SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

This course will surface the ways in which LGBTQ+ people and communities have impacted the ways in which mainstream American culture has been shaped by cultural production derived from thinking that challenges heteronormativity in post-World War II America until the validation of same sex marriage in 2014 Through the lenses of queer theory, evolving queer history, Since the emergence of “homosexuality” and “transsexuality” as identities in the late 19th century, queer culture has been presumed to develop in the margins of American life, ancillary to and shaped by heterosexual norms. Yet, the vast majority of queer people in the last hundred years have lived (to at least some degree) in the closet, allowing them to exist in the mainstream while maintaining a distinctly non-normative identity. Thus, to quote bell hooks, allowing them "to bring the margin into the center." In 15 meetings over the course of the semester, through lectures, discussions, texts, slides, films and video, we will explore the ways in which transformative integration of queer designs for living have occurred. Highlighting pivotal events and shifts in American cultural, political, and creative history this course will provide food for thought about the ways in queerness is integral to American notions of progress and freedom.

Monday, February 26, 2024

Final Project Idea - Jordan Knisely

Animation as a whole has had a huge impact on my life. I have been watching cartoons for as long as I can remember, and I now am pursuing a career in background and character design for animation. It is quite simply a huge part of my life. I have noticed that as of late, queer characters in animation have been a huge topic of discussion among animation lovers. In today’s age, we are finally able to get some representation of the LGBTQ+ community, but back then it was a lot harder for directors and creators to include them in their works. Animation is a really important part of my journey to finding out who I am and helped me come out of the closet to my parents and friends. I love seeing representation of people like me in animation, as it makes me feel seen. I know kids would love to have more representation for minorities so they can feel seen too.
For my project, I would like to discover the history of queer and trans characters in animation. I want to find out who these characters were, if they were good representations, why the animation team added them, and so on. I would love to know how far back the first queer character in animation is brought to life and compare them to some of the characters I know and love today. Has the animation industry changed since then? Has it grown? I know some of these answers, but I want to take a deeper look into the history behind queer characters in the animation industry.

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Erika Bauer - Final Project

 Link to my final project https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10M3X31MtgSnCAicMzf6pDhINFAjSNRaGX8BJnh3_9Eg/edit