I. 4. 1. Gender

You can workshop this exercise alone or in a group. If you are a larger group, 6 people or more, you can split into two groups. Alternatively, you can first workshop the first word and then the second, or conduct the exercise alone.

The participants state what comes to mind when one says ‘man’ and what comes to mind when one says ‘woman’. One person fills in the cells (see table below) with responses given by participants.

You can also choose one person to be a moderator. The moderator explains the rules, keeps notes, and helps the participants to compare and discuss. They are also responsible for making sure that all participants have an opportunity to speak and give turns to the participants.

The moderator asks the participants to provide examples that illustrate how the different words that came to mind fit in one or the other category.

Why would one argue that these words fit in either category?

Can one think of examples where such is not the case?

Would it be possible to switch the words around (what is listed under “man” to be listed under “woman”, and vise versa)?

How would one argue about the accuracy of the switch?

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