[NIFL-WOMENLIT:1076] Women's self knowledge

From: Daphne Greenberg (ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu)
Date: Mon Oct 23 2000 - 13:52:35 EDT


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From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu>
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Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1076] Women's self knowledge
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This past weekend, I had the privilege to attend the first annual (hopefully) MS conference in NY.  What a delight!  Marcia Ann Gillespie, Gloria Steinem, and Maya Angelou were all very inspirational.  We had two chances to attend numerous workshops and I attended a diversity workshop and a sexuality workshop.  At the sexuality workshop, a participant shared something that gave me food for thought.  She is 22 years old and only learned about the existence of the clitoris 2 years ago when she was in college.  She stated that she came from a middle class family and from a middle class school in a city in Virginia.  She remembers learning that a vagina is like a self cleaning oven and that she therefore does not have to douche, but never learned what a douche is.  Anyway, she was very grateful that she had the opportunity to go to college so that she could attend feminist groups and learn about her body.   She shared this after a presenter had talked about having a map of one's body and sharing directions with a partner about what feels good and what doesn't.  The participant shared her experience to point out that not all women are knowledgeable enough to have a map to share!
This got me to start thinking about our learners.  This individual had to go to college to be exposed to information about her body.  Where can/do our learners go for this kind of information?  Any thoughts?
Daphne

Daphne Greenberg
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
University Plaza
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
Fax: 404-651-1415
Ph: 404-651-0400
E-mail: alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu



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