Gender Utopia — France

The Gender Utopia training course took place in the French mountain village of Issor. The project started on a different day for each member of the Czech expedition. It depended on how we each wanted to get there. Some people chose air transport, some chose train/bus. However, the official start of the program was on 7 July, it lasted until 13 July.

 

In less than a week we discussed pressing social issues related to gender. The main word of the whole project was respect, which we tried to show ourselves and learn something about ourselves. We learned this with the help of activities during which we could prove and show each other how we are as individuals. 

 

The beginning was action packed, right after the travel day in the evening after dinner the program started. It was a getting to know each other session. With that being said, not just a name was enough for introductions, but also a pronoun to limit misunderstandings throughout the project.

 

The next day started with breakfast, which we prepared ourselves. We were given the necessary ingredients from which we took care of the rest. The other groups had the task of preparing lunch or dinner, for example. It was marked as care work. Regarding care work was another important aspect of the project. We talked a lot about inclusion in society. Especially how to include disabled people in society.

 

The whole project was affected by high temperatures. It was over 30 degrees every day. It’s hard to say, but partly it interfered with the program, as every participant was tired. Even the energizers at the beginning of the activity sometimes did not help to wake us up. The walks to the river, in which we were able to swim during our free time, took care of that. 

 

The project was emotionally challenging at times, but I see all the more benefit in it. I was put in situations and interactions that I hadn’t thought about beforehand. It helped me a lot in rethinking about gender and respect in society.