SOSC-3003Gender Studies for Health Professionals
Relational nursing practice emphasizes the nurse and client
partnership.
This partnership is
predicated on understanding, compassion, and empathy towards all clients.
It is therefore crucial that nurses analyze
how gender frames both themselves and their clients.
This course will utilize gender, queer, and
nursing theory to redefine, question, critique, and challenge concepts related
to gender.
Beginning with broad concepts
of gender normativity and gender performativity, students will explore gender
roles and the impact these roles have on their lives and their nursing
care.
Focusing in with feminist theory,
students will then critique patriarchal ideologies that create unique
challenges for women and perpetuate gendered violence; however, the concept of
intersectionality will be introduced to explore how discrimination and
oppression are not framed by gender alone. The course will then redefine the
concept of gender itself, as students deconstruct the male/female binary and
work towards an inclusive conception of gender that acknowledges individual
identities inside and outside the traditional gender binary. This course seeks
to illuminate and challenge students’ personal biases towards gender and how
those biases could both positively and negatively influence client care.
Disclaimer: The content of this course focuses on some
controversial and uncomfortable topics. Readings may be graphic and include
explicit language. Some content may be
challenging for students. As the course
seeks to illuminate and challenge students’ personal biases towards gender, it
is important to acknowledge, confront, and discuss topics both inside and
outside personal comfort zones. Respectful debate is integral to gender studies for health professionals.
