In Victorian times, were boys treated differently from girls?

Answer 1

When you think that before 1870 only the more fortunate children went to school, and a quarter of the women getting married couldn't so much as sign their names; when you realise that before 1882 married women weren't even allowed to own property (it all went to their husbands), it says it all. Girls were supposed to stay at home and perform menial tasks or else go into service and perform menial tasks for other people. The most common work for women was domestic service. In 1851, there were 752,000 female servants; in 1890, well over a million. In London, one person in 15 was in service. The usual age for leaving home and starting work as a maid was 12. Many women found the lifestyle, with its accommodation, food and regular wages, preferable to the grind of factory work.
But where great industries were located, there were more jobs for factory workers than for domestic servants. The largest sector was textiles. In 1851, more than 600,000 women were employed in textile factories. By 1901, there were 40% more women working in them than men. Other industries requiring female labour include the manufacture of metal (polishing cutlery in Sheffield and Birmingham), chemicals, stationery and books. In heavy engineering centres and mining towns, women's paid work was less common.
Many women worked part-time, doing sewing and washing and hawking goods in the streets. Other women worked in nursing and run hotels – the professions remain dominated by men. It was only towards the end of the century, with the invention of the typewriter and telephone that women managed to obtain office work to a significant degree.
For working-class women, life was tougher. They rarely worked from choice and some looked forward to marriage as a release from wage slavery. The cheap sewing machine provided a new source of employment for women in sweatshops where they worked long hours for low piece-rate pay.
So, all in all, the chances went to the boys: they were more likely to go to school and they had the chance of a career. There was little for girls to look forward to except a life of domesticity, drudgery or both.

Answer 2

Yes they were. Examples ?

Depends on class of parents. Upper classes oldest boys inherited rather than girls (unless there were no boys) Younger Boys went into army (officers, of course) or the Church. Unruly boys would be packed off to the colonies when they were in early 20s.
Girls were found a good (ie wealthy) husband!
Working classes: girls became mill hands, and so did boys. Tendency for women to remain in this sort of work, but men were notably more strident and often textile mills were female dominated . Mid 19 century saw begining of Acts of Parliament prohibiting child labour, and in particular female labour.

School: Curriculum different for boys n girls. Girls did domestic subjects.

Universities still reluctant to have women students - see Vera Britten's Testament of Youth to find out how it was just before World War One.

Answer 3

Yes, boys had more rights and where treated better. In life back then (and untill fairly recently, and even sometimes today) boys where expected to grow up and be some one. Girls where expected to marry off and have children and obey their husbands.

Answer 4

Yes, and the same is true for before Victorian times and after Victorian times.

It is not a problem.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

We still are treated differently!!

Machism has survived in many countries during all these centuries, even in the most "developed" societies.

We, as males, enjoy many privileges that are banned to females.

Answer 7

No, you have it wrong. Girls are/were treated differently than boys.

Answer 8

Yes.

Answer 9

Yes,because it was believed that boys had better earning power, (not so today)

Answer 10

Girls have been for centuries 2nd class citizens.