Children's Talk in Interviews about Gender Discrimination in Adult Occupation

Abstract

This article focuses on primary school children's constructions of adult occupation in relation to gender, investigating whether or not they construct gender as a source of discrimination in the adult workplace. In order to do so, children were questioned about hypothetical scenarios concerning gender and adult work. By analysing their responses this paper investigates which gendered constructions appeared to prevail, and the ways in which children explained their ideas. Thus, having described the methodology used and research approach taken, the first section of the article begins by providing a figurative over-view of children's responses to the different questions. This demonstrates the large number of children, particularly girls, that constructed gender as a potential source of discrimination in some aspects of adult work. The second section examines the various discourses children drew upon in their explanations, and the ways in which they explained their responses. It is argued that children could apply their knowledge of gender issues to that of adult work, and that many drew on discourses of equal opportunity to present discrimination in adult work as unfair.