Queer studies
From Wikiversity
Contents |
[edit] Preface to the Course
This course page on wikiversity was started as a project of students at UC Davis enrolled in Spring quarter 2007's Queer Studies course (March 28-June 9, 2007). It is our hope that with the work put in by our class and that of others, we can create a very informative page. The page is an alternative to our current course with additions, changes, and current aspects of the course that describe "queer studies" for us as students. Not only is this a course, it is a project. It is our course on queer, constructed how we see it. Please keep in mind as you read our various contributions that this course is an alternative teaching of our current queer studies lecture taught at UC Davis and is not taken verbatim from our real queer studies course.
We have chosen, for this project, to add readings, videos, events, and other media we feel are relevant to the transmission of queer studies. As a disicipline, queer studies is multifaceted and has multiple meanings. Different students have different areas of interest, and materials will come from various places. In a sense, this wiki is not only our current course at UC Davis, but our interpretation of the course, additions, and changes we feel enhance our education as queer scholars.
Please also take note that queer studies attempts to alter systems and change boundaries. This is mentioned specifically because of the format the material for this course is being presented to you in. Wikiversity, while a very interesting and promising project, is also bound by a set of rules and notions do not sit well within queer. Because of this, some of the material we try to transmit through this medium may be distorted or difficult to present. We welcome any additions or changes to this course as an effort to make our queer learning experience as queer as possible.
- (This course would benefit from a breakdown into subgroups of classes that would elaborate on topics which are speed through during WMS 170. The time that is alloted through our institution does not allow significant space to elaborate on issues. Rather it gives us a short amount of time to read a lot and leave us scrambling to catch up. Specifically there should be a class focused on media where a lot of different viewings of media, mainstream and those which are not mainstream , should be added. These viewings will show the struggle of creating a queer safe community within one which is distant towards 'strange ideas' that question their heteronormative ideals. Our class has far too many topics to cover and would benefit from an addition to another class which goes stays along the same subject matter as our course now. This would be beneficial to creating a space, because it helps identify how “our” class including “our” class’s topics is seen, portrayed and stereotyped outside of the academic world of journals and academia in general.)
[edit] Lecture Topics
Here we have provided important terms, constructs, discourses, and ideals that can be questioned by queer studies or are essential to the practice of queer.
[edit] Queer of color critique
[edit] Queer and disability
[edit] Heteronormativity and homonormativity
[edit] Power hierarchies
In MEDIA NETWORKS:
Avery, D. (2007). Isn't It Ironic?. HX, (814), 56-57.
This article along with a viewing of Ma Vie en Rose (a show on a non-mainstream outlet) along with one from one of the main network channels (ie Will & Grace) can be shown. The most vital part of information from these two shows is the comparison. Why is it that the article critiquing GLAAD’s decision to not honor the ‘gay networks’is important? Was their decision justified? Why is it that along with birth of cable there are now networks which are subject specific? Mainstream media, although one would like to think it’s extremely liberal and ‘progressive’, is limiting and censors actively issues which are 'difficult' to address within society. For instance, queer issues are going to be oppressed and censored until they are progressive enough to foster a good image, but not enough to stray away viewers(ie Will and Grace a successful lawyer and straight women cause every straight woman who always wants to make him straight?). Specifically, what are these three showing us? Is there a difference between what is accepted and what is not? What doesn’t fit into mainstream media and does not allow itself to be censored into mainstream media must be pushed out into other networks because then the network is not jeopardizing itself financially in order to be ‘progressive’. Is then a network really being ‘progressive’ when there is really nothing there to loose? What problems do here!, LOGO, and Q Television pose in comparison to major networks? The audiences are different and the safe spaces are created in a space that is exclusively for those who are already in acceptance or have knowledge of the space without questioning the norms. So are these networks really teaching us that as long as these norms are not questioned and these spaces lie in a place unnoticed then they are deemed acceptable?
[edit] Readings
[edit] Articles, essays, etc
[edit] Books
- The History of Sexuality by Michel Foucault: focus on An Introduction: Volume 1.
[edit] Misc
- Heterosexuality Questionnaire: Questioning heteronormativity by positioning homosexuality as the norm, rather than heterosexuality.
[edit] Movies and Videos
Philadelphia should be an essential part to our curriculum because it shows the first successful attempt in mainstream media to question heteronormative partner norms, as well as combat an issue of addressing HIV as an issue which could potentially affect two same sexed male partners. This movie showed the real issues that came along with having HIV. How did it perpetuate stereotypes by also showing the issues that come along with HIV and same sex relationships? The scene where Tom Hank’s long life partner can not be with him at the hospital while the disease is taking over his body shows how 'family' definitions within society are problematic in same sex partnerships. It addresses the issues of who has the power to oppress people due to their heteronormative ideals of what a relationship should look like. Also, the fact that the two are even shown is crazy in the 90s. For instance, Public Service Announcements from MTV at this time prevention HIV jump around the subject of what causes HIV and rather the PSA shows a condom taking I walk along the wood floor past the cat onto a bed. It does not address the issues of why the condom is preventing HIV or who the audience should be. Now MTV shows real people giving testimonials for HIV and they also show people getting vaccienated however there must be issues at the forefront of these PSA's which are very mainstream oriented which must be addressed. The importance of Philadelphia is that it challenges in a time that the US was afraid of the HIV virus hetoronormative norms of being closed off to those that the issue affects due to the fact that it is invisible in the mainstream world.
MTV Networks Inc. http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/sexual_health/wad_2006/. May 13, 2007.
[edit] Events
- Day of Silence Was held this year on April 18, 2007. An annual event where participants do not speak in honor of the individuals in the LGBTQI community who are not allowed the full privileges of their voice because of their sexuality.
[edit] Other Media
[edit] Music
Queer critiques can be applied to mainstream music in addition to the wealth of "queer friendly" or "queer conscious" music available.
- Ani DiFranco "In Or Out" (lyrics) This song is about DiFranco's personal experience as a bisexual. I feel material like this is important to queer studies because bisexuals often get lost in the fervor of queer studies and its emphasis on queer texts. This song challenges both heteronormativity and homonormativity in the lines "Guess there's something wrong with me / Guess I don't fit in / No one wants to touch it / No one knows where to begin". By rejecting an either/or division of her sexuality, DiFranco presents herself as something people are not familiar with, something that is, essentially, queer.
[edit] Television Shows
- The Ellen Degeneres Show
- The Ellen Show
- [Ellen ]
The importance of these three shows relies on the possibilities which an actor has in their role. Ellen Degeneres a public 'out of the closet' lesbian carries by her agency in these shows under her belt. Due to her tremendous following (which brings big money opportunities in advertising for networks) her show comes along with a great deal of power over the networks who might try to censor her otherwise. For instance, as time passes her shows have cut down on the amount of political issues, yet they offer an important insight into the transgression of agency through media. The first one shows how she had the ability to bring up the issue of her being a lesbian while at the same time being an important character in popular media culture.However, after her show got taken off the air she got offered to do another show where she moves into urban space (Times Square Red Times Square Blue would be supplemental read in order to further elaborate on issues of space). She moves back in with her mother in a small town where most of the show revolves around her attempts to get acceptance into their space again. Finally, there is The Ellen Degeneres show which has given her a lot of opportunities to reach out to bigger audiences (ie when she hosted the Grammy's). Focusing on the importance of agency, actor hidden agendas as well as the importance of shows to dominant societal ideals is vital to understanding our space within space in genera.
