$300 Writing Prize Focuses Kids On Gender Equity

Harry Potter will be eligible to enter the contest sponsored by emerging young adult novelist R.J. Nimmo — on one condition.

Harry Potter will be eligible to enter the contest sponsored by emerging young adult novelist R.J. Nimmo — on one condition.

 

"He would need some magical spell or potion to transform himself from 'Harry' to 'Harriet,'" jokedNimmo, who specializes in entertainment for children and young adults.

 

"Depicting how the well known kid wizard would act as a witch would be charming for both essayist and peruser," Nimmo said. "And that's exactly the kind of fun, witty and creative rendition our judges are looking for."

 

Nimmo, writer of the arising "Mustard Twins" dream series, expresses patterns in writing designated to youngsters risk catching kids in what he calls "a sort of perusing time-travel."

 

"Certainly, children's books are far behind today's society as far as gender representation in fictional heroes and characters is concerned," he said. "A lot of popular fiction reflects outdated stereotypes of masculinity and femininity roles. And books written for children and young adults are largely to blame. I'm not just talking about mainstream books, but Newbery and Caldecott medal winners, too." To challenge the status quo, Nimmo is encouraging contestants to predict how the protagonist of their favorite fiction book or story would act or react in a dramatic situation. But there's a twist: Participants must first change the protagonist's gender role or characteristics. With the contest, Nimmo hopes to positively alert parents and children to the subtle messages being transmitted through popular entertainment. "Readers — especially young ones — are constantly being exposed to values ​​that are completely different from modern times," he said. Studies show that boys are nearly four times more likely than girls to read books and TV shows, including those written by women, from Harry Potter to Artemis Fowl. In addition, Nimmo points out that even books that have female or gender-neutral names in the title often revolve around a male character. Why should parents be concerned?

 

"Society's values ​​are largely transmitted to children through fiction," Nimmo said. "So it's critical that guardians know that confidence and self-awareness are affected by the legends of the books and stories we imitate as youngsters."

 

Still, Nimmo said, there are things parents can do to sensitize children to the issue.

 

"Try to remember for your perusing decisions books where people are depicted with various characters in light of orientation, where achievements are not assessed in view of orientation, and where the individual is logical or emotional depending on the situation," she said.

 

To encourage young people to challenge conventions in the stories and books written for them, Nimmo is giving away a $300 cash prize, as well as signed copies of her latest novel, “The Ancient Egyptian Ennead,” which tells the story of two courageous teenage female protagonists and their adventures in ancient Egypt during the time of the pharaohs.

 

FAQs

Who releases the Gender Equality Index?

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

 

What does gender equality mean?

Orientation uniformity is the method involved with being reasonable for ladies and men. To ensure fairness, strategies and measures must often be available to compensate for women's historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from functioning at an equal level. Equality leads to equality.

 

What is India's rank in the Gender Equality Index?

World Economic Forum Gender Inequality Report 2024: 134 years to equality, India ranked 129th - Frontline

 

What is gender equality and women's empowerment?

SDG 5 strives towards gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. It aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls. It also aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices such as child, early, and forced marriage.

 

Which state is first in gender equality?

The Kerala government has hosted the first global conference on gender equality. It aims to reduce gender inequality in the country and increase female work participation rate. The subject of the program is "Direction, Organization and Thought".

 

What is India's rank in Global Gender Gap 2024?

The World Economic Forum has recently published the Global Gender Gap Report 2024. In this, India has reached 129th position out of 146 countries.

 

What measures have been taken to achieve gender equality in India?

Efforts are being made to empower women through schemes like 'BetiBachaoBetiPadhao', 'One Stop Center Scheme', 'Women Helpline Scheme' and 'Mahila Shakti Kendra'. As a result of the implementation of these schemes, progress is being seen in sex ratio and educational enrollment of girls.

 

What is Gender Difference Theory?

Gender theory is concerned with the construction or development of the self and consists of a theory in which an individual’s ability to speak, think, act, and understand is viewed as having culturally specific behavioral patterns that develop over time (Disch, 2008).