Abstract
This study explored the relationship between early childhood teachers’ adult gender role beliefs and their attitudes about children’s gender role behavior. The teachers, most of whom were women, expressed nontraditional beliefs regarding gender roles for adults. This feminist orientation appeared to be related to perceptions about child rearing in that teachers who espoused nontraditional gender role beliefs for adults also did for children. In addition, it was found that teachers were more accepting of cross-gender role behaviors and aspirations from girls than boys, and that this difference was related to homophobia. There were strong relationships found between child rearing gender role beliefs and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians.
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This study is based on a doctoral dissertation completed by the first author under the direction of Nancy Barbour and Beth Swadener. We wish to thank them for their support, comments, and suggestions.
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Cahill, B., Adams, E. An exploratory study of early childhood teachers’ attitudes toward gender roles. Sex Roles 36, 517–529 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766688
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766688