The current literature curriculum of the GCSE exam board seriously lacks diversity, there are no books written by anyone of another race or gender. It is crucial that students are exposed to a variety of perspectives and texts. As it stands, the majority of texts studied are written by men. This lack of representation does not reflect the reality that woman have been contributing significantly to literature throughout history. 

According to UNESCO's 2019 Global Report on Gender Equality in Cultural Life, only 34% of published authors worldwide are women (UNESCO, 2019). Despite this underrepresentation in publishing, many works by female authors have had profound impacts on literary culture and society at large.

Including a literary text written by a woman in the GCSE curriculum would not only provide students with diverse perspectives but also contribute towards rectifying this imbalance and promoting gender equality within education.

I urge the GCSE exam boards to include at least one literary text written by a woman as part of their standard curriculum. Sign this petition to support more inclusive education and promote gender equality within our classrooms.