Persons with DisabilitiesNote to the Students about FeedbackTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Gender and Sexuality in Social Work Course number: SW 360K/395K WGS 345/393 Instructor: Jemel P. Aguilar, M.S.W., PhD Unique number: SW 66145/66590 WGS 49878/50017 Email: [email protected] Semester: Fall 2007 Office number 3.130M Meeting time/place: W 2:30-5:30p Office phone: 512-471-4219 TA Kristy Lagana-Riordan, M.S.W. Office hours: Wednesdays 12-2 pm COURSE DESCRIPTION: Social workers provide services to and operate organizations in which people of different gender and sexual identities work toward meeting their individual and social needs. To deliver social work services and operate social work organizations in ways that respect individual differences in their gender and sexual identities, social worker must know about and understand how gender and sexuality are constructed in different societies. In this course, social work students are challenged with the task of investigating current research and theory about both sexual and gender identities offered by scholars from an array of biological, sociological, and psychological disciplines. We also explore interpretations of gender and sexuality in religious communities, family and educational environments, the workplace, and within community life. Moreover, we consider how gender and sexuality are embedded within prominent areas of social work, such as interpersonal violence and health. COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, students will be able to: (1) Define gender and sexuality and explain the prominent theories and concepts associated with gender and sexuality research and practice. (2) Identify how gender and sexuality shape social welfare issues and problems. (3) Explain how knowledge of gender and sexuality relates to culturally competent social work. (4) Describe the role of gender and sexuality in influencing social work clinical and community practice(5) Use various conceptions of gender and sexuality as a framework to understand social problems (6) Integrate their knowledge of gender and sexuality into their area of social work practice. REQUIRED TEXTS: Kimmel, M. S. & Plante, R. F. (2004). Sexualities: Identities, behaviors, and society. New York: Oxford University Press Kimmel, M. S. (2000). The gendered society. New York: Oxford University Press ASSIGNMENTS: 1. Why is gender and sexuality relevant to social work? (Ungraded) In this assignment, students are simply to answer this question using their own understanding and opinions about gender and sexuality research and practice. Students are to reflect on their own perceptions of this area of study and practice and explain why gender and sexuality is or is not important to social work? 3 pages 2. Gender and sexuality biography (30 points) In this assignment students are to trace their gender and sexuality as it developed throughout their lifespan. In doing so, students must use a framework of human development and then overlay the emergence of themselves as gendered persons and the development of their sexuality. Do not include what messages you internalized and which ones you rejected. That will be the focus of the second paper. Questions to consider are: • When did you first identify as a particular gender? • When did you realize that there were other genders? • What kinds of toys did you play with or activities did you participate in at different phases of your development? • How did these relate to your conceptualization of gender and sexuality? • Identify any conflicts you felt regarding your gender or sexuality throughout the different phases of your development.• How can your insight into your own gender and sexuality influence your future social work practice? 10-15 pages 3. Internalized gender and sexuality (30 points) In this assignment, students build on their gender and sexuality biography by outlining the messages they internalized about their own and others gender and sexuality. To do so, students should consider what siblings, parents, teachers, friends, and media sources said about gender and sexuality and what you accepted and internalized compared to what you rejected. Questions to consider include: • When in a social situation, do you ever think about yourself as the only (male/female/gay/lesbian/straight/transgender) person in the room? Why or why not? • What did your parents say that good boys or girls do? • Did you ever hear slogans about gender or sexuality, such as “smear the queer” or “girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice.” Have you ever repeated them to others? Why or why not? Students will also use the readings from class to compare and contrast their experiences with those theories, models, and studies conducted on gender and sexuality. Students are then to describe how their internalized gender and sexuality can interfere with and aid in their social work practice? 10-15 pages 4. Grand theory of gender and sexuality within area of practice (40 points) In this assignment, students are to develop an original “grand theory” of gender and sexuality that they apply to their area of interest/social work practice. Thus, students will identify and define the prominent concepts that formulate their theory, explain how these concepts relate to one another, and then apply it to their area of social work practice. Please note that theories are ways that we organize data and make suppositions about the world using research literature and our own life experiences and practice wisdom. Therefore, the important aspect of this assignment is the student’s use of the research literature, his/herunderstanding of his/her area of interest, and his/her ability to think conceptually. We will spend time in class deconstructing theories and models within the extant literature on gender and sexuality within social work. 15-20 pages GRADING MATRIX: A Student mastered knowledge about gender and sexuality in Social Work, thoroughly comprehends theories of gender and sexuality, applies knowledge accurately to case studies, deconstructs concepts for synthesis with case study, and strongly supports their evaluation of gender and sexuality within social work practice. The assignment also presents a logical argument, is well written, and follows APA-style. B or S Student developed comprehensive knowledge of the dynamics