Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Movie Review- Philadelphia



             The first mainstream Hollywood film to deal with the subject of AIDS, and one of the few to feature gay characters in a serious dramatic context, Philadelphia is highly competent and equally--if surprisingly—conventional.

 Handsome, self-assured young corporate lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) is fired by his white-shoe Philadelphia firm when his sleek, self-satisfied employers--including Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards) and Bob Seidman (Ron Vawter)--discover that he's HIV positive. With the support of his family--especially his mother, Sarah (Joanne Woodward)--and his lover, Miguel (Antonio Banderas), Beckett sues. But the only lawyer who will take his case is local ambulance chaser Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), who's not sure he wants to be associated with a high profile case about homosexual prejudice.

Philadelphia fails to create complex characters or finely nuanced drama, but it succeeds in its real goal; the education of an audience whose thinking about AIDS and gay life has been shaped by notions of perversion and divine retribution. Screenwriter Ron Nyswaner and director Jonathan Demme assemble a drama filled with familiar elements: the importance of family (and, especially, a mother's love for her children); the decent little man pitted against a smugly uncaring system; the mismatched legal team of affluent white suburbanite Beckett and struggling, black, city-bred Miller. Strong performances from Hanks and Washington are among the film's greatest assets. Doomsayers foretold that the movie would fail to find a mainstream audience and that this would insure the subject's relegation, once again, to the independent arena, but the dire predictions proved false.

          Being the film buff that I am, I am very critical of this movie. It was good, but it wasn’t great.

          I give Philadelphia 3 out of 5 stars.

Annotated Bibliography


Annotated Bibliography
Ojeda, Auriana. Homosexuality : Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2004. Print.
This source was very helpful to me in learning about the different views on Homosexuality. It covers the many viewpoints that society has about homosexuality, and has a wide array of discussions in the book. The book gets each viewpoint from a different professional in their own field of the topic and research. This source tries not to be biased with their topic as it has many different views in it. Because the book has opposing views, those who are expressing the views are biased. The source was published within the past 10 years so I believe it to be a fairly credible source. This information will help me in my research because it gives me all of the topics I could explore for my project, and I will have to choose a topic to solely research.

Abraham, Morris, dir. "Taboo: Transgender." Taboo. National Geographic. 30 Sept. 2012. TopDocumentaryFilms.com. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. <http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/taboo-transgender/>.
This source helped me find information on the other, rather unexplored side of the LGBT community; Tansgenders. This documentary helped to open my eyes to how many cultures have transgender communities and how widely they were accepted.  The documentary did not use media as a specific source but relied almost entirely on interviews and experiences of those who were being portrayed. I believe that there may be some bias in the film, but the bias isn’t negative. The filmmakers showed the transgender community for what they are, human beings. They did not put down or trash the Trans community in anyway. So they were bias towards the positive side of being transgender and not the negative side which is against it. The information from this source showed me another path that I can take to further my project, perhaps taking it into a direction I didn’t even know I would consider.

13 Law & Sexuality: Rev. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Legal Issues 605 (2004) Reconsidering the Gender-Equality Perspective for Understanding LGBT Rights; Farrell, Sandi
This article helped me find information on the legal side of my topic. Some points brought up were The Gender-Equality Concept, Deconstructing the Gendered Basis of Sexuality-based theories or “Sexual Orientation”, Gender Equality Arguments in Employment Discrimination Law, Gender-Equality Arguments in Family Law, and Why the Law Must Recognize the Gender-Equality Paradigm. Another subtopic that it focuses on is Children. There wasn’t much bias in the article as it was mostly about what the laws in our country already state. The article gives examples of the laws in use and of them being abused. Although the article was written almost 10 year ago, most of the laws they talk about are still in effect and are still being enforced. The information wasn’t as helpful as I had hoped it would be, but it was still a decent source to use.

Coon, David W., Ph.D. "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Issues and Family Caregiving." Www.caregiver.org. N.p., Aug. 2003. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. <http://caregiver.org/jsp/content/pdfs/op_2003_lgbt_issues.pdf>.
This article talks about LGBT issues and caregiving. It takes the position that until LGBT individuals no longer experience the discrimination and social isolation that create barriers to receiving competent care, service providers and other professionals need to increase not only their understanding of the issues LGBT caregivers face, but also their competence in service provision to these family caregivers. It also takes the position that LGBT-identified individuals are members of a minority community with unique needs that in turn shape the development and delivery of competent services for its informal caregivers.  The text is biased because it is calling for the acceptance of all in the LGBT community. Although it is biased it still gives good information. It is helpful and it is a credible source for my topic. The information given will help with presenting the information I will gather to further push my agenda I have with this topic.

Fama, Jilian. "Corporations Paint Their Brands Red For LGBT Rights." ABC News. ABC News Network, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.
This article talks about how thousands of people are taking to social media to voice their personal support for gay marriage, but individuals are not the only ones supporting the cause. Corporations and public figures are using their branding to ride the trend as the Supreme Court argues two pieces of landmark legislation regarding same-sex marriage. Political supporters of the gay rights initiatives are donning icons based on the Human Rights Campaign equality symbol with shades of red instead of blue and yellow on their personal Facebook pages. As politicians and consumers alike have altered their social media pages, so have brand names such as Absolut Vodka, Expedia, Amazon, and Bud Light. The text is not biased, because it was just explaining a campaigning movement that was being used. ABC was not trying to persuade the viewers to change their social media pages. The information was helpful because I learned about companies that were supporting the LGBT community.

"Free And Equal In Dignity And LGBT Rights." Vital Speeches Of The Day 78.2 (2012): 45. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 5 Apr. 2013
This Article presents the speech "Be on the Right Side of History," delivered by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on International Human Rights Day at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on December 6, 2011 in which she discussed human rights violations related to sexual orientation, equal rights and dignity for LGBT people, and activism that leads to political change. She talks about how the acceptance of homosexuality is a sensitive topic for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest deeply on held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs. The text is biased because Hillary is calling for equality so she is biased with thoughts of equality for homosexuals. The information from the speech wasn’t very helpful, but I found it interesting.

"Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Rights." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Global Issues In Context. Web. 5 Apr. 2013
This article talks about the history of the LGBT community and sexual minorities.  An example of the history in the LGBT Communities would be that by the eighteenth century, there was considerable legislation in Europe, and enormous social stigma, concerning homosexuality and transvestitism (cross-dressing). The laws against homosexuality pertained almost exclusively to male behavior; sodomy was considered a serious crime, punishable by beating, lengthy prison terms, and sometimes by execution. The writer also writes about some not so historic landmarks such as the speech President Obama gave addressing the nation, the president said that "our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law." The ceremony included the recitation of a new poem by Richard Blanco, making him the first Hispanic, openly gay, and youngest poet to read at a U.S. presidential inauguration. The text was biased from this article but it also gave some important pieces of LGBT history. The information from this article could be used to support my theory of LGBT discrimination throughout history.

“Philadelphia”. Dir. Jonathan Demme. By Ron Nyswanger. Perf. Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, and Joanne Woodward. TriStar Pictures, 1993. DVD.
This source was a movie made in 1993. The summary is that Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer infected with AIDS, is fired from his conservative law firm in fear that they might contract AIDS from him. After Andrew is fired, in a last attempt for peace, he sues his former law firm with the help of a homophobic lawyer, Joe Miller. During the court battle, Miller sees that Beckett is no different than anyone else on the gritty streets of the city of brotherly love, sheds his homophobia and helps Beckett with his case before AIDS overcomes him. Im not sure if I could say if this movie was biased or not because It was made for entertainment and had both views on homosexuality in the film. Because the film was fiction I wasn’t sure what was fact and what was fiction in the movie, so I didn’t pull any information from it to use in my project.
"40 Years Later: A Look Back at the Turning Point for Gay Rights." AARP. N.p., June 2009. Web. 04 Apr. 2013. <http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/rights/info-06-2009/stonewall_riots_40_years_later_.html>.
This source was taking a look back on the stonewall riots of 1969. It talks about what was happening in the community before the riots, what happened during the riots, and the aftermath of the riots. There are quotes and information on what happened that night. The source wasn’t very biased. It gave good information without sounding biased. The article was very short but straight to the point. I used most of the information from this source in my prezi on the Stonewall riots. So the information was good, and reliable.

Day Of Silence- The Aftermath!

So, the day of silence took place on Friday, April 19th, 2013! The day was a huge success in my school! lots of students participated, including myself!
from my last post about this, I told everyone i would post pictures so here they are! i have pictures from my friends here in Wisconsin, but also from Minnesota!


Anthony,18
" I Am ending the silence by: Standing up against bullying to others."





Bianca, 17
"I am ending the silence by: Speaking up for those who are too afraid to, and
speaking up for the people who feel like they aren't being heard."



Jayson, 17
(his was hard to read!)



Jordan, 17
"I am ending the silence by: showing my love and support for the LGBT community, encouraging acceptance, and being there for anyone who needs me. I love you all!"



Lily, 18
"I am endin the silence by: Advocation Individuality."



 I would personally like to thank everyone who participated in the Day of Silence, and I would like to thank my friends for being brave enough to stand up for what is right!


Monday, April 22, 2013

LGBT Rights and Acceptance Survey


Student Survey on LGBT Rights and Acceptance
*Note: Please be COMPLETELY HONEST, these are anonymous. Only circle one answer.
 *LGBT Stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
1. Homosexuality is unnatural and immoral. LGBT people are emotionally or psychologically ill.
Agree Disagree
2. LGBT people should participate in reparative therapy or any other treatment available to help
them change their sexual orientation.
Agree Disagree
3. We should have compassion for LGBT people. They can’t be blamed for how they were born.
Agree Disagree
4. LGBT people didn’t choose to be the way they are.
Agree Disagree
5. I have no problem with LGBT people, but see no need for them to flaunt their sexual orientation publicly.
Agree Disagree
6. What LGBT people do in the privacy of their own bedroom is their business.
Agree Disagree
7. LGBT people deserve the same rights and privileges as everybody else.
Agree Disagree
8. Homophobia is wrong. Society needs to take a stand against anti-LGBT bias.
Agree Disagree
9. It is important for me to stand up to those who demonstrate homophobic attitudes.
Agree Disagree
10. Homosexual Marriage should be legal everywhere in the United States.
Agree Disagree


This Survey was given on April 20th, 2013, at Memorial High School.

These are the results:

Question 1: 14% Agreed, 86% Disagreed
Question 2: 7% Agreed, 93% Disagreed
Question 3: 79% Agreed, 21% Disagreed
Question 4: 65% Agreed, 35% Disagreed
Question 5: 53% Agreed, 475 Disagreed
Question 6: 93% Agreed, 7% Disagreed
Question 7: 89% Agreed, 11% Disagreed
Question 8: 47% Agreed, 53% Disagreed
Question 9: 63% Agreed, 37% Disagreed
Question 10: 81% Agreed, 19% Disagreed

In my opinion, Memorial high school is a very LGBT friendly school, and the students are accepting of thier peers.  

Friday, April 19, 2013

Day Of Silence

Today is the Day of Silence, a day celebrated nationwide! myslef, along with 7 students in my choir class and  other students from the rest of my school are participating in this event! the day of silence is a day where people are silent for the whole day to show thier support for the LGBT community and for those silence by bullying!

Pictures and interviews will be coming soon!

View my Twitter!

Check out my twitter and follow me! 

Friday, April 5, 2013

LGBT Quotes


Make no mistake, I am a Christian and I believe in God and I don’t believe he makes mistakes, so I believe that being gay is not a sin and in fact it’s how you’re made.  - Actress Kristin Chenowith appearing on The Joy Behar Show

 

We need marriage equality in every state in this nation. Otherwise, no state really has marriage equality, and we will not rest until it is a reality.  -New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

 

People from pre-sexual revolution and even from the 60s and the birth of the gay movement still define gay as two men or two women having sex. Our generation defines it from a more emotional standpoint. To be gay means you are drawn to the same sex. But it’s a part of who you are, an identity, not an act.  -J. Edgar screenwriter Dustin Lance Black in a WSJ interview.

 

We speak for the entire Giants organization when we say that there is no place in society for hatred and bullying against anyone.  -San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito in the first “It Gets Better” video made by a major league sports team

 

Like being a woman, like being a racial religious tribal or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are gay rights.              -Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a speech to the United Nations

 

No country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere.  -President Barack Obama in a foreign policy memorandum

 

I'm not ashamed to be a Christian. But you don't have to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.  -Texas Governor and GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry in his "Strong" campaign commercial

 

The Republican path to victory is compromised when gay Americans are perceived as being attacked for just being how God created them.   -Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus

 

"The most violent element in society is ignorance."  -Emma Goldman

 

"Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."  -Jamin Raskin, getting to the point, in a debate over a proposed constitutional amendment to the Maryland state constitution to prevent gay couples from having legal marriage rights.

 

"If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise."  -Johann von Goethe

 

My sexual orientation is not a sickness to be healed or a sin to be forgiven. My sexual orientation is a gift from my Creator to be accepted, celebrated, and lived with integrity.  -ChristianGay.Com

 

 

"It is never legitimate to use the words of scripture to promote a loveless agenda."   -Right Rev. Dr. Peter Short / Moderator of United Church of Canada

 

 

"There is nothing in the Bible or in my own theology that would lead me to believe that God regards homosexuality as sin. God is interested in our relationships with ourselves, others, the things in our lives, and with God. There is nothing in the mind of God that could be against a loving, sexual relationship, freely entered into, without coercion, among sincere adults whether gay, bisexual or straight." 

-Dr. Slayton / Baptist

 

 

"Some argue that since homosexual behavior is "unnatural," it is contrary to the order of creation. Behind this pronouncement are stereotypic definitions of masculinity and femininity that reflect the rigid gender categories of patriarchal society. There is nothing unnatural about any shared love, even between two of the same gender, if that experience calls both partners into a fuller state of being. Contemporary research is uncovering new facts that are producing a rising conviction that homosexuality, far from being a sickness, sin, perversion or unnatural act, is a healthy natural, and affirming of human sexuality for some people. Findings indicate that homosexuality is a given fact in the nature of a significant portion of people, and that it is unchangeable." 

-Bishop John Shelby Spong / Episcopalian

 

 

"When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."  -Tombstone of Leonard Matlovich

 

Bibliography


 


 

Stonewall Riots- Prezi

http://prezi.com/cdotniiljc9p/stonewall-riots/?auth_key=10db9023c5b6b9fe92e2757682efd60c5db05dc4&kw=view-cdotniiljc9p&rc=ref-1968056

Check out my Prezi on the Stonewall Riots that took place in June 1969!

Mid-Research Review


My topic for the capstone project is LGBT(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Rights. This topic focuses on the treatment and equality of those included in the LGBT community. This subject is touchy and I know for me it is becoming especially hard to not be bias on a topic that is hot in the media. In this paper I will be discussing the general overview of my topic, what I have done so far, and where I hope to take my project.
 
LGBT Rights is a topic that has taken America by storm within the last 30 years. With the discovery of the AIDS virus, the lifestyle of homosexuals and transgenders has become spotlighted. With the discussion of LGBT rights there are mainly 3 major views on the topic, those who find it immoral and wrong, those who tolerate but do not have an opinion and those who support and encourage being homosexual or transgender. The research that I found has been mainly focused on three specific questions; is being homosexual a decision or not? (Nature vs. Nurture), is being homosexual wrong and immoral or not? And should homosexuals be allowed to marry? When it comes to religion and homosexuality there is a plethora of articles and information to prove that it goes against what it says in the Bible. All of that information however is from how one person interprets the Bible.
 
            Most of my research has focused on acceptance of the LGBT Community in our society. My nonfiction book focused on the opposing viewpoints on Homosexuality. Some viewpoints were; the origins of homosexuality, if society encourage increased acceptance of homosexuality, If homosexuality immoral, and if society sanction gay and lesbian families.  My documentary focused on educating the public on transgenders and transgenders in different cultures. The documentary gave the viewers a more intimate look into the different transgender communities from around the world. My articles had taken a few different approaches, some such as; major marketing campaigns celebrating gay pride, a speech given by Hilary Clinton, and some other articles that focus on religion. All of these means of research have acceptance as a common topic, whether positive or negative.
 
            The road where I think my research will start to take is one leaning toward finding out why homosexuality is so taboo. In some cultures it is accepted and considered normal, but why not in the U.S.?  To find the root of this problem I will probably need to take a step back and look at the history between America and the homosexual community that lives here. I think the answer does lie in history and will hopefully give me an endpoint to this project. If the history becomes a dead end I could look at the laws concerning homosexual rights and the activism to change them. Looking at law would be an easier way to go, but I’m looking for an interesting road, not the easy one.
           
            My goals for the future are to hopefully get this project done on time, with most everything done. As I continue to research I will continue to hold back my bias opinion and give the best information possible. I hope the direction I wish to take my project works out for me. And in the end I hope that I can get people to open their eyes a little more to see the changes that are happening around us.

5 News/Scholarly Articles


The first article presents the speech "Be on the Right Side of History," delivered by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on International Human Rights Day at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on December 6, 2011 in which she discussed human rights violations related to sexual orientation, equal rights and dignity for LGBT people, and activism that leads to political change. She talks about how the acceptance of homosexuality is a sensitive topic for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest deeply on held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs.

 

The second article talks about the history of the LGBT community and sexual minorities.

An example of the history in the LGBT Communities would be that By the eighteenth century, there was considerable legislation in Europe, and enormous social stigma, concerning homosexuality and transvestitism (cross-dressing). The laws against homosexuality pertained almost exclusively to male behavior; sodomy was considered a serious crime, punishable by beating, lengthy prison terms, and sometimes by execution. The writer also write about some not so historic landmarks such as the speech President  Obama gave addressing the nation, the president said that "our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law." The ceremony included the recitation of a new poem by Richard Blanco, making him the first Hispanic, openly gay, and youngest poet to read at a U.S. presidential inauguration.

 

 

My third article talks about LGBT issues and caregiving.

It takes the position that until LGBT individuals no longer experience the discrimination and social isolation that create barriers to receiving competent care, service providers and other professionals need to increase not only their understanding of the issues LGBT caregivers face, but also their competence in service provision to these family caregivers. It also takes the position that LGBT-identified individuals are members of a minority community with unique needs that in turn shape the development and delivery of competent services for its informal caregivers.

My fourth article is about reconsidering the gender-equality perspective for understanding LGBT rights.

The points brought up in this article are as follows; The Gender-Equality Concept, Deconstructing the Gendered Basis of Sexuality-based theories or “Sexual Orientation”, Gender Equality Arguments in Employment Discrimination Law, Gender-Equality Arguments in Family Law, and Why the Law Must Recognize the Gender-Equality Paradigm. Another subtopic that it focuses on is Children.

 

My fifth article is from ABC News and talks about how corporations painted their brands red for LGBT Rights.

It talks about how thousands of people are taking to social media to voice their personal support for gay marriage, but individuals are not the only ones supporting the cause. Corporations and public figures are using their branding to ride the trend as the Supreme Court argues two pieces of landmark legislation regarding same-sex marriage. Political supporters of the gay rights initiatives are donning icons based on the Human Rights Campaign equality symbol with shades of red instead of blue and yellow on their personal Facebook pages. As politicians and consumers alike have altered their social media pages, so have brand names such as Absolut Vodka, Expedia, Amazon, and Bud Light.

Bud Light altered the standard Human Rights Campaign equal sign to make it a little more brand friendly, by replacing the equal sign lines with Bud Light beer cans. This is not the first time that Bud Light has publically announced its support for gay rights. In fact they have sponsored a number of Gay Pride festivals across the U.S. This past June, Bud Light hosted Bud Boyz at Chicago's Pride festival, a gay, male modeling contest. Kenneth Cole, Target and JC Penney created gay-inclusive advertising. A Target ad promotes wedding registration for same-sex couples with the slogan "Be Yourself, Together." Similarly, a Kenneth Cole ad shows a male couple holding hands and a statistic that reads, "52% of Americans think same-sex marriages don't deserve a good reception. Are you putting us on?" Equality branding has not only been limited to social media. Companies are using television advertising to broaden their support for marriage equality, too. Recently Amazon released a television ad for their reading tablet, the Kindle, which shows straight and gay couples bonding on vacation.

 

 

Bibliography:

13 Law & Sexuality: Rev. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Legal Issues 605 (2004) Reconsidering the Gender-Equality Perspective for Understanding LGBT Rights; Farrell, Sandi

 

Coon, David W., Ph.D. "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Issues and Family Caregiving." Www.caregiver.org. N.p., Aug. 2003. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. <http://caregiver.org/jsp/content/pdfs/op_2003_lgbt_issues.pdf>.

 

Fama, Jilian. "Corporations Paint Their Brands Red For LGBT Rights." ABC News. ABC News Network, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

 

"Free And Equal In Dignity And LGBT Rights." Vital Speeches Of The Day 78.2 (2012): 45. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 5 Apr. 2013

 

"Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Rights." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Global Issues In Context. Web. 5 Apr. 2013

 

 

Documentary: Taboo: Transgender


1.       
This documentary focuses on transgender roles in all parts of the world and the taboo’s that societies place on the transgender community. The first section of the documentary focuses on a man named Lauren. Lauren was born a woman and has transitioned into a man. He talks about how people are afraid of transgenders because some people believe that those who transition are defying the laws of nature.  Lauren is a photographer and he hopes that his photos of people who are transitioning or who have transitioned will help the Trans community be more accepted in society.  
The second section of the documentary focuses on Thailand’s Kathoeys or “Ladyboys”. These are men who dress up as women and look more feminine. Ladyboys really are quite prominent in Thailand and are seemingly accepted by society, not only in the cities but in the countrysides as well. It seems as though it is the relaxed attitude of acceptance and tolerance in Buddhism that keeps people from shunning their lifestyles, although many other Buddhist countries are not as willing to accept a ladyboy living their lives in public. Though Kathoey continually face discrimination they are gaining acceptance and have made themselves a very distinct part of the Thai society, they still have not yet attained equal status with those who are not transgender. Though Kathoey have enjoyed some prestige in the past they still face many struggles in everyday life. Many have found success in the entertainment business or in fashion. Many dance cabaret or accept lower level work so that they are able to live their lives out in the open. The documentary follows one Kathoey named Nang Tun, she became accepted by fighting in the national sport in Thailand which is a mix between boxing and martial arts. She was a great fighter and won many medals and trophies. She would wear make up in the ring and she would kiss her beaten opponents after her fight.

The third section of this documentary focused on another group of transgenders called the Fa’afafine. They live in Samoa and are considered a third gender on the island. It is a mistake to attribute a Western interpretation and mislabel the fa'afafine as "gay" or "homosexual". In Samoa, the people claim that there is no such thing as being "gay" or "homosexual." Fa'afafine, as a third gender, have sexual relationships almost exclusively with men who do not identify as Fa'afafine, and sometimes with women. This third gender is so well accepted in Samoan culture that most Samoans state that they have friendship relationships with at least one Fa'afafine. Traditionally Fa'afafine follow the training of a women's daily work in an Aiga. Many Fa’afafine stated that they "loved" engaging in feminine activities as children, such as playing with female peers, playing female characters during role play, dressing up in female clothes, and playing with female gender-typical toys. This is in contrast the women who stated that they merely "liked" engaging in those activities as children. Some fa'afafine recall believing they were girls in childhood, but knew better as adults. There is little to no ridicule of or displeasure with a biologically male child who states he is a girl in Samoa. For instance, one study showed only a minority of parents (20%) tried to stop their fa'afafine sons from engaging in feminine behavior. Being pushed into the male gender role is upsetting to many fa'afafine. A significant number stated that they "hated" masculine play, such as rough games and sports, even more than females did as children.

The fourth section and last section of this documentary focused on the sex-reassignment surgery capital of the world, Trinidad, Colorado. It followed the story of a couple who were both transgenders. A biological male who is transitioning to a female; Linda, is coupled up with another man; Bill, who is trying out the possibility of transitioning to a female also. the point of this section was what was going to happen once Linda completely transitioned and what will happen with Linda and Bills relationship if Bill decides to transition to a woman.
2.
            The storytelling technique used in this documentary was by using others stories to express the story. The film followed many people’s stories, there were about 5 different people who were spotlighted in the film. The documentary used their own film and didn’t use any other footage.  The film used experience and not statistics, to show the more emotional side of the transgender communities around the world.
3.
            This documentary did not use media as a specific source of information.
4.
            Because the documentary did not use media as a specific source they relied almost entirely on interviews and experiences of those who were being portrayed.
5.
            I believe that there may be some bias in the film, but the bias isn’t negative. The filmmakers showed the transgender community for what they are, human beings. They did not put down or trash the Trans community in anyway. So they were bias towards the positive side of being transgender and not the negative side which is against it.
6.
            I can take away a lot of information from my documentary. Before watching it I had no idea how many cultures have transgender communities, and how many were accepted. It was really interesting to hear that in some communities becoming transgender was highly accepted and that it was very common and parents wanted their boys to become Trans. 

Nonfiction book: Opposing Viewpoints: Homosexuality


My book is split up in 4 chapters so I will give you a description of each chapter.
Chapter one focuses on the Question; “What are the origins of homosexuality?” As the title of the book says, these chapters have multiple viewpoints on the proposed question in the form of an essay or sub-chapter. The viewpoints in chapter one are if homosexuality is biologically determined or not, if homosexuals can change their sexual orientation, if homosexuality is a legitimate choice, if homosexuality is a psychological disorder, and if homosexuality is caused by societal dysfunction.
Chapter two poses the question “Should society encourage increased acceptance of homosexuality?” The viewpoints in this chapter are; should society accept homosexuality or not, should schools stress acceptance of homosexuality or not, hate crime laws are needed to protect gays and lesbians or would it prove ineffective, if criticism of homosexuality leads to violence toward gays and lesbians or if criticism is not wrong.
Chapter three asks “Is homosexuality immoral?” Here are the viewpoints for this chapter; if Homosexual behavior is immoral, if homosexual behavior is not immoral, if the bible condemns homosexuality, if the bible does not necessarily condemn homosexuality. This chapter is short but full of information.
Chapter four asks the question “Should society sanction gay and lesbian families?” the viewpoints in chapter four are; if homosexuals should be allowed to marry, or they should not be allowed to marry, if a federal amendment is necessary to protect marriage, if a federal amendment would undermine states’ rights, if homosexuals should have greater parental rights, and if gay and lesbian parenting may not be beneficial.

3 Important Passages:
1.)    “At least three answers seem possible. The first, the answer of tradition, is as follows: homosexual behavior is a bad habit that people fall into because they are sexually permissive and experimental. This view holds that the homosexuals choose their lifestyle as the result of self-indulgence and unwillingness to play by society rules. The second position is held by a number of psychoanalysts. According to them, homosexual behavior is a mental illness, symptomatic of arrested development. They believe that homosexuals have unnatural or perverse desires as a consequence of poor familial relations in childhood or some other trauma. The third view is “biological” and holds that such desires are genetic or hormonal in origin, and that there is no choice involved and no “childhood trauma” necessary. (pg. 28)
2.)    “Anti-LGBT slurs have become the insult of choice whether the targeted student is in fact LGBT, perceived to be, or heterosexual. A host of recent studies affirm this fact, demonstrate the pervasiveness of anti-LGBT slurs in schools, and confirm the power of words to wound: 88% of the 1,000 students interviewed in a 2001 national phone survey conducted by Hamilton college reported having heard classmates use “gay” as a derogatory term. 4 out of 5 students in the 1999 safe schools coalition survey who said that they had experienced anti-LGBT harassment (80%) identified as heterosexual. According to Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual Harassment in School, a 2001 study conducted by the American association of University of Women (AAUW), 73% of students would be “very upset” if someone said they were gay or lesbian. Among boys, no other type of sexual harassment, including physical abuse, provoked so strong a reaction.”
3.)    “Across America more gay and lesbian people are refusing to live their lives in the shadows. But the increased honesty and visibility that has led to more fulfilling and productive lives for millions of people has been accompanied by a backlash. Most striking about hate crimes is the ferocity and ruthlessness involved in the assaults. A survey by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reports that in antigay hate crimes in 1998, guns used during assaults grew 71 percent; ropes and restraints, 133 percent, vehicles, 150 percent; and blunt objects, clubs and bats, 47 percent.”
5 thought provoking questions:
1.      Is being homosexual a choice or are you born that way?
2.      Should LGBT couples be allowed to adopt?
3.      Does the bible really say that being homosexual is immoral?
4.      Should Society as a whole accept the LGBT community and include it in all of life’s little matters?
5.      Should “coming out” be a huge deal in this day and age or should it still be a huge event in someone’s life?
Picture:


This book has guided my project in the direction of having equality and tolerance for the LGBT community in Wisconsin and Eau Claire.  This books fits into my project because it does focus on all of the important viewpoints of my topic. 

Citation:
Ojeda, Auriana. Homosexuality : Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2004. Print.


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Senior Capstone Project 2013

For those of you following this blog, or my other blog you can probably already guess what class this is for. yup, you guessed it, English! This blog is for my senior capstone project, this is a project where i have to pick a topic and research it for almost 3 months, do lots of assignments and post them here. 

My topic for this project is LGBT rights and equality. For a more descriptive topic to elaborate with i'm looking at Prejudice and inequality based on sexual orientation.