2010.54.1019

• female
• gender

Poster has a blue background with a four panel cartoon in the center. The first panel shows a young girl helping a woman in a bedroom. Its caption reads, "I am helping Mummy to dust. Dust dust." The second panel shows the young girl sweeping with a large broom while the woman holds a dust pan. Its caption reads, "I am helping to sweep the floor. Sweep sweep." The third panel shows the girl and the woman working in a kitchen with car visible through a window. Its caption reads, "Peter helps Daddy with the car, and Jane helps Mummy get the tea. Good girl, says Mummy to Jane. You are a good girl to help me like this. Good good girl." The fourth panel shows a close-up of Jane. Its caption reads, "Jane thinks: Stuff this! It's about time I got myself out of these sexist books and started giving girls and example of all the other things we can do! Right on, right on Jane." Dick and Jane were the main characters in a popular children's book series written by William S. Gray and Zerna Sharp from the 1930s through to the 1970s in the United States. The books (including the title Fun with Dick and Jane) were used to teach reading skills. The earlier books were infused with the sex-role stereotyping typical of the period, and have become iconic examples. [LMC]