Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id JAA23025; Thu, 20 Apr 2000 09:26:56 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 09:26:56 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <200004201324.IAA12643@icicle.winternet.com> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Mev Miller <mev@winternet.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:670] Re: mixed groups X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: OR I think we need to be careful in viewpoints in which we assume separate groups as necessarily more narrow or less challenging. In a society such as ours that is so full of multiple and interwoven oppressions, sometimes it's in separate groups that we can learn more about who we are or might become. I believe there is value in both mixed and separate groups and the effectiveness of each depends on ones goals and strategies. I know that gay people living in a world of assumed heterosexuality, that opportunities to be in communities with other gays (or more specifically lesbians with lesbians) that one learns more about themselves. This would be true of any immigrant community in a white european ruling context in the US -- that in order to hold onto ones cultural heritage, separate groups are necessary because we know that these cultures are NO where respresented in mainstream pop culture. Though this case may be harder to make for women because our realities cross so many lines of class, culture, race, age, and so on, we do experience oppression as women because we are women and bonding in sperate groups around such issues can serve us well. Perhaps I'm repeating but it's not and either/or situation. -- it's more both/and. We have to be flexible in our strategies, allow learners to say what they need as well as present alternative opportunities that they may not have considered on their own and together struggle to find what's best for each situation. Mev >Laura, >I am currently reading about women and literacy and the following excerpt >jumped out at me, after I read your posting: >"An emerging perspective (e.g. MacKeracher 1993; Shore et al., 1993; >Tisdell, 1995) suggests that, rather than having separate programs for >women, the goal should be to provide an educational environment that >reflects the multiple perspectives-gender, ethnicity, class, age, >sexuality, and/or physical abilities-that individuals bring to learning >settings. These two perspectives reflect differing feminist positions; >those advocating 'women only' programs share similarities with radical >feminism, whereas those calling for representation of multiple >perspectives more closely resemble the ideas of socialist feminists >(Blundell, 1992)." >This excerpt was taken from page 45 of Women and Literacy: Guide to the >Literature and Issues for Women-Positive Programs, by Susan Imel and >Sandra Kerka (ERIC ,1996). > >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 > >>>> hauserl@mail.dekalb.public.lib.ga.us 04/17 8:57 PM >>> >I am enjoying the opportunity to consider the various points of view and >personal experiences shared around the issue of female only groups and >instruction. I'm speaking just now not as a professional but as a person >still trying to consciously create myself, and as a mother of college aged >people who tell me bi-sexuality is definitely seen by many as the pc >lifestyle of choice on campuses today. > >I find it interesting and telling that we are having this discussion >without much acknowledgement or consideration of the value and merit of >mixed-gender groups, classrooms, treatment etc. More than ever I value the >opportunities to be with others like me--whether I define myself by >genitalia, behavior, interests, emotional tendency, etc., but I equally >value groups that offer me a nudge, a contrast, a challenge, or provocation >by exposing me to people other than the way I define myself in that moment >and place. > >What seems true to me, and what I want to present for response, is that at >any moment and place we are limiting ourselves and our options and >opportunities if we see ourselves as defined by gender, age, literacy >level, native language, size, hair style, race etc. While that limiting >may bring some sense of relative safety or ease with it, it ultimately >stiffles us and frames too narrowly how we see ourselves and how we allow >others to see us. It reminds me of pre-adolescence when kids, especially >girls, want to dress alike, talk alike, etc. It is "cute" at that stage. >In adults it indicates to me a fear, injury, or narrowness of definition >that lacks the attributes of maturity. We may need to use gender-0only >situations in moments of extreme duress, but to structure it into adult >education seems to short circuit an essential part of what we are >attempting to engender (pardon the pun). > > >At 11:42 AM 4/13/00 -0400, you wrote: >>Last night I had a conversation with my husband which is interesting in >light of the recent listserv discussion on men's involvement. >>He is an ER pediatrician and a 6 year old girl came in after being raped. >The good news is that she was able to identify the rapist and after being >caught, he confessed to the rape. Plus, as my husband put it, he found so >much evidence during the exam, that there will be no question as to the >guilt of the perpetrator. Anyway, he goes on and on about the terribleness >of it all, and all the great, compassionate things that he did to help the >girl get through the awful exam. Then he told me how the police officer >came in and took pictures. I asked if the officer was a female. He said >no. I said that I was surprised, and then asked him if there were any >female doctors on board when the girl came in. He said yes. I then asked >why they weren't sent in to do the exam. He explained that they don't >always do that-that they only do it if the child is an adolescent, or if it >is requested. My reply was that many don't know to ask. At this point, he >had this great look of pain! >> and anguish and was very upset. He reminded me how he volunteered to >take extra courses on sexual abuse and felt that he had been extremely >compassionate, and I agreed with him. I just told him that often it is >easier if a woman does the exam. He wondered if compassion wasn't more >important than gender and reminded me of two horror stories that I >experienced with two different female ob/gyn doctors who did not show any >compassion to me during my own traumatic events. >>So, I am still left wondering. I know that there are men on this listserv >(some have posted, some have not) who are very committed to helping women >in adult literacy classrooms. The pain that I felt and saw in my husband's >face, and the rejection that I know some men feel during these discussions, >make me think-are we saying that men should not be in the classrooms doing >stuff around women's issues? Or are we saying that although men can and >should do this type of work, there is also a time and place for female only >instruction? >>I can see an argument both ways-someone who has been traumatized by a man, >may not be able to be fully present when a man leads a curriculum unit on >violence. However, maybe it is a good lesson-to see that not only are all >men not violent but there are some that are very vocal about not being >violent. Also, what if the learner was traumatized by a female? Does this >mean that the ideal teacher would be a male for this particular student? >What if the learner was traumatized by both males and females? >>It is all very complicated.... >>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 >> >> >Laura Hauser >Literacy Services Officer >DeKalb County Public Library >215 Sycamore Street >Decatur, GA 30030 > >Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children,and >not for education of all adults of every age? -- Erich Fromm > >phone: 404 370 8450 x2240 >fax: 404 370 8569 > > > > Mev Miller mev@winternet.com
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