Expanding Beyond the Gender Binary

This course created with Hideko Akashi, a skilled educator, will explore how the concept of gender has evolved beyond a strict male/female binary. You will learn about gender identity, expression, and the lived experiences of nonbinary, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals. 

"Hideko Akashi speaks with a deep understanding and compassion from her own experience. Authentic and powerful."
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Watch the short trailer for the eLearning.

Break the binary. Build a better workplace.
Walk away with practical tools to make a real difference: in your team, your organization, and your own life.

Enroll as an individual and start now!
Or, license the course for your organization. Request a quote with the form below.

What you were never taught about gender — and why it matters

Through authentic personal storytelling, this course invites learners on a journey to examine beliefs about gender they may have never questioned — and discover why those beliefs have real consequences for the people around them.

You'll explore what it actually means to challenge the gender binary — not to erase categories, but to expand them, creating space for people to show up as their full selves without fear of social consequences.

Quotes from Hideko Akashi in the course:
The worst insult you can hurl at a boy is to tell him he's acting like a girl. What does that say about how we value women — and what are we passing on to the next generation? 

Men make up 50% of the population but account for 80% of all suicides. Before you chalk that up to biology, ask yourself: what have we done to men by telling them their whole lives that showing emotion makes them less of a man?

Think about the last time you assumed who the leader in the room was. Did gender play a role? Most of us would say no — the data says otherwise.

Learn why using correct pronouns isn't just about policy compliance — it's about what it fundamentally feels like to be seen and respected as a human being. 

Learn

Gain a deeper understanding of how rigid gender norms are socially constructed, and the very real consequences they have on people's lives, workplaces, and well-being.

Feel

Through honest personal storytelling, experience what it truly means to want to be seen, respected, and free to exist beyond the boxes others put you in.

Transform

Walk away with a new lens for how you show up as a colleague, a leader, and a human being — and the tools to create a more inclusive world starting today.
WATCH A CLIP FROM THE COURSE:
Why I have mixed feelings about AAPI month
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The course connects the dots between how we raise children and the statistics that should stop us in our tracks: men account for 80% of suicides and 99% of sexual assault perpetrators. Rigid gender norms aren't just uncomfortable — they're dangerous. 

From how we hire and promote, to how we run meetings, gender roles play out daily in the workplace in ways we often don't notice. This course helps you see them — and do something about it.

Meet Your Instructor

Hideko Akashi

“By sharing my story of how I have come to understand myself and what it

means to break open some of the barriers that we’ve created around gender. My hope is that you will gain a personal perspective from me, and in doing so, expand

some of your thinking about gender."
                                                                                      ~ Hideko Akashi 

Hideko Akashi is the founder and lead consultant for Liberation Consulting. With over 20 years of experience in the educational sector, Hideko has challenged individuals and institutions to think critically about issues of diversity, privilege, social justice, inclusion and equity.

Read a feature article about Hideko 👉🏼 

There Are 2 Ways to Experience The Course

As an individual or license the course for your organization 

  1. Individuals – Enroll in the course and start learning now! 
  2. Organizations – License and install the SCORM file on your LMS, or, we can host on our LMS. We'll send you a quote. 
Choose the option that works best for you!

Individuals - start now!

Enroll and get access for 4 weeks
Enroll now to start the eLearning course immediately.
Hideko Akashi's expert insights and strategies, typically reserved for exclusive webinars and coaching sessions, make this a unique chance to deepen your understanding and elevate your skills with guidance from one of the best in the field.  

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Organizations - license

License the SCORM to install on your LMS
License the eLearning course to install the SCORM on your LMS, or, we will host this course on our LMS. This course provides:
  • Scalable and trackable
  • 24/7 on-demand
  • Consistent content
  • Completion certificate
Fill out the form below to learn more about licensing, pricing and the incredible support we provide.

Words From Learners

Finally, a program that talks about how, yes, complex and rich and wonderful and sometimes painful it is to be a member of the AAPI group. It is an intriguing and accurate title. 

For people who want to learn more about friends and colleagues, and also for people who are a part of the AAPI community. 
 
Hideko Akashi speaks with a deep understanding and compassion from her own experience. Authentic and powerful.
 

Would you like to license Understanding the Complexity of the Asian American Pacific Islander Experience for your organization?

Special pricing is available when you license for your group, team, school, university or corporation. 

Fill out this form, and Joel Lesko, SunShower Learning's director will respond with information about licensing and how you can install the course in your internal LMS or use our LMS. 

SunShower Learning is experienced in helping large and small organizations integrate eLearning courses into training systems.