Geography is sexist

[YankeeFan]

I'm not sure why anyone thinks we need to actively foster geographic curiosity in girls.

Can't we just accept that boys and girls have different interests, and that's ok?

Some say educators need to actively foster geographic curiosity in girls while others believe National Geographic Society is in violation of Title IX, which prohibits exclusion on the grounds of gender from federally funded education programs.

Penn State University psychology professor Lynn Liben has studied the bee's gender gap, which has persisted since the competition began in 1989.

She found boys and girls entered the competition at similar but the contest the number of girls whittles away.

Liben believes she believes cultural factors push boys into subjects involving spatial learning. Geography which has map reading at its core has special learning at its core.

Parents are more likely to emphasize stories about exploring, war and battles with boys, all of which involve maps and thinking spatially.

National Geographic Bee sexism row as just four finalists are girls | Daily Mail Online

 

[BTExpress]

Boys' game:

Girls' game:

 

[YankeeFan]

Boys' game:

Girls' game:

Is that reflective of the differences in the interests between boys and girls, or is it helping to create the differences.

 

[Songbird]

Is that reflective of the differences in the interests between boys and girls, or is it helping to create the differences.

What if you combine My Little Pony and Risk? Conquering Kamchatka with cute little ponies would definitely get girlies involved.

 

[da man]

My daughter consistently kicks all our asses at Risk.

That is all.

 

[Justin_Rice]

Boys' game:

Risk is a terrible, terrible, terrible board game.

In case anyone was wondering ...

 

[Songbird]

Risk is a terrible, terrible, terrible board game.

In case anyone was wondering ...

Great during those snowy Vermont nights when you're stoned with the Weather Channel on in the background.

Ahh, memories.

 

[Justin_Rice]

Great during those snowy Vermont nights when you're stoned with the Weather Channel on in the background.

Ahh, memories.

Terrible game.

For super nerds, give me ...

Atlanta Is Ours

Here I Stand

Combat Commander: Europe

...

and for slightly lesser nerds, I'll take ...

Terraforming Mars

...

and for the "OK, fine. I'll play a board game with you" crowd, let's go with ...

Ticket to Ride

Battle Sheep

 

[LongTimeListener]

This seems like:

A) a problem

B) not a problem that National Geographic can solve through a contest

So you’re either going to have to let it be, or go to separate contests.

 

[YankeeFan]

This seems like:

A) a problem

B) not a problem that National Geographic can solve through a contest

So you’re either going to have to let it be, or go to separate contests.

"B" is certainly true. The cake has already been baked by the time the kids get to the National Geographic contest.

I'm still not convinced that "A" is true though. Why is it a problem?

 

[LongTimeListener]

There are all sorts of studies about all sorts of subjects — math and computer coding being the two that come to mind — and how they are geared to boys in subtle but powerful ways that widen the gap over time. Also, there are gender differences in the brain that aren’t accounted for. So for example, a girl who will be just fine at math by the time she’s 18 if she sticks with it, she gets discouraged because she falls behind, and then she gets off the math track and never even has the chance to catch up.

Could be the same thing with geography.

 

[Songbird]

Did Danica McKellar's book make a dent yet?

 

[Oggiedoggie]

As a guy, I’ve always found it a source of pride (almost to the point of being a determining factor for evaluating self-worth) to always be aware of exactly where I am geographically and the best route I would take to get from there to any other location.

My wife scoffs at the time I spend on research and planning, then merely asks someone for directions.

Of course both our methods would be easily replaced by our smart phones. But, for me, that’s basically admitting defeat. My wife says the lady in the phone is a bit rude because she just barks out orders and will not engage in any real sort of conversation about family or feelings and, thereby, reminds her too much of me.

 

[swingline]

*Make a U-turn in 500 feet. Make a U-turn in 200 feet. Hey, asshole, you missed the U-turn. Make a U-turn in 500 feet.*

 

[JC]

Risk is a terrible, terrible, terrible board game.

In case anyone was wondering ...

If by terrible you mean the best, I agree.

 

[SpeedTchr]

Stratego, with the addition of rubberbands as nukes!

 

[Songbird]

Stratego, with the addition of rubberbands as nukes!

When I was 10 or 11 I went on a Walk-a-thon with my mom. It was 11 miles. Afterward there was a celebration and picnic for the few thousand people. They had a raffle too. My ticket was drawn and I won Stratego ... and it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

 

[Justin_Rice]

Stratego is still pretty meh, but much better than Risk. .... unless you're trying to learn geography, in which case "pond on the left" and "pond on the right" don't really do much.

 

[BTExpress]

Well, Risk's "geography" is a little strange.

In its dreams Ukraine is that big.

 

[maumann]

Risk was fun, in so far as making the player holding those territories correctly pronounce Yakutsk and Irkutsk five times fast.