This activity allows participants to analyse what sexism means to them. This activity will also get participants to think about solutions and possible reactions to challenging sexism.
What to do
Give each participant a set of coloured cards and a pen. Ask them to write words or short
phrases on the cards that come to mind when you say the word ‘sexism’.
Ask participants to stick their cards on a wall/large sheet of paper/floor when they’ve finished writing and get them to try to make a definition from all of the words and phrases as a group.
Write the definition on a flipchart for rest of the session.
Next, split into smaller groups of three and get them to share an experience where they’ve observed, heard about or experienced sexism in their youth organisation, school or in a public space. Each participant should share their stories by either writing or drawing on a flipchart shared by each group.
Get the smaller groups to find similarities and differences between each of the three stories.
Each group can shortly feed back on the similarities and differences to the whole group.
Use one interesting or tough example and split the participants into the same smaller
groups to think about solutions of how to counter a situation such as that happening again
or how to tackle it if it does happen. Encourage the group to use a visual or creative tool to
present their ideas, e.g. a protest poster or short play.
Discussion questions
- What solutions did you come up with?
- What solutions do you think are most realistic in the context of your youth organisation?
- What support or reactions do you think you would get from your solutions?
- What can you put into action following this activity?
- Are these solutions easy to make? Where are they easiest or hardest?