Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either her presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these LGBTQ themes:
- Don't Ask Don't Tell
- Gay Marriage
- Media portrayal
- LGBTQ Youth
- Education programs
- Common stereotypes
- Personal experiences
This past Thursday, we were able to have a representative from one of KU’s on campus groups, Queers and Allies, speak to our class. Rachel Gadd-Nelson visited our class to speak about LGBT concepts and terms. We started with a vocab pop quiz including about 20 definitions and words to match. We were given around 10 minutes to complete this quiz and I only answered about 4 before she started to give us the answer key. I had no idea on so many of the questions! I am not very educated in the politically correct ways of using LGBT terms. For example, I always thought “queer” was a derogatory term for LGBT. Rachel explained that many LGBT are embracing this word and it is losing its negative connotation. I feel as though this lecture was very important for not only the Wisconsin Alt breakers but for all of us. It allowed us to stray from ignorance and become more educated in a topic that is not always exposed in such light.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic that was exposed in class was Adultism. I had not heard of this term before Thursday, but I definitely knew of its occurrences. Adultism is discrimination against youth for not being adults. When I was a freshman in high school, my brother and his friends were in college. I remember being kicked out of conversations and looked down upon, as though I was not worthy since I was not old enough. I felt as though they were only a few years older, and that did not make them better than me. Now, that I am of age, I must remember not to treat young adults and youth like my brother treated me. Discrimination is a very important topic spoken and fought for, but age discrimination is a topic that does not have as much publicity. I feel as though many forms of adultism is socially accepted such as phrases like, “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” We must inspire our youth, not misunderstand them or assume they won’t understand. Class on Thursday opened my eyes to two very important issues that everyone needs to be educated in.
-Sydney Piles
Like some of the people before me, before this class, I considered myself pretty knowledgeable about LGBT things. I have always been interested in this subject and liked our speaker. When we were given the list of terms, I was able to identify about 6 of the words, but the rest I either got mixed up or ran out of time. When we went over them, it made more sense. It was a good refresher for me to go over terms I used to know, like transgender and how it differs from transexual, but it was also useful to learn new terms as well. One thing that I found really interesting was how some people choose not to associate with any gender at all. I thought everyone considered themselves either a man or a woman, but it makes sense that some people would not want to be generalized into just one category.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the talk about Adultism. I was actually guilty of being an adultist this weekend. My boyfriends sister came up to stay with me and she is only 15. For being being a twenty-year-old, I thought this was going to be a huge difference. I mean, what was I going to do with her for the whole weekend? I felt like I was going to be her babysitter. When she got here, however, everything was fine. We ate lunch together and went to the basketball game and hung out that night. It was actually pretty fun! There were some obvious differences between us, her being in high school and me being in college, but that didn't stop us from having a good time.
Overall, I found this topic to be very interesting and useful. I learned some new terms and that I can be an adultist sometimes. I just need to work on not judging people by their age. I'm looking forward to next weeks speaker!
-Nicole Denney
During the class session on the LGBT Community, Rachel Gadd-Nelson referred to it as the Queer Community. I found it shocking that she openly embraced such a harsh word that has been typically used to degrade sexual minorities. The fact that the once derogatory term is now transforming into a term of power and inclusivity reminds me of the Pink Triangle that has gone from a Nazi sign of shame to a symbol of gay pride. I tend to think that although I often see those with different sexual preferences discreetly humiliated or degraded, our society no longer outrightly oppresses them. Clearly, the existence of our own “modern day” Pink Triangle in the controversial term “queer” proves me wrong. The problem I see with the new use of the word queer is that it is still not unanimously accepted as a positive term. I don’t want to embrace the new vocabulary and encourage its use if the people it refers to still feel offended by it. Personally, this is the issue I often find myself facing in regards to the LGBTQ Community. There are so many terms and phrases that are highly offensive to some, but perfectly acceptable to others. I feel like I have to walk on eggshells and never know exactly how I can say something without offending someone. The tension and awkwardness of this situation is also found when referring to other “minorities” in our society. Is it Black American or African American? Disabled, handicapped or someone who has special needs? There is not always a black and white answer. All minority groups are composed of unique individuals who have personal preferences and independent responses to various terminology. As Rachel Gadd-Nelson mentioned, it’s simple to just ask someone within the group what terminology they prefer in order to avoid offending someone. In the end, it is always best to be sensitive and speak with kind intentions to avoid creating a new term that needs its own Pink Triangle makeover.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Duff
As I was growing up in Wichita, Kansas, I was always surrounded by conservative viewpoints. From everything taught to me in the Catholic schools to the things you would hear politicians say on the local news, I was told that being anything but heterosexual was “wrong.”
ReplyDeleteWhen I made the decision to come to KU, everyone—my family, friends, even my teachers—became worried about what would happen to me. Would I forget and ignore all of the Catholic Church’s teachings and become an atheist? Would I become a "stumbling drunk who loves to hug trees with my new gay friends"? They seriously addressed these concerns with me because they were worried that the Cindy they knew might change to be a woman that they could not accept.
I have to confess that I did have a very conservative mindset when I first left for Lawrence but this soon changed after taking my first sociology course—Social Problems and American Values. In this class we focused on topics such as discrimination based on differences in race, gender, age, sexuality, and class. This course, more than any other that I have taken at KU, really opened my eyes and taught me to think on a completely new level about the issues facing us today. The topic on LGBTQ proved very influential in allowing me to develop my own beliefs and views about gays and not just accept the ideas that had always been thrown at me.
In my sociology class, we often discussed stereotypes—that gay men are flamboyant, feminine and outgoing while gay women are butch, have short hair, and always wear pants. Talking about these stereotypes really hit home for me the possibility that some of the things I have been taught were wrong. Gays, just like everyone else, should not be stereotyped and they do deserve the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. I mean, even the bible says to love thy neighbor, right? So what if your neighbor happens to be gay?
During Rachel’s presentation, I realized that while I became uncomfortable with her use of some words on the handout, it was very enlightening to listen to a woman who was so confident and comfortable with herself. One of the points that she addressed that I have never really thought about was how major gay issues—marriage, adoption, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”— really do not concern the gay youth and that we have been overlooking their issues! Not until recently, with more stories of gay youth committing suicide due to bullying and discrimination, did I even hear in the news anything about them. In my opinion, when you have to have headlines of suicide in order to spur on issues, we have waited too long to help and that immediate action needs to be taken. With all this in mind, I hope to be a supportive listener and friend to any gay youth that I might encounter not only on ASB but also in the years to come.
--Cindy Vu
My first reaction to Thursday’s guest speaker was shock. The level of comfort she had in throwing out words that I had always classified as taboo was discomforting at first. In a small town like the one where I live there are not many opportunities to be introduced to the culture and lifestyles of “Queer” individuals. I was never aware of the vast terminology these individuals use to describe themselves. For example, I had never heard the term “pansexual” before; a term defined as a person expressing attraction towards another but the sex of the individual is not a factor in the attraction. While I still am reserved about throwing out certain words I am much more comfortable addressing different members of this community now. I have great respect for the LGBT community redefining gender to account for the range between male and female.
ReplyDeleteThe second half of the guest speaker’s presentation revolved around relating to youth during our trips. Since I will be working with young children I found this section helpful. The topic of adultism is one I feel everyone has experienced or witnessed. It is frustrating to be treated like you are incapable simply because of your age. Everyone matures and learns at different rates regardless of age and it is foolish to associate age with a static ability level. An example of this was my math TA last semester who insisted upon despising all freshman. When a freshman would ask a question he would treat it with less care and act as if it was something that should have been readily understood, however, if it were an older student the question received more thought and explanation. This was insulting and frustrating to me. I think it is important that we catch ourselves before we treat people younger than us as inferior. Simple things like “You are so smart for your age!” may have good intentions but can really be discriminatory too. - Kaitlynn Nelson
I am very open-minded, and have always liked to believe that I am very knowledgeable about many subjects, including the gay community. However, when Rachel Gadd-Nelson presented for us last Thursday, I realized that I actually had a lot to learn. She started the presentation with a vocabulary exercise, where I learned a lot. There are a lot of terms out there that I was never even aware of until this presentation. I learned that many terms that I believed were offensive such as queer, actually don’t offend everybody who identifies themselves as gay. I also learned that it really depends on the person you are talking to, to pick the terms you choose to use around them. LGBT is a very sensitive subject and I learned that in our society it can be very hard to identify yourself as anything but straight. People are not as open as they should be, and many laws regarding marriage are in my opinion unfair and hurtful to those who are not given the rights that they deserve. When stereotypes were discussed during the presentation, I found myself guilty of agreeing with the things that were mentioned as stereotypes. When I am asked to describe someone who identifies themselves as gay, I will either say a skinny white male who wears pink polos, white pants, and has slicked hair, or a gothic high school teenager. These stereotypes are a common mindset in our society but I do realize that they can be hurtful and after the presentation I have tried to erase these stereotypes from my mind.
ReplyDeleteThe final subject that was discussed in the presentation was Adultism. I had never heard this term before last Thursday, but found myself relating a lot because I skipped a grade and am therefore only 17, and being 17 in college means you will get treated differently by your peers. I have been told many times that I am “too immature” and “Too young” to understand. I have also been called inexperienced and naïve. The list continues, but the point is I am none of those things and it infuriates me when people treat me differently for my age. I never realized there was a term for it though, and it was interesting to hear exactly what Adultism is and ways to make sure you don’t do it, which I will remember when I’m with kids younger than me, because I know how bad it feels to be treated differently for being younger. Overall, I learned a lot from Rachel’s presentation and took back a lot of messages with me about how to treat people better!
-Janani Ganta
Alternative Break - Blog 1
ReplyDeleteThis week we discussed the Rainbow community, Gays and other vocabulary associated with their lives. I personally have a step brother and sister who are gay. My siblings and I are older than most of you, our age places us at the end of the baby boom generation. So from my perspective things have changed a great deal from something that was never discussed to something which is being openly talked about. Let me however back up a bit. When I was in high school we were still coming out of the civil rights movement and issues of racial equality. I can remember my parents talking about Martin Luther King and not really understanding why there was such an issue. Welcome to white Midwest suburbia in the 70’s. They couldn’t even relate to the issue. There was only one black person in my high school. My father did work with some. But the issues of discrimination were not something that was important to them. They had not experienced or witnessed the problems that many black people faced. My mother remembers stories of her grandparents who were raised at least for a time by slaves. She was taught by her father that they were equals and not to discriminate. Yet there were times that the subtleties of prejudice show themselves. I remember an incident when my mother had her purse stolen when we went to my grandmother’s house. This was in Kansas City, Kansas in an area that they were experiencing some crime. After this one incident it was hard for her to pass a black man on the street without being fearful.
So how does this relate to the Gays? I believe that while many people may know someone who is gay, there is still a lot of unawareness. Particularly with this issue because isn’t sexual orientation a private matter. I believe it is an area that people don’t want to share or talk about. My sister is my best friend. But we don’t talk about her love life.
The other thing that is very tricky here is the whole labeling of individuals. Our speaker talked about being ok with the term Dike. But when as a society we want to be politically correct and not offend someone, isn’t that a little tough to do if you are using labels? Most things in our world are not as black and white as they first appear. In general I don’t like labeling things. How do you know if it is a perfect fit? How do you know that everyone agrees on the label? I agree that young people need to be able to explore and find themselves without judgment or ridicule. The question is how we make that possible. I don’t think knowing the labels is terribly important. Being open and accepting of people where and how they are is very important. This is my view of the matter.
A LGBT centered class of discussion and Q&A was what made up Thursday’s Alternative Break weekly meeting. Our first activity was to step into a matchup of LGBT community related words and definitions. Automatically, I was surprised at my slowness to fill out the compiled “knowledge” list. Prior to Thursday night’s meeting, I felt that I had a firm grasp upon these terms and their meaning. As a young adult in our society, an active member in the Commission on the Status of Women at KU, and also having LGBT friends, I have all the resources to be fully educated in regards to these types of issues. Some terms were easily recognizable; others were more unfamiliar. This week I also greatly appreciated that we discussed how to address different members of the LGBT community, and how different people prefer different terms. It goes to show that not everyone can fit into one “label”. Everyone varies in terms of sexual orientation, or gender/ sex identity. All in all, I feel that this week’s AB meeting greatly increased my knowledge, and decreased some of my ignorance in regards to LGBT community issues.
ReplyDeleteAnother discussion that also intrigued me was on the subject of Adultism. While I have heard this term before, it is relatively rare to hear people discuss this type of discrimination. However, it is obviously a very real and current issue. Personally, I have subject to Adultism-- like most people our age. However, I can also claim to have been a culprit. When I was a teenager, even on occasion now, I have experienced the frustration of being belittled and undermined due to my age. Family members, bosses, teachers, and others members of society have developed a view of younger generations as uniformed and unknowledgeable of important issues. So, instead of following their footsteps, it’s vital that we reject Adultism, and rather treat younger generations with greater respect and give them more credit for their abilities. By doing this, younger generations will only have more respect for their elders because they know that someone has respect for them; no matter their age.
Coming from a conservative town and high school, I had not encountered much in the way of differing sexualities before coming to KU. However, the time I have spent here has made me a much more open-minded individual on the topic. I have made friends who identify as “bisexual”, “lesbian,” and even “panssexual.” At another time in life, I may have not been accepting of them, but luckily I’ve been able to change; how a person chooses to be defined in that area does not define their worth as a person, nor should it ever be a negative thing. The presentation from our previous class has served to create an even deeper understanding of the variations there are in being "queer," many of which I had never considered as existing. More importantly, I have further developed the thought that no matter how a person may identify, one should always remember that a quality such as sexuality should never detract from the respect deserved by a human being simply by existing. As with any issue on which people differ, the diversity of the subject itself and the possibilities it encompasses for all those affected should be explored and celebrated. While not every person will be as open as the next, respect for different beliefs is again something that must be kept in mind. This interested me because on my Alternative Break trip, I may experience people who live under vastly different circumstances than I have considered or imagined. I look forward to meeting these new individuals, hearing their stories, and perhaps in a small way, bettering their life. It will be important for me, as well as all group members, to not be judgmental or condescending. An open-minded attitude is essential in many areas of life, and my experience with Alternative Breaks will ultimately nurture this ideal in my life; it some ways it already has.
ReplyDeleteComing from a small town in South, central Kansas words like pansexual, bisexual, and genderqueer were not often thrown around in day-to-day conversation. When I came to KU I was exposed to more and more situations dealing with sexuality and for that I am truly thankful. Rachel, our speaker in Thursday’s lecture, mentioned the first few topics that come to mind when you think of gay relations, such as; gay marriage, adoption, and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” One thing that Rachel talked about that really hit home for me was about sexuality throughout adolescents. Growing up is hard enough and I can’t imagine it would be any easier to be gay and trying to make it through Jr. High or High School. I was very intrigued with these types of support groups for teens. This is something I, personally, have never thought of, but I think it is a great thing and very much needed for gay adolescents to have strong support systems.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic of Thursday’s class was adultism. Even though I’m twenty, I don’t really consider myself an adult but in many ways I guess I’m guilty of looking down on other young adults. My sister in high school called me the other day with a problem and the first thing I thought was this is the stupidest thing to worry about. After sitting in class and listening to Rachel’s lecture I realized I had the same types of problems at the time when I was seventeen, and I was even more dramatic than my sister. Also a point that Rachel made that is very important was that it is bad to make the assumption that young adults don’t care about bigger issues. Overall Rachel really helped me look at many different situations I’m put in on a day-to-day basis in a different light.
-Christine Van Allen
I also came from a small town in Japan and because of our culture and society; unfortunately, gay people are having hard time to get accepted. I believe most Japanese people have prejudice against gay people and they have to hide their own sexual identities because they feel they are not “accepted” by the society. However, I really like how most Americans are open about differences and diversities. While I was looking at “knowledge activity”, I had no idea there are so many terminologies to describe different types of people and it seems like there is always new terminology that comes when generation change. I think it was very interesting topic since I don’t talk much about it with my friends and I agree with Ellen that being exposed and educated on unfamiliar things is very important and proudly, I learned new words!
ReplyDeleteWe discussed about adultism during the second half of the class. Young people are always hearing comments that adults are better than them. It is just because they are older than us and they lived longer life than us but I think they should not judge by age alone. They may have more knowledge and experiences than young people but it doesn’t mean that young people do not. I think some young people have more knowledge and experiences than some older people. I think it’s a wrong thing to discriminate things by the age and they should not mistreat young people this way.
In the past, I have considered myself to be aware and knowledgeable about diversity. However, Thursday's LGBT speaker made me realize that I was oblivious to lots of issues concerning the LGBT community. The speaker spoke on different terminology that is used. I was unaware of how much terminology I didn't recognize. The matching sheet that she gave us was a struggle; I'd never heard some of those words before. I didn't know that transgender and transexual meant different things, and I had never heard of Pink Triangle. I'm glad I learned the difference between different terms and how they are used; I want to be respectful of how people view themselves. It's important that everyone is made aware of these different view points.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting that the speaker talked about the difference between the adult and youth LGBT community. Issues like Don't ask, Don't tell, marriage, and adoption don't particularly relate to LGBT youth. They are not at an age to get married or have children, and most aren't old enough to join the military. They have their own personal issues, whether it is telling family and friends about their lifestyle or dealing with other people's reactions. It is very important to understand that youth deal with other issues besides the ones adults deal with. When working with the youth, the way one talks to them can be very influential on the situation.
Adultism is another issue concerning youth, and not necessarily just LGBT youth. The speaker made me aware that adults do treat younger people differently, as if they aren't old enough to understand specific situations or handle things in a certain way. I had never realized that there was a term for this treatment. Now that I've heard of it, though, it is very prevalent in our society. Even at KU, TAs and some professors treat students as though they are too young or ignorant to understand something. Granted, we haven't experienced everything that older people have. However, young people are able to understand and infer consequences of actions or act more mature than their age. When dealing with youth, it is necessary to understand that they aren't as immature or reckless as the stereotype portrays.
-Megan Carr
During Thursday's class period we did an activity which involved testing your personal knowledge about common terms used in derogatory and complementing ways. Prior to this activity, I believed that I knew what was right and wrong in certain situations, but a lot has changed with our evolving world. The main thing that interested me is that queers and Allies' KU campus group, along with others, are encouraging to take back these derogatory words and be proud of who you are. I think it is really important to try and spread this idea and make all people in this world as comfortable with who they are as possible. For example, I saw that last year on campus they were handing out livestrong bands that were rainbow colored and said “Gayhawks” on them.
ReplyDeleteOne word that is commonly seen in our society today, viewed in both negative and positive ways, is the word "queer." As it was explained in class, this is one of the common words that is trying to be taken back. For example, KU Queers and Allies', or the show "Queer eye for the straight guy" on television.
During class we also discussed understanding Adultism, or understanding why your parents say what they say. I believe that these two things were connected for the purpose of explaining that we all should be who we truly are, but in that fact, show respect. This goes hand in hand with the word choices that you choose. As a person not personally belonging to any of these groups, I now better understand the word usage and am encouraged to keep a strong outlook on all perosnalities in this world. This especially interests me because I am a journalism student, and am always thinking about product image and the desired target market. I can now take in these specific focuses of our changing world.
We only grow as a whole from the differences in this world, learn from each other, respect each other. The golden rule is just as simple.
Growing up in the ever-liberal Austin, Texas, LGBTQ has always had a prominence in my life. My best elementary school friend had two moms, and the church I attended always had a LGBTQ following. At that age I didn’t realize a same-sex couple was unusual, and it wasn’t until recently until I discovered a whole other realm outside of just gay, lesbian or bisexual. Intersex, pansexual, and asexual are just some of the terms I have never even heard of until Rachel Gadd-Nelson spoke and brought with her a vocabulary list. It fascinates me how people choose to classify themselves. While I may not fully understand certain lifestyles, I feel badly that there are cruel people out there who judge these people based on stereotypes. While some gay men may be flamboyant and some lesbians may be butch, this is certainly not the case with everyone who identifies as gay or lesbian. While being associated with LGBTQ can’t always be easy, it is good to know that there seems to be a quite extensive support group available. Brown Bag Drag, National Coming Out Day and other events recognized by LGBTQ provide means to meet other LGBTQ members and raise awareness for issues that concern the group. I have to admit that I am probably quite ignorant about this issue, but at the same time I would not judge anyone for living their life the way they want. I think everyone deserves the same rights regardless of their sexual orientation--especially when it comes to marriage or serving in the army, two huge current events. It bothers me that there are such issues; who is to say that a man can’t serve his country just because he is gay, or a woman can’t marry the woman she loves? No one has the right to make these decisions for someone else.
ReplyDeleteBy Julia Nehring
I thought it was a very interesting speaker. I learned a lot of stuff I did not really know about before, like some of the terms she used, I had always thought were inappropriate and it was surprising to know that there are people who identify with those terms and do not take it as slander. Along with the vocabulary she educated us on the stereotypes of some of the words and how LGBT is for more than just those stereotypes. The LGBT program is to let everyone know about what people assume and what is actually true. I like how the program can reach out to teenagers and provide resources for them to learn more about something they might have been closed to. A great point that was made by an alternative breaker was the group of people that may not even know enough yet to be able to identify themselves. LGBT is to help those people out who might feel alone and like a misfit when really they have just not explored all the options and known what a great community there is to support them. She also opened my eyes to the stereo types people make about someone who is apart of the gay community, and that the Youth is neglected in a lot of political situations being dealt with like marriage and adoption. Also that there are a lot of kids who do not have opportunities to connect with groups that have the same interests as them and some of her programs people are shocked that their are so many other people just like them. I really hope that the organization can spread and educate more people about the queer community and it is not something to be uncomfortable to talk about, part a part of our society that we must be educated on. I never really thought of this generation as lost or being oppressed by politics that deal with marriage and adoption, but no matter what age you can be apart of the fight, but there are also other things that do not have to do with those politics they cannot vote on yet that still need to be looked at. For example, all schools are allowed to have a Gay/Straight alliance group, but still principles and administrators find ways to prevent the club from being successful. They need to be able to find their identity and gain support from other people with the same struggles and hardships so they do not feel like they can't make a difference. Policies need to be changed and need to be open to advancing the need for LGBT education so that the youth does not get lost in something that is not who they are, and to allow them to live out their beliefs and desires without persecution.
ReplyDeleteBy Kaylan Conner
The lecture that Rachel gave during Thursdays class meeting was one that I found very pertinent not only to the LGBT trip but to any education trip as well. While sexuality may not be as big of an issue when working with younger children it most certainly becomes a part of the picture as children get older and start to discover who they really are. While a majority of people may not identify themselves as being part of the LGBT community being able to convey a message of equality and compassion is certainly something that is pertinent to all people in all areas of life. Even if you are not working with a child who is part of the LGBT community that child my have parents or siblings who are and helping them feel comfortable with that when so many of others, especially children, children don’t understand it can be a challenge. I currently work with children and a few of them have homosexual parents and while I find that the children from these households are perfectly comfortable with this idea other children in their class can sometimes get confused and unknowingly ask hurtful questions or make hurtful comments because they don’t understand the concept of having two mommies or daddies. Being able to show/explain to children (in a child proof manner) the concept of love and marriage can be like walking on a tight rope somethings.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of adultism that Rachel brought up is also something that was pertinent to working with children. Children can be very sensitive about things that we wouldn’t normally occur to us as being negative. Knowing how to treat a child with respect while still maintaing an authority figure role is also a task where find a place to meet in the middle is difficult to do. The examples that Rachel gave of situations in which children could feel belittled was a great eye opener of how to treat children like adults without placing more responsibility on them then what they should have.
The issues Rachel discussed in her presentation on the LGBTQ community were very interesting for several reasons but for me, three parts really stood out. Her explanation of relevant terms was very clear and helped me to understand the differences between some of the words which are used interchangeably in colloquial situation or even grossly misunderstood by most of the general public. Identification is the first step in understanding, so it is important that these definitions are available to everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe second part that stood out to me is adultism. This is a concern relative not only to the LGBTQ community but to all people. Condescension of adults is oppressive to kids of any culture and it can hinder their growth into self-confidence. With this kind of judgmental attitude imposed upon them, any child would feel self conscious rather than embrace who they are. This would be especially important to LGBTQ teens since it sometimes they have a longer process accepting who they are, so a few mean words could really affect anyone in that stage in their life.
The last thing that intrigued me was the recent practice of using the word queer. I can remember my parents using sayings like ‘queer as a three dollar bill’ or other terms which clearly explicate the derogatory tone within it. The fact that the community has taken back the word and embraced it is very powerful to me. I believe that the tone and the pejorative connotations of words can be lessened if it is embraced. A word is what you make of it and it is nice to see this word start to gain more of a positive sense than in the past. The power that a word has can change drastically and this one has certainly done that.
This past Thursday was our first speaker and discussion on current issues in our society. Rachel Gadd-Nelson spoke about the local organization, Queers and Allies and presented terms and definitions about LGBTQ. After the knowledge activity it gave me more of an insight to the LGBTQ community and what it’s about. I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the terms and definitions given so it was hard for me to match up the given terms with the correct definitions. Rachel was an excellent speaker and emphasized the term “queer” as a general name for LGBTQ. It was interesting to get an insight of a community I don’t have much knowledge on and the differences between concepts that that were unfamiliar to me. Someone asked what the difference between pansexual and bisexual was. This raised question for a lot of us like wondering when and how you use those terms. Pansexual is having an emotional, physical, sexual attraction to either sex or gender but this person does not see gender as just female and male. Being pansexual looks at the wide spectrum of many different types of sex and gender not just the two. Bisexual is similar but committed to both men and women. Bi meaning two gives it a distinct meaning to attraction to female and male. I enjoyed the activity and was intrigued on Rachel’s speech and her personal attachment to the LGBTQ community.
ReplyDeleteThe final aspect of the class talked about adultism, a term I have never heard before. I think this is an important topic to discuss and educate us on because many sites this upcoming spring break works with children and young adults. Since I will be working with young children, I found this section helpful. The last page of the packet Rachel handed out gave examples of adultism and listed phrases of verbal abuse that adults ignore. These two topics discussed last week really opened my eyes and gave me perspective of this great community that a lot of us ignore.
-Joanna Ferm
This past Thursday was our first speaker and discussion on current issues in our society. Rachel Gadd-Nelson spoke about the local organization, Queers and Allies and presented terms and definitions about LGBTQ. After the knowledge activity it gave me more of an insight to the LGBTQ community and what it’s about. I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the terms and definitions given so it was hard for me to match up the given terms with the correct definitions. Rachel was an excellent speaker and emphasized the term “queer” as a general name for LGBTQ. It was interesting to get an insight of a community I don’t have much knowledge on and the differences between concepts that that were unfamiliar to me. Someone asked what the difference between pansexual and bisexual was. This raised question for a lot of us like wondering when and how you use those terms. Pansexual is having an emotional, physical, sexual attraction to either sex or gender but this person does not see gender as just female and male. Being pansexual looks at the wide spectrum of many different types of sex and gender not just the two. Bisexual is similar but committed to both men and women. Bi meaning two gives it a distinct meaning to attraction to female and male. I enjoyed the activity and was intrigued on Rachel’s speech and her personal attachment to the LGBTQ community.
ReplyDeleteThe final aspect of the class talked about adultism, a term I have never heard before. I think this is an important topic to discuss and educate us on because many sites this upcoming spring break works with children and young adults. Since I will be working with young children, I found this section helpful. The last page of the packet Rachel handed out gave examples of adultism and listed phrases of verbal abuse that adults ignore. These two topics discussed last week really opened my eyes and gave me perspective of this great community that a lot of us ignore.
-Joanna Ferm
Blog #1-February 10
ReplyDeleteOur first guest lecturer was Rachel Gadd-Nelson, discussing LGBTQ youth. I've heard Gadd-Nelson speak before and was disappointed that we didn't have class time to hear her delve deeper into the subject of working with queer youth. As it was, we were given a page of LGBTQ terminology, and we spent most of the time clearing up preconceived notions of what to "call" gay people, what is and isn't offensive, and how gay/bi/trans people identify themselves. As an LGBT myself, most of the terminology wasn't new to me, with the exception of "ze/hir." That one was completely foreign.
As we spent such a long time discussing terminology, it occurred to me that this is not one of my favorite parts about "gay" culture. I can certainly see how words of identification are important to some people. And how profound it is that a tribe that has had to defend itself for so long is finally able to assert itself. To extend the idea that they/we are deserving of respect and "political correctness," the fact that the average heterosexual feels they have to tiptoe around rhetoric is, in a way, a wonderful sign of changing times. On the other hand, I feel that it doesn't so much "bridge the gap" as soar way over most people's heads. If you have to spend so much time defining and explaining pansexuality or whatever word of the week most precisely applies to your exact inclinations, it strays away from one of the biggest points of such a discussion: that EVERY PERSON is deserving of respect and equal rights/privileges. I could probably articulate this idea better, but I don't wish to insult anyone who wants to identify him- or her- or zirself in their own way. After all, I choose my label, despite the negative stereotypes associated with it: bisexual.
Gadd-Nelson came to discuss queer youth. Where, she asked, do they fit into the news/politics? Does a high school student really care about DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell? I recalled lots of debate in the classroom, and as a young teenager, I ferociously defended gay marriage and adoption rights along with the one or two people in my Catholic school who agreed with me. I even tried, unsuccessfully, to establish a GSA. But Rachel was right: my primary aim was survival. And the gay youth of the Midwest have scarcely anything in the way of a "night life". Gay bars in KC are too old for them. Hardly anyone understands. Many parents (including mine) disapprove. It's rough. It's sad, and incredibly lonely. No wonder there are so many suicides in the news.
This struck a chord with me. As a queer youth, I waited, and prayed, and survived, and eventually escaped Catholic school. Public school was better, but the long stretch until college seemed endless. Things are so much better here. My then-girlfriend and I were amazed to stroll around campus and hold hands without anyone getting angry; without the judgmental eyes of passers-by condemning us to hell. No wonder I abandoned any thoughts of high school pain, with the exception of the occasional rehashing of horrible memories over a drink with old friends. But there are so many kids still experiencing that trauma. Who live in fear of being humiliated, attacked, beaten up, or even raped on a daily basis, in a place that promises safety and education. Thank god for the It Gets Better and Let's Make it Better movements, because it's so hard to see out of that dark well when you spend eight hours a day in the same cold place. Someone needs to extend a hand to the queer youth in their depression and isolation. I wished we could have had time in class to discuss it further. What is to be done?
-Laurie Winkel
During the class session on the LGBTQ Community, Rachel Gadd-Nelson referred to it as the Queer Community. I found it shocking that she openly embraced such a harsh word that has been typically used to degrade sexual minorities. The fact that the once derogatory term is now transforming into a term of power and inclusivity reminds me of the Pink Triangle that has gone from a Nazi sign of shame to a symbol of gay pride. I tend to think that although I often see those with different sexual preferences discreetly humiliated or degraded, our society no longer outrightly oppresses them. Clearly, the existence of our own “modern day” Pink Triangle in the controversial term “queer” proves me wrong. The problem I see with the new use of the word queer is that it is still not unanimously accepted as a positive term. I don’t want to embrace the new vocabulary and encourage its use if the people it refers to still feel offended by it. Personally, this is the issue I often find myself facing in regards to the LGBTQ Community. There are so many terms and phrases that are highly offensive to some, but perfectly acceptable to others. I feel like I have to walk on eggshells and never know exactly how I can say something without offending someone. The tension and awkwardness of this situation is also found when referring to other “minorities” in our society. Is it Black American or African American? Disabled, handicapped or someone who has special needs? There is not always a black and white answer. All minority groups are composed of unique individuals who have personal preferences and independent responses to various terminology. As Rachel Gadd-Nelson mentioned, it’s simple to just ask someone within the group what terminology they prefer in order to avoid offending someone. In the end, it is always best to be sensitive and speak with kind intentions to avoid creating a new term that needs its own Pink Triangle makeover.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Duff
During the class session on the LGBTQ Community, Rachel Gadd-Nelson referred to it as the Queer Community. I found it shocking that she openly embraced such a harsh word that has been typically used to degrade sexual minorities. The fact that the once derogatory term is now transforming into a term of power and inclusivity reminds me of the Pink Triangle that has gone from a Nazi sign of shame to a symbol of gay pride. I tend to think that although I often see those with different sexual preferences discreetly humiliated or degraded, our society no longer outrightly oppresses them. Clearly, the existence of our own “modern day” Pink Triangle in the controversial term “queer” proves me wrong. The problem I see with the new use of the word queer is that it is still not unanimously accepted as a positive term. I don’t want to embrace the new vocabulary and encourage its use if the people it refers to still feel offended by it. Personally, this is the issue I often find myself facing in regards to the LGBTQ Community. There are so many terms and phrases that are highly offensive to some, but perfectly acceptable to others. I feel like I have to walk on eggshells and never know exactly how I can say something without offending someone. The tension and awkwardness of this situation is also found when referring to other “minorities” in our society. Is it Black American or African American? Disabled, handicapped or someone who has special needs? There is not always a black and white answer. All minority groups are composed of unique individuals who have personal preferences and independent responses to various terminology. As Rachel Gadd-Nelson mentioned, it’s simple to just ask someone within the group what terminology they prefer in order to avoid offending someone. In the end, it is always best to be sensitive and speak with kind intentions to avoid creating a new term that needs its own Pink Triangle makeover.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Duff