This article focuses on male early childhood educators’ experiences of subtle discrimination within the profession. Using a typology developed by Benokraitis (1997), it draws attention to often unintentional and easily overlooked forms of discrimination, which nevertheless can have an adverse impact on those affected. The article concludes by urging early childhood educators to work together to develop appropriate responses to discriminatory incidents of this nature.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BenokraitisN.V. (1997) Sex discrimination in the 21st century. In BenokraitisN.V. (ed.) Subtle Sexism: Current Practices and Prospects for Change.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 5–33.
2.
ClydeM. (1995) Is early childhood a man's world? Paper presented at the Sixth Early Childhood Convention, Auckland, September.
3.
FarquharS.E. (1997) A Few Good Men or a Few Too Many? A Study of Male Teachers.Palmerstone North: Department of Educational Psychology, Massey University.
4.
FleerM. (1998) ‘Me not a boy, me a person!’: Deconstructing gendered interactional patterns in early childhood. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 23 (1), 22–28.
5.
HaslettB.B. & LipmanS. (1997) Micro inequities: Up close and personal. In BenokraitisN.V. (ed.) Subtle Sexism: Current Practices and Prospects for Change.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 34–53.
6.
MacNaughtonG. (1997) Feminist praxis and the gaze in the early childhood curriculum. Gender and Education, 9 (3), 317–326.
7.
MurrayS.B. (1997) It's safer this way: The subtle and not so subtle exclusion of men in child care. In BenokraitisN.V. (ed.) Subtle Sexism: Current Practices and Prospects for Change.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 136–153.
8.
RoweM. (1990) Barriers to equality: The power of subtle discrimination to maintain unequal opportunity. Employees Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 3, 153–163.
9.
ShahamD. (1991) Male teachers in early childhood education: Self and self perceptions. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Bank Street College of Education.
10.
SimsM. (1997) Gender segregation in childcare: What is it and what can we do about it? Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 22 (3), 35–39.
11.
SkeltonC. (1994) Sex, male teachers and young children. Gender and Education, 6 (1), 87–93.
12.
SumsionJ. (1998) Stories from discontinuing student teachers. Teachers and Teaching, 4 (2), 245–258.
13.
SumsionJ. (in press) James’ story: A decade in the life of a male early childhood professional. Early Child Development and Care.
14.
SumsionJ. & LubimowskiG. (1998) Male early chilhood student teachers: Their hopes, fears, and aspirations. Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 1, 70–81.
