Today is International Women’s Day! In 8A we have had a brilliant whole class discussion this morning. Some of the pupils asked why there isn’t an “international men’s day”. We looked at how, throughout history, women have been treated differently to men. We talked about how women didn’t used to be able to have a vote and how, in some jobs, men were paid more than women for doing the same job. This sparked a discussion about “men’s jobs” and “women’s jobs”. We discussed jobs such as nurse and doctor, and how today, these jobs can be held by men or women. Some of 8A said that seeing a man being a nurse “didn’t seem right” and we talked about how, as long as you can do a job well, it shouldn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. Some of 8A pupils asked about if your sexuality should affect which job you do, again we reiterated that, as long as you can do a job well, your sexuality shouldn’t matter.

We also talked about sports and how we don’t get to see or hear about a lot of women’s sport. We don’t see women’s sport on TV as much as men’s sport, and that female athletes don’t get paid as much as male athletes do. Some of 8A voiced how unfair this is.

Finally, we talked about marriage and having children, and how in the past, women didn’t get to choose if they wanted to get married and to who, nor did they get to choose if they wanted to have children or not. We went around the class and asked everyone if they would like to get married when they are older, and if they would like to have children. There was a mixed bag of responses- some of 8A do want to get married and have children, some just married, some just have children and some of 8A don’t want to get married or have children. We talked about how this is OK and it is our own choice, whether we are a boy or a girl, whether we will get married or have children.

All staff were really impressed with 8A pupils today for taking part in this discussion. They asked sensible questions and voiced mature opinions about this too. Well done 8A!

Mrs Fisher, Mrs England, Mrs Taylor and Miss Berry

International Women’s Day in 8A