Copyright 2016 by The Journal of Social Theory in Art Education / Volume 36 In these projects, Untangling Gender Divides we made gender Through Girly and Gendered an explicit topic Visual Culture for class discussion Alice Lai through which Empire State College, State University of New York Yichien Cooper the children could Washington State University Tri-Cities consider the visual The rise of girly culture has brought new dimensions and chal- culture that they lenges to art education. As art educators, we are concerned about what we can do to meaningfully understand and educate enjoy as not simply children—girls and boys—growing up with girly culture. To this end, this paper presents our exploratory study, utilizing the entertainment but methods of literature review, focus group discussion, and class- room observation, and findings on the following: (1) discourses entertainment with of girly (visual) culture specifically related to age metaphor, visual representations of sexuality, and girly aesthetics; (2) postfeminist gender implications. conceptualizations, critiques, and justifications of gender divides manifested through girly visual culture; (3) preadolescent chil- dren’s perceptions of gendered visual culture and gender divides; and (4) gendered visual culture projects and pedagogical strat- egies for fostering gender-inclusive, playful, and empowering learning. Correspondence regarding this article may be sent to the authors: [email protected], [email protected] Frilly dresses, pink accessories, and Disney focus group discussion, and classroom observation, Princess lunch boxes: such signifiers of girly culture to specifically investigate girly visual culture, gender are omnipresent in our children’s everyday lives. divides, and gendered-visual-culture pedagogy. This Possessing a distinctive aesthetic and ethos, girly paper highlights our key explorations of and findings culture accentuates little-girl-like cute and feminine on the following: (1) discourses of girly (visual) culture appearance, design styles, behaviors, and speech, specifically related to age metaphor, visual represen- further separating the conceptions and visual repre- tations of sexuality, and girly aesthetics; (2) postfemi- sentations of girl from those of boy. This renewed, 21st nist conceptualizations, critiques, and justifications of century gender divide has reinforced gender-based gender divides manifested through girly visual culture; artistic trends and products corresponding to a specif- (3) preadolescent children’s perceptions of gendered ic sex and gender identity. Floral prints and curvy lines visual culture and gender divides; and (4) gendered characterize feminine designs while motor vehicles visual culture projects and pedagogical strategies for and sports imagery characterize boyish patterns and fostering gender-inclusive, playful, and empowering children’s bedrooms are adorned with gender-coded learning. color schemes (Paoletti, 2012; Wardy, 2014). These gender divides raise critical social issues about per- Girly Visual Culture: Age, Sexuality, and Aesthetics petuating gender stereotypes, gender inequality, and What is girly visual culture? Drawing from our re- oppression of certain gender identities and expres- view of the literature focusing on girl culture (Mitchell sions. Feminist visual culture researchers (Bae, 2011; & Reid-Walsh, 2008), girly visual culture (Orenstein, Hains, 2012; Ivashkevich, 2009; Ringrose, 2013) have 2011; Radner, 2011; Wardy, 2014), gendered material observed that girly culture within the context of to- culture (Paoletti, 2012), girl power (Hains, 2012), and day’s Western girlhoods is packed with contradictory girlhood studies (Ringrose, 2013), we find three recur- and contested ideologies surrounding gender equity, ring and contested discourses in the description and gendered knowing, individual agency, femininity, analysis of girly (visual) culture: age metaphor, visual masculinity, sexuality, body image, and gender roles. representations of sexuality, and girly aesthetics. Nonetheless, girly culture and ethos continue to gain Age is a vital yet contradictory metaphor in girly popularity among girls. (visual) culture. While the word girly conjures up an As art educators, we are concerned about what image of a young preadolescent girl, girly culture is we can do to meaningfully understand and educate embraced by and exists across a broad range of age children - girls, boys, and gender fluid - growing up groups. Baumgardner and Richards (2010) define within girly culture. Informed by Keifer-Boyd’s (2003) girlies as follows: article on gendered cultural stereotypes, we recognize that girly visual culture is a part of gendered visual cul- Adult women, usually in their mid-twenties to late ture; that is, issues associated with girly culture should thirties [...], whose feminist principles are based on not be perceived as girl-only issues but as issues con- a reclaiming of girl culture (or feminine accoutre- cerning every child. Therefore, while focusing on girly ments that were tossed out with sexism during the visual culture, we have also situated our concerns and Second Wave), be it Barbie, housekeeping, or girl study within the broader context of gendered visual talk. (p. 398) culture. We believe that it is crucial to first acquire an in-depth and critical understanding of girly (visual) cul- Girly visual culture capitalizes on images of little- ture and the associated issues of gender divides. We girl-like innocence, purity, and vulnerability, in turn then can justly propose visual culture-based pedagog- portraying women in a submissive and non-threaten- ical strategies to overcome the gender divides. To this ing way. For example, in her analysis of the Lara Croft: end, we embarked on an exploratory study (Stebbins, Tomb Raider movie, Stasia (2004) argues that while 2001), utilizing the methods of literature review, Lara’s “youthfulness is played up through costuming, The Journal of Social Theory in Art Education / Volume 36 (2016) 97 she is also infantilised through her relationship with excessive plastic surgeries), sexualized and hetero- her father (Jon Voight), whom she calls ‘Daddy’” (p. sexist children’s toys, and narcissism enhanced by 177). In this way, girly visual culture also emphasizes an obsession with perfecting one’s self-image (Genz, childlike girlish behaviors and speech, which portray 2011; Ringrose, 2013; Wardy, 2014; Weber, 2011). For the strong and intelligent action heroine, Lara Croft, instance, Wardy asserts that girly girls’ scant or tight as simultaneously obedient, unthreatening, and clothing, which reveals their body shapes, is often in normatively feminine to her father and to the major- contrast with boys’ casual or loose clothing, which ity of viewers, who are men. While women embrace conceals their bodies. In her view, this fashion trend and deliberately perform girliness, girly visual culture not only reveals a gender divide in fashion styles but paradoxically prompts young girls to experience a Kids also encourages objectification of the female body for Getting Older Younger (KGOY) phenomenon. Radner male pleasure. (2011) argues that as “a feminine ideal” (p. 4), girly vi- Visual representations of girls and girlhoods sual culture welcomes products that help to construct permeate girly culture and produce distinctive girly traditional femininity, such as makeup, high heels, nail aesthetics. As described by Hains’ (2012) research polish, and sexy clothing. Young children experiencing on girl heroes and beauty, Ivashkevich’s (2009; 2011) girly culture have also become consumers of these accounts of preadolescent girls’ drawings, Orenstein’s products. Using children’s beauty pageants, sexual- (2011) and Wardy’s (2014) critiques of princess culture, ized dolls, and flirtatious female celebrities as exam- Paoletti’s (2012) history of children’s fashion trends, ples, Orenstein (2011) and Wardy (2014) criticize these Weber’s (2011) analysis of proper female styles and types of ready-made, mass-produced, and consum- manners, and Weida’s (2013) review of feminist zines, eristic girly visual culture targeted at young children girly aesthetics employs gender-specific elements of for creating an age-compression KGOY phenomenon art and design principles, feminine patterns, cute- that has taken children away from their innocent and ness, Do It Yourself (DIY) creativity, and traditional creative childhoods too early. middle-class ladylike beauty. Wardy and Hains specif- Sexuality is ubiquitous in girly visual culture. ically identify a number of feminine elements of art, Baumgardner and Richards (2010) and Radner (2011) patterns, and symbols culturally signifying femininity underscore girly culture’s reclamation and re-appro- such as soft shades, pastel colors, floral patterns, priation of female sexuality Girly culture proponents curvy lines, scripted or handwritten letters, butter- advocate that liberated women should be proud of flies, knee-high stockings, pigtails, and high heels. their gender and sexuality, positively embrace tra- Gothic and bad-girl styles combined with hypersex- ditional femininity and feminine appearance, and ualized outfits are also popular among girls. Paoletti establish girly or girl-only friendships in which to share maintains that around 1985 the availability of gender their intimate thoughts about sexuality and romance neutral clothing decreased and that gender-specific in a playful and nonjudgmental way. Radner’s (2011) colors and embellishments,