female peer groups

• Archer states that w/c girls gain their symbolic capital (status and popularity) from their female peers by preforming a hyperheterosexual feminine identity
• Archer found that female peers policed the hyperheterosexual feminine identity and girls risked making themselves unpopular or a tramp if they refused to conform.
• hyperheterosexual feminine identity


  this involves a glamourous or sexy appearance expressed by wearing certain brand styles for example.
• Ringrose (2013)


  did a small scale study of 13- 14 yr olds w/c female peer groups and found that being popular was crucial to girls identity
• Ringrose (2013)


  As girls transition from girl friendship culture to heterosexual dating culture they face a tension between

  • a idealised feminine identity
  • a sexual identity
• an idealised feminine identity

  refers to showing loyalty to the female peer group.

  being non - competitive and getting along with everyone in the friendship culture
• a sexual identity

  refers to being involved in competing for boys in the dating culture
• Currie (2007)


  argues that while the transition into dating culture is risky
• Currie


  Girls who are too competitive and or see themselves as better than their peers risk slut shaming (being labelled as a slut) and exclusion from girl culture
• Currie


  girls who do no want to compete for boyfriends may face frigid shaming from other girls
• Currie


  shaming is a form of social control by school girls in which they police, regulate and discipline each others identities
• A boffin identity


  refers to girls who want to be successful in education and may feel the need to conform to the school's idea of the ideal feminine pupil
• Reay (2001)


  found that boffin girls had to preform a n asexual identity, presenting themselves as not interested in boys or popular fashion.

  they do not engage with the heterosexual dating culture