Decostructing the Gender Binary without being Gender Blind. Epistemological Challenges in Educational Research

This paper explores the epistemological and methodological challenges of conducting educational research within gendered and binary contexts, specifically schools. It questions the binary concept of gender while acknowledging persistent gender inequalities. According to Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity (1990), gender is a social construct shaped by performative acts, and so is gender binary. Schools play an important role in reproducing binary gender norms, reinforcing them through textbooks, language, discursive practices and the organisation of physical space. While gender studies in education have sought to challenge these norms, it has been argued that they can inadvertently reify and perpetuate gender differences and binarism rather than deconstruct them, risking solidifying the very inequalities it aims to dismantle. Using Judith Lorber’s words, this creates a paradox (2022): researchers strive to deconstruct the gender binary yet remain constrained by it. This study addresses this paradox on an epistemological level, exploring how to conduct research in schools saturated with binary perspectives without reinforcing them. Specifically, it investigates how to observe gender differences without ignoring their significance while simultaneously dismantling the binary concept. The paper aims to develop an epistemological perspective that deconstructs gender without being gender-blind, ensuring gender research avoids perpetuating epistemic injustice. Ultimately, it seeks a transformative approach to gender research in education, empowering both students and teachers. A narrative literature review is underway, analyzing existing research on gender binary in educational contexts, particularly in secondary schools. The review focuses on studies addressing gender inequalities while challenging the gender binary, examining their epistemological choices.