My Body My rights

An intersectional introduction to the topic of body in relation to society

This game is proposed by CID | Fraen an Gender CID is the center and meeting point for feminism and gender in Luxembourg. CID promotes gender equality and a feminist society by spreading and expanding knowledge related to gender. CID runs a big public library and offers the possibility to borrow books on different subjects such as politics, feminism, LGBTQIA+ issues, etc... The non-profit association organizes events and creates educational content with the support of the City of Luxembourg (VDL – Ville de Luxembourg).The game My body my rights is part of these pedagogical materials.

The game offers a simple intersectional introduction to the topic of body in relation to society: It can be used to raise awareness for the ways bodies in their diversity are linked with different actors and institutions within society. When is a body protected, when is it subjected to a norm? Is there room for individuals to make independent choices? Do the same rules apply to the different bodies with attributions of characteristics regarding gender, age, origin, physical appearance? Simple guidelines with clear descriptions and instructions help to set up the activity in the classroom.

A selection of terms (provided in templates for English, French and German) are printed and cut out (see PDFs). If a magnetic board is available, the terms can be arranged with the magnets and moved around as desired, otherwise the terms can also be placed on a table. The participants work in small groups or alone. The working question is:

“Who "owns" my body, i.e. who has influence over it? From your perspective: Order the terms from least to most important.”

Teachers can use this unit to enable students to take a critical look at how their own bodies relate to society: What rules are imposed on them, what norms (beauty, fitness, etc.) do they consciously or unconsciously follow, how can they protect their bodies or consensually "share" them with others, how can they respect their bodies and the bodies of others in general? Examples of questions are provided by the CID and more gender drops are available on their website.