THE PORTRAYAL OF GENDER

THE PORTRAYAL OF GENDER IN SECONDAY ENGLISH TEXTS 4
examines how women are relegated in secondary texts, as well as how the lack of strong female
voices in a text can affect both male and female students. It is through their work that many other
scholars have investigated how gender can affect the acquisition of literacy. The Sadkers, in
particular, are widely known as authorities on the subject of gender bias in a classroom and much
of their research inquires as to how far gender bias can infiltrate the growth and development of
students. Their work in the 1990’s was the basis for an educational shift to incorporate female
voices into the classroom, be it from the material taught, or from the girls sitting in the
classroom. Bender-Slack (2009), a contemporary of the Sadkers, researched how gender plays an
intricate role in secondary curriculums and classrooms. Her work expands on the Sadkers
research, discussing how critical literacy practices, particularly the social justice aspect of critical
literacy, can result in the changing of students’ mindsets about gender. Although Bender-Slack
(2009 and Sadker and Sadker (1994) are not the only scholars who have researched gender bias
in the secondary classroom, they are three of the leading researchers who have continued to
encourage teachers to examine gender roles in their classrooms.
The discussion of the portrayal of gender in the classroom is required to encourage
students to equally accept both men and women’s viewpoints. By not acknowledging women,
educators are silencing their voices both in the classroom and out. At the same time, educators
are insinuating that the gender roles expressed for men are acceptable and should not be deviated
from. Both genders will continue to believe the societal constructs of gender that has been
expressed both in the literature and in the classroom and no change will occur. The subject of
gender in literature needs to be addressed. By addressing gender, students can begin to
deconstruct the gender roles and stereotypes that are perpetuated by the literature which is
included in the standard secondary English curriculum. In addressing current gender roles,