Girls Lived experiences of the perception of issues and characteristics associated with Gender

Perception and experience of gender as an established pattern can play a significant role in individuals' social and educational actions. This study focuses on exploring the lived experiences of female students from childhood. The research method employed is qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The sample consists of seventeen female students from Tehran. The sample size was determined based on theoretical saturation principle. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews, and data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis. After gathering the data, the narratives of the students regarding their experiences of girlhood were coded and categorized. Three main themes emerged from the interviews, which further yielded nine sub-themes and twenty-three concepts during the analysis. The main themes include femininity traits, girlhood issues, and girlhood agency. The sub-themes encompass exclusive traits of girls, gender differences, being a good girl, gender discrimination, gender perspectives, gender stereotypes, changing attitudes, family role in issues, and girlhood strategies. Examining the lived experiences of girls reveals that although the examined samples reproduce some of the common emotional and behavioral characteristics associated with girlhood, the students' narratives indicate that they face limitations and deprivation in society due to their gender. Moreover, they feel a sense of injustice and discrimination in their social and daily lives. The students under study express dissatisfaction with the societal misconceptions about girls and demand more agency and empowerment for girls in society.