Leading: A Position of Inquiry
It is important for program leader/s to establish that they have also been affected with dominant notions of gender and other social constructs which perpetuate discrimination and inequality.
The program invites group leaders and participants to explore how the meanings made of participants' lives are interpreted and shaped by the social construction of gender. This is supported by the fundamental principle that each participant is the expert on his or her life and has a unique contribution to make.
A position of inquiry involves program leader/s acknowledging the cultures of participants in an open, curious and non-judgmental way and inquiring about:
- how their behaviour is influenced by their beliefs about themselves and their relationships;
- the effect that gender, sexuality, nationality, racial and ethnic heritage, family structure, religious affiliation, violence, ability, physical appearance and socio-economic status play in individuals' lives;
- whether they believe in and live by beliefs associated with dominant masculine practices;
- times when they have related differently from dominant masculine practices in a situation or context and the reasons for this;
- their future images of their lives based on their current views of themselves and their relationships;
- their hopes for their future.
When the program leader conveys an attitude of respect (using Protective Behaviours principles) and curiosity without being intrusive about the complexities of the participants' lives, it is more likely that participants will in turn feel safe to express their interpretations of human experience.
This may encourage participants to explore the powerful notion that people are more than the sum of their dominant views of themselves. Rather, there are many alternative ways of being which are chosen from interpretations of the present, the past and understanding more about the inter-relationship between an individual's actions and social practices.
