Original reading
At a school careers fair, two posters attracted Mai’s attention. One showed only men working as engineers; the other showed only women caring for young children. Mai asked whether the images described a rule or merely a habit. The careers teacher invited two former students to speak: a woman who designed bridges and a man who taught at a nursery. Both explained the training, patience and teamwork their jobs required. Neither claimed that everyone should choose the same career. Instead, they argued that interests and qualifications should matter more than gender stereotypes. Students then revised the posters to include a wider range of people. They also added practical information about training and working conditions. The fair did not solve inequality overnight, but it changed the questions students asked. Rather than asking whether a job was for boys or girls, Mai began asking what skills she would need and how she could develop them.