{"id":1351,"date":"2019-02-22T12:57:51","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T18:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/sips\/?p=1351"},"modified":"2019-09-17T15:27:12","modified_gmt":"2019-09-17T21:27:12","slug":"sip-9-4-normalizing-gender-diversity-in-the-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/sips\/sip-9-4-normalizing-gender-diversity-in-the-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"SIP 9.4 Normalizing Gender Diversity in the Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice?<\/h3>\n

Gender diversity refers to making space for all people\u2019s expressions of identity. At this point in the semester, students and instructors are cultivating positive learning-working relationships. An integral process of this relationship-building is affirming our individual and collective identities. Literally: I acknowledge you. Everyone likes to be called by name. Some people choose their names. Some names are chosen for them. Some people change their names, or change names within certain contexts. In higher education, instructors choose to be addressed by title, usually \u201cDoctor\u201d or \u201cProfessor,\u201d by last name, or by first name. The majority of students have been taught to call instructors by professional titles or by social prefixes \u201cMiss,\u201d \u201cMrs.,\u201d or \u201cMister.\u201d As instructors, we may know a handful of students\u2019 names, and everyone else is still \u201cstudent.\u201d If you haven\u2019t yet, this is a good time to reintroduce students and yourself while normalizing gender diversity.<\/p>\n

Take a SIP of this: Normalizing Gender Diversity in the Classroom<\/h3>\n

In the classroom, gender diversity might sound like a buzz term or a call to arms. Having a gender discussion may seem initially to be off-topic or challenging for a variety of reasons. Students frequently reduce discussions to the binary women vs men, or they clam up entirely. During a stuffed curriculum, setting aside another day of lecture might seem inappropriate, impossible. Normalizing gender diversity means accepting gender without exoticizing. Good news: powerful change emerges from small actions that demonstrate respect for all.<\/p>\n

Because gender is based on an individual\u2019s expression, not biological physical attributes, assuming that our classroom is diverse because the student body \u201clooks\u201d diverse is mistaken. Gender is not biology. Gender is not sexual attraction. Gender is frequently a marker of gendered roles \u2013 who does what and when \u2013 even in the classroom.<\/p>\n

In American society, we are continually made aware of the gender binary women vs men, or women and men; and yet, this either-or fallacy ignores the reality that who we are in any given situation goes beyond our biological sex and our sexual attraction. In our classrooms, students and instructors are learners, who should not to be reduced to biological at-birth markers.<\/p>\n

Adapt the following actions into your teaching routines to increase gender diversity in your classrooms.<\/h3>\n