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Can I reiterate a regular plea to charities, campaigner & journos who are reporting on the distress & problems of young people, to be gender-inclusive in your language? Difficulties experienced by boys DO NOT exist purely as a benchmark for those of girls. (or vice versa) > https://twitter.com/tiecampaign/status/1284931476526694402
So if you are reporting, as in this case, that 38% of girls and 25% of boys had seen prejudicial body image bullying, then say just that. It's not a "compared to". It's an "and."
This is especially true if you're going to then use the same framing when the concerns should go in the opposite direction. For example, if we're going to play comparisons, surely the news here should be that boys are HALF as likely as girls to seek help?
I should add, this report is fine & it's good they are reporting stats for both boys & girls, it's not a particularly egregious example of the phenomenon I'm describing, but it is irritating because it is so unnecessary.
If you want to see this issue crystallised in just a couple of sentences, look at this, from here https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/1726764-dating-and-relationship-violence-a-significant-issue-among-young-people-in-wales,-study-finds
Look at it again. Where more boys than girls are victims the phrasing is 17% of boys AND 14% of girls. When it's the other way around, it goes 28% of girls COMPARED TO 20% of boys.
Language matters; framing matters. Please do better. Here endeth the very quiet little plea.
