Characteristics of the systems theory
Reciprocal interconnection of all elements
Natural systems theory primarily affirms that all elements of the universe are "mutually connected and interoperable." The way people interact with each other sometimes makes it difficult to understand how people function outside the entire system.
Reality is organised
For example, it would be easier for a gay Westerner to publicly disclose his sexual orientation because of the level of individuality and separation he has achieved. Whereas for a traditional African or Indian gay man, it would be socially unacceptable for him to identify himself as gay because of his ubuntu need to remain connected to and accepted by the community he is a part of.
Homeostasis
This is true of most traditional African and Indian societies that believe in communal solidarity.
Creativity in context
Role playing increases one's ability to cooperate and communicate with others in the group. It is crucial that the group must be fully involved in the drama and that belief must be built for it to be effective. An evaluative summary of the workshops by the participants An evaluation of the dramatic techniques used in the workshops.
Again, some of the words used in the freeze-in-guise exercise were a bit problematic. The passive participants in the group were grateful to those who took the initiative. The competitive element displayed by one group 'depressed' the creative spirit of enthusiasm in the other group. It was clear that one group was competing with the other.
It is interesting to note that the mood of certain group participants can drastically change the mood and performance of the entire group. The credibility that came out of the group because of all the tension that was present in the dramatic activity was overwhelming. It was here that they also learned to focus and be actively involved in the activities of the said group.
The human psyche and the systems theory
Principles of the systems theory
Simultaneity
While it is important to pay attention to the details, one must pay attention to the relationship process that occurs between them. Bowen refers to individuality as “a biologically rooted life force that causes people to follow their own directives, to be an independent and distinct entity.
Conscientisation
We live in a changing environment, where one's views and opinions are not the same as those of our traditional elders, who have high levels of anxiety and expect everyone to be like them. Because of our differences in opinions and views, it is critical that opportunities are created to enable people to adapt to changing environments and take responsibility for their own integrity and belonging.
Adventure
The systems world in context
Components of the psychosystem
God and the natural systems
This can be seen as an experience of beauty for them, but in the eyes of a heterosexist and homophobic society, this idea of beauty can be seen as a direct form of evil. This paradigm provides a psychosystemic framework through which social, political, and cultural dimensions can be made concrete within community contexts.
Presuppositions
Definition of homosexuality / gayness
Obviously, I have used both the terms "homosexual" and "gay" interchangeably to generally refer to people who are sexually attracted to people of the same sex [or gender] rather than those of the opposite sex. It is a term that also applies equally to both men and women. What is inferred is that the word "gay" has been appropriated by homosexual people who want to make the public aware of their existence.
The Church and gay people
- My own experience
Being actively involved in my local church, I cried out that I wanted my afflictions removed from me. To be gay today is to be on the outside, on the fringes—exactly who Christ said the kingdom of God is for.
Historical perspectives on the Church's response to
Apart from the cases of prostitution, there was no indication that the Church in general was displeased with homosexuality (Corbett. If only some were aware of this seemingly disinterested concern and even condemnation of the Catholic Church towards homosexual lifestyles, clergy Individuals, church leaders and other church denominations have taken it upon themselves to take a stand and speak out in support of homosexuals and also to accommodate them in church communities.
The Church's dissenting pastoral concerns
This experience of joy and love in the USA, which she could not connect with her own Church back in South Africa, slowly made her "far from the Church", she writes (Germond. In reading the teachings on and understanding of human sexuality from the Christian perspective, one realizes that there are contradictions in the Church's teaching on homosexuality.
The South African gay Christian situation
The individual's need for autonomy within the group and the facilitator's belief in the value and worth of the group are fundamental to effective healing drama work. I was given the opportunity to cry within my role and this was found very acceptable by others in the group. Moreover, most respondents were not familiar with some terminologies and words used in the questionnaire.
I had to constantly be aware of my vocabulary so that everyone in the group understood what needed to be done. They also mentioned that the role of the moderator in the activity was very realistic and believable. The answers to the questionnaire are displayed in the order that the questions were in the questionnaire.
My participation in some of the activities encouraged others in the group to participate as free and equal partners in a democratic learning environment. By asking individual participants these questions, their responses encouraged others in the group to relate their experiences to the other participants' responses. One of the problems encountered during this activity was that some of the participants had a habit of dictating to others what to do.
Formation and acquisition of sexual identity
Gay support systems
- Community based support system
34;Coming out at home is a crucial decision that risks losing support for basic human needs for which the gay person depends on the family, especially if this dependence is also financial. Thus, the role of the family and the community as a whole is important in shaping the sexual identity of homosexuals in society.
Sexuality in the Christian context
The church needs to get rid of old prejudices about drama and come to terms with the fact that this medium can be used as a powerful tool for awareness, education and therapy for the liberation of homosexuals in a Christian context. people can be taught to take responsibility for their own decisions (Burbridge and Watts, 1979) and those who seek the truth in all aspects will find that their attempts to communicate the truth, regardless of the medium through which it is communicated, will be honored. from God.
Conclusion
DRAMA AS A TOOL OF EDUCATION, CONSCIENTIZATION AND THERAPY: KNOWING THEMSELVES AND MAKING THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN. In this chapter I will focus on the use of drama as a powerful educational, conscientious, and therapeutic medium. Community theater for oppressed gays will be modeled after Freire's (1970) conscientious methodology and Boal's (1979) theater for the oppressed approach.
Special attention will be paid to making theater for the oppressed more Afro-centric and contextual. Finally, I will investigate the use of drama as a therapeutic tool for gay men of color, and in doing so, I hope to assist them towards achieving personal and social wholeness and integration as practiced by Langley et al.
Drama: as a means of education
- Definition, aim and philosophy
- Using educational drama methodology to
- Educational drama strategies
- Dramatic play
- Facilitation
- Buildingbelief
- Reflection and evaluation
Ideally, the facilitator should also participate in the planned activities and at the same time monitor the group experience either from inside or outside the drama. Inhuman, tone, thought and body language; the facilitator should communicate genuine courage and strength to the group. The facilitator must want to help and not manipulate or control the group from an authoritarian perspective.
This will undoubtedly have an impact on developing relationships with the facilitator and the group. One of the benefits for the facilitator of working in a role is that the facilitator can review experiences and learning moments with the group.
Drama: as a means of conscientisation
- Development and empowerment
- Towards a relevant African theatre
- Freire's philosophy and methodology
- Boal'smethodology in Community Theatre
- Popular theatre for social change
Traditional African theater is a communal theater that involves (Nkosi as many members of the community as possible in the unfolding of the drama." It is a theater of people seeking to discover and restore their civilization (1981: XVIII) What is important here is the relationship between the participant and his perception of the situation.
Hence, for example, oppression refers to the situation itself, but also the perception of the situation by the oppressed. Obtaining a general knowledge of the community's level of awareness is also crucial for the understanding and evaluation process.
Drama: as a means of therapy
During the sessions, participants were introduced to various drama techniques such as role playing, storytelling, improvisation and forum theatre. Sharing one's feelings in the group was very effective as it allowed the participants to relate sensitively to each other in the group. 34;broken phone exercise was proof of this as the participants failed to communicate a message to others in the group.
The exercises prior to the registration activity provided participants with a good foundation on which the story sharing experience took place. It became clear that most participants could easily share their experiences openly with others in the group. The role play was very useful in that it allowed participants to see the world through someone else's eyes. They agreed that they had found a place where they could express their own feelings and an opportunity to express themselves to others in the group who were willing to listen to them.
I will now try to evaluate each of the above techniques used in the "free the body, free the soul" workshops. Questioning was useful during reflection as it allowed participants to process their actions from the dramatic activities they engaged in and to verbally express these newly formed opinions and views to others in the group. It should be noted that reflection worked well when it was shared, heard and appreciated in a group setting.
