gender differences in achievement - pupils sexual and gender identities

Question 1

What is meant by double standards?

Answer 1

Lees
Identifies a double standard of sexual morality in which boys boast about their own sexual exploits but call a girl a slag if she doesn’t have a steady boyfriend or dresses and speaks in a particular way

Sexual conquest is approved of and given status by male peers and ignored by male teachers but promiscuity among girls attracts negative labels

Question 2

How are gender identities reinforced through verbal abuse?

Answer 2

Connell — calls a rich vocab of abuse is one of the ways in which dominant gender and sexual indemnities are reinforced for example boys use name calling to put down girls if they behave or dress in certain ways

Lees — boys called girls slags if they appeared sexually available and drags if they didn’t

Question 3

What is the male gaze and how does it control pupils identities?

Answer 3

Mac an Ghaill
The male gaze, the way male pupils and teachers look girls up and down seeing them as sexual objects and making judgements about their appearance

Sees the male gaze as a form of surveillance, through which dominant heterosexual masculinity is reinforced and femininity is devalued

Question 4

How do male peer groups control pupils identities?

Answer 4

Mac an Ghaill
Examined how peer groups reproduce a range of different class based masculine gender identities
For example, working class ‘macho lads’ were dismissive of other working class boys who worked hard and aspired to middle class career

By contrast, middle class boys projected an image of effortless achievement, succeeding without trying to