Gender Education

The Office of Women's Programs and Studies Staff is available to serve the campus community as consultants, presenters or as facilitators. In addition, our affiliated peer education team, S.A.G.E is available to provide education to groups in the campus community about different gender related issues. Programs are commonly presented to classes, student organizations, athletic teams, Greek organizations, residence halls and other groups.

Our staff and peer educators are available to present information, or to facilitate dialog within a group on a variety of topics. These programs are designed to increase participants' awareness of gender related issues including (click on the topic to see a sample presentations):

• Interpersonal violence (sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, and harassment)
• Gender socialization
• Personal safety
• Body image
• Dating and healthy relationships
• Gender and communication
• Women and self-esteem
• Sexual topics
• Bystander intervention
• Masculinities

We can also customize programs to meet the specific needs of your organization, department, or group. For example, we can conduct professional development training to counselors on rape trauma syndrome, health care professionals on assessing for relationship violence with their patients, or residence life staff on sexual harassment on campus. Our facilitators can also customize a presentation to address specific topics, such as programming for single gender audiences.

Consultation

Professional staff members are also available to provide consultation to student organizations, departments, and other groups to negotiate the effects of gender socialization. We can assist your group in sorting through any gender-related issues. It is not uncommon for gender stereotypes or gender based harassment to create tension or decreased productivity in group settings. The Office of Women's Programs and Studies staff can provide assessment and staff development training to mitigate gender related issues.

If you would like to schedule a program or consult on a gender-related topic, please contact us at (970) 491-6384 or owps@lamar.colostate.edu.

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Sample presentations

• Sexual Assault
  This presentation will help participants to develop a better understanding of the definitions, dynamics, and prevalence of sexual assault in an interactive format. Safety /risk reduction strategies and resources can also be provided.


• Gender Socialization
  This presentation explores the differences between sex and gender, and how gender roles affect our expectations and behavior. This is an interactive presentation providing a better understanding of how gender socialization affects our behaviors and relationships.


• Personal Safety
  This presentation provides a framework to understand personal safety issues. Participants will learn to reduce the risk of personal harm, recognize a plan for harm, and how to help a friend who has been victimized. Resources will also be offered.


• Body Image
  This presentation explores the relationship between our personal body image and the effects of the media. Strategies to resist societal messages and empower individuals to embrace their bodies in a healthy way will be offered. Campus resources will be provided to continue learning about this issue.


• Dating and Healthy Relationships
  This presentation will help participants develop an understanding of the expectations people have of relationships and from where these expectations come. Participants will learn about the characteristics of a healthy relationship and how to establish healthy personal boundaries. In addition, we will learn how to identify and avoid unhealthy relationships. Campus and community resources will be provided.


• Gender and Communication
  This presentation is designed to better understand how communication styles are often based on gender, where these gendered styles of communication originated from, and the implications of gendered communication styles. Strategies will be shared to make space to hear all voices, and additional resources will be provided.


• Women and Self-esteem
  This presentation is designed to teach participants how to better understand what self-esteem is and how it affects the lives of women. We will explore societal messages about women and how these messages affect both women and men. Strategies will be provided to resist these destructive messages and to re-write perceptions of ourselves.


• Sexual topics
  This presentation will address the role of sexuality in our lives and relationships, including definitions, the effect of media messages and images, and the adverse effects of unrealistic expectations. Strategies for creating healthy sexual relationships will be offered, and additional resources will be provided.


• Sexual topics
  We sometimes observe sexism, racism, classism, ableism, and homophobia, but struggle with how to intervene in such situations. This program will highlight some strategies for interventions so that we don't leave interactions thinking, "I wish I would have said something."


• Masculinities
  This presentation highlights male gender socialization, and how this socialization may affect male behavior. We will examine gender privilege, and discuss how gender is often invisible for men, and what responsibilities and opportunities exist with gender privilege.