”Sådana tankar har du väl aldrig?” : Hur genusnormer och sexualitetsnormer kommunicerades inom vänskapsrelationer kring sekelskiftet 1900

Sammanfattning: The Swedish curriculum regarding upper secondary education defines that in 2022, “sexuality, consent and relationships”, will have a greater impact in the curriculum and in the education than earlier. It is the school’s responsibility that each student gather knowledge within this subject. Each teacher should also discuss with the students how notions regarding what is considered female and male, defines and affects individuals’ opportunities.  This study will investigate how friends during the years 1880-1920 in Västergötland, communicated norms and values regarding gender, sexuality, marriage, and relationships. The results are based on four collections of letters, written by young adults to their friends. The sources are analysed through discourse analysis and discussed with Connell’s gender theory and earlier research within the field.  The results show that the young letter writers give expression to norms regarding marriage, and most of them claim that marriage is a natural way of life. The result also show that marriage is not always the purpose of relationships among the young adults, and that life can be enjoyed without a partner. The letters show how norms regarding what is considered male, and female are defined and redefined through interaction among the friends and that power relations regarding gender are quite equal among the youth during this time.