If you're a male primary teacher, there's a big “why are you doing that? What is wrong with you?”’ Gendered expectations of male primary teachers
The ‘double bind’
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12912666 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Joanne Mcdowell (0000-0003-2230-7161, University of Hertfordshire, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Publication date | 2023-09-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sociology Compass (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1751-9020 • E-ISSN: 1751-9020 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/soc4.13145 |
| OpenAlex | W4386637187 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 55 |
The underrepresentation of men in non‐traditional fields of work is often attributed to essentialist gendered beliefs that associate such roles exclusively with women. This phenomenon is not limited to any specific country but is observed worldwide. Moreover, male teacher drop‐out rates remain a consistent issue. This article examines the detrimental impact of gendered expectations of masculinity on male primary teachers through interviews conducted with both male and female teachers in the UK. It argues that men in this occupation face a ‘double bind,’ being judged for conforming to hegemonic masculine norms while also facing judgement for deviating from them. All male teachers interviewed expressed feeling the pressure of gendered expectations, which primarily stem from one central misconception fuelled by traditional conceptions of gender; that the occupation is unsuitable for men. As a result, men who enter the profession encounter challenges not only related to their gender but also their sexuality and their sense of professional identity as teachers. Addressing the damaging role of gender beliefs is crucial in promoting the numerical representation of men in the teaching profession
Essentialism · Face (sociological concept · Feeling · Hegemonic masculinity · Hegemony · Human sexuality · Identity (music · Judgement · Male gender · Masculinity · Optimal distinctiveness theory · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation
Contradictions and counter-narratives
Altruism, Pragmatism, and Critical Engagement
Workplace Allyship
Subtypes of Perceived Teacher Unfairness and Their Connection to Students' Gender, Victimization, Truancy, and Academic Achievement
Who's Most at Risk? Examining Suicide Characteristics in Primary and Secondary Educators
A Preliminary Examination of Elementary and Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions of the Educational Inclusion of Students’ Gender and Sexuality Diversity
Gendered Talk at Work
Still a Man’s World
Men Talk
Power and Politeness in the Workplace
Women and Men at Work
Maintaining Masculinity
Male Primary Teachers and Perceptions of Masculinity
Gender and feminine identities – women as managers in a UK academic institution
Should they learn to interrupt? Workplace communication strategies Australian women managers forecast as effective
The Times They Are a-Changing … or Are They Not? A Comparison of Gender Stereotypes, 1983–2014
Natural disciplinarians or learning from the job? The first two years of seven male teachers in Icelandic compulsory schools
Talk in feminised occupations
They won't take you as a man, as a real man’ why men can't teach young children in foundation phase
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Gender Logic and (Un)doing Gender at Work
Masculinity and Non‐Traditional Occupations
Does gender matter? A cross-national investigation of primary class-room discipline
Being caring and disciplinary – male primary school teachers on expectations from others
Failing to attract males in foundation phase teaching
Being pushed out of the career
Male primary school teachers
Differences? Similarities? Male teacher, female teacher
Troubles Talk”
Failing to get men into primary teaching
The world must stop when I’m talking’
Role models, school improvement and the ‘gender gap’—do men bring out the best in boys and women the best in girls?1
Men, Masculinities, and Language
Masculinised jobs, feminised jobs and men's 'gender capital' experiences
Real Men or Real Teachers
Breadwinning, Occupational Sex Composition, and Stress
Hegemonic Masculinity
Preschool Teachers and the Discourse of Suspicion
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 6 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |