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.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Tori Mather: 3 Final Project Ideas

 Based on the readings of Queer America, and the ideas that those readings inspired, the 3 contenders I want to consider for my final project are:

1. Queer Theory - The history, study, and application of the term Queer Theory, as well as the struggle to pin down exactly what can be defined as "queer theory."

2. Representation in media - The importance of including queer elements and characters in modern media, and the history of that inclusion, including in film, TV, and video games.

3. Online queer space - The history of the intersection between queer communities and online spaces and why they're so effective in nurturing that community. This includes online queer culture and terminology, and the foundations of specific internet niches that owe their origins in part to queer culture.

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Erika Bauer - Final Project

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