In this paper I seek to address a series of tensions in the ways we think, write and speak about gender in classrooms and playgrounds, and in the language we use to describe children and their behaviour. I shall examine some of the concepts we use for describing gender relations among children and consider the extent to which they are still…

When I was contacted by the editors of "Gender and Education" to see whether I wanted to respond to this article, I was not particularly keen to do so. I generally believe that critique is a good thing, and that direct responses have a tendency to come over as precious, petulant, and petty. However, having read the article several times, and…

This paper is basically about terminology. In it I discuss the terms "masculinity" and "femininity" and how they relate to being male and being female. My theme arises from an increasing difficulty that I am finding in understanding how individual identities relate to dominant constructions of masculinity and femininity. Christine Skelton and…

Explores ways in which the body is incorporated into the professional identities of teachers of two low-status secondary school compulsory subjects. It is argued that there is an increasing tendency for lower status school subjects to become more "masculine" in orientation and that coeducation does a disservice to both girls and women teachers.…