Women were created to serve differently, weren’t they? The gendered identities and challenges of female students in university-community engagement

Abstract

Whilst university-community engagement has become an important aspect of modern universities, it often tends to re/produce inequalities and power imbalances, reinforcing stereotypes and negative identities. Much attention on these inequalities has focussed on the experiences of community members. Students’ identities and challenges in these programs are less explored. Drawing from qualitative data from three university-community engagement programs, and utilising Black feminist theory, this paper critically examines female students’ gendered experiences and identities in the communities. Findings showed that participants are confronted with wide-ranging inequalities including stereotypes, sexual harassment, abuse, and misrecognition. Whilst participants navigate the inequalities they face, they unconsciously and consciously exhibit gender-typical behaviors and reinforce inequalities. The paper recommends a holistic action involving institutions, students, and community members to challenge the hegemonic discourses and practices that entrench and reinforce gendered typical and contradictory behaviors. Students should be empowered cognitively and psychologically to address the issues confronting them individually and collectively.

Keywords

• University-community engagement
• black feminist theory
• gendered experiences
• female students
• the concept of shame
• intersected challenges