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, March 19, 2024

Final project - Hana


Project Idea:

I'd like to do a paper or video essay on queer Japanese media and how it has affected the public eye.

Intro: With the rapid rate of acceptance of queer people and media on the rise in Japan, one can only wonder if Japanese queer media has influenced the sudden influx of support. 

Japanese Conformity: The social norms in Japan tend to stick to a quite conformist mentality. Even schoolchildren have to dye their hair black if it isn't already. Being out as a queer person is still quite underground but it isn't shunned. Although Japan is considered a conservative country, it is quite queer-friendly, with annual pride parades, gay bars, and queer hangouts scattered across the islands. Gay marriage is still illegal, but being homosexual itself is not. Despite that, it is improbable that you'll see a queer couple out in the open. 

BL/GL: "Boy's Love" and "Girl's Love" media are especially well-known. Just as the name implies, it is the media of two men or two women who are romantically and/or sexually interested in each other. It has made the idea of queer people more digestible, however, they are often treated as a spectacle. Most of these media cater to those who fetishize queer folk. Not to say that this is always the case, especially with queer media made and for other queer folks. Some that I think are notable are: Boys Run the Riot which is about and made by a transgender man, My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness which is an autobiography about a Lesbian's issues with depression and sexuality, and Our Dreams at Dusk about a gay highschooler coming to terms with his identity and community, made by a nonbinary person. 

Notable Queer Characters: While not being the focus of their respective show, these characters are examples of representation, showing that a queer person is just a normal human being living their lives. One of the most popular and notable examples is Sailor Uranus and Neptune from the franchise of Sailor Moon. They were introduced on public television as early as 1993. Japan seemed to be slightly ahead of their time considering they were canon lesbian lovers. When the franchise was introduced to the West, to censor their relationship, translations referred to them as cousins. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Erika Bauer - Final Project

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