Female and feminine-presenting band directors’ experiences with gender microaggressions in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore female and feminine-presenting band directors’ experiences with gender microaggressions in their work. Data consisted of survey responses ( N = 974) from current, former, and aspiring band directors living and/or teaching in the United States. The most frequently experienced types of gender microaggressions were second-class citizenship, restrictive gender roles, and environmental microaggressions. Younger individuals, college instructors, and those in the South tended to experience certain microaggression types more frequently than did other directors. Open-ended descriptions indicated a variety of common experiences within each of the nine types of gender microaggression, the most frequent of which was being called a demeaning name (e.g., sweetie, honey, and young lady). The most stressful/bothersome types were second-class citizenship, assumptions of inferiority, and restrictive gender roles, and correlations between frequency and stressfulness were strongest for leaving gender at the door, denial of individual sexism, and denial of the reality of sexism. Implications include the need to develop awareness of, combat, and prevent gender microaggressions in the secondary band profession and to provide opportunities for teachers of all genders to be recognized and valued for their work.