Breaking Stereotypes: Gender and Diversity in the English As a Second/ Foreign Language Classroom

Breaking Stereotypes: Gender and Diversity in the English as a Second/ Foreign Language Classroom

DIPLOMARBEIT

zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Mag.a phil. an der Kultur- und Gesellschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg Fachbereich Anglistik und Amerikanistik

Gutachter: Dr. Markus Oppolzer

eingereicht von Lisa Gratz

Salzburg, Februar 2019

Content

Eidesstattliche Erklärung ...... i

Danksagung ...... ii

Abstract ...... iii

1. Introduction ...... 1

2. Gender Studies...... 4

2.1. What is Gender Studies? ...... 4

2.2. Intersectionality...... 7

3. ‘Boys will be boys, and girls will be girls’: Current Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Western Culture ...... 10

3.1. Diversity and Equality in 21st Century Hollywood Blockbusters ...... 16

4. Teaching Gender Studies and Diversity in the EFL Classroom ...... 29

4.1. Teaching Diversity and Gender through Film ...... 37

5. Marvel’s Black Panther ...... 41

5.1. A Social Phenomenon: Black Panther - More than Just Another Superhero Movie ...... 47

6. Lesson Plans ...... 50

6.1. Curriculum ...... 51

6.2. Further considerations ...... 52

6.3. General Information ...... 58

6.4. Learning Objectives ...... 59

6.5. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Descriptors ..... 60

6.6. Sequence of Lessons ...... 63

6.7. Worksheets ...... 75

7. Reflection ...... 87

7.1. First Lesson ...... 88

7.2. Second Lesson ...... 91

7.2.1. Homework Assignment ...... 92

7.3. Third Lesson ...... 97

7.4. Fourth Lesson...... 98

8. Conclusion ...... 105

Appendix ...... 109

Teaching Materials ...... 109

Bibliography ...... 113

Bibliography (Teaching Material) ...... 118

List of Images (Teaching Material) ...... 118

Eidesstattliche Erklärung

Ich erkläre hiermit eidesstattlich [durch meine eigenständige Unterschrift], dass ich die vorliegende Arbeit selbständig verfasst und keine anderen als die angegebenen Quellen und Hilfsmittel verwendet habe. Alle Stellen, die wörtlich oder inhaltlich den angegebenen Quellen entnommen wurden, sind als solche kenntlich gemacht. Die vorliegende Arbeit wurde bisher in gleicher oder ähnlicher Form noch nicht als Diplomarbeit eingereicht.

______Datum, Unterschrift ii

Danksagung

An dieser Stelle möchte ich noch die Gelegenheit nutzen und mich für die zahlreiche Unterstützung bedanken, die ich während des Verfassens dieser Arbeit bekommen habe.

Ein besonderer Dank gilt meinem Betreuer Dr. Markus Oppolzer, der mit seiner persönlichen und fachlichen Unterstützung einen großen Teil zum Gelingen dieser Diplomarbeit beigetragen hat. Seine hilfreichen Ratschläge und konstruktives Feedback haben mich auf den richtigen Weg gebracht und ich war immer sehr froh um seine wertvollen Hinweise. Herzlichen Dank für die Zeit und Mühe, die Sie in meine Arbeit gesteckt haben.

Des Weiteren möchte ich mich bei Mag. Maria Pacher bedanken, die es mir ermöglicht hat die geplanten Unterrichtsstunden in ihrer 5. Klasse in der BAfEP Salzburg zu unterrichten. Die Stunden, die ich mit den Schülerinnen und dem Schüler verbringen durfte, waren eine wertvolle Erfahrung und ohne die Offenheit und Mitarbeit der Schülerinnen und Schüler hätte diese Arbeit nicht entstehen können.

Ich möchte mich außerdem bei all meinen Freundinnen und Freunden und Mitstudierenden für die vielen motivierenden Worte und zahlreichen Anregungen bedanken, die ebenfalls maßgeblich zur Fertigstellung dieser Arbeit beigetragen haben.

Ebenfalls großer Dank gebührt meiner Familie, insbesondere meinen Eltern. Sie haben mich immer in all meinen Entscheidungen unterstützt und standen mir nicht nur während des Verfassens dieser Arbeit, sondern während des gesamten Studiums mit aufmunternden Worten und Ratschlägen zur Seite. Ihr unermüdliches Vertrauen in mich und ihre andauernde Unterstützung sind mir unendlich viel wert.

Abschließend möchte ich mich noch bei meinem Freund, Tobias, für seine Geduld und Unterstützung bedanken. Danke, dass du immer ein offenes Ohr für meine Sorgen hast und mich beim Schreiben dieser Arbeit immer unterstützt und ermuntert hast.

iii

Abstract

In our increasingly globalized and progressive world, the demand to promote diversity and gender equality in our classrooms has steadily grown in recent years. However, in many narratives available for English as a second or foreign language, we still encounter representations of typical gender roles as well as a lack of diversity of gender identities and individuals with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. As students are confronted with these representations in other aspects of their lives as well, such as in advertisements, the media, in films or on television, it seems even more significant for teachers to include such issues in class in order for students to become aware of stereotypical representations of gender and race and, hopefully, encourage them to reflect upon their own preconceptions critically. Since gender awareness is even part of the Austrian curricula for secondary schools, appropriate teaching materials for educators are much needed. The unfortunate fact that these are not widely available, might deter teachers from thoroughly discussing topics connected to gender and diversity with their students. Furthermore, the lack of a wide variety of resources might also discourage educators from covering such topics for fear of offending someone. In an attempt to contribute to this limited pool of resources, this thesis offers a brief introduction to gender studies and provides an overview of existing gender roles and stereotypes in Western culture. Since films are a medium that students are often in contact with, there is a special focus on how gender and diversity are represented in popular Hollywood blockbusters. Using these theoretical frameworks as a basis, this thesis then presents a sequence of four lessons that can be used in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms at a B2 level. The sequence includes the viewing of parts of the Marvel film Black Panther (2018) by Ryan Coogler as this production has been widely praised for its representation of Black characters, especially female Black characters.

1. Introduction

Every day we are confronted with stereotypes, prejudices and bias related to how we behave, speak and dress. Statements such as “Girls like pink and boys like blue” are put into our minds at an early age and influence our perception and expectation of gender identities. Our culture is still mostly led by heteronormative thinking and has maintained clear expectations concerning the roles of males and females in our society. Furthermore, Western culture often projects the idea that White people are the superior race due to the fact that they make up the majority in many societies. These notions are then encoded in images distributed through the media, advertisements, television series and films, amongst other outlets. The field of Gender Studies aims to overcome the binary distinction of male/female and encourage a society in which its members can freely live out their gender identities without bias. However, as of now, many cultures hold on to traditional of expectations of what constitutes male and female behavior, and thus, ascribe certain roles to them. Still, challenging such norms and reflecting upon stereotypes is essential to become more accepting towards other gender identities and, ultimately, to establish a more equal society. Hence, it seems central that these topics are covered extensively in school in order to guarantee that students are given the chance to acknowledge, discuss and reflect upon issues connected to gender and diversity. By providing students with the necessary knowledge and an open and safe space for discussion, we, as educators, give them the chance to reflect upon such views and mindsets critically. Fortunately, the importance of teaching gender and diversity has been recognized more and more and ‘gender’ has been foregrounded in Austrian curricula and, thus, should already be included in English as a second or foreign language classrooms. Nevertheless, in school books the topics are often treated on a rather superficial level and would require more research and preparation on the part of teachers and educators to supplement the content presented in school books. One possibility to engage students with such issues is to use cultural artefacts which reflect such expectations and stereotypes, such as films, which is the approach presented in this thesis. This thesis demonstrates how topics related to gender and diversity can be integrated in the English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language 2

(ESL) classroom. I claim that, even though gender has been included in the curriculum, the topic and related issues do not get enough attention in school and are often treated superficially. Stereotypes, preconceptions and bias based on gender, race or other identity categories cannot be overcome if they are not acknowledged and thoroughly reflected upon in the first place. The sequence of lessons presented in this thesis aims to do exactly that: acknowledge existing stereotypes towards gender roles and critically reflect them. By addressing these issues, students should become more and more comfortable to discuss and challenge these notions in order to empower themselves and others. First, I will present a brief introduction to Gender Studies and the theory of intersectionality. It should be noted that these sections are only a very general overview of the most important concepts necessary for the aim of this thesis. The general idea is that educators interested in implementing the proposed lesson sequence get the necessary knowledge and background information about the theoretical framework behind the lessons in order to be sufficiently prepared to teach the lessons. Moreover, the thesis outlines some prevailing stereotypes and gender role expectations in Western culture. This section is mostly concerned with what is considered ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ in our Western mindset. We will then move on to an analysis of how these expectations and norms are represented in films, as films are cultural products which represent our cultural views. It is necessary to mention here that this examination is focused only on Hollywood blockbusters, as these films are the motion pictures that are most widely distributed around the world and, thus, reach the biggest audience. Finally, before presenting the sequence of lessons, we will take a closer look at the Marvel film Black Panther, which was released in 2018, as this movie will be one of the main teaching resources in the lesson sequence. The practical part of the thesis starts off with some explanations and considerations informing about the methods and approaches of the lessons and how they connect to the school’s curriculum. Then, I will provide some general information about the class in which the lessons have been taught as well as learning objectives and the relevant descriptors of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Afterward, the detailed lesson plans are presented, which is followed by a thorough reflection on the lessons conducted and the conclusion and outlook.

If not explicitly indicated otherwise, the gender-neutral pronouns they/them as the third-person singular pronoun, i.e. he/him and she/her, are used throughout the thesis in order to be more gender inclusive.

2. Gender Studies

This first part of this thesis is dedicated to exploring briefly the academic field of Gender Studies to establish a basis for this thesis. It begins with a short outline and definition of this field of study and what it deals with. Then, the focus shifts to intersectionality and how this relates to the premise of this paper, as this proves to be highly relevant to our discussion of Marvel’s Black Panther later on.

2.1. What is Gender Studies?

Before providing a definition of Gender Studies and the key issues this field deals with, it is necessary to clarify what the term ‘gender’ specifically means. Firstly, ‘gender’ is a concept that first appeared in connection with the feminist movement in the 1970s (cf. Elsner/ Lohe 12) and can be defined as a “social construct that is formed by discursive practices and negotiations” (Elsner/ Lohe 9). Thus, gender is defined by a culture, its members and the roles they attribute to males and females. The social and cultural aspect of the definition is key since, according to Schössler, it is “the cultural acts that make a man a man (a woman a woman)” (10). Therefore, acts such as dress choices, behavior, facial expressions and gestures all play a part in constructing gender identities. Every individual produces a certain gender identity with every action they take and decision they make, since gender is an act, as Simone de Beauvoir declared (cf. ibid 10). Judith Butler even calls it ‘doing gender’, which refers to the actions every individual is performing through which gender is constructed. ‘Doing gender’ is about affirming “the heteronormative gender order” (Linke 135), whereas ‘undoing gender’ is “undo[ing] restrictively normative conceptions of sexual and gendered life” (Butler 1). These gender identities are often based on societal expectations regarding gender roles and limitations. In other words, “gender includes subjective concepts about character traits and expected behaviors” (Johnson/Blanchard 16) which are often communicated and reinforced by popular culture (cf. Linke 135). Now, if gender is based solely on societies’ expectations of what is considered ‘male’ and ‘female’, how does it differ from the term ‘sex’? The distinction between

‘sex’ and ‘gender’ was first introduced by Gale Rubin in 1975, who defined the difference between these terms as a set of arrangements by which a society transforms biological sexuality into products of human activity, and in which these transformed sexual needs are satisfied. [...] Sex as we know it - gender identity, sexual desire and fantasy, concepts of childhood - is itself a social product. (Rubin 159, 166)

Simply put, ‘sex’ refers to the biological binary distinction between male and female, i.e. the anatomy of one’s reproductive system; ‘gender’, on the other hand, is a concept constructed by society and refers to someone’s individual identity. Accordingly, while individuals can construct their gender identities through conscious decisions and acts, someone’s sex is based on biology and anatomy and, as such, cannot be altered as easily. It is also important to note that gender and sex can, but do not necessarily have to, coincide. Thus, someone with female reproductive organs can present themselves as a woman or can identify themselves with cultural acts that are labeled as ‘male’ in our culture. This means that they dress, talk and act in ways that our society classifies as “manly”. The idea that someone can construct their gender allows moving away from the notion that it is only nature that dictates our gender identity and not how we want to present ourselves (cf. Schössler 11). However, Schössler points out that the construction of a gender identity that does not follow heteronormative expectations is not as easy as it sounds (cf. ibid. 10). As it is, today’s society is still dominated by the traditional binary distinction between male/female and does not accept other gender identities to be the norm. Especially men studies, Schössler argues further, are concerned with the notion that there are certain norms and rules dictated by society which make it harder to freely live out one’s gender identity (cf. 10). Furthermore, it is still a fact that members of the LGBTQ community live on the outskirts of society and do not get the same support and acceptance from society that heterosexuals are used to (cf. ibid. 10). Gender Studies deals with “the analysis and criticism of asymmetrical gender relations” as its main concern (Elsner/ Lohe 9) and attempts to “overcome the heteronormative assumption that everyone is either male or female and heterosexual” (ibid. 12). It focuses on the variety of gender identities that exist and not, as feminist and men studies do, solely on one gender and how it is constructed and viewed in society (cf. Schössler 9). In short, Gender Studies is concerned with the ‘how’, as Elsner and Lohe

explain, specifically, with how gender stereotypes are influenced and shaped and how they can be deconstructed (cf. 12). Gender Studies is concerned with three important premises apart from gender: diversity, class and race. Diversity is key since there is a definitive focus on the diverse gender identities available. Class and race are significant factors when it comes to the analysis of the different situations individuals experience (cf. Schössler 12). Since Gender Studies assumes that gender is a social and cultural construct that is connected to a culture’s norms and ideas regarding what constitutes male or female, it becomes apparent that representations of these concepts can be found in cultural artifacts such as literature, films, art, festivities, etc. (cf. ibid. 14). The way gender is represented in these artifacts says a lot about a culture and what expectations its members have regarding males and females and their respective roles in societies. At this point, it appears necessary to clarify the distinction between ‘culture’ and ‘society’. Since a ‘culture’ is defined as “the ideas, customs and social behavior of a particular people or society” by the Oxford Online Dictionary, it can be concluded that a culture shares a common understanding of views and norms. The definition provided includes the notion that a culture is connected to a society, but how can we distinguish those two concepts? A society is understood by the Oxford Online Dictionary as “the community of people living in a particular country or region and having shared customs, laws and organizations”. Thus, a society is limited to a geographic region whereas a culture can encompass more than one society or geographical region if they share the same customs and ideas. In other words, Western culture, as it is often referred to, is the culmination of shared ideas, similar customs and a common understanding of social behavior. This includes, as mentioned above, common expectations regarding the construction of femininity and masculinity and what roles males and females ought to occupy within our societies. This Western culture is not limited to Austria only but extends to most developed countries since we are connected by common understandings and beliefs. To conclude this short excursion, it can be concluded that shared beliefs and norms are what connects us with other societies; however, the impact certain popular culture products have, as it might be the case with the motion picture Black Panther, on societies can be vastly different.

Returning to the discussion of the construction of gender in our society, Schössler insists that today’s gender order is closely connected to power and the dominant group still does not willingly relinquish that power so easily since it profits from this unequal distribution of power and influence (cf. ibid. 15). It was not so long ago that women were still viewed as the ‘weaker sex’ and were deemed incapable of carrying out certain professions in politics or economy (cf. Schössler 15). And this attitude towards what is expected of males and females is one of the reasons why Gender Studies is crucial, for it is important, as Elsner and Lohe point out, not only to “reflect upon one’s own identity, but also to question the assumptions that we and others make” (9). These assumptions are often connected to certain images and stereotypes we have in mind when it comes to the distinction male/female. They depend on the society and culture one lives in. Concluding, it can be said that in order to successfully analyze, reflect upon and criticize asymmetrical gender relations, we must acknowledge that gender does not equal the biological sex and that it is necessary to consciously reflect upon what we assume about others. Only by doing so, is it possible to deconstruct existing gender role expectations and stereotypes and embrace the variety of gender identities available, which is one of the main goals that Gender Studies aims to achieve. Later on, we explore what gender roles and stereotypes can be encountered in Western popular culture and how those are being represented in cultural artifacts, more specifically in films. Before that, however, we first discuss the term ‘intersectionality’ and how this concept relates to gender.

2.2. Intersectionality

Before moving on to prevalent gender roles and stereotypes in our society, we take a short detour to explore the concept of ‘intersectionality’. This theory is connected to a variety of disciplines, yet it can be traced back to Critical Race Theory (cf. Carbado et al. 312). Initially, the term ‘intersectionality’ was introduced in the late 1980s by lawyer and activist Kimberlé W. Crenshaw to “address the marginalization of Black women within not only antidiscrimination law but also in feminist and antiracist theory and politics” (Carbado et al. 303). During the following years Crenshaw further developed her theory to present shortcomings in the legal system, but also to illuminate the fact that social

organizations and movements fighting for women’s rights and rallying against violence against women do, in fact, often exclude women of color in their efforts, especially “those from immigrant and socially disadvantaged communities” (Carbado et al. 304). In essence, Crenshaw highlights the fact that, even though there were efforts to fight for women’s rights and to combat racism, until that moment these efforts were fought separately and they did not reflect the fact that the population did not belong to just one social group, i.e. females, but also to the other groups, i.e. a racial minority. Not only white women were disadvantaged because of their gender and not only African American men suffered from racism; therefore, Crenshaw argues, it is necessary to take into account that there are individuals that are affected by their membership in more than one of these social classes. Over the years the concept of intersectionality has been broadened to include a variety “of issues, social identities, power dynamics, legal and political systems, and discursive structures in the United States and beyond” (Carbado et al. 304). Thus, it can be concluded that intersectionality now extends to various issues experienced on a global level. In the words of Delgado and Stefancic, the concept can nowadays be defined as “the examination of race, sex, class, national origin, and sexual orientation and how their combination plays out in various settings” (58). What is more, Weischer adds that other categories such as age or disabilities may also be taken into account if necessary (386). Evidently, the concept of intersectionality stresses the importance to assess more than one aspect of an individual’s identity and to consider the effect these categories have, or can have, in combination on the experiences of a person. Essentially, those individuals that occupy more than one of these categories “operate at an intersection of recognized sites of oppression”, as Delgado and Stefancic phrase it (58). Consequently, we have to realize that every human being has their own unique identity and, thus, we should “avoid oversimplifying human experience” by putting all individuals belonging to a certain class or category into the same box (Delgado/ Stefancic 63). In the same way, intersectionality can also be interpreted as acting as a bridge between various disciplines, which promotes interdisciplinary discourse and discussion to further explore the effect of an interplay of all of these categories. In addition to the importance of intersectionality across academic disciplines, it is essential to also recognize its existance as a social movement. As such, its agenda is connected to the need for actual social change and does not lie solely in the

theoretical realm of academic discussion (cf. Carbado et al. 312). In short, intersectionality is an interdisciplinary concept that connects various fields by acknowledging the different dimensions that make up a person’s identity and the consequences they may suffer because of them. Intersectionality as a concept, might, at first glance, not have much to do with the issues raised in this thesis. However, it can be argued that this concept is not only essential when observing the realities of human experience but also when portraying such experiences on screen. Since this thesis addresses how gender roles and stereotypes are represented in Marvel’s Black Panther, it seems essential to include this concept in the discussion, as it combines the intersection of gender and race. Therefore, we also have to analyze these categories together and the effect they have in combination instead of treating them as separate entities. Hence, intersectionality is a concept that can, and even should, be taken into account when analyzing visual content such as TV series and films. After having introduced, in very general terms, the field of Gender Studies and the concept of intersectionality, we will now discuss different gender roles and stereotypes and how they are presented in contemporary American films, or more precisely in Hollywood blockbusters. The representation of gender and stereotypical gender roles in Marvel’s Black Panther serves as the prime example of this inquiry.

3. ‘Boys will be boys, and girls will be girls’: Current Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Western Culture

Moving on from general considerations regarding Gender Studies, we now take a closer look at prevalent gender roles and stereotypes in Western culture. By doing so, we highlight the dominant societal beliefs and norms regarding gender roles and stereotypes, which we then can compare to the representations on screen. But first of all, let us define what a ‘stereotype’ is. According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary, a stereotype is “something conforming to a fixed or general pattern”, especially “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgement”. Thus, it is an existing notion or preconception people have towards specific individuals or a group of people, i.e. women, men, gay persons, blondes, Indians, Caucasians, etc. that are believed to have certain characteristics and hence, are expected to behave in a specific way. The image that we conjure when we think about a certain type of person, an Italian for example, is not a valid representation of every man identifying as Italian. Even though we might think of a dark-haired man with a love for strong coffee, pasta, and women when picturing an Italian, this, obviously, does not describe every man in Italy. “This type of thought process”, Stangor and Schaller explain, “reflects the most traditional conceptualization of stereotypes within social psychology, in which stereotypes are considered to be the ‘pictures in the head’” (64). The images we see when we think of women or men, for example, are directly connected to the stereotypes existing in our society. Stangor and Schaller even state that “stereotypes only have meaning (indeed stereotypes are only stereotypes!) to the extent they are culturally shared” (65). This stored information about social groups influences our social behavior and lets us make assumptions about others solely based on what we can infer from seeing them, and the preconceptions we have about social categories they inhabit. In short, stereotypes are mental pictures we possess regarding certain groups of people that are formed by the experiences we have had with them and which influence how we behave towards them. Cultural norms and social roles, Stangor and Schaller continue further, are a “social system through which stereotypes are represented and perpetuated across individuals, across generations and across time” (69). Therefore, we can conclude that

stereotypes and social roles are embedded structures and our individual beliefs are constantly re-formed and re-affirmed by what we see and experience around us. Let us now continue with a discussion of gender stereotypes and roles within Western culture. One of the key issues Gender Studies deals with is the critical reflection of how gender is represented. Since we have established that gender is an entirely constructed concept that is bound to the views and attitudes of a society, we, as part of said society, are familiar with the norms regarding “gender-specific behaviour and lifestyles” (Elsner/ Lohe 10), as we are continuously confronted with such gender representations. This starts very early on in childhood with the clothes we are dressed in and the toys we are given to play with and continues to be shaped by our surroundings throughout life. Elsner and Lohe suggest that the influences that shape our gender concepts come from different directions: family and peers, schools and public media (10). As Jack Sawyer explains, advertising and consumer orientation, for example, are part of the “societal forces that both reflect and encourage these stereotypes” (26). According to the ideal that is portrayed in the media, women should spend their money on products that make them more feminine, such as clothes, jewelry, make-up, and shoes, whereas men should showcase their manliness with cars, clothes and cigarettes (Sawyer 26). These images can hardly be avoided, as advertisements are all around us and, at times, convey controversial, or even degrading, images of males and females. Women are portrayed as “being just submissive sex objects or men being strong and stable workaholics” (Elsner/ Lohe 10). Such portrayals are dangerous because they promote gender stereotypes that are often difficult to deconstruct, as Elsner and Lohe further explain (10). Such representations, however, are not limited to advertisement campaigns, as they are frequently found in films, literature and the arts as well. Since we are constantly surrounded by these traditional and binary concepts of gender through different types of media, the stereotypes of what is expected of males and females are constantly confirmed and reinforced. Even though feminist and male studies have worked hard during the last decades to overcome such traditional stereotypes, there are still very specific preconceptions as what women and men should be like. In our society, we use masculine characteristics to identify individuals as males, while feminine characteristics are used to define a person as female (cf. Devor 567). Elsner and Lohe suggest, for example, that women nowadays

are expected to “be self-confident, intelligent, successful” on the one hand, and, on the other hand, they should also “be emotionally and socially competent, caring (mothers) and beautiful” (Elsner/ Lohe 10-11). These traits, i.e. the desire to care for children, a certain ‘dependency’ on men, according to Devor, are often argued to be “biologically mandated” (ibid. 568). Therefore, “the goals of femininity and, by implication, of all biological females are presumed to revolve around heterosexuality and maternity” (Devor 569). This traditional thinking then has certain repercussions, Devor continues further, as it presumes that women are heterosexually oriented, which “requires women to dress, move, speak, and act in ways that man will find attractive” (569). He adds that in this patriarchal system men are in the more powerful position; hence, women should express their femininity by dressing, moving and speaking in a manner that “communicate[s] weakness, dependency, ineffectualness, availability for sexual or emotional service, and sensitivity to the needs of others” in order to attract the more powerful males who can satisfy their desire to have a family and children (ibid. 569). This unequal power dynamic between the genders has already been mentioned earlier by Schössler, who also argues that males often assert their masculinity through power and dominance over other, weaker, men and, most importantly, over women (Sawyer 26). Even though such images are clearly sexist and limit our perception regarding the other sex, they are still very much apparent in today’s society. Examining the other side, i.e. what is expected of males, Elsner and Lohe suggest that males nowadays should ideally “represent typical male traits like being the active ones, being independent and superior, but they also have to participate in housekeeping and child care” as well as “show emotions openly and take care of their outer appearance” (ibid. 11). Thus, the expectations regarding males and females have mostly been extended on instead of revised completely, which means that women and men should still conform to the traditional male and female gender expectations but also fulfill the additional expectations. What happens when someone does not conform to society’s norms? Devor explains that, in general, “both males and females are popularly thought to be able to do many of the same things”, as they “share many of the same human characteristics” (568). Nevertheless, Devor asserts that most activities are divided into suitable and unsuitable categories for each gender. Persons who perform the activities considered appropriate for another gender will be expected to

perform them poorly; if they succeed adequately, or even well, at their endeavors, they may be rewarded with ridicule or scorn for blurring the gender dividing line (568)

Hence, if someone who identifies as male likes to dress up, or even paint their nails or put on make-up, this would be considered as cross-gender behavior and could lead to, as Devor points out, “ridicule or scorn” (568). The same could be said, of course, for females who showcase ‘typical’ male characteristics such as superior physical strength or similar traits. This is exactly the reason why stereotypical thinking patterns based on traditional norms and beliefs can result in sexist, racist or simply degrading behavior. This is why, as Jack Sawyer argues, stereotypical expectations have to be eradicated entirely (cf. 25). In order to overcome these notions, Elsner and Lohe argue that the first step is to become aware of your own stereotypes and then to deconstruct them. In case of gender, we need to become aware and critical of heteronormative structures before being able to move on from them (13). John Stoltenberg refers to this break with gender stereotypes as the destruction of “the heterosexual model” (41). By moving beyond patriarchy that reinforces gender inequality, we abandon the notion that males are superior to females. To achieve this, however, it is necessary to leave behind any preconceptions we have about masculinity and femininity and to move toward gender equality (Stoltenberg 47). In the same way that we have stereotypes and preconception about masculinity and femininity, we must acknowledge the existence of stereotypes related to other dimensions of identity as well. We have stereotypical images in our minds relating to aspects such as race and ethnicity, religion and age among others. As this thesis is mostly concerned with how gender is represented and does not focus as much on the representation of race in Marvel’s Black Panther, we keep this discussion short. Before looking into the existing views on people with different racial or ethnic backgrounds, it is pertinent to define what we mean with concepts such as ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘race’ can be defined as “a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock”, or more specifically “a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics”. ‘Ethnicity’, on the other hand, is simply defined as “a particular ethnic affiliation or group”. Luther, Lepre and Clark explain the difference a bit more clearly clarifying that while ‘race’ commonly was related to “certain physiological characteristics” one has because of one’s “particular geographic origin” (4). As these notions have been since dismissed as unrealistic, scholars and scientists have insisted on using the term ‘ethnicity’ instead due

to the fact that it “encompasses one’s own heredity, national origin and culture (i.e., beliefs, norms, values associated with one’s own heritage” (Luther/Lepre/ Clark 4). For that reason, ethnicity seems the more fitting term to refer to one’s individual background and is “a much more fluid concept than race” (Luther/Lepre/ Clark 4). Nevertheless, ‘race’ is still in frequent use throughout various fields and disciplines and is therefore also used throughout this paper. When observing the role African Americans have played in American popular culture, one has to recognize the impact they have had as the “originators, or co- originators, of America’s most popular musical forms today”, including hip-hop, rock’n’roll, and jazz (Maasik/ Solomon 647). Furthermore, it has to be mentioned that their impact cannot be limited to the musical field, as some of the most popular athletes in the U.S. are African Americans (cf. Maasik/ Solomon 647). Still, African Americans have continuously suffered and were more often than not overlooked in favor of a White person in the entertainment industry. After segregation ended, America prided itself on its ideology of pluralism, i.e. the notion that all these ethnic, racial, religious diverse people could live together as one society “accept[ing] and celebrate[ing] racial and ethnic differences while affirming its allegiance to the larger society” (Littlefield 675). Although this might sound idyllic, it was far from the truth, as Littlefield argues: American pluralism enforced Anglo conformity and created an American identity that excludes all groups outside the norm and realm of Whiteness This binary distinction among races created a hierarchy in which Anglo perceptions about race and ethnicity dominated the social structure, and other non-White groups were placed in the Other category, which translated into inferior social status (675-676)

This means that, even though in theory America seemed to accept its pluri-cultural reality, in practice it just aimed to dominate all other races and ethnicities, forcing them to assimilate to the dominant culture. Similar to the power struggle between the genders, members of the seemingly ‘dominant’ White group wanted to assert their superiority over other races. In this sense, this “social structure promotes inequality and domination based on class, race and gender” (Littlefield 676). Littlefield goes on to explain that America nowadays seems outwardly inclusive of minorities and supportive of helping them reach their full potential (cf. ibid. 676). Nevertheless, the US is not a color-blind society, as Littlefield criticizes, instead, US-Americans tend to hide behind an illusion of a seemingly diverse and inclusive society. Thus, even though the situation for minorities has greatly improved with the civil rights movement and activists continuously fighting for more

rights for minorities, we must acknowledge that the US certainly has not yet become as accepting and inclusive of all individuals no matter their racial background, sexual orientation or religion as it would present itself. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that this is mostly due to the fact that minority groups often suffer from negative stereotypes and misconceptions about them. Linus Abraham quotes Carolyn Martindale who observes that these negative stereotypes have been “deeply ingrained in Anglo American culture ever since Africans were first brought to this country in chains” (87). Even though times have changed significantly, and slavery is, thankfully, a thing of the past, the stereotypes connected to African Americans are still visible in the mass media (cf. Abraham 87). Abraham asserts that the role these stereotypes served in colonial times was to justify the enslavement of Blacks; later on, they provided arguments in favor of segregation and now they function as a justification for the “differential distribution of resources in a free labor market economy” (87). The often negative and suspicious way in which African Americans are still to this day regarded has become continuously apparent in the last months as more and more reports have surfaced that the police were called to check on Blacks partaking in seemingly everyday activities. With headlines such as “Living while black“ (Griggs) and “Police called on Atlanta man for ‘babysitting while black,’” (BBC News) the reports elicited outrage throughout the United States. Still, these reports reflect the frightening experiences of many African Americans in the United States who always have to be more cautious and more mindful of what they do and how they do it as others around them are more suspicious of their behavior than they presumably would be of White people. In short, it can be said that sexist views concerning gender roles and stereotypes about masculinity and femininity and beliefs connected to African Americans may have changed over time; however, we still live in a society in which there are specific expectations and beliefs connected to certain social categories such as gender or race. To move forward as a society and to become more openminded about the various existing gender identities, but also about racial and ethnic backgrounds, we have to take a closer look at ourselves and our own preconceptions first. Only when we become aware of our own views, can we reflect them critically and deconstruct them step by step, raising our awareness of other identities.

3.1. Diversity and Equality in 21st Century Hollywood Blockbusters

“Over the last century, there have been tremendous gains for gender equality in many spheres of American life, but probably very few commentators would say that the playing field is now level – either in culture-at-large or at the movies” (Benshoff/ Griffin 296)

This quote by Harry M. Benshoff and Sean Griffin certainly reflects the current situation in the film industry as Hollywood, or better said movie and television executives, are still facing criticism for the lack of equality and inclusion of more diverse characters in films and on television. Having provided a brief overview of gender roles and existing stereotypes in our society we now move on to examine how these gender expectations and stereotypes are represented in the medium of film. Given the limitations of this thesis and the specifics of the overall topic, we shall narrow this discussion to only include contemporary Hollywood blockbuster movies as this type of film has the broadest reach and, hence, a significant influence on the general public. Above all, it is important to not only focus on the question of how males and females are portrayed in movies but also how many male and female characters appear on film and what their racial or ethnic background is. A recent study published by Stacy L. Smith and her colleagues from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism shows that, even though the narratives have changed, there has been little actual progress regarding equality and diversity among top movies produced in Hollywood. The study analyzed the top 100 popular movies of each year between 2007 and 2017 regarding “independent speaking or named characters shown on screen for gender, race/ethnicity, LGBT, and disability […]” (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). Moreover, they not only analyzed what is on the screen but also evaluated the level of inclusion and equality behind the scenes, including directors, writers, producers, and composers as well as the race of directors (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). It is important to note at this point that the study has its limitations, as it only focuses on the 100 most lucrative Hollywood productions, i.e. the films that have been the most popular, and, as such, generated the most money. Therefore, the data presented in the research cannot be seen as representative of the film industry as a whole. What is more, Smith et al. mostly present the facts they have gathered from

observing the films in their sample and compare their development throughout the last decade but refrain from offering specific explanations or reasons for these numbers. Nevertheless, the study is relevant for this thesis because it observed films that are similar to Black Panther, i.e. motion pictures that had an impact on Western popular culture. Movies that were analyzed by Smith et al. (“Inequality”) include, for example, Wonder Women, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Get Out, and Pitch Perfect 3 (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 37). As other films belonging to the Marvel Cinematic Universe are part of the sample, the study appears to be an interesting resource to establish some background information that can be later used to compare it to Black Panther. All in all, it needs to be said that although Smith et al. (“Inequality”) do not offer explanations as to why the situation in Hollywood is as it is, the research they present offers interesting insights relating to the specific focus of this thesis. Furthermore, even if the report observes a variety of identities, again, we mostly focus on gender and race as these two are the main focal points of this thesis. Having introduced the report, I now want to discuss the results most relevant to this thesis. The report discloses, for example, that out of 4,454 speaking characters in the top 100 popular films of 2017 68.2% were male and only 31.8% female (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). This percentage changed minimally compared to 2007 with a rise of only 1.9% for female characters. Figure 1 shows all percentages for all eleven years assessed in the study. These numbers certainly confirm Benshoff and Griffin’s analysis that “mainstream Hollywood entertainment still negotiates gender in ways that uphold and maintain patriarchal privilege” (297).

Figure 1: Percentage of female speaking characters across 1,100 films (Smith et al. “Inequality”, Summary 1)

This favoritism is clearly visible in the casting of main characters. The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report shows this to be true as out of the 100 top grossing films in

2017 only thirty-three featured a female lead/co-lead, which mirrors the numbers from the two previous years with 34% and 32% respectively. However, this percentage saw a significant increase from 2007, when the films with a female lead or co-lead were only at 20% (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). At this point, it is necessary to mention that, for ensemble films, slightly different numbers have been observed. In the ten ensemble films from 2017, the research team identified 42 characters in leading roles. Out of these 42 characters, 24 are male and 18 female, making the ratio between males and females slightly more balanced. In short, even though the percentage of female main characters has increased somewhat over the last decade, the numbers suggest that male actors still enjoy a certain privilege when it comes to casting the lead roles. As already established, exact reasons as to why there are more male actors playing lead roles than females are not explained by Smith et al. (“Inequality”) and doing so would, unfortunately, go beyond the scope of this thesis. What is more, there seems to be a correlation between the percentage of female speaking characters and film genres. According to the numbers presented in Table 2 below, the percentage of female speaking characters is much higher in comedy movies than in action and/or adventure films released in 2017 with 42,9% to 24.5% respectively. These numbers are slightly higher than ten years ago with a difference of 4.5% for action and/or adventure films and 6.9% for comedies. Thus, it seems that the roles for female lead characters are slowly increasing; nevertheless, an equal distribution between male and female speaking roles in Hollywood productions is far from being a reality. Benshoff and Griffin also clarify that, although female characters have been featured more and more in previously male-dominated genres, such as the buddy film, the sports film, the Western, or even the science-fiction action-adventure film, movies in these genres featuring a female lead tend to be less successful in terms of revenue than male action movies (cf. ibid. 298).

Figure 2: Percentage of female speaking characters in Action/Adventure Films (left) and Comedies (right) (Smith et al. “Inequality”, Summary 1)

Moving on to another interesting point, Smith et al. assess that 19 of the 100 top movies released in 2017 were considered to feature a “gender-balanced cast” which “refers to a story that fills 45% to 54.9% of the speaking roles with girls/women” (“Inequality”, 1). Thus, less than a fifth of the top movies from that year featured a cast that had an equal distribution of male and female leads. This inequality between male and female characters only gets higher the older the characters get. Lauzen and Dozier refer to a study from 2002 in which evidence was found that there seems to be a “lingering double standard for aging female and male characters” in Hollywood productions (437). That is to say that aging male characters are portrayed in a different manner than aging female characters, especially regarding their physical appearance and the purposiveness in the workplace (cf. Lauzen/ Dozier 438). Generally, it is also important to note that female characters seem to be younger than male characters. As evidenced by the numbers presented in the report by Smith et. al., there is a significant disparity in how many older, meaning 45 years of age and older, male characters appear on film in relation to how many female characters in the same age category audiences get to see. In 2017, thirty-one males played a lead or co-lead and were 45 years or older. On the other hand, there were only five females who played a lead or co-lead in the same age bracket (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 6). 1 These numbers confirm what was explained in the previous chapter concerning the concept of intersectionality, which, apart from identifying as male or female, also includes other factors such as age, race, ethnicity,

1 Four of them were portrayed by Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand, Amy Poehler and Judy Dench. The fifth was played by Halle Berry who was assessed as the only multi-racial female actress that appeared in the 100 financially most lucrative movies from 2017 (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 6).

religion, sexual orientation, etc. Therefore, it is important to examine these thirty-three films that had a female lead or co-lead in 2017 more closely. Only four out of these thirty- three female characters were portrayed by women of color, more specifically “from mixed racial/ethnic backgrounds” (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). Moreover, only one of these four characters was played by a woman of color and was older than 45 years. In ensemble films, however, the number is slightly higher as three female characters are part of a minority and are 45 years of age or older; still, this number is relatively low (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 7). In other words, there are very few female characters older than 45 years leading a movie; yet, there are even fewer female characters older than 45 years leading a movie with an ethnic or racial background other than white/ Caucasian. Such numbers do not only apply to characters in films, but also reflect the reality of directors, producers and other professions that can be found behind the scenes of a film or television production. Of the 1,100 films assessed, a total of 1,223 directors were involved in the production. When looking at the ratio of male/ female directors, the numbers show that only 4.3% of directors were female, resulting in a total of 53 female directors for 1,100 films (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). Out of these 53 female directors, only four were black or African American and three Asian or Asian American (cf. ibid. 1). Thus, female directors with an ethnic or racial background are basically invisible when compared to the overall number of directors involved in the assessed projects. All in all, current movements in Hollywood such as the #metoo movement or the Time’s Up initiative certainly help in the fight for more equality in the entertainment industry. Especially the Time’s Up organization, which was initially launched in the fall of 2017 after widespread allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse against men in positions of power within the entertainment industry has come to light, advocates for more equality and justice in the workplace and “insists on safe, fair and dignified work or women of all kinds” (Time’s Up “About”). Although the organization originally focused more on the working conditions in Hollywood, it was later broadened to include women in other industries as well, since no woman should feel unsafe in her workplace (cf. Time’s Up “History”). Their main goal is to promote systematic change in order to help underrepresented groups to reach their full potential. To do so, they advocate for changes in laws and corporate policies to improve safety and equality for women in the workplace (cf. Time’s Up “About”). Such measures are certainly important in order to

achieve the systemic change that is necessary for substantial modification not only of the entertainment industry but all fields and professions. As already mentioned before, gender was not the only aspect assessed by Smith et al. (“Inequality”) in their study since they also included an assessment of other categories such as race and ethnicity, LGBT and disabilities. Even though we have already briefly touched upon race and ethnicity in connection to gender, it is important to mention the key facts regarding race and ethnicity found by Smith et al., as this aspect is consequential in the discussion of Marvel’s Black Panther later on. In a previous report published by Stacy Smith and colleagues known as the Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment (CARD) with the title Inclusion or Invisibility? from 2016, the authors admonish the entire film industry as still functioning “as a straight, White, boy’s club” since women and individuals that are members of ethnic or racial minorities are still often excluded (Smith et al. “Inclusion”, 16). This certainly says a lot regarding the standing of women and ethnic and racial minorities in the industry (cf. ibid. “Inclusion”, 16). Furthermore, outrage over the lack of recognition of Black and African-American actors and actresses by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the coveted Academy Awards, also known as Oscars, has been apparent over the last few years, with #OscarsSoWhite being a popular hashtag on social media for users to make their feelings be known. Although many critics still call for more representation of racial minorities on screen, Benshoff and Griffin assert that there has already been apparent change since the beginning of the century (cf. 95). In 2001, Benshoff and Griffin argue, African Americans were honored in several categories, including best actor (Denzel Washington for Training Day) and best actress (Halle Berry for Monster’s Ball) (cf. 95). Back then, many believed that this heralded a new era for minority actors and actresses; still, the substantial change has, as of yet, not been accomplished, as Whites make up the majority of casts to this day, as can be seen in the pie chart below. Here, we can find all the percentages for Black, Hispanic, and Asian characters, but also those with another racial or ethnic background, including Middle Eastern, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and Mixed Race (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 2). Interestingly, the authors insist that the percentages for the categories Black, Hispanic, Asian and Other have not changed in the years observed, whereas the percentage of White characters has experienced a slight decrease of 6.8% in

the eleven years under observation (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 1). The percentages for ensemble casts do not differ greatly from these numbers as about 30.9% of characters in ensemble films identify as belonging to an underrepresented group (cf. ibid. 7).

Figure 3: Ethnicity/ Race of characters in Films from 2007 - 2017 (Smith et al. “Inequality”, Summary 1)

Isabel Molina-Guzmán also challenges the homogeneity of Hollywood and argues that, if considered as a cultural institution, the consistent lack of diversity prevailing in the film industry is “indicative of broader social conflicts” (439). Nevertheless, as Molina- Guzmán further explains, there is a distinctive change noticeable, at least on television (cf. 439). This is largely due to the unrelenting work by organizations such as the Multi- Ethnic Media Coalition (MEMC) which fights for incremental changes in the industry to include more diverse characters in programming (cf. Molina-Guzmán 439). Moreover, the emergence of television producer Shonda Rhimes and other producers of color were also consequential in implementing the changes the television industry experienced during the last years regarding an “increasing shift toward on-screen representational diversity” (Molina-Guzmán 439). These findings are supported by the results of the Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity in Entertainment (CARD) from 2016, which found that the percentages for female speaking characters were significantly higher in the categories “broadcast”, “cable” and “streaming”, the exact percentages can be found in the Table 2 below.2

2 Under observation were 424 stories or 109 motion pictures and 305 broadcast, cable, and digital series distributed by 10 major media companies (21st Century Fox, CBS, Comcast NBC Universal, Sony, The Walt Disney Company, Time Warner, Viacom, Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix) in 2014 and 2015 (Smith et al. “Inclusion”, 1).

Figure 4: Female Speaking Characters by Media Platform (Smith et al. “Inclusion”, Summary 2)

As suggested by Molina-Guzmán, the emergence of producers of color certainly had an impact on the increase of a more diverse representation on screen. The research done by Smith et al. (“Inequality”) supports these claims and presents findings that, if a film is directed or written by a person of color or a person belonging to an underrepresented group, i.e. a minority, chances are higher that there are more characters representing said minority. In the case of gender, for example, research shows that in movies from 2017 with a female director the percentage for female speaking characters was 43% in comparison to 30.9% in movies under male direction.3 Furthermore, these numbers are similar in cases of a female member on the writing staff with a percentage of 37.3% in comparison to 29.5% if the writing staff was solely made up of male writers (cf. 14). Similarly, the numbers for characters of color increase significantly if the film was directed by a Black or African American person. All in all, the sample pool for 2017 included 100 films which were directed by 109 individuals out of which 5.5% were Black or African American. These directors included, according to Smith et al. (cf. “Inequality”, 19): Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious), Jordan Peele (Get Out), Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip), Tyler Perry (Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween), Benny Boom (All Eyez on Me), and Stella Meghie (Everything, Everything). Thus, if a Black or African American director was involved in the project, the percentage of Black roles was 41.8% higher than in films without one (ibid. 2). Moreover, there was also a significant correlation between the director being Black or African American and the number of female Black or African American characters appearing on screen. As the report confirms, films helmed by Black directors were more likely to include more Black females as well. The findings regarding

3 This included eight movies directed by female directors in 2017.

this question reveal that the number of Black female characters increased by 16% in films directed by Black individuals (cf. ibid. 20). Consequently, it could be inferred that if more individuals belonging to minorities or underrepresented groups were given the chance to be more actively involved in the film industry or, more specifically, in blockbuster Hollywood productions, as directors, writers, producers, etc., the percentage of characters belonging to minorities appearing on screen would be higher. Nonetheless, the numbers presented in the studies discussed here suggest that significant change has not happened yet. However, it has to be acknowledged that through the emergence of movements such as #metoo and the Time’s Up initiative the desire for more inclusion and equality within the entertainment industry has been given a voice and these organizations continuously fight for a more equal and diverse representation on screen. All these numbers are especially staggering when taking into account the relationship between the gender and race of characters depicted in these 1,100 films and the reality we live in. Since the report, on which I have based this discussion, was published in the United States, all numbers relating to population are based on data collected about the citizens of the United States. Regarding gender, we have established that about a third of the speaking characters in blockbuster films are female. This does not relate to reality, as 51% of the population in the U.S. is comprised of individuals that identify as female, corresponding to more than half of the population. Furthermore, Smith et al. mention that females make up 49% of ticket sales at the U.S./Canada box office (cf. ibid. “Inequality”, 6). When observing the representation of individuals belonging to a racial/ethnic minority, 29.3% of the 4,454 characters under observation from productions released in 2017 belong to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Compared to this number, 38.7% of the U.S. population belongs to an underrepresented racial or ethnic group (cf. ibid. 2). Thus, it can be concluded that the represented reality on screen does not mirror the reality in which the citizens of the United States live. Having discussed the most relevant findings regarding the actual numbers and percentages of female speaking characters and other characters belonging to underrepresented groups, it can be concluded that little actual and significant change can be observed throughout the last eleven years. Nonetheless, films such as Marvel’s Black

Panther, which were released in 2018 and were not part of the report published by Stacy Smith et al., have been heralded as a sign that actual progress can be made in the entertainment industry. Whether Marvel’s Black Panther really is more inclusive and balanced concerning the representation of minorities is discussed later on in this thesis. At this point, we now address the question raised at the beginning of this chapter: How are gender roles and stereotypes represented in the Hollywood industry? There is a significant difference concerning how many male and female characters appear on screen. Smith et al. (“Inequality”) also included an assessment of differences in the portrayals of male and female characters in their report. One aspect under observation was the domestic roles the characters were depicted in. This included their parental status as well as relational status, as Smith et al. titled them (cf. ibid. 8). The reason for this choice was the simple fact that “exposure to traditional depictions in the media may teach and/or reinforce stereotypical attitudes, beliefs and behaviors among some viewers” (ibid. 8). This coincides with statements made by other experts in the field that were discussed previously (cf. Elsner/ Lohe 2016, Sawyer 2004). Therefore, it is important for viewers to reflect upon what they see on screen and not to confuse what they see with the reality we live in, especially when it comes to the portrayal of ‘typical’ male and female behavior. According to the research done by Smith and colleagues, the numbers for the parental status showed that female characters in the 100 most lucrative movies from 2017 were more often shown to have, or take care of, children than male characters, with a difference of 7.3 percentage points (cf. “Inequality”, 8).4 The other aspect assessed in this category was the relationship status of the characters. Here, the authors report no significant difference between the genders; thus, female characters were portrayed in romantic relationships as much as their male counterparts and even have a slightly higher percentage than males with 46.4% to 41.5% respectively (cf. ibid. 8). Consequently, the stereotypical notion that women are more thought of as nurturers and caretakers in the family is still prevalent in their portrayal on screen, reinforcing the belief in our society that women ought to have a family and children, or, at the very least, should want to have them.

4 The exact numbers are 40.3% for female characters and 33% for male characters (cf. Smith et al. “Inequality”, 8).

Lastly, Smith et al. examined the sexualization of the characters. Here, again, they explain that this issue was chosen because “exposure to objectifying content can contribute to and/or reinforce body shame, appearance anxiety, and self objectification among some females” and refer to several studies confirming this statement (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 8).5 To do so, the research team defined three attributes of sexualization with each of these categories either applying to the character under observation or not: sexy attire (i.e. revealing clothing), nudity, and physical attractiveness (cf. ibid. 9). The figure below shows the findings of the assessment of all characters in the observation pool from the year 2017. Figure 5: Character Gender by Attributes of Sexualization (2017) (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 9)

When summarizing the data briefly, it can be said that female characters were far more likely to be portrayed in revealing clothes, showing more skin and receiving more attention regarding their physical appearance, in general. The authors comment on the first category that female characters “accounted for 64.9% of all instances of sexy attire” (ibid. 9). Thus, it is much more probable to see female characters dressed up in revealing clothes than their male peers. The second parameter reflects nudity in the films under observation. Here, it is important to note that instances of full nudity were not counted, but shots in which “cleavage, a bare midriff or skin in the high upper thigh region” were visible (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 9). Nevertheless, the difference between males and females showing skin

5 Such as: B.L. Fredrickson, and T.A. Roberts “Objectification theory: Toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks”. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, (1997): 173-206. T.A. Roberts, and J.Y. Gettman. “Mere exposure: Gender differences in the negative effects of priming a state of self-objectification”. Sex Roles, 51 (1/2) (2004): 17-27. J.S. Aubrey. “Effects of sexually objectifying media on self-objectification and body surveillance in undergraduates: Results of a 2-year panel study”. Journal of Communication, 56 (2006): 366-386.

is, again, definitely noteworthy and suggests that female characters are much more prone to be sexualized and objectified. This conclusion is corroborated by Benshoff and Griffin who maintain that, although the number of females portraying leading characters has risen, especially in action-adventure films, the way they are portrayed conforms to traditional gender expectations and often objectify the female lead in a way that makes them more enticing to the heterosexual male audience (cf. 298). In such instances, the sex-appeal of the female hero is usually the focal point and not theit actual physical or intellectual capabilities. In short, it becomes apparent that filmmakers tend to focus on the female character’s physical appearance and body and, thus, objectify the character by putting them into revealing clothes and making the actress show a lot of skin. Finally, the numbers for physical attractiveness are not as astonishingly high as they were in the previous categories. Still, female characters tended to get a lot more comments regarding their physical appearance than their male counterparts. All in all, the researchers also comment on the fact that these percentages have not changed significantly over the years, reporting that “the trends for hypersexualization variables were remarkably stable from year to year” (Smith et al. “Inequality”, 9). Another interesting result the study showed was that especially younger female characters were more likely to be physically attractive and seen in sexy attire, with more skin visible (ibid. 11). This suggests that especially young women should care about their physical appearance and present themselves in revealing clothes, showing a lot of skin and generally be concerned with looking pretty so that they get noticed by the male population. Benshoff and Griffin report similar findings by stating that in the genre of chick flicks “aspects of traditional femininity – particularly shopping and beauty makeovers” are “often overtly celebrat[ed]” (300). In doing so, they reinforce the belief that females should be concerned with their appearance to succeed in life. Another point that needs to be stressed is how the three previously mentioned aspects, i.e. domestic roles, observed nudity, and physical attractiveness, intersect with race or ethnicity. Here, the findings confirm again that female characters are more likely to be sexualized and objectified than male characters. Also, the authors argue that “females from Mixed Race backgrounds” are still “typified by sexualization”, meaning that Black, Latina, Asian or characters with another racial or ethnic background are ostentatiously represented in a sexualized way (ibid. 19). Smith et al. criticize that “the

findings reflect a lack of imagination on the part of the content creators, who continue to portray underrepresented women in line with historical - and historically criticized – notions” (ibid. 19). In other words, representations of female characters are often sexualized and objectified, especially if the female characters are not White. To conclude this discussion of the representation of gender and members of underrepresented groups, we can say that certain prevailing stereotypes in our society, specifically when it comes to women, are still visible on screen, as they are often shown as a parent or caretaker of children and are likely to be presented in a sexualized and objectified way by putting a lot of focus on their physical appearance.

4. Teaching Gender Studies and Diversity in the EFL Classroom

Having discussed existing gender roles and specific racial stereotypes within Western popular culture as well as their portrayal on screen, we now shift our focus to a discussion of the importance of introducing these issues in school, specifically, in the EFL classroom. Every one of us has their own expectations regarding gender-related behavior which were formed early on in our childhood by our experiences in school, at home, with our friends, etc. Everywhere around us we are confronted with ideas and views on what is considered ‘male’ or ‘female’. Moreover, our views are constantly shaped or reaffirmed by the images we see in advertisements, books, video games, films and on the internet. Our expectations then translate into our behavior, dictating our actions and interactions and influencing how we dress, speak and present ourselves to others around us. What role, then, does school play in this process? Lotta König, Carola Surkamp, and Helene Decke-Cornill insist that school has two important functions: on the one hand, it is considered a place where individuals socialize and interact; on the other hand, it is a place of education (cf. 3). Thus, school not only plays an active part in forming the students’ perception of gender but it is also considered a place where students have the freedom to develop their own identity fully (cf. ibid. 3). What is more, school has the responsibility to teach students to treat others with respect and tolerance as well as to treat men and women equally (cf. ibid. 3-4). Therefore, it seems important to offer teachers resources and ideas on how to address all of these issues in their subjects. Over the last years, there has been a noticeable shift towards a more open discussion of identity and gender. Furthermore, the trend towards a more inclusive classroom has also encompassed learners with different racial or socio-economic backgrounds and different gender identities. Learning about gender and diversity in our society is a necessary step to achieve this goal. Additionally, learning and reflecting upon one’s own identity should help students to also “question the assumptions that we and others make” (Elsner/ Lohe 9). What increases the importance of promoting these issues in EFL classrooms is the fact that, as Stangor and Schaller emphasize, such stereotypical thinking patterns can have harmful consequences and can negatively influence people’s lives (cf. 64). Yet, before teachers can start teaching about gender, they must first reflect

on their own stereotypes. It is not possible to teach others how to be more aware of their surroundings if we are not aware of our own views and expectations. Kathleen Starck argues that Gender Studies should even be a part of teacher training programs at universities, for this would prevent teachers from excluding gender-related topics simply because they are not informed enough about them (cf. 92). Elsner and Lohe report that there are few resources available for English teachers in German-speaking countries that offer insights into how to “raise critical awareness for such gender relations” (9), despite the fact that gender is a topic that should also be covered throughout secondary school in Austria. Nevertheless, König, Lewin, and Surkamp acknowledge that interest in the topic seems to be rising continuously and that there are is some literature available already that is discussed briefly in the following pages (cf. 22). One of the publications that is concerned with Gender Studies and its relevance in the foreign language classroom is Gender Studies and Foreign Language Teaching by Helene Decke-Cornill and Laurenz Volkmann (2007). This collection of articles has a more theoretical focus as it presents research done on gender-related topics but does not offer much practical insights as to how to teach gender in the EFL classroom. Another publication in this field is Gender and Language Learning by Daniela Elsner and Viviane Lohe (2016). This book offers more practical considerations for English teachers as they include articles with ideas and concrete proposals how educators could implement topics related to gender in their lessons. There are three chapters of the book that deserve to be mentioned in a little bit more detail. The first one is the chapter “What Does It Mean to Teach About Gender? Gender Studies and Their Implications for Foreign Language Teaching” by Lotta König, Sonja Lewin and Carola Surkamp, which has been used as a reference in this thesis and offers valuable information for teachers of foreign languages. Additionally, they describe three different “teaching units”, as they refer to them, for the EFL classroom (ibid. 26). These proposed activities are centered on literary texts that are part of preparational material for the A-levels in Germany. By using texts that were not necessarily chosen because of their aptitude for teaching gender awareness, the authors show that gender sensitivity can also be taught with ‘normal’ teaching material. It just depends on the approach that is taken when using them in class. Another aspect stressed by König, Lewin and Surkamp is the fact that when teaching gender, educators have to be careful and acknowledge that there

is not only one opinion or solution to these issues, instead they should provide the students with the necessary resources and encourage them to reflect critically on their views (cf. 27). Another contribution is the chapter “Gender and Literature: Creating Gender Awareness” by Laurenz Volkmann and Friedrich Schiller. As the name suggests, the chapter focuses on the use of literary text to teach gender awareness. The authors argue that literary texts, similar to films, have a number of advantages: first, they offer information on “gender relations”, as Volkmann and Schiller explain; second, they can increase the students’ motivation; and third, they allow learners to acquire or improve their skills of analyzing and interpreting text and images (Volkmann/ Schiller 114). In other words, working with literary texts allows students to analyze how gender is constructed in cultural artefacts and to reflect on the presented images of gender critically. What is more, the authors offer a proposed list of literary texts dealing with gender-related issues to use in the EFL classroom as well as practical considerations when working with literary texts to raise gender awareness. The third article is Gabriele Linke’s chapter “Beyond Stereotypes? Exploring Gender through Popular Culture in the EFL Classroom”. Linke explains that because we find so many gender images in products of popular culture, it seems important to include them in class discussions about gender. Especially since the images we are confronted with often depict traditional stereotypes due to the fact that “they are easily consumable and affirm common pre-knowledge pleasantly”, as Linke suggests (134). Linke then proceeds to make suggestions how educators could teach gender by using popular culture products such as advertisements, literary texts, magazines, songs or films as well as provides a list of relevant teaching resources and what issues could be addressed with these materials. All in all, the publication by Elsner and Lohe offers valuable practical considerations when it comes to teaching gender in the EFL classroom as well as related research done in this field. Another publication which is related to Linke’s considerations about popular culture and gender is the article “SlashSit und andere Geschichten vom Sitzen” by Monika Seidl which deals with gender stereotypes in video games (2010). Seidl argues that since the number of teenagers playing video games is steadily increasing, it seems that this medium, similar to films and literary texts, should be explored further and reflected

critically in school. Similar to films and other cultural artefacts, popular video games are full of gender stereotypes and gender-specific expectations (cf. Seidl 295). By analyzing these images carefully and observing them from a different perspective, teachers promote the students’ “visual literacy”, as Seidl refers to it (295). For teachers who are interested in including video games into their lessons to raise the students’ gender awareness, Seidl offers approaches and methods to do so. The next teaching resource that needs to be mentioned is the issue “Negotiating Gender” from the magazine Der Fremdsprachliche Unterricht Englisch (2015). This issue is solely dedicated to teaching gender-related topics and offers, firstly, important theoretical input as a basis and, secondly, proposes five lesson plans dealing with different aspects such as gender construction in advertisements and gender identities in textbooks. Additionally, the Austrian Ministry for Education, Science and Women published a collection of four prototypical activities to train gender competences in the classroom called Genderkompezent/ Geschlechtergleichstellung: Prototypische Aufgaben (2013). These activities, designed by Katharina Fleischmann and Evelyn Sutterlüti, are proposed to be done over the course of several lessons and are not designed for one specific subject; hence, they can be adapted to fit into English or German lessons, for example, as well as form the basis of interdisciplinary projects. Furthermore, they can be implemented into different forms depending on how the teacher prepares the material and the students for the topic. One proposed activity, for example, is focused on exploring products that are specifically geared towards males or females. Another is focused on stereotypical gender representations in textbooks. These activities offer concrete ideas how Austrian teachers can implement topics concerned with gender and diversity into their classrooms. As such, it can be a helpful guide for educators who are not sure how to approach this topic with their students. We have now discussed a number of publications that offer not only a theoretical basis for educators who are interested in implementing gender and diversity into their lessons but also offer ideas, specific practical considerations and finished lesson plans. As the literature concerned with teaching gender and diversity is so limited, the proposed lesson sequence that follows later on attempts to contribute to the small pool of resources available and to offer teachers and educators an approach on how to implement such important, but sensitive topics in the EFL classroom.

Here, we now move to considerations regarding teaching diversity. While raising the students’ awareness regarding gender identity, other aspects of their identity should be explored as well to help them recognize the diversity around us. Johnson and Blanchard point out that most people associate race with diversity claiming that “diversity has been posited as an ‘us versus them’ phenomenon, and engaging with racial diversity then becomes a ‘minority’ issue” (5). By focusing solely on race, one does exclude many others belonging to different categories of ‘diversity’, since “diversity at its core focuses on difference, but what we don’t discuss often enough is what those differences are” (Johnson/ Blanchard 5). Hence, this concept includes a variety of aspects connected to our identity: from age and religion to race, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, and ability (cf. Johnson/ Blanchard 6). Even though all these dimensions are undoubtedly important and should be considered together, as suggested by the concept of intersectionality, the limitations of this thesis do not allow for a thorough evaluation of each and every one of them. As, the practical part of this paper focuses exclusively on gender and race, it is these two categories that we continue to focus on. Since the only way to deconstruct stereotypes is to understand them and to reflect upon their validity, it is imperative to give students the opportunity to do exactly that. Thus, issues related to gender and diversity should not solely be covered in language lessons, but in every subject in order to make the learners reflect upon various aspects connected to their identities. Still, how can all of this be addressed in the EFL classroom specifically? Since gender-related issues can be a sensitive topic for students, König, Surkamp and Decke-Cornill suggest that this might even be an advantage of the English classroom (cf. 4). Here, the topic cannot be discussed as exhaustively and on such a complex level because the students simply do not have the same linguistic range as they do in their mother tongue. Therefore, König, Surkamp and Decke-Cornill claim it might be easier for students to express their opinion and feelings on gender-related topics in a foreign language than in their L1 as they gain more distance to what they are saying (cf. 4). Elsner and Lohe add that, because of the use of a foreign language, students might also think that they will not be solely judged by what they say, i.e. the content, because there is also the aspect of expressing the content successfully (cf.14). So, they might be more open to expressing themselves than they would be in their mother tongue. In general, teachers should not forget that for their students to be able to talk about gender

issues, they need the necessary vocabulary. Hence, they should be familiar with the most important terms and phrases to guarantee a successful and meaningful discussion (cf. König/ Surkamp/ Decke-Cornill 5). It can be concluded that gender issues should definitely form part of the roaster of topics addressed in the EFL or ESL classroom and that the foreign language might even be advantageous compared to other subjects, as it creates more distance to the topic which might facilitate expressing one’s feelings and opinions about it, provided the students possess the necessary vocabulary to do so. Additionally, language itself can be used to discuss gender as we express gender every time we use a specific pronoun (he/she), address interlocutors (Miss/Mister) or even insult someone (bitch, faggot) (cf. ibid. 5). As such, learners should be aware of the fact that the way we use language is also an expression of our expectations and views. Especially relating to certain professions, it inadvertently shows what one thinks about men and women and their roles in the workplace. What is meant here is that some careers are often thought to be more ‘suitable’ for men and others for women, which says a lot about particular traits that are attributed to females and males in our culture. Also, the terms used for professions often entail typical male or female suffixes, as in waiter or waitress. By using one form or the other, we reflect the expectations we have regarding the gender identity of the person we address with that term. For that reason, students should be sensitized to possible sexist or racist language to ensure a more sensible use of gender- and race-related language. Another advantage is that the subject itself promotes a change of perspective by making students aware of differences and similarities between cultures and lifestyles. The importance of being able to “depart from one’s own perspective” is stressed by König, Lewin and Surkamp, as only then the students are “able to see the norms and to reflect on them as such”, which, in turn, helps them understanding that “concepts and attitudes inherent to our own culture are very powerful in shaping our perception of the world” (22). Thus, changing our perspective helps us understand the influence the society we live in has over our own expectations. Elsner and Lohe repeatedly insist that, because of the omnipresence of gender- specific content, it is even more important to reflect upon the images our students are confronted with on a daily basis (10). By doing so, the students should get more sensitive and more aware of how gender roles and gender-specific stereotypes are portrayed in the

media, in advertisements, and in films. Elsner and Lohe suggest three simple steps to aid students in this process towards more awareness. First, the students should “identify heteronormative stereotypes” (ibid. 13). This means that the learners should become aware of certain views and thinking patterns they have or are familiar with regarding traditional gender norms and stereotypes as well as binary gender roles prevailing in our society. Thus, by encouraging students to identify possible expectations they might have towards what is considered ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ and how men and women are expected to behave, they, i.e. the students, take the first necessary step towards being more open-minded and aware. Johnson and Blanchard propose three steps educators should follow in order to encourage their students to become more conscious of stereotypes and preconceptions in our culture (cf. 5). The first step is the identification and understanding of the concept of culture, i.e. the understanding of the ‘self’ compared to others and the realization that cultural norms can differ (ibid. cf. 5). In short, a necessary first step in the process of becoming more open- minded, whether it be regarding gender expectations and identities or racial backgrounds, clearly is to become aware of the fact that everyone has expectations, views, and ideas towards these issues. Realizing that all of us have this preconceived knowledge and that we apply it to make sense of the world around us, we can move on to the next level. The next step is for students to reflect on the stereotypes they and other people in our society have. This, of course, should also include questioning the origin of existing stereotypes, whether these are connected to gender, race, age, religion, etc., to establish why we even start to presume certain facts about others in our environment (cf. ibid. 13). Here, all the influences the students are confronted with, whether it be from people they interact with or images they see in the media, on television, or even in their school books, play an important role. Being conscious of the fact that these images carry meaning is an important step for the students and should definitely be explored further in class. This has been mentioned earlier in the overview of literature available regarding these topics. One of the activities proposed in “Negotiating Gender”, for example, is concerned with how gender is constructed in textbooks. By analyzing the images presented in the schoolbooks, students are made aware of the fact that these visualizations are often very stereotypical and often not very diverse.

Finally, the ideal last step would be to deconstruct the stereotypes we have by considering alternatives to our previous way of thinking. This, for example, might include using more gender-neutral language if we are in a “gender-sensitive situation”, as Elsner and Lohe phrase it (13). Simply put, we should stop making assumptions about others solely based on how they behave and act around us. Given the variety of gender identities available, it is imperative to stop thinking in the binary tradition and to accept that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full potential without facing judgment from others around them regarding how they dress, speak or behave. Moreover, students should also become aware of the fact that there is more in the world than the so-called “dominant” White culture, and they should be encouraged to develop “a multicultural outlook”, as Johnson and Blanchard refer to it (5). In short, they should not only become more sensitive towards gender issues but also towards other issues connected to other identity dimensions. i.e. religion, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, etc. Similar to the arguments made in favor of teaching gender, issues connected to diversity have also been largely ignored, or in the very least given too little attention in teacher training programs. Even though race might not play such an important role in Austria, ethnicity does, and with a growing globalized society, race and diversity are becoming more and more relevant all over the world. Johnson and Blanchard assess, as does Kathleen Starck with Gender Studies, that often teachers are simply not confident enough in their level of knowledge and might, therefore, feel uncomfortable teaching lessons on diversity and inclusion (cf. Johnson/Blanchard 2). What is more, in an increasingly delicate environment, teachers might fear to offend someone or to be stereotypical and, hence, ignore such sensitive topics altogether (cf. ibid. 2). This, however, is not a solution as we all know that simply ignoring uncomfortable facts or situations does not make them go away. Johnson and Blanchard put it quite aptly, asking: “If the goal of education is to produce citizens who are global thinkers, how much longer can eliminating this element from the curriculum be acceptable?” (cf. 2). In this sense, we will now move on to examine how we can use the medium film to effectively teach students gender- and diversity-related issues.

4.1. Teaching Diversity and Gender through Film

As established earlier, one medium which can serve as a useful tool when teaching diversity and gender is film. Especially in the Foreign Language classroom, the advantages of using film have been acknowledged time and time again. The medium not only presents a life-like representation of other cultures and lifestyles but also shows communicative interaction in the target language. Therefore, the learners not only profit from the auditory level by hearing the language spoken, ideally by native speakers, but also from the visual track by watching characters interact in another environment as representatives of other cultures and lifestyles (cf. Solte/ Haußmann 6). Furthermore, the medium offers another chance for students to change their perspective and point of view by providing them with insights into the lives of the characters (cf. ibid. 6). This is also supported by Lütge who claims that the usage of films almost seems a must since they represent a unique perspective on foreign lifestyles, norms and worldviews which facilitate intercultural learning (cf. 32). Furthermore, König, Lewin and Surkamp claim that through the character’s perspective, the students are able to experience other identities and lifestyles within the given context. This means that they are able to discover what it is like to be a gay male in the 1970s, for example, or experience life from the view of a young women growing up in the Middle East. Additionally, König, Lewin and Surkamp assert that since films and literary texts “construct gender norms both on the level of the plot and in their form, i.e. the way they are depicted by the narrative situation or the camera perspectives” (ibid. 26), students need to understand the plot as well as be aware of how the character is shown, i.e. what can be inferred about them by processing information that is not given verbally. König, Lewin and Surkamp highlight another advantage film offers by asserting that “the fictionality of films and literary texts can help to talk about issues that are highly relevant, yet also personal and maybe frightening to students” (27). This means that due to the fictional setting in films and literary texts, the students gain a certain distance to the topic at hand and, hence, might find it easier to discuss such sensitive issues by projecting them onto the lives of fictional characters. What is more, Johnson and Blanchard claim that “most people do not think about how movies shape our beliefs and worldview”, adding that “our individual cultural

identities are continually shaped, changed, and sometimes distorted by what we see in movies” (2). Consequently, films are cultural artifacts and, thus, allow us, as an audience, to absorb and evaluate the messages they carry in order to better understand other cultures. Nonetheless, Lütge warns that the reality presented in films should not be taken at face value, since it does not always represent the actual ‘real’ reality of the people living in other countries a hundred percent (cf. 32). This is corroborated by Johnson and Blanchard who acknowledge that “students use the ‘knowledge’ gained from movies as fact, thus creating difficulties and controversies” (2). Accordingly, it is important for educators to use films carefully, so students learn to evaluate the content critically, bearing in mind the creative liberties directors and writers take for the sake of the drama (cf. Johnson/ Blanchard 2). To sum up, one can say that, if used effectively and consciously, the medium film certainly has its advantages and can communicate more content than a simple picture or a text; hence, films definitely prove to be a useful tool when incorporating them in lessons geared towards raising the students gender awareness and improve intercultural learning. Moving on to practical considerations, it is necessary to point out that although it is acknowledged that films are a useful resource for implementing gender and diversity- related issues in class, there is a distinct lack of specific teaching materials. As already presented in the previous chapter, there is limited literature available that is dedicated to general observations for the use of popular culture products in combination with gender and diversity; nevertheless, there are three notable contributions presenting specific considerations for using films to teach gender and diversity. The first publication is the article “Gendered Views & Sounds: Zu Gender- Aspekten bei der Arbeit mit Teenage-Filmen im Fremdsprachenunterricht” by Gabriele Blell and Christiane Lütge (2012). Here, Blell and Lütge focus on how films that are popular with teenagers can be used to encourage students to reflect on gender representations. The authors not only offer specific discussion questions for films such as the Harry Potter series (2001-2011), Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and Whale Rider (2003) but also present general considerations regarding methods and approaches to teaching gender and diversity. Another article I want to discuss is also written by Christiane Lütge. In “Culture – Gender – Otherness: Perspektiven für die Literaturverfilmung im Englischunterricht“

(2012) Lütge provides general observations on the use of movies to promote intercultural learning and gender reflection in the EFL classroom. Moreover, Lütge discusses specific guiding questions for the analysis of how gender is constructed and represented in the films Anita and Me (2002) and Whale Rider (2003) and presents further activities to continue work with the proposed motion pictures. The third, and last, resource relevant in this context is Brian C. Jonson and Skyra C. Blanchard’s publication Reel Diversity: A Teacher’s Sourcebook (2008). The book provides not only general guidelines teachers have to bear in mind when planning and implementing lessons on diversity but also presents a number of activities centered on a variety of topics relating to gender and diversity linking them with films that can be used to teach these topics. Although the book is meant as a resource for educators on a university level, the proposed activities can be a valuable source of ideas for school teachers as well. Furthermore, the publication is mostly focused on American society, meaning that certain aspects might not be as relevant for Austrian students. Nevertheless, if prepared accordingly, some of the activities are certainly suitable to use in an EFL classroom. Let us now discuss how we can use films specifically to work on gender- and diversity-related issues in the EFL classroom. To begin with, the students need to have the necessary vocabulary. This has already been pointed out and must be stressed again, for if the students lack the required vocabulary and knowledge of basic concepts, they will not be able to contribute much during the lessons for fear of saying something wrong (cf. Johnson/ Blanchard 13ff.). Thus, there should be a basic introduction of the necessary concepts that the students need to be familiar with in order to profit as much as possible from the classes. After introducing the concepts at hand to the students, one can use film segments, or even a whole film if time allows, to give the students a chance to analyze specific cultural content with a concrete focus on aspects such as the representation of gender or race, for example. One approach could be to analyze the actual content of the film, i.e. the storyline itself and the characters appearing on screen. Here, the learners should follow the representation of the characters not from a technical perspective, but how they act, what they wear, how they talk in connection to the development they undergo throughout the film. Johnson and Blanchard also suggest drawing parallels between what is shown on the screen and what expectations we have in our current society

(cf. 108). Thus, one could use the Disney film Beauty and the Beast (1991) as a basis to discuss gender and what counts as ‘traditionally male’ and ‘traditionally female’ (cf. ibid. 108). Another approach would be, as Lütge suggests, to analyze more technical aspects of the film, as not only the content itself provides the students with information about how characters are to be conceived by the audience. To do so, teachers should provide specific questions to draw the learners’ focus towards certain aspects; for example, how men and women are portrayed through the camera, i.e. where they stand, how close they are to the camera, the length of the shot, etc. Other aspects might be whether they sound differently, i.e. their pitch and intonation, but also film music and sound effects (cf. 38). After identifying such information, the students could then analyze how these decisions influence the perception of the characters and their identity as these decisions are never arbitrary but have a specific function and effect that the director wanted to achieve. All things considered, it appears that film certainly has significant advantages and, if used carefully, can be a useful tool to aid in teaching diversity. Whether one wants to focus more on the content and images presented in the films, or on more technical aspects of the product, it offers a variety of possibilities to raise the students’ awareness towards gender and racial issues, as well as other facets of identity, if the appropriate film and approach is chosen by the educator. After establishing these rather theoretical approaches, we will now turn to the film that has been chosen for this thesis and the corresponding project that will be discussed extensively in the following chapters.

5. Marvel’s Black Panther

What made it unique was the idea at the time. Not only was this a Black superhero, and it was kind of a shock when he pulls off his mask and reveals himself to be an African king, but he’s also rich, very smart, the king of a kingdom. And he singlehandedly defeats Marvel’s premier family-group, the Fantastic Four. And this was all being done and delivered to a largely White and male audience at the time. (Black Panther “Bonus material” 2:10:15 – 2:10:43)

This quote from Christopher Priest, one of the writers of the Black Panther comic, highlights the impact the comic had upon its release in the 1970s. Wakanda and its heroic leader, King T’Challa, were first introduced to the Marvel Universe in 1966 when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby sent the Fantastic Four to the tribal kingdom after having been invited by King T’Challa in the Fantastic Four #52-53 comic (cf. Lund 2). His invitation was motivated by his desire to measure his powers against those of the superhero ensemble to test whether he was strong enough to defeat his father’s murderer, Ulysses Klaue, also known as Klaw (cf. Lund 2). Thus, the Black Panther was born and later even got his own comic series which delved deeper into his character’s development as the first black superhero. In the movie franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, the Black Panther makes his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, which was released in 2016 (cf. IMDb “Captain America: Civil War”). In this film, the Black Panther joins Iron Man and his allies to find Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier, who was framed by Klaw as the perpetrator behind the attack at the UN summit in Vienna in which King T’Chaka of Wakanda was killed. Later, however, the Black Panther learns that it was actually Ulysses Klaue who was responsible for the attack and goes on to pursue his quest for revenge in Black Panther, until he realizes its destructive power at the end of the film. Ever since the Black Panther had appeared in Captain America: Civil War, expectations grew steadily regarding his own movie. With a predominantly Black cast and an African American director, Ryan Coogler, who also co-wrote the script, the film was hoped to be the film to change the industry. Journalists praised that it “heralds a new, groundbreaking genre: ‘Superhero films that deal with issues of being of African descent’” (Johnson “Black Panther Is Changing”). Jamil Smith also recognized the film’s significance, writing in an article published by Time magazine:

If you are reading this and you are white, seeing people who look like you in mass media probably isn’t something you think about often. Every day, the culture reflects not only you but nearly infinite versions of you—executives, poets, garbage collectors, soldiers, nurses and so on. The world shows you that your possibilities are boundless. […] Those of us who are not white have considerably more trouble not only finding representation of ourselves in mass media and other arenas of public life, but also finding representation that indicates that our humanity is multifaceted. Relating to characters onscreen is necessary not merely for us to feel seen and understood, but also for others who need to see and understand us (“The Revolutionary Power”)

Here, Smith perfectly explains the importance of promoting diversity in the mass media. It is not only vital for minorities to see themselves represented in films and TV series but also for everyone else to recognize that our society consists of people with diverse ethnic backgrounds and gender identities. Although superhero comics were long believed to be received by a mostly White, male audience and, thus, geared to offer them superheroes they could identify with, more and more diverse characters emerged in the Marvel universe over the past years. Still, David Gabriel, Marvel Comics vice president of sales, suggested in April 2007 that “people didn’t want any more diversity […] didn’t want female characters out there” as an explanation to the company’s falling sales numbers after introducing “a more diverse roster of characters” (Kopin 439). With the success of Black Panther upon its release in February 2018 or DC’s Wonder Woman in 2017, however, it seems unlikely that the audiences, which, of course, include White males, but also encompass other groups as well, do not wish for more diverse characters. On its opening weekend alone, for example, Black Panther brought in over $200 million, with a total of $700 million in domestic ticket sales, i.e. in Northern America (cf. IMDb “Black Panther” and Box Office Mojo “2018 Domestic Grosses”). Brad Brevet from Box Office Mojo even states that Black Panther “ranks as the #1 comic book adaptation of all-time” (“A Look Back”). These numbers underscore what the media had been predicting all along with headlines suggesting that “‘Black Panther’ To Be Highest Grossing Superhero Of All Time” after topping “$1.2 billion in worldwide theatrical receipts” upon being released for about a month (Hughes “‘Black Panther’ To Be”). But what exactly is it that makes it so special and relevant? In the following pages I will present three main reasons in answer to this question. First, we have to consider the place the story is set: the imaginary African nation of Wakanda. This “blacktopia”, as Eckhardt refers to the country, portrays a nation which was able to “thrive beyond the reach of white supremacy”, due to the nations successful escape of the influential sphere

from colonial forces and was, thus, able to fully develop to its full potential (Eckhardt 4). Since Wakanda presents itself as a poor nation without many resources, the truth about the nation’s actual wealth and significant advancements in scientific, technological and medical fields is hidden from the world. In short, “Wakanda”, as cast member Lupita Nyong’o states in an interview, “offers us a glimpse into the world as it could be – self- determined and developed on their own terms without the interruption of colonialism” (Brockington “Why The Women”). Wakanda is, at least, how many Africans and individuals with African roots would like to imagine an African nation could be like today if it had not been for colonial interference. The representation of this imaginary African tribal nation might even suggest, according to Eckhardt, that “Africans and African Americans are superior when it comes to technological abilities, and the reason why this is not evident today is because of the violence inherent in white colonization and domination which has kept this superiority from emerging” (4). Again, Wakanda is so special because it was spared the intervention of the West and, hence, was able to develop into this futuristic and powerful country. Second, the empowerment shown by the Black female characters is another aspect that makes the film so widely popular. As already mentioned earlier on, the numbers of female characters in blockbuster films is generally lower than that of their male counterparts. When looking at the Black Panther cast this might still ring true to a certain extent. Looking at their nominations for a SAG Award in the category ‘Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture’ the following actors are named: Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa/ Black Panther), Sterling K. Brown (N’Jobu), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Martin Freeman (Everett K. Ross), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Daniel Kaluuya (W’Kabi), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue), Forest Whitaker (Zuri) and Letitia Wright (Shuri) (cf. Screen Actors Guild Awards “Recipient”). Here it becomes clear that Black Panther is not a complete exception, as the female characters make up a third of the cast nominated, which coincides with the numbers we have seen earlier in the report by Smith et al. (“Inequality”). However, Black Panther has been praised for how those female characters have been presented and this is the second aspect why this film deserves so much acclaim. It is necessary to note that the following pages include an analysis of the depictions of the female characters. In order to strengthen the arguments and to allow

for a better discussion of the female characters and how they are portrayed in Black Panther, the gendered pronouns he/she and him/her are used in the following pages. As established, Black Panther generated a lot of positive press due to the positive portrayal of the female characters. Nyong’o, who plays Nakia, asserts that Wakanda “has figured out how to make the most of all its citizens. […] Women are allowed to realize their full potential” (Brockington “Why The Women”). So, it is the unique environment of Wakanda that allows its citizens to be who they want to be and to establish themselves in a way that goes beyond the traditional social roles women take on in our culture. From Okoye, the leader of the royal all-female special forces, the Dora Milaje, to the tech-savvy genius Princess Shuri and the Wakandan spy Nakia: the women of Wakanda are portrayed as intelligent, independent and fierce. They fight for what they want and do not bow down to the desires of the male characters. Furthermore, none of the three younger characters – Nakia, Okoye, and Shuri – seem too concerned with establishing themselves as mothers or providing a stable and tidy home for a man. Okoye, played by Danai Gurira, for example, is the fearless leader of the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces of Wakanda. She is portrayed as a warrior and protector of her nation, who is not afraid to speak her mind and is deeply loyal to the Crown. Even though her loyalty is tested throughout the film, she is even willing to confront and challenge her own husband, W’Kabi, leader of the Border Tribe, when it comes to protecting her country as evidenced by the short exchange between these two characters: W'KABI. You would kill me my love? OKOYE. For Wakanda? Without Question. (1:49:53 – 1:50:03) Since Okoye is a fighter, her femininity is not presented by revealing clothes, long hair or an obsession with her appearance, which so often is the case with female characters, as we have learned earlier. Indeed, later in the film Okoye even resents having to dress up in a dress and wig to disguise herself and gain entry into an underground casino. Marlene D. Allen perfectly describes Okoye’s displeasure: “As a strong Wakandan woman, Okoye chafes visibly at the idea of trying to fit into the outside world’s normative, Eurocentric beauty ideals. Instead, she prefers the gorgeous simplicity of her bald head, which allows her to fight with ease without hair obscuring her vision” (21). Thus, Okoye is presented as a proud woman who is not willing to conform to existing beauty ideals from Western culture, since she is more comfortable with her bald head,

which also might act as a type of status symbol, for it represents all members of the Dora Milaje.

Image 1 (left): Okoye dressed in armor (Black Panther 0:07:12) Image 2 (right): Okoye dressed up (Black Panther 0:39:35)

Another very important female character in the film worth mentioning is Nakia, T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend and love interest, played by Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. We are first introduced to Nakia when T’Challa sets out to find her while she is on a humanitarian mission in Namibia rescuing young women from captivity. Nakia is also portrayed as an incredibly independent women who, similarly to Okoye, is more interested in self-fulfillment and would not let a man and their relationship come between her and her goals. This is what Nakia clarifies again when asked by T’Challa to stay in Wakanda and become his Queen. T’CHALLA. Come home, Nakia. NAKIA. I’m right here. T’CHALLA. Stay. NAKIA. I came to support you and to honor your father, but I can’t stay. It’s just… I found my calling out there. I’ve seen too many in need just to turn a blind eye. I can’t be happy here knowing that there’s people out there who have nothing. (0:32:10-0:32:32)

Nakia puts her desire to help others before her desire to stay in Wakanda and be with the person she loves. However, Nakia’s urge to help others depicts her as a representation of the typical ‘nurse’. Hence, it has to be acknowledged that, even though Black Panther is an important step in the right directions regarding the representation of female and Black characters, the characters are not completely different to earlier depictions. Nakia also

often urges T’Challa that it is Wakanda’s responsibility to aid others and make their scientific, technological and medical prowess public, so that they can help others better. This is underscored by Allen who suggests that Nakia “serves as the moral and political heart of the film” (21). Finally, we have to mention Princess Shuri. Shuri is, on one hand, T’Challa’s teenage sister and hence, a member of the royal family of Wakanda and, on the other hand, the head scientist of Wakanda. Her innovations range from scientific and technical to medical, as we can see throughout the film. Apart from that, she is portrayed as mischievous and witty and clearly enjoys making fun of her brother whenever she gets a chance to do so. However, she is definitely not any less fierce or strong than the other female characters discussed so far, as she participates in the final battle to fight for Wakanda. All in all, the female characters in the film represent “Black women magic” as Marlene D. Allen remarks. This term, so Allen further, was established in 2013 by CaShawn Thompson and means “to celebrate the beauty, power, and resilience of Black women” (20). These characteristics seem to fit Okoye, Nakia and Shuri perfectly and represent the women of Wakanda as fierce, independent and strong women. They fight for what they believe is right and certainly do not bow down to the male characters in the film. T’Challa and Everett K. Ross even owe their lives to them. Although the women of Wakanda show signs of empowerment, Wakanda is still ruled by a male leader. Thus, it is necessary to highlight the fact that Black Panther can, certainly, be praised for the power given to its female characters and its positive depiction of Black characters; still, we need to be also aware that Black Panther is not a sign of radical change within the entertainment industry either as Wakanda still shows signs of a patriarchy. Third, the film celebrates its ‘blackness’ by embracing its heritage and showing various aspects of African culture. This is reflected in the predominantly Black cast as well as in the fact that many African traditions, i.e. the traditional clothing and the crowning ritual for example, are able to co-exist next to technological and scientific advancement. The mostly black cast might also have to do with the fact that Ryan Coogler is African American and, thus, as Smith et al. (“Inequality”) suggest in their report, more Black characters feature in his production. Moreover, Coogler shows that “this movie does not need a white savior” (White 424). The people of Wakanda are entirely capable

of saving themselves and others. Moreover, White refers to Tommy Lott and suggests that Coogler’s Black Panther is a film which shows the audience a different view and representation of Black people, since they are “presented from a wholly black cultural perspective”, which could be related to the fact that many of the creative team are also Black (426). In short, the film places a definitive focus on African traditions and presents the citizens of Wakanda as honoring their traditions and ancestors as well as recognizing the possibilities of their advancements. All of these aspects are part of the reason why this film is celebrated widely. “It’s all there in a movie that is a one-of-a-kind experience: undeniably bold, black and beautiful”, Betancourt concludes (“‘Black Panther’ fully embraces”). The following chapter will now briefly explore the impact the movie has on pop culture.

5.1. A Social Phenomenon: Black Panther - More than Just Another Superhero Movie

Upon its release, Black Panther evoked such strong audience responses that many moviegoers decided that, in order to fully embrace the experience, they needed to return to their roots to honor where they came from and showed up at the cinemas in traditional African clothes. What many of the audience members remarked was how excited they were to see superheroes, male and female characters in positions of power, as kings and queens and warriors, and have them look just like them, i.e. like African Americans, and see their African roots and culture portrayed in a positive light (cf. Associated Press “African fashion”). This clearly shows that it was high time for a big-budget film to come out that portrays Black characters in ways that were previously reserved for White characters, as superheroes and leaders who are strong and loyal and respected and not as gangsters and dead-beat fathers or hard-working single mothers or any other stereotypes that Black actors often had to contend with until now. Jamil Smith confirms this and assesses that Black Panther has the unique revolutionary power to “prove to Hollywood that African-American narratives have the power to generate profits from all audiences” and adds that “making movies about black lives is part of showing that they matter” (“The Revolutionary Power”). This same sentiment was echoed by Chadwick Boseman in his

remarks after winning the SAG award for ‘Outstanding Performance By a Cast in a Motion Picture’ at the end of January:

When I think of going to work every day and the passion and the intelligence, the resolve, the discipline that everybody showed, I also think of two questions that we all have received during the course of multiple publicity runs. And one is, “Did we know that this movie was going to receive this kind of response?” Meaning, was it going to make a billion dollars, was it going to still be around during award season? And the second question is, “Has it changed the industry?” Has it actually changed the way this industry works, how it sees us? And my answer is to be young, gifted and black — (loud applause) Because all of us up here, and Andy [Serkis], we include you, too. (laughter) To be young, gifted and black, we all know what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured, yet you are young, gifted and black. We know what it’s like to be told there’s not a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on. We know what it’s like to be the tail and not the head. We know what it’s like to be beneath and not above. And that is what we went to work with every day because we knew — not that we would be around during award season or that it would make a billion dollars, but we knew we had something special that we wanted to give the world. That we could be full human beings in the roles that we were playing, that we could create a world that exemplified a world that we wanted to see.6

This statement by Boseman clearly highlights not only the importance of the film to the audience but also to the actors. To be given the chance to portray a Black superhero and warriors standing by their side and defending them allowed the cast to portray characters as role models who looked just like them for Black and Brown people all over the world. The impact the movie has on audiences worldwide has also been recognized by many film academies and similar institutions as the film has, as of now, been nominated 190 times for various awards and recognitions, according to information found on IMDb (“Black Panther”). Until now, the film has received over 70 awards and recognitions, ranging from Saturn Awards (Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Danai Gurira), Best Production Design, and Best Make-up), which is awarded by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films in the USA, to a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, which was awarded on 27 January 2019.7 Most notably, however, are the Oscar nominations in seven categories including Best Motion Picture of the Year. This is the first Oscar nomination, Billy Nilles comments, in this category for a comic book adaptation so far (“Black Panther: How A Marvel Movie”)8.

6 Transcript taken from Emily Yahr. “Read Chadwick Boseman’s powerful SAG Awards speech after ‘Black Panther’ won the top prize”. The Washington Post 27 January 2019. Web. 1 February 2019. 7 These numbers refer to the data available on February 13, 2019. 8 All in all, Black Panther is nominated in the following categories: Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score), Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song), Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in

In short, the film has certainly generated a lot of global attention, which has led to its overwhelming financial success. Audiences all over the world feel empowered and inspired after seeing the film’s celebration of African culture. Especially in the United States the film seems to have had an incredible impact by showing Black and African American citizens what it feels like to see a predominantly African and African American cast portraying such powerful, strong and intelligent characters. Since the film has gained such an intense approval for its representation of gender roles and diversity in the Hollywood blockbuster industry, it appears to be an interesting resource to analyze and discuss when teaching such topics in school. The students are confronted with a film that has been seen by a broad audience and has reached many individuals all over the world. Additionally, the media coverage related to the movie was extensive and, as such, it seems interesting to discuss with the students if they can relate to the widespread acclaim or if they view these representations differently. Nevertheless, Black Panther offers the chance to apply key concpets of Gender Studies to popular content. This is why this film has been chosen for the following class project. Black Panther celebrates African culture and shows a world in which Black characters can be powerful superheroes, brilliant scientists and fearless warriors and in which these domains are not limited to White or male characters only.

Production Design, Best Achievement in Sound Editing, Best Achievement in Sound Mixing (cf. IMDb “Black Panther”).

6. Lesson Plans

As detailed previously, teaching gender and diversity is without a doubt important; however, designing actual lessons to do so offers unique challenges, since there are so many different ways to approach this issue. In the following chapters, I present a lesson sequence consisting of four lessons specially designed for and carried out in a 5th form of a BAfEP in Austria. BAfEP stands for Bildungsanstalt für Elementarpädagogik and is a secondary school for students between 14 and 19 years of age. It offers not only a high school diploma and thus general education but also professional training in elementary education. The fact that the project was designed for BAfEP students certainly influenced my approach to the topic and the choices I made regarding the resources I used. Furthermore, I tried to incorporate the experiences they have already made working with young children throughout the lesson sequence to make the students realize that what we are talking about can be related to their daily lives. The decision to do this project with a 5th form was based on the fact that the students should have a good command of English, so they were able to partake in the discussions and present their views on the topic more easily. Moreover, most of the characters in the film Black Panther speak with a rather heavy African accent at times, thus, making it more difficult to understand if the students do not have a high enough level of English. Personally, I think that talking about gender and diversity with students in a BAfEP is especially important, as they are around little children so much and have a responsibility towards them as educators and role models. Therefore, I believe that it is essential that they become more aware of their own views regarding gender stereotypes and the expectations they have towards gender roles in our society. Nevertheless, teaching gender and diversity should not be limited to BAfEP students and the proposed lesson sequence can be adapted to be used in other school types as well. The process of designing these lessons was initially challenging since I had no prior experience with the students for whom I created the lessons. Even though I got some basic information from their teacher regarding their language skills, general behavior and attitude in their English class, I did not have the chance to meet the students prior to starting the project with them. However, this did not greatly affect the outcome of the whole project, for the students showed eagerness and willingness to participate

throughout the whole process. I believe this might stem from the fact that they are used to preparing activities and projects for the time they spend in their placement kindergartens and are, thus, conscious of the effort it takes to prepare a project like mine. Regarding general information about the class, I knew that there were 19 girls and one boy in the class and that they had acquired some knowledge about ‘gender’, having treated the topic before, but not to which extent. Even so, it was helpful to know that I would not have to introduce basic vocabulary and terms, such as the distinction between sex and gender. Additionally, their teacher asked me to include all four language skills, as they needed the practice in preparation for their school leaving exam, the Matura. Based on this information, I set out to condense a topic which could fill an entire semester of classes into four. Due to these limitations, I designed two input lessons and two lessons in which the students should use the previously acquired knowledge and apply it in a more practical context. After discussing the connection to the curriculum, I dedicate a chapter to the considerations and thoughts that led me to make the choices and decisions I made concerning the content of the lessons, i.e. the video clips, articles, etc. I used throughout the lesson sequence.

6.1. Curriculum

As discussed earlier, the topic ‘gender’ has gained more and more importance in our society over the years and has been part of different school curricula in various subjects such as English and German. According to the curriculum for the BAfEP, gender roles and gender questions should be dealt with from the 3rd form onwards (27). The fact that “Geschlechterrollen und Gender-Fragen”, as it is called in the curriculum, should come up repeatedly in different contexts shows, in my opinion, that these are issues of great importance (ibid. 27). Furthermore, it is, a very current topic that comes up again and again in a variety of discussions around the world and is discussed frequently in the media. Additionally, gender is also one of the ten subject areas determined by the CEBS, the “Center für berufsbezogene Sprachen”, which published the guidelines for the oral school leaving exam for the BHS. The relevant subject area is “Soziale und zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen“, which includes gender roles and stereotypes

amongst other aspects affecting interpersonal relationships (CEBS 21). Apart from a thematic focus, the exercises designed for the four lessons train productive as well as receptive language competences and aim to give the students as much talking time as possible. Moreover, throughout the sequence there are several instances in which the students are asked to draw parallels to and reflect upon their time spent in their placement kindergartens during their practice.

6.2. Further considerations

Before moving on to the lesson plans, this part of the thesis is dedicated to a discussion of the overall concept that I had in mind when designing the sequence. First of all, it was very important to me to choose content that related to the lives of the students. Thus, I tried to find video clips and texts that they would deem relevant to their education and training but also were able to relate to them as young adults. For the beginning of the first lesson I wanted to make the students aware of the fact that everyone had stereotypical expectations and preconceptions towards gender. To do so, I chose a warm-up exercise in which I read a list of words and the students had to decide whether they associated the words with men or women. The list of words I had compiled consisted of verbs, professions, activities, colors, and objects which was done intentionally to cover a variety of areas and not solely focus on one aspect of daily life. This should show the students that expectations towards gender roles are deeply rooted in every facet of our culture. Following that, I though it important to engage the students more actively while establishing what gender stereotypes they were familiar with. However, simply naming the various notions would not suffice as we have established earlier on; therefore, it was important to challenge the students and make them evaluate the validity of these stereotypes. As a next step, I thought it necessary for the students to define for themselves what it means to be a man or a woman and how they would define femininity and masculinity. So, here we move from the more general stereotypical images existing in our society to what it means to the students personally. To further discuss this point, I came across a

very interesting video in which young children gave their answers to these questions. What astounded me was that the children’s answers do not seem very typical for children their age. Their behavior and attitude suggest that their parents are academics and, thus, they probably are privy to a certain level of education, which makes them more aware of such issues. Nevertheless, I chose to include it because it shows that there are changes towards gender expectations visible in certain groups within our society. After discussing the students’ views on femininity and masculinity, another aspect I wanted to explore with them was that even though we might think of ourselves as open- minded, specific gender expectations are so deeply embedded in our subconscious that it still influences our behavior. Especially when it comes to children, it seems that adults might be influenced by their subconscious when playing with them as an interesting experiment by the BBC shows. This video clip was chosen specifically with the BAfEP students in mind because it would allow the discussion to move to their own experiences working with young children. All in all, my goal for the first lesson was to introduce the topic on a general level, but then move on to a personal level by making them think of their own expectations and situations they experienced when someone was treated differently because of their gender. These videos and discussions should be the basis for the coming lessons. The overall aim for the second lesson was to move on from our general observations and discuss gender roles in our society. This includes discussions about professions and why certain professions seem to be more expected to be occupied by males and others more by females as well as the distribution of duties in the household. I chose to include the second aspect, household chores, after I had come across the article “A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More Chores”, which was published in August in the New York Times. It is not only an original article easy enough for the students to understand but also shines a light on the fact that gender equality starts at home. If we move on from the ‘traditional’ notions that only women are responsible for cleaning and men are supposed to be able to fix everything around the house, then we might be able to move on from other ‘typical’ views regarding gender. Furthermore, the article allowed me to include comprehension exercises to give the students a chance to practice these tasks in preparation for their Matura exam.

Since their English teacher asked me to include all language skills, I opted to give the students a written homework since I did not want to dedicate the necessary time during class to writing. Thus, I chose to base the homework assignment on the New York Times article. This allowed the students to reflect on their own experiences growing up and how ‘gender equal’ their upbringing was and compare that to the experiences of their parents and grandparents. Due to this intergenerational comparison, the students should become more aware of the changes that can already be observed regarding the different treatment boys and girls experience within a domestic setting. As already mentioned before, I designed the first two lessons as input lessons in which the students are confronted with issues that are connected to gender stereotypes and gender role expectations in our society. In the third and fourth lesson, the focus shifts to more practical considerations. I wanted to make the students realize that the questions and issues from the first two lessons can be applied to other areas as well and that certain aspects of discussions dealing with equality, inclusion and diversity can be found in blockbuster movies since we have already established that films are cultural artefacts and, hence, reflect the norms and expectations prevailing in the respective culture. To gap the bridge between the input lessons and the more practical part of the project, I came across an illustration from the American online platform Medium which depicts the path to success in life for a man and a woman respectively. It shows that, especially professionally, it seems harder for a woman than for a man to conquer that path. Additionally, it seems even harder still for a woman if they do not belong to the white majority. Thus, the illustration pictures the concept of intersectionality that was discussed in previous chapters in a way that is easy to understand for students. As such, it draws attention to the fact that equality is not only about gender but also about diversity amongst other aspects. To further illustrate that point and move towards the film, I include a tool published by the Representation Project. This project is a non-profit organization based in the United States, whose goal is to raise awareness of the impact the media has on our perceptions of gender and expectations towards gender roles. In their own words, their mission is described as follows: using film and media as catalysts for cultural transformation, The Representation Project inspires individuals and communities to challenge and overcome limiting stereotypes so that everyone – regardless of gender, race, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or circumstance – can fulfill their human potential (The Representation Project “Mission”)

In other words, they have dedicated themselves to raise awareness regarding preconceptions we, as a society, have towards gender norms, ethnicities, religions, etc. The #RepTest is one of the tools the Representation Project uses to make us – the audience – aware of the fact how diverse or, in many cases, how lacking in diversity, a lot of blockbuster movies, TV series and video games are. Therefore, this tool is the perfect activity to move from the previous discussions about gender stereotypes and gender roles in our society to apply this acquired knowledge to the film Black Panther in a more practical exercise. All in all, my goal with this part of the sequence was to show the students, as discussed in previous parts of this thesis, that the way characters are represented in films shows us a lot about how a culture views them. As established earlier, Black Panther generated extensive media coverage and has had a significant impact on popular culture, which were the main reasons why I chose to use this film for the project. Written and directed by an African American director with a predominantly black cast, Black Panther developed from being ‘only another’ superhero movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a social phenomenon praising and celebrating the African heritage of the characters. Due to the fact that Black Panther was praised so widely for its representation of female and Black characters, I deemed it a good choice for the purpose of the lesson sequence. Upon deciding that I would include the film in the project, I knew that there was no possibility to show the students the whole film as it would simply take too much time. Therefore, we were only able to watch several key scenes that would allow the students to get a general idea of the film as well as get to know the characters well enough to complete the questions for group work. The choice which scenes to show in class, however, had not been an easy one because I thought it necessary for the students to see different sides of each character. An account of how group work was completed by the students can be found later on; nevertheless, I would like to emphasize the fact that, in hindsight, I would probably try to find a possibility for the students to see the whole film. This reasoning can be explained by the fact that without seeing the entire film and getting to know the characters better, the analysis is not as meaningful and authentic. Before watching the scenes, it seemed important to introduce the students to the main characters, especially since we do not watch the whole film and these characters

would have to be analyzed later on. I decided to simply show the students pictures of the characters and let them come up with adjectives describing the characters based on what they could see on the pictures. With this exercise, I did not actually know what to expect as I did not know how many, if any, students had seen the film already. Thus, it could turn out that most of the students would be familiar with the characters and the activity would then only be a revision of what they remember. On the other hand, there was always the possibility that none of the students had even heard of the film and, therefore, the task would be quite interesting to see what they could actually infer from the character posters alone. The main goal behind the exercise was for the students to see the characters and make predictions regarding their roles in the film before watching the scenes later on. Furthermore, I believe that this exercise would make it easier later on when they already had a vague idea of each of the characters and the relationships between them. Initially, I had planned to discuss six characters, King T’Challa, Erik Killmonger, Everett K. Ross, Shuri, Nakia and Okoye. I chose them because I wanted to have a variety of male and female characters; however, time constraints did not allow for so many groups and so, I chose to limit the group work to four characters: King T’Challa, Erik Killmonger, Shuri and Nakia. Nevertheless, I still believe that more characters would allow for a better comparison, hence, I would probably assign all six characters for group work if I taught the lesson sequence again. The goal of the group activity was for the students to connect the ideas and views we discussed in the input lessons to how the characters are portrayed in the film. Therefore, they should analyze their characters and comment on how they thought this character is portrayed regarding gender stereotypes and gender role expectations. In short, during the input lessons, my aim was to raise the students’ awareness regarding gender stereotypes and existing expectations concerning gender roles in our society. Afterward, the students should then use the newly acquired knowledge and awareness to consider the representation of chosen male and female characters in the film Black Panther and analyze how the characters are portrayed in the movie, comparing this representation to traditional gender stereotypes and expectations in our society. All of this should help students to not only become more aware of their own expectations and preconceptions as well as reflect upon their attitude regarding this issue but also to make them realize that these views are highly influenced by what we see all around us in the

media, in advertisements, in films and on television. Thus, they should become more sensitive in this area and learn to view these representations and expectations critically.

6.3. General Information

Class Description

• type of school: vocational school (BAfEP) • form: 5th grade of an upper secondary school • CEFR learner level: B2 • learners' age: 18 – 19 • number of students in class: 19 girls, 1 boy

Main Teaching Materials Used

Lesson 1: • worksheet “It’s a boy/ girl thing” + solutions • computer • projector • blackboard/ white-board + chalk/ marker

Lesson 2: • worksheet + solutions • computer • projector • blackboard/ white-board + chalk/ marker

Lesson 3: • copies of the #RepTest • PowerPoint Presentation • Black Panther DVD • cards for grouping • worksheets for group work • computer • projector

Lesson 4: • PowerPoint Presentation • Black Panther DVD • worksheets for group work • computer • projector

6.4. Learning Objectives

Lesson 1:

Students can...

• express their opinion on whether they associate certain given activities, professions and objects with men or women. • trace such assumptions regarding gender expectations to gender stereotypes by discussing why many people believe that certain activities, professions and objects are more for men or for women. • come up with a list of gender stereotypes that exist in our society. • discuss the validity of these gender stereotypes and express whether they believe they are true or not. • talk about their opinion regarding gender stereotypes and gender roles. • express their views on what the concepts ‘male’ and ‘female’ mean to them. • describe what they think characterizes a man or a woman. • summarize the main points after watching the videos “Boys and Girls on stereotypes” and “Girl toys vs. Boy toys”. • explain the differences between their own views on what it means to be a man or a woman and those of the children from the video “Boys and Girls on stereotypes”. • articulate their personal opinion on issues connected to the topic of gender stereotypes and give reasons for their point of view. • talk about their personal experiences working in a kindergarten about boys and girls being treated differently because of their gender.

Lesson 2:

Students can...

• explain in a few words what the video “Inspiring the Future – Redraw the Balance” is about. • predict the content about an article based on the image that it was published with. • summarize the main points of the article “A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More Chores” in two to three sentences. • scan the article “A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More Chores” quickly to complete the sentences in a short answer task with the relevant information. • articulate their opinion on the topic of gender inequality regarding household chores during a class discussion.

• describe the current situation in their family regarding the division of household chores among the family members. • write a clear and detailed blog entry describing the division of household chores in their family, comparing it to the situation of their parents and grandparents when they were younger and expressing their views on how to achieve a greater balance in the future.

Lesson 3:

Students can…

• answer the questions of the #RepTest. • discuss and compare the results of their #RepTests. • talk about why they think it is important to see a variety of people represented in the media and films. • predict some of the characters’ traits by interpreting several character posters from Black Panther. • describe the behavior and representation of the central characters based on the scenes they have watched.

Lesson 4:

Students can…

• judge the representation of a character from Black Panther. • present their views on how the male and female characters in Black Panther are shown and how this relates to traditional gender roles in our society. • give a short presentation on their character by presenting the picture they have chosen and appropriate hashtags they have come up with to describe the character.

6.5. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Descriptors9

All lessons:

OVERALL ORAL PRODUCTION (p. 58): B2: Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.

9 All citations taken from: Council of Europe “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages”.

OVERALL LISTENING COMPREHENSION (p. 66): B2: Can understand standard spoken language, live or broadcast, on both familiar and unfamiliar topics normally encountered in personal, social, academic or vocational life.

LISTENING TO AUDIO MEDIA AND RECORDINGS (p. 68): B2: Can understand recordings in standard dialect likely to be encountered in social, professional or academic life and identify speaker viewpoints and attitudes as well as the information content. Can understand most radio documentaries and most other recorded or broadcast audio material delivered in standard dialect and can identify the speaker’s mood, tone etc.

WATCHING TV AND FILM (p. 71): B2: Can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. Can understand documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and the majority of films in standard dialect.

OVERALL SPOKEN INTERACTION (p. 74): B2: Can use the language fluently, accurately and effectively on a wide range of general, academic, vocational or leisure topics, marking clearly the relationships between ideas. Can communicate spontaneously with good grammatical control without much sign of having to restrict what he/she wants to say, adopting a level of formality appropriate to the circumstances. Can highlight the personal significance of events and experiences, account for and sustain views clearly by providing relevant explanations and arguments.

INFORMAL DISCUSSION (WITH FRIENDS) (p. 77): B2: Can account for and sustain his/her opinions in discussion by providing relevant explanations, arguments and comments. Can express his/her ideas and opinions with precision, and present and respond to complex lines of argument convincingly.

Lesson 2:

OVERALL WRITTEN PRODUCTION (p. 59): B2: Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of sources.

OVERALL READING COMPREHENSION (p. 69): B2: Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms.

READING FOR ORIENTATION (p. 70): B2: Can scan quickly through long and complex texts, locating relevant details. Can quickly identify the content and relevance of news items, articles and reports on a wide range of professional topics, deciding whether closer study is worthwhile.

READING FOR INFORMATION AND ARGUMENT (p. 70): B2: Can understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints.

Lesson 4:

ADDRESSING AUDIENCES (p.60): B2: Can give a clear, systematically developed presentation, with highlighting of significant points, and relevant supporting detail.

6.6. Sequence of Lessons10

First Lesson

Activity Procedure Interaction Material Time Introduction T greets sts and introduces herself as Miss Lisa Gratz and asks them whole-class teaching no material 5’ to put up name cards. (frontal) needed

Warm-up

a) Instructions & a) T explains that she is going to read out a list of words and asks the whole-class teaching list with words 10’ setting comprehension students to put their hands up if they think it is a thing typical of girls (frontal) (teaching focus and to leave their hands down if they think it is a thing typical of material, p.1) boys.

whole-class teaching b) T reads the list of words and students put their hands up or not b) Execution of task + after each item on the list. While reading the list, T keeps track of the (lockstep) feedback results and discusses them afterwards, if they are interesting. e.g. when a lot of sts associate a certain item on the list with women/men. Then, T asks sts the following questions and discusses them with the whole class:

• Was it hard for you to decide? Why/ Why not? • Where do these ideas come from that some items on the list are typical for girls and some for boys?

10 Note that throughout the lesson sequence the teacher, abbreviated as T, identifies herself as female and, thus, uses the pronouns she/her.

• What influenced your choices?

If it is not raised by the sts, T explains that these ideas come from existing gender stereotypes in our society and explains that they are going to have a few classes together and that they will be dealing with the topic of gender roles throughout the next two weeks. The first class is dedicated to a discussion of gender stereotypes. T asks if anyone can explain what gender stereotypes are and where they come from. If no one volunteers, T offers an explanation.

Brainstorming a) Instructions a) T explains to sts that the next exercise is going to be a quick whole-class teaching worksheet, task 1 5’ brainstorming exercise. Sts should get together with a partner and (frontal) think about gender stereotypes they are familiar with. They should

then write them down on their worksheets in the corresponding column (masculine/feminine). T asks sts if anyone can name a gender stereotype as an example and then hands out worksheets and

tells sts that they have about 5 minutes to do the exercise. b) Execution of task b) Sts do the exercise. pair work c) feedback c) Afterwards T asks sts what stereotypes they came up with. Then T asks sts what they think about those stereotypes and if they think that whole-class teaching some of them are true and why/why not. (lockstep)

Speaking task a) Instructions a) T asks sts to focus on task 2 on their worksheets and explains that whole-class teaching worksheet, task 2 <10’ the sts should briefly discuss the following questions with their (frontal) partner. T sets a timeframe of 5 minutes.

b) Sts discuss the questions. pair work b) Execution of task c) T asks several sts to summarize what they have discussed. Then, whole-class teaching T shows sts a short clip in which children talk about what they think (lockstep) c) Feedback being a boy or a girl means. T then asks the sts whether their https://www.yout opinions differed from or mostly matched what the children said. ube.com/watch?v =aTvGSstKd5Y

Listening for detailed/ specific understanding a) Instructions & a) T explains that the next task will be to watch another short video whole-class teaching worksheet, task 3 10’ setting comprehension about an experiment conducted by the BBC. There are two children (frontal) https://www.yout focus in the video called Sophie and Oliver. Some sts should focus on ube.com/watch?v Sophie, the rest on Oliver. First, they should read the questions on =nWu44AqF0iI their worksheet and then, watch the video. Afterwards, they have a view minutes to answer the questions on their worksheet. b) Execution of task b) Sts watch the video and answer the questions. If necessary, they solo work will watch the video twice. c) Feedback c) Sts give their answers to the questions. whole-class teaching (lockstep)

FOLLOW-UP TASKS Speaking task

a) Instructions a) T asks sts to get together with their partner and to discuss what the whole-class teaching 10’ video shows us and to think about a situation during their time in a (lockstep) kindergarten when they themselves or someone else treated a boy or

girl differently because of their gender. b) Execution of task b) Sts share their experiences and stories with their partner. pair work c) Feedback c) Sts then share their discussions and experiences with the class. whole-class teaching

(lockstep)

Second Lesson

Activity Procedure Interaction Material Time Introduction T greets sts and asks them to take out their name cards again. T whole-class teaching Garfield comic <5’ shows sts the Garfield comic strip and asks what the comic is about (frontal) (picture 1), and how this reflects what they discussed last lesson. teaching material

PRE-READING TASKS Lead-in a) Instructions & a) T explains that they are going to begin the class with a short video whole-class teaching https://www.yout 10’ setting comprehension clip. T asks sts to watch the clip closely. (frontal) ube.com/watch?v focus =qv8VZVP5csA

projector, b) Execution of task b) Sts watch the video clip. T hands out the worksheet after pair work computer, watching the video as to not spoil what it is about. Then, T lets the worksheet, task 1

sts discuss the questions in pairs for some minutes (task 1).

c) Feedback c) T asks sts to share what they have discussed. whole-class teaching (lockstep)

Guessing & Predicting a) T shows sts the picture accompanying the New York Times article whole-class teaching picture 2, >5’ a) Instructions “A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More (frontal) teaching material Chores” and asks them what the article could be about.

b) Execution of task + b) Sts share their guesses and predictions. whole-class teaching Feedback (lockstep)

POST-READING TASKS Reading for general understanding a) Instructions & a) T asks sts to first read through the article. Then sts should come whole-class teaching worksheet, task 2 15’ setting comprehension up with a 2-3 sentences to summarize the main points of the article. (frontal) focus b) Execution of task b) Sts read the article and write a short summary. solo work c) Feedback c) T asks some sts to read out their summaries. whole-class teaching (lockstep)

Reading for detailed understanding a) Instructions & a) T then asks sts to read the article again if necessary and to do the whole-class teaching worksheet, task 3 5’ setting comprehension second task. Here, sts should answer the questions using a maximum (frontal) focus of 4 words. b) Execution of task b) Sts do task 2 on the worksheet. solo work c) Feedback c) T asks sts to read out their answers. whole-class teaching (lockstep)

FOLLOW-UP TASKS Speaking task a) Instructions a) T asks sts to get together with their partner again and to discuss whole-class teaching worksheet, task 4 >10’ the questions from task 3 on their worksheet. They have about 5 (frontal) minutes to talk about them in pairs and later on they discuss the

questions together in class. b) Execution of task b) Sts discuss the questions with their partners. pair work c) Feedback c) T asks sts what they talked about and what their opinion is on the whole-class teaching (lockstep) topic.

Homework a) Instructions a) T explains the homework assignment. Sts should write a blog whole-class teaching worksheet, task 5 >5’ entry in which they (frontal)

• describe the current situation in their home regarding housework • Compare it to the situation of their parents and grandparents when they were younger • Explain how they feel it should be like in the future. T tells sts to hand in the blog entry the following week (Wednesday 17th October).

Third Lesson

Activity Procedure Interaction Material Time Introduction T greets sts and asks them to take out their name cards again. T whole-class teaching computer, <5’ shows sts the first image on the PPP and asks them what they see (frontal) projector, PPP, and how they can relate that to what they talked about during the last two lessons.

Lead-in a) Instructions a) T hands out the Rep Test. T asks a student to read out the whole-class teaching copies of the 10’ questions on the sheet and explains unfamiliar terms. Then sts (frontal) #Rep Test, should think about the last movie they saw and do the test with that projector, film in mind. computer, PPP b) Execution of task + b) Sts do the test. Then they should count the points to see the score whole-class teaching Feedback the movie got. Then T asks sts what grades their movies have got. T (lockstep) then presents the Representation Project and what the project’s aim is. T shows the organization’s website and explains that it is a political activist group. If time allows, T shows the clip “Rewrite the Story”.

PRE-VIEWING TASKS Guessing & Predicting a) T introduces the film Black Panther and explains that it has whole-class teaching Projector, 5’ a) Instructions become a social phenomenon. T asks if anyone in class has seen the (frontal) computer, PPP movie. Then T asks sts to get into groups of 5 students and hands out

one of the four character posters to each group (King T’Challa, Erik Killmonger, Shuri, Nakia). The sts who know the film can get together in one group. In groups sts should write down the first 3-5

words that they think of when they see the character. b) Execution of task b) Sts look at the posters and write down the words they think of. group work c) feedback c) Then they discuss what they noted down class. whole-class teaching (lockstep)

WHILE-VIEWING TASKS Group work a) Instructions & a) Before watching scenes from the movie, T explains that they are whole-class teaching worksheets, 30’ Setting comprehension going to do be doing some tasks in groups of 5 people. Each of the (frontal) grouping cards focus four groups will be assigned one of the characters discussed before. Then they get a worksheet with questions about the character and

how they are portrayed in the movie. While watching the scenes, the sts should take notes to help them answer the questions. They should

then discuss what they have seen and come up with answers to their questions. Afterwards, the sts should go online and look for a picture of their character from the movie which they think represents their character best. They should then come up with as many hashtags as

they can that describe their character. This should be done with a

critical view and in relation to what they talked about in previous

lessons. The presentations of their picture and the hashtags should be kept short and sweet (~3 minutes per group + 2 minutes for questions).

b) Execution of task b) T groups the sts by letting each of them draw a card from the group work computer, grouping cards. The grouping cards have each an object on them that projector, Black relates to the character (e.g. black panther for King T’Challa, Panther film, list bracelet for Shuri, weapons for Erik Killmonger, spear for Okoye, with scenes suit for Everett Ross, ring blades for Nakia). The sts with the same objects should then get together and get the worksheets for their character. Then they watch the clips and take notes.

Fourth Lesson

Activity Procedure Interaction Material Time Introduction T greets sts and asks them to hand in their homework assignments whole-class teaching no material <5’ from the previous week and then to get together in their groups again (frontal) needed and to keep on working on their group work tasks.

POST-VIEWING TASKS Group work a) Instructions a) T asks sts to review their notes from the previous lesson and to whole-class teaching worksheets, 35’ discuss in their groups the questions on their worksheets. Then, they (frontal) computer, should start to work on the second task on their worksheets, which is projector, the exercise with the picture of their character and appropriate mobile phones

hashtags to describe their character. They have about 15 minutes to prepare the presentation. b) Execution of task b) Sts discuss in groups and prepare the picture and hashtags. group work c) Feedback c) Sts present the results of their group work and answer questions.

FOLLOW-UP TASKS Speaking task a) Instructions, a) To conclude the sequence of lessons, T asks sts what they think whole-class teaching no material 10’ Execution of task + about Black Panther and how they would rate the movie using the (lockstep) needed Feedback RepTest. Then, T asks whether the sts believe that Black Panther really does break with stereotypes and traditional gender roles and

why/why not. Finally, T thanks the sts for their participation during the past lessons and says goodbye.

6.7. Worksheets

Lesson 1: It’s a boy / girl thing

1. Stereotypes. Get together with a partner and think about expectations we, as a society, have towards men and women and their roles within our society. Write them in the male/ female column in the table below.

2. What do you think?

Get together with your partner and discuss the following questions briefly. Be prepared to present your thoughts in class later.

• What are ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits in your opinion? • What does it mean to you to be a man or a woman?

3. Toys for girls and boys. You are going to watch a video about an experiment involving children’s toys. There will be two children in the video called Sophie and Oliver. One half of the class will focus on Sophie and the other on Oliver. Pay attention to the child and the adults they play with and answer the following questions.

Which toys do the adults give to Sophie/Oliver? ______

How do Sophie/ Oliver react to those toys?

______

What to the adults say afterwards?

______

Lesson 2: Gender Expectations

1. “Inspiring the Future – Redraw the Balance”. After watching the video, get together with a partner and discuss the following questions briefly.

• What is the video about? • Were you surprised? Why/ Why not? • Why do you think the children drew mostly men? • Do you think we have a similar problem in Austria? • Have you noticed something similar with the children you have worked with? • Are there any jobs you think are only suitable for men/women? Why? • Do you think kindergarten teacher is one of the professions that are more associated with women? Why? • Apart from the type of professions men and women are often associated with, do you think there are other differences between men and women at work?

2. Read the following article taken from the New York Times and do the tasks below. A ‘Generationally11 Perpetuated’12 Pattern13: Daughters Do More Chores14

They also earn less allowance15, suggesting that the gender inequality in pay begins at home, and early in life. But there are signs the gap is narrowing.

By Claire Cain Miller Aug. 8, 2018

It has long been true that women are paid less than men at work and do more of the labor at home. It turns out those patterns start as early as childhood. Although there are a few signs that the gap is shrinking, a variety of data shows that girls still spend more time on household chores than boys do. They are also paid less than boys for doing chores and have smaller allowances.

One recent analysis, for example, found that boys ages 15 to 19 do about half an hour of housework a day, and girls about 45 minutes. Although girls spend a little less time on chores than they did a decade ago, the time that boys spend hasn’t significantly changed. Shouldering more responsibilities at home is a big reason women are paid less than men and fall behind men in their careers, researchers say. Achieving equality, they argue, will require not just preparing girls for paid work, but also teaching boys to do unpaid work. “Being involved with the household from a young age is how most children learn these skills,” said Sandra Hofferth, a sociologist at the University of Maryland who was a co-author of the recent analysis and has spent her career studying how children spend their time. “Progressives16 believed that they were training their boys for greater involvement in the home.

11 generational: connected with a particular generation or with the relationship between different generations 12 perpetuate: to make smth. such as a bad situation, a belief, etc. continue for a long time 13 pattern: the regular way in which smth. happens or is done 14 chores: a task that you do regularly 15 allowance: an amount of money that is given to somebody regularly or for a particular purpose 16 progressive: in favor of new ideas, modern methods and change

However, we do not see any evidence that the gap in household work has declined.” Her research was based on American Time Use Survey diaries from 2003 to 2014 by 6,358 high school students 15 to 19. Housework included cooking, cleaning, pet care, yard care and home and car maintenance17. It found differences based on parents’ education. Children of college-educated parents spend less time on chores over all, but the difference is almost all among girls. Daughters of college graduates spend 25 percent less time on chores than daughters of parents with no more than a high school education. But they still spend 11 minutes more a day than sons. Educated parents seem to have changed their expectations for their daughters but not for their sons, Ms. Hofferth said. Boys are also paid more allowance than girls for doing chores, according to a recent analysis of 10,000 families that use BusyKid, a chore app. Boys using the app earned twice what girls did for doing chores — an average of $13.80 a week, compared with girls’ $6.71. Boys are also more likely to be paid for personal hygiene, like brushing teeth or taking a shower, according to BusyKid. Girls are more likely to be paid for cleaning. The gender gap in chores for children is worldwide. A recent study of 12-year-olds in 16 countries across the economic spectrum, not including the United States, found that in each of them, girls spent more time on household chores than boys did. Men’s and women’s chores tend to break down along what happens indoors and outdoors. Women do more of the inside work — like cooking, cleaning and laundry — while men do more of the outside work, like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash. Previous research has found that the same divide happens with children’s chores. “Chores are really practice for adult living, so the problem is it just gets generationally perpetuated,” said Christia Spears Brown, a psychology professor at the University of Kentucky who studies children and gender. But there are signs that the gender gap in chores is beginning to narrow, as it is for adults. In one area in particular — caring for family members, like siblings or older relatives — boys are doing as much as girls. Researchers say this could influence future generations, with boys who are raised caring for family members being prepared to become more engaged fathers. […] In another study of housework, using a smaller set of data, there was evidence that the gender gap in chores was shrinking, too. Boys 13 to 18 spent a little under half an hour on housework, it found, while girls spent a little over half an hour. The change came from boys, who increased their housework time by 29 percent between 2002 and 2014, while girls decreased theirs by 27 percent, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics at the University of Michigan, which has tracked a set of families since 1968. That mirrors the shift with adults. Married men now spend 1.1 hours a day on housework, the Michigan panel found, up from 55 minutes in 1983. Married women’s time spent on chores has decreased, but is still double that of men: 2.2 hours a day, down from 3.8 hours. The way children are raised shapes the roles they take in adulthood, research shows. One study found that sons of working mothers spend more time on housework and child care as adults. Another found that parents’ division of labor, particularly fathers doing household tasks, predicted young adults’ attitudes about how to allocate 18 housework.

17 maintenance: the act of keeping smth. in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly 18 allocate: to give smth. officially to somebody/ smth. for a particular purpose

Economically self-sufficient young women might view men who don’t share the load at home as less attractive partners, Ms. Hofferth said. In the meantime, she said, their houses might just be messier: “Young couples will probably contract out the household work, or live with more chaos and disarray than did their parents.”19

After having read the article, try to summarize it in two to three sentences.

______

3. Read the following sentences (1-7) and complete them using a maximum of 4 words. The first one (0) has been done for you.

0 The article suggests that young girls still get paid less money than boys ______. 1 Whereas girls spend about 45 minutes a day doing household chores, boys only do ______. 2 In order to achieve gender equality, boys have to learn ______. 3 Boys also get ______allowance money for doing chores than girls. 4 Apart from money for household chores, more boys than girls get money from their parents for ______. 5 Another aspect of the study showed that girls do more work inside, such as ______. 6 Regarding care for other family members, boys do ______. 7 The time married men spend on housework has risen up to ______.

4. Your turn! Get together with a partner and discuss the following questions.

• What do you think about the article? Do you think that boys and girls should do the same amount of work for the same amount of money? Why/ Why not? • What’s it like in your family? Did you have to help at home with housework when you were younger? If you have any, did you do the same amount of work as your siblings? What type of work did you have to help with at home? How much time did you spend approximately doing chores a day?

19 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/upshot/chores-girls-research-social-science.html Defenitions taken from: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

5. Homework: Past vs. Present

After reading the New York Times article, you are interested in finding out more about that topic and you go online and discover a forum about gender equality. You decide to write a blog entry about children and household chores and how this has changed over time. In order to be able to write about your own experience and that of your family, you decide to ask your parents and grandparents about how much they had to help at home with housework, so you can compare that to your own life.

Then, you write a blog entry about your own experiences regarding household chores and that of your parents and grandparents.

In your blog you should:

• describe the current situation in your home • compare it to the experiences of your parents and grandparents • explain how you feel it should be in the future

Write around 250 words.

Lesson 3:

Marvel’s Black Panther – Breaking Stereotypes?

Group 1: King T’Challa

• How would you describe T’Challa’s appearance?

• What are his strengths and weaknesses?

• What relationships does he have with the women in his life (his sister Shuri, General Okoye, Nakia, his mother)?

• Would you say that T’Challa is a “manly” man? Why/why not?

• Do you think he is a stereotypical man that conforms to traditional male gender roles? Why/ Why not? In which scenes particularly?

After having discussed and answered these questions, go online and look for a picture of your character that best captures his qualities. Together you must decide on one picture. Choose carefully and be prepared to explain your choice. Then, come up with a list of hashtags you would use to describe your character and his or her role in the film. The hashtags should be a summary of your answers to the questions above.

Marvel’s Black Panther – Breaking Stereotypes?

Group 2: Princess Shuri

• How would you describe Shuri’s appearance?

• What are her strengths and weaknesses?

• What is her relationship to her brother like?

• What relationships does she have with her mother, Nakia and Okoye?

• Would you say Shuri represents what our society often expects of a woman? Why/why not? Give examples!

After having discussed and answered these questions, go online and look for a picture of your character that best captures her qualities. Together you must decide on one picture. Choose carefully and be prepared to explain your choice. Then, come up with a list of hashtags you would use to describe your character and his or her role in the film. The hashtags should be a summary of your answers to the questions above.

Marvel’s Black Panther – Breaking Stereotypes?

Group 3: Erik Killmonger

• How would you describe Erik Killmonger’s appearance?

• What are his strengths and weaknesses?

• How does he treat the women around him?

• Would you say that Erik Killmonger is a “manly” man? Why/why not?

• Do you think he is a stereotypical man that conforms to traditional male gender roles? Why/ Why not? In which scenes particularly?

• What makes him different from T’Challa?

After having discussed and answered these questions, go online and look for a picture of your character that best captures his qualtities. Together you must decide on one picture. Choose carefully and be prepared to explain your choice. Then, come up with a list of hashtags you would use to describe your character and his or her role in the film. The hashtags should be a summary of your answers to the questions above.

Marvel’s Black Panther – Breaking Stereotypes?

Group 4: Nakia

• How would you describe Nakia’s appearance?

• What are her strengths and weaknesses?

• What is her relationship to T’Challa like?

• What relationships does she have to Okoye and Shuri?

• Would you say she is what our society often expects of a woman? Why/why not? Give examples!

7. Reflection

The class I had a chance to teach for this project was a 5th form in the BAfEP Salzburg, a secondary school for students who want to become nursery school teachers. The students are around 18 years old and in their last year of school, meaning that they all should speak English at a B2 level. There are 20 students in the class from two different 5th form classes. The English group consists of 19 female students and only one male student. In this section of the paper, I reflect upon my time spent with the students in class and explain how the lessons went. Before starting with the discussion, I would like to share a bit more information about the class and the project. Shortly before conducting my first lesson, I had a chance to meet their English teacher to briefly discuss the project I had planned and to get some more information about the students. The teacher assured me that the students were accustomed to university students and were usually happy to participate in such projects. Also, the topic ‘gender’ had already been part of the topics covered in previous years, so they should at least have a general idea about it and be familiar with the most important terms regarding this topic area. Additionally, I was informed that, because of the limited number of available English lessons, the teacher had to schedule some student presentations at the beginning of the Wednesday morning classes. This significantly interfered with the prepared plans, since I did not have the whole 50 minutes available and instead had about thirty minutes. However, Mag. Pacher was especially generous and convinced of the importance of the project, so we agreed that I would simply get more than the previously agreed upon four classes if I needed more time in order to get through all of my planned activities. It turned out to be a valuable experience because it meant that I had to be spontaneous and flexible and not cling to my lesson plan too much.

7.1. First Lesson

For the first actual lesson, the slight change of plans proved to be beneficial after all, since the scheduled presentation turned out to be a good introduction to the topic of my project, as it was about a female LGBTQ blogger. During this presentation, the students got the chance to revise some important terms, such as the difference between gender and sex and what LGBTQ stands for. After this insightful presentation, Mag. Pacher introduced me briefly and I started with my first activity after having asked the students to put up name cards. For this exercise, I read out a list of words, and after each word, the students should raise their hands if they associated the word more with girls and to remain steady if they associated them with boys. Beforehand, I was very curious to see how the students would respond since I did not know whether to expect them to follow the views prevailing in our society or whether they would have completely different views. In the end, most of the students raised their hands whenever I mentioned a word that could be seen as traditionally ‘girly’ or, in other words, is still more associated with girls in our society. One thing that especially surprised me during this exercise was that almost all twenty students in the class, even the one male student, raised their hands, indicating that they associated childcare with girls rather than boys. This is probably a reflection of the fact that, in the entire school, which has about 290 students, there are only 9 males. After this exercise, I asked them questions regarding how they made their choices and why they thought there was so much consensus in the class regarding certain items on the list. Throughout the discussion, it became clear that most of the students knew that their answers were heavily influenced by stereotypical expectations existing in our society and thought that these conceptions should change because they were not reflecting the reality in which we lived. Nevertheless, they acknowledged the fact that changing these longstanding preconceptions was a challenge. One student even mentioned that they thought that these expectations were also influenced by religion and the church because they, too, reinforced these traditional gender roles and expectations of how men and women respectively should act. The students’ comments were very insightful, and I was happy that so many students were eager to participate and voice their opinions on the topic.

This activity was followed by a brainstorming exercise in which the students should get together with their neighbor and come up with gender stereotypes that they were familiar with and write them down in the corresponding columns on their worksheets, which I distributed after having explained the task. Here, the students came up with a variety of expected stereotypes. We went through their lists and discussed each one, focusing on whether they thought that there was any validity to them, which most denied. Examples of the stereotypes mentioned by the students were: Men like sports, science, maths, etc. Men are stronger (physically) and protect their families. Men do not show emotions. Men earn money to provide for their families. Women are emotional and talk a lot. Women like cooking and cleaning. Women care for their families and are responsible for the upbringing of the children. Women are responsible for household chores. After identifying the stereotypes regarding gender roles in our society, we discussed each of them and I asked students whether this related to their own lives and experiences. Some students said that it was true that their mothers were mostly responsible for household chores and that their fathers worked longer hours and earned more money. However, there were also some students who explained that their parents split the household work and that everyone must do their part. One comment particularly stayed in my mind about a father who is divorced and lives alone and still refuses to do any work at home which means that they rather pay someone to clean and spends money on takeaway meals rather than to do any housework since they see these chores as the responsibilities of women. I really enjoyed that the students so willingly and openly shared their personal experiences and opinions because it allowed for a very interesting discussion in class and a good start to the project. To finish this lesson, I asked students to look at the questions attached to task two on their worksheets. Here, the students should talk about what they believe are ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits with their partner and what they think makes a man a man and a woman a woman. Unfortunately, we did not have that much time left to discuss these questions in a lot of detail; however, I was still surprised that in their descriptions the students used a lot of the traits that we previously identified as stereotypical. Some girls said that being a man meant to be strong, to take care of his family, to have short hair and to work hard. According to some of the students being a

woman means to have longer hair, to talk more and to be more emotional. Nevertheless, there were a few students who said that the most defining difference between women and men are their biological attributes, meaning their sex, and not how they dressed and presented themselves. Due to the presentation at the beginning of the class, there was no more time left to do the rest of the planned exercises, so I had to wait a week to continue with the rest of the activities. The following week, after another student presentation, I had another 30 minutes left to continue with the first planned lesson. To start the class, I asked them to tell me again what being a man or a woman means to them. After this short revision, I showed them a short video of young children answering the very same question. The students responded very positively to the video and were impressed with the answers the children gave. They also asked whether they received a special education because some of the answers showed a very open-minded attitude which seemed not entirely natural for such young children. Even though I could not answer the question because I did not find any additional information about how the interviews with the children were conducted, I really liked that the students did not just take it at face-value but viewed it critically. Afterward, I showed the students another video about an experiment conducted by the BBC about children and toys. The experiment tests whether people treat boys and girls differently by giving them different toys to play with. As the video shows, there seems to be a certain influence from our subconscious to give girls dolls and soft toys to play with and to give boys cars and robots and such. The students showed a special interest in the results of the clip and we spent quite some time talking about their own experiences and whether they could think of similar situations when they treated someone differently because of their gender or they themselves were treated differently because of their gender. We spent a good fifteen minutes sharing stories and experiences and I was again delighted that the students felt so comfortable to share such personal experiences. We heard some very different stories ranging from parents encouraging their children to change their interests from soccer to a more ‘girly’ pastime like ballet to a kindergarten where only the boys like to play dress-up and the girls prefer spending their time with Lego. All in all, the consensus was that we should treat boys and girls equally and do not distinguish between them by telling them they can only play with certain toys or do certain

things. Finally, some students concluded the lesson by pointing out that this distinction between toys for boys and toys for girls is influenced a lot by the advertisements that we are constantly surrounded with.

7.2. Second Lesson

The second lesson took place in the afternoon and I could start right away. As a warmig- up activity, I showed the students a Garfield comic strip which featured the stereotype that men should not openly show emotions. I asked the students to identify the stereotype in the comic and whether they thought this to be true or not, which most of the students denied. We then moved on to the first exercise which was based on a video clip. In the clip, primary school students are asked to draw different professions: a firefighter, a surgeon and a fighter pilot. They then should give them names. Afterwards, the teachers ask three people, a firefighter, a surgeon and a fighter pilot, into the classroom. When the students see that the people are women, almost all of them are fascinated and surprised that women could do such jobs. After watching the clip, I asked the students to briefly summarize what the video was about and whether they were surprised and why or why not. Most of the students were not entirely surprised by the outcome because they admitted that they probably would have thought of men as well at first. We then discussed why they thought that the children mostly drew men and whether we would get a similar outcome with Austrian children. In answer to the first question the students said that the children were probably not familiar with any women who did such jobs and because they might have seen more men than women carry out these professions. Additionally, the majority in the class thought that we would get a similar outcome here in Austria because it depends entirely on the environment the children grow up in. If they are never confronted with female firefighters, surgeons and fighter pilots they do not think that women can do those jobs. Even though I had prepared more questions to discuss with the students, I decided to skip them in order to move on to the reading task, since there were quite a few students absent and it was mostly the same few students who answered my questions. Before handing out the worksheet for the reading comprehension exercise, I showed the students the picture that went with the article upon publication and asked them

to describe what they saw and guess what the article could be about. The students described the picture accurately and thought it would be about how boys should clean more. They then got the worksheets, read the article and, afterwards, summarized it briefly. The students seemed to have understood the article sufficiently, since they had no trouble completing the comprehension exercises. We also briefly discussed the main points of the article and whether they had similar experiences growing up. Unfortunately, there was not enough time left to do the planned speaking activity in pairs, so I had to skip it, so that I have enough time to explain the homework assignment.

7.2.1. Homework Assignment

The decision to include a written homework assignment in the lesson sequence was mostly prompted by the teacher’s wish to include exercises for all the language skills and since there simply was not enough time to do a writing task during the four lessons, I designed this homework assignment. Furthermore, it was a good exercise for the students, since they are in their last year of school and need the practice for the written Matura exam. Thus, I came up with the idea of a blog entry about their own experience regarding household chores. They should definitely have something to say about this and it relates nicely to the article in the New York Times that we read and discussed in class. I chose that specific text type because blog entries are ideal to discuss personal experiences and current topics and the students should already be familiar with this genre. In hindsight, I probably should have revised the main points, especially regarding the layout, when I explained the assignment. However, there simply was not enough time left during the lesson and as their teacher had assured me that they were familiar with blog entries, I did not plan the lesson accordingly. Also, I received only 13 texts from the 20 students in class, but I think it could have been even less regarding the fact that I am not their regular teacher and they received no grade for the assignment. Nevertheless, it can be said that, generally, the students handed in some very interesting assignments and it was really informative how the students described their experiences and compared them to those of their parents and grandparents. As already mentioned, some students did not include their username, the date and time of publication or a title, but all in all, I was satisfied with the outcome. Moreover, I found that most of the students still had trouble with using a variety of linking words. Thus, I decided to hand out a document from the Bifie website which

gives an overview of the characteristics for each of the text types that are part of the Schriftliche Reife- und Diplomprüfung, the written school leaving exam. Furthermore, I printed out a list of linking words and sentence connectors and handed out both documents for future reference. The students seemed really grateful for the feedback and some even came up to me after class to ask some questions regarding their texts. Below, two of the assignments can be found as examples of the blog entries I received from the students.

Homework Assignment from Student I username: [email protected] date: 15th October 2018 time: 2.30 p.m.

Household chores: past vs. present

Hey guys!

There are articles in newspapers, there are websites about this topic, headlines on posters and demonstrations all over the world. You can search online about it if you are interested and if you are not interested, then you should search as well because it’s a really important topic. I’m talking about gender equality and the role of men and women. These days you might think it was always this way how women were treated, but it wasn’t always like that. Let’s take the division of household chores, for example.

Now, I would like to tell you about my own situation at home. We are four “kids” (even when I don’t think that I can call my brother and me “kids” anymore because we are of age, but yeah, you know what I mean). I have one older brother and two younger sisters. My brother works at home when he has free time, but only outside because we have a farm at home and there are always many things to do. We three girls and my mum do the household chores, but also work outside if there is something to help with. My dad helps in- and outside the house, so he is really a role model for men that they can do both: household and farm chores.

My mum told me that when she was young, the girls had to help in the house and the boys outside. It was also clear that a boy has to inherit the farm. She also told me that in church there was the right side to sit for women and the left side for men. You never saw a man who pushed a baby buggy or something similar, that’s crazy, isn’t it?

My grandma told me that she was the one who did all the work outside AND inside with her mum because she was the oldest and her father died very early, so her little brother also had to help with the household chores. But that wasn’t the norm at the time.

It really changed considerably, but there are still things that have to change. There is still this picture in a few heads that women have to work in the kitchen and the man has to bring money home. That’s over. Women and men have to work together to bring this picture out of everyone’s head. Women and men can do and can be whatever they want. A man would like to wear a dress, so why not? A woman would like to work as a roofer, why not? It’s your body and your life and you have to feel good in it and no on else!

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below!

Anna

Homework Assignment from Student II

username: [email protected] date: 15th October 2018 time: 3.30 p.m.

Equality at home now

A warm hello to the users of this forum!

I’m new here, but instantly felt the urge to write something. The matter is pressing. It’s about housekeeping and household chores.

Nowadays, it should be evenly balanced: one does the dishes and one the laundry. We should be equally busy with keeping our houses nice and tidy, but not everyone agrees with that. Some people wish themselves back to the good old times. The times of our parents and grandparents when the housewives cleaned the whole house by themselves and kept the family going.

My grandmother had to do all the housework by herself, no one helped her in a household of seven people! In the end, as she barely could hold a mug without spilling everything because she was so shaky, she still wanted to do everything on her own.

My mother had it a bit easier, sometimes my dad helped her with the dishes and stuff, but now, as I live alone with my dad, it is him, in fact, who does most of the housekeeping. Well, I find that this is great! My dad and I evenly share the household chores and are happy with it. He even calls himself a houseman.

And that is how the future should be like, in my eyes at least. Evenly balanced and respectful. Just like me and my dad do it.

Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Julia

Out of all the homework assignments I received, I selected these two assignments because of two reasons: they were among the best regarding style and grammar and they were interesting to read in terms of content. The first blog entry talks about the life of a young women with their three siblings and parents on their farm. The student describes how the family divides the chores around the house and farm and acknowledges the fact that everyone has to do their part. Even though the women in the family seem to be the ones who are mostly responsible for keeping the house clean, the student explains that the distribution of chores has changed slightly from earlier generations, since their father and brother also help with work around the house and are not solely responsible for the farm. This, so the student further, is different to their mother’s experience who mostly worked around the house and less outside. Finally, in the conclusion the student urges others to move on from traditional gender roles and to fight for more empowerment and equality. It seems to me that the students considered what we had been talking about in class up to that point and tried to connect these discussions with their own experiences, which was exactly what I hoped for. The second assignment depicts a different story as the student lives alone with their father. Due to the fact that there are less people living in the household, it seems more logical that the father does his share of work around the house as well. Nevertheless, comments made by students during class suggest that the fact that a man lives alone does not necessarily mean that they do the housework themselves. Moreover, the student seems happy with the equal distribution of housework between parent and child and suggests that this is they way it should be. One sentence especially caught my attention which refers to the fact that the father “calls himself a houseman”. This could suggest that the father might be proud of the fact that they are the one who is mainly responsible for the housework and his ability to step up and provide his child with a clean house and home. Although the texts describe vastly different living situations for the students, they have one thing in common: a sense of equality. Reading those texts, it seems that the students’ families do not follow the stereotype that only women are responsible for the majority of work around the house and that the male members of the family make up an active part in assuring that chores around the house are completed, which is exactly the direction our culture should move in.

7.3. Third Lesson

Similar to the first lesson, the third lesson in the planned sequence also had to be split into two separate lessons due to student presentations at the beginning of class. This led to minor complications with the group work as I explain later on. To start the lesson, I first asked the students if they had any more questions regarding the homework assignment and reminded them that it was due next lesson. Then, I showed the students an image of a race between a white man and a black woman. While the man has only minor obstacles in his course, the woman has a lot more pictured in her way. The students seemed to grasp the idea fairly quickly and expressed their agreement that they, too, had the impression that women have to work harder to achieve certain goals in life. Furthermore, they were aware of the fact that race also plays a role in how people are perceived. In my opinion, this illustration was useful to move from the theoretical explorations of the previous lessons to the more practical application of said knowledge. Before introducing the film, I had chosen for the practical group work, I showed the students the #RepTest, which I have explained already in the section “Further Considerations” of this thesis. After doing the test based on the last movie they have seen, we discussed their results together in class. Most students’ films have scored a C or D, which means that the movies might show some diversity but could increase diversity to “more positively represent people’s experience” or to “more positively reflect real-world experiences”, as it is said in the scoring guide for those scores respectively (#TheRepTest). One student even got an F for one of the Harry Potter movies. Since the students were happy to discuss their scores and the movies they picked, this exercise turned into an interesting discussion about diversity in movies and TV series. At the beginning of class, the students seemed very preoccupied and it was hard to get their attention. They were restless, and it took quite some time to get them to settle down and to concentrate on the task at hand with the illustration I showed them earlier. Later on, after doing the #RepTest, the students started to participate more and more and were keen to share their results. During all of this, I was again astounded that the students were participating so eagerly and, even though they had trouble thinking of the right words to express what they wanted to say at times and made some grammatical mistakes, they seemed so enthusiastic about the topic that it did not bother anyone, but even encouraged more students to share their opinions. Since the students were so keen in their discussion

and the exercises were important to build a bridge to gender representation in Black Panther, I did not want to stop them and let them have a bit more time than the ten minutes I initially planned for this task. However, after talking longer than planned, the lesson was almost over, so I only managed to introduce the film Black Panther briefly and ask if any of the students had seen it before concluding the lesson with the guessing and predicting exercise. As there were only two students who were familiar with the Marvel film, it was even more interesting to see how they would react to the presentation of the characters. Continuing with the guessing and predicting task, I handed out the official character posters that Marvel had published upon releasing the film and let the students come up with suitable character traits. It was very interesting because they gathered quite a few accurate descriptions. At the beginning of the following class, I let the students summarize what character traits they had agreed on for each of the four characters. Afterwards, I explained group work, grouped the students with the help of the grouping cards and we watched the scenes I had chosen. As it turned out, with short explanations about what happens between the scenes I showed them, the students seemed to have a sufficient understanding of the plot and had a basic idea of the main traits of each of the characters. Only one of the groups, the one who had to discuss Erik Killmonger, had a little bit of trouble initially describing their character. Even so, after we discussed the scenes we had watched together and a few additional guiding questions, the group was able to get the discussion going. Towards the end of the lesson, I made sure that all groups were able to complete their questions. They only had to find hashtags and a good picture that represents the characteristics of their character best.

7.4. Fourth Lesson

I started this last lesson in the sequence by letting the students get back into their groups to continue with group work. As most of the groups had already decided on some hashtags the previous lesson, they only had to choose a picture and think of a few more hashtags to present all the different aspects of their characters. Thus, I told the students that they had about 15 more minutes to finish preparing and then we would be doing the short presentations.

In general, I think that I had high expectations that the students would produce a variety of hashtags that showed the different facets of each of the characters and summed up what each of the groups had discussed when answering the questions on their worksheets. However, I think that they did their best with the information they had since we did not get to see the whole movie. So, considering that they only had limited knowledge, they really did a good job trying to present the differences between their characters and to relate that back to what we had talked about in previous lessons regarding gender roles and stereotypes. Before moving on to the students’ presentations, it is important to note that in the following summary I use the personal pronouns he/she and him/her due to two reasons: first, the students used them as well during their presentation, and secondly, as it has been the case in chapter five, the comparison of the male and female characters is simply clearer and more effective when using the gendered pronouns instead of the gender- neutral they/them. The first group presented King T’Challa, also known as the Black Panther. They chose the picture below because they felt that it showed his strength and also the two sides of his personality: the powerful Black Panther, the superhero, and T’Challa, the man. They mentioned that the suit shows his fighter side and that his face represents the ‘normal’ man who also has doubts and fears. Moving on to the explanation of the hashtags, they started with #familyiseverything. With that, they referred to the fact that for T’Challa his family means everything, and he values his friends and his family very much. Also, he is not afraid to rely on them for their help when he needs it and is not afraid of being surrounded by so many intelligent and strong women. Another hashtag they chose was #inlovewithNakia. This, according to the students, means that even though he is the powerful and strong Black Panther, he has a romantic side to him who even gets a little flustered when he is near the woman he loves, which makes him more human and relatable. Next, they suggested the hashtag #strongman to refer to his unrelenting drive to fight for his country and his people; he can be seen as the ultimate protector. This one complements the hashtag #thekingofwakanda which also relates to his role as the heir to the throne of Wakanda and to his protective personality. Additionally, they included the hashtag #blackpanther because it is the name of his superhero identity. Furthermore, they chose the hashtag #handsome to describe his physical appearance.

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Finally, they also presented #sisteristhebest to describe the deep bond the siblings Shuri and T’Challa share. He clearly adores his sister even though they make fun of each other; nevertheless, T’Challa respects her deeply and relies on her technological knowledge to make his life easier. Image 3: Group work – Group 1: King T’Challa20

The second group to present was one that had discussed Princess Shuri. To start off, the group analyzed the image they had decided on. In their words, the image shows Shuri as a strong, independent woman. Also, we see her as a fighter wielding the weapons she designed. In my opinion, the picture shows her identity as a fighter; however, we do not see her funny, sarcastic side or the brilliant scientist she actually is. Still, these aspects of her personality are mirrored in the hashtags they selected. The first one is #sarcasticfun, which refers to the already mentioned sarcastic and fun side of her character. Her frequent jokes stand in direct contrast to the dark and intense fighting scenes. Then, they also added the hashtag #firstwomanasblackpanther. This hashtag was selected by one student who is also familiar with the comics and, therefore, opted to include this one because she felt that it is important to mention that Shuri has a lot of power in the comics when she becomes the first female Black Panther. Thus, Shuri is one of the few female characters that take on the leading role of an established superhero series. Additionally, the group decided on the hashtag #weapons to refer to her role in the technology lab where Shuri invents all kinds of devices and gadgets to help her brother and the Dora Milaje, the

20 The images as they are presented here have been created by the author to visualize the results of the group activity.

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special forces of Wakanda. Furthermore, they added the hashtag #intelligent, which is self-explanatory, I think. Finally, they chose the hashtags #strongwoman and #princess. The first one refers to her independence and physical strength. Shuri is definitely not the classic lab geek because she seems perfectly capable to hold her own on the battlefield. Lastly, the hashtag #princess not only refers to her role within the royal family of Wakanda but also to her role in the family, since T’Challa seems to be quite protective of her as a big brother.

Image 4: Group work – Group 2: Princess Shuri

The third group presented the summary of their discussion of Erik Killmonger. They started their presentation with the explanation as to why they had chosen the character poster instead of any other picture of Erik Killmonger. They argued that Killmonger looks ‘kind of sad’ and angry in the picture, which relates to how they feel the character is presented at certain points throughout the film. Furthermore, it shows his strength and power with the weapons he has in his hands. Also, the darkness that prevails in the image can be seen as a sign of the dark and negative thoughts and feelings he harbors towards the history of his people and the experiences of his childhood after his father’s death. Then, they continued with their hashtags. The first one they chose was #iamtheking. This alludes to his attitude of superiority and his ego. Killmonger seems to truly believe that he is the best and strongest and that he is the rightful heir to the throne of Wakanda and, as such, the King. The next one, #nohomo, refers to the fact that he projects a very

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masculine attitude and is portrayed as a typically ‘manly’ man who relies on his physical strength. The hashtag #badboysadboy relates to the fact that he seems to be aware of his aggressiveness and that he has adopted a typical ‘bad boy’ persona. However, he also seems sad because of his isolation after his father’s murder. After his uncle had killed his father, he was left all alone without any family which had an everlasting effect on him, turning him into a fighter who seeks revenge for his murdered father. This urge for revenge is also what the next hashtag, #don’tforgive, is all about, as Killmonger is not ready to forgive the people of Wakanda for murdering his father or their reluctance to help and support Africans, and those of African descent, even though they have the means to do so. Moreover, Killmonger is undoubtedly presented as a physically strong character, which is summarized in the hashtag #strong. Lastly, the group selected the hashtag #strongbutbroken to refer to the fact that, although Erik Killmonger is such a strong character, he ultimately has nothing left and is all alone because he kills all the people in his life. We can see in the scene in which he kills his female companion without hesitation.

Image 5: Group work – Group 3: Erik Killmonger

The last group presented Nakia. They presented four hashtags, as can be seen below in the picture. The first hashtag, #be-strong-brave-and-confident, they chose because of Nakia’s loyal and supportive nature. They argued that she is presented as strong and brave and she is also deeply loyal to her king. However, she does not give up anything in order to be with her love because she feels that she is destined to be more than ‘just’ a queen. They explained that they opted for the second hashtag, #girlpower, because Nakia

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represents strong and powerful women and, thus, a character that stands for female empowerment. All of the members of the Dora Milaje, the special forces of Wakanda, represent the ultimate female fighter and show that not only men can be physically strong and powerful. The third hashtag, #T’Challa-love-of-my-life, was selected because it refers to the love and loyalty Nakia feels for T’Challa. She would do almost anything for him except giving up her principles. Thus, she recognizes what she feels for him, but she would not betray her values just to be with him. This deep sense of independence is also reflected in the last chosen hashtag, #live-the-independent-lifestyle. Nakia knows exactly what she intends to do with her life, and she is not ready to give that up to become queen. Finally, I asked the group to explain why they had chosen the picture they showed us. They thought that she shows off her African heritage and her position and facial expression demonstrate that she is strong, confident and self-assured. Nakia seems to know what she wants and she would not give up before she reached her goals.

Image 6: Group work – Group 4: Nakia

All in all, I think that the students did quite well with the information and time they had available to complete the task. Since we were not able to watch the whole movie and go into a more detailed discussion of each of the characters, the result was completely satisfactory. Also, it seemed that the students enjoyed the exercise and were talking quite animatedly during group work and gave great presentations. At the end of the lesson, I asked them what they thought of the movie as a whole and whether they agreed that it

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was breaking with traditional gender roles and stereotypes or not. The consensus in class was that even though the female characters in the film come across as strong, powerful, independent and empowered women, it cannot be ignored that the main character, who is the king and the main superhero, is still a male character. Thus, although the female characters show some sense of independence, ultimately, they follow their king, which is a clear sign of a patriarchal system. After this final discussion, which was unfortunately much too short, I handed out the corrected homework assignments and provided some general feedback for the students to consider, which has already been presented in the chapter about the homework assignment.

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8. Conclusion

This thesis demonstrates that topics such as gender and diversity in the classroom are, without a doubt, of great importance in order to empower students and challenge existing stereotypes and preconceptions. As presented in the theoretical part of this thesis, introducing basic concepts of Gender Studies in the classroom encourages students to develop their own identities and personalities freely and allows them to become more open and emphatic towards others and their diverse identities. Furthermore, this thesis stresses that gender alone is not the only aspect of one’s identity that can be subject to stereotypes, preconceptions or bias. The theory of intersectionality, as we have established, recognizes the fact that individuals have various related identities, i.e. race, sexual orientation, age, etc., which, regarded in sum as opposed to independent categories, can offer unique challenges. This aspect should also be taken into account when introducing gender-related topics in school. After the brief introduction of key aspects of Gender Studies, the thesis then moves on to present popular gender stereotypes and prevailing expectations towards gender roles in Western culture. Here, it is argued that notions and beliefs in societies are heavily influenced by how gender, race, or other aspects of identities, are portrayed in the media, on television and in films, amongst other platforms. The images we are confronted with have a great impact on our understanding of the world and, thus, also our behavior. After establishing that fact, the thesis then discusses existing stereotypes in our culture regarding gender and race which is then followed by a discussion of how these aspects are represented in recent Hollywood blockbuster movies. Here, an integral part is the research done by Smith et al. (“Inclusion”/ “Inequality”), as the data collected by them offer interesting background information. The conclusion Smith et al. come to is that although there might be a slight shift noticeable regarding more equality and diversity in major Hollywood productions, there still has not been any significant change. Nevertheless, the thesis argues that with organizations and movements, such as Time’s Up and #metoo, the industry receives more attention and, consequently, also critique which might lead to a better representation of minorities not only on screen but also behind the screen.

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The thesis then focuses on how gender and diversity can be implemented in the EFL classroom, since we have established that planning and implementing lessons on gender and diversity can present certain challenges for teachers and educators. As suggested, this is mostly due to two reason: firstly, there is not an abundance of teaching materials available as of yet, and secondly, teachers might fear offending someone, as these are sensitive topics. Since the resources are so limited, the thesis offers a brief overview of some of the most relevant published resources for teachers interested in this subject area. In an attempt to also contribute to this growing collection of teaching materials concerned with gender and diversity, this thesis then presents a lesson sequence to promote gender awareness and diversity. Throughout the proposed lessons, the students should not only acknowledge existing stereotypes related to gender but also reflect upon and evaluate their own opinions on the validity of such preconceptions. Challenging popular expectations of what is regarded as ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’ and how individuals should live out their femininity or masculinity should show students that such preconceptions limit them in their personal development. It is a notion that we, as a culture, should surpass. The fact that the students so eagerly and openly participated in the ongoing discussion shows clearly that they are, indeed, interested in learning about and debating gender-related issues. What is more, it became clear that they were aware of the fact that such discussions are widely held currently and asserted that they even need more attention on a broader social scale. Nevertheless, they noted that actual systematic change takes time and does not happen overnight; thus, addressing such issues repeatedly is imperative to, eventually, generate that change. Especially during the first two lessons, the students showed a high level of participation and animation, leading me to believe that the planned activities were highly relevant to them and encouraged them to share their own views on gender stereotypes and gender roles in our society, their opinion on how they believe ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’ are constructed, and their own experiences regarding treating someone or being treated differently because of their gender. At this point, I want to mention that the lesson sequence focuses more on aspects relating to gender and only treats diversity implicitly. This is mostly due to the fact that issues relating to race, meaning here the

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relationship between Whites and non-Whites, probably do not play such a big role in Austria as it does in the United States. Nevertheless, the Austrian population consists of individuals with diverse ethnic backgrounds which could also be acknowledged in lessons dedicated to gender and diversity. Although this might be an interesting aspect to explore in the future, in the proposed lesson sequence there simply was not enough time to include this as well. Regarding the group work based on Black Panther, it is necessary to say that since the medium film is already known as a useful resource in the foreign language classroom, I believe that in this case it also proved to be beneficial for the students to analyze the representation of male and female characters in Black Panther and compare that to gender expectations in Western culture. Also, as discussed earlier, we now know that movies are cultural artefacts and, hence, often reflect the norms and views prevailing in the respective culture. Especially “mainstream films”, as Johnson and Blanchard assert, “[…] can be seen as a ‘reflector’ of our national opinion” (3). As such, the characters and the way they are depicted tell a lot about what is considered as masculine or feminine traits in certain cultures and how members of this culture view people with other racial or ethnic backgrounds. By showing the students a popular film, they might also have become more sensitive to the fact that some representations in films should be viewed critically. Choosing such a popular motion picture as Black Panther and analyzing it, shows students that there is more than just the entertainment factor to blockbusters and that the representations depicted in the film can also be seen as suggestions of how women, Africans, and African Americans, etc. should be seen instead of the stereotypical expectations we have regarding their roles in Western culture. Since Black Panther was received with great praise and the positive representations of the African and female characters were celebrated widely, I believe that this motion picture is a step in the right direction for the Hollywood industry, and, thus, is a suitable choice for teaching gender and diversity. Even though it might not generate the instant change many would hope for, it seems that in comparison to other blockbuster movies, featured in the study by Smith et al. (“Inequality”), the representation of Black characters as well as female characters in Black Panther is, indeed, slightly better. This is visible in the predominantly Black cast and the high percentage of female characters as well as the way the female characters are depicted as empowered, independent and strong characters.

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Lastly, I argue that it would be more beneficial to the students to see the whole film instead of only a selection of scenes. Although they were able to grasp the main aspects of the character’s personalities and traits, the analysis and discussion would probably have been more detailed if the students had seen the whole movie. Finally, I want to conclude this thesis with saying that, as the demand for more diversity and inclusivity in schools grows steadily, this should be reflected in teacher training programs as well as teaching resources and literature. However, there are currently no regular classes available for students studying English in the teacher training program at the University of Salzburg that address gender and diversity. It might be an important first step in the right direction to give university students in the teacher training program the necessary tools to address such sensitive topics in the classroom. How are teachers supposed to teach gender sensitivity and inclusivity if they are not taught how? Furthermore, in another attempt to create a more inclusive environment for students in school, teachers could discuss other categories that define our identity in class such as sexual orientation. Even though it is clear that these issues have to be treated with care and deliberation, excluding them from the classroom would hinder the students in their development. After all, our goal as educators is to educate our students and help them on their way of becoming emphatic and open-minded members of our society.

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Appendix

Teaching Materials

Lesson 1:

1) Warm-up:

• fighting (physically) • a six pack of beer • dancing • fruity cocktails • rescuing • scientist • teacher • blue • cooking • cleaning • pink • lawyer • doctor • engineer • nurse • computers programmer • cars • glitter • building • mathematician • gossiping • taking care of children

Questions for discussion:

• Was it hard for you to decide? Why/ Why not? • Where do these ideas come from that some of the items on the list are typical for girls and some for boys? • What was it that made you decide whether it was something you associate with girls or with boys?

Lesson 2:

1) Revision:

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2) Guessing & Predicting

Lesson 3:

PowerPoint Presentation

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Grouping cards

List with scenes from Black Panther:

Clips:

6:38 – 14:40 (Introduction King T’Challa – Scene in Nigeria - Wakanda) 32: 08 – 33:11 (T’Challa and Nakia) 36:09 – 38:15 (Lab scene) 44:50 – 46:31 (fight at the Casino) 59:30 – 1:01:10 (Introduction of Killmonger) 1:10:43 – 1:12:50 (Killmonger arrives) 1:19:05 – 1:20:15 (Nakia & Okoye discussing their loyalty) 1:50:30 – 1:53:26 (Fight between T’Challa & Killmonger) 1:54:30 – 1:55:30 (Kissing scene T’Challa & Nakia)

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Cain Miller, Claire. “A ‘Generationally Perpetuated’ Pattern: Daughters Do More Chores.” The New York Times. 8 August 2018. Web. 15 February 2019.

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“#THEREPTEST. Grading films, TV shows, & video games” The Representation Project. 2018. Web. 2 November 2018. .

List of Images (Teaching Material)

“Garfield Comic” http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ga/2007/ga071028.gif

“Illustration Race White Man vs. Black Woman”: https://medium.com/applied- intersectionality/acknowledging-privilege-between-race-and-gender-44265cfafb63

“Gender Equality”: http://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/hi/global-goals/gender-equality/

“Black Panther Movie Poster”: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1825683/

“Character Posters Black Panther”: https://nerdist.com/black-panther-character-posters-wakanda-forever/

“Black Panther”: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U2IAAOSwYlRZGEtZ/s-l300.jpg

“Beads Bracelet”: https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB15noWgL5TBuNjSspcq6znGFXa8/Black-Panther-

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KIMOYO-Beads-Bracelet-Wakanda-T-Challa-Cosplay-Jewelry-Props-with-Crystal- Bracelet-Party-Accessories.jpg

“Weapons and Mask”: https://i.etsystatic.com/7911747/r/il/1e8459/1453788420/il_570xN.1453788420_235v.j pg

“Ring Blades”: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/c/ca/Ring_Blades_from_Bla ck_Panther_%28film%29_001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180514045120