Unit 1: Gender Roles and Gender Identity in Society

This week marked the end of Unit One which focused on gender/social roles and gender identity. The purpose of this unit was for students to cognize the complexity of gender roles and gender identity in society. Students read and analyzed Wild by the self-proclaimed feminist author Cherly Strayed. In addition, students read “The Ugly Truth About Beauty” by Dave Barry, “Why I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady, “How it Feels to be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurston, and “Becoming Member of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender.” Upon the completion of the unit, students were required to write an essay synthesizing a variety of sources to answer the prompt: What does it mean to be a man, or masculine? What does it mean to be a woman, or feminine?

For the most part, the class enjoyed this unit. The subject matter required students to critically think about the topics and engage in intense class discussions. Most importantly, this unit challenged the students’ beliefs on gender roles and gender identity.

Click on the links below to view and read the documents.

"Why I Want A Wife"

"The Ugly Truth About Beauty"

"How It Feels to be Colored Me"

"Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender"