Gender Performance Research Articles

Technocultural worldings: dialectical dynamics in contemporary media landscapes

ABSTRACT In this piece, which frames the special issue “Technocultural worldings,” we build on previous editions of commentary and criticism in this journal. We propose a theoretically anchored way to systematically approach the dynamic, multidimensional, and heterogeneous technocultural communities that have created their own worldings and are engaged in complex dialectical dynamics within the contemporary media landscape. The technocultural communities that are part of these dialectical dynamics are constituted, on the one hand, by the complex collective sense-making of the emancipatory political programs of feminist and LGBTI+ initiatives and, on the other, by the retrogressive mobilizations of far-right and anti-gender movements. Hence, we argue that these worldings come into being due to the ability conferred by digital spaces to incorporate both material and virtual components in performances of gender and sexuality, in all their complex diversity. These issues are explored in more detail in eight articles, grouped into two discretely separate sections, one exploring emancipatory technocultural worldings, while the other describes retrogressive technocultural worldings.

Subverting Gender Bias: "The Manly Woman" in Ahdaf Soueif's The Map of Love

This paper examines the representations of the white woman in cross-cultural marriage in Ahdaf Soueif's The Map of Love in a contemporary deconstructive theory. The paper applies Judith Butler's revolutionary theory of gender and identity constructivism and performativity to clarify how the protagonist fights the gender norms and performances by having masculinity codes as a revolting means for emancipation. The paper tends to explore how colonial hegemony can create a cultural distance which is forced against the white woman by this marriage. It investigates the sociopolitical spatial divisions through the eye of the white woman who struggles because she chooses an ethnic husband. The paper applies a feminist theoretical framework to describe the prejudice and bias that appear after this marriage. "The manly woman" is the white woman who wears masculine features to subvert and oppose the gender bias which applies to her femininity.

Age and Gender Strongly Influence Visual Impairment in Schoolchildren

Background: Blurred vision caused by refractive errors, which result from an imbalance between the axial length and optical power of the eye, is prevalent worldwide. This condition, if undiagnosed in school-aged children, can significantly affect learning and development. Specific background: In Basra City, the prevalence of refractive errors and their impact on students' academic performance remains underexplored. Knowledge gap: There is limited data on the correlation between visual acuity and academic levels in elementary school pupils in this region, especially concerning demographic factors such as age and gender. Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of visual impairment (VI), evaluate the visual acuity of elementary school pupils, and describe the characteristics of visually impaired students. Additionally, it sought to assess the relationship between visual acuity, age, gender, and academic performance. Results: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 students from Basra primary schools using a Snellen visual acuity chart. The results revealed that 24% had poor grades, 37% had moderate grades, and 39% had good grades. No significant relationship was found between visual acuity and academic performance, but a strong correlation was observed between visual acuity and both age and gender. Novelty: The study emphasizes the need for early detection of refractive errors in elementary school students and the significant correlation between visual acuity and demographic factors, especially age and gender. Implications: These findings suggest the need for regular vision screenings in schools to ensure early intervention and reduce the long-term impact of visual impairments on children’s educational and social development. Highlights: Prevalence: High rates of visual impairment found among Basra elementary students. Correlation: Visual acuity strongly linked to age and gender, not academic performance. Recommendation: School vision screenings are vital for early detection and intervention. Keywords: Refractive errors, Visual acuity, Elementary students, Basra City, Vision screening

Women’s Revenge in Sexual Behavior? An Interpretation About “The Fourth Love” in Chinese Youth Culture From the Perspective of Gender Performativity

In the current era of exploring changing sexual behavior, promoting and supporting the diversity of pleasure, the sexual health and rights of sexual minorities are getting more public attention, among which the “Fourth Love” emerges as a distinctive group within the framework of Chinese culture. Fourth Love refers to a loving relationship between couples of the opposite sex where the woman assumes the traditional male gender role and the man assumes the traditional female gender role, and always accompanied by a special pattern of sexual behavior that women penetrate the men’s anus using their fingers or a device. This theoretical article begins by introducing and discussing the historical background, core concept “Fourth Love” and its related categories. Subsequently, we start from Judith Butler’s gender performativity theory and interpret the Fourth Love from the perspective of “de-naturalization” and argue that the gender performativity theory provides a reasonable explanation for the gender characteristics (female top and male bottom) of the Fourth Love. Finally, we posit a discussion and outlook on the survival and development of the Fourth Love in the fields of sexual health, sexual pleasure, sexual right, and family and marriage, and calls for more understanding and psychological support from the society for them.

“It Might Have a Little to Do with Wish Fulfillment”: The Life-Giving Force of Queer Performance in TTRPG Spaces

In Cruel Optimism, Lauren Berlant asserts that “fantasy [can serve] as a life-sustaining defense against the attritions of ordinary violent history,” which is a statement that holds true for many queer role-players in TTRPG spaces (Berlant 2012, 45). Around the table, these worlds enable players to discover and render their identities legible in social utopian spaces and rehearse their performance for life outside of them. Through engaging with scholarship, autoethnographic writing, and cultural production surrounding TTRPGs, queer identity, avatars, and gender performance, this project asserts that TTRPGs function as safe spaces for becoming, due in part to the ability to create an avatar, or “flexible representational stand-in” for the self, that is queer and embodied through role-play (McMillan, 2015 13). This is achieved through tracking the author’s experience of discovering and forming their queer and trans identity through role-playing various characters and disciplining their function through related interdisciplinary theory across queer, feminist, and role-playing studies. Additionally, through utilizing additional ethnographic accounts and analyzing TTRPG-based media in theatre and actual play spaces, this project further establishes how the emancipatory potential in escapist TTRPG fantasy spaces can ultimately alter queer role-players’ engagement with material reality in a world adversarial to their existence and visibility, especially in light of the past few years.

Fantasy strolling beyond the stage: A study of fan-culture geography of the Takarazuka Revue

ABSTRACT The Takarazuka Revue is commonly differentiated from other Japanese theatres based on their gendered stage performances and distinct relations between the performers and their patrons. So far, little research has been conducted on Takarazuka’s fan culture beyond the prism of a theatre performance and performer/fan relationships, especially when it comes to issues such as locality, fan tourism, or fans’ consumer practices that are not limited to the activities of fan clubs. Looking at Takarazuka from the perspective of the imagined core of Takarazuka fan culture offers us a glimpse into the reasons for the unprecedented popularity of this establishment: the fantasy beyond the stage. Drawing on ethnographic data from fieldwork conducted in Takarazuka City and interview data with Takarazuka fans, this article examines Takarazuka fans’ perceptions of Takarazuka Revue’s birthplace, the core of Takarazuka City, and the landscape surrounding its home-theatre, the Takarazuka Grand Theatre. I explore how past memories, lived experiences, and personal encounters of individual fans transform an urban neighbourhood into a shared fantasy surpassing the theatre stage; an embodied space characterised by movement, liminality, and affect, which is hidden behind the idea of the “Takarazuka space”. I argue that Takarazuka fans’ awareness of the ubiquitous Takarazuka space on both communal and personal levels signifies a multi-layered fantasy which exceeds the expectations of theatregoing practices, and provides us insight into the way local theatres within urban landscapes have the potential to shape individual fan identities and promote the creation of fan networks.

Profiles of Occupational Therapy Students: A Cluster Analysis

While studies have examined predictors of study performance in various student groups, cluster analytic studies identify groups of students with similar characteristics. The purpose of this study was to explore relevant clusters of occupational therapy students and examine profile differences between participants in different clusters. A total of 177 first-year students from six occupational therapy programs in Norway participated in this study. Data on age, gender, study approaches, study effort, and study performance were collected. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted. Three clusters were identified. Cluster 1, the high-strategic high-performing students, comprised the successful students, mostly females, who invested much effort and used productive approaches to studying. Cluster 2, the high-surface average-performing students, consisted of less successful female students, who used poor study strategies and made little effort. Cluster 3, the low-strategic low-performing students, comprised the least successful students, who were all male, with study efforts and study strategies in the middle range. Overall, this study suggests that occupational therapy students can be classified into clusters based on a combination of measures. To enhance student learning and performance, educators should pay particular attention to male students and to students investing little effort and using poor study strategies.

Chicken or egg? On the relation between course performance and first-year students’ well-being and self-efficacy

ABSTRACT Prior studies suggest associations between course performance and well-being and self-efficacy, although what comes first in this effect remains unclear. This study contributes to the research on noncognitive aspects of learning of first-year students, and examines the bidirectional relation between, on the one hand, students’ well-being and self-efficacy, and on the other hand, their course performance in an accounting course. The study investigates first-year undergraduate students and their performance in an accounting course, measured as the grade and ensuing pass/fail mark. Longitudinal survey data were collected at three data collection moments during two consecutive semesters. The results lead to three main findings. First, well-being a few weeks before the examination moment affects course performance (grade) in accounting, while self-efficacy does not. Second, students who passed the course had higher well-being and self-efficacy in the next semester than those who failed. Third, students who passed, reported a higher increase in well-being and self-efficacy after the examination moment, than those who failed. Analyses controlled for students’ age, gender, and high school performance. The empirical results provide valuable longitudinal insights into the important role of well-being and self-efficacy in relation to course performance, and vice versa. Implications for theory and practice are provided.

The socioeconomic determinants of University dropouts: The case of Greece

This research paper aims to explore the issue of university dropouts in Greece, which has become a growing concern in recent years due to its impact on individuals, educational institutions, and society as a whole. One of the main contributing factors to students discontinuing their higher education in Greece is the choice of the wrong faculty. Financial challenges, unrelated to tuition fees, also significantly affect students’ ability to pursue their studies. Family background plays a crucial role, with students from families with higher educational attainment exhibiting greater persistence. The study found that gender, age, and academic performance can influence students’ perceptions of dropout factors, which can change as they progress through their educational journey. To address these challenges, the research proposes a multifaceted approach, including early intervention programs, expanded financial support, improved mental health and counseling services, flexible learning options, and strong academic advising.

Toxic Masculinity Masking as Cultural Relevancy: Latino Men Navigating Heteropatriarchal Expectations of Manhood in the Teaching Profession

In this qualitative study, Michael V. Singh deconstructs how and why Latino men teachers are asked to perform a culturally relevant manhood in the classroom. He looks at the ways these teachers experience and navigate the heteropatriarchal expectations associated with their teaching and gender performance, which are often (mis) framed as “cultural relevancy” and reproduce hegemonic and toxic masculinity. The eleven Latino men in this study described such expectations as coming from teachers and administrators, who positioned them to embody tropes of the macho Mexican patriarch who disciplines unruly boys, and also from students, who sometimes wanted their teachers to perform a Latino manhood admired for its physical and sexual power. The participants also recounted how they navigated these expectations in ways that disrupted and queered the figure of the culturally relevant Latino man teacher. This study deconstructs how and why Latino men teachers are asked to perform a culturally relevant manhood in the classroom.

Goth(ic) cabaret: Twenty-first century performance styles and subcultural burlesque

This article addresses the subcultural imagery deployed in the neo-burlesque communities, through the ways UK performers access the costume, iconography and spectacle of Goth, Gothic and horror. Taking several performances from recent events as case studies (Joe Black, Rosie Lugosi), I maintain that a critical intersection of burlesque and Goth(ic) allows for a reconsideration of both genres. I also suggest that the cabaret and burlesque scene complicates ideas of belonging in subculture, despite the popular narrative that subcultures such as Goth are overwhelmingly welcoming to minorities. Given how both Goth and Gothic are traditionally located in the realm of the unconscious, or the taboo, I also maintain that gender performance is central to any discussion of these artists, with onstage scenes including gender non-conformity, monstrous beauty, and fetish. I maintain that the use of music and costume choice (with especial reference to the films of Tim Burton), suggest a homage to Goth(ic) culture, whilst also satirising the practices and iconographies popularly associated with that community. Finally, addressing the post-COVID-19 climate and the precarity of live performance and health/well-being, I address how far the apocalyptic Gothic has influenced the content of neo-burlesque shows.

Institutional isomorphism and quality of gender disclosure. The Italian case

Purpose: Non-financial reporting (NFR), including gender disclosure (GD), is a tool companies use for institutional legitimisation and represents an organisational field that evolves due to regulatory and stakeholder pressure. This research uses the theoretical approach of institutional isomorphism in the context of neo-institutional theory to investigate GD's degree of maturity (quality and homogenei-ty) in a homogeneous institutional context. Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts a qualitative research meth-odology based on a content analysis of the GD resulting from the NFRs of listed Italian companies in 2016 and 2021. Findings: The results show the degree of institutionalisation achieved through GD after introducing the mandatory NFR. The analysis reveals companies' conver-gence process in terms of isomorphic behaviour and changes in the quality of GD. The findings unfold the institutional pressure that has the most significant impact on the quality of GD, fostering a homogenisation of disclosure at the company level. Originality/value: This is the first study to assess isomorphism and its effects on the quality of GD. This research enriches the literature on institutional theory by analysing the impact of different isomorphic forces on GD. Practical implications: This paper assists policymakers, supervisors, and investors in evaluating the quality of GD and identifying the issues leading to the most critical matters and inefficient or non-transparent behaviours. The findings improve regulatory quality, information control, and assessment of the appropriateness and reliability of the NFR. The implications guide regulators in identifying stand-ards and tools that enhance strategies regarding gender diversity and performance disclosure.

Are Differences Evident in the Ways Boys and Girls Appraise and Interpret Their Traumatic Experiences? A Qualitative Analysis of Youth Trauma Narratives.

The purpose of this study was to explore potential similarities and differences in the ways boys and girls appraise and interpret their traumatic experiences, and better understand how gender roles, performance, and socialization processes may impact trauma experiences, appraisals, and narratives within the context of trauma-focused treatment. We used thematic analysis to analyze the trauma narratives of youth (N = 16) ages 8-16 who had experienced multiple types (M = 5.38) of child maltreatment and who were receiving Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address clinically elevated posttraumatic stress symptoms. Four themes emerged: variations in the content of negative cognitions, differences in relational emotion, adoption of socially prescribed gender roles, and symptom differences. Although many similarities existed in youth's trauma narratives, differences emerged that point to the importance of social context and the ways gender role expectations and socialization processes influence youth's appraisal of and responses to traumatic events. Findings indicate the importance of considering distress tolerance, relational emotion, gender identity development, and role socialization within the treatment milieu.

The masculinized feminine body: The body politics and the construction of female identity in Mohiniyattam

The article explores the sociocultural construction of aesthetic identities and the ways in which the dominant ideologies have perpetuated specific narratives of the development of Mohiniyattam. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of ‘episteme’ and Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the study examines the femininity embodied in Mohiniyattam and argues that the dance form has been a tool for patriarchal ideologies, transmitted through generations of dancers manifested in their performance practice. The analysis extends to the contemporary scope of Mohiniyattam, questioning the rigid notion of femininity that has defined the dance form through erotic expressions of the dancer and exploring how innovative choreographies and performative interpretations can challenge such norms. The study uses oral histories and case studies to present a multifaceted view of Mohiniyattam’s historical evolution as a dance form. The revival of Mohiniyattam at different times reflects the dominant epistemes, marked by an embedded male gaze on the female dancing body. The performers’ own initiatives reframed the concept of femininity and its portrayal by exploring the potential of the trained dancing body.

Using Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale to Measure Depressive Symptoms among Urban Adolescents in Hanoi, Vietnam

This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adolescents using the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS) and to explore how demographic factors such as gender, grade level, and academic performance influence these symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study involving 996 students from two secondary schools in Hanoi, Vietnam. Participants completed the DSRS, and data were analyzedto calculate the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Associations between depressive symptoms and demographic factors were examined using odds ratios and regression analysis. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 11%. Males reported significantly higher depressive symptoms compared to females (OR=0.52, p < 0.01). Depressive symptoms varied by grade but did not show a significant gradient, with seventh and sixth graders showing slightly lower symptom scores compared to eighth graders. Academic performance was related to depressive symptoms, with students performing poorly showing higher rates of depression, though this was not statistically significant across all levels. The study confirms the utility of the DSRS in detecting depressive symptoms in adolescents and highlights significant gender and academic performance disparities in the prevalence of these symptoms. The findings suggest the need for targeted mental health interventions and school support systems to address the identified risk factors.

Implementation of Value Chain and Cooperative Performance: A Case of Twongere Umusaruro Wa Kawa Cooperative Kayonza District, Rwanda

Purpose: In this study, the Twongere umusaruro wa kawa cooperative's value chain implementation and cooperative performance were analyzed. The general purpose of the research study was to evaluate the relationship between the value chain implementation on cooperative performance in the Twongere umusaruro wa kawa cooperative. The study based on value chain and human capital theories. Methodology: The study used a descriptive cross-sectional survey to learn about value chain operations, investigate value chain marketing activities, learn about value chain service, and discover the extent to which these activities affect cooperative performance in Rwanda's Kayonza District. The total population consisted of 170 value chain actors, all of whom were farmers and members of the cooperative. A sample of 119 surveys based on the Slovenian formula used. In this study, the proportional random sampling was used as the sampling method. A questionnaire based on moderately structured interviews used to collect the primary data. The results of the survey were compiled, codified, tabulated, and analyzed. Made a change to improve data accuracy for encoding. The encoded data then entered in Statistical package for Social Sciences version 25. The statistically apparent relationship between factors and cooperative performance was examined with the Qui Square independence test. . Findings: Based on the study results, it was found a meaningful relationship between gender and cooperative performance, service and cooperative performance because p-values associated with gender and service, respectively, were p=0.03 and p=0.00 and did not exceed the 5% significance level. The findings also exposed no significant relation between operations and cooperative performance and marketing and cooperative performance. The findings indicated that the level of significance was above 5% for the operations and marketing-related p=0.462 and p=0.122, respectively. According to the study, value chain operators in cooperatives should pay closer attention to service and gender because of their strong associations with cooperative performance. Value chain developers in operations and marketing should be committed to overcoming any obstacles that hinder the cooperative's performance and should collaborate closely with members and partners to strengthen operations and marketing efforts for the cooperative's sustainability. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Further studies should conduct a thorough analysis in this area by taking into account many independent factors in different districts of the country or the region to clearly show how value chain activities affect cooperative performance and to examine the impact of such changes, research should also invest in collecting data from several cooperatives and various cooperative types.

“Being a Girl is a Challenge… Maybe That’s Why It’s So Important to Be Proud of It.” Gender Identity and Performances of Femininity in Young Females with Limited Delinquency

We seek to expand the knowledge on gender identity and gender roles in young females with limited delinquency. Our thematic analysis of identity-status interviews and narratives from 10 female adolescents (aged 15–18 years) sentenced to youth service showed that they viewed being a girl as important, but also generally inflected by aspects of hardship and violence. We interpreted three types of femininity in the girls’ reasoning about their gender identity in relation to delinquency. These were used to both overcome and sustain gender hegemony. Findings also showed how these young women were both victims and social agents, whose experimentation and defense of self and others were embedded in their rationales for their offenses.

Cross-informant ratings on emotional and behavioral problems in Nepali adolescents: A comparison of adolescents' self-reports with parents' and teachers' reports.

Studies on cross-informant agreement on adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) are sparse in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess parent-adolescent and teacher-adolescent agreement on EBPs and associated factors in Nepal. This cross-sectional survey included 1904 school-going adolescents aged 11-18, enrolled in government and private schools located in sixteen districts of Nepal. The Nepali versions of the Youth Self Report, Child Behavior Checklist, and Teacher's Report Form were administered to assess EBPs reported by adolescents, their parents, and teachers, respectively. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to assess mean differences in problem scores. Pearson's correlation was used to assess cross-informant agreement. Linear regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with cross-informant discrepancies in EBPs. Adolescents reported significantly more problems than their parents and teachers. Mean Total Problem scores for the 90 common items in the adolescents' self-reports, parent reports, and teacher reports were 34.5 (standard deviation [SD]: 21.4), 24.1 (SD = 19.2), and 20.2 (SD = 17.5) respectively. Parent-adolescent agreement on Total Problems was moderate, whereas teacher-adolescent agreement was low. The parent-adolescent agreement was moderate to low for the two broadband scales and all syndrome scales, whereas the teacher-adolescent agreement was low for all scales. Female gender and ethnic minority status impacted both parent-adolescent and teacher-adolescent discrepancies. Family stress/conflicts impacted parent-adolescent discrepancies, while academic performance impacted teacher-adolescent discrepancies. Nepali adolescents reported more EBPs than their parents and teachers. The agreement between adolescents' self-reports and reports by their parents and teachers was moderate to low. Gender, caste/ethnicity, family stress/conflicts, and academic performance were associated with cross-informant discrepancies. It is crucial to collect information from different sources, consider context-specific needs, and discern factors influencing cross-informant discrepancies to accurately assess adolescents' EBPs and develop personalized approaches to treatment planning.

Geschlechterpoetik

Abstract ‚Geschlechterpoetik‘ as a methodological approach examines the mutual interferences between gender and genre in classicist drama around 1700. It outlines in which way the development of literary genres, especially tragedies, can be described in relation to historically variable and culture-specific gender performativity in dramatic texts. Obviously classicist drama of the early Enlightenment gradually transforms the virile ethics of the ‚Staats- and Heldentragödie‘ established by ancient poetics into a ‚zivile Tragödie‘. The ‚zivile Tragödie‘ is constituted by moral values that can be considered as genuinely human and universal. In the context of 18th-century moral philosophy, the rising influence of empiricism and the polarisation of gender roles morality is increasingly associated with ideals of womanhood. The gender-based transformation of early modern tragedy can be exemplified in selected texts of Johann Christoph Gottsched, Luise Gottsched and Johann Elias Schlegel which visualize the described transformation of ancient heroic tragedy into a so-called ‚zivile Tragödie‘ by using and gradually naturalizing female allegories for pitiful female protagonists who ideally incorporate genuine human ethics.

Gender gap in school learning: Micro-level evidence from Morocco

The gender gap in education has been a significant concern for Moroccan policymakers and researchers, but the quantitative measurement of this gap has often been overlooked. This study specifically examines the gender gap in academic achievement in reading and mathematics at both the national and residential levels. The objective is to identify the factors that influence gender performance differences and their magnitude. To achieve this, micro-level data from 5427 students extracted from the PIRLS 2016 and TIMSS 2015 surveys were analyzed. The Blinder-Oaxaca (1973) decomposition technique was employed to assess the significance of the differences and to break down the performance gaps by incorporating explanatory variables related to schools, teachers, and students' characteristics. The results reveal a significant gender difference in favor of girls in reading, both nationally and in urban areas. In mathematics, the gender gap is not statistically significant and is approximately 3 points at the national level. Only 29% of the reading gap can be explained by the selected variables, while this percentage is around 20% for the math gap. Pre-school attendance, maternal education, schools, and schools' characteristics are identified as significant factors influencing the reading gap at the national and urban levels. In contrast, at the rural level, home conditions and the characteristics of the school and teacher play a more decisive role.