Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 16:01:50 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 5/7/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news, pt. 2 1. ME: Portland to host gay prom 2. "Confronting Sexual Harassment: Learning Activities for Teens" ================================================================== The Portland Newspapers can be reached at: E-mail: herald@portland.com Postal Service: 390 Congress St., Portland, ME 04103 Telephone: (207) 791-6650; in Maine only, (800) 442-6036 Fax: (207) 791-6920 Letters to the Editor: letters@portland.com http://www.portland.com/news/news.htm Portland Press Herald, May 7, 1998 Box 1460,Portland,ME,04101 (Fax 207-791-6924)(E-MAIL: letters@portland.com) (http://www.portland.com/news/news.htm) Homosexual youths get their own prom By Tess Nacelewicz, Staff Writer [At left: Sage Hylton-Lemons, 18, will be master of ceremonies at the Summer Nights Prom, Saturday at the Holiday Inn by the Bay. Staff photo by David A. Rodgers] [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ALTERNATIVE PROM What: The Summer Nights Prom, a dance for gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youths and their allies Where: Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring St., Portland When: 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday Dress: Semi-formal Cost: $10 per person D.J. Colin Hoy will provide the music. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Tickets available at the door. Questions, call 773-1229. ================================================================================ Confronting Sexual Harassment: Learning Activities for Teens ISBN: 0-932796-74-5 176 pages / softcover reproducibles / bibliography Available from Educational Media Corporation Box 21311 4256 Central Avenue NE Minneapolis, MN 55421-0311 800-966-3382 EXCERPTED FROM THE PREFACE Every generation grows up in a different world than their parents. Today's children are the first daycare generation, the first to grow up in an electronic society full of computers and surrounded by new forms of multimedia technology. They live in a world of abstraction more than reality, as environment and nature become more of a projected image than something experienced first hand. They are the first post-sexual revolution generation, being exposed to more sexually explicit pictures and language on television and films. The children of today have more options; but, overloaded with choices, they may not always make responsible decisions and act appropriately, especially in terms of social relationships. Parents and family members, ideally, should have enough time together to talk about life's issues, including how to relate with others and to create satisfying personal relationships. However, it is well-documented that many children in this generation are being raised in single-parent families, often with a working mother who is lucky to have time and energy left for quality family time. Traditional families, where the teaching of social values and customs was once lodged, are giving way to new family structures and new childhood freedoms that did not exist forty years ago. To create a safe and productive society, caring adults must help children address some of the issues that are influencing their development and the world they will live in. This can be challenging, for adults often project their own fears and wishes on young people. Older generations typically rely on their own experiences as primary reference points to make decisions and give direction to children. Sometimes this can be effective and at other times it is risky, if not detrimental. For example, there were many generations of men and women who learned that it was useless to challenge someone who harassed them. Sexual harassment of women was considered part of life's game, a playful battle between the sexes. Women, especially, were taught to tolerate it, to ignore the humiliation, and that it was probably best not to say anything. To speak up would only fuel the situation and possibly make matters worse. But, times have changed. Sexual harassment is no longer tolerated. A new generation of children are being taught they need not sacrifice their dignity and personal welfare as either the butt of an insensitive joke or through intimidating sexual threats. This book is about sexual harassment. It is designed to help caring adults -- teachers, counselors, and others -- work with young people regarding the development of positive personal relationships. More specifically, it is an attempt to address the particularly troublesome area of harassment. It includes some general information and background which highlight the problem and provides a rationale for the guidance unit that follows. The guidance unit is entitled, "Confronting Sexual Harassment." Aimed at middle and high school students, it consists of eight group sessions, each with objectives, procedures, and activities. Students learn concepts and skills as they progress through the unit. They are challenged to take more responsibility in creating a safe and productive school environment. The unit was designed to stand alone or to be integrated into the curricula of regular middle or high school courses. Teachers, for example, might use the unit as a departure point to also teach writing and speaking skills in English classes, or as part of human development in Science. Counselors might want to present the unit in their work, either meeting with classroom groups or perhaps as a small group counseling unit with selected students. The unit can also be used in other settings, such as mental health agencies, religious centers, and community organizations. The guidance unit was originally viewed as one with twelve sessions; however, it was decided to present and test a time-limited unit. Supplemental activities are included for those who have more time and access to young people who would volunteer to participate in the experience. Some assessment instruments are also included. These can be used as an individual or group pre-post measure of concepts and skills. The authors recognize that the topic of sexual harassment is sensitive and sometimes controversial. The problems involved can take the form of many different behaviors and also vary across situations. This book is aimed at the general population of teenagers and the most typical situations. These can be adapted to special situations not covered here. Also, we were sensitive to the use of pronouns and how they might convey a message about one particular gender or the other. By no means are all males guilty of sexual harassment, just as all females are not victims. We also recognize that, while our examples may depict people of the opposite gender, sexual harassment also occurs between people of the same gender and, in fewer than ten percent of all cases, a female can also be guilty of sexual harassing a male. Russell A. Sabella Robert D. Myrick TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication About the Authors Preface Chapter 1 Sexual Harassment: A Pervasive Problem Chapter 2 Sexual Harassment: A Costly Problem The Cost to Business The Cost to Educational Institutions The Cost to Personal Development Chapter 3 Sexual Harassment: Confronting the Problem Sex Role Stereotypes The Myths of Harassment Chapter 4 Sexual Harassment: Helping Resolve the Problem Four Personality Profiles Related Issues Caring People Can Help Chapter 5 Confronting Sexual Harassment: A Guidance Unit Working with Teenagers Working with Parents Figure 5.1: Sample Parent Permission Form Summary of Sessions Session 1: The Nature of the Beast Activity 1.1: "Tic-Tac-Know!" Session 2: Sexual Harassment Mythology Activity 2.1: Go to Your Corner! Session 3: Is it Sexual Harassment? Activity 3.1: Is it Sexual Harassment Session 4: The Web Activity 4.1: The Spider Web Session 5: What are You Trying to Say? Activity 5.1: You Gizzydeech! Activity 5.2: The Blind Spot Session 6: The Party Activity 6.1: The Party Session 7: Helping Yourself and Others Activity 7.1: Opt to STOP! Activity 7.2: Helping a Friend Who Has Been Sexually Harassed Session 8: Moving Around and Moving Ahead Activity 8.1: I Learned Chapter 6 Supplemental Activities Dear Abby A Public Survey Monkey See, Monkey Do Try to Escape Unfinished Sentences The Dating Ritual The Graffiti Wall To Catch a Thief Reporting a Murder The Mystery Person My Body I Want You To The Nightly News Enclosure Complete the Sentence Red Light, Green Light, Yellow Light Debate A Boy Who ..(Rank Order) Order in the Court Masks To Build a House of Cards The Mannequins Listen to the Music What's Happening Here? The Feedback Chair Mobile Crossword Puzzle Chapter 7 The Facilitative Model and Group Leadership The Facilitative Conditions The Facilitative Process The High Facilitative Responses Figure 7.1 Feeling Words The Low Facilitative Responses Facilitative Responses in Conducting the Unit The Facilitative Activities Chapter 8 Accountability and Evaluation Figure 8.1 The Sexual Harassment Inventory Figure 8.2 The School Atmosphere Inventory Figure 8.3 Sexual Harassment Unit Evaluation Scoring and Interpretation What Students Think of the Unit Session Reproducibles Session 1: Reproducibles Session 2: Reproducibles Session 3: Reproducibles Session 5: Reproducibles Session 6: Reproducibles Session 7: Reproducibles Session 8: Reproducibles References and Related Readings For workshops and presentations, contact Russell Sabella, Phd 502-852-0625 or email rasabe01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/