Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
13th International Congress of Physical Education and Sports Teaching/13. Uluslararası Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Öğretmenliği Kongresi, Ankara, Türkiye, 31 Ekim - 02 Kasım 2025, (Özet Bildiri)
Physical education is a field where gender norms are
clearly visible and biology is often seen through cultural biases. In this
context, factors like the communication that male physical education teacher
candidates will have with female students about menstruation, their management
of class participation, and ensuring fairness in education will be very
important. This study aims to find out, from a phenomenological view, how male
physical education teacher candidates with no teaching experience understand
menstruation and what gender-based ideas shape their views. By uncovering these
mental frameworks, the research seeks to point out key gaps that need to be
filled in teacher training. The study used a phenomenological design. Data came
from six male students in their fourth year of physical education and sports
teaching, who were taking a Child Protection in Physical Education and Sport
course. In the second week of the term, they were given two scenarios about
menstruation, and then informal interviews were held. The interview texts were
analyzed, and three themes appeared: 1) social taboo, privacy, and boundaries;
2) a focus on performance and myths of “weakness”; and 3) sexist stereotypes
and the “sensitive” woman image. The findings show that the candidates’ views
on menstruation are influenced by traditional socio-cultural codes. Also, in
areas of professional practice and teaching methods, myths and biases are
common, not scientific knowledge. In conclusion, unless social views on
menstruation change, it will remain a major barrier to girls' participation in
physical education and sports.