Gendered Nature Research Articles

“When Father Christmas Is the Gaslighter”

The article is written with, by, and for (m)others whose children have been labelled as having “special educational needs” (SEN). The term (m)others is used to pay attention to the continued impact of the gendered nature of care for (disabled) children at the level of the individual, but also to recognize gender as a social construct, and the many ways of being a (m)other (Anderson). The broad aim is to explore the ways in which special education systems across the global North construct (m)others of disabled children as “mad.” This discussion is timely given the high levels of conflict between parents/carers and global North special education systems in contemporary times. The article explores “madness” as a mechanism of social control produced in special education systems by paying close attention to “intimate encounters” between (m)others and practitioners that occur day-to-day in (special) education settings. The developing analysis is shaped by the concept of “gaslighting,” which offers a useful framework both for understanding deeply affecting and effecting “intimate encounters” between (m)others and practitioners, and for exposing the operations of power in special education systems. The conclusion reflects on what new understandings of (m)others’ madness have been revealed and how they have the potential to (re)shape practice.

From colonial time to decolonial temporalities.

In this paper, we critique the colonial conception of time and present alternative decolonial temporalities. We propose that the colonial conception of time, which is linear and scarcity centred, is limiting when it comes to the possibility of contextually theorizing trauma and healing. We offer two main arguments. The first argument explores the discourse around the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa. Focusing specifically on Winnie Madikizela and F. W De Klerk, we show that in their engagement with the TRC, the linear, scarcity-centred and gendered nature of colonial time was animated. The second argument extends the first argument by considering how temporality is 'captured' by colonialism to foreground and universalize Western subjectivities and sensibilities. We use what Derek Hook calls a psycho-societal-diagnostic framework in conjunction with Fanon to show how subjectivities are structured in post-apartheid South Africa. We then consider how this time-subjectivity relationship is enacted at a geopolitical level. The paper ends by considering decolonial temporalities as a way to 're-cognize' at a collective level. While the paper engages with a series of concepts and ideas, namely capitalism, politics of justice, gender and race, these are threaded by the concept of time.

Fame, Embodiment and Sexuality in Nineteenth-Century Women’s Poetry

ABSTRACT This article examines the ways in which three women poets of the long nineteenth-century – Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861), Emily Brontë (1818–1848) and Charlotte Mew (1869–1928) – represent fame in their work in terms of a tense sexualised dynamic of attraction and repulsion, variously modelled as femme-fatale-like seduction, repressed lust and the activity in, and consequences of, what Mew terms the “tossed bed” (“Fame”, l. 19). The focusing of fame through the ideas of sexuality and embodiment enables these writers to reflect, explicitly or implicitly, upon the gendered nature of literary creation, public voice and visibility, and thereby to negotiate, at least in part, the complex legacies of the “poetess”. In deploying innovative experiments with structure, form and language, Barrett Browning, Brontë and Mew repeatedly reveal fame’s double-edged nature, as something which may be alluring and enthralling in terms of desire, yet simultaneously silencing and threatening to the intellectual and creative life of the poet. The poems examined here consequently demonstrate that succumbing to fame is something which must be resisted at all costs in order to maintain personal and poetic integrity.

Acts of gender activism in Stephen Chifunyise’s selected plays

This article explores Stephen Chifunyise’s portrayal of empowering identities of women which are considered as ‘gender activist’. Many of Chifunyise’s plays deal with gendered issues of space, democracy, governance and citizenship. The plays are rooted in African culture which attempts to balance the gendered nature of African communities to effectively advocate for the adoption of critical changes that have happened within these communities. The article views Chifunyise as a gender activist who uses theatre to bring to the fore issues which highlight the plight of women. The article utilizes an Africana Womanist perspective to analyse how Chifunyise includes women in society and more importantly, structures the way in which they are to be included as partners to the development of societies. Africana Womanism acknowledges men as part of this experience and as being key in its construction and in the deconstruction of women’s oppression. The article will analyse Chifunyise’s Waiting for Constitution (2010) and 365 (2011).

“I Feel More Masculine Having Sex with a Woman Than Being Fucked by a Man”: Masculinity and Bisexual Men's Experiences of Sex with Women and Men

ABSTRACT Prior research with heterosexual and gay men suggests that heteronormative, hegemonic masculine norms influence sexual behaviors, including in relation to sexual health, and in sex between men, positioning in anal intercourse. This qualitative study offers an in-depth account of how bisexual men’s beliefs about masculinity and about the gendered nature of certain sexual behaviors may influence their experiences of sex with women and men, and the sexual practices they engage in. Twenty-two bisexual men participated in one-to-one, semi-structured interviews, where they were asked about their experiences of sex with women and men in relation to their beliefs about masculinity. A reflexive thematic analysis identified the influence of prevailing discourses of heteronormativity and hegemonic masculinity on sexual experiences and behaviors. Participants’ beliefs about masculinity and the gendered nature of certain aspects of sex influenced experiences relating to sexual performance, sexual assertiveness, positions adopted, practices engaged in, and how gender was enacted in sexual encounters. Sex with women was experienced as more masculine than sex with men: Participants described feeling more sexually assertive than their sexual partners, in control of the encounter, and responsible for facilitating their partners’ sexual pleasure. Sex with men was experienced as more egalitarian and provided favorable opportunities to relinquish sexual control and responsibilities around facilitating pleasure, and to feel less masculine, including by engaging in receptive anal intercourse. Findings therefore indicate that, for some bisexual men, masculinity is highly salient, influencing a range of sexual behaviors and experiences in sex with women and with men.

Gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation for health systems.

Gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for health and health systems interventions and programs is vital to improve health, health systems, and gender equality outcomes. It can be used to identify and address gender disparities in program participation, outcomes and benefits, as well as ensure that programs are designed and implemented in a way that is inclusive and accessible for all. While gender-responsive M&E is most effective when interventions and programs intentionally integrate a gender lens, it is relevant for all health systems programs and interventions. Within the literature, gender-responsive M&E is defined in different and diverse ways, making it difficult to operationalize. This is compounded by the complexity and multi-faceted nature of gender. Within this methodological musing, we present our evolving approach to gender-responsive M&E which we are operationalizing within the Monitoring for Gender and Equity project. We define gender-responsive M&E as intentionally integrating the needs, rights, preferences of, and power relations among, women and girls, men and boys, and gender minority individuals, as well as across social, political, economic, and health systems in M&E processes. This is done through the integration of different types of gender data and indicators, including: sex- or gender-specific, sex- or gender-disaggregated, sex- or gender-specific/disaggregated which incorporate needs, rights and preferences, and gender power relations and systems indicators. Examples of each of these are included within the paper. Active approaches can also enhance the gender-responsiveness of any M&E activities, including incorporating an intersectional lens and tailoring the types of data and indicators included and processes used to the specific context. Incorporating gender into the programmatic cycle, including M&E, can lead to more fit-for-purpose, effective and equitable programs and interventions. The framework presented in this paper provides an outline of how to do this, enabling the uptake of gender-responsive M&E.

Thomas Mathiesen as a public intellectual

Could Thomas Mathiesen be described as a public intellectual? What, after all, is a public intellectual? And does the label still carry any kind of relevance? Today, the meaning of the term public intellectual is far from clear. The notion of a public intellectual has moreover become controversial because of its connotations of academic elitism, and its gendered nature. However, its gradual decline also carries pressing concerns that academics are increasingly withdrawing from the public arena. Reflecting on these developments and ambiguities, the article explores the meaning of the term and uses it as a starting point for the discussion of Thomas Mathiesen’s remarkable life and work.

Mobility of non-binary and gender nonconforming individuals: A systematic literature review

The gendered nature of travel behaviours and experiences have long been recognised in research and policy making. However, research on non-binary people and their mobility is scarce, as is the acknowledgement of a spectrum nature of gender within the transportation discipline. This paper presents the first systematic literature review, using PRISMA guidelines, of the mobility and travel experiences of non-binary people. The review identified that to date the main research domains for non-binary people's mobility considered issues of harassment and violence on public transit, fear, security measures, intersectionality, and strategies to deal with discrimination. The paper highlights spatial and geographical constraints, such as immobility and inaccessibility, that non-binary people face when interacting with public transportation system. Strategies to improve mobility for the gender nonconforming community included upgrading public transport stations, increasing funding for public transportation, and providing gender diversity training for transit workers. The findings draw attention to the need for substantial further transportation research into the field. By including non-binary perspectives in transport research, a unique range of insights and experiences can be unlocked, while increasing inclusivity in transport research.

Interaction of Generational Differences with Gender and Residential Nature in Attitudes Toward Interfaith Marriages

The present study examined the interaction effects of generations, gender, and residential nature on attitudes toward interfaith marriage in a sample of 1190 Indian participants from iGen, Xennials and Millennials, and Baby Boomers generations. Data were collected using a socio-demographic response sheet and the Attitude Scale, with lower ratings indicating positive attitudes and higher ratings indicating negative attitudes. The results of this study demonstrated that generational differences are significantly associated with gender and residential nature. There was a significant interaction between generation and gender and generation and residential nature on attitudes toward interfaith marriages.

“We Owe It to Those Who Shall Come After Us”: Considering the Role of Social Work Education in Disrupting Carceral Complicity

Reflecting upon Mary Richmond’s early call for formalized social work training to address the historical struggles of the field, this analysis examines how American social work education has addressed the paradoxes of help and harm present in the field for more than a century. We examine how, under the guise of benevolence and care, social work has exerted social control and contributed to gendered criminalization. We use the term carceral complicity to extend the concept of carceral social work, illustrating how carceral complicity has contributed to women’s criminalization through the embedding, enacting, and invisibilizing of carceral logics in social work. In addition to describing how carceral complicity has been addressed in social work education, we illustrate the gendered nature of carceral complicity, highlighting how women have historically and contemporarily been positioned as both the proprietors and the recipients of carceral complicity. In line with recent scholarship, we suggest that through a transformative approach to social work education we may disrupt carceral complicity and support liberatory futures.

The ‘emotional contract’: on obligation and guilt in women influencers’ work with brands

ABSTRACT This article explores the sense of obligation and feelings of guilt experienced by female influencers when collaborating with brands. Sponsored posts are crucial for influencers’ income, and despite their awareness of the uncertain algorithms governing post visibility, influencers feel personally responsible for maximizing exposure and generating sales from their audience. Drawing on 15 interviews with Australian influencers on Instagram and 12 interviews with Chinese influencers from Xiaohongshu (Red), this article reveals the “messiness” during influencers’ negotiations with brands and the emotional obligations that transcend mere commercial contracts. The emotional connections between female influencers and brands give rise to what I term an “emotional contract,” which weakens influencers’ bargaining flexibility. I argue that this contract is rooted in the gendered nature of the influencer ecosystem and the historical devaluation of emotional labour expected of women. This dynamic fosters and normalizes a structure of guilt, thereby imposing additional challenges in receiving fair compensation.

‘When I walk through the stadium’s gate, I have to be a man among the others’: doing gender by female Tunisian football fans

ABSTRACT Focusing on female fans of professional football teams in Tunisia, this article highlights the ways in which gender is performed within the specific context of football fandom. Based on a qualitative sociological study conducted through 23 semi-structured interviews with a group of women who identify as football team fans, this article analyses fandom's feminine performance. By examining the behaviours of women in the stands, a space dominated by male fans, the article explores the values, language, and gestures they adopt (and do not adopt) in reference to the characteristics valued in Tunisian society. The existing patterns of male dominance are reinforced by the various dimensions of the fans’ gender performance in this ‘male bastion’. Although women seem to accept male dominance and gender hierarchies in order to be recognized as authentic fans, the results show that women both construct and deconstruct their gender, highlighting the kaleidoscopic nature of gender.

51 She Moves - A comparative study examining the perception of the built environment between men and women

Abstract Sustainable urban transport and active travel are part of policy and practice worldwide, with a strong focus on strengthening the relationship between transport and health (US PHA, 2021; NICE, 2012; EU Commission, 2013; ISPAH, 2020). The gap we see in physical activity with males globally being more active than their female counterparts is also evident in transport, with a male bias in planning and design and gender a determinant in modal choice (UN, 2017; ITF, 2018; TII, 2019). This research aims to explore the perceptions of the built environment from a male and female perspective and how this implicates physical activity levels. Walking and cycling for active transport have substantial health benefits, however women are less inclined to use AT than men (Mueller et al, 2015; Garrad et al, 2008; Heesch & Sahlqvist, 2013). This is due to the gendered nature of cites being designed for the use of men and not women (Bassam, 2023). This study utilised a quantitative approach. A survey was made available nationally (Ireland) on Microsoft Forms, it was available to all genders and both rural and urban individuals. The aim of this survey is gather an in depth understanding of women’s perceptions of the built environment and it’s correlation to activity levels, active travel behaviour and health, and how this differs to men. The Healthy Ireland protocol has been used to gather baseline data, general health and demographic information. The findings have been analysed using SPSS. The results of this study will be complete before August 2024. The survey is currently available to be completed online. Results are to be published in an academic journal. The aim of this study is to highlight the difference in perceptions of an individuals built environment dependent on gender. The results from this study will inform policy surrounding the design of cities and towns with infrastructure that is accessible and u​tilized by all. It will inform how we redesign cities for the use of all and have a gender-neutral perspective on city design, active travel and transport. Support/Funding Source This research has been funded by Technological University Dublin.

Monitoring climate change vulnerability in the Himalayas.

Longitudinal assessment of climate vulnerability is essential for understanding the complex factors affecting how people experience and respond to climate change. We report on the first longitudinal assessment of climate vulnerability in the Himalayan region, exploring the evolving landscape, perceptions, and experiences of communities of climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation in Kashmir over an 8-year period from 2017 to 2024. We provide the Himalayan Re-study Framework (HRF) to monitor, characterise, and conceptualise climate change in the Himalayas. Utilising mixed methods, we showcase how climate change is affecting social, economic, political, and environmental dimensions, examining how the impacts of climate change and vulnerability evolve over time, shaping and reshaping how climate risks are experienced and responded to by communities. Our analysis reveals a nuanced understanding of vulnerability, highlighting the impact on communities' livelihoods and water security, differential impacts on marginalised communities, and the gendered nature of climate change. We examine how certain sections of the population face marginalisation, discrimination, and racism, and how climate change exacerbates these challenges. Kashmir's vulnerability to climate change extends beyond environmental factors, intertwining with culture, livelihoods, social dynamics, and politics. Climate change continues to compete for attention with immediate political and socio-economic challenges, highlighting the need for integrated approaches to address both environmental and societal issues in Kashmir.

“Complete Strangers Can Get through Your Front Door”: The Carly Ryan Murder, Teen Girls and the Internet in 2000s Australia

ABSTRACT On 21 February 2007, 15-year-old Carly Ryan’s body was found in the waters at Port Elliot in South Australia. A highly public investigation and trial followed, during which it was revealed that 48-year-old Melburnian man Garry Francis Newman had used a false online identity to seduce and lure Ryan to her death. In its coverage, the Australian media scrutinised Ryan’s online profiles and dramatised the dangers that cyberspace posed to young women. Examining these reports reveals wider anxieties over the internet blurring the boundary between public and private—a boundary historically assumed to keep young women safe. Journalists presented the online world as being both entirely public and inappropriately hidden from adult view. Cyberspace was framed as a place where young women could “act out” (self-sexualise) outside parents’ control and invite the “wrong” kind of attention. In this article, I contextualise this coverage within historic fears about stranger danger. I demonstrate how journalists drew from the contemporary debate in Australia surrounding the sexualisation of children in media—and its gendered nature. Further, I argue that the Australian media framed the internet as disrupting the idea of the family home as a safe haven and upsetting traditional parent–child relationships.

Narrative Time and Moral Injury in Daniel Defoe’s The Fortunate Mistress

ABSTRACT This paper explores the deliberate use of temporal ambiguities and discrepancies in Defoe’s The Fortunate Mistress to convey the disturbed retrospections of a guilt/shame-ridden narrator and the relationship between moral injury and temporal narrative techniques, highlighting the gendered nature of the fictional narrator’s moral injury. Drawing on Pederson’s model of moral injury in literature, which deals with perpetrator trauma, it argues that the narrator’s moral injury and its temporal reflexes in the narrative serve to reinforce the thematic and narratorial (re)iterations of female trauma and subsequent moral injury. Ultimately, this analysis provides compelling evidence of Defoe’s astute understanding of the psychology of shame, guilt, and narration, as well as his preference for psychological realism over traditional sequential narration, as he crafts stories that explore the human and psychological consequences of traumatic experiences.

Beauty, nobility, and desire: Ideals of gentlemanliness and the male body in Confucius and Plato

ABSTRACT Both Plato and Confucius were deeply concerned with moral cultivation and political leadership, topics that were inherently gendered in ancient patriarchal societies. I show that both thinkers focused their discussions on concepts that were associated with male aristocratic ideals of gentlemanliness. Yet while Confucian texts emphasize moral behavior and ritual to beautify the male body (shen 身), Plato focuses on the cultivation of a non-physical soul, which women also possess. Various theories have been proposed to explain this difference in their understandings of the self, but when we bear the gendered nature of their inquiry in mind, an important difference takes center stage: for Socrates, the male body is an object of sexual desire. This paper highlights the influence of homoerotic desire in Plato’s unique approach to gentlemanliness, offering a new perspective for comparing these philosophers' views on gender, cultivation, and leadership.

Hands labouring for safety: Mediated intimacy in influencer communities on Instagram

AbstractThe article explores how digital images of hands are used as a symbolic representation of intimacy and intimate emotions in influencer communication on Instagram. Based on digital ethnography with female influencers in the Czech Republic, the analysis focuses on three categories of communicative practices, where hands function as a visual representation of intimacy—creating community, a sense of vulnerability, and the notion of rawness and openness. The analysis points to the gendered nature of influencer communication. It explores how intimacy is established specifically by women influencers who need to navigate vulnerability with the need to protect themselves against gender‐based online violence in the form of hate comments and sexualized hate speech.

Caring During COVID-19: A Study of Intersectionality and Inequities in the Care Economy in 16 Countries.

Carers were disproportionately harmed in the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite facing an increased risk of contracting the virus, they continued in frontline roles in care services and acted as "shock absorbers" for their families and communities. In this article, we apply an intersectional lens to examine care work and the structural factors disadvantaging carers during COVID-19 through a comparative case study analysis of 16 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Data on each country was collected through a qualitative framework during 2021-2022. We found that while carers everywhere were predominantly women with low incomes and precarious employment, other factors were at play in shaping their experiences. Moreover, government responses to mitigate the direct impact of the pandemic have created local and global disparities affecting those working in this sector. Our findings reveal how oppressive social structures such as race, class, caste, and migration status converged in contextually specific ways to shape the gendered nature of care within and between different countries. We call for a better understanding of the multiple axes of inequalities experienced by carers to inform crisis mitigations, coupled with long-term strategies to address social inequities in the care economy and to promote gender equality.

Stigma or Support? How Gender, Race, and Intersectionality Impact Perceptions of Exonerees

Little research has examined the gendered nature of wrongful convictions and how the intersectionality of gender and race impacts perceptions of exonerees and support for reintegration services. With two vignette experiments, we assess laypeople’s perceptions of female or male, Black or White exonerees (Study 1 and 2) who were wrongfully convicted due to official misconduct or a false confession (Study 2) in varying child-victim cases. When wrongfully convicted of a violent homicide (Study 1), White female exonerees were viewed less favorably than Black females and White males were viewed least favorably. However, in a no-crime Shaken Baby Syndrome case (Study 2), false confessors were viewed least favorably, but gender and race did not impact perceptions. We provide potential explanations for these findings and implications for exonerees’ reintegration experiences.