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Connecting Experience
Goal 5 – Gender Equality
All humans are born equal no matter their gender. It’s our duty to make sure that women and men have equal opportunities and rights in every part of life. When women are empowered, the entire society benefits.
Tasks
Social & Natural Differences
Wake up points
| Age Group: 7+ | Amount of people: 10+ |
Time: 30 minutes
Objective:
To understand the difference between social and natural differences.
Material:
Paper, Pens
Instructions:
Split the participants into small groups and give each group two pieces of paper and some pens. On one page, ask them to draw a boy and on the other a girl. They should draw the picture so it’s easy for anyone to tell which is a girl and which is a boy.
Have each group present their drawing and explain what they drew to represent the girl and the boy.
Discuss the difference between social and natural differences and then have the groups put the differences they drew into each category.
For example: A skirt is a social difference whereas genitals would be a natural difference.
Debrief:
- What makes you feel like you are a girl or boy? Are they natural or social things?
- Do you think social differences change depending on where you are in the world or is it always the same?
- Have you ever stopped yourself doing something because you thought it was a male or a female thing to do?
- How does it make you feel when people say to you that something is a male or female thing?
Norms, Roles and Biology
Wake up points
| Age Group: 11+ | Amount of people: 5+ |
Time: 30 – 40 minutes
Objective:
To understand the difference between Sex and Gender, to think about our own ideas of Gender and the type of language we use. To think about ways Gender has impacted their own life.
Material:
Paper, pens, open space
Instructions:
- Start by defining both the terms Sex and Gender, below are the definitions offered by the World Health Organisation.
Sex
The different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, etc.
Gender
Refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men. This includes the norms and roles that women and men are expected to take on and the relationships between the two groups. It varies from society to society and can be changed over time. While most people are born either male or female, they are taught appropriate norms and behaviours – including how they should interact with others of the same or opposite sex within households, communities and workplaces. When individuals or groups do not “fit” established gender norms they often face stigma, discriminatory practices or social exclusion.
So, we can understand from this that Sex is based on biology, it is the physical makeup of a human. Whereas Gender is an created identity, based on what is taught as the “normal” behaviours and roles of women and men. Gender is seen as something created by society to categorise people. Today people have begun to expand these categories and create a more diverse spectrum to better represent the wide variety of feelings people have about their identity outside of just male or female.
Activity: Part 1
Once the group are familiar with the definitions the leader can begin the game. One wall of the room should be designated as Gender and one as Sex. A leader calls out a word and the participants run to the wall that they think that word fits into.
When all participants have chosen a side, give them a chance to speak about why they think a word fits into one category rather than the other.
The below words are just examples, feel free to adapt and expand based on the group.
Words
- Male (Sex)
- Femininity (Gender)
- Strong (Gender) Vagina (Sex)
- Masculinity (Gender)
- Emotional (Gender)
- Female (Sex)
- Caring (Gender)
Activity: Part 2
Take two pages, one labelled “Man” and one labelled “Woman.” Participants should call out words they associate with each category e.g. strong, brave, caring, emotional and write them on the relevant pages. Continue until the group has run out of words.
Once participants have run out of words, ask which words on each page are positive and circle these ones.
Debrief:
- Do you remember an event in your life where your gender affected what happened?
- Do you think we need to categorise things by gender? Why/Why not?
- What are ways you think ideas of gender impacts your community?
- How can you challenge people’s ideas of gender?
Mimes
Look around points
| Age Group: 7+ | Amount of people: 10+ |
Time: 30 minutes
Objective:
To recognise gender stereotypes and the inequalities they imply.
Material:
Set of Cards with situations on them per group
Instructions:
Divide participants into small groups with a set of cards each. Participants should take turns picking up a piece of paper and miming the opposite of what’s on the paper. The other participants should guess what they are miming.
For example: “Women have to cook” => mime a man cooking.
Here are a few ideas:
- Women cook
- Men repair cars
- Women can’t read maps
- Men are strong
- Girls always cry
- Boys run faster
- Girls dance
- Boys play Football
Debrief:
- What did you do to represent a girl/boy? Why?
- Do you think these phrases are right?
- Have you heard things like this before? How did that make you feel?
Deconstruct Stereotypes
Look around points
| Age Group: 11+ | Amount of people: 10+ |
Time: 30 minutes
Objective:
To deconstruct stereotypes in the media, advertising, films, television; to develop critical thinking skills.
Material:
Photos of advertisements per group (we’ve included some suggestions below)
Instructions:
During this activity, participants will explore sexism and the representations of women in everyday media. Each group will be given a set of adverts to look at and discuss their opinions about them.
Once participants have had time to discuss in small groups, each group should share their thoughts.
Debrief:
- How do these adverts make you feel?
- Do you think there’s a problem with them?
- Can you think of examples of sexism in other types of media?
- Do you think it’s important to be aware of sexism in media? Why/why not?
Raise Awareness
ACT points
| Age Group: 7+ | Amount of people: 10+ |
Time: 1 – 2 hours
Objective:
To be able to talk about gender, to share their knowledge.
Material:
Paper, pens, magazines, paint, any other art supplies you have
Instructions:
In small groups, participants must create an awareness campaign against gender inequalities. Here are some ideas the leader can give them, but they can suggest their own:
- What to do when witnessing gender discrimination
- Girls and boys can do the same sports
- Stop stereotypes
They should create a slogan, decide who they want to see their campaign, create posters and think about how to promote their campaign.
At the end, have each group present their campaign.
They can display the posters in their meeting space or ask them to be displayed in their school or around their local area.
Fighting Inaqualities
ACT points
| Age Group: 11+ | Amount of people: 5+ |
Time: 1 – 2 hour
Objective:
To raise awareness of inequalities.
Material:
Paper, pens, any other art supplies you have
Instructions:
In their patrols, have participants chose a gender inequality or injustice they see in their daily lives, community or country.
Have them create material to raise awareness of this inequality. They can create posters, social media posts, hashtags, videos, anything they think will help to educate others in their community about this injustice.
At the end, all groups present their work and explain why they chose this inequality.
They can display these posters in their local meeting place and could help promote their social media campaigns on their unit pages if possible.
