YC100 Lecture 7: Studying Gender with Children
9 Apr 2018
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Borderwork: interaction across gender boundaries that may be created through contact or avoidance. Strengthens borders; separates genders: contests (in classroom) Girls and boys pitted against one another in games gender is central to symbolism of encounter because separation invites gender antagonism. Leads to disparaging the other gender and highlighting one"s own. Gender submerges potential racial themes: chasing and tickling. Boys: end in wrestling and mock-fights; more physically aggressive than cross-gender and only girls. Girls: create safety zones; certain girls roam the playground searching out boys to tease. Girls-chase-the-boys, boys- chase-the-girls, catch and kiss, pinching tickling) Gender terms override individual identities: cootie rituals. The game of cooties: an invisible contaminant germ game. Kids have rituals for transferring cooties: touching, chasing, and shouting. Girls will give cooties back to girls, but not to other boys. Girls are treated as a contaminated group while boys are not. But girls are given power- boys have to run.
