But it's the second week. And actual discussion of the topic at hand is finally beginning. That's maybe not a good thing, [[you're suddenly realizing]].
You read the first chapter of the primary textbook before class began. It was obviously mostly just an overview, but it [[briefly mentioned transgender people]].
A couple days later, you're back in class, and you're still wondering [[how she's going to address the topic]].
The class goes on a while longer; she brings up a few more topics. Finally, it comes to an end; she says a few things about how the class will be watching a video next time, but she hasn't decided on one yet, and [[mentions the chapter we need to begin reading next]].
You read the first chapter of the primary textbook before class began. It was obviously mostly just an overview, but it briefly mentioned transgender people. And it's a pretty out of date textbook regarding this topic even though it was published just a few years ago. And it's clear now that your professor's knowledge regarding transgender people is [[even more limited]].
The class goes on a while longer; she brings up a few more topics. Finally, it comes to an end; she says a few things about how the class will be watching a video next time, but she hasn't decided on one yet, and mentions the chapter we need to begin reading next. You kind of wish there was less to say so she would finish sooner, because you [[really just want to get this over with]].
Finally, everyone else leaves, and [[you have your chance]].
A brief autobiographical game about being in class. Trigger warning for cissexism.\n\n[[Begin]].
A couple days later, you're back in class, and you're still wondering how she's going to address the topic. It turns out she's devoting the entire class to it; the video she decided on is a short documentary [[about a nonbinary group in Oaxaca, called muxe]].
Things Hoped For
She has a lot of questions, and there are things she doesn't quite get, or terminology that she's not clear on. But she makes it clear that she wants to learn and wants to [[correct any wrong ideas she passed along]].
It seems like you have [[a few choices]].<<silently>><<set $talknow = 0>><<set $donttalk = 0>><<endsilently>>
Hearing someone with a doctorate in anthropology suggest that your country only has a gender binary but some others have other genders [[is discomfiting]].
[[You think through your options|a few choices]].<<silently>><<set $donttalk = 1>><<set $firstchoice = 2>><<endsilently>>
You're in [[class]].
She has a lot of questions, and there are things she doesn't quite get, or terminology that she's not clear on. But she makes it clear that she wants to learn and wants to correct any wrong ideas she passed along. She promises to address this in the next class session. You wonder how she'll go about that; you're hopeful that it'll go well, but it's not still just something that gives you [[another reason to worry]].
And hearing her continue by saying that only people who have had sexual reassignment surgery are transgender [[hurts even more]].
It's clear that she's well-meaning and probably doesn't realize that any of [[what she's saying is bad]].
<<if $talknow eq 1>>So obviously you can't just say something, because that might just make enemies that you don't feel safe having.\n\nAnd yet if you don't say anything at all, things might just get worse. Taking away your own voice while a harmful voice continues speaking [[wouldn't be a good thing at all]].<<else>>And yet if you don't say anything at all, things might just get worse. Taking away your own voice while a harmful voice continues speaking [[wouldn't be a good thing at all]].<<endif>>
<<if $donttalk eq 1>>Obviously you can't just stay silent; this is too important to just let go.\n\nBut there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like [[what you have to say]].<<else>>But there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like [[what you have to say]].<<endif>>
Finally, everyone else leaves, and you have your chance. You tell her that you were kind of uncomfortable with how she approached a lot of the things she said about transgender people, and how it's all pretty much completely contrary to [[how they would identify themselves]].
[[You re-evaluate your options|a few choices]].<<silently>><<set $talknow = 1>><<endsilently>>
Finally, everyone else leaves, and you have your chance. You tell her that you were kind of uncomfortable with how she approached a lot of the things she said about transgender people, and how it's all pretty much completely contrary to how they would identify themselves. You bring up Chelsea Manning and how the media treated her as an example, since that's something that's in recent memory. You talk about non-binary identities and how that's something that's actually pretty universal, and not just limited to a few non-Western cultures.\n\n[[And she's actually really receptive to it]].
And it's not perfect. [[Your profesor doesn't know everything about this yet]].
It dawns on you that through all your fear you're missing [[a really obvious solution]].
It seems like you have a couple choices.\n\n<<if $talknow eq 0 or $donttalk eq 0>><<if $talknow eq 0>>You could tell her you take issue with [[what she's saying]].<<else>>You could tell her you take issue with what she's saying.<<endif>>\n\n<<if $donttalk eq 0>>Or you could [[stay silent]].<<else>>Or you could stay silent.<<endif>><<else>>[[But neither of the ideas you've had are really good options]].<<endif>>
She has a lot of questions, and there are things she doesn't quite get, or [[terminology that she's not clear on]].
It's clear that she's well-meaning and probably doesn't realize that any of what she's saying is bad, but that [[hardly makes things better]].
Finally, everyone else leaves, and you have your chance. You tell her that you were kind of uncomfortable with how she approached a lot of the things she said about transgender people, and how it's all pretty much completely contrary to how they would identify themselves. You bring up Chelsea Manning and how the media treated her as an example, since that's something that's in recent memory. You talk about non-binary identities and how that's something that's actually pretty universal, and [[not just limited to a few non-Western cultures]].
And it's not perfect. Your profesor doesn't know everything about this yet. [[But she thought it was important enough to try to get the record straight as early as possible that she devoted an entire class to it... and that's really more than you could've hoped for]].
It dawns on you that through all your fear you're missing a really obvious solution. You could always just [[talk to her after class]].
The class goes on a while longer; she [[brings up a few more topics]].
<<if $talknow eq 1>>So obviously you can't just say something, because that might just make enemies that you don't feel safe having.\n\nAnd yet if you don't say anything at all, things [[might just get worse]].<<else>>And yet if you don't say anything at all, things [[might just get worse]].<<endif>>
You read the first chapter of the primary textbook [[before class began]].
<<if $talknow eq 1>>So obviously you can't just say something, because that might just make enemies that you don't feel safe having.\n\nAnd yet if you don't say anything at all, things might just get worse. Taking away your own voice while a harmful voice continues speaking wouldn't be a good thing at all. No, you're going to have to [[say something]].<<else>>And yet if you don't say anything at all, things might just get worse. Taking away your own voice while a harmful voice continues speaking wouldn't be a good thing at all. No, you're going to have to [[say something]].<<endif>>
It dawns on you that through all your fear you're missing a really obvious solution. You could always just talk to her after class. You're still nervous, of course; you still haven't even learned her name. But you've learned that most of your professors over the years have been pretty receptive to new ideas. If you're lucky, [[she'll be no exception]].
The End.\n\nThings Hoped For was created with Twine in August 2013, by [[this person|http://segoli.tumblr.com]].
A couple days later, you're back in class, and you're still wondering how she's going to address the topic. It turns out she's devoting the entire class to it; the video she decided on is a short documentary about a nonbinary group in Oaxaca, called muxe. The region it's focused on is far more progressive than most of the world, which means that the discussion of muxe as a gender identity distinct from male or female is far more in line with how transgender people [[actually approach the topic of their own gender]].
But it's the second week. And actual discussion of the topic at hand [[is finally beginning]].
<<if $donttalk eq 1>>Obviously you can't just stay silent; this is too important to just let go.\n\nBut there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like what you have to say. You aren't at all comfortable with the idea of drawing their attention. This is a pretty progressive college compared to what you're used to from people in real life, but [[it's still stuck firmly in the Bible Belt]].<<else>>But there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like what you have to say. You aren't at all comfortable with the idea of drawing their attention. This is a pretty progressive college compared to what you're used to from people in real life, but [[it's still stuck firmly in the Bible Belt]].<<endif>>
[[And it's not perfect]].
You're in class. It's a women's and gender studies class. You registered months late, and it was really exciting that this class, which fulfills a requirement to graduate, [[had a single open seat]].
<<if $donttalk eq 1>>Obviously you can't just stay silent; this is too important to just let go.\n\nBut there's a couple dozen people [[in the class]].<<else>>But there's a couple dozen people [[in the class]].<<endif>>
You're in class. It's a [[women's and gender studies class]].
It dawns on you that through all your fear you're missing a really obvious solution. You could always just talk to her after class. You're still nervous, of course; you still haven't even learned her name. But you've learned that most of your professors over the years have been [[pretty receptive to new ideas]].
She has a lot of questions, and there are things she doesn't quite get, or terminology that she's not clear on. But she makes it clear that she wants to learn and wants to correct any wrong ideas she passed along. She promises to address this in [[the next class session]].
But it's the second week. And actual discussion of the topic at hand is finally beginning. That's a good thing, [[right]]?
It dawns on you that through all your fear you're missing a really obvious solution. You could always just talk to her after class. You're still nervous, of course; you still [[haven't even learned her name]].
Finally, everyone else leaves, and you have your chance. You tell her that you were kind of uncomfortable with how she approached a lot of the things she said about transgender people, and how it's all pretty much completely contrary to how they would identify themselves. You bring up Chelsea Manning and how the media treated her as an example, since that's something that's [[in recent memory]].
You read the first chapter of the primary textbook before class began. It was obviously mostly just an overview, but it briefly mentioned transgender people. And it's a pretty out of date textbook regarding this topic even though it was published [[just a few years ago]].
<<if $donttalk eq 1>>Obviously you can't just stay silent; this is too important to just let go.\n\nBut there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like what you have to say. You aren't at all comfortable with the idea of [[drawing their attention]].<<else>>But there's a couple dozen people in the class. Odds are a lot of them wouldn't like what you have to say. You aren't at all comfortable with the idea of [[drawing their attention]].<<endif>>
But it's [[the second week]].