Boys and girls who conform to gender stereotypes do worse at school

[noblegiraffe]

Interesting article in the Independent about a study that asked Y11s questions designed to identify how well they fit gender expectations, and then collected their GCSE grades once sat and compared outcomes.

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/gcses-boys-girls-masculine-stereotypes-study-a9647316.html]]

What I found quite interesting was that the percentage of boys who didn’t strongly conform to gender stereotypes was 69%.

The headline seems to suggest it’s a small group rather than the majority, and I know boys and young men who feel that they are ‘wrong’ because they don’t fit the expected gender roles.

“The study said a large sub-group of girls, who conformed fairly rigidly to some traditional feminine norms, could be at risk academically.”

I thought the traditional feminine norms were being quiet and studying hard so I wonder what they are talking about here? An interest in boys, hair and make-up?

Working link www.independent.co.uk/news/education/gcses-boys-girls-masculine-stereotypes-study-a9647316.html

Interesting. I haven't tried to see if the study itself can be obtained online, but of course the causality could go either way or the two might be both caused by something else (say, what is going on at home) etc.

I mean that maybe girls and boys who do poorly are more likely to als o follow gender stereotypes or the other way round.

Interesting, I'd like to see the research behind the headlines. As you say which gender stereotypes are they using and how did they arrive at these?

Paper can be downloaded here: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-020-01293-z

I had a read. My summary would be:
jocks perform relatively badly in school
so do girls who want to be dolly birds or who behave badly

This has not rocked my world.

I would expect a big difference in expectations of girls between classes. Girls are always expected to sit and behave, but I would hazard a guess that it is only or mostly in middle class families that they are expected to excel and go on to study and have a career. But I may be being horribly classist - I can only go on my experience at a comprehensive but it was many years ago...

I've not read the paper and I find the stereotyped language difficult actually, but I wondered if it's broader than this, in terms of how they've been impacted by stereotypes or lack of them from being very young.

I'm reminded of the bbc "no more boys and girls" documentary where they explored a key aspect of how gender stereotypes across the board for young girls do hinder their academic achievements, for eg, fewer toys marketed at girls are space and shape problem solving / stem toys, much more "baby and home making." This was specifically shown to impact geometry and other areas of maths.

I would imagine there's an impact of gender stereotyping in terms of aspirations too. Girls who have been encouraged to think outside the gender box will do so in terms of how they see their futures and so what they'll make efforts in?

I have a big issue with the language. Why couldn't the girls be "resisters" rather than Tom boys?

I'd be interested to know if the results were any different in single sex schools. It can be easier for girls to ask and answer the questions that help them learn without the presence of boys.

thought the traditional feminine norms were being quiet and studying hard

Not in a lot of circles, no. The traditional feminine norm in many families is to be pretty, not clever. I’ve grown up with, and taught, a number of girls who have been pushed down the route of caring about their appearance and being responsible for their man’s happiness and comfort in exchange for financial security instead of being encouraged to get the best education they can and become financially independent. This goes across social class.

It's somewhat interesting but a bit of a mess, and the use of terms like 'tomboy' suggests the person who designed this study was pretty well steeped in stereotypes themselves.

As I was typing it I did wonder about class, but as the only posh girls I’ve met are through my pretty demanding career I suspect it was self selecting.

So, in short, Gender stereotyping children is often harmful. Or at least unhelpful. Who'd have thought it.

Unhelpful to boys too, though, apparently! Would need to see the details.

Well you have to define what “strongly conform to gender stereotypes“ actually means for it to be surprising or not? The entire survey could be poorly written too.

As for feminine stereotypes, no being quiet and studying hard isn’t one. It’s giggling, and only being interested in clothes hair makeup and boys.

Interesting...I wonder if children from working class backgrounds feel more pressure to conform to gender stereotypes whereas perhaps in middle class homes there is not that pressure?

This study backs up earlier ones that suggest girls do better in girls schools (where many girls are encouraged to just be themselves rather than what boys want them to be). Many co-ed primary schools don’t even encourage girls to play at playtime - and you often see them in groups skirting the edge of it while boys get to dominate play with football / rugby / rough play on equipment.

I've been a secondary school teacher for over 20 years and tbh I'm not at all surprised by this. Girls who are studious and quiet are often the ones who don't fit with the gender stereotypes. My dd's friendship group is a case in point. They are largely intelligent, high-achieving, well-behaved, quiet-ish oddballs who don't have boyfriends, aren't interested in clothes or make-up and dress in a pretty unisex way.
And boys who fit the stereotypes can be more likely to be loud and disruptive and look down on more studious boys.

Obviously these stereotypes are unhelpful and it's important to enable students to break out of these patterns of behaviour and reach their potential whatever their background or their personality type. But that doesn't mean the patterns aren't there.

Not fitting stereotypes suggests that you probably have a slightly more thoughtful parent...who might well have a higher level of education, be more of a critical thinker. Your mum might be a feminist! Seems logical.

@nauticant

I had a read. My summary would be: jocks perform relatively badly in school so do girls who want to be dolly birds or who behave badly

This has not rocked my world.

Can I pay you to summarise papers for me?

A shame, that sounded like an interesting study, but as pointed out, so many vague variables!

@formerbabe

Interesting...I wonder if children from working class backgrounds feel more pressure to conform to gender stereotypes whereas perhaps in middle class homes there is not that pressure?

I hate to say this but absolutely not. One of my very best friends was from v working class background, an absolute tomboy. Wildly intelligent and tbh I'm offended by the stereotyping that always seems to believe MC is best. It's us MC's who are really screwing everything up and we haven't the wit to recognise it. ....humph

Agree with fascinated
Children with intelligent and/or educated parents are less likely to have been raised according to stereotypes

Evidence

Theirs always exceptions to the rule @highame

I live in a very diverse part of London...where wc and mc live side by side. Overwhelmingly wc kids conform to gender stereotypes more. Boys are into football and sport and things like long hair aren't especially tolerated. Boys are taught to be tough. Girls are dressed nicely and spend majority of time with mum. Whereas mc boys may have longer hair and are encouraged to enjoy creative pursuits...mc mums generally don't have qualms with their dds not looking pretty all the time in nice outfits.

Could you explain why there are so many women plumbers, painters & decorators, van drivers, train drivers, lorry drivers I could go on and the majority will be confirming to dress codes when they go out or when they're out of work gear, but they are the ones who have smashed through glass ceilings putting up with all sorts because they're made of tough stuff. If it weren't for a blinkered view, we would be looking at how working class women are dealing with sexism instead of constantly looking at bankers

Could you explain why there are so many women plumbers, painters & decorators, van drivers, train drivers, lorry drivers

There's not