Autoethnographic/Teacher Identity Entry #7“Gender and Sexual Orientation Identity”1In this assignment you are expected to examine your early and adult gender and sexual orientation experiences, understandings, and behaviors. The immediate purpose of thisexploration, like previous autoethnographical/teacher identity entries, is to tie your own personal identity in this realm to the formation of your teacher identity.This assignment is premised on you being able to critically reflect based on your readings and activities throughout this program, but with particular attention to the readings and workshops for Weeks 3-5.Address ALL questions/prompts.Questions/prompts to incorporate into your paper:1. Recall and describe your early experiences in which you were made aware of a. your gender identificationb. your sexual orientation2. In what ways did your K-12 schooling directly and indirectly influence your gender identification? your sexual orientation?3. Based on your gender identification, how were you treated differently from individuals with a different gender identification in your K-12 schooling? in your adult experiences?4. Based on your sexual orientation identification, how were you treated differently from individuals with a different orientation in your K-12 schooling? in your adult experiences?5. No one living and working in the US can avoid having been affected by patriarchy. The term patriarchy today generally refers to systems of dominance by men (i.e. sexism). In what ways have your experiences under patriarchy worked to your advantage and/or disadvantage?Include K-12 and adult experiences.5b. Some analysts2 conclude that under a patriarchal system women’s bodies are objectified/commodified as objects where men assert control over women. Kehily states that “gender and sexuality become linked through patriarchal systems that commodify women’s bodies as carriers of biological sexuality” (p. 42). What socializing experiences have you hadthat reinforced this objectification of women? that have challenged the objectification of women?6a. In what ways was heterosexuality normalized in your K-12 schooling? in adult experiences? What experiences have you been a part of or directly observed that have challenged a stereotypical heterosexual masculine identity?1 slightly adapted with permission by Jacque Ensign from copyrighted prompt written by Michael Vavrus, 2005, for Evergreen MIT 04-06 cohort.2 see for example, Kehily’s Sexuality, Gender, and Schooling6b. Sadlker & Zittleman3 state, “Adolescent boys, in particular, see female qualities as unacceptable for males, contributing to an antigay and antifemale disposition” (p. 143). Discuss your own experiences with homophobia. Include your reactions to homophobia, especially as manifested in your own K-12 schooling and adult experiences.7. How did you learn about sex and sexuality? In what ways did your education (informal and formal) about sex and sexuality involve biological information and emotional perspectives?7b. Based on your own learnings of sexuality, what issues arise for you when you discuss andreflect upon sexuality? In your conversations and reflections about this topic, what seems to be left silent or absent or is a source of discomfort?7c. Based on the societal normalization of heterosexuality, what issues arise for you when you discuss and reflect upon sexual orientation? In your conversations and reflections about this topic, what seems to be left silent or absent or is a source of discomfort?8. Based on your written response to these questions/prompts, now consider specifically the following in relation to your developing teacher identity:a) How have your experiences of gender and sexual orientation affected your identity formation as a teacher?b) Related to your pedagogical practices, address your strengths and challenges for being a teacher who1) initiates professionally appropriate dialogue with students about gender identification, sexual orientation, and sexism.2) creates a recognizably safe and welcoming environment for students to individually approach you about issues of gender identification, sexual orientation, and sexism; and 3) designs anti-bias curricular experiences that attend to gender identification, sexual orientation, and sexism.Due: by 9am, Tuesday, March 8, 2007 to the faculty reader of your choice (if you send to someone other than your seminar leader, please include seminar leader’s name so reader will relay credit). Remember, a faculty reader serves as “witness” to your work on this assignment, not as a judge.3 In Banks & Banks, (2007). Multicultural Education: Issues & Perspectives, 6th
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