Each semester at Kansas State University, I audit one class that interests me. This means I attend the lectures but do not take the tests, pay the money, or get the credit.  Why do I do this? It is because there is so much to learn and understand.

Jane and friend welcome students to KSU. “Show us where you are from.”

This semester I am taking Cultural Anthropology. One of the lectures was devoted to communication, and in particular, communication between genders. This is where I was introduced to “genderlects,” a theory suggested by Deborah Tannen, a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The word, “genderlects,” is a combination of the word dialect and gender and as the word suggests, genders communicate in a certain dialect with each other.

Our students at the Conversation Cafe wanted a discussion guide about gender. But where to begin? So, I narrowed it down to the topic of communication between genders. Then I wondered, are Tannen’s findings uniquely American or do people all over the world experience the same phenomenon? If you try this discussion, you will have to let me know what you find. What we experienced was that men and women generally communicated in the same style all over the world. What will you discover?

The lifestyle discussion, “Gender Roles in Communication,” is found under “Lifestyle Topics.” Also, you might be interested in the topic of “Politically Correct Ways of Speaking.” People from all over the world found the American fascination with this subject baffling and amazing.

On the Biblical side, check out the Biblical perspective on gender roles and how Jesus views and values people of different racial and economic backgrounds. The title of these guides is, “Understanding Gender Relationships in the Bible,” and “Jesus Loves People of Every Race, Gender, and Economic Status.”

This photo of Arnaldo, from Puerto Rico and myself, taken this summer, reminds me, to help our friends who are suffering from hurricane devastation. Let’s be as generous as possible and give to your favorite organization to help families rebuild their homes and lives.