getupanddoit (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2007-05-16 02:27 am
getupanddoit) wrote in fandomhigh2007-05-16 02:27 am
Entry tags:
Women and Gender Studies, 5/16/07
Madeline twitched her lips and adjusted her glasses as she looked over the gathered students, counting them silently in her head. "All right, all right, is everyone here? Are we all met, as some guy once said? Good, good, welcome to Women and Gender Studies! Now, let's get started. . . ."
"We should introduce ourselves, Mad," Sylvia cut in, putting a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "I don't mean to interrupt,"
"No, no, you're right, I forgot!"
"It's okay."
"It's not okay, you're right, I'm wrong, I'm SORRY,"
"Don't worry about it, darling."
"I," said Madeline, pressing a hand to her ample chest, "am Madeline Samuels, and this is my best friend in the entire universe, forty three and a half wonderful years--"
"I'm Sylvia Dunleavy," Sylvia cut in again. "Nice to meetcha. Call me Syvvie. Everyone does."
"Everyone does," Madeline agreed. "And we are going to be your Women and Gender Studies teachers for this summer session. Now, I know, I know what you're thinking: 'what the hell do two old ladies like them know about Women and Gender Studies?'"
"A helluva a lot, that's what,"
"That's right, that's right. We've got the prerequisites right here!" Madeline gestured loosely at herself and Sylvia and continued on. "And we've taken lots of courses in the subject at the junior college, isn't that right, Syvvie?"
"That's right, Maddie."
"That's right. You should listen to us. You might learn something."
"That's why you're here, after all."
"That's right! So, boys and girls--"
"Ah, ah," Sylvia interrupted again. "MEN and WOMEN."
"Right, right! I forgot, I'm sorry!"
"Don't be sorry."
"No, no, you're right, I'm wrong,"
"You're not wrong, darling."
"I'm sorry, MEN and WOMEN. Let's get a couple ground rules in before we get started, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Okay! The first rule is . . ." Madeline paused for effect. "Respect each other. Respect. That means no making fun of anything anyone says in this classroom. If you do, Sylvia with get you with her cane."
"I don't need it, but I have it, and I'll use it!" Sylvia shook her fist in a mock threatening gesture.
"We're kidding, we're kidding, of course we're kidding. Lighten up! That's rule number two. If you take things too seriously, you'll only give yourself ulcers. My second husband didn't lighten up, and what happened to him? He died. That's right, right in the middle of dinner one night, just keeled right over. Stress, the doctor said. So laugh a little."
"Smile, sometimes!"
"Smile, and the whole world sleeps with you. Now, rule number three, and this is important, so listen closely. You can do anything you want to do . . ." Sylvia joined in, and they said the next part in chorus: "As long as you're willing to get up and do it!"
"That's right," Madeline continued. "And that's not just for this class, either. Live your life that way, and you'll be a happy person."
"As long as you're not hurting anybody."
"Right, right, as long as you're not hurting anyone, anything goes. Those are the rules. So, you know us, now, darlings, we want to get to know you. Introduce yourselves! Tell us your name, where you're from, and what gender you identify with the most. That part's important."
"That's right, you think you can tell--"
"But the next thing you know, you realize you're talkin' to a transvestitute." Madeline adjusted her glasses again. "And then, my darlings, the glares, oh, I shudder to think." She shuddered.
"When you're done with that, we'll have an exercise."
"That's right, that's right, an exercise. We want you to work together in partners,"
"Not sexual partners now," Sylvia snorted and laughed. Madeline joined in.
"We're just a class, after all, and not that class, it's being taught by someone else. Anyway, where was I?"
"Partners."
"Right, right, get into partners and I want you to make a list of gender stereotypes. You know what I'm talking about. Where ever it is you are from, I want you to think back, and list as many different stereotypes about boys and girls as you can. And then, when you've got yourself a list? I want you to ask yourself, say 'Self? Do I fit these stereotypes?' And then tell yourself why."
"Or tell your partner."
"Or ask your partner. Whatever floats your gazebo."
[OOC: OCD is up, have-at ye! I promise, they'll be moderately less babbly in classes to come.]
"We should introduce ourselves, Mad," Sylvia cut in, putting a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "I don't mean to interrupt,"
"No, no, you're right, I forgot!"
"It's okay."
"It's not okay, you're right, I'm wrong, I'm SORRY,"
"Don't worry about it, darling."
"I," said Madeline, pressing a hand to her ample chest, "am Madeline Samuels, and this is my best friend in the entire universe, forty three and a half wonderful years--"
"I'm Sylvia Dunleavy," Sylvia cut in again. "Nice to meetcha. Call me Syvvie. Everyone does."
"Everyone does," Madeline agreed. "And we are going to be your Women and Gender Studies teachers for this summer session. Now, I know, I know what you're thinking: 'what the hell do two old ladies like them know about Women and Gender Studies?'"
"A helluva a lot, that's what,"
"That's right, that's right. We've got the prerequisites right here!" Madeline gestured loosely at herself and Sylvia and continued on. "And we've taken lots of courses in the subject at the junior college, isn't that right, Syvvie?"
"That's right, Maddie."
"That's right. You should listen to us. You might learn something."
"That's why you're here, after all."
"That's right! So, boys and girls--"
"Ah, ah," Sylvia interrupted again. "MEN and WOMEN."
"Right, right! I forgot, I'm sorry!"
"Don't be sorry."
"No, no, you're right, I'm wrong,"
"You're not wrong, darling."
"I'm sorry, MEN and WOMEN. Let's get a couple ground rules in before we get started, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Okay! The first rule is . . ." Madeline paused for effect. "Respect each other. Respect. That means no making fun of anything anyone says in this classroom. If you do, Sylvia with get you with her cane."
"I don't need it, but I have it, and I'll use it!" Sylvia shook her fist in a mock threatening gesture.
"We're kidding, we're kidding, of course we're kidding. Lighten up! That's rule number two. If you take things too seriously, you'll only give yourself ulcers. My second husband didn't lighten up, and what happened to him? He died. That's right, right in the middle of dinner one night, just keeled right over. Stress, the doctor said. So laugh a little."
"Smile, sometimes!"
"Smile, and the whole world sleeps with you. Now, rule number three, and this is important, so listen closely. You can do anything you want to do . . ." Sylvia joined in, and they said the next part in chorus: "As long as you're willing to get up and do it!"
"That's right," Madeline continued. "And that's not just for this class, either. Live your life that way, and you'll be a happy person."
"As long as you're not hurting anybody."
"Right, right, as long as you're not hurting anyone, anything goes. Those are the rules. So, you know us, now, darlings, we want to get to know you. Introduce yourselves! Tell us your name, where you're from, and what gender you identify with the most. That part's important."
"That's right, you think you can tell--"
"But the next thing you know, you realize you're talkin' to a transvestitute." Madeline adjusted her glasses again. "And then, my darlings, the glares, oh, I shudder to think." She shuddered.
"When you're done with that, we'll have an exercise."
"That's right, that's right, an exercise. We want you to work together in partners,"
"Not sexual partners now," Sylvia snorted and laughed. Madeline joined in.
"We're just a class, after all, and not that class, it's being taught by someone else. Anyway, where was I?"
"Partners."
"Right, right, get into partners and I want you to make a list of gender stereotypes. You know what I'm talking about. Where ever it is you are from, I want you to think back, and list as many different stereotypes about boys and girls as you can. And then, when you've got yourself a list? I want you to ask yourself, say 'Self? Do I fit these stereotypes?' And then tell yourself why."
"Or tell your partner."
"Or ask your partner. Whatever floats your gazebo."
[OOC: OCD is up, have-at ye! I promise, they'll be moderately less babbly in classes to come.]
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