Book Description

Movements such as the Women's March on Washington and #MeToo have created a national dialogue about the sexual harassment of women that is still prevalent in the 21st century in the United States. While there are many factors that play into how girls are socialized to conform to traditional gender roles, school plays a significant part in this process. For instance, every fall, there are news stories about dress code standards for girls and young women in schools throughout the country, with district spokespersons often citing that girls create a "distraction" to the boys in their classes. The problem, therefore, is framed in terms of a higher value placed on the learning of boys than the agency that girls have over their own bodies. This book, which takes an intersectionality approach to the topic, seeks to explore the ways in which girls are sexualized through school practices, beginning as early as pre-school and continuing through all levels of education into their adult lives. The book will examine how schools serve as gendered spaces and genderizing spaces that reinforce societal norms and expectations for girls and young women. Distraction: Girls, School, and Sexuality is suitable for undergraduate and graduate course in women's and gender studies.