Exploring Gender Identity with Short Stories in the High School Classroom
Date
2022-05
Authors
Myers, Joanne
Major Professor
Sams, Brandon
Advisor
Committee Member
Niday, Donna
Shenk, Linda
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Abstract
In a 2010 TedTalk, A Call To Men, activist Tony Porter discusses the dangerous pitfalls of something he calls the “Man Box.” The societal expectations that are placed on young boys as they navigate childhood, the teenage years, and eventually manhood. The expectations pushed on the boys as they are stuffed in the “Man Box” include being powerful, dominant, strong, athletic, do not be gay, do not cry, and do not be “like a woman.” For Generation Z, the students that sit in my high school English classroom, boys are falling behind girls in literacy and mathematics, social and emotional health, and college enrollment. The boys in my classroom have spent their educational years in the fourth wave of feminism and it is evident to me that many young boys feel lost and hostile and frightened and confused about what it means to be a man. The fourth wave’s focus of accountability, true gender equality, and increased social media presence about empowering women’s voices can be isolating to boys and they may feel left behind. So how do we teach boys that there is no one blueprint for manhood?
For the creative component, I created a 3-week unit plan that teaches teenagers about gender theory, with a focus on navigating masculinity, through short stories. As students prepare to enter higher education or the workforce after high school, it is critical that they have an awareness of the inherent power dynamics that exist based on gender. Students will learn about the elements of toxic masculinity, gender performance, gender disparity, and sexual harassment throughout the unit. In addition to the short stories, students will examine real-world events for equality between the sexes, including; the gender pay gap, gay rights, “no homo” culture, and the #MeToo movement.
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creative component
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Copyright
2022