Learning Gender: An Exploration of Binary Gender Stereotypes in American High Schools

Abstract

For LGBTQIA high school students, binary gender stereotypes can create social barriers that are difficult for LGBTQIA students to navigate through. This study explores the experiences five LGBTQIA university students had with binary gender stereotypes while they were in high school. Three themes were discovered from the data, firstly the participants developed an us versus them mentality to understand the binary gender stereotypes around them. Secondly, students who were publicly non-binary or did not fit into the stereotype for their binary gender were recognized as an "other” and often victimized and bullied. Lastly, male students were viewed as the most important gender because of their toughness and athleticism, female students were viewed as less valuable than their male peers but more valuable than non-binary or LGBTQIA students, and non-binary and LGBTQIA students were ultimately valued the least because of their gender. Consistent with previous studies, LGBTQIA students were found to have been victimized and bullied if they did not fit into the stereotype designated for their binary gender. LGBTQIA students who were bullied described their high schools as unwelcoming and ran the risk of skipping class and having a lower GPA in order to avoid further bullying. This study explores the implications of these findings and how future lawmakers and researchers can improve the climate of our high schools.