CHAPTER 1: Re(Considering) Gender Scholarship in Educational Leadership

Gender, gender roles, and gender identity, as well as femininities and masculinities, have continued to be studied and theorized in sociology, philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines. But in education research, particularly in the educational leadership discourse, the nexus between gender and leadership appears to be less interesting than it was previously—not surprisingly, since the prevailing attitudes among many women and men is that gender is irrelevant. How might a gender frame help us to understand leadership inequality better and, more to the point, how might gender theories allow us to transform education? This chapter argues for the reinvigorated use of robust feminist theories and gender theories that shed light on current constructions of gender in education and the intersectionalities of gender, race, class, ethnicities, religion, sexuality, and so on within educational leadership. In addition to furthering our knowledge of how women are positioned in the educational leadership discourse, a better grasp of gender allows us to contemplate how men are being shaped by various masculinities as well.