‘Strong girls’ in physical education: opportunities for social justice education

Many girls become disengaged from physical education (PE) and physical activity as they reach late elementary and high school years. While strategies to engage girls in PE exist, strategies addressing the social constructions of gender as the root of disengagement from PE are rarely discussed. Using results from a broader feminist ethnographic study, this article explores the notion of ‘strong girls’ within one middle school PE class. Using the perspectives of the students and their teachers, I engage in a discussion of hegemonic gender stereotypes, competitive PE environments, and close female friendships as hindering and promoting the strength of girls in PE. The ability of participants to easily recognize, name, and begin to act on gendered inequities within their PE class leads to a recommendation for the use of critical social justice education in middle school PE.