My patronus is a class of budding feminists

Driving through pea soup on the way to work this morning, you could have convinced me that dementors had taken over Sacramento. For hours, the world seemed blanketed in thick, dark, misty fog.

This weird weather somewhat mirrored my mood as for a second day this week, I left one of my classes feeling drained from listening and responding to patriarchal B.S. (If you read yesterday’s post “Talking Feminism and Controlling My Face. Kinda.” you won’t be surprised to learn I could not keep the scowl under wraps when students mentioned “emotional females” and how women should “just learn to be more masculine.” AhhHhhHhhhHhhhhh!)

Fog to sunshine in Sacramento
The view from my office at Sacramento State at 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. What a difference a couple hours makes!

But then I got to my second class–A beacon of light in the misty mess that has been this week’s discussion of gender in the workplace. Consistently, this group of students offers insightful, informed comments that demonstrate critical thinking, empathy, compassion, and a concern for justice, with lots of humor woven in.

For instance, today’s group leaders directed the class in a game of “Gendered Jeopardy” they created that illuminated how popular discourses shape our thinking and bodies of knowledge in gendered ways. Throughout the game, where Tyler and Boots cheated by consistently raising their hands before the questions were read, and Lynn fell to pieces after getting the Kardashian question wrong, the class burst into fits of glorious laughter.

I was in awe that the class was playing with feminist ideas… and having fun while doing it. As the discussion leaders coupled the activity with a bunch of excellent research about gender at work, I left feeling inspired and enlightened. Here’s hoping for more next week!

xoxo,
shawna
nablopomo 2016National Blog Post Month 2016
November 1: Talking feminism and controlling my face. Kinda. 

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