Gendering physical education: The role of the French State in the aftermath of the First World War

Abstract

The Great War contributed greatly to challenge the gender order in France, a context that resulted in both a crisis of masculinity and a certain freedom of women. As a reaction, men and women were redefined in the aftermath of the First World War according to traditional gender expectations. This return to tradition was especially reflected in the new official discourse on physical education. Between 1919 and 1927, the so-called “French Method of Physical Education” was written by the Military School of Joinville-Le-Pont and immediately imposed on the State school system for all French pupils. Consisting of three large volumes, the “French Method” offers an excellent tool to explore how the French State redefined the gender relations and presented ideal models of masculinity and femininity. The issue is of particular interest because the “French Method” became compulsory for almost half a century in France and was largely disseminated throughout the world.