From reading everyone's post class reactions, and hearing about class from a few friends, I wish I was able to be there in person. The experiment sounds like a great idea, and very creative. This made me think of an experiment the GLBT club in my high school did. Everyone that was a member was not allowed to speak at all the entire day, representing the forced silence of those that are too afraid to come out of the closet. They get silenced by a society that is against them (whether that is true or not), and not everyone feels comfortable coming out, especially in high school where people can be very judgemental. But being a woman in this day and age, I have never felt discrimminated against. I know we are not equal to men all the time (by some standards), but I have been able to do what I want to do in life so far - play sports, go to school, get a job, own a car, etc. Although this wasn't the case several decades ago, we have certainly made strides.
But when I was thinking about it, sometimes I do get a little more shy or uncomfortable to say certain things around guys. Of course the dynamics change and the conversation changes with an all-girl group or a co-ed group, but isn't that the same way for guys too? They definitely have different conversations when they are all male rather than if they are with women too. But is that because society does that to us? Or there are just life issues that one gender would rather discuss than another - hm, maybe again because of the stresses of the "norm" of the gender.
This issue could go even further, by recognizing how some high schools seperate the boys and the girls for phys ed class, but then bring them back together for academics. A social issue, or a physical one? Or what about all boy schools and all girl schools? Do the tests show that girls study better or are smarter without the intimidation of men? Or vice-versa? Since I have been in co-ed education all my life, I cannot say. But I know I like being surrounded by both genders to get a full scope of answers and opinions.
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