Whatever happened to jane and dick? Sexism in texts reexamined

Abstract

Differences in the portrayal of females and males in children's reading material have been documented in studies for more than a decade. The under-representation of females as main characters or in careers outside the home in comparison to their representation in reality is a frequent finding in these studies. When portrayed, girls and women are seen in a limited number of familial and societal roles often reflecting a stereotypic definition of appropriate female behavior based on such characteristics as weakness, passivity, and emotionality.2 In contrast, boys and men are seen in a far greater range of roles although most of these also reflect stereotypic notions of appropriate male behavior, such as the display of strength, activity, and lack of emotion.3 As a result of such portrayals, research indicates that children may view females as less than full participants in society and view males as more predominant than in reality.4 Furthermore,