Gender and Sexism - Female Experiential

Teacher Guide
Contents / Procedures
Time allocation
Goal/ Purpose:
To explore how we feel about ourselves as men and women; to explore our feelings about our own gender as well as the other gender; to develop greater understanding of our roles and relationships through a dialogue that engages personal/interpersonal experiences; explore the influence gender roles have on leadership and specifically on us as African American and Latina/o leaders.

ASLA ESLRS TO BE MET
Animo graduates will be Academic Achievers who:

1. Think and write critically and analytically across the curriculum
2. Identify and use resources effectively to research and evaluate concepts across the curriculum
3. Demonstrate learned skills through the use of application, analysis, and synthesis
4. Gain eligibility for college by completing required coursework and are equipped with the knowledge of educational pathways; career choices; and institutions of higher learning
Animo graduates will be Cultural Learners who:

1. Are culturally aware and work towards understanding diverse perspectives, values, and histories
2. Are able to communicate with sensitivity within and across diverse communities and groups
3. Are leaders within their community who contribute to the improvement of life in their school and community
4. Are models of ethical behavior through their involvement in school functions, clubs, and committees
Animo graduates will be Effective Communicators who:

1. Utilize technology as a tool for learning and communicating
2. Demonstrate skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing for different purposes in an academic and social setting
3. Collaborate, work effectively, and manage interpersonal relationships with both peers and adults in diverse settings and groups
Animo graduates will be Life-Long Learners who:

1. Are adaptive to a wide array of professional and cultural settings
2. Are goal oriented and value continual goal setting and reflection
3. Are open to discovery and develop enthusiasm and interest for learning

Defining “Sex” and “Gender”:
Often the words "sex” and "gender" are used interchangeably. In this program, however, it is important to help clarify the differences between sex and gender. This distinction is a useful one, in order to keep us focused on the fact that many female-male differences have little or nothing to do with biological differences between the sexes. In other words, when we talk about gender, we are not focused on the physical anatomy.

Definitions:
Sex- Refers to a person’s biological make-up, that which is female or male. This includes chromosomes (XX, XY) and is directly connected to the genitals and the physical body. It is anatomy-based. (Include symbols for both male and female)
Gender - Refers to the non-physiological aspects of sex. This includes cultural and social expectations for femininity and masculinity. In other words it is what is learned.
Gender Identity: An individual’s private experience of self as a female or male.
Gender Role: A set of behaviors socially defined as appropriate for one’s sex.
Example(s):
Feminine – Wearing Make Up, Wearing Dresses
Masculine – Not Shaving Legs, Lifting Heavy Objects
Intersex: A person born with varying degrees of both male and female genitalia and characteristics
Transgender: A person whose self-identification challenges traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Categories lumped together under this term include cross-dressing, drag, transgenderism, transsexualism, androgyny, and many shadings between these larger groupings.
Transsexual: A person who wants to change his or her physiological gender, and to live permanently in the new gender role. Transsexuals can be further divided into pre-operative (pre-op) and post-operative (post-op).
Sexism: A system of advantage based on sex that benefits men.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, THESE DEFINITIONS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED IN A POWER POINT THAT PROVIDES A SUPPORTING LIST TO HAVE A DIAOLGUE AMONGST GENDER GROUPS AND COMMUNITY DEBRIEF SESSIONS. THESE SHOULD BE PRINTED SLIDE SIZE SO THAT YOU MAY POST THEM IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN HANDOUT FORMAT SO THAT STUDENTS MAY HAVE A COPY. YOU CAN FIND THESE OPTIONS WITHIN THE PRINT OPTION WINDOW AT THE TIME YOU ARE READY TO PRINT.

MOVING TOWARDS GENDER GROUPS
Women’s Group
1. Have women create a circle with chairs. Have the women share their names and how it feels to be grouped this way. Go around in a circle
2. Instruct them to read all phrases.
3. Ask the women to underline the statement if is true for them. Instruct them that this piece is a silent exercise. Ask the women to focus on their own experience and their feelings. OR
4. IF YOU AS THE FACILITATOR/TEACHER have developed an environment for your students to feel comfort with each other then, proceed to read the statements yourself and have students stand up for all statements that apply to them.


State,emts for womyn
§ I have had conversations with others about my gender identity.
§ I strongly identify with people of my same gender.
§ I often feel my behavior is different from others of my same gender.
§ People assume I can take care of a baby.
§ I have been told to behave more like a man.
§ I project a masculine appearance in this society.
§ I feel uncomfortable if I see a boy playing with dolls.
§ I have been told to behave more like a lady.
§ I have been told not to cry in front of others.
§ I project a feminine appearance in this society.
§ People assume I know how to cook.
§ I would choose pink clothes for a male baby.
§ When I was growing up, I felt I had more restrictions than the other gender.
§ I have stopped myself from showing affection toward someone of the same gender because of how it might look.
§ People assume I cannot fix my car.
§ When I was growing up, I felt that I needed to change something about the way I looked to fit my gender.
§ My gender identity is important to me.

Debrief questions for womyn
·1. Was there something new you realized as a result of the statements?
·2. Was there a particular statement that stood out for you?
·3. Have you ever felt that your behavior is different from others of your
gender? If so, how has this affected you?
·4. How does it feel to be a woman?
·5. What do you enjoy as a woman?
What do you struggle with as a woman?
·7. What are the messages you receive from other women?
·8. What are the messages you receive from men?
How are the messages you receive from men and society that are obstacles to what you want to be?

FIND THE QUESTIONS ATTACHED IN SOFT DOCUMENT FORM AND HARD COPY FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE..


Walk-Thru @ walk way (This will have to be set up from point A to point B

·Instruct women to form two PARALLEL LINES for men to “walk-thru”. Share with women that this is their opportunity to share with the men WHAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE (Example: I don’t want to hear the word bitch anymore, I don’t want to hear I need a man to be complete). Acknowledge the difficulty of the exercise and reinforce that it is designed to promote insight and understanding or if you as the facilitator-teacher feel that your students whether female or male cannot handle this sort of experiential, have the females on a poster six sheet of paper write down what she no longer wants to hear from men. These posters can then be used for a gallery walk that will then be used to sensitize ASLA male students.

MATERIALS NEEDED
· POSTER PAPER AND COLOR PENS-MARKERS OR IF YOU AS THE TEACHER –FACILITATOR FEEL COMFORTABLE CREATING A SPACE WITH THE WOMYN TO HAVE MEN LISTEN TO THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WITHOUT GETTING ANY MALE REACTIONS-FEEDBACK, THIS WOULD BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEAD BOTH GENDER GROUPS INTO THE NEXT PIECE.

Instructions for Walk-thru / Whisper room
·Please allow last 10 minutes for preparation Walk Thru and Whisper Room. Show what the walk through and whisper room will look like, show an example. Describe the difference between the Walk Thru and the Whisper Room.

The whisper room
Men will be placed, standing close to one another, facing the wall; they will be instructed to keep their eyes closed. Women WILL SHARE MESSAGES THEY HAVE HEARD FROM MEN (Example: You are a stupid bitch, It feels better without a condom).