The Gender Lens(Fellowship Reflection Series #2)

10:39 pm, Sunday (July 10, 2022)

On the 5th, we knew each other further by sharing our research work and on the 7th of July, Laura and Cy took us on a virtual tour of the library and helped us what it would look like to be working on the same floor with them in around the next two months. It was a welcoming start to the week as they helped us navigate the complexity of the research with wide grins on their faces. The same day Sarah helped us e-meet the other centers and departments at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. As Brookings is prepping up for its 20th Anniversary this year it has been working further on developing and evaluating its mission, vision, and value as an organization.

We wrapped the week with Jenn as she took us back to a nostalgic route and asked us to map our life as a gendered person and helped us understand gender data. Going back to the lane of life and seeing it consciously through the lens of gender wasn’t something new for me. However, every time I sit down and do this, I unravel something new about myself. With the changing time and context, understanding the gender lens and how it influences our everyday life, is a challenge to keep on track and updated. But with conscious practice, it does become a habit and helps us become more aware and empathetic.

The major takeaway of the week was there’s always a gender perspective on everything and even though we might feel like we know about what looking from a gender lens is and how to look into it, it is never enough. To be understanding the minute details related to gender and learning the nitty-gritty of it has been enlightening.