[Wamvan] Fwd: [Ncrawomen] Discussing Sexism in our Sector - workshop notes

Fri Jun 10 00:02:47 PDT 2011

Thanks for sending these notes! Hope you're having a good time in Halifax,
too!

Joanna

On Thu, Jun 9, 2011 at 9:50 PM, Frieda Werden <wings at wings.org> wrote:

> This was a workshop at this year's National Campus and Community Radio
> Conference in Halifax.  I am at the conference but missed the workshop :(
> Howver, these are good notes!
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Kristiana Clemens <cfrcops at ams.queensu.ca>
> Date: Fri, Jun 10, 2011 at 12:14 AM
> Subject: [Ncrawomen] Discussing Sexism in our Sector - workshop notes
> To: "ncrawomen at ncra.ca" <ncrawomen at ncra.ca>
>
>
> hey folks!
> here are the notes from today's workshop at the NCRC.
> i added a few things from memory where they weren't on my pages, hopefully
> it all makes sense and reflects our (i mean the participants') time
> together.  thanks,
> Kristiana
>
> DISCUSSING SEXISM AT OUR STATIONS - workshop notes
>
> 1) Participants' Goals
> *To find positive solutions to sexist incidents that go beyond drafting
> policies
> -To discuss sexism in the context of media production
> -To find a means of conflict resolution suitable for situations involving
> sexism
> *To identify less obvious/less visible examples of sexism and find ways of
> resolving them
> -To identify common problems among stations in our sector
> -To develop and maintain positive, sexism-free work environments
> -To hear each others' experiences
> -To learn about sexism
> *To find ways of confronting/handling prolems as they arise
> -To address how sexism relates to other kinds of oppression
> -To discuss how some women benefit from patriarchy
> -To address gender stereotypes and their negative impact on people
>
> 2) What Is Sexism?
> -oppression
> -benefits and privileges
> -loss of power
> -reinforcing stereotypical gender roles
> -visible and invisible
> -violence:  physical, systemic, situational, emotional, financial...
> -a means of discrediting and devaluing people
> -exclusion
> -discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression
> -behaviors rooted in the combination of preudice + power
>
> 3) What is male privilege?
> -a head start
> -patriarchy
> -a support network that protects male power
> -bodily sovereignty:  self-determination and lack of fear
> -warrior/hunter ethos
> -increased access to resources
> -fewer roadblocks
> -more weight given to one's opinions in social situations/decision-making
> situations
> -dominant feature of major world religions
> -an "invisible backpack" of tools, resources, and advantages; it is
> weightless and you don't realize you're carrying it, thus making it hard to
> identify (Peggy Mackintosh)
> -much of what we come up with when we try to describe male privilege is the
> inverse or opposite of what comes up when we consider sexism
> -male privilege is an outcome of binary gender dynamics that divide people
> into two opposing camps (male and female); does not recognize gender and
> sexual diversity, often rendering trans and gender-nonconforming people
> less/invisible.
> -privilege can be personal (what you experience) or social (what you are
> accorded based on how others perceive your gender)
> -privilege is intersectional:  in real life we can't analyze male privilege
> without also discussing white privilege, heterosexual privilege, cisgender
> privilege, able-bodied privilege, class privilege etc....
>
> 4) Scenarios
> -We broke up into 5 groups of 3 people each.  Each group reviewed one
> pre-written scenario (true stories from our sector) and answered the
> questions "What's the problem here?" and "What could we do?"  Each group
> also described a situation from their own experiences, appying the same
> questions.
>
> A)  You tune into a Saturday morning jazz program on your local
> campus-community station and hear the following lyrics in a song being
> played:
> "There's just one way to handle a woman/Dean we just got to treat 'em rough
> Got to slap 'em, That's right/We got to show 'em who wears the pants/Cut
> out that sissy, sissy stuff
> Now it ain't no use to take abuse/Whenever they are cranky or cross
> Let's put the women in their place/And we'll show them who's the boss."
>
> What's the problem?  Offensive content on-air (the song promotes
> gender-based violence, stereotypes and patriarchy)
> What could we do?  Meet with the programmer to ensure that they understand
> the problem; have the programmer complete anti-oppression training and
> deliver an appropriate response on-air (an apology, feminist-focused jazz
> program, etc.)
>
> Personal Story:  A member of your station's news collective proposes a
> program about abortion.  Two men in the collective argue that the program
> will be unbalanced unless the voices of pro-lifers are included.
> What's the problem?  Pro-life movement is dominated by extremist
> philosophies rooted in patriarchy
> What could we do?  Have a discussion about the goals of alternative media
> and the possibility of airing multiple voices that are non-oppressive;
> and/or raise the issue with station staff.
>
>
> B)  A woman hosting a weekday morning, open-format program breaks between
> music tracks with the following commentary:
> "I was having a discussion with my classmates about the whole SlutWalk
> pheonomenon, and my opinion is, dressing like a slut isn't really
> empowering.  You can't do whatever you want and expect all men to be able to
> control themselves.  I see girls out there and I'm wondering, 'What are they
> dressing for?  What is with the bare legs and short skirt?  Yeah, they wanna
> get some, right?'  Anyway, I had an interesting discussion with some other
> girls about it, and the SlutWalk, I'm not for it."
>
> What's the problem?  The host is advocating patriarchal stereotypes (of
> both women and men) on-air
> What could we do?  Meet with the programmer to ensure that they understand
> the problem; provide anti-oppression training and training in
> journalistic/editorial practices.
>
> Personal Story:  A male music programming brings in a guest who performs a
> song on the air called "My Bitches," featuring the lyrics "I'm gonna slap
> you with my DICtionary."
> What's the Problem?  The song is degrading to women and devalues them
> What could we do?  Meet with the programmer to ensure that they understand
> the problem and know that they are responsible for the behavior of their
> guests (along with whatever else is broadcast on-air during their timeslot);
> deliver a warning or other disciplinary procedure; have the programmer
> complete anti-oppression training and deliver an apology on-air.
>
>
> C)  Over the past six weeks, 3 different volunteers have come to you with
> complaints about a certain male programmer.  One woman said that she was
> yelled at and threatened in the on-air control room when there no one else
> was around; the second complained about unwanted advances including being
> asked for her phone number and having her hair touched; the third believes
> she is being followed by this person.  None of these women wants to make an
> official complaint, but all three have told you that they are considering
> leaving the station to avoid the programmer involved.
>
> What's the Problem?  The station has become an unsafe environment for women
> programmers
> What could we do?  Inform the station manager about the situation; warn or
> expel the programmer; follow the station's safe space policy (if there is
> one) but be sure to respect the victims' wishes and feelings before
> proceeding.  Review the station's institutional culture and complaints
> process.
>
> Personal story:  You notice that all of the technical staff at your station
> (engineers, production technicians) and most of the on-air operators are
> male.
> What's the problem?  Reflects a gendered adoption of technical roles,
> reinforcing gendered stereotypes about technical abilities and interest
> among men versus women.
> What could we do?  Organize women's-only trainings; have women offer
> one-on-one technical support and mentoring.
>
>
> D)  A local promoter comes by weekly to drop off flyers for local events.
>  You notice that, although the performers at the events being advertised are
> always male, the flyers always feature full-chested women wearing bikinis
> and lots of makeup.  One week, the promoter asks to purchase advertising to
> promote a wet t-shirt contest and dance party at a local bar.
>
> What's the Problem?  The promoter is profiting from exploiting women's
> sexuality, thus commodifying women's bodies.  Having the flyers at the
> station, and especially airing advertising for the promoter, links the
> station with these practices.
> What could we do?  Meet with the promoter to discuss the problems with his
> event and promotions; or simply refuse to run the advertising.
>
> Personal story:  Male board members sometimes make condescending comments
> to women staff and board members.  While the remarks are not overtly violent
> or harassing, they have left women directors and employees feeling
> uncomfortable or angry on a number of occasions.
> What's the Problem?  The power of the directorship combined with the power
> of male privilege compromises the ability for the recipients of the comments
> to respond directly, particularly for the employee who is subject to the
> board's decisions.
> What could we do?  Organize anti-oppression training for the board as a
> whole; meet with sympathetic board members to lodge a complaint and request
> that they intervene on behalf of the employee
>
>
> E)  You are part of a committee struck to complete a gender audit at your
> station.  The audit reveals that only 35% of the station's spoken word
> programmers, and 25% of the music programmers, identify as women.  Because
> there is a women's music program and a feminist issues show that have short
> timeslots and operate on a collective basis, you discover that only about
> 20% of the station's programming is presented by hosts who identify as
> women.  When you  share the audit results with the station's programming
> director, the PD replies that few women come out to volunteer orientations.
>
> What's the Problem?  There is a gender imbalance on-air, due to lack of
> outreach and/or sympathy on the part of the PD.  The gender imbalance may be
> creating an unwelcoming space for women both in the station and on-air.
> What could we do?  Extend the timeslots for the women's collective programs
> if they respond favourably to the suggestion; change the orientation
> structure, scheduling or location; make the audit widely known among the
> station's volunteer base and membership; conduct targetted outreach to
> women's groups and organizations in the area.
>
> Personal Story:  You are the music coordinator at your station.  A male
> programmer sends an email to your work address asking you out on a date.
>  You choose not to respond.  A few weeks later, the programmer emails all of
> the paid staff at your station, threatening to quit his program.
> What's the Problem?  Unwanted advances in the workplace constitute
> harassment
> What could we do?  Refer to your organization's harassment policy,
> especially if harassing behavior  occurs again.
>
>
> 5) Wrap-Up
> Several recurring themes and suggestions arose during this session:
> A) Policies meant to address sexist discrimination, harassment and creating
> a safe space often fail to resolve matters that arise in a timely, effective
> way that addresses the needs of individuals involved.
> B) Where time and safety permit, approaching an individual directly and
> immediately to discuss their sexist behavior is a practical approach.
> C) If anyone's physical safety is threatened, dismissal or suspension of an
> aggressor or harasser may need to be implemented before a situation
> escalates.  Do not compromise a vulnerable person's well-being to protect a
> suspected perpetrator.
> D) Prevention is the best cure:  By developing a strong culture of respect
> and ensuring that volunteers, staff and board members complete
> anti-oppression trainings on an ongoing basis, many instances of sexism and
> other oppressive behaviors can be averted.
> E) For resources and assistance in organizing anti-oppression training,
> campus-community stations can consult with their University's equity or
> human rights office or PIRG.  Non-campus stations can approach local women's
> groups, PIRGs, call-out to volunteers and listeners for assistance, and
> refer to    sites such as http://www.rantcollective.net/ and
> http://www.trainingforchange.org/
> _______________________________________________
> Ncrawomen mailing list
> Ncrawomen at ncra.ca
> http://ncra.ca/mailman/listinfo/ncrawomen_ncra.ca
>
>
>
> --
> Frieda Werden, Series Producer
> WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wamvan mailing list
> Wamvan at lists.resist.ca
> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/wamvan
>
>

-- 
Joanna Chiu

Freelance Writer
joannachiu.com <http://www.joannachiu.com/>
twitter.com/joannachiu

Organizer, WAM! Vancouver
wamvancouver.wordpress.com
twitter.com/wamvancity
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/wamvan/attachments/20110610/56f2c31f/attachment.html>