I spent all this time working on this PhD that qualifies me to teach the history of sexuality, and during a lot of this time my work was about explaining to funding institutions (and maybe to myself, it turns out) that the history of sexuality isn't actually about sex, it's about power relations, social constructions of identity, imperialism, race, etc. And it is.
(Photo from the Magnus-Hirschfeld_Gesellschaft)
But also, it's about sex. That came as sort of a shock. Like, I am teaching this class (which I've been running around frantically getting ready for) called "State and Sexuality," thinking all the while that I'd talk a lot about The State. But I'm three class sessions in and I don't think I've said the word "penis" so many times in front of so many people since I was 10 years old. And what's worse is that when I say the word "penis" it is in a sentence like: "They thought the vagina was an inverted penis."
And if I'm shocked by what comes out of my mouth, try getting my students to take part in class discussion!
There we all were on the first day of class at what CC tells me is the stodgiest university in Canada, and I show them a giant slide of the picture above.
I am like, "What's going on in this picture? Who are these people?" We talked about what time period they appear to be in, that they are women and men socializing together, that some of the men appear to be close, perhaps lovers...Then a student is like, "They are wearing costumes."
I was like, "OK, how can you tell those are costumes?"
We talked about 'what is a costume?' for a while. Someone pointed out that a few people seem to be in 1700s garb, way out of time period for the 1920s when the photo was taken.
Finally I was like: "Isn't that a guy wearing a dress? I think that's a guy wearing a dress!"
I look out at my class, and all students are silently and very seriously nodding. They'd noticed that, of course. But they were apparently too shy to say it!
5 comments:
Give them time. If they signed up for "State and Sexuality," they probably want to talk about anal sex, because really, in the end, isn't it all about regulating anal sex? OK, and prostitution. They just need to be told repeatedly it's OK to discuss these things. Keep leading by example! Penis penis penis! Penis!
I think you should lead the class in exercises. It's like learning a foreign language (like Canadian).
First get them doing simple things. Saying "Penis! Penis! Penis!" "Vagina! Vagina! Vagina!" in unison.
Then you can pair them up and have them practice using their new found skills in social situations. "Hello, my name is Stewart. Oh my, there's a penis! I bet some deviant sex is about to happen!" or "I noticed you walking funny when we came in today. Too much anal sex? You know what the nazis would say about that! Haha!"
They didn't respond at all to the "My vagina is an inverted penis" explanation? You have got to be kidding!! My students always love that day!
Canadians suck. That's the moral of this story.
Let us know how the lesson on fisting works out.
Lesson on fisting? Really!? Or is cheezyquest joshin' again ;)
So, how are things progressing in class? Are students speaking more? Do you see good things happening in their papers/exams etc.,? I find that -- frequently -- a student's silence is not an indication of whether or not they are engaged, and even, excited by a course and it's instructor. In my experience most quiet students *are* listening closely -- they are fully engaged -- they are just not attracted to class discussion (for whatever reason -- shyness, they learn more from listening than speaking). Some of these same students have a lot more to say one on one.
Anyway, I'd love to know what you have to say about the course and your students at this point (!).
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