Injustice in physical education: gender and the perception of deprivation in grades and teacher support

Abstract

School as an institution is not powerful enough to fight external mechanisms leading to gender inequalities. Sport, as Physical Education (PE), remains a male domain and appears as a site for the reproduction of hegemonic masculinity. In PE, girls obtain lower grades than boys; teachers support boys more. This paper focuses upon the French pupils’ perceptions of injustice with respect to teacher support and grades relative to gender and social gender role orientation. Data were collected through questionnaires from 1620 pupils in secondary school. Although boys, Androgynous and Masculine pupils, obtained significantly higher grades in PE, they felt more deprivation. Concerning teacher support, girls’ perceptions of injustice were similar to boys’ perceptions, and Undifferentiated pupils perceived the highest deprivation level. Pupil’s perceptions may not be free of gender stereotypes.