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Original article: Textos escolares en Chile: estudio revela persistencia del sesgo sexista en las aulas 

On Tuesday, May 5th, the presentation of the study «School Texts in Chile: Critical Reflections for a Non-Sexist Education» was held by the Chilean Network Against Violence Towards Women. This report continues a decade-long line of research developed by the organization alongside student and feminist movements challenging sexism within the educational system. 

The event took place at the Cultural Center of Spain (Av. Providencia 927) at 7:00 PM. The discussion was moderated by anthropologist Isadora Castillo, featuring contributions from sociologist Sandra Palestro; special education teacher Constanza Chamorro, a member of the Amanda Labarca Feminist Teachers Circle; and Gilda Muñoz Cifuentes from the Andean College Antuquelén, an institution focused on anti-patriarchal, inclusive, and critical education in San José de Maipo.

It is noteworthy that the research analyzed language, history, and biology textbooks from elementary to secondary levels, provided by the Ministry of Education in 2021, conducted between November 2022 and November 2023. The study included the review participation of 25 women, primarily educators.

The observation tool used for the three subjects examined the frequency of female representation in various forms, types of participation, assigned roles, and language usage within the narratives of the texts. Additionally, changes in the curriculum over the last decade were studied.

In this context, Isadora Castillo, a member of the National Coordination of the Chilean Network Against Violence Towards Women, stated that the project:

«Is part of a sustained effort from the organization to promote non-sexist education, understanding that formal educational settings are essential socialization spaces where violence against women and diverse gender identities is created and reproduced.»

Castillo emphasized the importance of focusing on the school environment to comprehend how machismo and sexist biases are transmitted within these spaces. 

Constructing the School Narrative: Patterns of Exclusion, Stereotypes, and Androcentric Language 

To ensure comparability with previous studies (2013-2014), student texts were analyzed using an observation guideline with four axes: the frequency of women’s appearances in content, quotes, and images; type of participation assessing diverse areas of action (social, labor, political, or domestic); role attribution focused on the tasks assigned to women in narratives; and finally, language usage, examining the persistence of androcentric biases against the omission of inclusive language. 

Among the main findings, the subject of History and Geography stood out, where androcentric biases were noted— a worldview placing men as the benchmark, core, and standard of all reality— along with a recurrence of «tokenism,» which refers to superficial and symbolic inclusion of marginalized groups. 

Moreover, narratives continue to be predominantly male, white, and Eurocentric, portraying female participation as decorative or peripheral. Although the production teams exhibit gender parity, only 22.4% of the cited sources correspond to women.

In the subject of Language and Communication, it was observed that—similar to history—although there was parity on the production teams, the citations of women in activities only reached 37%. A pattern of female immobility was noted; while men were depicted in action, women were frequently portrayed in contemplative or passive states.

Regarding Natural Sciences and Citizenship Sciences, while efforts were made to highlight female scientists, structural barriers, salary disparities, and gender-based violence faced within the scientific realm were omitted. 

Moreover, it was found that content on sexuality and reproduction disregarded gender non-conformities, presenting the family from an exclusively heterosexual model while prioritizing a biologistic perspective without gender considerations.

When examining the language throughout all the texts, it was noted that most included an editorial warning based on RAE guidelines that dismissed the use of inclusive language, justifying a binary and unitary stance. Additionally, there was an overabundance of masculine terms used as universal, which invisibilizes women and diverse identities and reinforces patriarchal structures.

The report concludes that, a decade after the initial studies, the foundations of school texts remain predominantly male, white, and Western. It emphasizes that mere cosmetic inclusion of names is insufficient; the process requires a profound restructuring of educational discourse to eradicate sexism, diversify cultural models, and «decolonize viewpoints» towards plural narratives and greater social justice.

In an interview with El Ciudadano, Sandra Palestro, sociologist and member of the Chilean Network Against Violence Towards Women, reflected on the curriculum’s resistance to deeper transformations:

«The educational curriculum and, hence, school texts mirror a worldview, a dominant ideology that is passed down through generations. In our Western and Christian culture, women have been relegated to the private sphere, stripped of historical significance, deemed unimportant and valueless. Discoveries, inventions, heroic actions, reigns, governments, etc., are largely attributed to men,» she noted. 

She added that it is unnecessary to verbalize the existence of male supremacy, as simply learning the historical narrative leads everyone to accept it as a given, a phenomenon referred to as symbolic violence. 

Furthermore, she emphasized the need to persist in what feminism has achieved within this culture: women’s emancipation, affirmation, autonomy, and recognition of their historical contributions, among other goals.

Regarding the narrative’s tendency to reduce women to anecdotal roles and how this perpetuates violence and inequality in student socialization, Palestro stated:

“By attributing all social and cultural transformations throughout history exclusively to male actions, the power dynamics between genders are marked by inequality, which men come to regard as ‘natural’, thereby imposing their mandates on women, whether consciously or unconsciously, with the risk of physical and/or psychological violence as an ever-present threat to them.”

Palestro concluded that, “women need unity, collective action, and collective thought to envision a life free from violence and to face the challenge of structural transformations.”

Finally, it is important to note that the study will be available for download at: https://www.nomasviolenciacontramujeres.cl/

Finally, it is important to note that the study will be available for download at: https://www.nomasviolenciacontramujeres.cl/

La entrada New Study Reveals Persistence of Sexist Bias in Chilean School Texts se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.