Table Of ContentGender Non-conformity in Elementary Schools:
Learning from the Experiences of Children who do not Conform to Gender
Stereotypes
by
Alison Jaye Lewis
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Theoretical, Cultural and International Studies in Education
Department of Educational Policy Studies
University of Alberta
© Alison Jaye Lewis, 2014
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ii
Abstract
This qualitative research study seeks to understand the educational experiences of
elementary aged children who do not conform to gender stereotypes. The study
explores the educational experiences of three children who have all identified as
transgender while in elementary school. The study also embeds the experiences of
the caregivers as they navigate through the educational system. All participants
are from the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area, and all documents are relevant to
either the Edmonton or Alberta teaching contexts. Using a case study approach,
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brought the experiences together to represent a collective case. The data collected
consisted of interviews, observation notes, personal narratives and educational
documents. The data collected indicates that conceptualizing gender along the
binary of male and female does not allow for the creation of inclusive educational
environments for students who do not conform to this binary. Therefore it is
necessary to expand the understanding of gender to create a new normativity that
accommodates gender diversity. In order to create inclusive educational
environments which accommodate gender diversity, those within the educational
environments must recognize gender beyond the binary of male/female. To be
able to break away from the dominant conceptualizations of gender, intentional
support for students, caregivers and teachers must occur. Those close to the
children who are part of this study have indicated that the challenges they have
encountered with regard to understanding gender differently have created
opportunities for significant, positive growth and change.
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS iii
Preface
This thesis is an original work by Alison Jaye Lewis. The research project, of
which this thesis is a part, received research ethics approval from the University
of Alberta Research Ethics Board.
Project Name: Gender non-conformity in elementary schools: Learning from the
experiences of children who do not conform to gender stereotypes
Project Number: 38898
Approval Date: May 22, 2013.
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS iv
Dedication
For my children and grandchildren:
Ashley, Kelsey, Kate, Mackenzie, Carsyn and Crosby.
May you always remember:
Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you.
(Dr. Seuss, 1959, n.p.)
And may you always live your truth.
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS v
Acknowledgement
I am forever grateful to the families who opened their doors and their lives to me
in order to conduct this research. I suspected when I chose my topic that it might
be a little difficult to find families who would want to engage in this research.
And I was right. However, the families I worked with were very eager to
participate. I have felt so very privileged to work with each and every one of
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so proud to be part of this (cid:90)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:78)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:60)(cid:82)(cid:88)(cid:3)(cid:75)(cid:68)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:70)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:86)(cid:73)(cid:88)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:92)(cid:3)(cid:74)(cid:76)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:88)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:3)(cid:89)(cid:82)(cid:76)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:17)(cid:180)
I share her comment only to preface the following idea:
This is a collaborative work. The different voices you read may have been
penned by me, but together they truly represent the collective voice of the
participants. Without their willingness to speak their truths, some of which are
very personal, this work could not exist. And therefore, I am indebted to each of
the parents and the children who participated in this research.
The writing of this dissertation has been one of the most fulfilling and challenging
academic experiences I have faced. Without Dr. André P. Grace, my supervisor,
it would have been even more challenging. Dr. Grace provided encouragement,
advice, wisdom, clarity and patience, and he seemed to intuitively know when
each was needed. I am sincerely grateful.
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS vi
Table of Contents
Introduction
A Word About Language and Choice 1
My Motivation: A Personal and Professional Narrative 1
My Research Questions 15
Creating Acceptance in Early Years: 17
The Possibility for Greater Impact
Gender: A Review of the Literature 22
Introducing Gender in the Context of this Research 23
The Social Construction of Gender 30
Supporting Children Who Do Not Conform 35
to Gender Stereotypes
Elementary Schools as Gendering Institutions: 41
It is More Than Just the Trouble with Bathrooms
Recognizing the Self in Others and Environments 46
Methodology
Social Constructionism: My Starting Point 53
Feminist Poststructuralism: The Bridge 58
Queer Theory: The Other Side of the Bridge 62
Research Methods 67
Selection of Participants 76
Ensuring Ethical Research 78
Analyzing the Data 80
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS vii
Presentation and Interpretation of Data 84
Meet the Families 85
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The Themes and Constructs 102
We can conceptualize gender differently 103
Gender is not found between your legs 104
There are tell-tale signs of gender nonconformity 107
Disrupting personal understandings 109
and redefining familial relationships is part of
(re)conceptualizing gender
Challenging societal understandings is also part 116
of (re)conceptualizing gender
We cannot do it alone 131
Parents need support 133
Children need support 138
Teachers need support 153
There is change afoot 161
Personal growth is involved 162
Social activism is part of the change process 164
Recommendations for Gender Inclusive Schooling 167
Engage in Policymaking 170
Create Multi-disciplinary Teams 172
Engender Intentional Curricular Inclusion 175
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS viii
Develop Education for Pre-service and In-service Teachers 177
Have Non-gendered Public Bathrooms 180
Limitations and Recommendations for Further Research 180
Conclusions 183
References 185
Appendix 209
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 1
Introduction
A Word About Language and Choice
Throughout my research, you will notice I use words that are sometimes
debated within academia. I have endeavoured to explain the choice of language
within the body of this text, but I wish to preface my research with a general
explanation of the choice of language. Words, used as identifiers, change as we
learn new words that can create open spaces that allow for movement as opposed
to confinement within identification. For instance, steward and stewardess have
been replaced by the identifier of flight attendant to be inclusive of all possible
genders within the role. Although I have endeavoured to choose words to allow
for open spaces, I have also endeavoured to choose words that are commonly
understood by my prospective audience. After spending many years in public
education, I have come to know some of the words and phrases that are
commonly used by teachers when grappling with issues of gender in the
classroom. I have adopted many of these words and phrases within my research to
help support the accessibility of my research. I recognize the power of language,
and I have made every effort to be respectful with the language choices that I have
made. I will discuss this further as the thesis unfolds in relation to my resistance
to the term gender variant and other language with particular connotations when it
comes to discussing gender.
My Motivation: A Personal and Professional Narrative
As a researcher who has roots in feminist poststructuralism, my own
positioning is key to the development of my research question and it is also key to
GENDER NON-‐CONFORMITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 2
how others will be able to hear my research ideas and findings (Davies, 1999;;
Lather & Smithies, 1997). As such, I offer the following understandings of me as
researcher.
I have been an educator for 28 years and have over 22 years of classroom
teaching experience. Much of my teaching has focused on elementary education,
and most of my teaching experience has been with children who are marginalized
due to their specific educational needs that have included emotional and
behavioural disorders as well as learning disabilities. During my 12th year of
teaching, I began identifying as a queer person. This challenging period of my life
involved the redefining of self as I had been entrenched in a heteronormative
world with its hegemonic constructions of womanhood and parenthood. Living as
a heterosexual wife and mother of three daughters, my roles were easily
recognizable in our culture. Simply put, I fit the stereotype of being a woman.
Throughout this dissertation the word stereotype will be used. I have
chosen to use the word for several reasons. The word is easily understood to
represent a normative conception of constructs such as womanhood or gender,
and it has always been important to me that my writing remain accessible to the
audience it is intended for, which is K-6 teachers. The second reason for
choosing the word stereotype is that the word is consistent with social
constructionism (Outhwaite, 2006), which will be discussed later as a primary
methodology being used within the research. The word stereotype is used to
represent the normative ways of performing gender which are socially constructed
and deemed appropriate within our society (Butler, 2004). The third reason for
Description:iii. Preface. This thesis is an original work by Alison Jaye Lewis. mix of all aspects of gender to reach a blended sense of the gendered self. These.
