What Is it All About?
Participants answer “sometimes,” “always,” or “never” to the scenarios outlined in the Draw-The-Line (DTL) materials. For example:
Your favourite singer assaulted his girlfriend. Do you download his latest single?
Participants answer “sometimes,” “always,” or “never” to the question.
Why Do It?
This traditional playground game can shed light on meanings underneath certain situations.
How Do We Do It?
Participants all start on the same line.
The leader (a student or adult ally) calls out various DTL scenarios (e.g., Degrading graffiti about a trans student appears on a washroom stall. Do you report it?)
Participants take one step forward if their answer is “always,” stay where they are for “sometimes,” or take a step back for “never.”
The game is not about winning or who gains the most ground; rather, it is an opportunity to show how everyone is in a different space and to have participants reflect on their ingrained attitudes and behaviours.
Debrief on the question, the situation, and the responses with an expert and/or an adult ally.
This activity reveals people’s different comfort levels and where they Draw-The-Line.
Other questions can be about bystanders and ignoring situations rather than speaking up.
What Else Do We Need?
- Chalk or tape to draw a start line
- Cards featuring different situations involving consent for the leader to read
- Paper and pens for participants to write about how they felt/what they learned during the activity
How Do We Get Creative?
Instead of just reading aloud situations involving consent, use diagrams or the posters from the DTL scenarios.
Ask participants to come up with their own scenarios.
Wear brightly coloured t-shirts (e.g., from the “Bright Shirt Day” activity) and take lots of photos. Remember to complete media consent forms.
Adapted from White Ribbon.