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Breanna Robinson
Mar 24, 2022
Teens protest high school's 'sexist' dress code: 'Am I distracting?'
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A 5-year-old girl was taught a bizarrely sexist Mother's Day song at her school that says mums do "the cleaning and shopping" - and the internet wants to know what time period the school is stuck in.
In a Twitter post uploaded by Sophie Hill, a PolSci PhD student at Harvard University, she shared a screenshot of the song lyrics and some commentary.
"My 5-year-old niece was given this song to sing for Mother's Day at her C of E primary school…" she captioned the post.
The song lyrics started off rather innocently with "My mum's one in a million, I'm sure that you would agree."
But it wasn't until the chorus section of the song that things took a turn.
"My mum's ever so clever. She may not have a degree, but she can help with my homework... My mum's really an angel, she's great at caring for me. She does the cleaning and the shopping and makes a wonderful tea!"
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my 5-year-old niece was given this song to sing for Mothers\u2019 Day at her CofE primary school\u2026 pic.twitter.com/T76I4oP6P5— Sophie Hill (@Sophie Hill) 1648046178
Oh goodness.
Hill also took to the comments of her post to add that the company that sells the Mother's Day song also has one for Father's Day that calls dad's geniuses.
Fun fact: @singoutoftheark, the company that sells this bizarrely sexist Mothers' Day song also has one for Fathers' Day!\n\nNo mention of any caregiving tasks here but it does make sure to specify that dads are "clever" and "genius". \n\ncc: @EverydaySexismpic.twitter.com/56iSGO0aAw— Sophie Hill (@Sophie Hill) 1648051738
People in the comments of the post also swiftly took to the comments to share their confusion and outrage over the situation.
The mad thing is the number of people this has to go through:\n\nThe writer, the publisher, the printer, the school, the teachers and NO ONE at any point says,\n\n"Hang on a minute...."— Doctor Paul Quizmaster (@Doctor Paul Quizmaster) 1648113811
Absolutely appalled by this poem! My kid\u2019s state CofE primary school have been determined to take the opposite approach. They\u2019ve been celebrating women in medicine & highlighting their struggle for equality. These children are our future!https://twitter.com/drneenajha/status/1504849285044654086?s=21\u00a0\u2026— Neena Jha (@Neena Jha) 1648118878
Another person thought that people should be "grateful" and that the song was a way to give thanks to mums who gave up so much for their children.
"She may not have a degree" is just saying thanks Mum for giving up your hopes and dreams for me. It isn't saying Mums don't ever have degrees. It isn't saying they shouldn't. It's a fact Women do all this stuff & give up so much. Why eradicate that from discourse? Be thankful!— Sam Margrave (@Sam Margrave) 1648119514
Others took matters into their own hands and corrected the lyrics themselves.
Fixed it!pic.twitter.com/cJADUALhIp— Helen Lovatt (@Helen Lovatt) 1648061185
My mum\u2019s one in a million,\nWith degrees and a reasonable wage,\nShe shares the domestic roles with my dad,\nBecause we\u2019re not in the Stone Age.\n\nShe\u2019s a complex human being\nWhich sometimes means she gets narky \nBut the sure fire way to make her day\nIs to shout fuck patriarchy— Rosie Johnson Illustrates (@Rosie Johnson Illustrates) 1648116172
This isn't the only time that sexism has occurred in schools.
In Japanese schools that do have strict rules and regulations, a recent dress code isn't allowing female students to wear their hair in a ponytail because the nape of their necks might "sexually arouse" the male students.
However, this Birmingham primary school headteacher banned phrases like “man up” and “good morning boys and girls” because it can create a gender divide for those who don't identify with either sex. Instead, she suggests using "good morning everyone" to boost inclusivity.
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