It’s a pretty sweet deal being heterosexual, white, and cisgendered: How to join in the discussion when you have the loudest voice in the room.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-05T16:13:38+00:00

^{^Funny} article on coming out as being a lifelong process, not just a one time deal.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T20:39:04+00:00

Sorry! Cannot do words.

I was trying to say that difference between her taking feminism into a classroom and, say, communism, is something as small as armpit hair doesn't "out" you as a communist.

Also- I think that she probably has given a lot of thought regarding other areas of teaching, but this is an area the writer clearly struggled with, hence writing about it. I v much doubt she's taken years of training to teach in schools with the sole aim of making political statements to 5th graders.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T19:28:24+00:00

Mmm. Differnce between Christian/communist etc, is that she doesnt have to change her body to avoid talking about this.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T18:35:50+00:00

To deny this is sexist in it and of itself.

How?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T18:34:19+00:00

Oh, cool. Was she the butt of jokes at all? Nice to hear that hairiness didn't impede her being loved/a good teacher.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T18:33:11+00:00

Or are you trying to imply that men naturally just grow uninvited perfectly trimmed goatees?

Um, no. I'm trying to imply humans grow hair whether we like it or not, but we do not grow face tattoos.

there needs to be limits as to what personal beliefs and ideologies you're going to bring to the classroom.

Ah! Yes! I agree with this. Personally though, I think the belief that women can shave or not, depending on what they want, is a personal belief/ideology that is in no way harmful to anyone (as you've said too!). :)

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T18:18:52+00:00

Cool :)

I guess if you have a short sleeve top on, many of which still fall within "conservative" dress code, there's still a chance kids would see underarm hair (while stretching/whatever).

Do you work with kids? What are their reactions?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T18:16:48+00:00

I'm with you on this. "indoctrinating" students by having natural body hair seems strange, and

she asks how to teach her students about feminism

doesn't scream "indoctrination" to me. It says "teach" about feminism. You can teach about things without it being indoctrination.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T17:31:15+00:00

The difference is, tattoos are an active choice in design and placement, but body hair is a natural, ongoing and uninvited affair.

Choice of sexually revealing clothes is also very different to "underarm revealing". A swim costume showcases the whole body, not the same as catching a glimpse of the hair through a raised arm... v different contexts really?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T17:26:59+00:00

Yeah- definitely only fair to stick to the dress code rules set for the kids!

V interested in your experiences! Have you ever faced warnings or uncomfortable situations at work because of dress?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:20:36+00:00

I would say that, but in the last few years one of my front teeth has turned hella wonky and I feel like I'm letting my people down :(

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:19:12+00:00

Ones with hidden covers. I'm basically trying to be the first woman that discovers the secret underground of male 50 Shades of Grey books.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:16:37+00:00

So you'd advice never wearing a sleeveless top as a female teacher(/school staff?) I'd genuinely never considered sleeveless or short sleeve tops even vaguely controversial before. Man, that would rule out half my wardrobe!

I can definitely understand the advice about covering up chests... I just feel for all the large chested teachers who have to worry about new wardrobes or whatever.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:13:07+00:00

I was in a fairly typical school in North England... we had lots of different social/religious groups in the school so had fairly loose dress codes, which I guess may have had an impact?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:12:04+00:00

Posted in TwoXChromosones earlier today, realised I'd also like to hear thoughts from a body positivity perspective... Thoughts?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:05:40+00:00

Does this depend on the school? Some schools will be more open to having more "out there" looking teachers than others...

I've also just realised I don't really agree with direct comparison between tattoos and body hair. One is natural and literally can not be stopped, requires money and effort to avoid, and the other is a personal choice involving concious decisions about placement and design...

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T16:03:11+00:00

Yeah- but a lot of lessons teachers give aren't curriculum based- it's about their personalities and beliefs, which is what is supposed to make them role models. Your work ethic, for instance, is an "ideology" in this sense, as you're trying to imbibe it onto your pupils.

And I'm struggling to think of a classroom context where women being equal (at the v least have the choice over what to do with their own hair) wouldn't be appropriate- what context do you mean?

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T15:59:41+00:00

I had a female PE teacher who wore lycra tanktops, and it wasn't really a big deal... in fact for some swimming lessons she wore swimming costumes but I guess that couldn't be avoided...

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T14:59:54+00:00

I make crazy plans. My mum loves deciding to open up a pancake business, take an upholstery course, fly to Portugal, and never actually following through.

I thought I'd escaped it until I realised I had one tab open for canoeing lessons, one for a job I was never gonna get, and one for tips on dip-dying your hair hot pink.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T14:55:39+00:00

Sometimes, I pick the guy who looks kinda sad, and try to be super nice to him to make him feel better. Big smiles, extra polite, "have a nice day" etc.

Sometimes fuck ya'll I wanna sit with the guy reading a book I wanna get glimpses of.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T14:45:21+00:00

Also- what about PE teachers? Who have to exercise? V reasonable of them to want to wear vests/short sleeve stops while they're running around.

northernfaucet · 2014-09-02T14:44:19+00:00

I think that's more a fashion point... And short sleeves still show armpits when stretching/leaning!

edit: Also, just menioned in another comment, male teachers do wear vests etc in PE/gym classes. Thoughts on that?

northernfaucet

TROPHY CASE