What the Constitution Means to Me

Choose a contentious social issue, such as abortion rights, the death penalty, student loan debt, healthcare costs, etc. Structure a debate in which you argue both sides. For each side, find a statement, amendment, or clause in the Constitution that you think can be used to support that stance and why.

Should the United States write and adopt a new positive-rights Constitution? Why or why not? What are three positive rights that you would include if you were a framer and why?

All three women in the play discuss a metaphor to clarify the ambiguity of the 9th amendment. Come up with your own metaphor and explain it.

Consider Heidi’s metaphor of the woman running on the beach with her dog. Explain what it means as it is addressed separately by Heidi, Rosdely, and Thursday. Which is your favorite? Choose any issue that you believe has progressed over time. How does the metaphor play out (or not) in the issue you chose?

What is the significance of women, their bodies, and the societal roles they fill in the play? What point do you think the play is making about women?

Imagine that you are producing a contemporary production of What the Constitution Means to Me. How would you update the text to make it immediately relevant? Choose three examples and explain.

What does Heidi mean when she refers to “the penalty box of democracy” (22)? What is an instance in history when America was stuck in the penalty box? Did the country ever get out?

The first female Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, was appointed in 1981. What decisions related to women’s rights did the Supreme Court make prior to 1981? How did the all-male Court handle those decisions?