Activity - Gender Lifeline

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 146103

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

Gender lifeline

Procedure

Introduce the Activity

Explain to participants that they will create gender lifelines. These lifelines will document memorable events in their lives that brought about awareness of their particular gender. The lifelines will help them see what and who has contributed to how they feel about being male or female, or their gender identity.

Have Participants Work on Individual Lifelines

Explain to participants that the left side of the paper represents the day they were born, and the right side of the paper represents today. Tell them they are to write at least three key events in their lives that brought awareness to them about their gender on their lifelines. Share a couple of examples from your own experience, or share the following examples:

· A female remembers that she had to wash the dishes every night because she was told that dishes were girls' work.

III. Have Participants Work in Small Groups

After participants complete their lifelines, ask them to form groups of four. Ask each participant to share three of the events from his or her lifeline and then together discuss their answers to the following questions (10-15 minutes):

· How does cultural background influence gender lifelines?

· Where did the strongest messages about your gender come from (family, community, religion, media)?

Lead Large Group Discussion

1. Where did the strongest messages about your gender come from (family, community, religion, media)?

4. What are some of the negative messages about gender that you do not want to accept?

5. Some participants may feel that their gender lifelines contain basically negative experiences and messages. What can they do (if anything) to make their gender lifeline more positive in the future?