Gender Stereotypes and Moral Regulation Impacts on Girls
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Michele Burman
University of Glasgow
Sugar and Spice: are we morally policing girls and young
women? CYCJ seminar, November 2014
A problem with girls?
The influence of gender stereotypes and the iniquities of moral regulation
Forms of regulating girls’ social behaviour
•
Pervasiveness of the dual image of young women and girls
–
19
th
century moral crusading
–
Protectionism and gender differentials
•
Twin discourses of vulnerability and risk / protection and
control
–
Reflected in responses to young women and girls as victims and as
offenders
Sexuality
•
Images of female sexuality in the court room
–
Pervasiveness of stereotypes
–
Sexual history and character
•
Sexual reputation as a (continuing) controlling feature of
girls’ lives
–
Discrediting
–
Constraining
‘Muddled Discourses’
•
More vulnerable than boys…..
‘Worse’ than boys ….
•
Gendered expectations
•
Gendered welfarism
–
Advantages and disadvantages for girls and young women
•
From welfare to increased punitiveness
Incarceration
•
A rising tide …?
•
Increased detention and institutionalisation
•
Rises and dips of imprisonment
•
‘In care’ on welfare grounds
Explanations of offending
•
Dominance of sexual/psychological and pathological
explanations
•
Control theories emphasising gender differentials in
socialisation
•
Social/structural explanations
•
Generally, connections between adverse experiences,
lifestyle factors, young women’s agency and pathways
remain under theorised/
Violence and moral panics
•
Small minority involved in violence
•
Focus on meaning and context of violence
•
Need for contextualised and nuanced understandings to
challenge popular notions
•
Current perceptions of girls’ apparent violent behaviour - an
indication of prevailing societal concerns about morality ?
Concluding Thoughts
•
Risk and vulnerability
–
‘Risky’ in terms of likelihood of re/offending…
–
…but also ‘at risk’ and requiring intervention to protect from further
harm
•
Dual images
–
differences between girls (and between girls and boys)
•
Render girls and young women subject to contradictory polices and
practices
–
Combining increasing criminalisation and punitiveness with elements
of gendered welfarism
Analyzing the societal influences of gender stereotypes and moral regulations on the behavior and treatment of girls and young women, this study delves into historical perceptions, discourses surrounding vulnerability and risk, sexuality images, muddled discourses, incarceration trends, explanations of offending, and violence perceptions among girls. By challenging prevailing societal concerns and seeking contextualized understandings, this research sheds light on the complexities of girls' social behavior regulation.
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Presentation Transcript
www.sccjr.ac.uk A problem with girls? The influence of gender stereotypes and the iniquities of moral regulation Michele Burman University of Glasgow Sugar and Spice: are we morally policing girls and young women? CYCJ seminar, November 2014
www.sccjr.ac.uk Forms of regulating girls social behaviour Pervasiveness of the dual image of young women and girls 19thcentury moral crusading Protectionism and gender differentials Twin discourses of vulnerability and risk / protection and control Reflected in responses to young women and girls as victims and as offenders
www.sccjr.ac.uk Sexuality Images of female sexuality in the court room Pervasiveness of stereotypes Sexual history and character Sexual reputation as a (continuing) controlling feature of girls lives Discrediting Constraining
www.sccjr.ac.uk Muddled Discourses More vulnerable than boys .. Worse than boys . Gendered expectations Gendered welfarism Advantages and disadvantages for girls and young women From welfare to increased punitiveness
www.sccjr.ac.uk Incarceration A rising tide ? Increased detention and institutionalisation Rises and dips of imprisonment In care on welfare grounds
www.sccjr.ac.uk Explanations of offending Dominance of sexual/psychological and pathological explanations Control theories emphasising gender differentials in socialisation Social/structural explanations Generally, connections between adverse experiences, lifestyle factors, young women s agency and pathways remain under theorised/
www.sccjr.ac.uk Violence and moral panics Small minority involved in violence Focus on meaning and context of violence Need for contextualised and nuanced understandings to challenge popular notions Current perceptions of girls apparent violent behaviour - an indication of prevailing societal concerns about morality ?
www.sccjr.ac.uk Concluding Thoughts Risk and vulnerability Risky in terms of likelihood of re/offending but also at risk and requiring intervention to protect from further harm Dual images differences between girls (and between girls and boys) Render girls and young women subject to contradictory polices and practices Combining increasing criminalisation and punitiveness with elements of gendered welfarism
