Where are the feminine boys? Interrogating the positions of feminised masculinities in research on gender and childhood

In this paper I examine the postion of feminine boys in the literature on gender and childhood. I argue that there has been little systematic research carried out on feminine boys, and that this is the case for several reasons. I start by discussing how researchers tend to focus on dominant narratives, with the result that alternative positions are either ignored or treated as straightforwardly subordinate. Following that, I consider some of the problems associated with how we define femininity in boys, and difficulties related to naming a boy as feminine. I then call into question the assumption that feminine boys are always subordinate in schools and related settings, and discuss spaces of resistance. Finally, I suggest ways in which research could move forward in this area.