Primary school children's self-construction of gender identity, including heterosexual normativity

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore to what extent the link between gender and heterosexist normativity is present in a Year 3 Maltese mixed primary class. In this qualitative research, ethnographic conversations with the teacher and the pupils about gender-identity construction are undertaken. Additionally, curriculum material and other verbal, textual and visual documents of school life are studied to see what gender normative and non-normative subjective positions are available to young children. The study has been conducted over a period of four months in one Year 3 School with a middle-aged class teacher, a young LSA and seventeen pupils, of whom ten were boys and seven were girls. The children's age ranged from seven to eight years old. Children at this age were not only aware of gender stereotypes, but also adopted these stereotypes in order to assert their masculinities and femininities. Heterosexuality was a dimension children entered in order to assert their masculinity and femininity. The teacher and the curriculum content reflected the children's stereotyped behaviours.