Questions Identify three examples of significant verbal and/or nonverbal messages influenced by gender, and describe these in detail. For instance, you might observe that the clothing your work colleagues wear is

gendered (nonverbal example). Fully describe the clothing and explain how you feel it is linked to gender. • Are you comfortable or uncomfortable with these messages? Why? This question is asking for your opinion. For example, in response to the first question, you might describe a TV scene in which a character says, "You throw like a girl" (verbal example). Describe your comfort or discomfort with this statement, and provide a context for your reaction. Perhaps you feel bothered by what you consider a sexist remark. Or perhaps you view the scene as comedic, a humorous take on gender stereotypes that doesn't bother you. • How does your gender socialization affect your perceptions of the messages you observed and described? Think carefully about how you are viewing a situation through the lens of your own gender. The sex you were assigned at birth most likely determined whether you were socialized into a feminine or a masculine gender identity. And the specific context in which you were raised helped shape the values, attitudes, and habits you internalized. If, for example, you had a stay-at- home mom, you may view gender roles quite differently than someone who had a stay-at-home dad or a mother who worked in a male-dominated profession. How do these factors influence the way YOU view the situations you describe? The answer will require some nuanced thought. Don't simply say, "Because I'm a woman, I see it this way, and a man would see it differently."