Following on from the success of Dissecting Masculinity series Contested brings you Dissecting Gender.

We have spoken at length about the damaging impact that constructions of masculinity have on everybody but masculinity doesn’t exist within a vacuum. We cannot talk about masculinity without talking about a whole host of other things (such as capitalism, colonialism and patriarchy more broadly).

We must also be aware that discourses around masculinity can inadvertently recreate and reinforce patriarchal structures and norms.

If we accept that masculinity is a social construct and that it has dangerous outcomes, what then does it mean about the constructions of femininity? Do we then need to dissect gender, rather than just focusing on masculinity? And where does race come into this?

As a result, in Dissecting Gender we will try to address some of these issues through four work shops looking at media representations and violence against women of colour, discussions about trans inclusivity, the construction of femininity as well as the grounding patriarchy within its colonial context.

Guests will have to choose to attend two of the four workshops, however, there will be an extended Q&A at the end of the day so everyone will get a chance to hear from those running all the workshops.

Workshops:

Purple Drum: Misrepresentations: Linking media representation and violence against women of colour.

Kai Isaiah Jamal - The boys that have to survive: An exploration and awareness of one personal transition and journey towards freedom

Divya and Holly from Wolf Whistled lead a practical workshop on Dissecting Feminism: White Feminism, Intersectional Feminism and Womanism, why internal politics massively matter.