Statistics for Sociology: Gender Differences - Key Sociologists & Views 4

-For example, male teachers often have a protective attitude towards female colleagues, coming into their classes to 'rescue' them by threatening pupils who are being disruptive.

-However, this reinforces the idea that women can't cope alone.

He also calls verbal abuse, "a rich vocabulary of abuse" as one of the ways in which dominant gender and sexual identities are reinforced:

-For example, boys use name-calling to put girls down if they behave or dress in certain ways.

-Girls who are too competitive and/or think themselves better than their peers risk 'slut shaming' - being labelled as 'sluts' and excluded from the friendship culture.

-On the other hand, girls who don't compete for boyfriends may face 'frigid shaming' by the other girls.

Therefore, shaming is a social control device by which schoolgirls police, regulate and discipline each other's identities.

-As a result, they risk being given the identity of 'boffin' and excluded by other girls (as well as boys).

'Boffin' identity - Girls who want to be successful educationally may feel the need to conform to the school's notion of the ideal feminine pupil identity.