Exploring Gender
In this video series, we explore gender identity, expression and pronouns through children’s literature and theater explorations. Each video features a different teaching artist across the gender spectrum and explores a central question on a different aspect of gender. This conversation provides young people and their grown-ups with working definitions of key terms and concepts while encouraging freedom of expression for all folks.
Intended Age Group: Kindergarten – 6th grade
This video may be helpful for…
- Caregivers, parents, teachers, families, physicians, therapists or other folks working with young people who want to begin a conversation around gender, gender identity, gender expression and pronouns.
- Folks of any age looking to explore the nuances of gender and gain a better understanding of basic gender vocabulary.
- Educators are looking for resources to engage with their students around pronouns in the classroom and how gender is identified and expressed.
Questions We Will Explore
- What are pronouns?
- What are my/your pronouns
- Where does my gender fit?
- What can gender be?
- What’s a they gender?
- What is my gender supposed to be?
- How does gender make me feel?
- How do I show my gender
- How do I feel my gender?
- How do other people see my gender?
Before Watching
- We encourage adults to watch with their young person. That way you can take in and process information together. Adults can also help by pausing the video and assisting their young person in answering and asking questions.
- Make sure you are ready to dive into this topic. If you, the adult, or your child are actively experiencing heightened emotions (anxiety, fear, anger, etc.) around gender, wait until you are both feeling more relaxed to discuss these topics.
- If after watching this video or engaging with this topic your child becomes more anxious, overwhelmed or scared than you perceive is typical for them, it may be helpful to reach out to a medical or mental health professional. Resources can be located through your school or local healthcare facility.
In this video, Miss Caitlyn introduces two new friends and asks the question: what is gender? This video gets us ready to start the conversation and engage with the first video in the series!
Teaching Artists: Lindz Amer, Brynn Asha Walker and Caitlyn McCain
Vocabulary Words: Gender
In this video Miss Cailyn (she/her) explores the question: what are my pronouns? And uses a theater activity to explore how characters express and identify their gender using costume pieces and pronouns.
Book: They, She, He, Me: Free to be! By Maya and Matthew
Teaching Artist: Caitlyn McCain
Vocabulary Words: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Pronouns
In this video Teaching Artist Brynn (she/they) explores the question: what can gender be? And uses the color spectrum to explain the gender spectrum and explore nonbinary identities.
Book: From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea By Kai Cheng Thom
Teaching Artist: Brynn Asha Walker
Vocabulary Words: Nonbinary, Gender Spectrum
In this video Queer Kid Stuff founder, Lindz Amer (they/them) explores the question: how does gender make me feel? And uses the book When Aidan Became a Brother to define gender assignment and explore transgender and cisgender identites through acting.
Book: When Aidan Became A Brother by Kyle Lukoff
Teaching Artist: Lindz Amer
Vocabulary Words: Transgender, Cisgender, Gender assignment
Resource Guide
This guide is designed for grown-ups to continue their education and grow their resources
Activity Guide
This guide is designed for grown-ups to share with their young people to continue the conversation and practice tools/themes shared in the video.
Definitions
Download a list of words we learned in our videos with their definitions.
Add To Your Library
If you enjoyed the books featured in the videos, add them to your family library! By purchasing the books through our Bookshop.org affiliate links, you’ll be supporting local bookstores and NYCCT’s work.
Rainbow Parenting
Start the Conversation: Exploring Gender Collaborator Lindz Amer released a new book called Rainbow Parenting!
Rainbow Parenting aims to create more empathetic adults–and spreads a message of radical acceptance in a world where it’s sometimes dangerous to just be yourself.
By purchasing through Bookshop.org, NYCCT will receive a small payment from your order that helps us continue work like our Start the Conversation series.
Meet the Teaching Artists
Brynn Asha Walker
Position - Collaborator
Brynn Asha Walker (she/they) is a queer, mixed-race, and neurodivergent actor, director, designer, playwright, scholar, and teacher. Read More…
Caitlyn McCain
Position - Education Associate of Public Engagement
Caitlyn McCain is a New York City based actor, singer and teaching artist. Originally from SoCal, Caitlyn moved to NYC to attend New York University's Tisch School of the arts, where she graduated with a BFA in Drama in 2019. Read More…
Lindz Amer
Position - Lead Collaborator & Co-Creator
Lindz Amer (they/them) creates LGBTQ+ and intersectional social justice media for kids and families. Read More…
Get Ready for More Conversations
Sign up below to learn when new Start the Conversation videos are released!
Start More Conversations
NYCCT’s Start the Conversation series has covered topics like race, civic duty, immigration, re-emerging from COVID-19 and more.
Future Conversations
NYCCT wants to hear from you! Is there a topic you’d like to see covered on Start the Conversation? Let us know!
Credits
SCT’s Exploring Gender was created in collaboration with Lindz Amer of Queer Kid Stuff.
Video scripts, definitions and activities were created by Lindz Amer and Caitlyn McCain with input from Brynn Asha Walker.
Resource and activities guides were created by Caitlyn McCain with input from Lindz Amer.
Videography by Alexander Cope & Lindz Amer
Video Edits by Danica Lee Clauser & Matt Ketai
Webpage by Nicole Hogsett