Sexuality and Gender: Staying Current in a Changing Landscape, with Toby Simon
Friday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30pm at the Wellfleet Library
October 21, 28, November 4, 18 and December 2.
Class limited to 25 participants.
Given the attacks on gender identity, women’s reproductive rights, sexual expression and sex education curricula, this timely class will address the current political landscape and its impact on sexual expression and sex education curricula. It will also examine how frameworks of gender and sexuality have shifted dramatically in recent years from discrete categories to omnipresent discussions in our news cycle, living rooms and community “third spaces." In recent years, both sexuality and gender identity have been conceptualized along a spectrum, although the notion of “spectrum” has also been challenged.
From the communications revolution to the internet to a 24-7 news cycle, becoming familiar with new terminology and concepts may be a critical step in understanding not only our sexuality, but that of our families and friends.
Many parents and grandparents feel the need to play catch-up with these cultural and political shifts in order to understand their children’s and grandchildren’s experiences, struggles and successes. Others feel confused and question this new lens to look at gender and sexuality. This course will address the rapidly changing landscape of sexuality.
Through contemporary readings, research findings, media and group discussion, this course will examine various aspects of human sexuality. The class format will consist mainly of mini-lectures and some guest speakers, followed by prompts for small group discussions as well as large group discussions. Beginning with an overview of human sexual development, the class will offer historical and sociological perspectives in the field of human sexuality.
As an academic course rather than an “encounter group”, this class addresses contemporary views on sexuality as well as some of the changes over the past fifty years.