Assumption Mapping
Last week we did an in-class exercise to try and map out all the assumptions we could think of for our problem space. I could probably use a better name, but for now let’s call it “Men’s Private Spaces.” They could be a locker room, boardroom, local bar or even a street corner. The important aspect is that men feel confident enough in the space that they can feel complete disregard for the content of their language or the larger ramifications it might point towards the relationship between men and women.
The assumptions I started to make were about how these spaces may look and feel, the emotional feelings they might provoke and the unwritten rules that dictate the behavior of men in them.
A question raised for me through this exercise was about identity: Which is a man’s true identity, the public facing one that is polite and may open doors for women or the private one that feels free to speak vulgarly about control of women’s bodies?
Another question or assumption is if most men are comfortable with the content of these conversations or if they are really uncomfortable but afraid to raise their concerns for fear of being singled out?
My assumption is that it is the latter and if more men were aware of that then they could influence the behavior of the lesser men who may be true misogynists.
