ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how various forms of masculinity influence the ways in which a group of Australian boys read and the implications of this for developing specific strategies for targeting masculinity and homophobia in the critical literacy classroom. The focus is on adolescent boys’ responses to two texts. These data are used to draw attention to the role of masculinities in influencing and shaping the literacy practices of these boys. Although solutions are not provided to the problems associated with boys’ acquisition of literacy, I attempt to signal what I think are some of the implications of my work for developing and facilitating effective and critical literacy practices for boys. In this way, I hope to raise issues around how we might work toward developing reading practices that not only enhance boys’ involvement and interest in reading but also encourage them to reflect critically on the role of masculinity in their own lives. In light of these concerns, I attempt to address the following questions in this chapter:
• What appear to be the links between masculinity and boys’ literacy practices?
