Lecture 13: “Multiculturalism II”
Multiculturalism An Introduction
In the wake of political correctness much has been lost in the definition of multiculturalism. Much that is touted as multiculturalism is indeed not:
Though all of these in of themselves may be fine and even advisable under some circumstances, it does not define you as a multicultural educator. That involves a commitment to address all your students with their various cultural needs.
Multiculturalism is a fundamental awareness that other people view the world differently. This may seem like an oversimplification; however, a great deal of miscommunication stems from a lack of this awareness. Human beings are products of their race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic standing and experiences within those frames.
Since we educate the whole child, not just his/ her cognitive ability, it is incumbent upon the educator to understand all aspects of the child. As the classroom becomes more and more diverse, student educators have to be prepared to be amateur sociologists in addition to academic experts.
A student's perspective and experience influences how he/ she codes, stores and in turn retrieves information. Teachers can be adept at their academic area; however, without discovering a way to impart that expertise to students, they will never be great educators. The first thing an educator has to do is to come to terms with his \ her own prejudices and stereotypes. We all carry with us our own frames based on our experiences. Sometimes these are accurate and essential for our safety.
For instance: As small children we are taught not to touch the stove - it will burn us. We are only given this simple message, because that is all we need to know and as much as we can handle. When warning my toddler, I do not tell him not to touch the stove accept under the following circumstances and then enumerate every possible acceptable circumstances that he may come across to touch a stove in his lifetime. However, as that toddler grows with increasing abilities, those circumstances expand and he will learn to use the appliance safely and appropriately.
This is also true of the lessons we give children about strangers. As we grow our definition of stranger changes. If they did not, we would be forced into a life of hermits.
Our stereotypes and prejudices work in a similar fashion. We may have very simplistic concepts of people or groups of people, but as we mature, we broaden our definitions. Not all stoves burn. Only a small portion of the stove, when turned on, will burn. Similarly, not all Muslims are fundamentalists. Not all fundamentalist Muslims wish for revolution. Not all fundamentalist revolutionary Muslims are militant. Not all fundamentalist revolutionary militant Muslims are kidnappers. However, I was a preteen when Iranian students took the American Embassy personnel in Tehran hostage. My father is a career military man and I knew the dangerous ramifications of these extremists' actions on American citizens abroad. I watched the nightly news with a vested interest every night and it would be irresponsible for me to say that did not
color my perspective. This is not to say twenty some years later I am afraid of Islamic people, but I had to consciously recognize from where that young impression came. I had to recognize the inconsistency between my juvenile impression and reality.
This is not to suggest that one spend months in therapy or on a mountaintop purging oneself of all racist ideas. It takes a lifetime of openness to new ideas and people. As you encounter people or populations with whom you are not familiar, it pays to have an open mind. If negative feelings surface, be willing to address their real cause before acting on them.
With that said, the remainder of this chapter provides examples of how cultural and religious perspectives can influence the learning environment for non-majority students. This is not to be viewed as a handbook for teaching all non- "white-Christian-heterosexual male" students. This is not an exhaustive discussion on everything you will ever need to teach every child. You will undoubtedly notice that many subcultures have been omitted. This is not an intentional slight on my part. The truth is no document could truly represent the total experience of any race or culture of a people. Moreover, no retelling of my experiences could replace the value of your own experience. This is merely an attempt to replicate a travelogue for the journey you are beginning.
It is incumbent upon every educator to research his/ her own community. Once you sign a contract, you are a public servant as surely as the mayor or the police chief. If you are going to address the needs of your students you have to understand the milieu from which they come. Talk to the people in the community you serve, even if you grew up in the town. You may be surprised how differently things appear from the vantage point of the big desk.
Talk to the students. More importantly, listen. Stand in the commons during class changes. If you have a strong stomach and hardy character, stand in the cafeteria. Most children, like their elders, love to talk about themselves. Encourage that informal conversation during non-instructional time. They will teach you a myriad of thing about their values, family structure and social norms. Your students will collectively teach you more in your lifetime than you can ever imagine. Relish it.
Talk to the people in the community. Attend "Culture Day" events, especially if it is a celebration of a culture other than your own. Attend the public festivals and educate yourself on the children you teach. Not only will you discover a whole new world, but also you will gain the respect of your students. Respect is another word bantered around; however, when the children know you care about them as whole, valuable people, your classroom becomes a haven to learn and grow.
Interracial / Interfaith families
A legitimate biological and sociological argument can be made that we are all "mixed." We are the derivation of a variety of unions between peoples of different towns, countries, religions and often races. However, for the purposes of this article, I am referring to families where this difference is apparent within the last two or three generations, what some might call the visible minorities.
Though the various permutations can take on a myriad of combinations, there are several similarities in the issues of multiracial families that transcend the specific racial components. My area of expertise is with biological children of multiracial marriages; however, my friends who have chosen transracial adoption tell me there are several commonalties.
To this day I recall my sophomore history teacher "teaching" me about interracial marriages. "Mr. R" was discussing a news article that featured a picture of a young Black Naval pilot, his white wife and their toddler. The article was about the pilot's accomplishments, but "Mr. R" chose to comment on the marriage. He said, "They're adults. What they do is their business. But they have no right to do that to a child." He went on a diatribe to explain that what they had done was bring her into the world where she did not fit in and would not belong to any race.
I take from this two lessons. One - be careful what you preach; they may be listening. I do not recall that we had identified biracial students in that class. However, racial distinctions are difficult. The "Hispanic" kid in the front row, may be Black and Caucasian. The blond in the back may have a Japanese grandmother. If you speak disparagingly about any group, you may discover that you had a student who unbeknownst to you was suffering in silence. Or you may just have a sensitive white student write a disparaging article about you fifteen years later.
The second lesson is this. The old stereotypes and myths do not hold up. Klansmen's daughters marrying Black Panther's sons may make interesting talk shows, but they're hardly the reality. Most biracial families are remarkably like every other family. Though few statistics have been gathered on multiracial families, the divorce rate appears to be no higher than that of monoracial families. The truth is multiracial children in healthy families grow to be healthy teens and adults. Adult multiracial people report an advantage of being able to "choose" the best of both cultures. Like Americans living abroad, they may see both cultures better than others.
Most often, because race is such an open part of the family dynamic, the child develops a sense of self at a younger age than his/ her counterparts. Rarely in intact families does a child "choose" one side over another. When they do, it seems to be a temporary exploration that could be similar to how white teens may temporarily grow closer to one parent during puberty. The shift usually balances out.
It is the greater community, represented by people like "Mr. R" who, in their ignorance, suggest that one can only be one "category." The children and young adults simply are not one category. It is no different than me being a wife and a mother. No one ever suggests that I must choose between being a woman and being a teacher. I just am. Kirkegaard quipped, "If you label me, you negate me." The less we worry about the labels the better off we will be. I would avoid it when possible with all your students.
On a practical note: many state and federal forms require a racial denotation. Legitimate arguments can be made for the value of such "labeling;" however, with biracial children they can often be inaccurate. The concern as an educator is to fulfill the requirements of your employer, while protecting your relationship with your student. I recommend the following: a) Never impose a race on a child. Ask them what his / her preference is. Though it may be the first time you have dealt with the issue of race, it most certainly is not theirs. Our students do not become Black and Hispanic at thirteen. They know who they are better than you do. Ask them to identify themselves as they see themselves. b) If you feel they are too young, ask their parents what they prefer on the forms. You are only teaching this child for a year. The student is theirs for life. Trust them. c) Don't ever force a child to choose if the information is tagged as optional. As a tenured teacher, I have been known to oppose mandatory classifications with school officials. However choose your battles and do what's best for your students. You must respect your students right of self-determination. Many of us are petitioning the legislators to expand their definitions. (It was only twenty years ago when there were only two categories - Black and white) In the meantime do not exacerbate a problem by becoming an unwitting accomplice. Be frank with your students and remember that they are more important than paperwork.
Finally, as a postscript, our distinguished pilot had a longer career than the history teacher. For a variety of reasons, he left teaching the following year.
Allow me to begin this section with yet another disclaimer. There is no one Black identity. I assure you, Blacks do not call an annual national meeting to determine what the official Black opinion will be. We recognize a myriad of subcultures in the white population; there are as many subcultures with in the Black community, as well. There are different concerns among rural and urban communities, regardless of race. In our class-conscious society, middle class communities have different concerns than the working poor. All of these factors, as well as, region, education, and the indomitable human trait of individuality influence the Black community. For far too long Blacks have been stereotyped and deindividualized in the public image and media. Unfortunately, the only way to ever totally correct that would be to acquaint yourself with every African-American in the country. It is a daunting, though I'm sure fascinating, venture and I wish you a lot of luck. Failing that I once again hark back to my introduction -get involved with the community, get to know your students.
Having said all that, there is one thing that we all, as Americans, have in common. The cloud of past slavery. There are many who would rather I had not just mentioned that. Some people feel angry. Some feel ashamed. Some feel too many excuses have been created by "dredging up the past." All of these are legitimate feelings. However, I do bring it up because, by trying to revise the history to make us feel better, we exacerbate institutional prejudice. We cannot forget the evils that people have perpetrated on each other, lest we repeat them. We can no more negate slavery than the Trail of Tears or Japanese Internment Camps. We need not wring our hands and bask in our collective guilt. That serves no purpose. However, it is an injustice to all our ancestors to deny that it happened. This may seem obvious to history majors, but teachers of every other discipline should keep in mind the significance of history in developing lessons.
In recognizing the past, there are some variations in social norms that the inexperienced teacher could unwittingly misinterpret. The first that comes to mind is an example of a colleague of mine who was just beginning his education career. He returned from observing the cafeteria absolutely fascinated by a behavior he noted in one of our students. The student was systemically tearing apart his lunch mate by insulting each and every item of clothing the young man had. Now in a society where 'respect' is of utmost concern, the novice teacher was worried this would turn into an altercation. Instead the students merely sat there laughing. What my friend was observing is called recently "snaps." The practice goes way back in the African-American community. The first evidence in writing of this tradition was Richard Wright's "Dozens." When our students' great-grandfather was snapping on someone, it was referred to as "Doing the Dozens." It is a verbal game similar to trying to outrun your opponent. The object is to be more imaginative and outlandish than your opponent. Some may be familiar with Black comedians who do "Your mama" jokes; this is a variation on "doing the dozens" or "snaps." Among friends, it is completely harmless. Fortunately, for my young colleague, he was open minded enough to watch carefully, but not over react. To prove my point about listening to your students, he not only learned a little about his students, but also maintained their respect by not over reacting. This is not to say you should ignore threats or insults, but the more you get to know your students, the more you'll be able to read their moods.
Many of the transracial conflicts I have seen have come more from differences in style than in substance. I've often observed that young Black students intimidate Anglo female teachers rather quickly. In reflection the teacher will characterize the student as "yelling" at her. Though this is totally unacceptable in polite company, I have been amazed at the number of the times the offending student was unaware of the message he/ she was sending. Of course, ignorance of the law is no excuse. However, used properly, the opportunity can be used to teach the child how the world perceives the behavior. Clearly this can't be done in the moment of passion; however, you can deescalate the situation by not rising to the conflict. If you can deal with the situation rather dispassionately, you can avoid making a bad thing worse. This is always a good idea regardless of what race child you are disciplining. This is not to suggest that raising your voice to a teacher is acceptable. A child, any child, has to understand what the "corporate world" is going to expect. Not instructing a child on this arena is nearly malpractice. The same is true of teaching the difference between informal conversation with friends versus the more formal structure of the business world. A child who is not equipped socially is economically handicapped as well.
Social expectations effect all our children - some very negatively. A prime example would be the epidemic proportion of girls and women damaging their psyches and bodies to conform to Madison Avenue expectations of Kate Moss "perfection." I'm glad to say that does not seem to be a phenomenon among our Black daughters. Some psychologists have suggested that since Black girls do not see themselves in the high paid fashion models, they look to their mothers as models of womanhood. We will see what the success of Naomi Campbell and her colleagues does to this theory. However, though many Black girls do not obsess over the size of their hips, this does not mean they escape all self-image problems. As with all pre-adolescent and adolescent women, you must be mindful that what seems normal to us, may seem very important to them. I have actually seen healthy athletic Black girls upset because they thought they were too skinny. It's hard when one is still working off post-pregnancy weight to be sympathetic. It's hard, but I urge you to try. As with all body image cases, how they feel is stronger then what we know.
There are many stereotypes and rumors about the Black community that are strange and unbelievable. Once such stereotype is firmly rooted in historical truth. Black men worship their mothers. Historically the Black community has been strongly matriarchal for a variety of sociological reasons far too complex to explore here. If you come from a family where Father knew best, be sure to include the mother in the conversations about your student. For a variety of reasons, today their grandparents are raising many children, of every race. If you only had an occasional relationship where Granny provided cookies but not discipline, you might be surprised at the role some of our grandmothers are playing now. If the grandparents are raising the child accord them all the same respect you would the biological parents. Remember, you never know the circumstances under which they have taken on this role. Most often it is because they are trying very hard to do the best they can for the child. Isn't that what we are all trying to do?
This is one of the largest growing populations in Hampton Roads, Virginia with my hometown of Virginia Beach boasting four per cent of its population in the 1990 Census.
The story of Filipino immigration goes back to the Seventeenth Century. There are long established communities in California and Louisiana dating back to the Nineteenth Century; however, most Filipino immigration in Hampton Roads parallels the improved immigration status after World War II and again in the sixties. The Marcos Regime was also a recent influence.
Filipino history is a fascinating blend of survival as East meets West. Their history includes over three hundred years of Spanish colonization followed by nearly a century of American involvement. With over a thousand islands and seven major languages each with several distinct dialects, it is a diverse nation with a thriving metropolis and third world rural towns. With this background, Filipino immigrants come with two things to which many white teachers are unaccustomed, conservative Catholicism and an immigrant work ethic.
With Spanish colonization, came a very strong sense of Catholicism. Most of the nation is still Catholic with a small Muslim minority found predominantly on Mindanao. If you are unfamiliar with Catholic Christianity, I urge you to learn more. If you are Catholic, you may be somewhat surprised at the manner in which Filipinos still worship. Novenas are still a common occurrence and Sunday Mass is mandatory. A twenty-something Italian American colleague of mine referred to Filipino Catholicism as the Church of her mother's, because it reminded her more of stories her mother told of growing up in the church than her own experience.
Because of the influence of the church, most Filipino Americans have a strict moral code. Typically Filipinas (young women) are not allowed to date until after college. Young men are encouraged to date, but are expected to delay marriage until after college. Family (often encompassing a large extended family) is very important to the community. However, so is providing a good income for that family.
As with most of America's immigrants, Filipinos come to America because they want to make a better life for themselves and their families. It is not at all uncommon for both parents to work more than one job, even if their primary job is a professional one with respectable pay. Many Filipino American's are not only supporting their children, but also attempting to keep family members in the Philippines out of poverty in a third world country. It is not surprising than that many Filipino parents, they raised without running water and political stability, push their children very hard to succeed. Some may say this is a good thing for an educator. For the most part it is. However, we must be mindful at the reception a call home may get. I do not recommend calling for minor infractions, especially if there is a language barrier between yourself and the parent. Most Filipino families take it very seriously if the teacher has to call home with bad news.
The other trait Filipino children bring to the classroom that Anglo teachers often misinterpret is that they are quiet. They are sometimes quiet to their own deficit. Do not assume that a Filipino child is being quiet because they understand. They are raised not to call attention to themselves, especially for a shortcoming. Further, if you ask a general question to the class, they are hesitant to speak out for the same reason. Get in the habit of surreptitiously asking students individually if they need help, particularly if you know they often have trouble or they are still learning the language. Finally, be careful of asking a new immigrant student to speak in front of the class before you have privately ascertained his / her English proficiency. Many children walk into American classrooms without any formal English instruction at all.
There are children who had their language stolen in American classrooms. Native American children often go completely unnoticed in American classrooms, though in many ways it is the educational system of the past that stripped them of their identity as Native Americans.
In Virginia there are several tribes that fell under the leadership of Powhatan, with two, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey, still based on reservations. Yet what most Virginian students are taught is the folklore around Pocahontas. (Among other errors- she did not marry Captain John Smith) Most of the images of Native Americans come from Hollywood. The reality is much less glamorous.
The reality is that as recently as the fifties Mattaponi (Virginian) children were being sent to Oklahoma if they wanted to attend high school. They were not allowed to attend town schools. They were systematically removed from their cultural past. Students were taken so far away, they could only return for summer. They spoke only English. They were required to attend a Christian church. They were removed from their family, their homes, their language, and their ceremonies.
I do not point this out to evoke any white guilt. I do remind you to get the real history, not revisionist Disney history, when discussing Early American history. What may seem as an innocuous Thanksgiving lesson, may be perpetrating further lies. The truth is that Powhatan's tribes celebrated Thanksgiving after every harvest. When the Jamestown settlers came, the natives shared their celebration.
Further, remember two things about Native children. The first is that because of three centuries of intermarrying, many Native American children do not fit our Hollywood image of the Noble Savage. Many Native Sioux are blond and many Seminole are also African-American. The second thing to remember is that the Native American Pride movement has some very young aspects to it. Because of the stigma of anti-Native
racism, many Natives chose to "pass" in order to be able to get work and support their families. Many children who were raised off the reservation, were not even told of their Native heritage. Forty years ago, it was not something you mentioned in polite company. Two generations later you have people of all ages trying to reconnect to their heritage. You may have students at any one of a variety of exploratory stages.
Wherever your students' exploration leads them, it is important that you support it.
If you are fortunate enough to teach near or on one of the many existing Federal Reservations, I urge you to learn more about the individual tribe, as each is different from the others. A friend of mine tells the story of her mother-in-law explaining she was the product of a mixed marriage. Her father was Pamunkey and her mother Mattaponi.
Though the Powwow is a religious ceremony, many tribes hold Powwows that are open to the public. Most often leaders will explain what you are seeing. A few notes on etiquette: You should always walk around the circle, not cross it. Further, because it is a religious service, you should not enter if you are using drugs or alcohol. It would be analogous to showing up at church drunk.
It used to be a well-known saying that you should never discuss religion or politics in polite company. There is a good reason for that. One of the most intimate aspects of human nature is one's religious orientation. For many of us, our beliefs are the compass by which we navigate our lives, our connection to our past, parents and ancestors, as well as to our future, in this life or the next. Because of the great psychological importance of religion or spirituality, educators play an extremely significant role in protecting our students' rights to belief.
It may seem hypocritical to discuss religion in public schools, because of the separation of church and state. However, how do we effectively teach children without regard to their belief system when we have already said that we cannot divorce the child from his / her context. Simply, we cannot. However, I do not have to be white to teach white students. I do not have to be male to teach male students. Similarly, I can be Christian and teach Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist children.
I am a staunch supporter of separation of church and state. It is absolutely fundamental to public education that we do not have one mandated religion. It is that very separation that demands a pluralistic view of religion in the classroom. To that end, educators need to be sensitive to the fact that there is more than one moral code in the world. I am not advocating teaching religion. It is the responsibility of the home to provide that for their children. However, as a public institution, supported by tax dollars, it is our responsibility to prevent discrimination or harm to come to any child who is of a minority religion. Some of the discrimination and harm can be limited by educating yourself.
The first thing you can do to be supportive of your students is to understand their history and basic tenets of their religion. Careful research in the library or Internet can provide good basic summaries. Though it is not part of their religion, the Holocaust is an important part of Jewish and World history and there are wonderful sites to help you teach about the Holocaust or religious tolerance. If you choose to use the Internet, be very wary of the sources. Be sure to turn to large well-known organizations, like the United Jewish Federation, Teaching Tolerance or American Civil Liberties Union. There are fraudulent sites that claim to be Zionist only to discredit the Jewish people.
If you have a cadre of students from a local Temple or Mosque, contact their rabbi or leader. Most religious leaders are happy to assist you in making their children more comfortable. Do not be concerned about being approached to join. If you are clear about your intents, as a merely academic exercise, most leaders will respect that.
Understand that there are differences in calendars. There are differences in years, months and even what day begins the week. Middle Eastern calendars begin the day at sundown with night preceding day. Therefore what Christians consider Friday night, Jews, Arabs and Baja’s call Saturday night. Though many of us overlook it, the use of the terms BC and AD are Christian terms, referring to "Before Christ" and "In the Year of Our Lord." A less loaded terminology, often used by historians, is BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era). The time frames are analogous to the BC/AD years.
The holidays are also vastly different. There are some historical connections between Passover and Easter, because Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth was celebrating Passover Seder at the Last Supper. However, there is no connection between Christmas and Chanukah. They have been connected because they usually fall in the same month. Chanukah is a secular holiday celebrating the Macabees' victory over persecution. It is celebrated differently throughout the world, but most American Synagogues uphold the religious tolerance it signifies. The High Holy days change from year to year and are in the fall, with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, being the most widely known.
It is not suggested or advisable to teach any of this, but merely be aware, when it comes up. Minority children are made to feel more at home when they do not have to explain themselves wherever they go. Also, understand when making assignments that we should no more expect a Baptist child to come to school on Easter Sunday to make a presentation than we should expect a Jewish child to come to attend school on Yom Kippur. The Jewish child should not be punished, because the school calendar is inherently rigged for Christian children.
With the exception of some Catholics who still abstain for Lent and meatless Fridays, fasting for religious purposes is not something that is a common for Christians. It is often difficult for Christians to understand the profound spiritual aspects of fasting. Most other world religions have some form of fasting and dietary restrictions.
For instance, Jews and Muslims often abstain from pork and pork products. Though many Jews choose not to keep Kosher (which is much more complex than not eating pork), many Jews practice without exception. Just like there are Christians who would never consider taking Communion with grape juice, others would be horrified to use real wine. As with every other community we have studied, there is vast diversity within the religious community.
Where most Jews only fast for short periods, like during Yom Kippur, Baha'is fast for 19 days and Muslims fast for forty days (both during daylight hours.) Most small children do not participate, but it is possible that you would have teenage students who choose to fast. This is a profound spiritual commitment and should not be made light of. There are medical reasons to break fast, but it is not something done easily. It may seem that diet should not be an important to the classroom. However, if you choose to have food in the classroom, you should surreptitiously ask the student about possible dietary restrictions. It is always a good idea to be aware for health reasons, as well. Particularly in lower grades, you should make a point of knowing about dietary restrictions, whether for religious or health reasons.
Finally, tolerance, either religious or racial, is not limited to certain groups. It is common myth that our nation was founded on the right to practice religious freedom and further that all men were created equally. History has proven that the theory was imperfectly practiced. The Puritans demanded religious freedom for themselves, but tolerated little variation from others. Though all men and women were "created equal," they were not legally equal for over two hundred years later. However, that is part of the strength of our system. As imperfect as it is, we continue to strive to achieve those ideals of equality and religious tolerance. The public school classroom is the appropriate and ideal place to bequeath our nation's legacy of equality and respect.
All of this may seem like a great deal of work. Here's a news flash: Good teaching is a lot of work. To do it responsibly, you must work constantly, to learn about your students, their needs, their values and their goals. If you can tap into that, you can change their world and maybe the world they grow up to create.
What are some things that contribute to gender stereotyping?
I want to start by talking about how we learn to confront gender stereotypes. There are a lot of gender stereotypes in the community, and these stereotypes can and do change. Often times stereotypes are detrimental because we don't allow people to escape from the stereotypes or we allow the stereotypes to rule our expectations in negative ways. There are stereotypes of women's behavior in textbooks; these stereotypes are usually the stereotypes of omission. There are stereotypes that are supported by textbooks, and there are stereotypes that are supported teachers.
Teachers will frequently call on boys more often than girls. I would guess that in about 80% of the classrooms in the United States, this stereotype holds true. This isn't because teachers want to call on boys more than girls; they are just playing out an automatic stereotype.
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One of the negative side effects of these destructive stereotypes is how they influence self-image. Sometimes people will believe set stereotypes about themselves and thus fulfill this stereotype through their own actions. This phenomenon is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. We have to learn how to escape from stereotypes, not only in terms of the ways they cause us to interact with other people, but also the way they cause us to think about ourselves.
Part of dealing with gender issues has to do with constructing appropriate role models. Teachers need to be sensitive to the needs of female students, to call on their female students in equal proportion to their male students and to demonstrate confidence in their students' abilities. This awareness of gender stereotypes is applicable to both male and female teachers. Sometimes people are surprised that I, as a male professor, devote a lecture to the issue of gender stereotypes. However, as long as this topic remains an issue in the educational field, it is an issue that we all need to address and respond to.
Gender stereotypes get twisted around as well. For example, I long for the first time that a male gets appointed to teach a women's studies class. I get very irritated when strident feminists think that males should not be in their women's studies class. I get very offended when African American studies courses don't welcome white students in their class, or where a white person participates in black history month and doesn't feel welcome. The idea of a black history month or a women's studies class is a very essential component in moving our society towards a higher level of awareness. And it is true that there are probably some moments where it is useful for women to get together among themselves or men to get together among themselves or African Americans to get together among themselves. However, such activities are only helpful if they are a focused on directed activity that promotes awareness and
doesn't have the subtext of separation. As I have said, there are some times that women are going to feel better able to talk about things if men aren't around. But one must be very careful in terms of balancing that with some of the other negative fall out of having exclusive private club type gatherings, though.
It is much more important to talk about gender equity than gender equality. When I say the equality of men and women, I am speaking about that in the sense of equity. I am very sensitive to the sentiment, and indeed absolutely agree with the sentiment, that anything we do in the society that separates us is wrong. Focusing our attention may
ultimately be part of the way that we get over that kind of separatism. Focusing attention toward the problems stereotypes cause is part of their solution, because the default position is to perpetuate some of the stereotypes that are there. If people just behave the way they have always behaved, things will come out very gender discriminatory because that's the way the society has been constructed. There is some ugly stuff out there.
Let me share an extreme example with you. When I was traveling by train in Beijing I shared a compartment with an elderly Chinese women who had her feet bound when she was a little girl. Her feet were just little stubs and they were encased in little silk booties. In the traditional Chinese culture this was considered a mark of beauty, and was sought by women as well as men. In order to get this mark of beauty, you had to have your feet bound from the time that you were an infant to make sure that they never grew. They became gnarled and deformed and useless as feet; you had to kind of hobble around. That was considered desirable because it was evidence that you were a part of the aristocracy that didn't have to work. If you were a man and could afford to have a wife with bound feet, that meant you were a prosperous man. If you were a woman and your feet were bound, it meant that you were very beautiful and very privileged. Foot binding is a perfect example of how tradition can perpetuate horrible practice. Modern China had to pass a law against binding feet because both men and women accepted that practice as being a desirable practice. There had to be a law that brought everyone's attention to that, and you still occasionally find people like this women I met on the train who were victimized by this practice.
We need to learn how to avoid extremes in our thinking. Part of these extremes are that you have the choice of being either strong or feminine. One can be both strong and feminine. Then you have the choice of being dependent or independent. People should feel that everyone should be dependent half of the time and independent the other half of the time. It is wonderful for women to have a sense of independence and for men to have a sense of dependence. Everybody needs to have a balance of both.
During times of transitions, which we are in now, where women are gaining a sense of equality and equity more so then they ever have before, we don't know how to act. We are still consumed by inconsistencies. For example, I know that one of my inconsistencies is figuring out when to open doors for people. In my generation both men and women have had more of a problem with that than your generation. In your generation, it is a much more natural thing for anyone who is near the door to open it without worrying about gender.
Uncertain expectations are another part of this transition. You never know whether the woman is expected to be feminine, or is expecting the man to be strong at any particular moment in time. Women don't know whether to respond to a man independently, or whether that's going to turn him off and make him feel that she is not feminine. These are real problems that we all deal with and confront, and we all need to cut each other some slack in terms of realizing that there will be these inconsistencies as we go along.
It is not an easy time. We have to worry about the fact that there are these pendulums that swing us back and forth. We swing from being a very dependent woman on the one end to being a burning feminist on the other end. Somewhere in between is the kind of balance that we really need. The kind of gentle balance where there is assertiveness without stridency; where there is independence without losing a sense of femininity -- a balance that doesn't require some kind of unisex overlay is what needs to be achieved in society. I would make the statement that the society as a whole has to become more feminine. Right now the society is dominated by masculine traits such as aggression and stridency. Society needs to become more gentle and nurturing, and take on some feminine characteristics. Not to become a feminine society, but to become a balanced society with both masculine and feminine traits.
Gender Issues and Personal
Responsibility
We have already talked about the fact that there should be male responsibility for women's issues, that males have the responsibility to model appropriate behavior towards women, that males have the responsibility for both gaining information and sharing it, and the responsibility for giving females support in women's consciousness, while still intervening when inappropriate action or behavior takes place. For example, one of the things that is very hard for men to get used to is to refuse to listen to a sexist joke. There are a many sexist jokes still out there, and when you sit and listen to a sexist joke without challenging it, you are supporting that sexism. That is a standard that is beyond most of us at this time because most of us do not want to take the activist's position of intervening. My own position is that I choose to intervene selectively. If one of my friends is in the habit of telling one sexist joke after another, then at some point I will tell them that I really don't appreciate it. But I probably won't challenge them one on one. I don't know if that is the right way to do it, but it's the way I choose to act during this time of transition.
It is obvious that gender issues are here. I compliment society as a group because we have shown a higher level of sensitivity in terms of accepting that this is everyb0dy's agenda to deal with. That in fact there is legitimacy in men getting involved with women's issues, or that there is legitimacy in terms of focusing attention.
I also compliment society for wanting to make sure that focusing attention on gender issues does not become a way of producing another kind of separatism. We somehow have to escape from the notion that paying attention to cultural and multicultural issues is negative. This is a part of a necessary process. Eventually, if we handle issues of stereotype and gender properly, we should achieve a common goal of a more balanced society. Then it will not be necessary to focus on gender equality because such equality will be a comfortable rea
Gender stereotypes often lead to inequality in the classroom. This can occur without the teacher even realizing it, but is demonstrated in the way the teacher interacts with their students. As a result, female students are sometimes left feeling inadequate or frustrated. These students can strengthen and encourage each other by participating in things like women's studies classes or support groups. They should bear in mind, however, that the purpose of these groups isn’t to be exclusive, but to facilitate a long-term effect for the common good.
One of the things that education needs to develop is gender equity in the classroom. Both male and female students need to receive the same opportunities and encouragement in all areas of education.
Gender stereotypes also create difficult either/or situations. How can one be strong and feminine at the same time? Of course this is entirely feasible, but it is not presented as being such. A wise teacher can encourage their students to develop all aspects of their mind and character.
Finally, our own uncertain expectations (should a guy relinquish his seat on the bus or not?) indicate a time of transition. Our society swings from one extreme to the other. We each need to take on establishing gender equality as a personal responsibility. Obviously we need to find a balance between the masculine and feminine, and fortunately our society is showing increased sensitivity towards gender issues.