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Engaging boys in gender activism: issues of discomfort and emotion

journal contribution
posted on 2021-01-01, 00:00 authored by Amanda KeddieAmanda Keddie
This paper examines activist spaces for gender justice within two elite independent schools situated in an affluent part of the USA. Drawing on student interview data gathered as part of a broader study that sought to identify new educative approaches to addressing gendered violence, the paper explores attempts at these schools to engage boys in such spaces. With reference to two activist stories, the paper highlights the driving concern for including boys in discussions of gender justice (and, in particular, sexual misconduct and assault) as about ensuring their comfort. This concern is critically examined in light of the necessity of discomfort as central to gender transformative work. The paper examines how the emotional intensities of this work can both close down and open up conversations about gender justice and argues the significance of finding ways to support boys to critically explore these intensities towards engaging them in gender activism.

History

Journal

Gender and Education

Volume

33

Pagination

171-185

Location

Abingdon, Eng.

ISSN

0954-0253

eISSN

1360-0516

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2020, Informa UK Limited

Issue

2

Publisher

ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD