SHAPING IDENTITY: INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES IN THE AGE OF GENDER FLUIDITY

Authors

  • Antonio Sacristano Pedagogist, Adjunct Professor of Special Pedagogy, University of Salerno, Italy orcid.org/0009-0007-4280-1622
  • Carmine Genovese MIM Teacher, Ministry of Education and Merit, Italy Expert in Special Pedagogy
  • Domenico Stasio MIM Teacher, Ministry of Education and Merit, Italy Teacher for the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM), Adjunct Professor of Drawing Laboratory, Laboratory of General Didactics and Educational Technologies, University of Salerno, Italy
  • Stefania Di Nicola MIM Teacher, Ministry of Education and Merit, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v11i3.6041

Keywords:

gender identity, critical pedagogy, teacher education, school inclusion, social construction of gender

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection between gender identity, developmental psychology, and critical pedagogy, with a particular focus on teacher education and the creation of inclusive learning environments. Through a comprehensive theoretical analysis, the text highlights how gender norms—often taken for granted—are socially and culturally constructed, significantly shaping school contexts. The role of the school is examined not only as a site of cognitive learning but also as a space where identities are shaped and where stereotypes and inequalities are either reinforced or challenged. Drawing on psycho-pedagogical and sociological approaches, including the work of Butler, Bourdieu, Connell, and Deleuze, the paper promotes a critical and transformative vision of education. The goal is to provide teachers with theoretical and practical tools to recognize and counteract exclusionary dynamics related to gender, thus fostering a more equitable and diversity-respecting school environment. The text ultimately calls for a renewal of teacher training that embraces the complexity of identity and encourages reflective and inclusive educational practices.

 

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Published

2025-05-28

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Vol. 11 No. 3 (2025)

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