Brincadeira de menino, de menina, ou de criança? (Des) construções de gênero em uma sala de aula através da literatura infantil

Boy’s, girl’s, or child’s play? Gender (de)construction in a classroom using children’s literature

Abstract

This research questions how the gender theme may be present in discussions and actions with children, as well as it seeks to pay special importance for it to be developed in the school environment, with playful tools for this purpose. We collected data in two different stages, and students and teachers from a public elementary school participated in the research. In the first stage, we used a children’s book which approaches themes such as gender equality, girls and women empowerment, and respect to sexual diversity, in order to promote a space of production and reflection of both boys and girls, who discussed gender relationships focusing in toys and child’s plays. In the second stage, we analyzed if the professionals who worked with the children promoted spaces for experiencing and discussing such themes, using semi-structured interviews. We noted that children still bring stereotyped and polarized ideas about gender, when saying “for boys” and “for girls”, but, when given space for reflection and production, the children themselves are able to find ways of subverting these examples, based on their everyday lives. Therefore, the teachers’ role as actors in this construction which breaks traditional gender issues is extremely important, as they may step in, producing a more equalitarian, tolerant school, which respects gender differences and human diversity.