“Little Girls” and “Bitching Up”

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which age and gender intersect to shape the workplace experiences of first-year Canadian social workers. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with nine early-career (0.6-3.7 years post-bachelor of social work [BSW]), young adult (aged 23.9-32.9) social workers in Alberta, Canada, to understand their experiences in the first year of practice after completing the BSW; this article addresses the themes relating to age and gender. The methodology used in the study was hermeneutic phenomenology. Findings include negative conceptualizations of young social workers, meanings related to age and gender, use of evocative language to communicate positionality and practice values ("little girls" and "bitching up"), and feminized constructions of social work. Implications for social work education, practice, and research are discussed.

A Landscape of Intersecting Discourses

“…Yet, social work has a long and controversial history of establishing and clarifying professional identity (Moon, 2017) and legitimacy, especially as a predominantly female profession where gender and class inequalities are persistently replicated (Dent, 2017;Newberry-Koroluk, 2018). Various stakeholders, particularly governments, have continually questioned the nature of social work (Asquith et al, 2005;Weiss-gal & Welbourne, 2008) and have also influenced discourses that shape the profession (Gregory & Holloway, 2005).…”

“…Tensions between professional identity and wider social contexts are highlighted in a recent Canadian study, where nine early-career, female social workers within the first three years post-qualification, reported on how colleagues perceived them in terms of gender and age (Newberry-Koroluk, 2018). Despite having a qualification, it was not uncommon for the social position of the participants, including marital status, to be used as a way of judging and minimizing their professional knowledge and ability, which the author hypothesized as a mechanism for colleagues to gain power and status for themselves (Newberry-Koroluk, 2018). In response to conflicting reactions from people, one participant preferred to identify as a therapist, rather than a social worker.…”

“…This is a common issue when using critical reflection, as it often focuses on general power relations (Mattsson, 2014). Considering the particular inequalities of class and gender that occur in the social work profession (Dent, 2017;Newberry-Koroluk, 2018), further attention is warranted in this area. In light of these limitations, it is recommended that further research be undertaken with newly qualified social workers from a range of institutions, countries, and diverse backgrounds to explore their professional identities in a range of environments.…”