For this Assignment (which you’ll post under Writing à Girl on Open Lab), you’ll be writing a 250-300 word creative non-fiction piece called a “gender memory collage.” That means you get to put your ideas/memories/whatever about what it means to be a male or a female in any form you want: something like Kincaid’s story, or a story, or a poem, or photo essay with captions… Play with this!

The way to start is to list a whole lot (shoot for 50 or more) of comments, accusations, or words of advice you’ve heard repeatedly, or that are stuck in your head for some reason. Use these prompts to help you generate your list (you don’t have to address every one of these, but the more the better!).

1. Things people have said to you beginning with the phrase, “This is how you…”
2. Advice that employers, teachers, or coaches have given you.
3. Accusations that employers, teachers or coaches have addressed to you.
4. Advice that your parents have given you about the opposite sex, about being successful, about getting along in the world.
5. Advice that your friends have given you about the opposite sex, being successful, or getting along in the world.
6. Advice that your grandparents or some other older person have given you about the opposite sex, being successful, or getting along in the world.
7. Things those closest to you often say when they are angry with you.
8. Things those in authority have told you – think of police, counselors, traffic court judges, doctors, etc.
9. What your grandparents or other older people you’re close to often say to you.
10. Something people say to you that you strongly disagree with.
11. Things a boyfriend or girlfriend told you that caused you a lot of pain.
12. Things a boyfriend or girlfriend told you that caused you good feelings.

Once you’ve done all of this listing, organize them into a “story” of some kind that leaves us with an overall idea about what this means to you. Don’t worry about grammar, etc., but do your best. Just let your creative muscles go crazy!