Gender equality (Romania)

This activity aims are to explore some of the causes and consequences of gender inequality, to understand how to promote gender equality.

The lesson is built around a viral advertising video which focuses on the idea that women are not treated equally in the workplace, being judged differently from men for doing the same things. The video has no dialogue, just a soundtrack.

The lesson starts by looking at the words used in the video to ‘label’ men and women. For example, persuasive vs pushy. It would probably work best not to tell the students the topic of the video at this stage.  Students then watch the video and answer a couple of simple comprehension questions.They then go on to read an article about the video, which discusses the issue in more depth, and also how suitable it is to use an advert selling a beauty product to discuss a feminist issue.

Finally the students discuss their own opinion of the message of the video and consider other viral videos they have seen which promote a message.

Gender body Image.pdf

Gender Lesson.pdf

GENDER tool

First step in the activity is to explain the difference between sex and gender role that all participants are familiar with these terms. The next step is to divide the participants according to sex to the two groups (men group and women group). In the case that there is more than 8 – 10 participants per group additional groups can be created. It means that there can be two men groups, two women groups. After dividing the participants the activity is introduced. The participants are asked to create man and woman by using different men and women magazines (men group is created woman and women group is created men). It is important to stress that they need to work just with the materials that are providing, it means photos and sentences in the magazines. They cannot use their own opinions or other additional materials.

At the moment when collages are ready both groups are asked to present their work and explain why these photos/sentences/words were used in collage. Moreover following questions can be asked in discussion: “Do agree with the picture of men/women which is presented?” “Do you see yourself as men/women that are presented?” “Why do you think media are using these photos/words?” “What’s this collage saying about man and woman role’s in society”?

The point of discussion is to encourage the participants discuss the “pictures” of men and women that are presented in men and women magazines, to see which kind of stereotypes these media are using (men is macho, women is submissive).