Children challenge gender stereotypes in their poignant drawings

YOUNG Victorians are challenging gender stereotypes head-on through their drawings, which include superhero mums, stay-at-home dads, girls who play football and boys who wear pink.

SUPERHERO mums, stay-at-home dads, girls who play football and boys who wear pink.

These drawings by some of our young Victorians show how challenging gender stereotypes can be child’s play.

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The stark images reflect back at adults the differences children as young as five can detect between how boys and girls are supposed to behave.

It’s part of a campaign by the Women’s Health in the South East service to help children from local schools identify and question gender stereotypes.

Students with the posters they created: Oliver 5, Charli 11, Isabella 10 and Mia 9. Picture: Kylie Else

Health promotion co-ordinator Megan Bugden said the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign aimed to reduce acts of violence by addressing gender stereotypes that fed unequal and disrespectful behaviour.

The drawings by students from Karingal Primary School and Ballam Park Preschool are among those to feature on ­coffee cups, posters, social media and postcards during the campaign, which starts next Saturday.

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