Ritualized girling: school uniforms and the compulsory performance of gender

Abstract

School uniforms have been utilized by a number of schools in attempts to increase discipline and academic performance. This paper seeks to explore the relationships between gender, gender performance, and school uniforms through exploring writing on discipline, performance, and uniforms and then exploring some specific contemporary policy on school uniforms in the US.

Keywords:

• education
• gender
• school uniforms
• girls
• gender performance
• critical theory

Notes

1. Within the United States, middle school includes grades 6 and 7, and high school includes grades 8–12. Most students attending these schools are 11–18 years old.

2. In the UK the term ‘public school’ is used interchangeably with ‘private school’ – outside of the UK the term ‘public’ tends to refer to ‘state-funded’ schools, as is the case here.