October 2

I. Group Sign-Up... READ THE QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT!
At the end of class today, we are going into groups in a workshop style to really dig deeper into the "Pass the Hat" questions that you came up with at the last class.  Four will be the maximum number of people who can be in a group... at least two people must connect to count as a group.

II. Please tape your poster to the wall in ONE SINGLE ROW.  Please take the poster down at the end of class and submit it (this counts as today's assignment)

III. Gallery Walk
  1. Walk the room.
  2. Find at least 3 pieces that strike your curiosity and/or seems to relate to your ideas.
  3. Be prepared to write about the pieces that you have chosen.
  4. Be prepared to talk about at the pieces in class and what it was like to do something like this.

IV. Reflective Writing & Discussion

V. Group Workshops: Your task today is to talk and come up with an action plan.  The facilitator (the first name on the list) will present to the class today.
  1. Spend a moment to jot down your ideas. Then you will move into groups.
  2. Address the questions.  Facilitators get everyone talking. 
  3. Come up with an action plan.   Think B.I.G.--- even it seems insane.  The laws and policies we take for granted today were unthinkable 50 years ago.  Someone had to push through and come up with things that people had never seen or done.  BE THOSE PEOPLE!
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  • The action plan could be a new law or policy.
  • The action plan could be a required college course at JJay that everyone must take (or a class for high schoolers).
  • The action plan could be a conference or a symposium held at John Jay. 
  • Make sure your issue doesn't assume heteronormativity!
Your Questions from the Last Class's
​"Pass the Hat Activity"
  1. Why do so many women of color learn only about white women/white feminism (or learn first about white feminists)?  Why are women of color more silenced?  Why do women of color face racism when their cultures and countries of origins are popular tourist sites and/or always appropriated?
  2. Who has it easier: a femme lesbian or a masculine-representing lesbian?  Why?  Who has it easier: a white femme lesbian or a POC femme lesbian?  Why?   Who has it easier: a white masculine-representing lesbian or a POC masculine-representing lesbian?  Why?
  3. Is the discussion of feminism in the Middle East (and the Global South in general) more complicated given histories of Western colonization and imperialism?  Why or why not?  What does it mean to be an Arab feminist?  Is gender studies/feminism doing enough to center and include the experiences of Arab feminists?
  4. How is feminism relevant to Latinas in the U.S.?  Is it different from feminism in Latin America? Is gender studies/feminism doing enough to center and include the experiences of Latina feminists?
  5. Given how many Puerto Rican and Mexican women the U.S. sterilized in the 1900s, what is the historical consequence of this for women of color today?  What's the message that we still receive?
  6. Can women embrace their sexuality?  How does society view female sexuality and why?  Why is it socially acceptable for men to be hypersexual but not women?
  7. Why are women evaluated according solely to a physical standard of beauty?  What is the "ideal" woman?  Why?
  8. What makes straight hair, long hair, fair skin, light eyes, etc more appealing in this society than kinky/curly hair, dark eyes and dark skin (this is called colorism)?  Where do you see this playing itself out in society?  Why does colorism exist?  Who does it effect more negatively--- men or women?  Is gender studies/feminism doing enough to center and include the issues of colorism?
  9. Many black feminists argue that black women are often stereotyped as loud, angry, aggressive and/or as whores, breeders, and mistresses?  Why do these stereotypes exist?  Is gender studies/feminism doing enough to center and include the experiences of black women and black feminists?
  10. Given the stereotype of the hypersexualized black female body, can black women use their sexuality as a form of empowerment?  Are artists like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B controlling their own image or conforming to patriarchal capitalism and colonization?  Or somewhere in between?
  11. Where does the myth of the "strong black woman" come from?  In what ways might this be positive and helpful?  In what ways might this be harmful and racist? How does the stereotype of the "strong black woman" hurt black women?  Does it make them undesirable in a white/male supremacist society?  How and why is it unhealthy for black women to always show a strong image and never allow themselves to be vulnerable?   Who and what represents black women most positively?
  12. Do women have the power to publicly respond to men who "catcall"? Is this safe for them (i.e., possible violence)?  What are men's roles in stopping sexual harassment?  Is it women's responsibility for catcalling?  Why do men think that women who they do not know owe them their time and attention?
  13. What if men were the ones who were constantly cat-called and sexually harassed?  What if the tables were turned? Would it still be tolerated?  Why or why not?
  14. What is the role of feminism in fighting racism?  In fighting so-called "color-blindness" To what degree could or should men play a role in the feminist movement?
  15. What is it about Gloria Anzaldua and Audre Lorde that have made them so influential?  Why are so many drawn to their writings?   Do you agree with their belief that writing should be personal and that you should have political convictions in your writing?
  16. Why do women face more medical neglect and denigration in prison?  How can we deter mass incarceration and over-policing in marginalized communities altogether?
  17. Given the number of innocent, unarmed black women who have been killed at the hands of police, why is this ignored?  Why do we/they keep making excuses for police violence?
  18. If white, heterosexual men make the laws of our society, how do we protect people who are not white, male,  and/or heterosexual? 
  19. Given all that we have learned of racism, sexism, and inequality, why were you surprised that Trump won the election... and is getting away with the things he is doing?
  20. Why did so many white women vote for Donald Trump (more than half did so) when the majority of black and Latinx women did not? Why do women support misogny (i.e., black women who support R. Kelly)?
  21. Is it a contradiction to group all white feminists together?  Why or why not?  What types of oppression do white women face? What types of oppression do women or color face?  Can all feminists ever unite?
  22. Black girls and boys are suspended form schools at much higher rates than white kids, even for lesser infractions.  What is the point of this? How do schools and colleges benefit from shutting out black students? How does this impact the black community's relationship with schools and institutions?  How does this impact black youth's own emotions? How can schools do more to build better relationships rather than just over-discipline?  How do we protect black girls and boys in schools?
  23. How does homophobia in the black community perpetuate internalized AND externalized oppression for the black community?
  24. Is there a such thing as gender profiling (according to gender norms)?  Is this a form of gender discrimination?

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