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Dr. Theresa O’Keefe Department of Sociology National University of Ireland, Maynooth

‘Sometimes it would be nice to be a man’: the salience of gender identity after the Good Friday Agreement. February 6, 2009. Dr. Theresa O’Keefe Department of Sociology National University of Ireland, Maynooth Email: theresa.okeefe@nuim.ie. Studying Gender Identity in Northern Ireland.

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Dr. Theresa O’Keefe Department of Sociology National University of Ireland, Maynooth

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  1. ‘Sometimes it would be nice to be a man’: the salience of gender identity after the Good Friday Agreement.February 6, 2009 Dr. Theresa O’Keefe Department of Sociology National University of Ireland, Maynooth Email: theresa.okeefe@nuim.ie

  2. Studying Gender Identity in Northern Ireland • Has the Good Friday Agreement allowed us to move beyond ethno-nationalism when studying identity? • Past studies tend to focus on the gendered nature of ethno-nationalism (Aretxaga, Cockburn, O’Keefe, Sales, Ward). • Little qualitative work done on gender in its own right. Contemporary Irish Identities Project quite significant as a result.

  3. Difficulties in Discussing Gender • How can you raise a discussion about gender identity in a way that is meaningful to the respondent? • Is gender identity too ‘naturalised’ to study? What difficulties does this present?

  4. Understandings of Gender Difference • First recollection of difference-could not recall-natural/biological difference-social roles • Current understanding-motherhood-femininity

  5. Awareness of Gender Inequality • Gender inequality is ‘naturalised’/fixed. • Gender inequality is changing/changeable. • Hegemonic masculinity and difficulties for Northern Irish men. • No gender inequality.

  6. Key Findings • Gender not as salient/clear as one might hope, particularly in comparison to class. • Positionality is key. • Danger in ‘naturalising’ gender order.

  7. Implications • Women’s/Feminist Organising -importance of positionality • Future research -gender identity – gender not as a subtext of ethno-national identity. -relationship between gender identity and under-studied categories (i.e. class, sexuality, ability).

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