Girls Claiming Discursive Space within the Dominant Discourse on Gender Performativity: A Case Study from a Compulsory School in Iceland

ABSTRACT

This article investigates how four teenage girls claim discursive space in a compulsory school in Iceland where the dominant discourse sustains traditional gender performances and (cis)heteronormativity. It also examines how the dominant discourse positions the girls and how they resist such positioning and position themselves. The analysis draws on an ethnographic study conducted in a compulsory school, consisting of observations in various spaces therein and interviews with 13–16-year-old students. The findings suggest that Iceland’s reputation as a gender-equality utopia, with a progressive, cutting-edge curriculum, has not fundamentally changed students’ or teachers’ day-to-day realities or lived experiences. That discrepancy manifested in hegemonic ideas in the discourse on gender performativity, which is deeply rooted and reinforced through ((cis)hetero) normative gender performances. The few female students who tried to find cracks in the (cis)heteronormative discourse in order to claim discursive space for alternative gender performances were positioned as being difficult, wilful subjects—as feminist killjoys—for in addressing those cracks they dared to disturb the dominant discourse on legitimate femininity.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender performativity
• resignification
• discursive-affective space
• intelligibility
• liveability

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by The University of Iceland Research Fund [grant number HI17120065]; NordForsk via the Nordic Centre of Excellence: Justice through Education in the Nordic Countries [grant number 57741].

Notes on contributors

Bergljót Þrastardóttir

Bergljót Þrastardóttir is a PhD student in the School of Education at the University of Iceland, also an Assistant Professor at the University of Akureyri. She teaches gender studies, democracy and education and inclusive school practices at the Faculty of Education at the University of Akureyri. Her research focus is on gender, sexuality, social justice through education, students’ voices, critical pedagogy and inclusion. email: [email protected]

Jón Ingvar Kjaran

Jón Ingvar Kjaran is a Professor of anthropology/sociology of eduction at the University of Iceland, School of Education in Facutly of Diversity and Education currently leading two research projects on gender violence funded by the Icelandic Research Fund. Their research focus is on gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, queer issues, and violence. email: [email protected]