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A discourse of disparagement
Open accessAbstract
This article explores the construction and maintenance of hegemonic masculinity in the classroom through discussion and analysis of boys’ talk about girls in school. Key in this process is the marking of distance between masculinity and femininity, and boys’ talk in this context is representative of a deeply entrenched discourse of disparagement which positions femininity as a subordinated ‘other’. Using examples from field research the article explores how boys strive to position themselves in opposition to femininity and in relation to the hegemonic norms which police and regulate their behaviour in the group context. There is specific focus on how boys disparage girls’ gendered practices against a legitimizing backdrop of the public discourse of a ‘crisis for masculinity’. The article documents the circular and self-perpetuating relationship between the continuing prevalence of a widely shared expression of hegemonic masculinity, boys’ disparaging talk about girls, and the positioning of boys as educationally disadvantaged subjects.
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“Despite efforts to address gender inequities, hegemonic masculinity remains the dominant gender performance in schools (Barnes 2011).”
From Technology-facilitated sexual violence perpetration as a tool for gender policing in secondary schools (2026) · cites this paper as Barnes 2011
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No references could be resolved yet.
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Almanssori, S., Paskaran, L., & Mendes, K. (2026) · Journal of Youth Studies · doi:10.1080/13676261.2025.2531789 · Cited by 5
Metadata
- Authors
- Barnes, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Limerick (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Barnes, Cliona
- Venue
- YOUNG
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2011-01-11
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5-23
- ISSN
- 1103-3088 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-3222
- OpenAlex
- W2312837747
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Young (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Sexuality, and Education
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
- Keywords
- hegemonic masculinity, disparagement, masculinity and femininity, gender practices, crisis of masculinity, classroom discourse, othering, gender norms in schools
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