Boys Gender and Schooling > Issues for schools > Masculinities matter >

Boys versus girls

Research suggests that from a very young age, children understand being a boy and being a girl as opposite things. They understand gender as difference: 'be a boy' means 'don't be a girl'. For boys, there is an implied threat to their masculinity if they identify with, even associate with, girls. Many boys go to some lengths to draw clear distinctions between themselves and the 'opposite' sex, even to the extent of resisting activities, such as reading, that they may have come to associate with being feminine.

What do boys say about girls? These comments, drawn from interviews with primary and secondary boys, indicate some of the ways in which boys view girls.

Boys talk about girls new window 37k new window looks at boys' understandings of girls.

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Queensland Government