Physical Educators’ Stands Regarding the Meaning of Gender in Physical Education: Reflections Towards Change

Issues related to gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights are at the heart of current public discourse in Israel. As part of this discourse, the education system has also found itself under critical scrutiny. As a result, new policies are being formulated and innovative programs are being implemented, aiming to reduce gender gaps. This paper examines physical education (PE) in secondary schools in Israel, focusing on girls. We aim to answer the question: What meaning do physical educators attribute to gender and to girls in PE? In the study, 29 physical educators were interviewed, of which 19 were teachers and the rest were supervisors and instructors of future teachers. The paper reveals that the stands taken in the field represent the various stages in the development of feminist criticism in PE. It can be seen that perceptions have been retained in this field that are similar to those in the period prior to the development of feminist thinking. They represent the different waves of feminist criticism, as well as the perceptions that represent complex views of society and of girls, that can identify an opportunity in PE to shape a new social order. Hence, our argument is that feminist thinking has not yet been institutionally integrated into the training programs of PE teachers, nor into the curricula that shape the field. In the last section of the paper we propose several directions for change in the curriculum, as well as in the pedagogical practices and the training programs of PE teachers, and suggest further research on the theory of PE.