Relações de gênero nas atividades lúdicas: o que as meninas têm a nos dizer?

Abstract

Social gender norms have a huge impact from childhood, including on children's ludic activities. Several studies in the area of developmental psychology report how such norms are reflected in children's preferences and playful partnerships; however, most research adopts a comparative approach between genders, which limits the understanding of the specificities experienced by each one. So, considering the social and cultural changes that have occurred in recent decades in relation to the female gender, the question arises about the impacts that changes in the social roles played by women can have on girls' playful experiences. In this sense, and based on the understanding of child as a social actor capable of producing knowledge about their own experience, this research investigated how girls between 8 and 10 years old perceive current gender roles and expectations and whether they have been acting beyond the stereotypical and/or gender-typed patterns in their ludic activities. This qualitative and exploratory research was carried out in two phases: direct observation of ludic episodes (phase 1) and semi-structured interviews (phase 2), whose data were analyzed by using the thematic data analysis method. A total of 17 girls living in Salvador and Lauro de Freitas-BA participated in the research. The results indicated that, although gender stereotyping and typing are still present, the transgressions of stereotypical and/or gender-typed patterns in girls' ludic activities are significant. The girls revealed flexibility when participating in non-typed activities and explicitly rejected the idea that certain games are exclusive to one gender. Furthermore, the findings revealed the strong influence of context and affinities regarding ludic preferences in the formation of partnerships in non-stereotypical and/or non-typified activities. Girls' participation in activities culturally and historically associated with the male universe, such as soccer, still faces barriers, although there is an expansion of interaction possibilities, especially in mixed partnerships. The study points to a process of resistance and transformation in girls' preferences and playful partnerships, in line with sociocultural changes and contemporary models of female representation. It is concluded that, despite the persistence of stereotypical and/or typified gender patterns, girls find ways to challenge them and expand their ludic repertoires, indicating a scenario of transformation in gender dynamics in childhood.