Gender Studies Research Articles

Critical femininities: exploring young women’s digital sexual cultures

ABSTRACT This study adopts a Critical Femininities approach to examine the under-theorised domain of sexual norms on dating apps, with a focus on the self-representations of Spanish heterosexual women on Tinder. Through an analysis of three hundred profiles, this research investigates the gendered dynamics influencing these women’s portrayals of themselves in the digital dating context. Combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the findings reveal patterns in women’s online-mediated intimacies and sexual subjectivities, highlighting the pervasive influence of femmephobia in this space. Empirical data underscore how these dynamics operate, providing insight into the extent to which hegemonic gender beliefs and regulatory norms shape digital femininities. Moreover, a discursive examination of the ways these Spanish women construct their gendered and sexual identities on Tinder offers a critical view of the constraints and possibilities they face within this specific socio-cultural framework. This study’s focus on linguistic and representational strategies in digital self-presentation deepens our understanding of how normative gender expectations continue to shape social and sexual interactions in contemporary online spaces. In so doing, this research contributes to broader discussions in Gender Studies and linguistics, illustrating how femininity is performed, policed, and navigated in digital dating environments.

Subverting the “Default Settings” of Cis-Heteronormativity in Social Work Praxis with Trans Clients

ABSTRACT The past several years have brought about a steep increase in hostile legislation targeting queer and trans people, specifically policies that threaten the ability of trans people to receive gender-affirming care. Social workers provide more services related to addressing psychosocial needs than any other group of mental health professionals, and as the number of trans people continues to rise, so will the need for providers who are competent in working with them. Transness is currently an identity culturally and clinically defined by suffering, but that does not need to be the case, and in an ideal future it will not be. In considering how to reconceptualize social work praxis to decenter cis-heteronormativity, the field can look to theories of disability, sexuality, gender, race, and abolition for models of how practitioners can work with trans clients from an asset-based perspective, at once more effectively supporting them and creating a less oppressive and repressive society for everyone. Social workers who identify as allies to, or a part of, the queer and trans community must move away from a posture of performativity, which often perpetuates notions of normativity, and instead work toward substantive social change by subverting the “default settings” we are all socialized into. Achieving this end requires meaningful engagement with trans people and their varied lived experiences, internal, interpersonal, and in their interfacing with institutions, as well as a commitment to challenging our society’s rigid values surrounding gender, to reconceptualize social work praxis with trans people.

The decline of feminine gender: a cross-dialectal study of seven Norwegian dialects

This paper presents a cross-dialectal study of grammatical gender in Norwegian nominal phrases. Specifically, we investigate the decline of the feminine gender in three age groups across seven different dialects. The dialects vary in their morphological richness of gender marking: some dialects traditionally have more distinctive marking of the feminine gender. With an elicited production experiment, we investigate gender marking on the indefinite determiner and the definite suffix. We find that feminine gender is in decline in all dialects, but there are clear differences between the locations and between age groups. The feminine indefinite determiner ei is replaced by the masculine en at different rates and to a different degree in the various dialects. We furthermore find that the feminine definite suffix -a is retained in all locations except for Stavanger. We argue that the decline of the feminine gender can be explained by an interplay between the morphological richness of the given dialect and dialect contact. The former helps to retain the feminine as a separate category, while the latter accelerates the loss of the feminine.

Online Discourse and Gender Roles in Parenting: Evidence From Mothering.com Forums

This research investigates the reinforcement and challenge of traditional gender roles in contemporary parenting by analyzing discussion threads from the online forum Mothering.com. Drawing from West and Zimmerman's theory of “doing gender” and Connell and Messerschmidt's gender theory, the study explores how users navigate gender norms in their discussions on parenting. The analysis uncovers a nuanced relationship between adhering to and resisting conventional gender roles. While many participants uphold traditional expectations of mothers as primary caregivers and fathers as breadwinners, there is also notable advocacy for more equitable parenting practices. The results underscore both the persistence of traditional gender norms and a growing movement toward gender equality in family dynamics. This research contributes to understanding about the impact of digital platforms on discussions of gender roles in parenting while offering useful considerations for the changing perceptions about motherhood and fatherhood within the digital age.

When good intentions aren’t enough: Intersectional invisibilities in academia and the decolonial turn

The decolonial turn resonates not only in gender studies but across the humanities and arts. While research and teaching increasingly align with decolonization and intersectional perspectives, we understand this as more than intellectual tasks, rather as a call for transformative action with tangible symbolic and material consequences. Taking into account transnational feminist discourses, this article explores what we can do in practice in an institutional context that fosters structures of coloniality and invisibilization of knowledge otherwise in academic knowledge production. Addressing this issue requires an understanding of marginalizing structures on a meta-level and keeping an eye on a less observed micro-level: our own part in the process of academic knowledge production, understanding these dynamics as part of a broader interconnected framework of decolonial actions that emphasizes communal responsibility and comprehensive partnerships.

Influence of Gender-Marked Kazakh Proverbs on the Content of Cultural Stereotypes

The purpose of the research is to analyze the content of the concept of "man" - "woman" based on Kazakh proverbs. The study of the concepts "man" and "woman" allows us to approach the study of gender as a cultural representation and reveal all its many-sided content, namely social, psychological, and cultural aspects. The analysis of proverbs in the research material is quite justified. Proverbs, reflecting folk wisdom, appear as a product of the people's creativity. They do not only reproduce the national-specific vision of the world, but also participate in its formation, and play a significant role in enriching the language with cultural concepts. They demonstrate the Kazakhs' idea of men and women as part of their linguistic worldview. Thus, to get the most complete picture of how gender manifests itself in the stereotypes fixed by the language, we consider it appropriate to describe the proverbial units of the Kazakh language, which reflect gender stereotypes. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to select appropriate material for analysis. A total of 30 Kazakh proverbs were selected from different sources. The data were analyzed using qualitative analysis to identify common patterns related to gender stereotypes.

Gender Differences in Educational Leadership and Values: Adding Insights from a Neuro-Social Perspective

Issues of gender, leadership, and values have occupied the minds of researchers in educational administration and leadership for decades. Breakthroughs in neuroscience and neuroepigenetics have produced numerous insights into the complex operations and influences in the human brain between men and women. Taking into account some of these differences, in this chapter, I will revisit the literature on leadership, gender, and values with a two-fold purpose: one, to review understandings that have accumulated, and two, to add a new perspective for re-examining these understandings. At first, I review existing theories of gender, leadership, and values, paying attention to the different modes of operation between men and women to recapture the conclusions these lines of research have produced. Then, I turn my attention to recent findings from neuroscience and neuroepigenetics as a new lens through which these reported differences can be illuminated. My thesis in this conceptual paper is to raise awareness of this emerging line of research and its potential to shed more light into the neural dark of our conceptions about gender and women’s ways of leading in education with significant implications for educators and educational leaders.

Какая гендерная теория нужна российской социальной психологии

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective</strong>. The article problematizes the theoretical field of gender studies and the concept of “gender”, which are currently vulnerable in the socio-political context. The aim of the article is to determine the range of theories of Russian psychologists capable of solving topical issues in the field of gender social psychology outside of a politically conflicting discourse. <br><strong>Background</strong>. According to political theory, psychological knowledge can become a guide for political practice, this area of political science is called biopolitics. The constructivist theoretical field of gender studies belongs to the field of biopolitics; in Western gender theory, the deconstruction of gender is allowed not only as a social phenomenon, but also as a change in biological sex. Moreover, the possibility of deconstructing gender and sex is currently determined by political practice, not by psychological or psychiatric indications. The use of Western gender theory and the concept of “gender” in political conflicts pushes Russian social psychology to search for a theory based on the concepts of Russian psychologists focused on the analysis of the socio-psychological reality of gender relations. <br><strong>Results</strong>. The article emphasizes the impossibility of the reverse movement of science and the choice of the gender-role approach as outdated, not responding to the needs of modernity. Three theories are called productive and adequate to modern problems: the cultural-historical theory of L.S. Vygotsky, the subject-activity approach of S.L. Rubinstein, the theory of relations by V.N. Myasishchev. The concept of gender relations by I.S. Kletsina, one of the most popular modern concepts of gender in Russian psychology. <strong>Conclusions</strong>. Gender psychology is a new branch of social psychology, which turned out to be vulnerable to political initiatives in a period of socio-political instability. The search for new theoretical constructs and the educational activity of psychologists in the biopolitical field will help gender psychology overcome the crisis period.</p>

Telling Feminist Stories in an Affective Atmosphere of Anti-Genderism: Swedish Gender Scholars Reflect Upon Their Position

ABSTRACT The last decades have witnessed a widespread rise in populist, right-wing, anti-gender movements targeting gender-equality politics and gender studies throughout Europe. While the situation for Swedish gender studies remains relatively stable, with institutionalized gender departments, this paper focuses on how Swedish gender studies scholars conceive of their situation and the status of gender studies in the current era. Through an interview study drawing on the concept of “affective atmosphere”, the article explores how the anti-gender discourse induces a precarious situation that produces a sense of apocalypse and a crisis of hope for gender studies. As such, the anti-gender discourse calls upon scholars to react and engage. In the interviews, the future of gender studies was discussed as being at risk, while at the same time the interviewees described gender studies as an academic success story. However, to avoid falling into the trap of being either too optimistic or too pessimistic about the current state of the art, the authors argue that the knowledge production of gender studies as such can be reconfigured as a site for resistance, for detecting openings and creating possible pathways into the future that extend beyond the hegemonic neoliberal, authoritarian one.

Intersectional Identity and Representative Politics

Representation scholarship has drawn from intersectionality theory 0to examine how systemic structures of oppression and privilege have created social groups with distinct political needs. Derived from Black feminist theory that recognizes that identities are mutually constitutive and interconnected, intersectionality research is rooted in the lived experiences of marginalized groups who call attention to social (in)justice. Empirical scholarship building on the insights of Black feminist theorists such as Collins and Bilge (2016), Hill Collins (1990), Crenshaw (1989; 1991), and King (1988) has constituted nothing less than a paradigm shift in the study of gender and politics. Nevertheless, there remain an array of opportunities to expand upon the potential for intersectional frameworks and methods, as well as pressing new questions concerning the operationalization of intersectionality itself. This Critical Perspectives section offers a moment to take stock of these developments and debates, as well as to highlight new pathways for scholarship committed to centering the margins and considering the nexus of multiple power structures that frame our political lives.

Gender-based Violence amongst Black Visually Impaired Women in Intimate Relationships: A Literature Review

While activists, policymakers, and gender theorists have developed strategies to address gender-based violence (GBV) or intimate partner violence (IPV) for women and Black women in general, they have not attempted to unpack and strategise interventions for Black women with visual impairment (BWVI) facing GBV in intimate relationships. This literature review sought to explore the reported experiences of GBV amongst BWVI in intimate relationships within Southern Africa, as well as which intervention strategies need to be developed based on their needs. A desktop review of available qualitative and quantitative studies from 2000–2023 was conducted to search for publications to answer the following questions: What are the reported experiences of GBV amongst BWVI in intimate relationships? What interventions need to be developed based on their needs? Intersectionality theory underpinned this study. Literature suggests that BWVI report compounded forms of GBV compared to women without disabilities, given their race, gender, and disability status. However, their experiences of GBV were further complicated by a lack of external support and their dependence on perpetrators, making it harder for them to escape from their abusers. As such, it is suggested that the lack of preventative interventions for BWVI from GBV increases their vulnerability to other forms of abuse. Comprehensive interventions based on an intersectional framework are recommended to develop early risk-reduction and empowering strategies to alleviate GBV amongst BWVI within intimate relationships.

Can female CEOs improve corporate environmental, social and governance performance?

Purpose In the context of the severe global challenges posed by climate and environmental issues, this paper aims to explore the connection between female Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and the level of sustainable development in companies. This study aims to investigate the impact of female CEOs on corporate ESG performance and provide a detailed analysis of the underlying mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a sample of listed companies from 2010 to 2021, as reported by Bloomberg. This study uses logit regression models to test hypotheses and conduct robustness tests using the generalized method of moments, propensity score matching and heckman two statge tests. Findings The research findings indicate that female CEOs can enhance a company’s ESG performance, primarily by elevating the level of green innovation and engaging in more philanthropic activities. When environmental uncertainty is high, the risk-averse attitude of female CEOs may diminish the enhancement of ESG performance. However, granting a higher proportion of equity to female CEOs incentivizes risk-taking, thereby strengthening the improvement of ESG performance. Further analysis reveals that the impact of female CEOs on ESG performance is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises, high-pollution industries, and companies with low financing constraints. Research limitations/implications The authors have shown that two key ways in which female CEOs enhance a company’s ESG performance are by increasing the level of green innovation and assuming more social responsibility. Nonetheless, this remains a shortcoming of this work, opening a door for future research to examine and enrich. There may be other possible mechanisms explaining the influence of female CEOs on corporate ESG performance. More research is warranted about the CEO’s additional traits, which were not considered in this study but may have an impact on a company’s ESG performance. Finally, while the analysis has delved into the moderating effects of external factors such as environmental uncertainty and CEO ownership on the influence of female CEOs on corporate ESG performance, there is room for exploring whether other factors also play a moderating role in future studies. Practical implications First, the findings of this study highlight the beneficial societal and economic effects of choosing female CEOs. The inclination to take on social responsibility and care for the environment are both higher among female CEOs. Furthermore, the authors have also discovered that female CEOs possess unique advantages in promoting corporate sustainability and enhancing ESG standards. This can contribute to breaking down stereotypes about gender roles in the workplace. Finally, this research shows that organizational heterogeneity and market risks have an impact on female CEOs’ capacity to improve company ESG performance. Originality/value A significant innovation of this paper lies in its unique focus on the connection between female CEOs and corporate ESG performance, along with the underlying mechanisms. Against the backdrop of sustainable development, the paper integrates social gender theory, upper echelon theory and agency theory into a comprehensive framework, shedding light on the influence of female CEOs on ESG performance and the associated mechanisms.

Exploring Interpersonal Dynamics in Wellness Tourism: A Reexamination of Intentions Through a Case Study of Generation X Citizens In Thailand

Objectives: This study explores the key factors influencing women’s leadership performance in crisis situations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify the most dominant factors affecting women's leadership in regional governments in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Theoretical Framework: The research builds on theories of leadership and gender, incorporating concepts from human resource management and performance analysis. Women's leadership is viewed through the lens of gendered leadership styles, organizational behavior, and crisis management. Method: A mixed-method approach was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected through surveys distributed to 147 women in leadership positions across three regional governments, followed by qualitative interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify dominant leadership factors. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed 12 key factors influencing women's leadership performance, including motivation, organizational infrastructure, work atmosphere, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal relationships. The study highlights the importance of collaborative leadership, communication, and fairness in performance evaluations. Women leaders were found to emphasize nurturing and interpersonal relationships more than male leaders, reflecting gender-based leadership styles. Research Implications: The study contributes to understanding gender-specific leadership during crises, emphasizing the need for supportive organizational structures and inclusive policies. The findings also suggest that women's leadership, with its focus on collaboration and care, plays a significant role in effectively managing crises. Originality/Value: This research provides a novel contribution by focusing on women leaders in sub-national units during a global crisis, highlighting the distinct leadership strategies employed by women. It adds value by identifying factors that enhance women's leadership performance in crisis management, which has been underexplored in previous research.

Representation of Gender Dominants in the Russian Language. Diachronic Aspect

The article speaks about gender dominants in the Russian language. In Russian linguistics the problem of studying gender becomes especially relevant in the beginning of the 21st century, although the studies of peculiarities and differences in the speech of men and women were conducted throughout the 20th century. Gender studies make it possible to analyze language taking into account the multifactorial influence of gender, with the binary opposition «male / female», «masculine / feminine» largely representing the value orientations of any ethnos. In modern society, linguistic gender dominants are associated with the activation of the feminist movement around the world, as well as with the spread of variously interpreted liberal views. In general, femininity and masculinity as part of modern linguoculture are related to the essential characteristic of an individual and are determined by the qualities considered «feminine» or «masculine» in Russian ethnoculture. That is why the phraseosemantic group of feminine and masculine lexicon is actively replenished in the modern Russian language. However, in general, it should be stated that in Russian linguoculture, first of all, the gender dominants, preserved since ancient times, which are based on the binary opposition of mother / father, man / woman.

Space invaders: “Dissonant bodies” in positions of power: A conversation with Nirmal Puwar

In July 2022, the Centre for the Study of Gender and Sexuality of the City University of London organized a seminar to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Space Invaders: Race, Gender and Bodies Out of Place. Following on from the rich discussion it generated, we organized an interview-conversation with the author, Nirmal Puwar, to contextualize the book in light of contemporary, seemingly more diverse – but also increasingly aggressive and exclusionary – forms of public discourse and social policies. We designed questions to engage with Nirmal in an open conversation about what does change, if at all, once dissonant bodies reach positions of power, starting from the contexts closest to us: England and Italy.

Tracing Dissent: A Study of Simulated Gendered Memories in V. V. Ganeshananthan’s Brotherless Night

This article critically examines the interplay of memory, gender, and political consciousness in V. V. Ganeshananthan’s Brotherless Night against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War in the 1980s. Focusing on the protagonist, Sashi, the study employs theories of memory and gender studies to illuminate how her gendered memories contribute to the formation of political consciousness during the conflict. Sashi’s gendered memories emerge as a crucial lens through which the traumatic events of the war are remembered. By navigating the complexity of war, Sashi’s memories function as a form of dissent against dominant narratives, carving out a representation of subversive forms of memory often marginalized in such turbulent conditions. The concept of “simulated memories” by Kourken Michaelian can be used to analyze the narrative, wherein Sashi reconstructs major historical events she did not directly witness. This act of imaginative reconstruction, combined with the violence she has witnessed, forms a cogent narrative that transforms readers into secondary witnesses of the war. By engaging with theoretical frameworks of memory and gender studies, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate dynamics between personal memory, gendered experiences, and the political landscape in times of conflict.

Gender equality in higher music education: Consecrated and peripheral positions

Studies have shown that gender inequality in higher music education is maintained through unreflective actions. Efforts to address the issue have been made and gender-equality programmes have been instigated in several European countries. This study takes a sociological approach to music education, with the goal of revealing constructions of gender inequality in four higher music education institutions in northern, eastern, and central Europe. The aim is to illuminate obstacles to gender-equal education within the field of higher music education. Data was collected through interviews with both students and teachers, with the analysis taking a two-stage structure. The analysis was first performed thematically, and then driven by Connell’s gender theory and Bourdieu’s field theory. The findings are presented as: The objectified body, A natural state of mind, Claming space and Changes in sight. The findings show that gender equality activities seem to increase awareness among both students and staff, but they also show that such awareness does not necessarily lead to changes in practice.

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: A Study from a Feminist Perspective

The 20th century saw the emergence of feminist theory and gender studies as literary concepts. African literature from the 1890s examines gender issues and women's identities from various perspectives. "Things Fall Apart" prompts a gender dynamics study. It examines a range of feminist concerns that represent power dynamics, femininity, and masculinity. Achebe, influenced by colonialist literature, presents an image of pre-colonial Igbo culture to refute Eurocentric myths. The research focuses on patriarchy, its substantial effects on gender, and how it limits and influences women's lives. The analysis, which takes feminist perspectives, looks at the nuances of patriarchy and the ways that female characters Ezinma, Nneka, and Ekwefi resist in anticipation of social norms. Along with scientific publications and research papers, the book serves as the main source. This study dissects patriarchy's role in dismantling gender equilibrium. .

Demographic Influences on Suicide Attempts: A Study of Age, Gender, Socioeconomic Status and Profession

Introduction: Suicide remains a significant public health concern globally, with its prevalence reflecting complex interactions among various factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, and profession. This study aimed to assess the patterns of suicide attempts, focusing on age, gender, socio-economic status, and profession. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Department of psychiatry, Sheikh Hasina Medical college, Jamalpur, Bangladesh during the period from January 2018 to December 2018. All patients with suicide attempts admitted in the different wards of Community-Based Medical College, Mymensingh, and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected as a sample for the study. A total of 90 patients were selected as study subjects by purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was done by SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 20. Result: The study revealed that the majority of suicide attempts occurred in the 21-30 years age group (52%), with middle-class individuals contributing the highest number (47.8%) of attempts. Unmarried individuals, particularly females, had the most attempts (58%), while students accounted for the largest percentage of suicide attempts by profession (38%), primarily in the 11-21 years age group. Rural residents had more attempts (70%) compared to urban residents (30%), and individuals from joint families (66%) were more likely to attempt suicide than those from nuclear families (34%). Conclusion: Young adults (21-30 years) and adolescents (11-21 years) are the most vulnerable age groups, with suicide attempts being notably higher among unmarried individuals and those from middle socio-economic backgrounds. Females exhibit a higher rate of attempts than males, especially among the unmarried. Professionally, students and unemployed individuals are particularly at risk.

Women Fighting the Crisis: Antecedents of Women's Leadership Performance in Facing the Covid-19 Pandemic

Objectives: This study explores the key factors influencing women’s leadership performance in crisis situations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify the most dominant factors affecting women's leadership in regional governments in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Theoretical Framework: The research builds on theories of leadership and gender, incorporating concepts from human resource management and performance analysis. Women's leadership is viewed through the lens of gendered leadership styles, organizational behavior, and crisis management. Method: A mixed-method approach was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data was collected through surveys distributed to 147 women in leadership positions across three regional governments, followed by qualitative interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify dominant leadership factors. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed 12 key factors influencing women's leadership performance, including motivation, organizational infrastructure, work atmosphere, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal relationships. The study highlights the importance of collaborative leadership, communication, and fairness in performance evaluations. Women leaders were found to emphasize nurturing and interpersonal relationships more than male leaders, reflecting gender-based leadership styles. Research Implications: The study contributes to understanding gender-specific leadership during crises, emphasizing the need for supportive organizational structures and inclusive policies. The findings also suggest that women's leadership, with its focus on collaboration and care, plays a significant role in effectively managing crises. Originality/Value: This research provides a novel contribution by focusing on women leaders in sub-national units during a global crisis, highlighting the distinct leadership strategies employed by women. It adds value by identifying factors that enhance women's leadership performance in crisis management, which has been underexplored in previous research.