Goldberg, C. (2000, April 26). Vermont Gives Final Approval to Same-Sex Unions. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/26/us/vermont-gives-final-approval-to-same-sex-unions.html
Hollingsworth v. Perry (formerly known as Perry v. Brown and Perry v. Schwarzenegger). Retrieved from
'Overwatch' is about to get just a little bit gayer.
MEDIA REPORT #2
In December, Overwatch title character, Tracer, was revealed to be a lesbian via Christmas-themed comic, Reflections. The comic, a back-story partner to the award-winning video game, features the young British woman zipping about London searching for the perfect gift for an out-of-frame significant other. At the end, she returns to the apartment, giving her gift to her girlfriend and receiving a kiss in return.Â
The community exploded with mixed responses. Some were incredibly thankful to see themselves reflected in this hero, while others denounced the decision for Tracer to âcome outâ as âSJW Tumblr fodderâ (âOverwatchâs Tracer is Gay and Here Are Some People Who Lost Their Minds,â Crave Online). Overall, despite gamers being notoriously toxic in the way of homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny, the response ultimately came out positively, with people being overwhelmingly accepting.
The backlash seems to be a result of heteronormativity as Chrys Ingraham describes it. Ingraham describes heterosexuality as âtaken for granted and unquestioned,â going further to say â[b]y leaving heterosexuality unexamined as an institution we do not explore how it is learned, how it may control us and contribute to social inequalitiesâ (Location 12258). Ingraham describes heterosexuality as âimaginary,â as something that is considered ââjust the way it isâ while creating obligatory social practicesâ which is ultimately harmful to those who are not heterosexual (Location 12258). Since Tracer is not heterosexual, she is going against âjust the way it is,â inciting backlash from those who ascribe to an unquestioned view of heterosexuality.
Tracerâs same-sex relationship, therefore, goes against the culture of heteronormativity, which, as Ingraham describes, ârender[s] real peopleâs relationships and commitments irrelevant and illegitimateâ (Location 12297). The backlash against Tracerâs relationship seemed to come in two forms: outright homophobia and comments of the likes of âwhy does it matter that sheâs gay? Itâs just a video game!â (âOverwatchâs Tracer is Gay and Here Are Some People Who Lost Their Minds,â Crave Online). It does matter, though, as same-sex couples are seen so rarely in video games, much less as the cover character of the game.Â
Therefore, it is important that Blizzard Entertainment has not shied away from keeping Tracer out of the closet. With the newest update, including the new map Horizon Lunar Colony referenced in the article, Tracer will now have a new voice line referring to her girlfriend. The Overwatch team, therefore, is refusing to bow to heteronormativity and is giving the LGBTQ+ community visibility. Hopefully, other gaming companies will take note and put more LGBTQ+ characters in the spotlight.
EDIT: This piece was published by Mic.com, a rather progressive news source. Tim Mulkerin, the author, is the writer for Multi Player, the video game spotlight of Mic.com. He seems to have a particular interest in Overwatch, publishing an article about the game at least ever other day. I chose to focus more heavily on Blizzardâs/Overwatchâs release and response, as Mulkerin is simply the messenger of this information.
Questions:
1. Is it important that games- even first-person shooter games like Overwatch- provide LGBTQ+ characters? Is Tracerâs back-story important in a game with all-online game play and no story mode?
2. Do you think, given the information from the article, that Blizzard Entertainment has done enough in the way of supporting Tracer as a lesbian character? Do you think they are treating her as a genuinely fleshed out character or as a gimmick?
3. In your opinion, should games follow in suit and provide more visibility to the LGBTQ+ community, or is it not their responsibility?
4. Overwatch has provided a very feminist alternative to the misogynist history of first-person shooter games like Call of Duty and Halo, with 11 of the 24 heroes being female, and all new characters since the official release of the game being female. They have also showcased different races and body types, something not usually seen in games of this sort. Do you think increasing inclusivity is a step in the right direction for first-person shooters, or should they be condemned in totality due to their depiction of violence?Â
5. Do you think having an openly gay character in this incredibly popular game will increase acceptance in the notoriously homophobic gaming community, or do you think it will have little impact?
As someone who plays Overwatch myself, this was a very interesting read! Here are my thoughts to a few of your questions:
1. I think it is great for first-person shooter games like Overwatch to provide LGBTQ+ characters. This way, more LGBTQ+ individuals can feel more represented. However, I feel like Tracer being gay does not advance the character in terms of gameplay since there is obvious sexual content in the game. Many players are probably only playing for the gameplay and not very interested in the background story. Only those who are interested in the background story and involved with the Overwatch community would know that she is gay. Furthermore, games in general defining characters as LGBTQ+ could be restrictive. Defining Tracer as gay could by default convey the message that the other characters straight.
2. Although Overwatch is just a video game, one of the greatest things about it is the theme of inclusion. I think Blizzard Entertainment has done a great job at being more representative of all types of people. Racially, the game is very diverse with the heroes coming from a variety of national/ethnic backgrounds. Characters even have voice lines speaking in their native languages in the game. Symmetra, one of the support characters, is autistic. Blizzardâs choice of Tracer to is hugely supportive of the LGBTQ+ community because Tracer is the mascot and face of the Overwatch game. She appears on the cover of the game if you buy a physical copy as well as the online copy. Thus, making a central character to Overwatch gay is very significant. Overwatch has become a very popular game internationally, with professional teams from the US, Sweden, China, South Korea, etc. Therefore, Tracer being gay will have international visibility and influence as well. Blizzard produces a canon and background stories to many heroes through videos on YouTube. One thing Blizzard can do to make Tracer more fleshed out as a character would be to produce a video with more information about Tracer.
4. I do not think this should be condemned in totality due to their depiction of violence. I think Overwatch has made the game with very friendly looking graphics and not as intimidating as games with more realistic graphics such as Call of Duty and Halo. Including more female heroes definitely promotes inclusiveness. However, the same could not be said about the players of the game. Girls who play the game can face harsh comments and be blamed for a loss, especially in competitive games where the outcome of the game can affects everyone's season ranking. There is the ability to speak to your teammates in Overwatch over team chat, which is meant to help with strategizing and communicating during the game. The crude comments and blaming girls for losses demonstrate problems within the community. Another interesting thing Iâve noticed is that players in the community always comment how there are so many female Mercy mains (someone who mainly plays Mercy). Mercy is a support hero who has the ability to heal team members. I always found this point interesting because it seems to perpetuate gender roles. To play Mercy, you do not necessarily have to be great at aiming. This is one reason I play her a lot since I suck at aiming. Games are marketed toward boys from a young age, so they have developed considerable mechanical skills in first person shooter games that girls tend not to have developed. Furthermore, the cultural norm is that girls should be peaceful and supportive, traits that Mercy embodies. Â
All in all, I look forward to hearing Tracerâs new voice line and playing on the new map!
Taiwan's decision giving same-sex couples the right to marry has proved a shot in the arm for the gay rights movement in Asia, but it is likely to be many years before China approves similar measures, amid deep-rooted opposition in some quarters.
    Today, only 21 nations have legalized same-sex marriage. Two weeks ago, Taiwan joined the list to become the first in Asia to legalize gay marriage. Their actions not only show that Taiwan embraces more liberal views but can hopefully be a positive influence on other Asian countries. In the article âGay rights in China get fillip from Taiwan same-sex marriage rulingâ, Ben Blanchard reports on the situation in Taiwan as well as what effects the ruling will have on China. Interestingly, âChinese literature and history are rich in description of relatively liberal attitudes to homosexuality in imperial timesâ, but the Communist revolution of 1949 brought about more conservative views towards sex (Blanchard). China considered homosexuality as a mental disorder until 2001. Now, being gay is not illegal, but China still supports heteronormativity. Taiwanâs landmark decision to legalize gay marriage was not reported in mainstream Chinese media, especially government media. Even though the Chinese government was silent, the news drew millions of âbroadly supportiveâ and positive responses on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter.
    The article is targeted to an audience that is interested in issues of gay rights in Asia, especially China. Through interviews with experts and activists, Blanchard conveys the message that it may be awhile for China to do the same as Taiwan. Although Taiwanâs ruling âproves that same-sex marriage is acceptable in Chinese cultureâ, one expert states that it may be a decade before China legalizes it (Blanchard). Overall, the article conveys both a positive and negative message. It is incredible that Taiwan was able to legalize same-sex marriage and their decision has ignited hope for activists and gay individuals in China and other Asian countries. Blanchard writes that gay individuals and activists in China are planning on organizing rallies and petitions. However, China still remains a conservative country due to the strict, Communist government. One Chinese academic even denounced the news on the website Confucian Web by âurging parents in Taiwan to move to China to safeguard children from catching AIDSâ (Blanchard). Thus, it is evident that there are still many uneducated, conservative individuals who disapprove of Taiwanâs landmark ruling.
    Issues of nation and state are present. China has provinces, which is an equivalent concept to state. Taiwan is a province within China. The issue of Taiwanese independence has caused a huge rift in the twoâs relationship. China considers Taiwan as a part of China, while many people in Taiwan desire complete independence from China. Today, Taiwan is fully self-governing, but still remains under the sovereignty of China. On Weibo, many young Chinese people are even touting Taiwanâs ruling as a victory for China. Their logic is that since Taiwan is a Chinese province, then China basically just legalized same-sex marriage. I think this logic is wrong since legalizing something in one part of China does not make it legal everywhere in the country. This is similar to the past situation in the United States. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to recognize gay marriage. However, this did not mean that it was recognized in the whole country. The same should apply in China and Taiwanâs situation.
    Taiwan also experiences the cohort effect, which is one factor that contributes to the growth in support for same-sex marriage according to Hull. âAs older people with particular worldviews die out of the U.S. population, they are replaced by younger cohorts of adults with different viewpoints on issues.â (Hull, Location 19915). Rallies in Taiwan consisted mostly of young individuals and activists. The millions of people discussing the news online on websites and Weibo are also mostly used by young people. However in China, there doesnât seem to be a very strong cohort effect. An activist interviewed in the new article said that âabout half the people I speak to support gay marriage and half oppose ⊠Generally younger people support it âŠâ (Blanchard). Ultimately, Taiwanâs ruling is a step in the right direction and a milestone for gay rights in Asia. Chinaâs ignorance and denial of the event demonstrates their adamant stance of refusing to recognize gay marriage.
 Discussion Questions
How do you think China as a nation plays a role in maintaining sexuality?
Do you agree with the people who think Taiwanâs legalization decision is a victory for China as well?
What do you think is holding China back from legalizing same-sex marriage?
Why do you think legal marriage is such a big priority in homosexuality activism?
   Jyoti Puri in âSexuality, state, & nationâ defines nationalism as âthe belief and practice aimed at creating unified but unique communities (nations) within a sovereign space (state)â (Puri, Location 11818).  Although sex is personal and intimate, it is also social. Social structure matters greatly in issues of sexuality. Nationalism is a powerful means of social regulation. The nation has the power to define sexuality since it can declare what is normal or abnormal and what is acceptable or deviant. Often times the nature of the majority is defined as the national ideal and norm. This social system exists in both India and the United States. For example, in India behaving outside nationally regarded gender norms and being âun-respectableâ are viewed as reasons for a girl to fall victim to rape, which is repulsive logic. Additionally, since LGBT individuals are viewed as âdeviantâ, they may be excluded from the national community. Therefore, nation and sexuality are absolutely interconnected.
   Elements of the state are omnipresent in everyoneâs lives. Consequently, the state also holds an important role in defining sexuality through regulating things such as âif one is eligible to have sex, with whom, of what kind, under what circumstances, where, whether sex aids or contraceptives are usedâ (Puri, Location 11909). The power of the state in issues pertaining to sexuality can be seen in India and US through policies. For example, the opposition to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which bans âsex against the order of natureâ demonstrates how policies can normalize intolerance for particular sexualities. Just like with nationalism, same-sex sexualities are also targeted in state institutions. As Puri states, â ⊠gay, lesbian, and bisexual women and men are the objects of regulation by the state through denialâ (Puri, Location 11928). The state withholds citizenship benefits received from marriage or military service to same-sex couples. This exhibits how state influence in matters of sexuality can be unequal and unfair.
   Furthermore, the influence of the religion in the United States plays a major role in shaping and policing sexuality. In âThe social construction of sexualityâ, Jeffrey Weeks states that âwhat amazes even the most sympathetic British observer of the United States is the power of religion, especially religion of an absolutist, morally conservative tingeâ (Weeks, Location 1504). Social movements, such as the Moral Majority, the New Christian Right, and the Pro-Family Movement, all stem from conservative religious groups. Furthermore, their beliefs have also been integrated into the âagenda of the Republican party, and so it has become a very powerful social movement in the United States todayâ (Fetner, Location 14494). Pro-family activists try to take âthe Christian perspectiveâ in influencing policies, especially those that apply to sex issues. Their issues of interest are extensive including sex education in public schools, abortion, depiction of sexuality in media, and civil rights for LGBT individuals. Ultimately, religion can also play a huge part in pushing a stringent ideology in terms of what is acceptable and unacceptable sexaulity.
In the last decade, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil got married, got divorced, came out of the closet, and talked to Oprah Winfreyâand now, he's spreading awareness about a spreading HIV crisis in India.
Interesting read that is relevant to this weekâs readings.
If youâre a gay guy and you fall for a not guy, thatâs fine.
If youâre a lesbian and you fall for a not girl, thatâs fine.
If youâre asexual and you experience sexual attraction, thatâs fine.
If youâre bi - or pansexual and you mainly fall for one particular gender, thatâs fine.
Itâs just a label. Things can change, maybe theyâre short-term, maybe theyâre permanent. Who cares.
This article was written by Sarah Hughes âSexuality today: how we embarked on a new age of freedom and toleranceâ from The Guardian is about how the world especially millennials have more tolerance towards gender fluidity, bisexuality, and other identities. The article highlights the sexuality of famous celebrities who are influential to young people. This article was published on June 4th, 2016.
The article highlights how the internet is a helpful tool in helping queer people express themselves. According to the article, the internet allows for more visibility for people with life experiences outside the norm. Â There are many celebrities who are in same-sex relationships or discuss their non-binary identity to help change attitudes that other people have toward queer people.
Although there are number of celebrities who are trying to have more open talk about LGBT topics and trying to have people to be more open about people of bisexuality and gender fluidity, LGBT people still face numbers of growing problems. The article mentioned how in some places with no gender-neutral bathrooms or transgender people are still forced to used bathroom based on the sex the doctor assigned them.
Questions!
1)Â Â Â Â Â Is there more that celebrities can do to have people more open and more comfortable with queer people?
2)Â Â Â Â Â Is there a way to make more older generations comfortable and more acceptance towards queer people?
Celebrities tend to receive much more attention than normal people. They are always being reported on in the media, which is something many people pay a lot of attention to. Many celebrities are even looked upon as role models by many. In general, most celebrities already hold important positions with their ability to be heard and influence other people. For example, there are many queer celebrities in society today that are very well-known, such as Ellen DeGeneres, Kristen Stewart, Ruby Rose, Rosie OâDonnell, Caitlyn Jenner, etc. Although many queer celebrities are able to talk about their sexuality and raise more awareness in media interviews, most do not talk about the deeper issues like oppression and discrimination regarding sexuality embedded in todayâs society. When talking about trans* sexuality depiction in the media, Ryan argues that âemphasis is placed on whether one achieves self-acceptance and approval from oneâs family [and] âconvincingâ gendered appearance, rather than on the many societal barriers that lower trans peopleâs life chances in multiple institutions from cradle to graveâ (Ryan, Location 3408). She supports her statement with examples from Caitlyn Jennerâs media interview, where Jennerâs personal story overshadowed topics of violence and oppression experienced by trans people in the US. Thus, if celebrities were to raise attention to queer sexuality and underlying problems in society today, people may be more comfortable.
I think that perhaps there is no sure way to make older generations understanding towards queer people. Older generations tend to be more conservative and adamant in changing the way they think. Change can be scary and todayâs society is definitely different than the one older generations grew up in. To older generations, gender is thought of as binary and heterosexuality is the norm. Whatever is not the ânormâ to someone can be difficult to accept and understand. This not only applies to older generations, but many people today âtend to see things in terms of binaries: male/female, hetero/homo, black/white, dominant/subordinate. Because of this binary structure of Western thought, we tend not to recognize intermediate categories like bisexuality or transgenderismâ (Esterberg, Location 5354). Thus, if people like elders can accept the notion that not all the above things are binary, then that would be a huge step in bring about acceptance of queer sexuality.
YouTube vows to refine its ârestricted modeâ function, so it doesnât prevent LGBT youth from watching uncontroversial pop and advice videos.
   In the article âWhy YouTube Wants to Hide These LGBT Videos From Young Peopleâ, Samantha Allen investigates the issue that a YouTube feature was seemingly filtering out videos with content about sexuality by LGBT creators. Restricted Mode is an optional and off-by-default feature on the site that uses âcommunity flagging, age-restrictions, and other signalsâ to â screen out potentially mature content that you may prefer not to see or donât want others in your family to seeâ (YouTube). The feature is often used to filter out videos with foul language and inappropriate content. However, many videos with LGBT content that did not contain adult language or explicit content were being filtered as well.
   The issue came to light when British YouTuber Rowan Ellis, who identifies as queer, made a video about the problem and that YouTube was âfiltering out a hell of a lot of LGBT contentâ (YouTube is Anti - LGBT? (Restricted Content Mode) video). Ellis states that although she doesnât know what exactly is going on, she does know that âit has some kind of targeted effect for LGBT individualsâ. The video received international media attention and many more LGBT content creators began noticing their videos being unavailable in Restricted Mode. Tyler Oakley, a gay male YouTuber with 7.95 million subscribers, stated that he was perplexed as to why his video titled â8 Black LGBTQ+ Trailblazers Who Inspire Meâ was filtered. Gigi Gorgeous, a transgender YouTuber with 2.65 million subscribers, made a video about how YouTube filtered out all her videos regarding gender identity. More videos such as coming out videos of well-known LGBT YouTubers, makeup tutorials by transgender individuals, documentaries about transgender children, and many more were also filtered.
   In the article, Allenâs main issue with the Restricted Mode is that it is deeming LGBT content as inappropriate for children. Allen states that: âIt shouldnât be controversial that all LGBT people were once LGBT kids. But it isâ. Allen is trying to make people aware that this type of âcensorshipâ is occurring on this platform that seemingly supports free expression and LGBT equality. The targeted audience is in general viewers of YouTube as well as LGBT people and all content creators. YouTube has become a very popular online platform that has an enormous amount of viewers and an even more enormous amount of diverse content. There are many very successful LGBT content creators on the site that have garnered millions of views. As Allen states, many youth look to LGBT YouTube videos for guidance and information regarding sexuality. Ultimately, many people are disappointed since restricting LGBT videos in Restricted Mode seems to be labeling them as inappropriate for kids.
   I think the audienceâs response to the issue depends on their relationship with the YouTube platform. I can imagine many LGBT content creators being extremely upset as to why videos about their personal experiences are inappropriate for others. Furthermore, LGBT content creators are not the only ones affected, as many other video creators have noticed the same thing happen to their videos that donât have explicit content. Thus, saying that YouTube is exclusively targeting LGBT people is not entirely correct. I believe that Restricted Mode could have been a positive viewing feature to have for some people, but YouTubeâs lack of transparency is the main cause of all the backlash. YouTubeâs actions seem to convey the notion that talking about love by people who are not-straight is not innocent and age-appropriate. YouTube has since vowed to make changes to their algorithm of what kinds of videos to filter.
   Today, technology is pervasive and in some cases has become a very useful tool in parenting. For example, many kids are given iPads to watch videos on to keep them preoccupied. It is justifiable that parents will use Restricted Mode to keep them from watching videos with cursing and explicit content. In my opinion, the age of the child is an important factor in rationalizing Restricted Mode. If I were a parent, I would not want my young kid to be viewing videos about LGBT, straight, or frankly any type of sexuality. I wouldnât want my kids listening to YouTubersâ views on what is appropriate sexual behaviour because they're kids and no sexual behaviour is appropriate for them yet. However, there is actually a YouTube Kids app that has very strict parental restrictions. Thus, it is questionable as to why there is Restricted Mode on regular YouTube and begs the question of what is labeled as mature (18+ or teenage+?).
   As kids mature and grow, having access to these videos is crucial. The multiplicity of sexual identities can be attributed to âthe increasing awareness of identities that comes with the internet and social mediaâ (Callis, Location 5705). YouTube contains videos from people of all different races and sexualities, so it is a very valuable resource. Youth seeking more information regarding all different types of sexualities can look to YouTube videos which depict everyday real people sharing personal experiences. The youth are the future. If the youth have more awareness of the different sexual identities, a future of acceptance and understanding can become a reality.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think are the intentions of YouTube Restricted Mode?
Do you think Restrictive Mode was targeting LGBT videos?
Do you think the reactions of LGBT content creators was justified?
What does YouTubeâs actions convey about sexuality?
What can YouTube do better to alleviate this situation?
   Moonlight (2016) is a coming-of-age film centered around the growth of Chiron, the protagonist. The story takes place in Miami, Florida in an area that is predominantly black, as the movie cast is all Black. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the film is adapted from the screenplay In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney and won the award for Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars. The movie unfolds as a triptych, following the journey from childhood to adolescence to adulthood of Little (boy)/ Chiron (teenager)/ Black (adult).
   In the first chapter, Little is a neglected kid who is bullied for being gay by his schoolmates, who hurl slurs at him. Hiding in a derelict house from the bullies, Little is discovered by Juan, a local drug dealer. Juan and his girlfriend Teresa befriend him and soon become important figures in Littleâs life on top of his drug-addicted mother, Paula. Since Little has no father, Juan becomes his father figure, teaching him how to swim and imparting wisdom to him. Juan tells Little that: âAt some point, you gotta decide for yourself who youâre going to be. Canât let nobody make that decision for youâ. Littleâs trust in Juan shows when he asks Juan what the word faggot means. Juan replies that it is âa word used to make gay people feel badâ and to not let anybody ever call him a faggot. Juan assures Little that he doesnât have to know whether he is gay yet. Thus, the first act depicts the beginnings of Littleâs journey to self-discovery and sexual awareness.
   The second chapter follows Chiron, a lonely teenager, through the introspective exploration of his sexuality. Chiron continues to be bullied by his high school peers, especially Terrell. At home, Chiron suffers the wrath of his drug-addicted, aggressive mother. It is revealed that Juan has died, though Chiron still maintains a strong relationship with Teresa. Chiron develops feelings for his best friend from childhood, Kevin, who is a ladies man. They share a passionate evening on the beach, where Chiron has his first sexual encounter. However, Kevin later agrees to beat anyone up at the request of Terrell, who chooses Chiron as the victim. Under peer pressure, Kevin is forced to beat Chiron. Heartbroken and angry, Chiron retaliates and breaks a chair over Terrellâs back, which gets him arrested.
   The third chapter takes place 10 years after the second. Adult Chiron, now nicknamed Black, is a drug dealer and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He is shown visiting Paula and forgiving her for the neglect she showed him during his childhood. Much to his astonishment, Chiron receives a call from Kevin, who is now a cook. Kevin invites Chiron back to Miami so he can cook him a meal. Chiron drives down to Miami and the two reconnect. Kevin tells Chiron that he has a young son with an ex-girlfriend Samantha. Chiron goes back to Kevinâs place to stay the night and tells him that Kevin is the only one to ever touch him. Chiron rests his head on Kevinâs shoulder and Kevin strokes Chironâs head. The film ends with Chiron as a child standing on the beach.
   The film does a great job at showing the complexity of human sexual identity in a given environment. Sexuality in the movie is never stringently defined. âWhen we shift to a focus of identity⊠the notion that sexual identities are fixed, essential, or unchangingâ should be challenged (Esterberg, Location 5408).  In a way, the films leaves the audience with even more questions. Kevinâs sexual identity is shown through his sexual encounters with both girls (in high school and Samantha) and guys (Chiron). The ending leaves the audience wondering about the future of Chiron and Kevinâs relationship. Chironâs character also exhibits characteristics of being demisexual. Demisexual âindicates an interest in sex that develops only ⊠after one feels very close and intimate with someone ⊠[and is an identity term] developed by the asexual community to more fully account for the complexity of lived experience of asexualityâ (Przybylo, Location 4679). Chiron does not actively seek out sex from Kevin. A big part of Chironâs attraction to Kevin stems from the fact that he has always had a close friendship with Kevin. Thus, Chiron could have very well been asexual though this may not have been the intention of the director.
   The film Moonlight is important because it centers around issues of Black masculinity as well as Black male sexuality. The film presents an intersectional snapshot of a Black man coming to terms with his sexual identity. Filmmakers and movies rarely depict Black gay men as central to the storyline. Furthermore, Kevin, also a central to the story, is a Black bisexual character. Since the film has become so renowned, it has allowed more visibility for gay and bisexual sexualities on a national scale. It counters the idea that drug dealers are threatening and dangerous people with the character Juan, who showed great care for Little. It counters the idea that masculinity in Black men has to be characterized by heterosexuality, aggressiveness, and physical strength. Characters in Moonlight display humanity and vulnerability that is often traits not portrayed in depictions of Black men in media. Ultimately, the film offers a new perspective to view sexuality through Black narratives that can help young Black boys today who are struggling with discovering their Black male sexuality and masculinity.
Taiwan takes historic step toward same-sex marriage legalization
In a landmark ruling on Wednesday, Taiwanâs constitutional court positioned the country to become the first in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
Previously, Taiwanâs civil code had stipulated that marriage must be between a man and a woman.Â
But in a majority opinion, the court ruled that the ban on same-sex unions ran afoul of two articles of the countryâs constitution that upholding human dignity and equality in the eyes of the law, according to the Associated Press. Read more (5/24/17)
    Cisgender and transgender are both terms that relate to gender identity and expression. Cisgender is a term for someone who exclusively identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth. Most people who identify as cisgender conform to gender binary, either male or female. Transgender is an encompassing term of many gender identities of those who do not identify with their assigned sex at birth. Ryan describes transgender as âthe idea of living beyond the gender binary ⊠[and] that there were more than two optionsâ (Ryan, Location 3257-3265). There are a wide range of trans gender identities, including transgender, transgender women, transgender men, transwomen, transmen, trans, and non-binary trans (trans*). Both of the terms cisgender and transgender are not indicative of gender expression, sexual orientation, physical anatomy, or hormonal makeup.
    The idea that there are only two genders has been deeply entrenched in society. âBinary sex and gender expectations surround us; everything from restrooms to clothing to identification cards to religious rites of passage and sporting events relies on a sex/gender binaryâ (Preves, Location 3039). The transgender community believes that gender is fluid and complex, so sometimes it is possible to not identify as either a man or a woman. Thus, the transgender community has struggled more than the cisgender community in obtaining social inclusion and equality in a society where many people are stuck viewing gender through a binary lens. Furthermore, transgender people also struggle with aspects pertaining to external appearance that cisgender people struggle with as well. Looks matter and many people judge others based off of their appearance. The media is guilty of this, as a majority of celebrities, actors, and actresses are good-looking or âhotâ. Due to this fact, both cisgender and transgender people can struggle with self-esteem issues. âWeightism, lookism, and transphobia can combine as a lethal force in trans peopleâs lives, furthering vulnerability for depression, suicide, exploitation, and even violenceâ (Ryan, Location 3436). Many transgender people cannot afford hormonal treatments, which can contribute to this feeling.
    Referring to people using the correct pronouns is very important, as it is one of the most basic ways to show respect for their gender identity. If someone is referred to by the wrong pronoun, it can cause them to feel disrespected and alienated. A personâs gender identity can be different than their external appearance. Making an effort to refer to someone by the right pronoun can promote a trans inclusive space. Furthermore, perception is very important. Jerry who suffers from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis states that â[othersâ conception of what defines a man] is very important because if they donât think of you as one, it is hard to think of yourself as one or it doesnât really matter if you think of yourself as one if no one else doesâ (Roberts, Location 2420-2428). Jerryâs mentality about how others perceive his disability can be paralleled to transgender people. For example, if you want to identify as a woman, but no one else will refer to you using the right pronouns (she/her/hers), then it wouldnât matter if you think of yourself as a woman if no one else does.
    Overall, the readings and the Trans-Inclusive powerpoint were very eye-opening for me. One of my favorite Chinese TV shows, The Jin Xing Show, is hosted by a transgender woman named Jin Xing, who is a ballerina, modern dancer, and choreographer. She was the first transgender woman in China to receive the governmentâs approval to undergo a sex change. Additionally, she is one of the first few transgender women to be officially recognized as a woman by the Chinese government. In From transgender to trans*, Ryan examines the relationship between media and transgender people. She talks about how Caitlyn Jennerâs transition was widely accepted by people because of her ââpassabilityâ as a woman and ability to manifest adequate femininityâ (Ryan, Location 3383). This was an interesting point to me since most of the transgender people in mainstream media in US are very good looking and look distinctly more masculine or feminine. Likewise, Jin Xing is like Caitlyn Jenner in the sense that she looks very feminine. Hopefully in the future, society can embrace more people who are gender fluid.
      The chapter explores the process of studying and gaining insight into peopleâs sexual practices by using surveys. The idea arose in 1986 when the AIDS epidemic was becoming increasingly more alarming. Laumann believed that obtaining more information about the sexual practices of the population was critical to developing âeffective behavioral interventions against the transmission of the diseaseâ (âSurveying Sexâ). Unfortunately, survey funding was inhibited by Congress because conservative political figures opposed the idea of conducting a government-funded survey about sex. Ultimately, the survey was conducted using private funding and cutting the original sample size by 80 percent.
      As a Statistics major, surveys have been a significant topic of study, so this chapter was especially interesting to me. Surveys are crucial since they are a cost-efficient way to uncovering information to important questions. Surveys also can reach a wide range of different people based on what the target demographic is. Laumannâs survey asked questions regarding peopleâs social categorizations such as race, class (income), and gender, so intersectionality applies. In general, intersectionality involves how social categorizations are interconnected when it comes to an individual or group. Intersectionality can be used âas an analytic tool in many different ways to address a range of issues and social problemsâ (âWhat is Intersectionalityâ, 4). In this case, the surveyâs goal was to learn more about sexual practices of people across different social categorizations to devise a solution to the social problem that AIDS was spreading.
      The results of Laumannâs survey were very interesting. The results showed that sexual behaviors and preferences differed between men and women across all aspects like number of lifetime sex partners, reported levels of sexual fantasy, and etc. One of the most surprising discoveries according to him was that people in a mutually monogamous sexual relationship had higher levels of physical and emotional satisfaction than people with overlapping or concurrent sexual relationships. It was interesting to me that even though sexual preferences between men and women were so different, in the end both had the most satisfaction in a monogamous relationship. Laumann only references the results very generally in terms of men and women, but I found myself wanting to know more about specifics like people who identified as heterosexual, homosexual, etc.
      The idea of a sex survey was very intriguing to me. Many of these sex surveys have since been conducted in past years to gain more information about sexual behaviors. In the chapter âTheoretical Perspectivesâ, Jeffrey Weeks is quoted describing that âsexuality has ⊠many histories ⊠[and] is something which society produces in complex waysâ (Weeks 1986: 18-19). Since sexuality is so intricate, it may not be something that can be fully understood through the questions of a survey. Though surveys can absolutely reveal useful information, accurate and fair methods of conducting and analyzing surveys must be employed. In some cases, survey questions rather than survey responses can expose more information. It is possible that sex surveys can contain leading questions or phrasing that will influence the answer to favor a certain answer or sexual normality. Ultimately, I think caution should be taken when interpreting these results.
Meet The Badass Transgender Talk Show Host Who Wants To Be Chinaâs Most Influential Woman
SHANGHAI â They call her âpoison tongue.â Jin Xing has verbally bitch-slapped TV hosts, stormed off sets and carved out a reputation as a straight-talker who does things her own way.
âMy words arenât like massage oil â theyâre like acupuncture needles,â Jin Xing (pronounced âjeen shingâ) told The WorldPost. âThey go right to the nerve and twist it.â
I watch her talk show all the time (itâs amazing!) and itâs one of the most popular shows in China. China is absolutely not a culturally progressive country in terms of LGBT rights, so it is interesting to me that she is accepted so widely by the nation as a whole. Being such a big public figure, she is definitely a leader for transgender rights in China.
Hi everyone! My name is Alice Li (she/her) and I am a rising senior. I am a Statistics major with a minor in Actuarial and Financial Risk Studies. This is my first WGS class and I am looking forward to conversing with everyone. In my free time I enjoy watching movies, listening to music, and reading books.
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