“Our true nature is free of any and all notions of gender, of any notions of difference whatsoever.”
~ Andrew Cohen ~
📷 Stereotypes often invisibly reinforce ways to support sex-based discrimination. When these stereotypes are internalized, girls and boys may lose the opportunity for authenticity and the full-range of human experience, especially if they harbor unwarranted concerns about sexual orientation or gender identity. Let’s try a quick test. How many different gender roles can you think of? I bet you thought of two. About 40 years ago, however, researchers identified four different gender roles. One of them is psychological androgyny.
What is psychological androgyny?
Results of a Google search indicate an array of possibilities: simply wearing clothing usually associated with the opposite sex; having traditional male and female roles obscured or reversed; the state of being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine as in dress, appearance, or behavior; in terms of gender identity, an “androgyne” is a person who does not fit cleanly into the typical masculine and feminine roles of their society. Research offers more nuance. Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), developed by Sandra Bem (1977), classifies individuals into four gender-role orientations: androgynous, feminine, masculine, or undifferentiated. Gender, gender-role, sexual orientation, and gender-identity are distinct: gender can be male or female, gender-role may be masculine, feminine, undifferentiated or androgynous, sexual orientation relates to sexual preference, and gender-identity is a private sense of one’s gender. Psychological androgyny is not synonymous with biological distinctions, and sexual orientation is separate from gender-role and gender-identity.
How is androgyny connected to giftedness and creativity?
According to Silverman, Tolan, Sheely, Piirto, Kerr and others, many highly gifted and creative children tend to be androgynous. Jonsson and Carlsson (2000) observed that those scoring highly androgynous on the BSRI displayed higher creative functioning. Research suggests few highly gifted people conform to gender-role stereotypes; gifted children may reject strict gender identities. Thus psychological androgyny can be considered a trait of giftedness.
More recently, the author examined (2011) whether gender matters in referral, selection and enrollment of children in gifted programs. Because many decision-makers are not specialists in gifted education, their choices may be influenced by confusions about gender and ingrained stereotypes. Findings indicate a preference for masculine over feminine personality traits (self-reliance, self-advocacy, analytical thinking, risk-taking). This raises questions such as: will an androgynous, more feminine gifted kindergartener be perceived as gifted and referred to a program? The answer is likely no if masculine traits are privileged in selection processes.
What can parents and caregivers do?
Avoid reinforcing stereotypical behaviors. Limiting stereotypes exist in society, but they need not be imposed on children. Support a child’s own gender-role and androgyny. A child’s interests and those of friends of either gender are natural and should not be discouraged or criticized. Psychological androgyny should be respected, valued and nurtured like any other giftedness trait.
* Presented at the 2012 SENG Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
REFERENCES
Bem, S.L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155-62.
Bem, S.L. (1981). Professional Manual for the Bem’s Sex Role Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Deligeorge, D. (2011). Gender inequity in the identification and participation in gifted programs. Unpublished master’s thesis. Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL.
Kerr, B. A. (1997). Smart girls: A new psychology of girls, women, and giftedness (Revised Edition). Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Kerr, B. A., Cohn, S. J. (2001). Smart boys: Talent, manhood and the search for meaning. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Piirto, J. (2004). Understanding creativity. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
Sheely, A. R. (2000). Sex and the highly gifted adolescent. Highly Gifted Children Newsletter, 13(2), 30-33. The Hollingworth Center for Highly Gifted Children.
Silverman, L. K. (1993). Counseling the gifted and talented. Denver: Love.
Tolan, S. S. (1997). Sex and the highly gifted adolescent. Counseling and Guidance, 6(3), 2, 5, 8. Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.stephanietolan.com/hg_adolescent.htm.
