EXP-0027-F. History, Community, Politics: Emergence of Sexual Minority Voices in the U.S. (A.K.A. “The Gay Agenda”)
SYLLABUS FALL 2003
Instructor: Robyn Ochs (robynochs@robynochs.com)
One Course Credit, Letter-Graded.
Wednesday, 6:45-9:25 PM, Miner 221.
What is today’s “gay agenda,” and how has it changed over time? Are there multiple agendas, even within each of these identity categories? In this course, we will explore the emergence of sexual minority communities and sexual minority visibility in the United States, from the 1940s to the present. We will look at issues such as same-sex marriage; debates about inclusion/exclusion of subgroups; the creation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender spaces; and cultural self-representation. Do gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people have common concerns or a unified voice? Guest speakers, documentaries, short stories, poetry, legal documents, mission statements, newsletters, newspapers, and theoretical texts will frame our discussion. There will be a focus on marginalized voices within sexual minority communities. Students are required to make at least two field trips during the semester, choosing among several options, which may include visiting bookstores, community group meetings, and the like.
This course has been approved by both the American Studies and Women's Studies programs to count toward major credit.
Guest speakers, documentaries, short stories, poetry, legal documents, mission statements, newsletters, newspapers, and theoretical texts will frame our discussion. There will be focus on minoritized voices within sexual minority communities. Students will make at least two field trips during the semester, choosing among several options, which may include visiting bookstores, community group meetings, etc. This will be a highly interactive, discussion-based full credit, letter-graded seminar.
Prerequisites: None. All are welcome.WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:
Self-description (1-2 pages, due week 2) Weekly response papers (2 pages) due weekly, weeks 2-12. Mid-semester paper (5 pages) due week 7. 2 Field trip journals (2 pages each) due by week 9. Final paper topic. Outline must be approved by week 10. Final paper (10-12 pages) due week 13. GRADING: Grading will be determined as follows: attendance and participation (25%); midterm paper (15%); weekly journals (20%); field trips and field trip journals (10%); final paper (20%); presentations (10%);. There will be a 5% penalty for each unexcused absence beginning with the second. REQUIRED MATERIALS: Course pack. Subscribe to the Data Lounge: http://www.datalounge.com All readings are available in Tisch Library. SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES: http://www.ngltf.org/library/SCHEDULE:
Week 1: Intro to the syllabus and to each other Week 2: History, I: 1945-1969, I: Homophile Organizations & Social Networks (Film: Forbidden Love) Week 3: History, II: (Film: Ruth Ellis at 100) Week 4: History, III; Gay Men; The Impact of HIV/AIDS Week 5: What should be the ‘Gay Agenda’?; Strategy debates: Queer Identity v. Assimilationism Week 6: Same Sex Marriage, 1: the current political and legal landscape Week 7: Same Sex Marriage, 2: Should this be a #1 priority? Week 8: Choosing Children Week 9: “The Rest of Us”: Race, Class and Geography Week 10: “The Rest of Us”: Bi and Trans Week 11: Aging Week 12: Presentations Week 13: Conclusions and predictionsREADINGS
9/3/03 Week 1: Intro to the syllabus and to each other (Film: Before Stonewall)
Due in class: not a thing.
9/10/03, Week 2: History: 1945-1969, I: Homophile Organizations and Social Networks
(Film in class: Forbidden Love: 85 min.)
Due in class: : Self description; Response paper 1.Urvashi Vaid, Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation. NY: Anchor Books, 1995, pp. 47-54.
in We Are Everywhere: A Historical Sourcebook for Gay and Lesbian Politics, ed. Mark Blasius and Shane Phelan. NY: Routledge, 1997 (WAE).: “
Context,” pp. 239-40; American Civil Liberties Union, “Policy Sttatement adopted by the Union<’s Board of Directors, January 7, 1957<, pp. 274-275; Donald Webster Cory, “The Society We Envisage,” pp. 275-281; “Mattachine Foundation/Mattachine Society, Mission< Statement and Membership Pledge,” pp. 283-285; David Freeman, “The Homosexual Culture,” pp. 313-315; Lyn Pederson, “The Importance of Being Different,” pp. 320-323; “Daughters of Bilitis,” p. 327;
“Daughters of Bilitis, ‘Statement of Purpose,” p. 328; “1958:
Barbara Gittings; Founding the New York Daughters of Bilitis,” in Jonathan Katz, Gay American History, (Avon Books, 1976), pp. 632-651.
Leo Ebreo, “A Homosexual Ghetto?” pp. 339-343.
Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, pp. 176-183; 220-226.
Jonathan Katz, Gay American History (Avon Books, 1976). On the McCarthy’s anti-homosexual, anti-Communist witch hunts. pp. 139-161.
9/17/03, Week 3: History, II
Due in class<: Response paper #2in WAE: Dorothy L. (Del<) Martin, “If That’s All there Is,” pp. 352-355;; Carl Wittman, “A Gay Manifesto,” pp. 380-388; Martha Shelley, “Gay is Good, pp. 391-393; Radicalesbians, “The Woman-Identified Woman,” pp. 396-399; Michal Brody, “Some Historical Background,”in Julia Penelope & Susan Wolfe, eds., Lesbian Culture: An Anthology. Freedom CA: The Crossing Press, 1993 (LC): pp. 496-499.
Urvashi Vaid, Virtual Equality, pp. 54-68.
Dudley Clindenen and Adam Nagourney, “Talking ‘Bout a Revolution.” In Out, June 1999, pp. 92-99.
in WAE: Robin Morgan, “Lesbianism and Feminism: Synonyms or Contradictions?”, pp. 424-435.
in LC: Julia Penelope and Susan J. Wolfe, “Introduction: Lesbian Identity/Lesbian Communities/Lesbian Culture: Creating Our Survival,” pp. 1-22; Judy Grahn, “A History of Lesbianism” (poem), pp. 29-30; Judy Grahn, “Carol, in the park, chewing on straws,” (poem) pp. 181-182; Karen Escovitz and Elliott, “Big Dykes With Attitude,” (poem), pp. 331-332; Roey Thorpe, “Growing in Defiance,” in Lavender Mansions, 40 Contemporary Lesbian and Gay Short Stories, ed. Irene Zahava (Westview Press, 1994), pp. 72-76.
“Finding Your Niche Within the Lesbian Community,” in Do What I Say: Ms. Manners’ Guide to Gay & Lesbian Etiquette, pp. 8-15.Watch outside of class: Film: Ruth Ellis at 100
9/24/03, Week 4: History, III: Gay Men; HIV/AIDS
Due in class<: Response paper 3
Film in class: The Times of Harvey Milk (87 min.GAY MEN:
Mike Hippler, “Dear Abby, Am I Too Gay,” in ...so little time: essays on gay life. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1990, pp. 3-8.
Kevin Dilallo and Jack Krumholtz, The Unofficial Gay Manual. NY: Main St. Books, 1994, cover & pages 60-66.
“Finding Your Niche Within the Gay Community,” in Do What I Say: Ms. Manners’ Guide to Gay & Lesbian Etiquette, pp. 45-53.
in Lavender Mansions: “Public Display,” by Michael Schwartz, pp. 198-207.
Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, “Talk of the Town,” in Men on Men 5: Best New Gay Fiction, ed. David Bergman. NY: Plume, 1994. pp. 17-31.
J. Keiko Lane<, “With a Chorus of Naked Queers,” in Generation Q (Los Angeles: Alyson, 1995), pp. 224-232.
HIV/AIDS
in WAE: Larry Kramer, “1,112 and Counting,” pp. 577-586; “An Act UP/NY Portfolio,” 622-23.David B. Feinberg, “Despair: August 1987,” in Lavender Mansions, pp. 314-322.
Leslea Newman, “Something Shiny,” in Lavender Mansions, pp. 147-162.
10/1/03, Week 5: What should be the “Gay Agenda”?; Strategy debates: Queer Identity v. Assimilationism
Due in class:
Response paper 4.
Leslea Newman, A Letter to Harvey Milk (Ithaca, NY Firebrand Books, 1988), pp. 32-47.in WAE: --Hunter Madsen and Marshall Kirk, “Strategy: Persuasion, Not Invasion,” pp. 736-753; Anonymous, “Queers Read This: I Hate Straights,” pp. 773-780; Bruce Bawer, “A sea of homosexuals,” in A Place at the Table: The Gay Individual in American Society. NY: Poseidon Press, 1993, pp. 17-51.
Lindsy Van Gelder and Pamela Brandt, “Desire Under the Palms: The Dinah Shore Party Circuit,” pp. 125-140, and “The Fire Will Not Consume Us (But Processing Might),” pp, 213-262 in The Girls Next Door: Into the Heart of Lesbian America<.< NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996).
Penny D. Perkins, “What is a Lesbian Date?” and Masha Gessen, “Desperately Seeking Same,” in Girlfriend Number One: Lesbian Life in the 90s. Pittsburgh<: Cleis Press, 1994, pp. 12-28.
Alison Bechdel, selected comic strips from Spawn of Dykes to Watch Out For. (Ithaca, Firebrand Books, 1993).
Ted Gideonse, “The Bisexual,” cover story in The Advocate, <6/24/97<.
Ana Castillo, “Lover Boys,” in Tasting Life Twice: Literary Fiction by New American Writers, ed. E.J. Levy. (NY: Avon, 1995), pp. 130-139.
Jennifer DiMarco, “Moral Fabrics,” pp. 199-209, Anna Meyers-Parelli, “Significant Others: A Queer Autobiography,” pp. 213-220 and Justin Chin, “Q-Punk Grammar,” pp. 237-239, in Generation Q , (Los Angeles<: Alyson, 1996.
in WAE: Arnie Kantrowitz, “Letter to the Queer Generation,” pp. 812-817.
10/8/03, Week 6: Sodomy Ruling; Same-Sex Marriage, 1: the current political and legal landscape
Due in class: Response paper 5; note: you should have completed at least one of your field trips by now.Sodomy Ruling
Lyle Denniston, “Court reverses gay sex ban,” in The Boston Globe <6/27/03
“The Petitioners are entitled to respect.” Associated Press 6/27/03
Peter Edinin, “In Changing the Law of the Land, Six Justices Turned to Its History,” in The New York Times, 7/20/03.
Tasha Robertson, “Gays, lesbians praise decision,” in The Boston Globe, 6/27/03.
OPTIONAL:
Complete text of the sodomy decision: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/02-102.pdf (on line)
Same-Sex Marriage:
Kathleen Burge, “State’s gay marriage backers are elated,” in The Boston Globe, 6/27/03.Frank Bruni, “Vatican< Exhorts Legislators to Reject Same-Sex Unions,” The New York Times, 8/1/03.
Elisabeth Bumiller, “Cold Feet: Why America Has Gay Marriage Jitters,” 8/20/03.
Kimberly Blanton, “Exclusionary Costs: Legal Marriage could ease gay couple’s financial inequities,” Boston Globe, 7/29/03.Boston Globe, editorial: “For Gay Marriage,” 7/8/03.
Human Rights Campaign: The State of the Family (41 pp., free pdf download); Couples/PartnersGay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Equal Marriage
Lambda Legal on civil unions, domestic partnership, marriage.
10/15/03, Week 7: Same Sex Marriage, 2: Should this be a #1 priority?
Due in class<: Response paper 6; midterm paperin WAE: Thomas B. Stoddard, “Why Gay People Should Seek the Right to Marry, pp. 753-757; Paula L. Ettelbrick, “Since When is Marriage a Path to Liberation?” pp. 757-761;
in Ceremonies of the Heart: Celebrating Lesbian Unions. Seattle: Seal Press, 1990: Diane Benjamin & Patti Christensen, “To All That Shall Be--Yes!” pp. 49-54; and Trinity Ordoña and Desirée Thompson, “A Thousand Cranes,” pp. 81-90.
Meredith Maran, “Journal: October 11, 1987,” in Out/Look, Spring 1988.
Judith Levine, “Stop the Wedding!” in The Village Voice 7/23/03.
10/22/03, Week 8: Choosing Children
Due in class: Response paper 7; field trip journals.Megan McGuire, “Livin’ in a Gay Family,” in the Harvard Educational Review, Vol. 66, #2, Summer 1996, pp. 182-184.
Sara Asch, “On the Way to the Water,” (pp. 3-9); Audre Lorde, “Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist’s Response,” (pp. 31-37); and Cindy T. Rizzo, “Piercing Times,” (pp. 78-81), in Lesbians Raising Sons, ed. Jess Wells. Los Angeles<: Alyson, 1997)
Human Rights Campaign, Parenting
Lambda Legal, Family
NGLTF, Families10/29/03, Week 9: “The Rest of Us”: Race, Class, and Geography
Due in class: Response paper 8 In LC: Terri de la Peña, “Tortilleras,” (short story), pp. 304-308.
Pat Parker, “Boots are being polished,” (poem) pp. 74-78, and “My lover is a woman,” (poem) pp. 98-100, in Movement in Black. Ithaca NY: Firebrand Books, 1978.
in Does Your Mama Know? An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories: Makeda Silvera, “Man Royals and Sodomites: Some Thoughts on the Invisibility of Afro-Caribbean Lesbians,” pp. 171-183; Imani Henry, “Bits and Pieces,” pp. 49-66; Tonia Bryan, "Pure," pp. 213-221.Andy Quan, “Immigration,” in Contra/diction: New Queer Male Fiction, ed. Brett Josef Grubisik. Vancouver<: Arsenal Pulp Press, 1998.
Barbara Smith, “Where Has Gay Liberation Gone? An Interview With Barbara Smith” in Homo Economics, pp. 195-207. Lambda Legal on Immigration, Asylum, and International Human RightsNGLTF, Racial Justice
NGLTF, Class
11/5/03, Week 10: “The Rest of Us”: Bi and Trans
Due in class: response paper 9; final paper topic.Bi:
Susan Carlton, “This poem can be put off no longer,” (pp. 14-16); Ronda Slater, “What I need is,” (pp. 87-88); Sheilah Mabry, “Conflicts,” (pp. 299-302); and “One,” (pp. 240-243) by Sharon Hwang Colligan in Bi Any Other Name: Bisexuals Speak Out, ed. Lani Ka’ahumanu and Loraine Hutchins. (Boston: Alyson, 1991), pp. 247-251.
Wade Baker, “The Bisexual Agenda,” in Out in Black (May/June 1997), Vol. 2/3.
Bruce Bawer, “Bisexuality and confusion,” in Bay Windows <9/14/95<, p. 6, and responses by Fred Chin, Marcia Deihl, Robyn Ochs and Ray Ishigata in Bay Windows 9/25/95.
Andrew Rapp, “Try Coming Out as Bisexual,” in Bay Windows 2/17/03.
Lani Ka’ahumanu, “That Naked Place,” (poem) in Bisexuality: The Identity and Politics of an Invisible Minority (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1996), pp. xv-xviii.
Trans
Lesbians for Justice, “Resolution Condemning Discrimination Against and Exclusion of Transsexual Lesbians Within the Gay and Lesbian Community,” and “An Open Letter to the Organizers of the Michigan Women’s Music Festival,” pp. 808-811.
Lisa Vogel, “Michigan Women’s Music Festival,” in Lesbian Connection, Nov/Dec 1999. R.J. Grubb, Michigan: two camps face off over trans inclusion, in Bay Windows, 8/28/03.Jeff Epperly, “Trangender political machinations,” in Bay Windows, 6/24/99.
National Transgender Advocacy Coalition, “Recent Spate of Legislation Leaves Transgender Behind,” 7/22/03
Mubarik Dahir, “Whose Movement is It?” in The Advocate 5/25/99.
Ethan Jacobs, Trans inclusion a gray area for Boston schools in Bay Windows 8/28/03.
NGLTF, Transgender Lambda Legal on Trans
11/12/03, Week 11: Aging
Due in class<: Response paper 10.
Arnold H. Grossman, “The Virtual and Actual Identities of Older Lesbians and Gay Men,” in A Queer World, ed. Martin Duberman. NY: NYU Press, 1997, pp. 615-625.Monika Kehoe, Lesbians Over Sixty Speak for Themselves. NY: Harrington Park Press, 1989, 11-28, 34-41.
in Quiet Fire: Memoirs of Older Gay Men, ed. Cassie Damewood. (Trumansberg NY: The Crossing Press, 1985): stories by Todd Grison (pp. 23-33), Bob Basker (pp. 43-57), and Greg Aarons (170-184).
in Lavender Mansions: 40 Contemporary Lesbian & Gay Short Stories:
“D.O.M.,” by Donald Vining, pp. 407-413; “In The Life,” by Becky Birtha, pp. 414-423.“Gay and gray,” by Janet Kornblum in The Advocate, 7/8/97, pp. 46-48.
Yvonne Abraham, “Gay elders emerge from long isolation,” in Boston Globe, June 9, 2003.
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, Elders http://www.hrc.org/familynet/Human Rights Campaign on Aging, Lambda Legal on Older Lesbians & Gay Men
11/19/03, Week 12: Presentations
Due in class: all and any make-up work.
Laura Secor, “Rainbow Warriors.” The Boston Globe, 8/3/03
Additional readings, to be decided.
12/3/03, Week 13: Conclusions and predictions
Due in class: final paper.
Aging, Campus, Civil Rights, Class, Domestic Partnership, Electing supportive representatives, Families, Hate Crimes, Health, HIV/AIDS, the Military, Racial Justice, Religion, Marriage Equality, Safe Schools, Sodomy Laws, Bi, Trans, Youth… What should be “The Gay Agenda”?