Stereotyping Males in the Classroom

Sexism in school began to become a topic of discussion when Title IX of the Education Amendments Act was passed in 1972, which “prohibited sex discrimination against students or employees in any federally funded program” (Davies, Evans 255). It became clear that textbooks were not only teaching children math and science; they were also being taught gendered behaviors and “how society regards certain groups of people” (Davies, Evans 256).

Because “books are a powerful tool in shaping children and their views of society,” it is important to analyze what messages are being conveyed to children in their formative years (Davies, Evans 256).

In the article “No Sissy Boys Here: A Content Analysis of Representation of Masculinity in Elementary School Reading Textbooks” by Lorraine Evans and Kimberly Davies, a study is conducted in which the portrayal of gender characteristics is investigated in first, third, and fifth grade literature textbooks. After analyzing traits regarding masculine and feminine stereotypes, the results proved that males are portrayed stereotypically by being shown to be “aggressive, argumentative, and competitive,” despite Title IX and publishers’ guidelines (Davies, Evans 255).

Previous research concluded that “sexism in elementary school textbooks focused solely on the portrayal of girls” (Davies, Evans 257). While female characters are actually more likely to act counter to stereotypical femininity, male characters continue to be depicted by stereotypical masculinity because “sexism, for boys, has not yet been properly addressed” (Davies, Evans 258). The first-grade textbooks were analyzed because they “initiate the reading sequence,” and the third and fifth-grade books were analyzed because standardized testing takes place during these years (Davies, Evans 259). The textbooks that were analyzed were the “1997 Macmillan McGraw Hill basal series, Spotlight on Literacy, and the 1997 Silver Burdett Ginn series, Literature Works,” which were the main basal readers in the United States during that time (Davies, Evans 259). Eight feminine personality traits and eight masculine personality traits were used to evaluate the main character as being either masculine or feminine. The masculine personality traits were adventurous, aggressive, argumentative, assertive, competitive, decisive, risk-taker, and self-reliant, while the feminine traits were affectionate, emotionally expressive, impetuous, nurturing, panicky, passive, tender, and understanding. If a character showed “any of the relevant traits, the trait was checked” (Davies, Evans 261). After analyzing 132 characters in 82 stories, Davies and Evans concluded that “males were portrayed with traditionally masculine characteristics more often than females” (Davies, Evans 263).

In conclusion, while female characters are now more likely to display masculine traits, male characters almost never display feminine traits. In order for children to reach their full potential, textbooks need to teach children that it is “acceptable to display a wide variety of traits,” whether the child is male or female (Davies, Evans 269).

Contrary to Davies and Evans’s study, another study was conducted five years later that analyzed the visuals within children’s textbooks. In the first textbook, visuals included a female character wearing “flowers on her head and on her shoes, a heart on her nose and pink cheeks,” while the male character wore “blue trousers and red shoes with a buckle” (Hus, Sovic 498). Although both characters are animals, gender stereotypes can easily be decoded. Each character is shown playing with a unique toy: the male has a yellow plane, while the female has a baby doll. With that being shown, readers understand that the female is portrayed as being “patient and caring,” while the male character is “active” and “goal-orientated” (Hus, Sovic 498). Gender-related stereotypes are not only depicted in the content of textbooks but also in the visuals, which can be just as impactful on children. These ostensibly light-hearted images hold considerable power in shaping children’s perception of themselves and the world.

After reading “No Sissy Boys Here: A Content Analysis of the Representation of Masculinity in Elementary School Reading Textbooks” by Lorraine Evans and Kimberly Davies, the results were quite shocking because the discrimination of males is not commonly discussed. Boys, at a very young age, are being taught traditional masculine stereotypes not only through socialization but also in their school textbooks, which partly accounts for the persistence of inequality. Hypermasculinity can severely damage a young boy’s self-esteem concerning both his actions and physique, making him feel constrained in his identity. However, what was not discussed in the article was how hypermasculinity negatively impacts females, such as males viewing themselves as having power over females and aggression linked to domestic abuse. Hypermasculinity is about “showing that you have control, whether that means acting aggressively or being tough” (Ruminawi). This not only pressures young men to behave in a certain way for fear of being a “sissy,” but also fosters a dangerous world for women to inhabit. The “internalization and normalization of this facet of hypermasculinity is perilous because of its connection with violence” toward women, such as rape (Ruminawi). Therefore, teaching children that it’s only acceptable to exhibit certain traits specific to their gender does damage to children and societal perceptions of gender.

A common theme was the acceptability for females to possess both masculine and feminine traits, whilst males should only have masculine traits. However, even though it is more “acceptable” for females to have both feminine and masculine traits (which is a small step in the right direction), females still do not receive equal treatment as males. As time progresses, the portrayal of females in textbooks and media is gradually transitioning from traditional feminine stereotypes, yet they remain prevalent. Because women continue to be portrayed and regarded as inferior to men, it is crucial to focus on how textbooks represent females, in addition to how hypermasculinity can exacerbate the divide between sexes. The pressure for young boys to conform to traditional masculine stereotypes yields a dangerous society for both males and females. Conversely, the pressure for young girls to adhere strictly to feminine stereotypes directly harms females alone.

Thought-provoking questions: Why is gender more dichotomized in third-grade readers than in the first or fifth-grade readers? Is reaffirming aggressiveness as “natural” or “normal” for males dangerous to society and/or harmful for males? Did the definition of “feminine” change over the years? Why? How? And what about the definition of “masculine”? What does this say about our society and how we are socialized? Does discrimination against one gender affect the other gender?

Works Cited

Davies, Kimberly; Evans, Lorraine. “No Sissy Boys Here: A Content Analysis of Representation of Masculinity in Elementary School Reading Textbooks.” February 2000.

Hus, Vlasta; Sovic, Anja. “Gender Stereotype Analysis of The Textbooks for Young Learners.” Elsevier Ltd, 2015.

Ruminawi. “Hypermasculinity and its Effects.” Cosas, April 28, 2016.

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