[Header image by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya.]
Week 2 - due by 5pm on Friday 9/10, uploaded to section Canvas
Gender Journal
This week's writing assignment asks you to complete a gender journal. Pick a 24 hour period, during which time you will track every single moment you are gendered. This gendering can occur in social interactions, online, or when you are alone. You can do it to yourself or other people can do it to you. Please do not seek out spaces that you think are particularly gendered. Just go about your normal day and see what happens, what you notice when you are attuned to notice gendering.
As you move through the 24 hours, keep a literal list of the moments, spaces, and interactions in which you were gendered. Please do not try to just remember the items – actually write them down or type them up. On your list, include time, location, what happened, who was there, and how you were gendered. You can keep this list on paper or your phone, but include enough detail that a reader will be able to understand what's going on. Please note that "gendering" does not necessarily have to be positive or negative. Someone could enjoy a moment of gendering, or not, or be neutral to it. We are not looking only for seemingly negative, or unpleasant, moments.
To turn in the assignment, please type up your notes and add any comments or reactions to have to them. Does anything jump out at you? Does anything surprise you? Did you notice any patterns? Did you have any emotional reactions as you were conducting the assignment? Was it hard to notice these moments?
I cannot tell you how long your list will be but, suffice to say, some might be quite long. I would imagine at least 350 words total but that is not a firm requirement.
Here are some examples that you might encounter:
Someone using a gendered term to greet you or question you, like: miss, sir, dude, ma'am, ladies, guys
You making a choice about what to wear or how to present yourself that reflects your gender awareness: hair style, makeup, outfit, clothes, shoes, a moment when you're making an effort to look "cute" or "hot" or "good" because those definitions might reflect gendered norms.
Someone directly commenting on gender norms: "He's only doing that because that's what guys do…"
You feeling especially aware of gender in a moment: Being the only one, or one of a few, in a space or group that makes you notice it.
Being aware of how you sit or take up space in a room.
Week 2 - due by 5pm on Friday 9/10, uploaded to section Canvas
Gender Journal
This week's writing assignment asks you to complete a gender journal. Pick a 24 hour period, during which time you will track every single moment you are gendered. This gendering can occur in social interactions, online, or when you are alone. You can do it to yourself or other people can do it to you. Please do not seek out spaces that you think are particularly gendered. Just go about your normal day and see what happens, what you notice when you are attuned to notice gendering.
As you move through the 24 hours, keep a literal list of the moments, spaces, and interactions in which you were gendered. Please do not try to just remember the items – actually write them down or type them up. On your list, include time, location, what happened, who was there, and how you were gendered. You can keep this list on paper or your phone, but include enough detail that a reader will be able to understand what's going on. Please note that "gendering" does not necessarily have to be positive or negative. Someone could enjoy a moment of gendering, or not, or be neutral to it. We are not looking only for seemingly negative, or unpleasant, moments.
To turn in the assignment, please type up your notes and add any comments or reactions to have to them. Does anything jump out at you? Does anything surprise you? Did you notice any patterns? Did you have any emotional reactions as you were conducting the assignment? Was it hard to notice these moments?
I cannot tell you how long your list will be but, suffice to say, some might be quite long. I would imagine at least 350 words total but that is not a firm requirement.
Here are some examples that you might encounter:
Someone using a gendered term to greet you or question you, like: miss, sir, dude, ma'am, ladies, guys
You making a choice about what to wear or how to present yourself that reflects your gender awareness: hair style, makeup, outfit, clothes, shoes, a moment when you're making an effort to look "cute" or "hot" or "good" because those definitions might reflect gendered norms.
Someone directly commenting on gender norms: "He's only doing that because that's what guys do…"
You feeling especially aware of gender in a moment: Being the only one, or one of a few, in a space or group that makes you notice it.
Being aware of how you sit or take up space in a room.