Girl Guides of Canada

One quarter (27%) of girls say they’re treated worse than boys in sports or gym, while 15% of boys say they’re treated better. One quarter of girls (24%) also say they’re treated worse than boys on the internet, including over social media, while 14% of boys say they’re treated better online.

When asked whether they are personally treated the same as people of other genders in places like the home, at school, at work, and in sports or clubs, most young people feel they are treated the same. However, among those who see a difference, boys are more likely to say they’re treated better, while girls are more likely to say they’re treated worse. This is particularly evident in two key areas: in sports and online. One quarter (27%) of girls say they’re treated worse than boys in sports or gym, while 15% of boys say they’re treated better. One quarter of girls (24%) also say they’re treated worse than boys on the internet, including over social media, while 14% of boys say they’re treated better online. This is unsurprising, given that it is well-documented that young women face significant abuse and harassment online,³ which is often sexist or misogynist in nature.⁴

Notably, inequality in sport seems particularly upsetting to girls. When asked to share how gender inequality has impacted their life, one in five girl respondents (20%) chose to speak about fewer opportunities for girls to play or compete in sports. For example, one respondent said, “Boys who couldn’t play hockey as good as me got picked for better teams,” while another reported, “I do not have the same opportunity to attend competitive swimming meets as the boys on our swim team.” These unfair experiences in sports are something we’ve heard from girls in the past as well.⁵

Inequality also shows up in the workplace. New Girl Guides of Canada research on young people’s experiences in summer jobs in 2018 suggests there may be a gender wage gap as early as adolescence between teen girls and boys, ages 12 to 18. In full-time summer work environments, girls appear to have earned about $3.00 per hour less than boys: while boys earned an average of $18.01 per hour, girls earned only $15.26. This is consistent with Statistics Canada data which indicates that girls as young as 15 are already making as much as $3.00 per hour less than boys across most industries and jobs,⁶ and with a recent study in the United States that indicates that the gender earnings gap starts by age 14 or 15.⁷

When asked to share how inequality impacts their lives, many girls said that the gender wage gap is affecting them now – and they are also worried about how it will impact their future, because they’re well aware it’s an issue for adult women.⁸