The Public Conversations Project prevents and transforms conflicts driven by deep differences in identity, beliefs, or values.
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Talking About Gender—Nov. 18, 2009
Earlier this month in New York City, a diverse group of four men and three women talked about what it means to them to be a man or a woman and how they experience the world from that perspective. These seven people were participants in a Public Conversations Project dialogue about gender identity.
With so much conflict in our world today, one might ask, "Why talk about this obvious, ordinary difference?" The answer: As one of the most fundamental differences we experience in our lives, gender influences our perceptions of and perspectives on every experience we have. To better address a multitude of conflicts, these very basic differences need to be addressed consciously and deliberately among men and women.
The dialogue provided people with the opportunity to speak about and listen to personal stories about gender, in a structured way, that would encourage curiosity and deep speaking (as opposed to reacting and speaking from intellectual positions). Participants in the dialogue answered questions like: "What does it mean to you to be a man or a woman?" "In what ways does this part of your identity influence your life and your way of being in the world?" "What things do you wrestle or struggle with?
As Senior Vice President Bob Stains and Program Manager Alison Streit Baron facilitated the dialogue they sensed it was a liberating experience. People were talking about their ideas and feelings about gender differences outside of the context of their workplaces, families and personal relationships. But, at the same time, participants' responses to the questions consistently referenced their closest friends and relatives. Talking about gender outside of those relationships enabled people to think anew about those same relationships. Repeatedly, the group voiced the lack of opportunity to discuss these types of experiences in this way.
As the Public Conversations Project moves forward with plans for additional dialogues about gender differences, we're curious about what you think. What does it mean to you to be a man or woman in today's world? What kinds of things would you hope to discuss in a dialogue about gender differences?
Would you be interested in participating in a dialogue about gender? The Public Conversations Project will be facilitating another gender dialogue on December 4 in Cambridge, MA. For information, please email: info@publicconversations.org
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