Lets Take Another Look At High School

High school is often looked back upon as a nostalgic four years when so many of our important (albeit, awkward) transition into adulthood took place. It was a bittersweet four years that many of us dreaded, but few can remember exactly why. As such, we are inclined to look back at high school as a kind of necessary evil. We were teased, we were bullied, we probably got our hearts broken for the first time, and we tried desperately to fit in. But despite all of that, it was fun, and we were teenagers, we can’t help it, right? Well, maybe. In C.J. Pascoe’s book Dude, You’re a Fag teenage sexuality (perhaps the most awkward and painful part of high school) is examined through a new lens. It’s easy to think of the ways teenagers date and interact with one another as inevitable and blame it on the “raging hormones” we have all become so familiar with. In her book, Pascoe argues that teenage sexuality is not just something that happens, it’s reinforced through actions and events both initiated by the student body and the administration.

Take, for instance, the phenomena of boys trying to “get” girls. We’ve all seen this: when some teacher, coach or parent isn’t demanding the teenage boy’s attention where does it go? It goes to finding that girl to take to the dance, flirt with, or simply, to have sex with. We see this as just another example of boys being boys. But not Pascoe, she observed this “hunt” in action, and according to her research, claims that this competitive edge that has been placed on dating is actually apart of a bigger picture of boys working to prove their masculinity.

Along with conforming to traditional images of masculinity like playing sports, acting tough, or being independent, getting girls is seen as the ultimate way to show how much of a man you really are. The more girls you can either have sex with or get to like you, the more of a man you are. Thus, boys who never have a girlfriend or other relationship with women (whether or not women are they want to) are the least masculine and therefore the least cool. Remember that popular guy in high school? Chances are, he and all the ladies lining up for a date. Or, at least made it seems that way.