Isn't That a Girl Problem? Boys, Bodies, and the Discourse of Denial

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 23
  In Roundtable Session: Gendered Bodies in Educational Spaces

Abstract

The recently revised HPE curriculum in Ontario, Canada has prompted a conservative backlash to a robust curriculum. In this context I question the (in)visibility of male bodies, body image, and a prevailing discourse of denial. I also address the hypervisibility of male bodies and a shifting gaze upon male bodies in school change rooms. I introduce a discourse of denial to illustrate how male body image is positioned as a “girl problem” and omitted from the curriculum. I further argue that a limiting narrative of male sexualities and body image ignores the marginalization of boys confronting shaming and homophobia. Drawing on a national study, adolescent boys explain bodily negotiations and interactions while speaking to concerns for safety and body dissatisfaction.

Author

• Michael D. Kehler, University of Calgary