beyondtheline-instructions

Step 2: Develop target statements (15 min.)

The facilitator next develops 10 statements. The statements should be phrased in a way that allows participants to agree or disagree. Statements should probe a range of identity topics and also address the concerns raised during the Step 1 intake conversation.

Some statements that have been used with Stanford undergraduates are:

1. The rich should help the poor.
2. Everyone’s a little bit racist. (Encourage participants to reflect on their definition of racism.)
3. Referring to a person as “he” or “she” without knowing their gender identity is rude.
4. Telling a person of color “you are so articulate” is an insult.
5. My parents have accepted me for coming out or would accept me if I came out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ).
6. Restricting hate speech limits free speech.

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Step 3: Set up the room (5 min.)

You will need masking tape, facial tissues, and either a white board with dry-erase pens, a blackboard with chalk, or a large piece of paper with markers.

1. Divide the room into two halves by sticking a long strip of masking tape to the floor.
2. Clean the white board or tape a large piece of paper to the wall.
3. Place the facial tissues some place visible.
4. Optionally, set up a projector and screen.

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Step 4: Introduce activity directions and norms (15 min.)

The facilitator opens the event by sharing the directions and norms of the Beyond the Line activity. These slides and the script below explain the directions and norms.

Directions

“Today we will be participating in an activity called Beyond the Line. The rules are simple: I will read a series of statements. If you agree with the statement, walk to the right side of the line. If you disagree with the statement, walk to the left side of the line. After you have sorted yourselves according to your answers, you will be invited to discuss your answers.

“Here are additional directions for participating in Beyond the Line:

1. Turn off your phones and put them away.
2. While you are deciding where to stand, you should be thinking and reflecting, not talking. Please stay quiet until we are in discussion.
3. Participation is mandatory. No observers. If you are in the room, you must participate.
4. Use your own interpretation to respond to each statement. No need to compare your interpretation with others’ before responding.
5. Share your opinions, but do not debate each other. Debate undermines this activity.
6. What is said here, stays here.
7. What is learned here, leaves here.
8. If you need tissue, please help yourself.

Can everyone agree to follow these directions?”

Norms

“A norm is a guideline for how to behave in a situation. To help everyone ask and answer sensitive questions, please follow these four norms:

Note: These slides present the norms listed below.

1. Build spaces that are both brave and safe

“Exploring our identities and talking about our differences requires honesty, courage, and, often, discomfort. And so aim to create a brave space, where people can speak their minds and challenge their own and each other’s assumptions.

“To be brave, people must feel safe. And to feel safe, people must feel that they will not be personally attacked or ridiculed and that they will be treated with dignity and respect.

2. Use I-statements

“I-statements include I feel, I believe, I think, I read, I learned in school, and so on. Using I-statements has two good effects. First, I-statements make you ask yourself, Why DO I think and feel this way?This reflection can lead to greater self-knowledge, which in turn can help you have better conversations with people different from yourself.

“Second, I-statements help you avoid portraying what you think, feel, and do as the only or best thoughts, feelings, and actions. This bit of humility opens our minds to others while also making others feel more comfortable sharing with us.

“Consider the I-statements and their alternatives below:

• “I’ve read many scientific studies suggesting that race is a social construction, not a biological fact” vs. “Science shows that race is a myth, and anyone who doesn’t believe this is ignorant.”
• “When you say that women are inferior, I feel angry” vs. “You are sexist.”
• “I have read in the Bible that people suffer because God is punishing them” vs. “People suffer because God is punishing them.”

3. Understand your intention and own your impact

“We often praise people for having good intentions. But the consequences of our actions are at least as important as our motivations. So before asking a question or making a comment, consider not only what you want or mean, but also how your words will affect others.

“Remember that some people routinely face negativity because of prejudice against them and therefore may respond differently to an experience you have in common.

“For example, our good intentions could lead us to praise the intelligence of a woman or a person of color. But the impact of this praise may be negative if the recipient infers that you are surprised they are smart.

“These kinds of mistakes are common and are often unintentional. Show people you care about their feelings and perspectives even when you don’t fully understand or agree.

4. Make space, take space

“Some of us are more talkative, while some of us are more introverted. If you tend toward chattiness, make sure to make space for others to speak. One practice is to count to ten before diving in with a comment. If you tend to be on the shy side, remember that your experience is valuable and contribute more when you can.

“Can everyone agree to follow these norms?”

For additional guidance, see the Are You Ready To Talk? toolkit.

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Step 5: Ask participants to agree or disagree with the first target statement by crossing the taped line on the floor (2 min.)

As discussed in Step 2, the facilitator should prepare 10 statements with which participants can agree or disagree.

The facilitator reads these directions:

“I will now ask you to line up against this side of the room. I will read a statement, and you will go to the space on the right of the line if you agree, and to the space on the left of the line if you disagree.

“Each statement is ambiguously written so that you may interpret it for yourself. How do your experiences and understandings influence your opinion?

“Following each statement, I will ask for volunteers to explain why they agreed or disagreed with the statement. I may also call on you if you have not yet spoken. Remember to use I-statements to explain why you agree or disagree with the statement, rather than explaining why others are wrong to hold a belief different from yours.

“Once you go to one side of the line, you do not have to stay there. You can change your mind and walk to the other side of the line. Changing your mind is a brave thing to do, so if you see someone changing sides, feel free to acknowledge them by snapping your fingers. You can move back and forth multiple times if you keep changing your mind.”

The facilitator reads the first statement, and participants cross the line.

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Step 6: Moderate a conversation about participants’ responses to the first target statement (7 min.)

As a facilitator, your job is to:

• Know the procedure and follow it. In particular, do not let participants debate each other, as debate undermines the activity. It can be hard to interrupt, but when participants violate this rule, you should stop the conversation, without judgment, and remind participants of the directions.
• Allow participants to feel discomfort and make mistakes. Avoid the urge to change the topic or intervene, unless participants are attacking each other personally, in which case you should remind participants to consider their impact on others.
• Minimize sharing your own opinions. Focus instead on drawing out the opinions of participants. You are a facilitator, not a participant.
• Read the room, being aware of how your presence and words affect others. A statement you think is obvious or harmless may confuse or upset others.
• Make a box of tissues visible in the room, and invite people to use it as needed. Don’t hand tissues to a participant who may need them, as giving another person tissue may express your discomfort more than your sympathy.

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Step 7: Repeat Steps 5 & 6 for the remaining target statements (~80 min.)

Allow 8-10 minutes for each of the nine remaining target statements.

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Step 8: Facilitate a debriefing conversation (15 min.)

After discussing the last Beyond the Line statement, allow participants to talk about the activity as a whole. If your group is large, consider subdividing participants into smaller discussion groups. Revisit norms as necessary.

Below are recommended debriefing questions:

1. For which statement did you have the most difficulty deciding where to stand? Why?
2. Did you want to change your response to any statements? Which ones? Why?
3. Now that you have completed the activity, have any of your beliefs or opinions changed?
4. Which statement produced the most surprising split along the tape line? Why?
5. Which statement made you feel the most hesitant to share? Why?
6. What do you wish you had shared?

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Step 9: Share your story here (optional)

Describe your experiences using this toolkit on the Stories From the Field page. We may contact you and ask to feature your story on this website.

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