Activity

1. The day before, distribute The New Thinking for students to read at home, asking them to read it carefully and discuss responses to the questions with their parents.
2. In class, discuss responses as large group. Throughout discussion, emphasize as needed that our feelings never define us, and that disagreement is not hatred.
3. Then, distribute A Lady and her Knight/A Knight and his Lady. Ask students to spend a few minutes studying the two paintings, and then discussing the questions. You may choose to have students work in small groups, or you could discuss as a large group. Use the answer key to guide discussion.
4. Finally, distribute Speaking the Truth in Love to Trans-Identified Family and Friends and have students read and discuss it in groups for a few moments. Then reconvene the class and discuss each tip in turn as a large group.
5. Encourage students to share all the materials from class today with their parents.

Answer Key

Discussion Questions

1. Accept reasoned answers. Our culture tries to say that any reaction other than affirmation is hateful; this false ideology is completely opposed to reality and in fact harms the people it claims to help. It is never good or helpful to lead someone away from the truth.
2. Accept reasoned answers that do not separate compassion and truth. It is never compassionate or loving to lead someone away from the truth, but you do not want to share the truth without compassion, because that would be hurtful. Possible answers include: showing kindness and politeness, protecting the person from real harm, expecting friendship to be a “two-way-street” (meaning the LGBT-identifying person must also respect the student’s boundaries), being willing to pursue common interests when present.

A Lady and her Knight/ A Knight and his Lady

1. The lady or queen is in the position of authority, since she is bestowing knighthood on a kneeling man.
2. The knight-to-be, as he is kneeling and receiving his office from the lady.
3. In life, men receive their lives and much of their formation from their mothers. Boys are subject to their mother’s (and father’s) authority. In marriage, young men receive both encouragement and a new, focused sense of responsibility from their wives.
4. The knight going off to war seems to be in a position of authority, as he has a mission for which he has been appointed. His authority is directed toward protecting and preserving the community, of which she is a part.
5. The lady is in a position of vulnerability because she supports and encourages the knight but is not in the battle herself. He is her protector.
6. Marriage in the order of grace is a sign of the union between Christ and His Church; fathers are called to love, protect, and provide for their wives and give their lives for them. In many families, fathers provide by going to work, while mothers (even when they do work) maintain the household and family more directly. Significantly, Catholic social teaching requires employers to consider employee’s needs as well as their contributions, and defines just wages as those that can support a family (CCC 2434). Men often view their relationship to work as one of battling for the sake of their “kingdom” (household).
7. It suggests that, at different times, men and women trade places of authority and subjection or vulnerability. One example is in marriage: the sign of the union between Christ and His Church. While the husband is the head of the family as Jesus is the Head of the Church, spouses are both called to be subject to one another for Christ (CCC1642).
8. No, because with no one to protect and defend, a knight has no purpose.
9. No, she cannot realize all the dimensions of her womanhood without the love and protection of her knight.
10. Allow discussion, but help students see that the paintings would be far less beautiful and iconic without the interplay of two distinct sexes.