Games Students Play: Muffet

"Miss Muffet"

(Be sure you have read the introduction to these "games":Games Students Play)

This is a youth to youth game. As originally described it is probably a little sexist. I'll give a synopsis of the original, and give a male to female equivalent.

• The idea behind the game is to be offended by someone of the opposite gender. The female to male version is commonly seeing a double entendre where one was not intended; deciding a guy is “stalking” them because they are in the near vicinity; viewing (and articulating among friends) that a teacher, coach or youth leader is “inappropriate” because of some innocent verbal or physical expression; so on and so forth.
• The male to female version can cover some of the same issues (inappropriate), but is more likely to be seeing hostility on the part of the female that is not there, “she's so mean,” or interpreting something said as a “come on.”
• To break this game, start by under-reacting in order to cut some of the drama. If you were not there when the original offending comment was made, you are not in a position to comment one way or the other.
• If you heard the comment and viewed it different from Miss/Mr Muffet explain how you heard it. Don't say “you're wrong” just “here's what I heard.”
• If the offending party did say or do something questionable, even if innocently, out of everyone's earshot take them aside and explain how their words/actions “could” be interpreted.