Que vive la Fédé?: Women and Gender in the Jeunesses of the countryside of Switzerland.

The Jeunesses Campagnardes, are social youth groups for young people living in the rural villages of French-speaking Switzerland. Meant only for boys at first, women have been gradually accepted through the years, albeit some of them remain exclusively for men. They are groups stereotyped in the non-rural areas as undesirable and very sexist. This study used a mix of participant observation, photography, film, and semi-structured interviews to explore gender dynamics in the Jeunesses, female members’ perspectives on them, and how it is linked with rural identity and community. In that way, my two outputs – an article and an installation – will serve to have a theoretical perspective, and a wider context of the Jeunesses highlighting the different issues, as well as providing a tangible understanding of the Jeunesse and the experience of being part of this community. Overall, the study found that even if my interlocutors and interviewees were interested in the question of gender and...Show moreThe Jeunesses Campagnardes, are social youth groups for young people living in the rural villages of French-speaking Switzerland. Meant only for boys at first, women have been gradually accepted through the years, albeit some of them remain exclusively for men. They are groups stereotyped in the non-rural areas as undesirable and very sexist. This study used a mix of participant observation, photography, film, and semi-structured interviews to explore gender dynamics in the Jeunesses, female members’ perspectives on them, and how it is linked with rural identity and community. In that way, my two outputs – an article and an installation – will serve to have a theoretical perspective, and a wider context of the Jeunesses highlighting the different issues, as well as providing a tangible understanding of the Jeunesse and the experience of being part of this community. Overall, the study found that even if my interlocutors and interviewees were interested in the question of gender and feminism or acknowledged there were some problematic behaviors, they were indifferent to some aspects of the apparent sexism or the existing gender norms, prioritizing general understanding in the Jeunesses. The Jeunesse holds significant importance for them and has throughout their lives. These findings suggest that the desire to belong and be part of a community can outweigh personal values because being a respected and accounted member requires you to conform.Show less

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Que vive la Fédé? Women and Gender in the Jeunesses of the countryside of Switzerland.