I was reflecting on fights between students that I have been aware of at school this year, those at the middle school I was at for 3 years and some of the fights that remember from my own educational odyssey. Maybe it’s because the fight I broke up was between two girls but most of the fights I remember were between girls! I did a quick search (google scholar, Amazon) but did not find much. I am perplexed. Why does it seem that (in my limited experience) there are more fights between girls than boys at school?
Hmmm... more reading needs to be done.
Jan 23, 2006
Why Do Girls Fight?
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4 comments:
This is just a guess from a people observer who was never in a fight but noticed the same phenomenon...
With guys it seems there is more forethought about a fight for a variety of reasons... their masculinity is at stake, or they plan on beating on a younger/annoying/weaker kid. Boys will usually choose a place (i.e. behind Mel's or whatever) and it's generally not on school grounds.
Girls seem to fight more spur of the moment, which also means they are at the common area (school) when they fight.
I don't think guys fight less, just not on school grounds as much. Hence you don't really see spur of the moment fights with guys as often.
Good point, thanks for the comment.
So girls are more emotional and reactionary!? You said it not me.
Another thought: MAYBE guys who fight at school are more about the show. They puff out their chests, bump a few times, say things like "common well letsgorightnow" all the while looking over their shoulders at the terrified (impressed?)girls whose undivided attention they now have and hoping a teacher shows up soon so that niehter of them get their asses kicked in front of the girls.
Girls have no need for the show. In fact the quicker it's over the better. Guys may not want to date a girl who may kick the shit out of them with no warning. If it's over fast enough all guys have is unreliable hearsay an not many actual witnesses.
Just a thought.
I hate to say it, but it's the women's movement. When women are out of control, or their little sisters, everything falls apart.
1) Before the 1980s, girls had strict behavioral boundaries they followed. They used more subtle, less physical methods to tear each other apart. When I was a teen, we saved slapping and pushing for the guys and they didn't hit back, and we used gossip, innuendo, and shunning for the girls.
2) Also, schools used to have better discipline before the 1970s, and the teachers looked like authority figures who could enforce the rules. Once they started showing up in jeans and t-shirts, the ballgame was over.
3) As talented women moved into better paid, more elite careers and away from teaching, it left a void and the kids have suffered.
I'm no expert, but I did attend public school (1950s) and university, sent my kids to public school (1970s-1980s) and at one time had my teaching credentials.
Actually, there was an article about this issue (in Chicago schools, at least) in today's Sun Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-mean15.html
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