Queering Crip Cripping Queer

You've read Chapter 7, Booth's overview of how to make a good argument. Using Booth's ideas in that chapter, break down the argument in "Queering Crip Cripping Queer." What is the essay's claim? Name at least three reasons the writer presents for that claim. Provide a couple examples of evidence the writer provides. How does she acknolwedge and respond?

Blog posting for Ch 6 & 7 of Booth-- due Sunday, 3/28 by midnight

I'd like you all to practice what Booth covers in Chapters 6 & 7, and I thought, since Foster's "Choreographies of Protest" will still be fresh in your mind, we could practice with that essay. I'd like you to pretend that you will use Foster's essay as one of your 8 sources-- for a couple of you who plan to write on manifestos, you actually won't be pretending... In your post here, type out how you would take notes on Foster as a source you planned on using in a research essay. Some folks use note cards, some type up the notes in a word document on their computer. Either way, type up something to post here that would appear to be notes on this source as a researcher would use it.

Choreographies of Protest and Manifestos

How do you think the protest movements Foster describes in "Choreographies of Protest" act as manifestos? In other words, how do their bodies act, in a sense, like the written manifestos you read?

You'll find you have to consider/think about the following in order to answer the above question: a. what do all the written manifestos have in common (King's Letter is also a manifesto even though he doesn't use that word). In other words, what makes a manifesto a manifesto? b. what do the three protest movements have in common?

For over the weekend: Booth pages 31-83

Have you ever done research in the steps like the ones the writers propose in these pages? If so, how did it go and what was particularly frustrating or exciting about the steps and why? If you have never explored a topic in depth and/or moved from a topic to question, do you believe that these steps would have improved a research essay you’ve done in the past? If so, describe briefly what happened in that research writing and how the steps in Booth would have helped/improved the essay you wrote. If you don’t think they would have helped, discuss why not.

Booth's the Craft of Research, pages 3-27

Have you ever thought of research the way the writers of The Craft of Research are describing it in these pages? What have been some of your myths/misconceptions about research in the past? Why do you think you held those myths/misconceptions? After reading these pages, how do you think of research now? Are your opinions the same or are they changed? Why or why not?

"Queering the State" for Tuesday, March 16th

Paraphrase Duggan's argument-- what does she suggest is a better method to gain citizenship rights for those within the LGBT community? Next, do you think it's a good plan? Would it be effective? Ineffective? Why or why not?

Chapter 9: LGBT and Literature

Please respond to question #3 under "Questions for Discussion" on page 247. Also, you don't need to respond to this in your response, but something I'd like you to think about for our discussion on Thursday: did you study any of the writers detailed in Chapter 9 in high school or here at LSU? If so, were you told they were LGBT? Also something to think about: many instructors in English Departments teach classes called Gay and Lesbian literature or LGBT literature, etc. But remember, there wasn't a homosexual identity as we know it before the 19th century, according to Michel Foucault. Sexual acts, of course, that we would now see as homosexual sex acts, but not an "identity." If that's the case, how should we decide which works to include on a syllabus in a class like LGBT literature? To exclude? Would we only include literature written after the 19th century? When we read certain literature without knowing the sexual orientation of the writer, is there a way to "tell" if the writer is discussing homosexual issues? For example, many literary critics have determined that Herman Melville's (yes, the author of Moby Dick) character Billy Budd, from the novel of the same name, is a homosexual character. How would we decide a literary character is a homosexual character, especially if, since we're talking about early 19th century literature, overt sexual acts aren't discussed?

Ch. 13: Film and Television

Please respond to question number 1 under "Questions for Discussion" on page 357 of the textbook-- it's an excellent question! Please use an example or two from a film or TV show you've watched-- if you haven't watched any LGBT visible film and TV, you may use an example from the textbook.

Ch. 8

Please respond to question #1 under "Questions for Discussion" on page 213; however, you only need to pick one example from the textbook and try rewriting it with the added emphasis.

Transsexual Empires and Transgender Warriors

Paying particular attention to the historical details Sullivan offers throughout her chapter, has the phrase "living in the wrong body" become outdated within the contemporary Trans community? Why or why not? Is there a better phrase you could think of that would seem to provide a stronger awareness for the identity issues centered around the umbrella label Transgender?

Chapter 7

Hi, all! Please respond to question #1 on page 189 under "Questions for Discussion."

Ch. 6 & Canady

Part I: What did you find most interesting from Ch. 6? Explain why you found it interesting and what it taught you about inclusion and Equality.

Part II: How would you summarize Canady's argument from her introduction?

Part III: Canady's chapter on the military centered on WWI up to the 1930s: how do you think her argument in that chapter can be related to the contemporary crisis over the "Don't ask; Don't Tell" policy?

Kinsey and Rich

Describe the assumptions about gender detailed in the instruments and scales designed to measure a person's homosexuality detailed throughout chapter 5 of the text. How does the Rich article argue against one or all of these instruments and scales. Does Rich herself have any assumptions about gender? Explain.

Cindy Patton and Simon Watney

In about 4-5 sentences (a short paragraph), summarize Patton's argument-- what is she attempting to prove? Do the same for Watney's essay. Then, how do they compare? How do they contrast? Finally, as an individual reader, what did you find most interesting about the two readings for Thursday? What did you find most important about thinking about AIDS?

Chapter 4 response

Part A: I'd like you all to respond to question #2 listed under "Questions For Discussion" at the end of the chapter, found on page 103. Manifestos can be very fun to write-- be sure you respond to each element of the question: writing the manifesto as well as thinking about your audience, form, and comparing it to the activists detailed in chapter 4.

Part B: On a slightly different note, but not so much...I've attached a pdf file on our Moodle course page that I'd like you to read through-- it's the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill from Sept. of 2009. You'll find it under the list of assignments for this coming week. Once you read through it, respond here about the following: do a wee bit of research (it doesn't have to be extensive, just a quick google search with a little bit of background reading) on Uganda and homosexuality. How and why did the bill come about? Has it passed? Or what are the debates circling around the bill? Also, how does what is happening in Uganda parallel the reading in the class we've done so far, either from Ch. 4 or in the last ch.? Since (hopefully it'll come in the mail by then) we'll be watching Paragraph 175, we may want to think about that comparsion once we watch the documentary.

Chapter 3

Before reading chapter 3, at what point did you believe the Gay Rights Movement began? How and why did you have that knowledge and/or assumption? Next, explain how chapter 3 added to your understanding and/or shattered your previous understanding.

Chapters 1 & 2 of Finding Out

Both chapters detail the history of sexuality in various societies from early Antiquity to the 19th century. What did you find most interesting about these chapters and why? What, for example, did you not know before, and why do you think you did not know it? Did the chapters change your opinion about a belief and/or concept you had before reading the chapters? Explain.

Feel free to respond to only one of the questions or all.