Cause the whole, world, loves it when you don't get down

How Can There Be So Much Hate?

I admit that I watch trash television. I used to love good fight between Ronnie and Sammi, and while they were annoying, it definitely kept me going back for me. I know there always has been, and always will be violence, but I truly feel that television is perpetuating a lot of it.

I left work disgusted after watching the video on change.org's site about the transgendered woman who was brutally beaten at a Baltimore McDonald's while employees instigated and video-tapped. Actually, disgusted doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. I was angry, sad, frustrated, even resentful. I thought about how those women who beat her and the employees deserved to get their own asses kicked. I mean, they beat her until she had a seizure! How can someone who doesn't know you from Adam or Eve have so much hate for you?

I know that television is not completely to blame, but the employee's who recorded the vicious attack probably just wanted their ten mins of fame, or to make money off of their youtube hits. When Real World first came out, if there was even a hint of violence, that person was thrown off the show. Now, they need it to survive the ratings. Have we, as a culture, become more violent, or are we just more tolerant of it? Either way, it makes me sad to think about having kids. Besides bullying, stereotyping, discrimination, we now have to worry about if a stranger hates you for looking/being different and beating  the shit out of you.

I hope that the national attention that this has been receiving really opens the eyes of bigots everywhere that . And I pray that the woman who was beaten has a fast physical recovery. I cannot even fathom the emotional trauma that she will continue to go through. And I hope one day, we can all get along....

Institute of Higher Education Policy

Yesterday's trip to the Institute of Higher Education Policy was enlightening and informative. I went in with a preconceived notion that IHEP primarily receives their funding from institutions, not even considering corporations. I realize now how naive that thought really is; especially in the poor economic climate we are in. Dr. Michelle Cooper, the president of IHEP discussed how she only knows how to operate in this economy. I am now fascinated by the way non-profits work and really would like to have a better understanding of IHEP in particular.

The "Changing the Debate" initiative with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has three main areas; one of which is on incarcerated individuals in higher education. I am intrigued by this because my Mom works with incarcerated juvenile males. These students are working towards their high school diploma, but if they qualify, they can also take community college courses (which is paid for by the state).  My Mom has always talked about how rewarding her job is because a lot of these students never even had a chance. Her position is to work with the students who are entering the system (court mandated) and as they are about to be released. I've listened to her recount the stories of her students (never divulging any personal information) and how some told her they would not earn their GED, diploma, or have access to college if they hadn't been incarcerated. I decided to look up the demographics and 71.5% are African American, 21.5% are White, and 7% are Latino and the majority of students are from Eastern region of the state. The IHEP initiative focuses on adults, but I would be interested to see if there was a way to track incarcerated teens to see if the college-bound programs work.

I was impressed with the amount of research and publications IHEP produces with such a small team, but after listening to all of our panelists, its not a surprise. Ed, Shannon, Noel and Michelle were very articulate and I did sense a true amount of passion and fascination from each. It was a great trip and I look forward to continuing to read about their research and influence on policy.

Think Before You Speak

We were making a great headway in today's International Week session "Am I the Only One?"...when the fire alarm went off. When we arrived, we were immediately thrown into an activity to break the ice and make people chat with others whom they did not already know. The idea behind the game was to see if you are able to find common ground with someone who looks completely different from you.

After everyone was done and were back in their seats, we listened to a panel talk about their experiences of feeling alone and questioning '"Am I the only one?" Listening to the stories of how the panelist had to learn how to accept multiple identities and yet not be the only representative when they were in the minority was sobering. One student talked of being discriminated against because of being Iranian and Christian. Another student went from an HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities) to an Ivy where she did not feel respected, and being confused with the one other Latina in her program. The last student talked about how she had to learn to live with her identity of being a Saudi woman in America who does not adhere to traditional customs that you would find in Saudi Arabia. However, she said when she goes back she is completely espouses what a traditional Muslim woman is "supposed to". It was fascinating to hear the strength and reconciliation of their multiple identities.

The biggest thing I took away from this session is something that I honestly feel I was brought up with. Every person can have their own identity, but is important to listen; approach every interaction as a teachable and learn-able moment. If you are cloaked in aggression, the likelihood you will be listened too is low. But if you are assertive, yet accommodating, the conversation will go much smoother. Being cognizant of what you are representing is just as important as how you are representing it. And acknowledging that you are not able to speak for everyone except for yourself, is the most important way to communicate.

White Priviledge

I have always thought that I am treated well because I am a nice person. Could it actually be, though, that I am treated well because I am white? I took a few days after reading the article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh before I wrote this post. I paid especially close attention to how others treated me verses someone who was Black or Hispanic. Yesterday morning was  one of the most egregious encounter of White Privilege I have ever witnessed... I arrived to Ihop with one of my best friends (who is also white) seconds after a Black couple. But to my dismay, the hostess asked my friend how many was in our party before acknowledging the couple. My friend wasn't paying attention and opened her mouth to answer when I  and cut her off. I told the hostess the couple was there before we were and they should be on the list before us. The hostess herself, was African American. She politely apologized and got the couple's name to wait to be seated, then got ours. The couple turned and thanked me. But I really do not want to be thanked because instances like that just should not happen.

But then I when I got home and signed on facebook to do some cyber investigations, I saw a post that absolutely horrified me. My friend Jerry, an African American male (gay), overheard his white female neighbors talking in the hallway about their fear of being raped by a "big black dude." Jerry is extremely muscular because he plays professional tennis, and is taller than the average man--one could say that he is a "big black dude." He thought about how to/if he should react after overhearing the conversation and decided to write  a note (see left). Jerry did not want to assume his neighbor was talking about him, but he thought it was best to address it so if anything, the neighbor would be ashamed of herself. The thing that is most disturbing to me about the conversation that was overheard was that race was even brought up. As a female, I can understand the fear of being raped, but it is traumatic  regardless if the perpetrator is White, Hispanic, Black, Asian, Purple, or Gray.

I have been thinking about all of the examples of White Privilege used in McIntosh's article, and started coming up with my own list (many of which were redundant). For instance:

• I am pretty sure no one thinks twice about when I get in line behind them to use the ATM.
• People do not generally cross the street when I am walking towards them, or do not walk faster when I am behind them.
• I can be sure that waiters or waitresses will not want to pass up my table in fear of not receiving a tip. (This was from a conversation I heard on the radio one morning where restaurant employees called in and said they would draw straws, or rock-paper-scissors to see who would have to wait on the African American or Latino tables...absolutely appalling.)
• If I want to buy a doll for my niece, I will be able to find a plethora that will look just like her.
• I can walk into a hotel elevator without being asked if I am a guest and then asked to provide my room key as proof.

I think its important that people understand what White Privilege is and acknowledge it. In the Pride Event I attended someone made the statement, that as long as you use White Privilege as a way of helping, then it is a good thing. Otherwise we have to fight to make everyone equal. I could have lived my whole life thinking that I am treated the way I am because I am a nice person... but that's not the reality. The reality is that I am White and some of the interactions are not authentic...and they are not because I am nice. 

Class Consciousness and LGBTQ

Its not until you start talking about class that you realize that people just don't really talk about class. You don't hear people going around saying "I'm middle class" or "I'm lower class". And you especially don't hear people saying "I'm gay and upper class." So while our dialogue in Class Consciousness: Intersections of Class and LGBTQ Identity had a strong leaning towards talking about class without sexual identity, it still really made me think. I am highlighting the areas that I have been thinking a lot about since I left on Thursday.

Spokesperson: One of the student facilitators of the discussion asked the question "How many LGBTQ spokespeople are out there? Can you identify one?" It took a while before anyone really spoke up. Names of gay celebrities popped through my head; Nathan Lane, Ellen DeGeneres, KD Lang, Melissa Ethridge, Elton John, Andrew Sullivan. But there is a difference between being gay and being a spokesperson and I honestly cannot recall a household celebrity name being a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community. Someone brought up an excellent point however, and that was if there was a spokesperson, would that person be the "token" insert adjectives here and not really able to speak for every voice in the LGBTQ community.  We talked about how because of television when people think of gay, they think of upper-class-gay-white-males, like Will from Will and Grace.

Youth and Homelessness: People do not think of the teens that become homeless because their families kick them out (did you know there is 1.6 million homeless teens, of which between 20-40% are LGBTQ.). Since the teens are on the streets, they are either turning to sex for money to be able to survive, or they are turning to crime. Turning to a shelter is only a temporary option, and as someone pointed out, some shelters will turn you away if you self-identify as LGBTQ either because of religious affiliations, or because they make up excuses about crime (because we all know that if you are gay, you are automatically attracted to every person of the same sex and will rape them---sarcasm alert). And if they are arrested and sent to jail, it is the start of a cycle.

Employment: In our discuss we touched on how people do not consider that in some counties, states even, being gay is not protected and you can loose your job if you were to come out. One day you have everything, and the next day you have nothing because you openly admit who you are. My roommate is a perfect example because Prince William County is one of those counties that does not adhere to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, so he could have lost his job as a teacher if he were to come out, and probably would not have gotten his job if he admitted he was gay when he started. He now works in Arlington where there is a non-discrimination policy for sexual orientation. Not to mention what a transperson would go through if they were to go through the transition. Would the health care the employer provides (if provided) cover the transition?

Like I said, we really got into the class side of things more than we did the sexual orientation/ gender identity. But the conversation was heartfelt and I walked out of there feeling energized to make a difference.

A Time to Explore

Higher education is a place and the time for students to explore. This is a critical time in the molding of beliefs for students who may be wavering. This is also a critical time for students who may have felt oppressed by the religion they have been brought up to believe. So what is the role of higher education in shaping their student's religion? This is a particularly tough question for state institutions. With that, my response is complicated. Provided that public institutions allow for every religion to have an opportunity available for all students who wish, it is a great place to help foster religion and spirituality. Peter Laurence's article Can Religion and Spirituality Find a Place in Higher Education makes a valid point that "when religion in all of its expressions is actively engages, the threat of control by one religion evaporates, and religion can once more become a viable element in campus culture." That being said, the students should be responsible for forging forward with the organizations, asking for the funding, and requesting for faculty advisors. It is the students who must take the initiative to make this possible and the institution to provide the support. The overarching goal should not be to produce religiously minded scholars, but it should be to know that the institution is doing everything possible to yield students who are open-minded to learning, have a solid understanding of other religions, and who are tolerant.

Laurence also mentions in the article that religiously affiliated institutions would probably have a much more difficult time accepting other religions to be recognized on their campuses. This is not to say that they cannot be tolerant of the students who do not practice their beliefs, but what opportunities does the school have really have to offer? If it is a Catholic school and a critical mass of students who are Muslim enroll, should the institution begin to provide prayer rooms? Should the institution begin to serve Halal meat? Would the institution provide religious studies courses that are from an Islamic perspective rather than Catholic? I am not sure if there is a correct answer to this, or if the institution has an obligation to do so.

Spirituality is an even tougher answer; and it is mainly because there is no one definition of  that can apply to everyone. Laurence points out the main problems academics often see with spirituality; the subjective nature, and the "lack of a common definition."  Because of this, I think fostering spirituality on a college campus could be challenging, but not impossible. I think it is especially important for it to be understood that students may very well identify as spiritual and not religious. There are times when students may have a spiritual connection in a course that would may not traditionally be thought of as eliciting that type of emotion. Laurence describes an experiment at Wellesley College where the dean asked students to discuss a time when they had moments of "inspiration, connection, wonder, and awe" in the classroom and then relayed this to the faculty. The dean stated the faculty were then able to see the connection between spirituality and scholarship.

Courses are not the only way for institutions to assist in spirituality on campus. Offering yoga, meditation, open mic nights, painting, well-being, holistic and/or homeopathic living seminars, in addition to providing a safe space where students and faculty can have an open dialogue on spirituality an, would all help pave the avenue for spirituality awakening on campus. The challenge could be, however, that just because a student has one spiritual moment in one time, does not mean that it will continue.

President Obama has taken notice that higher education is a place for religion and spirituality to take shape. Just two weeks ago, the president even proposed the Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. "For over two hundred years, Americans of all faiths have come together, put their shoulders to the wheel of history, and made this country what it is today. And I know that as we go forward, it’s going to take all of us – Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim, believer and non-believer – to meet the challenges of the 21st century."--President Obama. This challenge is to bring students of different religious and nonreligious backgrounds together for a common good while creating "positive meaningful encounters," (Patel and Meyer, 2011).

President Obama's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge is poignant because as Laurence points out that while education has become secular and there has been an overall acceptance of religious diversity, religion itself has been denied. Acknowledging and allowing a presence as well as providing opportunities is exactly where public institutions should draw the line. The purpose of higher education is to supply students with the tools needed to survive, not to make any religious decisions or submit any type of religious or spiritual propaganda on them.

Stand Up! for Abdi

This week's readings could not have coincided better with what has been happening on Mason's campus. I will spare reciting the entire account and get to the meat of it. A Mason student, Abdi, was arrest for abduction after an incident over a study room. The case has stirred a lot of attention because it appears the campus police were discriminating against the Abdi because of his race. While the charges of abduction have been dropped, Mason students rallied around Abdi, and went on a quest of justice. Facebook pages, Fairfax Underground articles, Washingtopost coverage, this story received a lot of attention. The whole situation sickened me. And unfortunately, this is not the first time Mason police have been accused of discrimination. I hope the administration realizes there is a broken link and work harder to ensure that all facets of our community are on the same page.

Toby Jenkin's article Patriotism: A Love Story kept bringing me back to my cluster's reading from Citizen's of the Empire: The Struggle to Claim Our Humanity by Robert Jensen. I have realized that my whole life, my upbringing especially, that I was taught to not question, to not be critical;  it was a sign of disrepect. No matter how much I disagreed with something I often kept my mouth shut--like Toby suggests, I was "groomed to play a very docile, silent, and inactive role." That's what I was taught to do. As I got older I started really realizing that it was hard to keep my mouth shut. But it wasn't until really delving into these readings that it wasn't enough to just open my mouth and speak up. You have to actively try to make things better. That's why I am so proud of Mason's students for standing up for Abdi. They got involved and made it known that discrimination will not be tolerated and will not go unnoticed. "Making an entity better...is not achieved through rhetoric that makes us feel good, but rather through action and calls to action that inspire us to do good," (Jenkins).

If I had read Harper and Huarto's The Nine Themes of Racial Climate article several years ago, I may have been shocked to see the themes that resonated with the five campuses in the study. Being on the academic side rather than admissions, and being in this program has really opened my eyes. My freshman year I lived in a quint (yes, five girls in one room). Four of us are white and one was black. The five us got along surprisingly well for being as cramped as we were. But every so often, our black roommate would tell us she needed some "black time". At first we were all offended, but then we realized that it wasn't anything against us. She just really wanted to be a part of that community in addition to us. But Harper and Huarto touched on something that I think is probably true at most institutions and that is that there is quite a bit of segregation. You see it at Mason, I saw it at UCI and at AU. There are certain quadrants of the JC that are claimed. And race being a four-letter word has never been more true. I cant remember a time when a class other than this one engaged in a meaningful dialogue on race. Mason has the Sojourner Truth Lecture Series, but what else is taking place to get our campus community to open their eyes? One student was quoted in the article as saying he had never interacted with anyone outside of his own race, and didn't know how. He felt the university had failed because they were not giving him the guidance to do so. University administrators need to be cognizant that while many are already coming from diverse areas, those who are not are coming because they want to experience this, so make it happen. Create forums, have student panels, engage the students to be part of a shift on the campus. This will help to eliminate the microagressions that Harper and Huarto said students reported.

Rhoades quotes Takaki's response about multiculturalism becoming the Balkanization of America by stating "responding to our diversity as an opportunity to open American minds" in his article Student protest and multicultural reform: Making sense of campus unrest in the 1990s. When talking about the student protests at Mills College, one administrator was quoting as saying that because the students got their way, they feel they can do it again and again. This goes back to Toby Jenkin's point that protesting, speaking out, criticizing, is a way of showing that the students are truly patriots of their university. In the case of Mills College, the women (current students and alumna's)  felt so strongly about men being admitted and their campus climate being changed that they were able to effectively shut down the campus for two weeks.

Protesting, if non-violent and non-destructive, can be a powerful thing. In class a few weeks ago Professor Jenkins made a profound statement that was something to effective of: Sometimes silence can be more powerful...We haven't heard much from Abdi, other than he was elated the charges were dropped. He hasn't been out publicly defaming the girl who accused him, he hasn't been calling in the masses, he has been silent, and as such, the students have really rallied around him showing their utmost support.

And in other news---GO MASON!

Can you be hopeful yet critical?

Quotes from Robert Jensen, author of Citizens of the empire: The struggle to claim our humanity.

We Know It Matters, Let's Make it Happen

Maybe I'm assuming too much, but I would hope that administrators and student services professionals would have a fundamental knowledge of how much diversity matters (at least at a school where I would ever consider working!). In the conclusion of chapter 14, Racial Diversity Matters, the authors say their findings support previous work that suggest colleges will have more of an impact if they are clear in their goals of diversity and are able to prove they working towards it with policies, practices, ideals and communication (pg. 247). That is all well and good, but how...I think the main focus really needs to be on what we, as administrators and student services professionals can do to continuously facilitate and support programming driven towards achieving diversity.  But after having presented on Grutter v. Bollinger (the infamous affirmative action case) in my Higher Ed Law class, and now the sections Discourse of Action, and Discourse on Democracy (chapter 32) I am finding that I am having an ongoing dialogue within myself... I have never equated affirmative action with a reduction of standards, as was suggested in the reading, but more of an added bonus. Allowing students who were historically excluded to have a leg-up, per se.

Chapter 15 addresses how institutions can begin to address change at a structural level (this is also something we discussed in Dr. Lester's Organizational Administration course in fall 2009). Is is not just about admitting students, but its about faculty and staff as well....There needs to be more minorities in high level administration and faculty positions. This is all done in conjunction with making sure the campus environment is one where minorities feel welcome? Are there programs in place to make sure everyone feels they have an opportunity? While sometimes unpopular, the suggestion of group interactions (and having the faculty pick the groups) is one that I feel can really help to open barriers. I also am a fan of requiring some sort of cultural activity to be a part of the curriculum. Whether it be to go to a museum, attend a festival, or listen to a symposium, those added requirements will have an impact and open dialogue in the classroom.

Again, we all know it matters, so let's make it happen.

Disenfranchised

Numbers can really slap someone across the face. After reading Toby Jenkin's Mr. Nigger: The Challenges of Educating Black Males Within American Society, I was depressed by the statistics of the drop out rates of high school and college aged Black males in America. I was depressed by the fact that Black male youth have a 50% higher chance of dying by the mere age of 20. And while I know that America has over 300 years of higher education history, seeing in print that it was illegal for Blacks of any age to be taught to read was less than 150 yeah ago really got my attention. I guess it is naive to say, but I never truly realized the dichotomy between the "White world" and the "Black World" until reading this week's assignments. Everything from the past, the family dynamics, the societal pressures, as well as societal trends--the hip hop culture, and the educational space has an impact on the Black male youth of today. As Jenkins points out, its imperative that society as a whole do something to change not only our education system, but also helping to shape a new cultural environment while creating a space where youth feel safe.

Along the same lines, bell hooks writes about the lasting affects of shaming in her article Moving Beyond Shame. Self-esteem is not only needed to be fostered in home through positive encouragement, but the student must continue to receive encouragement in their educational setting as well. When the feeling of shame attacks the person's emotions, hooks writes that it can be forever associated with upbringing, with an experience with a teacher, or even with a colleague. The cycle of shame must be broken in order for our students to feel equal in the classroom, and the first step is for an overhaul of our mass media. Our news systems and cable networks need to critically evaluate what is being aired and the message that is being portrayed. Anthony Keith pointed out in his article about CNN's special reports on "Black in America". This portrayal of African American's as a subset of humans is perpetuating the problem.

Anthony Keith's Reframing Male Homosexuality as Critical Spaces to Explore Black Masculinity raised a lot of excellent points but also evoked me to call attention to some of what was suggested as being socially accepted patterns of Black masculinity, I believe to be true of most American males.Even my closest guy friends would gripe about sharing a tent with another guy, and most certainly would not sleep in the same hotel bed. Not because they are homophobic, because they have gay friends, but really because they do not feel comfortable with that level of physical closeness.

While each culture in society has something to add, I would venture to guess that Americans are typically more individualist than Tanzania. So the half-hugs, half-hand shakes and maintaining a spatial territory, I would say is probably true of most Americans. Afterall, I did give two college students the stink today because they were standing entirely too close to me in the Taco Bell line.

I hope our society is able to move forward and help all students, regardless of color, religion, or gender. With a President who himself is the epitome of diversity, I would like to hope that we are further along than maybe our society really is.

Diversity Story

Considering how my hometown lacked any sort of cultural and/or religious diversity, I feel my story is less than interesting, but a story nonetheless. I searched for a school that would put me as close to a city as possible, have a great theater department, and would have a residential life experience. More importantly, I wanted to escape all that I associated with as being small-town America. George Mason was not on anyone else’s radar at that time (everyone else was determined to do go Tech, JMU, VCU or didn’t really go to college) so my criteria was met. 

Away to college I go

I will never forget the first hall meeting for the second floor of Washington. Everyone went around the lounge doing the obligatory ice breakers; you know, the “say your name, a word that describes you that starts with the first letter of your name, and where you are from” kind of thing. In the corner sat an exotic looking girl. I had convinced myself that she must have been from South America because of her skin coloring. She was from Saudi Arabia… "Wow, wrong continent, dumbass,” is what went through my head.  I started to talk to her more and more that semester. I listened as she told me that she wasn’t allowed to be in a room allowed with boys. No big deal, I thought. Neither was I when I lived at home. But it was a big deal. The consequences she would have received were far more sever than anything my parents would have done to me. I got the stern “Emily, you know you are not allowed to entertain guests upstairs” even if the purpose was to go pick out a movie and we were only going to be in my room for 2.5 seconds. Summer told me of stoning’s, and girls being forced out of school, and entire family reputations being ruined because of speculation. I listened as she talked about wearing the hijab and how she chose to come to America because she wanted a new identity. Summer’s life in Saudi Arabia was beyond anything I could ever fathom.

The summer after my freshman year of college was another huge awakening for me. I applied for a job in the Office of Admissions during the school year, but it wasn’t until three weeks into my summer vacation that I was called for an interview. Luckily I was hired right before my supervisor and I hung up the phone. I realized being back in Goochland was less than desirable after having been on my own and experiencing a new world, so to speak. After lengthy discussion, my parents were 100% behind me moving back up to school to take the job. It was there, in the Office of Admissions, that I truly became aware of the many cultural differences and how much I enjoyed learning about them. 

 The most memorable moment: A learning experience

Yes, my freshman year residence hall had students from all over the world, and yes, I would sit in the lounge and listen to how much their lives differed from mine. But nothing can be as telling as my first real business/educational interactions with different cultures. Nor can it replace my first experience of trying to talk to a female applicant from the Middle East and having her husband do all of the responding to my questions. I understood that she was Muslim (because of her hijab), I understood that she wanted to further her education in the United States, but I could not for the life of me understand why she was not answering for herself. After all, I would not allow someone answer for me.

I started doing research on the Middle Eastern culture on the internet; learning about how in some (not all; and definitely not all Middle Eastern women tolerate this) Middle Eastern cultures the man does all of the speaking for the woman. I still could not understand it. But I had to learn to accept it. From then on I decided to continue to ask the woman the questions and look her in her eyes so that she would know I would listen while knowing that I would have to turn my head to listen to her male counterpart. It’s certainly an imperfect system, but it’s the least I can do to possibly help a woman feel empowered to speak.

But in this office is also where I met Layla. Layla hates it when you ask her if she is Indian. Not Native American, but Indian. She has beautiful long dark hair, and a warm complexion. “No, jackass. I am African. White. Jewish. Muslim…” was her typical response. Her father is a white Jew from NY city that got a job with the State Department. Being stationed in Senegal, Africa, he met and fell in love with her mother, a Muslim. Layla lived her first few years in Africa, but when her father was transferred to Haiti, Layla and her siblings went with him and her mother stayed behind. By the time Layla was 10 she had been more places, and could speak more languages than I could at age 25. I wanted to hear about her trips to visit her mom, I wanted to hear about the conflicting religion beliefs that both parents began imposing after the divorce (she became agnostic). There are many more friendships that forged me so much further ahead than when I set foot on Mason's soil, (like my friend Cheryl that is one-fourth Panamanian, one-fourth Cape Verdean--a place I didn't even know existed until I met her--and half African American). Each relationship truly made an impact on who I am today, regardless of whether we just occasionally stalk each other on facebook, or no longer have ties past our undergraduate careers. 

My proudest moment

Its not secret that I am the personified version of the "A" from LGBTQA. Some of my best friends are homosexual. So living in California when Proposition 8 was going on the ballots was a living hell. The "Vote YES" people were on every corner, waiving their banners, inciting people to honk their horns to show support really infuriated me. But my proudest moment came when I was riding my bike to the grocery store. At first I was going through all the routes in my head so that I would not have to come face to face with these people who I feel are hateful. Unfortunately there was no way around them. 

As I approached the group, an older African American man said to me, "Young lady, I hope you vote yes on Proposition 8 on Tuesday." I hit the brakes. I couldn't believe it. Here was a person that had he fallen in love with a white woman before 1967 in Virginia, would not have been allowed to marry her because of anti-miscegenation statutes. I calmly said, "No sir, I am voting No. I don't believe we should tell people who they should or should not love. And as someone who wasn't allowed to marry outside of race a little more than 40 years ago, I hope you won't vote yes either." The look on his face was not of anger, but of a careful consideration. I don't know how he voted, but if I even made me second guess himself, I did my job.

Where I am today

The Office of Admissions really opened my eyes with new friendships, but also created a yearning to learn more so I would be able to best help the students. I now know that you don't use your left hand to touch someone of Middle Eastern culture because its considered an insult. I now know that personal space is not an issue for some cultures and its considered rude to step back. I now know that while America is an individualist society, most are not, and its important to respect the role and influence in family. Working at such a diverse school, I have realized that staying on top of current affairs is also a great way to cross the culture bridge with students. (Just yesterday I sat and talked with a Libyan student about the turmoil her home country is going through. Understandably distraught, we talked for a while about the oppression and the inhumane acts that are taking place.) I have now traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Greece, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Jamaica, and all over the United States. I really have come a long away from the girl that was told by her voice and speech teacher that she had the worst country accent he had ever heard.   Overall, I think all of my experiences, from living in the residence halls, to working in admissions, to working in an academic program called "Global Affairs"  has made me appreciate my cultural ties and has molded me to become a much tolerant, much more knowledge seeking, and a much, much, more informed person. But I also know that there is still so much to learn.

Let us be measured by the things we can control...

by who we are, and who we want to be.

Linda Scott's Fresh Lipstick: Rethinking Images of Women in Advertising struck a cord with me. I find myself analyzing most commercials these days; asking questions like "who really is this for?" "what are they trying to prove?"... I must admit that sometimes the question arises and then is quickly forgotten.

What I can tell you though is that I was a girl that was an early bloomer. Consequently, I battled with weight issues. I remember looking at Kate Moss and thought she was too thin, disgustingly thin, actually. My idol back then was Nikki Taylor. I thought she had a beautiful face and did not resemble the other emaciated looking models. She was the CoverGirl. You know, the makeup that didn't look like you were wearing makeup.

The Body Politic by Abra Fortune Chernick brought back many memories. When I was in high school (at the pinnacle of my weight issues) I had a friend who's mother was from Colombia, South America. Every time she saw me, she would tell me I was too skinny and that no man would want to marry me without meat on my bones. What she didn't understand was that by calling me skinny, she actually made me feel good. Duh. I wanted to be skinny. But what I didn't want was too look gross. I wanted to be skinny and toned, not skinny and wasting away. Unfortunately, that was the look that won--all the way through senior year.

What I don't remember is why I felt that way. I've already made mention that it started because of being an early bloomer, but what was it that kept me wanting to stay so thin? Was it because of magazines? I don't think so. Like I said, I thought Kate Moss looked disgusting; I wanted to be a Nikki Taylor. So I just now, after all these years, did a google search on her images. Wow. The memory what I thought she looked like in the 90's is not at all what the pictures show she looked like. She was uber skinny, ribs showing and all. Am I going to blame it all on media and magazines? No. Like Abra, I loved the control.

I would say that I am a feminist of sorts. The makeup wearing kind. I believe that to look good, you must first feel good. And it to feel good, you need to wear makeup, who are we to judge? It does not change your intelligence, nor diminish your political views, and you can still be a good feminist. I guess Susan Brownmiller and I will have to agree to disagree on this one...


Selling Hot Pussy by bell hooks really made me open my eyes...not necessarily because of Tina Turner, or Aretha Franklin, but because my mind wondered to Beyonce. She is someone who is undeniably beautiful, but after reading the article, I started really thinking about her; everything from her hair: the color, styles, length; to her weight loss; to the outfits she wears in her videos. Could you draw a comparison from Tina Turner to her? In some aspects, yes. bell hooks did a great job of evoking me to see how, not just African American women, but women in general, are objectified through sexuality and culture.

I could probably go on for hours more about this... but I will draw it to a close now. I found these readings to be interesting and look forward to discussing them further in class...

LGBTQA Research Briefing

Historical Facts

·         The first studies on homosexuality was focused on identifying its “cause” to find a “cure”

·         There are two major debates on sexual orientation:

o   Born that way; innate (essentialist argument)

o   Changes in response to life experiences (constructionist argument)

·         Bisexuality was originally considered as a transitional period between being heterosexual and identifying as a homosexual male or female

·         The revolutions in the 1970’s opened the doors for gay men and women

·         There was (and still is) less research on transgendered people

·         1971-1 LGBTQA center existed University of Michigan Ann Arbor), 1992-15 LGBTQA centers on college campuses existed, 2006 over 100

Current Issues and Challenges:

·         Not all institutions have the resources, staff, or awareness to work with the LGBTQA population

·         Newly outed students attending open and affirming institutions and then returning to less than welcoming home situations

·         Free speech- i.e. Brother Jeremiah “Being gay is not God’s way. Your body you sell, you go to hell…”—anger and anxiety

·         STD prevention, awareness, and outside resources

·         Transgender

o   Restrooms

·         Faculty and staff not understanding

·         Labels, and multiple identities (black-male-gay)

·         Hate crimes, harassment, homophobia and discrimination

o   LGBTQA students are likely to drop out because of stress

·         Living situations

Things to Consider

·         Sensitivity training

o   Coming out

o   STD’s

o   Understanding transitional periods

§  Cass’s Model of Homosexual Identity Formation- Six Stages

§  D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development

o   Religious and racial backgrounds and stereotypes

o   Faculty/staff mentors

·         Off campus resources

·         Courses and programs that are offered on campus

Definitions

·         Gender - A social construct based on a group of emotional and psychological characteristics that classify an individual as feminine, masculine, androgynous, or other.

·         Sex - A term used historically and within the medical field to identify genetic/biological/ hormonal/physical characteristics, including genitalia, which are used to classify an individual as female, male, or intersex.

·         Transphobia - The irrational fear of those who are perceived to break or blur stereotypical gender roles. Expressed as negative feelings, attitudes, actions, and institutional discrimination.

·         Gender Expression - How a person represents or expresses one's gender identity to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice or body characteristics.

·         Gender Identity - An individual's internal sense of being male, female, or something else. Since gender identity is internal, one's gender identity is not necessarily visible to others.

·         Transgender - An umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth, including but not limited to transsexuals, cross dressers, androgynous people, genderqueers, and gender non-conforming people. Transgender is a broad term and is good for non-transgender people to use. "Trans" is shorthand for "transgender". 

o   FTM - A person who transitions from "female-to-male," AKA  "transgender man."

o   MTF - A person who transitions from "male-to-female". AKA  "transgender woman."

·         Transsexual - A term for people whose gender identity is different from their assigned sex at birth. Often transsexual people alter or wish to alter their bodies through hormones or surgery in order to make it match their gender identity

·         Cross-Dressing - A term for people who dress in clothing traditionally or stereotypically worn by the other sex, but who generally have no intent to live full-time as the other gender

·         Drag Queen- Generally used to accurately refer to men who dress as women (often celebrity women) for the purpose of entertaining others at bars, clubs, or other events. It is also used as slang, sometimes in a derogatory manner, to refer to all transgender women.

·         Drag King - Used to refer to women who dress as men for the purpose of entertaining others at bars, clubs, or other events.

·         Genderqueer - A term used by some individuals who identify as neither as entirely male nor entirely female.

·         Two-Spirit - A contemporary term that references historical multiple-gender traditions in many First Nations cultures. Many Native/First Nations people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming identity as Two-Spirit; in many Nations, being Two-Spirit carries both great respect and additional commitments and responsibilities to one's community.

·         Intersex - A term used for people who are born with external genitalia chromosomes, or internal reproductive systems that are not traditionally associated with either a "standard" male or female. For more information regarding intersex issues, contact the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA).

From the National Center for Transgender Equality “Trans Terminology” worksheet