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Paper presentation
Cybersexism: Digital sociability and gendered identities at play
Gabrielle Richard
International studies have established gender as a predominant factor when it comes to violence,
both school-based and in cyberspace. It is notably the case for cybersexism, referring to types of
violence that are sexist, homophobic (lesbophobic) or sexual in nature, and whose aim is to reiterate
dominant gender norms targeting girls and boys. Through the online dissemination of gender norms,
it affects both groups, tarnishing the former’s reputation and threatening the latter’s masculinity.
Contrary to popular beliefs linking cyberbullying and stranger danger, this paper will discuss how
cybersexism can come to play out in school environments when bullies, targets and witnesses know
each other – or of each other. Data presented stems from the first study on cybersexism in France.
1127 high school students from 12 institutions completed survey questionnaire on school climate and
gender victimization, both in school and in cyberspace. In addition, we conducted focus groups and
individual interviews with 415 students and with 48 adults working in the same 12 institutions. This
methodology allowed us to explore various incidents of cybersexism through the lens of the victims,
but also as evoked by their peers and adults of the same school. It draws the portrait of cybersexism
as an inherent part of a digital sociability for French youth, whose gendered and sexualised identities
are increasingly developed –at least partially – in cyberspace. This communication ultimately argues
in favour of the concept of cybersexism to designate the multiple ways girls –but also boys- are put
back into their “gendered” place even in cyberspace. This concept also allows to recognize
cyberspace as requesting girls to be disproportionally vigilant towards their online image. They are
expected to present as respectable while performing heterosexual femininity. This necessitates them
to exert a rigorous control on their online image, a control hardly compatible with the characteristics
of cyberspace. Meanwhile, boys’ misdemeanours appear to be forgiven more easily. Ultimately, this
paper will allow us to position cybersexism as a new way of socially controlling the gender order.