How Does Gender Affect the Teaching Profession?

 As we near the end of Women's History Month, I am reminded of how gender affects how we interact within society. During this week's unit, I read about how teaching is another profession that is affected by gender. The switch from being a male-dominated to a female-dominated field has a correlation with the historical disrespect and low pay of teachers. Teachers are viewed as over-glorified babysitters when that should not be the case. The association of women with caretaker roles may contribute to this perception that harms educators from reaching their full teaching potential. Gender does not only affect the perceptions people have of educators. 

Students, being autonomous growing individuals, can struggle with gender identity. School should be a safe space for students to express themselves, but it is often a source of anxiety. Bullying from other students and a lack of acceptance from teachers lead to feelings of isolation for trans and other gender-nonconforming students. Educators and administration must acknowledge that everyone is different, and accepting those differences will make humanity stronger. As we learn, we must grow to welcome these gender identities in order to ensure a more united society. 

Like Alex in the Gender Diversity article, being welcomed at school by educators allows for feelings of belonging and acceptance. Gender identity should not affect how one is treated, although that is unfortunately the case within our society. If we can de-escalate bullying and create a safe space within classrooms for LGBT students, we can demonstrate to our students that kindness and respect for every human must always be practiced.