gender, subject choice and identity Flashcards
gender differences in subject choice in the National Curriculum
most subjects are compulsory, but where choice is possible, they choose differently- in design and tech, girls choose food tech and boys choice resistant material
gender differences in subject choice in post-16 education
more choice is available- boys opt for maths and physics while girls choose modern languages and humanities. This pattern continues into higher education
gender differences in subject choice in vocational subjects
gender segregation is greatest here, as only 1% of construction apprentices are female
factors responsible for gender differences in subject choice
early socialisation, gender domains, gendered subject images, gendered career opportunities, gender identity and peer pressure
early socialisation
gender role socialisation involves learning the behaviour expected of males and females
- in the family: from an early age, boys and girls are dressed differently and given different toys, while boys are rewarded for being active and girls for being passive
- at school: Byrne found teachers encourage boys to be tough and show initiative while they expect girls to be quiet, helpful, clean and tidy
- leisure reading and subject choice: Murphy and Elwood found boys read hobby books and information texts and so prefer science subjects, while girls read stories about people and prefer English
gender domains
tasks and activities seen as either male or female ‘territory’ e.g. elder care is seen as ‘female’- these views are shaped by children’s early experiences and by the expectations of adults.
Browne and Ross: found that, when set open-ended tasks such as designing a boat, boys designed powerboats and battleships, while girls designed cruise ships, reflecting different gender domains
gendered subject images
subjects have a ‘gendered image’, as they are seen as either male or female. e.g. science is mainly taught by men and textbooks, traditionally use boys’ interests as examples. As a result, it is seen as a masculine subject, part of the male gender domain, and so is taken mostly by boys
gender identity and peer pressure
other boys and girls pressurise individuals to conform. Boys often opt out of music because of negative peer response, while girls who choose sport have to contend with accusations from boys of being ‘butch’ or ‘lesbian’. Link to subject image and gender domains- sport seen as masculine, music seen as feminine
gendered careers
many jobs are seen as gendered, and tend to be dominated by one gender e.g. nursing as female and construction as male. Vocational courses, which prepare young people for specific careers, tend to be dominated by one gender. wc pupils may make decisions about courses based on a traditional gender identity
Connell (school experiences reinforcing gender/sexual identity)
argues that school reproduces ‘hegemonic masculinity’ - the dominance of heterosexual masculine identity and subordination of female and gay identities
Feminists (school experiences reinforcing gender/sexual identity)
argue that experiences in school act as a form of social control to reproduce patriarchy- male domination and female subordination
verbal abuse (gender identity and schooling)
name-calling puts girls down if they behave in certain ways and acts as a form of social control to make them conform to male expectations
Lees (verbal abuse)
notes boys call girls ‘slags’ if they appear sexually available, but there is no equivalent term for males
Paechter (verbal abuse)
notes that pupils police one another’s sexual identities through negative labels
Mac an Ghaill (verbal abuse)
found that anti-social wc boys’ subcultures use verbal abuse to reinforce their definitions of masculinity. They called other wc boys who worked hard ‘dickhead achievers’
Haywood and Mac an Ghaill (teachers)
found male teachers reinforced gender identities by telling boys off for ‘behaving like girls’ and ignoring boys’ verbal abuse of girls
the male gaze (gender/ sexual identity)
a form of social control where male pupils and teachers look girls up and down as sexual objects. Boys who don’t participate may be labelled as gay- also a form of social control
Lees (double standards)
found boys boast about their own sexual exploits, but label girls negatively for the same behaviour- one set of moral standards is applied to one group, but a different set to another group
Archer (female peer groups)
found wc girls gain symbolic capital by performing a hyper-heterosexual identity. Female peers police this identity and girls risk being called a ‘tramp’ if they fail to conform
Ringrose (female peer groups)
found wc girls faced a tension between an idealised feminine identity (loyalty to the peer group) and a sexualised identity (competing for boys). ‘slut shaming’ and ‘frigid shaming’ are social control labels, with which they police each other’s identities
