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Gender Empowerment

Ensuring and Protecting Opportunities for Girls, Women and LGBTQ+ Students and Educators
Join together to break down barriers to educational and professional success so that women, girls, and all people who face gender discrimination can achieve their full potential.
Published: May 12, 2023
This toolkit originally appeared on NEA.org

How to use this toolkit

  • Read about the importance of supporting and protecting and ensuring opportunity for girls and women, take action, and get involved with the movement
  • Learn how to talk about this issue effectively and respectfully, particularly with those who think differently
  • Explore resources to help you learn more about gender equality
  • Find art to help you communicate

Safe learning for all

Context

All students deserve equal access to educational opportunities no matter their color, gender, or whom they love. However, girls, women and LGBTQ+ youth often face barriers that threaten their success in school and beyond. Girls of color are more likely than white girls to face unfair discipline. And sexual harassment and violence in school are problems that confront most all girls and LGBTQ+ youth. The statistics are grim:

  • Black girls are 5.5 times more likely to be suspended from school as white girls. 

  • Schools suspend American Indian/Alaskan Native girls at more than three times the rate of white girls and at a higher rate than white boys. 

  • Latina girls are 1.6 times more likely to be suspended than white girls. 

Across the country, educators are working to ensure safe and equitable classrooms, free from bias and discrimination. Women, girls, and all people who face gender-based discrimination are calling their elected officials, raising their voices, and organizing in the streets to put in place policies that help them achieve their potential. Use this toolkit to learn more about the issues and how you can join educators, students, families, and allies to mobilize and advocate for policies and practices that support the needs of all students, regardless of gender.

Advocating for Equality

Many state laws and school policies need revision to ensure an equitable and safe learning environment for girls. Use the resources below to effect change in your school and state.
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Bullying and Sexual Harassment Trainings

NEA offers professional learning on bullying prevention, including prevent student-to-student cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and sexting.
american indian girls chat at school

Advancing Gender Justice

The National Women’s Law Center created this resource for state and local legislators and advocates fighting for equality and opportunity for women and girls.
Pushout-girls-of-color

Putting a Stop to 'Pushout'

The National Women’s Law Center's Let Her Learn: A Toolkit to Stop Pushout of Girls of Color helps educators and schools find out if your discipline policy treats girls of color fairly.

Ensure Fairness and Opportunity for Women at Work

About three-quarters of U.S. public school teachers are women. On average, women still earn just 80 cents for every dollar earned by men, with women of color receiving even less. At the same time, many women continue to face harassment and discrimination in their places of employment. Use these resources to help ensure equity for women at work.
know your rights

Know Your Rights: Harassment and Discrimination

NEA created this toolkit to help members identify and respond to discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
NEA officers participate in a march for gender equality

Take Action on Women’s Rights

As a nation, we’ve made great strides in the fight for equality. But there’s still a way to go. Stay up to date on the latest federal advocacy actions to ensure gender equity in the workplace and to address violence against women.
stressed teacher

Gender Justice at Work

The National Women's Law Center offers this roadmap for eliminating discriminatory practices in the workplace.

Ready, Set, Grow!

OEA provides high-quality, member-led professional learning to help educators improve their professional practice, support student success and excellence, and build community with other educators across Oregon.
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Together we're stronger. Together we're heard.

You belong in the movement! Join today to belong to the movement of educators and school staff fighting for the pay and working conditions we all deserve.
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Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education

The Oregon Education Association (OEA) is a union committed to the cause of providing the basic right of great public education to every student. OEA represents about 41,000 educators working in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public schools and community colleges. OEA’s membership includes licensed teachers and specialists, classified/education support professionals (ESPs), community college faculty, retired educators, and student members. OEA members also belong to the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA).