Investigating the Role of Homophobia and Heteronormativity in the Lives of Adolescent School Boys

1. Policing Masculinities
Investigating the Role of Homophobia and Heteronormativity in the
Lives of Adolescent School Boys
Md. Zahid Hasan
Id. 170437
Urban And Rural Planning Discipline
Khulna University

2. Definitions
Masculinity: It (manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and
roles associated with boys and men.
Homophobia: It encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings
toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as
being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).

3. Factor to Identified one as Homosexual
Some data like “poofy voices” draws attention the regime of homophobia practices
and strategic of surveillance that the powerful boys (school’s) use to policies
sex/gender boundaries.
 A regime of normal practices in which homophobic strategies are used against
boys who are identified as homosexual on the basis of their posturing, manner,
or activity like ballet.
 Thus there are certain mannerisms and performative practices involving body
posturing, as well as voice a boy has, which lead particular boys to be labeled
as gay.
 Boys who are sensitive or who display “any sign weakness” risk becoming
targets of homophobic violence at the hands of other boys.

5. Attitudes Toward a Homosexual
 If someone is homosexual he is treated as differently, and think that he has a
lower self-esteem.
 The powerful groups perform homophobic harassment, but not all the group
members, some of them.
 It said that homosexuals were just a lower form, and immoral.
 They are leveled as a “faggot”.
 Homophobic violence
 Homophobic taunting
 Kicking the dirt in the face of others by the more powerful group.
*Those violence are sometime modified by the influences of the girls in that group
or others.

7.  Boys bolstered such a stylized from of heterosexual masculinity through social
practices that involved playing football, smoking and drinking.
 On the basis of engaging in such practices and “having good looks” these boys
were perceived to acquire a high-status masculinity.
 Bodily physical strength and attractiveness to the opposite sex as in they have
to be very strong, handsome, charming.
Express Masculinity

8. How to Demolish
 Professional development for teachers and whole school approaches to
dealing with gender issues are necessary.
 Create a culture
 Awareness

9. Thanks!