know why, but there seems to be a shift going on. Many children born in the 80s and 90s seem to have these views. Another backlash, perhaps? Hopefully, these views will change when the children become older, but when I listen to my 14-year old son and his mates, those are the views
In Sweden we take pride in being one of the more equal countries in the world - regardless of the truth in this. On some points we've come very far, for instance when you have children you get to stay home with your child for 18 months with 80% of your pay (up to a limit, of course, but about 75% of all wage earners get this) and 2 months are earmarked for the father. You can, however decide with your partner if you want 9 months each, or if the man wants to take 12 of the 18 months, etcetera. The main things that keeps fathers from using this system to the full (which is wonderful, to get 6-12 months paternity leave when your child is under a year - I took 10 months
) are 2: women still usually have the lower income (about 80%) and families claim they can't afford the income loss, and 2) work-place peer pressure (in some work places men get ridiculed for wanting paternity leave). Both things are changing, though. We're equal in some things, but not in our working life - women have lower incomes, they have a harder time to reach the top leadership positions and becoming board members etc.
