Simple ways to ask difficult questions –
participatory methods for sensitive subjects
About the project …
• Pilot project January – July 2012
• Aimed to support staff and students in FE colleges
• To tackle real and perceived tensions between LGBT
equalities and religion and belief equalities
• Using participatory dialogue approaches
• Underlying belief that good mutually respectful
relationships between learners from different
backgrounds are more likely to be developed when they
can express and explore their personal experiences,
rather than rehearse fixed opposing principles
What’s the need?
LLUK report ‘Managing the Interface Between Sexual
Orientation and Religion and Belief’ (2010) identified;
a) there is a very limited amount of good practice in the
sector relating to managing the interface between equality on
the grounds of sexual orientation and equality on the grounds
of religion or belief
b) the degree of anticipated conflict is disproportionate to the
actual conflict found in practice
c) the anticipation of conflict can exert a powerful inhibition on
strategic and operational leadership as well as work with the
two groups, both separately and together
Why is this area so difficult?
• Lack of confidence amongst staff
– Lack of knowledge about religious
beliefs/perspectives
– Lack of knowledge about the law and
college boundaries, what was and wasn’t
acceptable to challenge?
– Perception of tension and conflict inhibited
them from engaging
My questions…
• Which religions are we talking about?
– Do educators need to know everything to facilitate
conversations?
• What do we mean by sexuality?
• Where does gender and “culture” come
into this?
• What do we mean by good relations?
Other challenges…
• A lack of understanding of where
students are at in terms of their
knowledge on this area
• A belief that learners should just accept
what they’re told
i.e. not being given a chance to reflect on what they’ve
been told, engage with it and learn from this process
• Dismissing/excluding those who have
challenging/problematic perspectives is
justified
What can/should happen when a student
expresses a belief that homosexuality is
wrong?
• Everybody’s experience is valid
• Therefore everyone has something
equally valid to contribute, from their
own experience or perspective
• Recognition that this is a difficult topic
and feelings are real
• We have the responsibility to set up the
conversations we want / need to have
in way that is constructive
• We are not seeking to change
someone’s perspective
• Tensions may not be ‘resolved’
• But our understanding of the other may
be deepened
• Our understanding of our own
perspective will be improved
• Some transformation will have taken
place
Approaches to Dialogue
• Used to both respond to issues that may arise,
and be proactive approach to learning (reflection)
• Participatory
• Consensual – ground rules create safety
• Challenging
• The ‘right answer’ is subjective
• Appeals to different styles of learning
Ground rules
• Ground rules should help alleviate the
risk of you feeling vulnerable
• What ground rules would you want to
put in place if we were about to have a
discussion about….
Three methodologies
• Silent discussion or graffiti wall
• Fishbowl dialogue
• Positioning activities
Silent Discussion
Fishbowl Dialogue
Helpful, Borderline, Unhelpful
“I don’t think it is right to discriminate against other people
but I have to stick to my morals”
“Tolerating people who are different to me is a central aspect
of my faith”
“Religion is all about tradition, that’s why it can’t move with
the times”
“Gay people think they can interpret age old traditions to suit
themselves”
“My God tells me it is wrong to be gay”
“I can understand why most people gay aren’t religious”
“Religious people think they have the right to tell other people
how to live their lives”
Asking good questions…
The Art of Asking
Is it true that
Christians are
meant to hate gay
people?
Why are Jews
always trying to
conquer
Muslims?
Buddhism’s really
selfish because
it’s about starting
with yourself.
Why don’t you do
anything, like
stop wars or
something?
Aren’t you
scared you’re
going to hell?
You don’t actually
believe you’ve
lived before do
you?
ASKeR
“Don’t you think it’s
unfair that all Muslim
women have to cover
their hair?”
Assumptions
What is this person assuming, and why?
Why is this question being asked?
Statement or Question?
Are they asking what we think, or telling us what they think?
If Question(s) - what do they want to know?
If Statement - what are they trying to tell us?
Key Words
Which words stand out the most, and why?
Which words could be understood differently by different people?
Which words could you use as the springboard for deeper
discussion?
Rephrase
How could you rephrase or rework this question so that
both “asker” and “askee” were satisfied?
ASKEE -
Responding to Questions
Assume good intent - often questions that sound
abrupt or rude come from genuine curiosity
Spectrum of views – include viewpoints from
across your religious tradition to show diversity
Keep it short and sweet
Explain jargon/foreign words
End on a positive note – this keeps the tone
optimistic, even when discussing difficult
issues
Reflections
• What are your thoughts on suggestions
from this workshop?
• What was new or interesting for you?
• What did you find problematic?
• How might they be used in different
contexts, with different issues?
Key insights
• Most of those who came on the course said there were
no, or very little tensions. So what’s the problem?
• There is a difference in what staff who support students
need, and what students need
• Value of diversity in creating rich discussion
• Attracted more people who identify as LGBT than as
people of faith
• Increasing knowledge and awareness of difference was
the key
Where now?
• Toolkit of materials and good practice examples
• Expanding the work beyond the pilot project
– Higher Education?
– Run regionally?
– Targeted recruitment?
– Support in activity planning and facilitation practice?
• Partnership with faith and LGBT organisations, both student
and non-student organisations.
• Link with international students campaigns
For more information
Email: kat.luckock@nus.org.uk
Telephone:07585969866