Gendered pursuits

Question 1

Gendered Pursuits – Francis 2005.

Discuss

Answer 1

Girls talk and pursuits within the classroom revolve around appearance and construction of femininity, .e.g. diet, hair, make-up, fashion – with a focus on making themselves look nice for boys. Mac an Ghaill (1994) calls this the ‘male gaze’. Boys’ focus mirrors this, involving the construction of masculinity through boasting about their alleged sexual conquests, and how far girls would let them go. Sue Lees argues that boys have a double standard compared to girls in terms of their behaviour. If they are sexually promiscuous they are seen as ‘studs’ (positive connotations), whereas girls, for the same behaviour, are seen as ‘slags’ (negative connotations).