SECTION I: UNDERSTANDING IDENTITY: INTERSECTIONS OF GENDER, RACE & SEXUALITY

Writing Assignment #1

Begin assignment: Wednesday September 9th
Hand-in assignment (hardcopy): Friday September 18th, 11:30am
Publish assignment to the web: Friday September 18th, 5pm

Objective: Reflect on how either the construction of gender or the construction of race is affected by class, sexuality and other "identifying traits."

Choice 1
Write a short (1-2 page / 300-500 word) reflection on how your "gender" is constructed. How do your physical appearance, speech, dress, experiences, relationships with peers and family and interactions with public actors (such as school officials, government bodies and the medical establishment) affect or impact what "gender" you are or are perceived to be?

How do specific societal expectations (especially of masculinity/femininity and sexuality) of others impact the social construction of your "gender"? In what ways do race, culture and community affect the way your "gender" is constructed?

What are common scripts (Wideman) associated with people of your "race" AND "gender"? How do the scripts change for people who have the same "gender" as you but different "race" or "ethnicity"? And how are these scripts perturbed again by including sexual orientation and/or class?

Choice 2
Write a short (1-2 page / 300-500 word) reflection on how your "race" is constructed. How do your physical appearance, speech, dress, experiences, relationships with peers and family and interactions with public actors (such as school officials, government bodies and authority figures) affect or impact what "race" you are or are perceived to be?

How do specific societal expectations (especially of class and ethnicity) of others impact the social construction of your "race"? In what ways do gender, culture and community affect the way "race" is constructed?

What are common scripts (Wideman) associated with people of your "race" AND "gender"? How do the scripts change for people who have the same "race" or "ethnicity" as you but have a different "gender"? And how are these scripts perturbed by including sexual orientation and/or class?

REMINDERS
1) NO LATE PAPERS OR ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL.
2) PAPERS SHOULD BE DOUBLE SPACED, IN 12 POINT FONT WITH 1-INCH MARGINS.