Which problem caused by gender inequality is the most difficult to fix?

Studies show that by the time children are six years old, they already have ideas about what boys and girls can and cannot do. These ideas stay with us as we grow up and influence our choices, often without even realizing it. Because of this, I believe that stereotypes are the hardest problem caused by inequality to fix.

The first example that supports my standpoint is a study, which found that many girls, by the age of six, already believe that boys are smarter (January 27, 2017, Science). This could stop them from trying "harder" things in school later, like math or science. If children grow up thinking this way, it is very hard to change their minds later. The second example that supports my opinion is that stereotypes also effect woman in sports, as many people think that men are better athletes, getting woman’s sports less attention. In 2019, the Woman’s World Cup had one billion viewers, but the players earned much less then men, which shows, how stereotypes lead to unfair treatment (July 20, 2023, Forbes).                                                                              Some people might think other problems, for example woman not getting same jobs as men or mothers being treated unfairly at work, are harder to get rid of. For instance, in 2022, woman in the US typically earned 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (May 22, 2024, New York Times). From my point of view, stereotypes are the main cause of these problems. If people didn’t believe that some jobs are “for men” or that moms should stay at home, woman would have more chances.

To sum up, stereotypes are the hardest problem to fix as they are a strong part of society. Even when laws change, people’s beliefs take much longer to change. The only way to affix this is through education and encouraging new ways of thinking, which is a long and complex process.