This paper examines gender representation in three English reading textbooks used at the tertiary level in China. The data selected from these reading textbooks are analyzed along gender lines for number of males and females who appear, number of occupations attributed to each group, and number of males and females identified by name. The purpose of quantifying such factors is to reveal how men and women are depicted in the teaching materials. On all three dimensions, the presence of females, their occupations, and even their names are greatly underrepresented. The textbooks are also unbalanced in terms of the quality of the representation. The omission of the actions and achievements of women and the stereotyped roles of males and females are so pervasive that it calls for special attempts from those who are engaged in education and publishing to eradicate sexism in future textbooks. The effects of such widespread distortions and stereotypes are harmful, and their consequences should not be underestimated.
