"She is a medic. She was a medic in the army": Children's silence on their teachers' gender in an Israeli forest kindergarten

This case study is based on a forest kindergarten setting and contextualized in a national culture of privileged male militaristic and hegemonic domination throughout society. Feminist inroads have softened this gender binary outlook. The kindergarten is located in an upper middle-class village where gender equality is seen as desirable. Sixteen children, four mothers, and two teachers participated. Children's drawings were used as a basis for conversations, while a semi-structured interview was conducted with adults. Four gender perspectives were found. First, ignoring gender altogether was the children's perspective. Second, free choice of gender expression was the male teacher's perspective. Third, acceptance of gender differences was the female teacher's perspective. Fourth, resistance to gender differences was the mothers' perspective. Despite the utopian view of gender equality in the kindergarten held by staff and parents, teachers enacted traditional gender roles in the activities they led. Two explanations are offered for children's silence on gender: one is self-censorship, and the other is adherence to a tacit taboo suppressing gender discourse. It is recommended that gender be brought to the fore as a topic for discussion among staff and children.