Last blog assignment response

"performances" meaning we are always performing? I would agree with this as we all grow up with dislikes and like that we may feel we have come to on our own but providing a different environment would we like and be different. Resistance? well I dunno I read a study somewhere at some point that supports that exposure even saying that you believe in something eventually leads you to uphold it. I think the example was writing in support of tuition hikes. What I am saying is that there is always to sides to a story and both should and I think obviously do have valid points even if only in their own minds (from your point of view.) So whereas some say challenge these stereotypes and do this and that well for most of us including me life will be alot easier if I just pretend which I do to like sports to the point of murder:-) motorcycles cars and other things whichever your gender may be. I don't want to fake anything extreme which I would say I don't and that only means I am fortunate enough to have a mind pliable enough for society. In other words I grew up being shown certain things and I can adapt to situations and if I find myself with people I don't like I might say sexist things etc... even if I don't mean it and this in my opinion makes me a bad person but a healthy unhit bad person. I have stood up for things and resisted but comments like I think I could have sex with a man but don't want to cause y'all will look at me like a queer, well that I will just keep to myself. Any other thoughts I have I do share with my closest friends because that is why they are my closest friends they are like me. I have taken a lot from this class and have changed a few things I do everyday and how I look at the things I do everyday. I have stopped making references to homosexuals in a negative manner and did try to hang out with two girls without thinking about anything sex related which was hard but in the end a great experience apparently girls like a guy who can cook. What I am saying is that while we are all shaped in ways we cannot imagine (my catholic upbringing left me pretty weird in the values v morals category) we are given the chance, to with knowledge and the right privilege knapsack, look around and see things as a whole. That is what I appreciate most about this class is that it has presented a radical point of view to me which I am still slowly taking in. I went back and re-read a few articles and find that now I understand that they are saying much better. I do however think I might be placing myself too high in my own mind. I often get frustrated in class and got to the point of not wanting to speak just because if I would have opened my mouth I might have screamed. It is startling to me to see in class when you are trying to make a point clear then ask a question and get a response from left field. Patience is good and I think it just made it clear that while in general people are not evil all of us to an extent have thoughts and notions that harm the people around us without knowing it. Some people are incapable of seeing things from another perspective and these people are the ones that propagate negativity even if they do not realize it. Back to the original question Resisting forces? I don't know I guess I have always been pretty athletic had steady girlfriends and the like so I fit in without thinking twice and I have resisted hyper masculinity. Simply because of the example my grandparents set I also grew up in a horrible ghastly environment so I have always respected women and rejected the notion that men are better in any way as I also have 3 younger sisters and a younger brother so in that regards I would say I am at least neutral. And living in the U.S. during this time period well being of Mexican descent has its advantages I know Spanish and can speak to many people others can't but I have experienced some extreme racism and other borderline things. I also have to deal with jokes from everyone around me about stereotypes like I bought a knife after my friend got mugged just cause and now I'm a gangsta' etc... I also was arrested at CU while installing my own stereo in my car, I have been told in the library after spending almost an entire day there when my laptop died that only students should be there, I was wearing a Piazanos shirt so dunno. Things like this well they get to me but the majority of people I hang out with are great so I won't complain until I have to. I did get a lawyer for the arresting incident but the officers covered their tracks well and I didn't make it to trial. Who I am? Caring, passionate, and tired. Oh and also the last blog I was just bitter because we had a group of people come in at work who had just gotten out of a GLBT meeting and as soon as they left there were more jokes made than I could stand and did yell at a few people. Even thinking now I don't think I like even thinking about the categories and stereotypes. Also on the choice of sexual orientation and gender I do think most of us can chose and a few would feel utterly one way or the other like I tried to show with people who amputate limbs because they feel they don't belong on their bodies. There is a current study going on that is looking for "homosexual genes" and well the studies among fraternal and identical twins are also interesting. Maybe there are many born homosexual who are only homosexual and some born straight that could only be straight but I still say that most are capable of forming any kind of relationship in the right environment. That is if you believe everything is socially constructed. Who is to say that those who claim that they feel gay are gay and always have been gay did not just arrive to that conclusion because from the time they picked up a barbie at three this is how their parents raised them. In what way does it make sense that even a "homosexual" 3 year old knows that gays play with barbies? Now that I think about it that doesn't make sense at all. Wouldn't someone who prefer men want to play with men? GI Joes etc... How does a gay male damn it I assumed again... male male male sorry. How does a homosexual male know to play with barbies and like pink and then tie this to sexual relations? Why does a homosexual have to act like the opposite gender in order to like the same gender? blah...

Assignment # 10 response

I think I'm getting bitter and it is becoming apparent in my writing and I apologize for that. If instructing someone of any other gender to be a man I would say speak deep be mean don't make eye contact and smile don't be inquisitive walk like you own the space around you look at everything and everyone indifferently get flat chested nod your head to greet people and get a penis or phallic substitute. Dress in blue jeans that are not form fitting at all and loose t-shirt type tops.

Assignment # 9 response

Gender and choice as well as sexuality and choice? I hesitate to answer for others as I am nowhere near questioning where I stand and how I feel. I am comfortable in my own skin I suppose and wish everyone else could be happy in their skin. The only recurring theme I can think of is that if society would not hold people to strict norms and requirements then maybe sex changes would not be necessary. If everyone was not required to fulfill gender roles as described by genitalia then maybe someone who felt like a man with female genitalia could live life fulfilling male roles without feeling like they were out of sync with everyone that had female genitalia. I know that some people absolutely feel like they have to switch to fulfill their needs but there are also people who feel that certain limbs "simply don't belong" and amputate. Again we should be open to everything and then the true nature of people could come out. I do not know how else I can say it live and let live fuckers!

Some people argue for being born gay others say its not natural. I say it is how you make it. I could believe that certain people are just strictly homosexual from the get go as in birth. I can also believe and firmly believe that everyone can chose to be whatever sexuality they want. The reason I say this is because lately I've asked why I am attracted to females and the scary answer is just cause. I'll be the first to say that I think we've all had the drunken experience where we tell our friends we love em and it is purported that most men will have a homosexual experience at one point. We are humans for crying out loud sex feels good and depending on your mindset it doesn't matter if its a horse or Jessica Biel it will feel good. That is all I have to say.

Assignment #8

I hope I am understanding this correctly with gender identity being the gender you identify with and sexual identity being whether you view yourself as heterosexual or homosexual. If this is the case then this movie portrayed homosexuals as being people who don't follow the gender norms to begin with. Therefore, according to the movie you could make the conclusion that all males who have feminine qualities are attracted to males. It seems to be making the point that you can never judge a book by its cover. The movie seems to prey on every stereotype and gleam it of all its comedic content just showing how ridiculous some of our stereotypes are. It just shows that we hold anybody who does not follow the gender expectations to the letter as an outsider. If a male likes dancing, make-up, etc, they will be labeled as homosexual or "metro" either way there is a category for them that is outside of the norm. Jan is unique because she looks very "butch" which makes her a strong candidate for the lesbian "dyke" category, and it was funny to me when she declared that she was heterosexual because it seemed the joke was that while she is female she identifies as male and therefore while she likes guys she still is a homosexual because she is like a guy and likes guys.

In thinking about why we associate certain gender identities to queer sexuality I came up with one answer. The media. I know that the way homosexuals are presented in the media might be true to the letter for a few but in looking around I have two gay friends that you would more than likely never guess gay just by meeting them briefly. I do think it is strange that we have such a strong propensity for labeling people for being different. Granted there are a few "flamboyant," homosexuals out there but I do not think you can ever tell gay or straight just by meeting someone. Maybe just maybe this is a good thing for now simply because it could allow people to hide it more easily if their behavior doesn't fall into the stereotype categories. Hopefully soon movies like But I'm a Cheerleader will not have any stock in reality, and we will be able to laugh light-heartedly at all the jokes in it.

Assignment 7 reaction to part 1

This article by Michael Scherer assumes that Women are not suppose to take control, don't set goals, cry, scared of war, family oriented, nurturing, self-depreciating, soft, tender, gracious, warm, and want to work together doing "soul searching." The men love guns, safaris, war, chain-saws, take control, could care less about his damn family, stand up to bullies, in your face, know-it-all, and strong enough to push buttons (apparently).

I got pretty irritated with this article simply because I know these type of articles play a significant role in the candidacy race and they keep important issues in the shadows. I just know that people will pick this up and run with it drawing who knows what conclusions for not very well founded reasons. However, it does interest me as to why these issues are issues and what they imply for the "common man."

I think it is strange that this article states that Barack Obama, one of the only melanin rich people ever to be considered for the presidency, is being called one of the most feminine candidates. Is this because it is better to be a feminine black guy than it is to be a hyper macho black guy? Does it hold true even in the higher ranks of society that the manly black dude will be seen as violent or over stimulated whatever making up for blah blah blah. I don't understand this. Up until I read this article I hadn't even thought about this gender issue. Now I'm reading these political cartoons that make me question the society I live in. The more I analyze everything around me with the intention of finding someone doing something wrong I do, and it makes me angry. Hilary is said to be overcompensating, my question is for what? For being female? That is absolute bullshit. Why would being feminine or masculine matter? In my opinion this is just as stupid as voting always republican or democrat or whatever, look at the issues you want dealt with look at how the politicians have dealt with them and vote accordingly. Hilary in my opinion is strong-willed, apt to attack problems aggressively, and has previous experience with the requirements of being president (her husband remember him). Her actions in the senate, as a lawyer, as the first lady, and as a wife should be what you look at not her freakin' gender traits. I guess it just makes me laugh when I read phrases like, ""The decision to go to war is not a sport," he[Obama] tells crowds, rejecting the male metaphor." The male what now? I almost want to put this with the writings of ann coulter something you might read but wouldn't even consider responding to. It is articles like this that I hope everyone ignores even though in reality it is articles like this that need to be countered intelligently and eloquently something I wish I could do.