DOWG Multi-Oppression Chain Exercise(45 Minutes)

MODULE 7 • CULTURAL COMPETENCY

DOWG Multi-Oppression Chain Exercise (45 minutes)

Adapted by Jeannette Page

Supplies- 20 links per participant. Make chains ahead of time but have some extra strips prepared (in case more are needed than are dropped during the “lose a link” section) and plenty of small pieces of tape ready for participants to use when picking up a link to add to their chain.

Introduction: Acknowledge that some participants may struggle with how to respond to some questions, especially if they are multiracial, were raised outside of the U.S., are bisexual, etc. We invite you to respond (picking up or losing a link) if the question applies to any part of your experience or either side of your family. Also, when we refer to gender identity, please keep in mind that we are referring to whether you identify as transgender/genderqueer or cisgendered/traditionally gendered.

Directions: Participants are given a chain of approximately 20 colored construction paper links. The chain links are held together by masking tape. Each participant stands or sits shoulder to shoulder in a line facing the facilitators (the line can be a semi-circle or ring the outside of the room, if necessary due to space restrictions). This is a silent exercise. I will not answer any questions during the exercise, but if you need me to repeat a statement, please raise your hand silently and I will repeat it (be conscious to scan the group after each statement to look for hands). If the following statement is true for you (for the most part), please remove a link from your chain.

The facilitator(s) read the following statements aloud…

Tear off a link of your chain if you/your:

1. If your ancestors were forced to come to this country or forced to relocate from where they were living, either temporarily or permanently, or restricted from living in certain areas.

2. If you were ever given less support than the boys in your family for going to college or pursuing work goals because of your gender.

3. If you were ever called names or ridiculed because of your race or ethnicity.

4. If when you get pulled over by police or have to present your driver’s license, you don’t have to worry about negative consequences because the gender on your ID doesn’t “match” your appearance.

5. If you are interrupted, ignored, or made to feel that your opinion doesn’t matter because of your age.

6. If you were ever embarrassed or ashamed of your clothes, your house or your family car when growing up.

7. If pimping and prostitution, drugs, or other illegal activities were a major occupational alternative in the community where you were raised.

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8. If any women in your family, including yourself if you are female, were ever physically or sexually assaulted in any way by men in your family.

9. If any child in your family was ever hit or abused in another way by any adult in your family.

10. If you started school speaking a language other than English.

11. If you ever skipped a meal or went away from a meal hungry because there wasn’t enough money to buy food in your family.

12. If as a woman you’ve been in a classroom where your male classmates were called upon more or given more attention in class by teachers than female students.

13. If you or your family ever had to move because there wasn’t enough money to pay the rent.

14. If you were ever told that you were not smart or that you were stupid because you learn differently than most students or have a disability.

15. If you grew up in a single parent household.

16. If you have a parent who did not complete high school.

17. If you were ever sexually pressured by a man in your workplace or at school.

18. If you were told as a child that something was wrong with you that needed to be “fixed.”

19. If you were ever denied a job, paid less for comparable work or had less qualified men promoted over you because of your gender.

20. If you have ever had hide, lie, or change pronouns when discussing weekend or other leisure activities in order to cover the gender of your partner.

21. If you were ever mistrusted or accused of stealing, cheating or lying because of your race, ethnicity or class.

22. If you primarily use public transportation to get where you need to go.

23. If people often use incorrect pronouns to refer to you (he/him or she/her), even after they’ve been corrected.

24. If you were held back a year in school or tracked for vocation rather than college courses.

25. If you’ve witnessed physical or emotional violence in your home and didn’t have the power to protect yourselves or others.

Directions: If the following statement is true for you (for the most part), please gain a link by picking up a link that is close to you on the floor and add it by taping it to your chain

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Pick up a link if you/your:

1. If you can hold hands with and show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or violence.

2. If your parents or guardians paid for most or all of you higher education costs.

3. If you feel that your primary ethnic identity is “American.”

4. If you generally aren’t expected to put your career or education on hold in order to care for your family or household.

5. If you grew up with people of color or working class people who were servants, maids, housecleaners, gardeners or babysitters in your house.

6. If you never have to worry about whether a workplace, school, or event will have accommodations that meet your needs, like being wheelchair accessible or offering American Sign Language interpretation.

7. If you very often see people who represent your sexual orientation on TV, in commercials, or in the movies.

8. If standard academic and workplace calendars recognize your religious or cultural holidays.

9. If you have immediate family members who are doctors, lawyers, or other professionals.

10. If most business owners, politicians, administrators, tenured professors, religious leaders, and other people in positions of power in your community are those of your same sex or gender.

11. If the concerns and experiences of people your age are well-represented in the media and politics.

12. If you studied the history and culture of your ethnic ancestors in elementary and secondary school.

13. If you never worry about being harassed or attacked in a public bathroom because of your gender identity.

14. If the history books throughout your school were filled with stories of people of your sexual orientation who were heroes or heroines.

15. If, as an able-bodied person, you can succeed in school or your job without it being attributed to affirmative action or special treatment.

16. If your parent(s) owned their own house.

17. If you are legally able to vote in the U.S.

18. If, as a white person, you ever worked in a job where people of color held more menial jobs, were paid less or otherwise harassed or discriminated against.

19. If you are generally able to be in public spaces without being catcalled, having people comment on your body, or being sexually harassed.

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20. If, as a neurotypical person (someone who does not have a mental, developmental or learning disability), you generally won’t be considered a burden on your family or on taxpayers.

21. If you can legally marry your romantic partner.

22. If you generally think of the police as people that you can call on for help in times of emergency.

Thank you, that is the last statement. We are going to now line up in the order of least number of link to the most number of links.

Debrief (20 minutes) • Start with a one-word check-in about how you’re feeling right now. Does anyone want to expand on their word? • What do you notice? What struck you about this activity? • What feelings and emotions are up for you? • Who is NOT here? (Make space for longest and shortest chains.) What does this mean for us? For RCCs? Who’s voices are not heard? • Did any insights come up for you? What can we learn from this? • How does this relate to sexual violence and RCCs? • What will you take away from this?