Femininity and Masculinity

Femininity and Masculinity

1. "Ladettes" - Jackson 2006 (CS)

   • Found out that some girls or 'ladettes' spent time drinking/smoking/swearing/disrupting lessons.
   • He found out that they feared of doing otherwise in fear of being considered unpopular and 'uncool'

2. The 3 F's - Mac an Ghaill 1994 (CS)

   • Explored how boys learn to be men in their peer groups at school, guarding their own and others sexuality.
   • Gender power was based on 'HYPER MASCULINITY' was the main source of identity for 'MACHO LADS' identified by Mac an Ghaill.
   • 'Macho lads' valued the three F's - Fighting, Football, Fucking.

3. Range of feminine identities in contemporary UK. Eg: mother/housewife but also breadwinner/career woman/single mum.

   • Feminine identity relates to passive/submissive roles associated with lack of confidence/ambition.
     • Feminists say it's learnt through socialisation - evidence shows things are slowly changing.

4. "Crisis of Masculinity" - Mac an Ghaill 1994 (CS)

   • Term is used to describe the insecurity felt by working class men today.
   • Loss of 'breadwinner' identity with the decline of traditional male industries such as mining, steel and shipbuilding.

5. The Three Types of Masculinity (C) - Connell 1995 (CS)

   • Argues that there are a variety of masculine identities in society today - specifically 3 types.
   • HEGOMONIC MASCULINITY - macho, dominant, aggressive, breadwinner. Most common and reinforced very strongly still today.
   • SUBORDINATE MASCULINITY - He links this to homosexual males.
   • MARGINALISED MASCULINITY - He links this to unemployed men which are present in today's society but not fully accepted.

6. "Ladette Culture" (C) - Denscombe 2006 (CS)

   • Looked at the increase in female risk-taking behaviour (smoking/drinking etc) and related it as 'ladette culture'.
   • Found out that young women want to be seen as anything but the stereotype of a woman.