All About Gender Ecology
For curious explorers only!
What is Gender Ecology?
n.
The curious exploration of our gendered selves and the ways we connect to each other, our environments, and our place in the world.
Who are Gender Ecologists?
A Gender Ecologist is anyone who...
Wants to learn more about themselves
Asks big questions to find big answers
Is interested in their connections to the rest of the world & community
Holds any combination of identities!
All About Gender Ecology Field Guide & Zines
Are you questioning your gender? Looking to learn more about yourself and others? Curious about what is possible for us beyond labels, binaries, and social scripts? Then Gender Ecology is for you! Use real ecological observation strategies and curated prompts to dive deep into the ways you experience your gender, how it makes you feel, how it connects to other parts of yourself, and how it is all tied into the web of connections that link us together.
Informed by gender theory, social justice, art therapy principles, and environmental justice for a holistic view of ourselves and our world, Gender Ecology Field Guide & Zines are a useful tool for anyone looking to learn more about themselves in an accessible way. You are already capable of exploring and learning about the world as much as you'd like to. These zines are merely a tool that can help you do so.
In addition to helping you understand yourself, the questions posed in each zine have the potential to build empathy and understanding for Queer and trans* folks and their lived experiences. These zines are designed to feel like a warm cup of tea, a soft hug, or a chill lofi beats video- so you can be as cozy as possible while you explore these big ideas and feelings!
Read on to learn more about each zine in the series and what journeys they hold for you, Curious Explorer!
Zine 0- Gender...Ecology?
Explains the concept behind the term “Gender Ecology.”
Gives suggestions on how to observe and practice Gender Ecology.
Lists tools you have in your toolkit as you explore!
Zine 1- Curious Explorations
A series of activities and thoughtful exercises that you can do to get to know yourself better.
Helps you visualize where you encounter gender in your life and how you experience it with your physical body and senses.
Zine 2- Time and Space Travel
A deeper dive into your sense of gender across different environments and times of your life.
Gives a series of prompts and activities to help you trace the borders of your gender and understand more clearly how to notice your gender in daily life.
Zine 3- Sou(i)l Science
A look at the other layers of identity (combined with gender) that make us who we are.
Gives an activity for exploration of what else makes you who you are and how it impacts how you experience your gender.
Zine 4- The Field Beyond
A look into how we treat each others in the world.
Examines roles, respect, kindness, and possibilities for empathy for each other.
Gives prompts and activities designed to get you thinking about how your gender is constructed in connection to others, and how you also construct their gender at the same time.
Zine 5- Affirmations
Gives affirmations for the Gender Ecologist in all of us, and space to write what you specifically need to hear most.
This is the most important tool in your toolkit: a healthy dose of love, patience, kindness, and respect for yourself as you go on your journey of learning new things about yourself and the world.
The work of exploring yourself is not easy, but it is worthwhile. I hope these field guides and zines become an everyday part of your toolkit as an explorer, and that they lead you to new possibilities that you never could have imagined.
You got this, my friend. Now go exploring!
