Final Overview
Over the course of your class, you have read widely and deeply about gender identity and gendered experiences, including the oppression and discrimination that people in the United States have and continue to face due to their intersecting identities. Some of these readings likely spoke to you on a personal level and pushed you to reconsider and recontextualize your past experiences. For our final paper, you are asked to choose one of these gendered experiences to analyze, putting your personal experience in conversation with what you have learned in class this term.
As I've noted before, this type of truth-telling is an important part of feminist pedagogy. Putting your past into a new context to tell stories that push for change is a powerful exercise. It can help you better understand yourself and our society. It can provide healing, and your work can be a catalyst for change!
To prepare for your paper, you will need to:
Identify a particular scenario where your gender identity, along with other elements of your identity, was a significant factor in how you were treated.
Relate your gendered experience to at least one a topic or social issue we learned about in class. After you decide on your topic/issue, pull together the readings on this topic from our course materials to help you contextualize and analyze your experience. I'd recommend at least three different sources here (GV content chapters, particular GV author short pieces, memoirs we've read, etc.) that you will draw information and quotes from.
- Read GV Chapter 15, pages 640-659, on activism and change to think about how we, as individuals and/or as a society, can begin to address the type of issue/treatment you will cover in your paper. What can we do to promote change?
- Final Prompt
Your Final Paper is due on Tuesday, 4/30, by 11:59 PM CST. Your paper is worth 200 points - it is 15% of your grade. Please devote serious consideration and time to this topic and the writing of this paper. Your paper will be run through Turnitin.com to check for plagiarism and AI use; any final papers found to be in violation of our course rules will receive a zero.
For your final paper, you will reflect on your personal gendered experiences. Choose a specific scenario where your gender, along with other aspects of your identity, influenced how you were treated. Using sources from class, put that experience into the broader social context and analyze it! To do this, you will want to discuss the social issue(s)/power dynamics that shaped and informed this experience, how this experience is reflective of our current social moment, and what we might do to affect positive change. For more guidance, see the suggested outline below and consult the tips for writing a gender-focused memoir essay.
- Source Use and Citations
You may use any sources from our class to write this paper There should be no outside sources! All sources should be cited in in-text citation form (author, pg.).
If you have a source that you've found that you'd like to use for the paper that isn't in our textbook or class, feel free to run it by me for approval by 4/24.
You must have a minimum of five citations in your paper from our course readings.
Structure
- Your paper should have an opening paragraph, three to five body paragraphs, and a full paragraph conclusion - so a traditional essay (not our shortened version in the journal papers!).
Sample Outline
Introduction - Introduce the gender-based social issue you will talk about. Make an argument about this issue that you will prove in your essay!
- Paragraph 1 (or more): Tell Your Story
- Paragraphs 2 (or more): Contextualize Your Story - relate your story to a prevalent social issue or set of issues. This is where you will need to use your textbook to explain "why things are the way they are." Employ facts, statistics, etc.; you may also want to include similar experiences that you read about in our source readings.
- Paragraph 3: Social Commentary - Explain what your experience "tells" us about our society.
Paragraph 4: Social Change - Make concrete suggestions for change.
Paragraph 5: Closing - Sum up the gender-based social issue, remind us why it matters (could be personally and/or socially), and firm up what we can do to change it.
Tips for good memoir essays on gendered experiences:
- Read the work of others: Go back and read a few memoir excerpts from our class that spoke to you. What is the writing style like? How does the author tell their story? How do they contextualize and analyze their experience? What types of social commentary or suggestions for change do they make? What makes the piece meaningful/relatable? What elements of the author's style or organization could you bring to your own work?
- Choose a relevant and meaningful topic: Select a moment and associated topic or issue that is both personally significant and relevant to this gender studies course. It could be a pivotal moment in your life related to your gender identity, experiences of gender discrimination or oppression, or challenges and growth regarding your gender/your way of thinking about gender.
- Be honest and authentic: Memoir essays are about sharing your truth. Be honest and vulnerable in recounting your experiences. Authenticity will help readers connect with your story and understand the impact of gender-related issues on your life and the lives of others.
Reflect on your experiences: Memoir essays are not just about narrating events; they should also offer insights and reflections on the impact of gender-related experiences. Analyze your emotions, thoughts, and personal growth in the context of gender studies concepts and/or associated social issues. This will demonstrate reflection, critical thinking, and engagement with the course material.
Use an intersectional approach: Gender intersects with various aspects of identity, such as race, class, sexuality, ability, etc. Acknowledge and explore how these intersections affect your experiences and shape your perspective on gender issues.
- Employ vivid storytelling: Engage your reader by using descriptive language and storytelling techniques. Create a vivid picture of the events, people, and settings involved in your narrative. This will help readers empathize with your experiences and connect with your journey.
- Integrate course material: Demonstrate your understanding of our course material by integrating relevant concepts, theories, and research. Use quotes from readings to support your arguments and show that you've engaged critically with the subject matter.
Maintain sensitivity and respect: Your memoir should contribute to a thoughtful and constructive reflection on gender and gender-based issues. When writing, be sure to be sensitive and respectful and avoid generalizations or stereotypes.
Don't rush your paper: Take your time to craft a well-thought-out and impactful narrative.