How to Bridge the Gap Between Us?

How to Bridge the Gap Between Us?

Nordic Institute for Women's Studies and Gender Research, PO Box 1156 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway. unpaged. Contact nikk@nikk.uio.no for copies.
Ann Bokova, Eva Melliste, Jaanus Samma, Nadja Zapolskaja, Piret Kartus, Reili Reintal, Anna Bogatorjova, Maru Metspalu. 2000.

This small booklet has been written, designed, and produced by Estonian and Russian teenagers aged 15-17, from Russian and Estonian schools in Tallinn, Estonia. The booklet and vocabulary have been written in Estonian, Russian, and English. The teenagers all took part in workshops run by Living for Tomorrow, a pilot action/research project of the Nordic Institute for Women's Studies and Gender Research (NIKK). It speaks to the difficulties that educators face to actively involve people in safer sexual behaviors. The central concern "is the frequent absence of critical discussion about ways gender norms, in any society, actually produce unsafe, damaging sexual relations between men and women--from HIV infection to unwanted pregnancies and sexual violence." This is a book by young people working together crossing post-Soviet Russian/Estonian divides. It is intended to provoke discussion and stimulate questions about attitudes of men and women concerning sexual safety.

The text is brief, simple, and to the point covering "Being a Man or a Woman," "Attraction," "Stereotypes," "Jobs Men and Women Do," "Why Young People Have Sex," "HIV/AIDS," "Marriage and Family," "Condoms," and "Excuses, Excuses." The last part of the booklet is an excellent Vocabulary of words dealing with sex and gender in English, Estonian and Russian. The terms are listed under the following broad themes: prevention, risks of unprotected sex, sexual intimacy and sexual behaviors, the body side of sex, different colors of sex (moods, feelings), and social side of sex: gender issues. This is an excellent book that should be in all schools and public libraries. The young people who compiled it have done a great job.

Keywords: Adolescents; Estonia; Russia
010310
BK011055

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