I dislike the #boymom so much. As a mom of a boy I feel like it places a box around my son and my experience as a mom.
Do you think in the countries where women learn English better is due to women feeling the need to conform more than men? Like, women become whatever is needed of them and if that means learning another language, then they will do that. Or that women may feel the constant need to improve themselves (ex: dieting, self help) and if learning another language is added to that list they will do that, versus men who may not or do not feel that pressure to change or improve? (And I’m speaking in generalities here. I know not all men or women operate like this). Maybe this is all covered in the wapo article you linked but I read my free articles already, which, like, how? It’s the first of the month. And, finally, does this pressure increase once you become a mother, especially if it reflects directly on your parenting? I know that it does for me.
In the study and the article I mention, the reason is said to be because women are overrepresented in the humanities in those countries, or pushed into going to study languages. So, in those countries, men are pushed into areas where a proficiency in English is not necessary (math, engineering, science) as they are probably considered "better" in those areas (another stereotype directly related to this discussion). And yes, that may then be directly linked to the idea of conforming to those stereotypes although, not sure if it would be linked to the idea of improving oneself in the same sense as dieting but never say never! In terms of pressure post-motherhood, absolutely there is an added pressure to constantly optimize ourselves as mothers but also optimize our children and this is definitely something that happens in language. Here, an example would be to feel the pressure to ensure your child is meeting language milestones for example or, if you are raising them in multiple languages, the pressure of doing that at all but also to staying on top of it. Like so much of parenting and especially mothering, it so often reflects on the mother (this is something I examine in multilingual childrearing, the idea that a child's proficiency in a certain language, whether that be the school language or the heritage language, reflects if the mother is "successful" or not when of course there is so many other factors at play).
Just noticed my typos after writing this very quickly, on the go! But you get the idea of the comment. Thank you for commenting and sharing your experience.
I dislike the #boymom so much. As a mom of a boy I feel like it places a box around my son and my experience as a mom.
Do you think in the countries where women learn English better is due to women feeling the need to conform more than men? Like, women become whatever is needed of them and if that means learning another language, then they will do that. Or that women may feel the constant need to improve themselves (ex: dieting, self help) and if learning another language is added to that list they will do that, versus men who may not or do not feel that pressure to change or improve? (And I’m speaking in generalities here. I know not all men or women operate like this). Maybe this is all covered in the wapo article you linked but I read my free articles already, which, like, how? It’s the first of the month. And, finally, does this pressure increase once you become a mother, especially if it reflects directly on your parenting? I know that it does for me.
In the study and the article I mention, the reason is said to be because women are overrepresented in the humanities in those countries, or pushed into going to study languages. So, in those countries, men are pushed into areas where a proficiency in English is not necessary (math, engineering, science) as they are probably considered "better" in those areas (another stereotype directly related to this discussion). And yes, that may then be directly linked to the idea of conforming to those stereotypes although, not sure if it would be linked to the idea of improving oneself in the same sense as dieting but never say never! In terms of pressure post-motherhood, absolutely there is an added pressure to constantly optimize ourselves as mothers but also optimize our children and this is definitely something that happens in language. Here, an example would be to feel the pressure to ensure your child is meeting language milestones for example or, if you are raising them in multiple languages, the pressure of doing that at all but also to staying on top of it. Like so much of parenting and especially mothering, it so often reflects on the mother (this is something I examine in multilingual childrearing, the idea that a child's proficiency in a certain language, whether that be the school language or the heritage language, reflects if the mother is "successful" or not when of course there is so many other factors at play).
Just noticed my typos after writing this very quickly, on the go! But you get the idea of the comment. Thank you for commenting and sharing your experience.
Thank you for taking the time to reply! Love your posts!
Lolol girls are chattier people have never met my son ;). How tiresome stereotypes become as you parent.