Second-Hand Masculinity: Do Boys with Intellectual Disabilities Use Computer Games as Part of Gender Practice?

The process of gendered practice in the pursuit of masculine identity is complex with many obstacles and hegemonic forms to negotiate on the journey. Add to this the multifaceted and diverse nature of intellectual disability (ID) and the opportunity for normalised gendered practice is further complicated. Focused on the talk of boys with ID, this paper offers an account of the development of ideas about masculinity to show how gaming may offer a space for gendered practice not available in other areas of the boys’ lives. The paper tentatively argues that gaming may offer an opportunity for the boys and those working with them to explore gendered practice safely to facilitate the construction of their identities as men and to challenge problematic images of the hyper-masculine ideal found in these games.