The aim of the current study has been to explore the phenomena related to gender
issues in English and Chinese awarded picture books in the last decade. This chapter
provides a summary of the key findings made to answer research questions first. Then,
some pedagogical implications of the study are outlined. Next, limitations emerged in the
process of carrying out the study will be stated. Finally, suggestions for future studies are
proposed.
Summary of the Major Findings
With analyses of the study, some conclusions can be drawn. The major findings of
the study are summarized as follows.
In English award winning picture books, gender stereotyping is found in some
aspects explored, i.e. titles, cover illustrations, page illustrations, a variety of occupations
and the occupational roles, but not in activities and personality traits from 2003 to 2012.
By comparing the change between two 5-year periods, 2003-07 and 2008-12, a more equal
representation was noted in an increase of female’s appearances on page illustrations and a
decrease of passive-dependent activities participated by females.
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1) Female characters were not presented in many titles over the two periods. There was a
rise in the frequency of males from the first period to the second while there was a
decrease in the visibility of females.
2) Males were pictured far more frequently as main characters on covers of EAWPB in the
last ten years. Between the early and late period, the percentages of males appearing on
the cover illustrations rose up, but the proportions of females portrayed declined.
3) In the last decade, more males than females were portrayed in page illustrations of
EAWPB in terms of frequency of appearance. The percentages of male and female
appearances on page illustrations increased from the first period to the second period.
However, there were more pictures of males than females between two periods.
4) Males represented a broad range of occupational options than females. Male and female
characters were presented as having traditional occupations in EAWPB of the past
decade. The percentages of traditional occupations assigned to males rose between two
time periods. Moreover, from period 1 to period 2, the percentages of females with
traditional occupations increased.
5) Over the last decade, the central male characters were more likely to be presented as
participating in instrumental-independent activities. Interestingly, for the central female
characters, they engaged more in instrumental-independent activities than
passive-dependent ones. Between the two 5-year periods, males depicted engaging in
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instrumental-independent activities was steady. For females participating in
pass-dependent activities, there was a sharp decline between both periods.
6) Male and female characters of EAWPB were depicted, exhibiting a wider range of traits,
both masculine and feminine in the past ten years. From the early period to the late
period, males displayed masculine traits rose up. The portrayals of females with
feminine traits between two time periods were stable.
In Chinese awarded picture books, gender roles were not equally presented in some
areas examined, i.e. titles, cover illustrations, page illustrations, a variety of occupations
and the occupational roles, activities, and traits between 2003 and 2012. In comparison
with the findings between the periods 2003-07 and 2008-12, a more balanced
representation of gender roles was noted in a drop of traditional occupations assigned to
females, of passive-dependent activities performed by females, of masculine traits
displayed by males, and of feminine traits portrayed by females.
1) The proportion of males appearing was greater than the proportion of female characters
between two periods. While there was a rise in the frequency of males from the first
period to the second period, there were less visible females.
2) During the last decade, the proportion of the cover illustrations was imbalanced.
Females were invisible in two periods. The frequency of males appearing on the cover
illustrations rose up over time while the proportions of females portrayed dropped.
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3) CAWPB had more male-dominated page illustrations for the last decade. The frequency
of male and female appearing on the page illustrations increased from the first period to
the second period. Nevertheless, there were more male images in page illustrations than
female ones.
4) The kinds of occupations assigned to males were more varied than those assigned to
females over the last decade. For the picture books examined women and men with
traditional occupations, the percentages of traditional occupations assigned to males
rose up between two 5-year periods. Nevertheless, the percentages of females with
traditional occupations fell with time.
5) Over both periods, instrumental-independent activities participated by the males were
more often than passive-dependent ones. Nevertheless, the central female characters
were invisible in instrumental-independent activities. After ten years, males’
participating in the instrumental independent activities ascended. In contrast with males,
females’ participating in passive-dependent activities declined as time passes.
6) Males were portrayed with highly masculine traits, and female characters exhibited few
masculine traits during the last decade. Between the period 1 and period 2, the portrayal
of masculine traits in males declined; in addition, females who were depicted with
feminine traits rose up.
In sum, the findings of this study seem to suggest that the under-representation of
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females and gender stereotypes found in Chinese award-winning picture books in the last
decade. On the contrary, in English awarded picture books, female representation has more
progress in terms of engaging more in instrumental-independent activities and exhibiting
both masculine and feminine traits. Furthermore, there is a move towards more gender
equality found in English and Chinese award-winning picture books. There is an increase
of female’s appearances on page illustrations and a decrease of passive-dependent
activities participated by females in English selected picture books. As for Chinese ones,
the figures show a drop of traditional occupations assigned to women, of
passive-dependent activities performed by females, of masculine traits shown in males, and
of feminine traits portrayed by females. However, there is still a lot of space to develop
gender-balanced picture books.
Pedagogical Implications
The findings in the present study reveal the under-representation of females in English
and Chinese award-winning picture books for the last decade. Compared to Chinese
awarded picture books, English ones show less gender stereotyping in the descriptions of
female roles in terms of engaging more in instrument-independent activities and exhibiting
both masculine and feminine traits. Besides, there was some progress in equal representation
of gender roles between the two 5-year periods. Some implications are made in order to
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eliminate gender role stereotyping in picture books for parents, publishers and authors as
well as teachers.
In children’s development, the selfsame roles, beliefs, and expectations begin to be
formed in preschool children (Martin & Fabes, 2006). Parents need to play positive role
models to promote for children to enhance their gender consciousness. While reading to
children, parents need to make an effort to interact with their children in a gender-fair
manner. If books contain biases, parents must discuss them with their children and help
them put things into proper perspectives.
Publishers and authors should redouble efforts toward the gender equity in their
stories and continue to promote gender-fair books for children. By taking action to ensure a
balance in frequency of male and female characters, writers and publishers allow children
to see themselves as equally important in the society.
Gender equity in some picture books is not evenly present. Teachers need to help
children take a careful look at picture books. It is important for educators to assist students
to select and evaluate books as well as to practice critical media literacy so that they
become aware of covert or overt messages and meaning in children’s picture books.
Deikman and Murnen (2004) write:
Limiting children’s reading diet solely to gender-egalitarian models may not be the
best way to work against sexism. In real life, children will surely encounter gender
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prejudice; educating children that such constructs exist, and how to work against
them, can be more effective than ignoring the reality (Delikman and Murnen 2004, p.
382).
Limitations of the Study
The current study was conducted to examine how gender roles were portrayed in
English and Chinese awarded picture books in the last decade. The present study is open
for further improvement. Some limitations in this study are addressed.
The major limitation of this study is that a large sample of books should be
examined. The sample of this study was only composed of Caldecott Medal and Honor
books and Hsin-Yi Children Literature Award Books. Using only two kinds of
award-winning picture books yielded a small sampling of books published each year.
These selected award-winning picture books could not provide a representative sampling.
Moreover, the small sample size could not have profound effects on the outcome, so the
statistical analyses were low to detect subtle differences that have been presented.
Another limitation of the study is that, although the data were analyzed twice, the
sample was coded by only one rater, the researcher. To avoid potential bias, coding the
books under study should be participated by raters. Furthermore, the raters should be
trained well enough to help with inter-rater reliability.
100
Suggestions for Future Studies
The current study has demonstrated that the invisibility of females and gender bias
found in English and Chinese awarded picture books from 2003 to 2012. Nevertheless, in
English awarded picture books, there was improvement taking place, such as females
engaging more in instrumental-independent activities and females depicted exhibiting both
masculine and feminine traits. There were some signs of more gender equality from
2003-07 period to 2008-12 period. The following recommendations might shed more light
on developing a better understanding of these new areas.
1) A larger sample of books could be examined. Samples should comprise non-award
winning picture books that are being read as much as–or more than Caldecott Medal
and Honor books and Hsin-Yi Children Literature Award Books. The further study can
be performed to compare gender roles in awarded picture books to non-award winning
picture books.
2) The further studies could expand their samples to encompass books of the 1980s to
those of today. More subtle forms of gender representation could be conducted.
3) Much research into gender portrayal in picture books is worth exploration. As picture
books are intended for young learners who begin to discover and understand their
gender and the gender roles of other people in the world. Only with textual descriptions
of both genders to be investigated can a broader understanding of gender role depiction
101 be reached.
The above research suggestions represent just some of the directions that can be
addressed to solve the persistent problems inherent in children’s picture books. Further
research can therefore be undertaken with a broader sample of picture books, in-depth
examination, and constant research until balanced portrayals of gender roles are reached.
102
103
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