BACKGROUND

In the first step, this technique should encourage thinking about gender inequality with the help of visual materials and representations. The background of this method is that in established cartoons, people that differ from typical gender roles are often made fun of. On the other hand, comics and cartoons provide a great possibility to point out grievances in a humoristic way. They can disarm with their humour factor and therefore support a discussion without negating discrimination and hurt. This method has been inspired by a training given by the NGO EfEU in Vienna.

The second step is that the participants should work on strategies to counteract inequality. With the help of a timeline, these strategies can be presented graphically. Because of this, we can work on behaviour and changing strategies that come from an analysis of the current situation.

This technique is meant as an in-depth activity because of the presupposed knowledge regarding the topics of gender, sexism, and dependence in relationships.

PRACTICAL NOTES

Group size

This method is suitable for bigger groups between 12 and 24 people.

Duration

• introduction: 5 minutes
• choosing the materials and finding groups: 5 minutes
• talking about the materials with the help of the questions in a small group (max. 6 participants): 30 minutes
• thinking about strategies of change: 30 minutes
• presentation in the whole group: 20 minutes

Materials

• printed comics and cartoons

  • „Will work for food – Will work for 28 % less food“ (https://the20thcenturyinspirationz.weebly.com/gender-and-racial-pay-gap.html)
  • Pay gap and pocket money (https://frauen-bayern.verdi.de/themen/gleiches-geld)
  • Risk of poverty and a single parent (http://schwarwel-karikatur.com/ngg_tag/handlung/)
  • Free care work of women and femmes? Not this time (https://missy-magazine.de/blog/2017/01/10/giveyourmoneytowomen-emotionale-arbeit/)
  • The eternal question of the income gap (https://awblog.at/die-ewige-einkommensschere-eine-kurzanalyse-zum-8-maerz-2016/)
  • Discrimination in the workplace  – Outing in the workplace (https://www.achsoistdas.com/projects/margit-44/)
  • If she earns more than him …“ (https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/familie/wenn-frauen-mehr-verdienen-was-bleibt-von-mir-als-mann-12769463/ich-mach-das-schon-12771346.html)
  • „She wears the pants …” (https://www.univie.ac.at/Geschichte/salon21/?p=16944)
  • The exploitation of domestic workers (https://www.amnesty.de/allgemein/pressemitteilung/katar-hausangestellte-missbraucht-und-ausgebeutet)
  • Different career conditions for men and women (https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Activity/5351/Lean-In-McKinsey-s-Women-in-the-Workplace-report-reveals-a-broken-rung-as-more-women-get-stuck-at-entry-level-and-fewer-women-become-managers-than-their-male-counterparts)

• flipchart or poster paper for the visualisation of changing strategies

• markers, pencils

STRUCTURE AND INSTRUCTIONS

The room will be prepared. The printed and laminated pictures, illustrations, and cartoons will be put up at different spots in the room (also possible: put up on walls). Depending on the group size, there should be 5 to 10 cartoons. The participants will walk through the room and look at every picture. After this, every person picks one picture that is the most appealing to them. The participants will stand next to their chosen pictures. When everybody has chosen, the people with the same picture will talk about their decision. The focus is on the representation of sexism, discrimination, and constricting gender roles.

• What do I feel when I see a sexist illustration?

• What do I feel when alternative gender representations are made fun of?

• How do I feel as a boy, girl, queer or inter person?

• Why is it still that girls and women earn less than men and are more often depending on their partners?

Change is possible

After this, the participants will work out 3 to 5 strategies on how to reach equality regarding distribution of money, capital, recognition, unpaid work, and time resources. All these topics will be put in a timeline in 3 different columns:

• column 1: Current Situation, i.e. situation, that needs to be addressed
• column 2: Strategies to change in a positive way
• column 3: Outcome, i.e. situation, when it is changed

Example

• actual state: Women spend more time on unpaid care work than men.
• strategies for change: Tackling entrenched gender stereotypes: change gender norms for men in order for them to do their share of care work without feeling emasculated.
• target state: Responsibilities for care and house work are equally distributed.

Afterwards the posters will be presented and discussed:

• Which strategies did you come up with regarding a positive change?

• How can these strategies be realized?

• Which different strategies do the other groups think about?

For an overview of theory of change see: what-is-theory-of-change¹

Downloadables

• Handout – Recognize Discrimination