Gender differences (external factors)

• impact of feminism (girls)

  • McRobbie found that in the 1970s, they emphasised the importance of getting married
  • Nowadays, they contain images of strong, assertive and independent women
  • Feminists have campaigned for women’s rights changes in the law
  • e.g. equal rights
• Changes in Women’s Employment

  • changes in the law have improved the position of women
  • e.g. the Equal Pay Act (1970) & Sex Discrimination Act (1975)
• Changing Girls Ambitious

  • Sharpe found that girls’ ambitions in the 1970s were to marry and have children, being in a domestic role
  • However, in the 1990s, the girls’ priorities had changed to careers and wanting to be independent
• Boys’ literacy

  • parents spend less time reading to sons because it’s seen as a feminine activity
  • boys leisure interests do not encourage language and communication skills; whereas girls’ bedroom culture does
• decline in manual labour

  • globalisation led to the decline in heavy industries
  • e.g. shipbuilding, mining, manufacturing
  • this has led to a male ‘identity crisis’ giving them little motivation to get qualifications for a job