Routledge Girls, Boys and Junior Sexualities: Exploring Childrens' Gender and Sexual Relations in the Primary School

Girls, Boys and Junior Sexualities takes an insightful and in-depth look at the hidden worlds of young children's sexualities. Based upon extensive group interviews and observation, the author illustrates how sexuality is embedded in children's school-based cultures and gender identities. From examining children's own views and experiences, the book explores a range of topical and sensitive issues, including how: the primary school is a key social arena for 'doing' sexuality sexuality shapes children's friendships and peer relations being a 'proper' girl or boy involves investing in a heterosexual identity children use gendered or sexual insults to maintain gender and sexual norms. Grounded in children's real-life experiences, this book traces their struggles, anxieties, desires and pleasures as they make sense of their emerging sexualities. It also includes frank and open discussions of the pressures of compulsory heterosexuality, the boyfriend/girlfriend culture, misogyny and sexual harassment.Girls, Boys and Junior Sexualities is a timely and powerful resource for researchers, educationalists and students in childhood studies, sociology and psychology and will be of great interest to professionals and policy makers working with young children. Review 'This publication will be a valuable resource for all with an interest in childhood studies.' - ChildRIGHT, April 2005 'This is a fascinating study based on close work in real primary schools' - Gerald Haigh, TES, 16 September 2005 'This ethnographic study will appeal to academics, researchers and students across the social sciences who are interested in a piece of work that prioritises the experiences of children at school.' - Children's Geographies 'This publication will be a valuable resource for all with an interest in childhood studies.' - ChildRIGHT 'This is a fascinating study based on close work in real primary schools' - Gerald Haigh, TES About the Author Emma Renold is a lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University.