Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 42

Be purposeful when selecting discussion topics and guiding the conversAtIon.
The goal of many men’s programs is to help students begin the process of critically thinking about their own gender identity, as well as teaching them how to recognize the effects of gender in their everyday interactions with the world around them. Conversations during TLR have spanned a variety of topics, including male privilege, men’s health issues, pornography, homophobia, fighting and violence, intersections of identity, religion, comic book superheroes, dating and relationships, hook-up culture, and family dynamics, just to name a few. Today’s pop culture is full of opportunities to demonstrate the influence of the media on how our society understands gender roles. Utilizing clips from current television shows, movies, comedians, and commercials can provide accessible examples of the various ways masculinity and femininity are performed in the entertainment industry. Books such as Kate Bornstein’s My Gender Workbook and Paul Kivel’s Men’s Work can provide great ideas for interactive activities that challenge traditional views of gender, and Shira Tarrant’s Men Speak Out is just one collection of narratives from men seeking to understand and redefine their own masculinity. The Men Against Sexual Violence group at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has worked to compile an excellent resource guide of activities addressing issues relating to sexual violence prevention as a part of an annual conference they host on their campus. Additionally, there are a number of regional and national conferences that focus on collegiate men. Take advantage of these opportunities to engage colleagues about the lessons that they’ve learned concerning theory and practice in similar settings.
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regularly collect feedBAck from group members.
Perhaps the most important thing that can be done in assessing the success and development of a men’s group is to simply listen to the students. On an administrative level, collecting data about a program can be extremely beneficial in demonstrating the effectiveness of the endeavor, as well as documenting the group’s growth. This information can be very helpful when it comes to advocating for funding, for a space to host the group, or simply for increased awareness about gender issues on campus. Assessment surveys can provide helpful information on what identities may be present in a group so that it is easier to be as inclusive as possible when it comes to discussion topics. Having participants reflect on what they’ve learned each term can also help them understand where they may be in terms of their own masculinity development and can help shed light on future discussion topics. Ask participants for ideas on what they want to talk about and in what direction they feel the group may need to go.

turn words into action by providing opportunItIes for participants to engage in activism.
As a men’s group evolves, it may soon become important to allow the members to move forward in their growing understanding of gender issues and to participate in moments of activism. Fortunately, there are a number of well-established movements that can be supported by bringing them to campus. For example, V-Day is a global movement dedicated to ending violence against women and girls, driven by presenting creative events that raise awareness and funds. In conjunction with this project, V-Men has also been created as a platform for men to tell their own stories of masculinity development. Another opportunity would be
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Talking Stick - March/April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2012