Femininity, Masculinity, and Androgyny
Minority Students’ Gender Role Issues
Ipah Saripah and Nur Fitri Rosdianti
Department of Educational Psychology and Guidance, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Gender role, Minority Students, Femininity, Masculinity, Androgyny.
Abstract: This study was intended to describe the minority students’ gender orientation including their visible
characteristics. To this end, this research used qualitative approach in narrative case study framework. It
was carried out by analyzing three research subjects. The data was obtained from BSRI (Bem Sex Role
Inventory) supported with interviews and observations. The result showed that the three research subjects
have different gender role orientation; masculine, feminine and androgyny. It is implied that guidance and
counselling programs at school are strongly required in order to develop the students’ gender awareness.
1 INTRODUCTION
Each individual has a different gender role
consistent with his gender and is influenced by the
construction of his community culture. The role of
gender is an expectation and role that determine
individuals in their thinking, behaving and feeling
either as men or women (Santrock, 2003)
Ideally, individual’s gender role is supposed to
be relevant to his sex. In fact, despite the assumption
that male is supposed to have masculine identity and
female is supposed to have feminine one, there are
some research suggested that gender identity was not
consistent with one’s biological sex (Bem, 1974;
Palan et al., 1999).
Based on Bem’s gender scheme (1974),
individual self-concept based on gender is
influenced by how individuals’ process information
both based on their own experiences and others’
experiences. He further claimed that individual with
ideal gender identity (man as masculine and women
as feminine) is likely to more rely on the gender
scheme than individual inconsistent with their
gender roles (e.g. men who see themselves more
dominated by feminine character rather than
masculine) (Palan et al., 1999).
One of the most challenging gender roles to
observe is in the minority group of people including
students at school. Minority school-age students
often struggle in adjusting to the two different value
systems; the value system they adopt and the
dominant value system in their surrounding
(Santrock, 2003). Generally, this group of minority
students is in crisis in many ways such as identity,
gender, origin, culture, language, etc. (Office of The
High Commissioner for Human Right, 2010).
In 2013, the National School Climate Survey
recorded more than half of sexual minority teenagers
in schools felt insecure because of their sexual
orientation, and almost 38% of them felt insecure
because their gender expression acted quite feminine
for teenage boys and quite masculine for adolescent
girls (Kosciw et al., 2014). The results of this study
are also reinforced by Thorne's research in
Golshirazian et al. (2015) which concludes that
unsupportive schools can inhibit gender
stereotypical attitudes and behaviors to their
students.
In general, Bem (1974) and Santrock (2003)
divide the individual gender roles into four
categories; masculine, feminine, androgyny, and
undifferentiated.
Masculinity is an individual outlook that has
instrumental characteristics and is a male construct
of males (Boe, 2015; Demartoto, A., 2010; Santrock,
2003). Masculinity is a component of a gender social
construction that is usually associated with men and
their characteristics (Johnson and Repta, 2012). The
role of gender in masculine characters has
personality traits such as assertive, self-reliant,
competitive, ambitious, dominant, courageous,
strong, confidence, and brave (Bem, 1974).
Saripah, I. and Rosdianti, N.
Femininity, Masculinity, and Androgyny - Minority Students’ Gender Role Issues.
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences (ICES 2017) - Volume 2, pages 219-223
ISBN: 978-989-758-314-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
219

Conversely, femininity is an individual outlook that
has expressive personality traits (Boe, 2015;
Santrock, 2003). Femininity is also often associated
with female gender behavior (Johnson and Repta,
2012). The feminine character has gentle personality
traits; sensitive, subtle, sympathetic, happy, helpful,
loving, cheerful, caring, and sociable (Bem, 1974).
Androgyny is the high combination of both
masculine and feminine characters. The
combination has made androgyny show such
personality traits as patient, care, responsible
assertive, self-confident and strong (Bem, 1974).
As for undifferentiated gender roles, according to
Bem (1974), it was addressed to individuals who
have a low masculine and feminine stereotype
pattern.
Among those various issues, the issue of gender
roles especially in minority students at school is
relatively under-studied. Therefore, this study aims
to explore the issue of femininity and masculinity
especially regarding to gender role orientation
displayed by male students in a female-dominated
environment.
2 RESEARCH METHOD
This study used qualitative approach focusing on the
central phenomena (Creswell, 2012). The central
phenomenon of this research is the difference in
gender role orientation displayed by male students as
the minority students.
The design for this study was narrative case
study so as to explore the answer for the question
“What are the masculine and feminine
characteristics that minority students demonstrate on
any gender orientation?"
The participants were three Indonesian male
students; RFS, ARN and BFS selected based on
BSRI (Bem Sex Role Inventory) instrument.
The data were obtained from interviewing the
subjects, their close friends and their guidance and
counselling teachers. In addition, the observation
was also undertaken to explore how the subjects
behave and communicate based on their masculinity
and femininity characteristics while doing their daily
routines.
The data analysis was done through display
reduction, and data verification procedures. The
conclusion was drawn after validating the data
through triangulation process. This research
followed the following figure 1:
Figure 1: Research procedures.
3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Participant 1 (RFS)
From the analysis, it has revealed that RFS has
feminine role dominated characteristics. It was
observed that RFS was so expressive when
communicating to his friends. He was also deemed
cheerful and easy-going. This was confirmed from
interviewing his guidance and counselling teacher.
“... it is obvious that he was more girly and act more
like a girl in a way that he was coquettish, more
talkative, more cheerful more sensitive and
emotional. It was often observed that he had woman
way of thinking.
As a boy, RFS is such an easy-going individual
that he can easily interact both to his male and
female friends. Gender differences do not make him
awkward when he is hanging out with his female
friends.
His supple way of move was clearly visible to his
fellow classmates. When talking, RFS acted and
behaved like a woman. The non-verbal gesture
augmented his interaction with others.
As a teenage boy, RFS has more knowledge on
womanly stuffs. He is more interested in discussing
make up or fashion than talking about game or other
manly things. Despite his expressive appearance,
RFS was not too feminine in his style, he looked
more like a rabble individual at school.
ICES 2017 - 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences
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However, the tendency that shows his feminine
side from his expressive gesture has characterized
him to be feminine. It is in line with Boe (2015) and
Santrock (2003) that expressive individuals are
characterized as feminine.
Feinman and Martin (Santrock, 2003) revealed
that feminine boys tend to attract more negative
reaction than masculine acted girls. Nevertheless,
RFS seems to find no rejection or negative reaction
from his female classmates. He was deemed as an
adored icon by his fellow female classmates. This
has led to the condition that the intimacy between
RFS and his female classmates has amplified his
feminine gender role (see in figure 2).
Figure 2: RFS along with his female classmates at school.
3.2 Participant 2 (ARN)
Based on the BSRI analysis, ARN’s gender role
tends to be masculine. At school, ARN was a neat
looking individual. Both his uniform and hairstyle
always look neat especially when he is around the
teacher's room or when around his female
classmates, and his close female friend in particular.
It is in contrast with the condition when he is with
his playmates. ARN looks so boorish that he often
looks messy. It was confirmed by his teacher’s
statement.
“…ARN often looks messy, his hairstyle portrays his
masculinity. He sometimes his neat looking
appearance at school. He was also a former OSIS
leader.
Based on the observation and the interview from
the subject, his classmates and his guidance and
counselling teacher, it was obtained that ARN has
some dominant characteristics. As for example, he
was capable of being a leader, wise, moody,
adaptable yet closed. ARN is not an expressive
individual. Although he is characterized as
masculine individual, ARN is not reluctant in
hanging around with his female classmates. He is
very popular at school and was adored by his fellow
female schoolmates. Many of his female
schoolmates like him and want to get closer to him
since ARN is a popular student.
ARN is a closed person. When having problem,
he prefers to keep it himself. He is not the type who
easily believe in others, especially in telling the
problems he has.
Donaldson (Demartoto, 2010) said that a great
man is capable of conquering many women's hearts,
because it is an image especially for a masculine
man to be regarded as a true man. As what happened
to ARN, the female dominated school environment
is often used as a test of self-ability, especially in
captivating women. However, ARN feels more
comfortable when he is among his male classmates
rather than among his female classmates (see in
figure 3).
Figure 3: ARN and his classmates.
3.3 Participant 3 (BFS)
BFS that looked more coquettish has high
masculinity side. It can be seen from he chooses the
way he looks; from his appearance. It was also
confirmed from the interview result from his friend.
“...BFS always looks neat, and has a life style. I like
him.”
According to Beynon (Demartoto, 2010) this
type of masculine individual is categorized as
metrosexual. This type of boy concern with his own
physical appearance and has well-ordered life style,
analyze things in detail and is perfectionist. It is
relevant to BFS characteristics.
Although BFS has high masculine gender role,
he seems expressive when talking especially when
telling a story to others. This expressive behavior
makes BFS popular among his female classmates.
This expressive characteristic is one of the main
characteristic in femininity characteristics.
Femininity, Masculinity, and Androgyny - Minority Students’ Gender Role Issues
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BFS is quite easy-going in hanging out with his
fellows. He will act more masculine when he is with
his fellow male classmates but more feminine when
he is among his female classmates. It is in line with
Bem (1974) statement stating that individuals with
high masculine and feminine characteristics will act
based on the needs and contexts. In other word, they
are more adaptive.
The high masculine and feminine characteristics
in BFS make him androgyny. Androgyny
individuals will live more happily and can adapt the
surrounding s more easily compared to individuals
with one dominant gender characteristic. This result
confirmed Martin and Gnoth (2009) stating that
androgyny man can act and behave appropriately
based on certain social contexts. In figure 4, there
are the BFS propinquity with his close friends.
Figure 4: BFS propinquity with his close friends.
Gender is supposed to be natural. However, it
can change and be exchanged in individual
depending on the local culture and moment
(Puspitawati, 2012). The various gender roles
expressed by the participants have confirmed what
Bem and other researchers claimed. Masculine,
feminine and androgyny roles are ultimately
inseparable from expectations about the different
roles of men and women and the differences
between the gender stereotypes are not as large as
those believed (Eagly, 1987). Thus, it is possible to
disparity the characteristics of each gender role
which also depends on the individual characteristics
of each participant.
Skitka and Maslach (1990) reveals that one of the
things that must arise and get attention in gender
issues and roles that remain unclear is the issue of
individual differences. To accommodate and follow-
up the gender role differences among the
participants, this research suggests the urgencies of
guidance and counselling at school.
Further, Bem (1974) and Skitka and Maslach
(1990) the individual gender role and scheme are
influenced by cognitive and information process as
the framework of thinking. Therefore, based on the
result, this pedagogical implication of this study
leads to the maximizing the role of guidance and
counselling in providing the information on gender
role and gender disorientation. The information can
be used as one of the strategies in developing
students’ self-control in functioning appropriately
relevant to their gender roles.
Personal counselling is also recommended
dealing with anticipating the conflict and
inconvenience that the participants may encounter.
The focus of this personal counselling is to develop
students’ gender role in the male minority students.
The importance of that personal counselling is in
fact relevant to the process of providing personal
assistance for individuals in coping with and solving
their personal problem such as self-adjustment,
conflict management.
4 CONCLUSIONS
There is different gender role orientation among the
minority students, they are: feminine, masculine and
androgyny. The subject with feminine role was
characterized by expressive way of speaking,
coquettish way of acting, but ill-mannered way of
style. The subject with masculine role was
characterized by assertive way of talking with no
unnecessary gesture and neat looking style. The
subject with androgyny role was characterized by
quite expressive way of speaking, somewhat
coquettish way of acting, but neat style.
The variety of these gender roles pedagogically
implied that guidance and counselling teachers are
supposed to create school guidance and counselling
program developing their student’s awareness on
gender and other related information on the gender
identity disorder so that the students can behave in
relevant to the acceptable norms.
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