You Lead Like a Girl

Gender and Children's Leadership Development

Bibliographic Data

ID2363522
AuthorsAlexa J Trumpy (St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, USA), Alexa Trumpy (St. Norbert College, corresponding author), Marissa Elliott (Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA), Marissa H Elliott (Yale University)
Year2019
Volume62
Issue3
Pages346-365
Publication date2019-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Perspectives (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0731-1214 • E-ISSN: 1533-8673
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0731121418808800
OpenAlexW2900823195
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited42

Recent leadership initiatives encourage children, particularly girls, to defy gender stereotypes. Yet, those creating and participating in these initiatives, like all members of our culture, have their own gender biases, have received gender socialization, and live in a society where the masculine is more valued than the feminine. We conducted participant observation of two gender-segregated leadership summer camps to examine how camp counselors and directors teach leadership to boys and girls. We find counselors unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes and promote gender-typical behavior while attempting to break down these same stereotypes and behavioral expectations. We argue the gender-segregated environment leads to a problematic 'separate but equal' approach to thinking about leadership that advances the individual abilities of boys and girls but does less to decrease gender disparities in emotional development, physical competition, or leadership styles. This research contributes to our understanding of how well-intentioned organizations and authorities, seeking to minimize gender disparities and develop strong leaders, unwittingly reproduce gender differences and perpetuate gender inequality

Developmental psychology · Gender bias · Gender equality · Gender equity · Gender inequality · Girl · Inequality · Socialization · Sociology · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Youth Development and Social Support

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