What is your experience of gender, and what has influenced your gender choices? Why is the younger generation, in particular, experimenting with a more fluid sense of gender? How are we to honor their request to use different pronouns? What if we misgender someone? When family/friends/lovers seek gender congruence through changing their binary gender, what helps supporters to make the “transition” to the loved one’s newly affirmed gender?

We will use readings, videos, journaling, small groups, and interactive activities each week to draw out insights, experiences, learning and questions.

What follows is a working outline for the five sessions.

Week 1. What is gender identity?

Week 2. From cross-cultural perspectives to our own gender journeys.

Week 3. Making space for gender fluidity in our families.

Week 4. Visiting speakers from the Non-Binary and Trans communities.

Week 5. This week will emerge out of the class itself – what has evolved, and what the group wants to focus on for the last session.

The instructors will distribute, ahead of time, a digital packet of readings and fil ms for the entire five weeks.

For the first class, read seven core handouts from Gender Spectrum website:

Understanding Gender, Dimensions of Gender, Language of Gender, Some Common Myths about Gender, What is Gender Congruence, Being an Ally to Gender Expansive Youth, Using Pronouns Respectfully.

Pronouns & Beyond: Exploring Gender Identity for ourselves and building understanding with family and friends who are gender-expansive or trans