Description:
”I don’t feel like being a ... boy.” On heteronormativity in physicaleducation. This article concerns gender, sexuality and heteronormativity inphysical education (PE). The aim is to elucidate girls’ and boys’ conditionsin relation to the heteronormative culture of the school subject. 24 pupilsin grade 8 and 9 were interviewed about their view on PE and on girls andboys in PE. A discourse analysis of the interviews was conducted, aiming atpinpointing the discursive rules as to how girls and boys can act as ‘normal’in PE teaching. The analysis shows how different kinds of activities, notablydance and ball games, subjectify girls and boys in different ways. In order to actas ‘normal’, girls and boys seem to have to conform to a heterosexual matrix.This means that boys might be viewed as queer should they be skilled dancers,and conversely that girls might be viewed as queer should they be skilled ballplayers. Every attempt to challenge the gender order in PE, must also be anattempt to challenge the heteronormative culture of the school subject.