Masculinity, Motivation, and Belonging in Virtual Fashion Design Education: Breaking Gender Barriers - A Qualitative Case Study
Degree Date
12-13-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Acacia Nikoi
Abstract
ABSTRACT
For two decades fashion design education has been stereotypically labeled as a feminine pursuit, creating barriers for male students and limiting diversity in the field. The persistent underrepresentation of male students in fashion design programs has led to significant gender imbalances in related fields. This study challenged the perception by examining an innovative high school in Oregon that offers a technology-based fashion design education. This research contributed to the discourse on gender in education and offers insights into how innovative educational approaches can transform long-standing stereotypes into creative fields. By using the gender role strain paradigm (GRSP) (Karpova et al., 2015), this study sought to investigate how societal perceptions of masculinity shape fashion design education experiences of male and male identifying students at a virtual charter school. Findings from participants were congruent with GRSP theory and triangulated with scholarly evidence; however, there were several unexpected results. While participants were familiar with fashion design’s historical feminine connotations and on-going discriminatory gender representation from the media, students in this study reported the fashion design course at this school offered a space of inclusion and an opportunity to explore their own identity and creativity. Additionally, participants articulated a higher level of motivation when utilizing fictional characters as a basis for learning the fashion design process and when engaged in the process of designing clothes for themselves. This research is a call to leaders and education policy makers to specifically address gender issues in art electives and urges an examination of the secondary level visual arts and fine arts curriculum that may have been impacted by gender stereotyping or consistent gender imbalance. The study also includes recommendations for parents, teachers, and counselors to break down traditional gender stereotypes, and support student interests as they explore fashion design. Continued inquiry is
needed to identify best practices into how to promote male enrollment in predominantly female courses and strengthen curriculum strategies that keep male students engaged over time.