I S POLITICAL ACTIVISM STILL A “MASC U LI N E ” EN DEAVOR? Gender Comparisons among High School Political Activists

High school political activists (40 female, 46 male) completed extensive questionnaires. Differences between participants with moderatekonser-vative, liberal, and left perspectives were analyzed as were gender differ-ences on the Bem Sex Role Inventory and other politically associated behaviors. Males and females described themselves as masculine; fe-males also described themselves as feminine. Conservative males de-scribed themselves as most masculine and least feminine. No gender differences were found on extent of political activity. But, females were more likely to be active in feminist organizations and causes, to label themselves as feminists, and to describe their mothers as feminists, and were less likely to have a group of friends they hang out with compared to males. Females were more doubtful than males about mixing mar-riage, children, employment, and politics in the future. Females more often presented future family life as a source of limitation on their politi-cal futures compared to males. Political activism has been viewed historically as important to a healthy democracy. Certainly political activists move the society along its course, prodding and pulling it in the many particular directions dictated by their interests. The presence of political activists representing all groups in soci-ety, especially previously underrepresented or oppressed groups, is critical to the democratic ideal