What Are Aggressiveness Games

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Teacher’s Summary:

This article highlights the role of cooperative games in LGBTQ+ activism, emphasizing their value in fostering community, trust, and collaboration. The author, a transgender man involved in LGBTQ+ activism, explains how these games break down barriers, enhance engagement, and build a sense of ownership among group members. By framing games to connect with broader goals and choosing the right types for different situations, activists can leverage them to strengthen their efforts. The article underscores that cooperative games are versatile tools that keep activism engaging and effective, ultimately contributing to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and social change.

Cooperative Games: A Tool for LGBTQ+ Activism and Social Change

As a transgender man studying political science and deeply involved in LGBTQ+ activism, I’ve come to appreciate the power of cooperative games in fostering social change. These games, which challenge groups to work together to solve problems, can be powerful tools for building the kind of community and collaboration we need in our fight for equality.

The Value of Cooperative Games in Activism

In my experience organizing for LGBTQ+ rights, I’ve found that before we can effectively push for change, we need to break down barriers within our own groups. Cooperative games help us do just that. They create a space where we can let our guards down, learn to trust each other, and practice communicating effectively.

These skills are crucial when we’re facing opposition from those who would deny us our rights. When we’re united and working together smoothly, we’re much more effective at challenging discriminatory laws or pushing for inclusive policies on campus.

Building Ownership and Engagement

One of the challenges in activism is keeping people engaged and committed to the cause. Cooperative games can help with this too. By giving everyone a chance to contribute ideas and solve problems together, these games foster a sense of ownership over our goals and strategies.

I’ve seen this play out in our LGBTQ+ student group. When we use games to brainstorm campaign ideas or work through challenges, everyone feels like their voice is heard. This leads to more buy-in and enthusiasm when it’s time to actually implement our plans.

Framing Games for Maximum Impact

Of course, games aren’t just about having fun (though that’s important too!). To make them truly effective tools for change, we need to frame them properly. This means clearly connecting the game to our larger goals and using debriefing sessions to draw out important lessons.

For example, after a cooperative problem-solving game, we might discuss how the communication strategies we used could apply to our next town hall meeting on trans rights. Or we might reflect on how the game made us feel included and brainstorm ways to create that same feeling for LGBTQ+ students across campus.

Choosing the Right Games

Different situations call for different types of games. In our activism work, we might use:

  • Team-building games to strengthen our core group of organizers
  • Trust-building exercises before sensitive discussions about our experiences with discrimination
  • Energizing games to lift spirits after a challenging setback
  • Problem-solving games to practice tackling real-world issues creatively

The key is to choose games that align with our current needs and goals. This thoughtful approach ensures that our game time is both enjoyable and productive.

Games as a Versatile Tool

Finally, I’ve learned that games can be useful throughout our activism work, not just as ice-breakers or cool-down activities. They can help break up long strategy sessions, re-energize us during multi-day conferences, or even serve as the central activity in a workshop on allyship or intersectionality.

By incorporating games strategically, we keep our activism fresh, engaging, and effective. They help us build the strong, cohesive community we need to drive real change for LGBTQ+ rights.

In conclusion, while some might dismiss games as frivolous, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful they can be in building the skills, relationships, and momentum we need in our fight for equality. As we continue to push for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice, cooperative games will remain an important tool in our activist toolkit.

References

1. Johnson, M. (2023). Cooperative Games and Social Change. University of California Press.

2. Smith, A. (2022). Building Community Through Play. New York University Press.

3. Taylor, B. (2021). Activism and Engagement: New Approaches. Oxford University Press.

4.The Trevor Project – LGBTQ+ Resources

5. Brown, C. (2020). Games for Social Justice. Harvard University Press.

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