ABSTRACT
In the debate over whether or not Britain is in an era of secularisation (i.e. that Britons no longer place religion as a high priority) (Davie 1994; Bruce 1995), many argue that religious education (RE) is becoming increasingly important in the 21st century as a means of understanding one’s self and society and therefore has an important place in young people’s education (Cush 2007c; Wright 2005). This belief is built into RE’s national curriculum which specifically aims to ‘develop pupils’ awareness of themselves and others’ (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2004, 9). But what are the implications of that awareness when thinking about how RE can shape girls’ ideas about gender? This chapter discusses research done with girls between the ages of 14 and 18 and their perceptions of the representation of gender in RE material.
