In preparation for Tuesday's class, I'd like you to do two things: First, take a moment to reflect on the Brave Space Training. What did you learn from this experience, and how are thinking and feeling about queer issues after last week's training?
Second, identify a key issue or point from Hall's third chapter--"Queering Class, Race, Gender, and Sexual Understanding"--that you take to be central to understanding his larger argument in this chapter. What is his point? And what does he write (so make sure to integrate at least one quotation/citation from his writing that helps you in your analysis) that helps convey this point? Last, why do you think this point is important and what question(s) does it raise for you that you would like the rest of us to discuss in class on Tuesday?
As usual, please aim for at least 250 words. Include a quotation (cited, with page number) from the text, and take care to edit your response. Thank you!
Second, identify a key issue or point from Hall's third chapter--"Queering Class, Race, Gender, and Sexual Understanding"--that you take to be central to understanding his larger argument in this chapter. What is his point? And what does he write (so make sure to integrate at least one quotation/citation from his writing that helps you in your analysis) that helps convey this point? Last, why do you think this point is important and what question(s) does it raise for you that you would like the rest of us to discuss in class on Tuesday?
As usual, please aim for at least 250 words. Include a quotation (cited, with page number) from the text, and take care to edit your response. Thank you!
Although I wasn’t there for the first part of the Brave Space training. From what I heard from the panel, and just from life experiences. There are many things that people don’t think about when they think of the Queer Community and what they go through. On the flip side, there are some things even the Queer Community doesn’t think of. Like when it was discussed on how the action of coming out affects other people, especially close family. An important thing to note when being a brave space for someone is there needs to be a lack of judgement no matter what the issue may be. If it doesn’t seem like a large issue to you, it may be huge for that person, and that needs to be taken with the most compassion and importance.
ReplyDeleteA key point from Hall’s third chapter of Queer Theories was that sexuality is not just about sex and who is having sex with whom. Sexuality can be anything. On page 105, they discussed that many things are being sexualized, that aren’t just people. An example they bring up that is taboo is “bestialism” which is being sexually attracted to animals. That’s a topic that we don’t bring up a lot, or it’s used as a joke, because it’s an unspoken rule that it’s not okay. But we need to think about why we use that as a joke. When was it decided that it was weird and not appropriate? This is used in his main point that being queer and queering different communities has its own factors that come into play, like class, gender, and sexual orientation as Hall has pointed out in the title of the chapter. A relevant topic that has been in the news recently, and may be discussed in class, has been the movement for Pedophiles, and their sexual attraction, to not be stigmatized. I think we should discuss how that affects the LGBTQ+ community. It’s been known for decades that being sexually attracted to children is inappropriate and to even act upon it is against the law. Something to think about is why do we know that it’s not okay to be a pedophile and what brought up the idea to destigmatize being attracted to children romantically and sexually.
Yes, no matter how much we learn about all the multiple experiences within the queer community, I, too, value finding ways to expand my knowledge and awareness. It requires ongoing curiosity, listening, and work. You raise some important points from this chapter, too, that are very worth continuing to think more about. Thanks!
DeleteAfter listening to the guest speakers and my classmates, one of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned from the Brave Space Training is how important it is not to pressure anybody into feeling like they need or should come out. One thing that really resonated with me came from Dr. Brooks who said that being lesbian is just apart of who she is, it’s not who she is. The Brave Space Training made me think about my friends who are apart of this community, and how I can become a better ally to them. This training also raises the question: How can more students participate in The Brave Space Training? Especially if they are not taking PJ or WGS courses? How can we raise awareness about LGBTQ+ issues on campus?
ReplyDeleteA key point that I think Hall raises in his third chapter is, in order to have an authentic and successful discussion on queer theories, it must include different perspectives and voices from a wide variety of individuals. Hall states, “in our ideal definition of ‘queer theories,’ a dynamic dialogue in which discussions of race and ethnicity are necessary components of the field…” (Hall, 92). I think this point is important because we must realize that every queer person experience things differently. In order to have a more successful discussion about queer theories, we must be mindful about how a person’s race or gender could shape their experiences. By including different perspectives and voices allows us to see how someone who is queer and white might have a different experience from someone who is queer and African-American. Moreover Hall notes, “proliferation as itself valuable” -- meaning the more perspectives the better (Halls, 108). A question that this chapter raised for me is: how can a queer theorist find a balance between writing about a person of color experience without speaking for them?
Thank you, Laura, for your thoughtful response here. I agree that in many ways, we really need to avoid thinking that people "should" have to do anything when it comes to the ways they navigate their own lives in response to their sexuality and gender identifications (and expressions). And the points you emphasize from Hall are important ones, especially your interest in exploring further the intersections of race and ethnicity with sexuality, an issue we will continue to explore as the semester unfolds.
DeleteAfter having a few days to reflect on the activities and discussions from the Brave Space Training, I feel a greater sense of empathy, privilege and still some guilt which leads me to wanting to continue learning about the hurdles the LGBTQ+ community faces. The star activity put into perspective how we always learn and hear statistics relating to hate or oppression faced by the community but in reality, seeing each piece of a star on the ground especially at the end when some didn't have stars at all, was a wakeup call. Even if we don't explicitly see, hear, or feel this hate, it may be closer to home (even in the Regis community) than we think. It is important to be an ally in time of need.
ReplyDeleteA key point that Hall points out in this chapter which interlaces with his larger argument is about the continuous change and difficulty of understanding how queer theorization fits in society as a whole. On page 90 he goes into the issue of class, race, and gender by arguing, "Queer theorization may always have certain class collusions and constraints because it is theory accessible primarily to those with a university education and that references previous intellectual work which itself if class-inflicted…to move beyond the formulaic and to incorporate into their analysis an awareness of oppression arising from prescriptive notions of sexual identity and activity." This is important because it made me realize the privilege we have of having the ability, freedom, and choice to be learning about this topic at a university. Even more so, a crucial piece to this is the harsh realization of any unconscious bias that we may carry. Thus it is important to integrate opinions and experiences of those who fall under the queer community but also a diverse social, race, or gendered class.
Good points, Andrea. And I agree that the star activity is a very profound one, and it should raise the concerns and questions that it did for you. As we all continue to grapple with the ways we are privileged, we'll continue to explore ways, too, that we can act with integrity and compassion and do more to be part of the solution (rather than the problem). Glad to see you raising the issues are you at this point in the course.
DeleteOne of the major parts of the Brave Space training that I feel more educated on is the coming out simulation. I knew that coming out can either go really positively, mixed or negatively. I have heard the narratives and have had a few people in my life come out to me before. Yet it really took me to an emotional state because even though I can never fully understand what it is like to come out as a different sexuality/gender, I could at least get some sense of how scary it can be. With my colored star especially, it was very deep for me to experience. I feel even more motivated to speak up on queer issues and why I believe in being an even better ally for the people in my life and on campus than I was beforehand.
ReplyDeleteAs for Chapter 3 of Queer Theories, I think Hall’s central point is that in order to talk about queer issues, we have to listen to the challengers as well. This dialogue will then push us to have meaningful discussions not just about queer theory, but any other theory that relates to various hot topics. Hall writes the following:
“The challenging voices of the activists above should be seen as vital to the continuing dialogue and dynamism of queer theories as ongoing (and never self-satisfied) projects of social critique and political abrasion.” (Hall 90).
Of course, it can be hard, but it will teach any of us that each person who identifies with the LGBTQIA+ community has their story to tell and why it is that person’s specific narrative.
Yes, this activity works well to recreate some of the emotional experience of coming out and allows us to see the many different kinds of experiences queer people face. You're right, too, that as academics/students we need to continue to listen and learn from those activists who are engaged in community work, for they have insights into many things that we might not (and also vice versa--it's a mutual relationship worth cultivating).
DeleteThe Brave Space training reminded me just how important it is to care about queer issues. The star exercise was the most compelling part of the training to me. I was shocked at how high the suicide rate in the LBGTQ community was. But now that I know about it I am eager to learn more about queer issues in class and learn how to open up dialogue with others about them to hopefully bring more awareness to these issues.’
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 3 of Queer theories Hall opens up questions what topics should be included in queer theory or as an extension of queer theory. He even discusses topics that are criminal or controversial to talk about. I liked when Hall talked about the role of race and queer bodies in the chapter. I liked Reid-Pharr’s quote, “We must insist on a queer theory that takes the queer body and what we do with it as a primary focus, lest we allow for the articulation of a queer subjectivity that never recognizes the differences we create and carry in our bodies, including not only race but gender, health, and age, to name only the most obvious categories.” (93) I like this quote because it encourages queer theory to consider other forms of oppression besides being queer. And questions just how these queer bodies who may face more than one form of oppression should address these multiple forms of oppression.
Thanks, Mollie! Yes, the issue of (teen) suicide among queer people is such an important issue to reflect on and to continue to find ways to mitigate. And I even think part of the answer lies in the intersectional impulse behind the other point you raise. If we're going to do a good job working towards justice for ALL queer people, we have to account for all the other forms of oppression queer people might face by virtue of their other identities and how we embody them.
DeleteAfter the Brave Space Training I felt a heaviness in my heart. It was an odd feeling because for the first time I found myself on the outside looking in at the ways in which the LGBTQ+ community is marginalized. For the first time I realized that I don’t really know how to be an ally because I’ve always been an advocate from the inside for all the marginalized groups that I belong too. It was so weird being confronted with my truth and having to tarry with my straight privilege. But I believe that having come face-to-face with it will make me a better ally in the future.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that really stood out to me about the reading is the way that Hall addresses how capitalism has change the way we see political activism. On page 90 he says, “so too is it too seductive and somewhat grotesque to think that we are performing important “queer” political work by piercing our noses, purchasing a bumper sticker or T-shirt, or, frankly, by writing a piece of abstrusely where did literary criticism for publication in a scholarly journal.” He explains that queer theory may always have certain limitations due to the fact that the “easiest” way to get access to queer theory literature is by coming into higher education, making it so that one’s class status affects the information that they have access to. It’s crazy to think that the elitist nature of capitalism can control peoples access to information which directly affects society’s ability to bring about systemic change.
Thank you, Sally, for your vulnerable self-reflection here. It can be challenging to face the ways you might be privileged when you've been used to thinking and acting more through the ways in which you're marginalized. (I've certainly had that experience myself and it can be humbling.) And also, as you suggest, so important! So keep reflecting on how this course and this material is getting you to complicate your own understanding of your social position. And your thoughts about capitalism are important to raise, too: On the one hand, Hall is warning us against a kind of consumerist activism, one that might be too much importance on image, style, and pop culture appropriation (so consumption not as a form of activism); and then also that access to education and information and knowledge absolutely is structured by our class standing. And at this point, no matter our economic background, by virtue of being in this class together, we are all benefitting from some kind of privilege.
DeleteI’d never taken a Brave Space Training, frankly, I didn’t even know that Regis offered it for various courses/workshops. For that same reason, I think I learned a lot, from terms like heteronormativity and fluidity to becoming more aware of how individual/difficult coming out stories may be. The coming out stars had the most impact on me. I had a red star and the thought of not having important elements of my life was heartbreaking. For those that ripped up their stars, those that represented those whom had lost their life for a lack of understanding and support, made me realize how frightening coming out is. It’s not a simple, linear process and there is no knowing how others may react. For a lot of people, like myself, who aren’t as educated or involved, often times don’t understand the statistics, much less the stories. Brave Space Training could benefit us all, not just those taking specific courses/workshops.
ReplyDeleteHall’s third chapter questions, challenges, and recognizes the lack of diversity in ‘queer theory’ academics and conversations. He reiterates a need for the recognition of intersectionality in queer theories; this lack of intersectionality conditions ‘queer theory’ to become binary and even harmful to others, especially those within the LGBTQIA+ community. It gives way for it to be normalized in the sense that it creates internal and fairly common systems of oppression (racism, misogyny, or etc.). On page 107, Hall states, “Thus the point to which I return to concluding the “theory” section of this book is that for any dynamic of queer dissensus to operate successfully, for a model of energetic dialogue, challenge, intellectual articulation, interrogation, and clarification to work as optimally as possible, it must involve numerous individuals from a very wide variety of discursive positions, critical methodologies, and divergent sexual desires and agendas.” In these two sentences, we find a need to expand and diversify queer theory. It has to enter different kinds of conversations/dialogue that continue to enrich queer theory; a safe space where it is acceptable for this theory to enter other social justice conversations.
I'm glad the training proved so useful for you and that it helped provide you with the kinds of insights you describe. The coming out stars activity can be very intense and impactful. And you're also very right in emphasizing the need for queer theory to continue to interrogate its own norms and engage in a much more intersectional analysis.
DeleteBrave Space training was something I had actually done before as a part of a volunteer position at a leadership and diversity camp. And even though I've done this training before, it still hurts everytime. Hearing narratives of how someone comes out and how that goes for them made me reflect on my own coming out experience and how lucky I was. I also really appreciated the panel, as a bi woman hearing another open bi woman in an academic setting and knowing she comes out was an example I'd like to set when I get older.
ReplyDeleteOne thing Hall brings up is the damage queer theory has done to the transgender members of the community. It is a point that leads to a larger one about inclusivity, however this is a foundational point of the argument. Hall says, "Yet others in the still developing field of transsexual/transgender theory have been far more critical to date. Activist Vivian K Namaste blasts 'queer theory' for its 'absolute neglect of everyday life for transgender people' ... This call for attention to lived experience and the violence of life withing queer communities" (Hall 97). In this critique of queer theory, which Hall agrees with to an extent, is vital in understanding how to make queer theory more adaptive to all members and include their narratives.
Thanks, Eileen. I especially appreciate your point about the power of having visible role models, especially within higher education. It's something that some of us can start to take for granted, but always good to remember how necessary such visibility is for our well-being. And the point you raise from the reading is very important, and I would add that in addition to addressing the topic of trans issues, Namaste is making a point about not overlooking the materiality of trans folks experiences. That is, we can't just theorize about the queerness of their experience, we must continue to confront and address their lived experience and the violence they often face.
DeleteThis brave space seemed really different for me. I think by now I have done it two or three times all the way through, and I've been on maybe three of four panels. Somethings always stay the same, they get tired, but then I have to remind myself that this training is as much for me as my straight counterparts. I think that part of the reason that Brave Space is so impactful is that it serves as a one stop shop for people trying to understand queer people, but in that, it also could be a space for queer people trying to learn about themselves. What I become increasingly aware of as I do Brave Space Trainings, especially when they are a part of a class I am in is that the space changes as we are doing the training. While it may not be queered fully, I think Brave Spaces serve as a sort of social compost, supplementing the very fabric of social interactions within the space to create an opening for queer people that might have taken a lot more time otherwise. It almost serves as an invitation to the table of queerness because people can now understand how things might feel or how confusing things might be. For me, I think I become increasingly thankful for Brave Spaces the more that I do them, even though it is a repetition but I think that it is a positive one that does a great deal to create space.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Regi, again for serving on the panel and helping out with this training. And I agree, each time I do the training as either a facilitator or a participant, I learn more about our context, each other, and myself. I think any time I tell my story, I'm rethinking it and reflecting in new and different ways on my own experience. So thank you for thinking about it in these kinds of ways.
DeleteI have moved through the brave space training a couple of times now; It was no easier this time than last, nor was it less emotionally exhaustive. At times, I find myself tarrying with my role in such a training; similarly, I find myself wondering who the training is really for and at whose expense the training operates. This last time, I found myself not only heavy--moved by the shear weight of the narratives, statistics, and activities--but also grateful, grateful that I contributed in some small meaningful way to both the comfort and discomfort of others.
ReplyDeleteI love Hall more and more each time I read him! His work is inquisitive, novel, and holistic. Hall's reparative workings on the dimensions and shortcoming of queer theory--especially within the eddies of high academia--to be inclusive, accessible, and intersectional. I was particularly drawn to the area on Gloria Anzaldúa. (I am a huge Anzaldúa follower) Hall quotes Anzaldúa, saying: "What we are suffering from is an absolute despot duality that says we are able to be only one or the other . . . I am the embodiment of 'hieros gamos:' the coming together of opposites within" (94). He gestures towards the future of queer theory, charging readers and scholars alike with the development of an intersectional queer theory--one that encompasses for the queerness that interwraps in other dynamics.
I hear you! As empowering as these trainings are, they do impose a certain kind of toll on queer folks, too. My ultimate hope, though, is that through these experiences we are able to form/reform our community, to open up spaces where the traumas of queer experience find some sort of healing and understanding. I'm very appreciative of the presence and work of other queer folks in the room. And your appreciation of Anzaldua is great to know about. She's a very important writing/activist/thinker who has very important perspectives that help us develop a much more intersectional queer theory.
DeleteReflecting back on the Brave Space Training, I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to participate. Instead of just putting up posters or sending an email with a catchy phrase, Brave Space really provided a space for a queerness that was meaningful and made me really think about the queerness of the Regis campus. I really enjoyed the panel, not just because it provided some real life stories and experiences, but because it created some representation. Regis is not a notoriously queer campus but giving members of our community a chance to tell their stories in a safe space, showed me that the queerness is out there. My hope would be to see this training extended to more of campus. When I spoke about the Brave Space training none of my friends knew what I was talking about. I know one of the ways Regis makes sure a whole class is getting important information and experiences is through the first year freshman experience. I hope in the future Brave Space could be a part of that, making it more widespread across campus.
ReplyDeleteThe main argument that encompasses most of Hall’s points in this chapter is that queer theory needs diversity and inclusiveness in order to be factual, operate correctly, and be properly understood.“Thus the point to which I return in concluding the ‘theory’ section of this book is that for any dynamic of queer dissensus to operate successfully, for a model of energetic dialogue, challenge, intellectual articulation, interrogation, and clarification to work as optimally as possible, it must involve numerous individuals from a very wide variety of discursive positions, critical methodologies, and divergent sexual desires and agendas” (Hall 107). Queer theory relies on all of the aspects Hall stated above and requires a lot, because it is such a complex and deeply rooted theory.
Yes, agreed! It is good to see the ways in which queerness does exist and flourish at Regis, and even though we have much work to do in terms of promoting and supporting this kind of inclusiveness, we do have something worth celebrating.
DeleteI was very glad to read in the syllabus that we were doing the Brave Space training for this class. I participated in it once before in my Intro to Women and Gender Studies class with Professor Knorr and really enjoyed it. I think it is an important thing that everyone should experience at least once. I also think it would be valuable to take what we learned in the Brave Space training out into the larger community of Regis. I will admit that I left both classes feeling very emotional and thinking very hard about lots of things but that is a good thing and I am sure it helped get the gears turning for me to reach out to my community with these issues instead of only grappling with them myself.
ReplyDeleteHall’s central point of this chapter is that Queer Theory really cannot be strong or all-encompassing unless it is intersectional. He talks a lot about the history of Gay and Lesbian movements and cites some authors that called them too white or specific. These authors along with Hall really believe in intersectionality and tell us that these identities cannot be separated. Hall wrote, “a dynamic of dialogue in which discussions of race and ethnicity are necessary components of the field, even if we never forget that a critique of sexuality cannot always and only do the work of challenging racism and ethnocentrism in their many manifestations,” (page 92). This really captures the central idea in my opinion.
I'm glad you were able to continue to find meaning in this experience (even as you had completed it before), and that the emotional impact was productive for you. And yes, yes, yes, to the call for a greater embrace of intersectionality within queer theory!
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ReplyDeleteI have completed the Brave Space training in a previous class, however this one was as I felt more inclusive. In my previous Intro to Women’s and Gender Studies course it did not feel like everyone wanted to be in the Brave Space training. With this course being more focused toward the LGBTQIA+ community I felt as though everyone was interested in the training. I feel as though from the training I can be more of an ally to the community. Through the training we learned how to listen and communicate on a bigger platform within the community. I think that my role is to listen to the issues within the LGBTQIA+ community so that I can learn more and help to speak up in conversations where others are not listening to the differing opinion.
Hall’s main point to me is stated on page 93 of the reading, “This call to interrogate continuously, to engage critically our incorporation of identities and the desires that flow from and back into our identities, points us to the future of the file of queer theories…” The main point is to think before integrating certain aspects in the Queer community. Like we discussed in class about “queerifying” items and spaces. I think that Hall is stating that we must be conscientious of what we add the term Queer to and what theories we do as well.
Yes, you're so right to emphasize the role of listening in all of this, especially if we're to find our way to fostering a just world for queer people. To even know what that might be, we have to listen to those who have been oppressed to better understand their experience and what might be important steps to rectify injustice. And yes, we must be conscientious, and even more pointedly, we must continue to ask tough questions about the assumptions we make and the norms within which we operate.
DeleteWhile I have done the brave space training before, I continue to find it be impactful. Hearing statistics and stories relating the lgbtq+ community always makes me emotional. The exercise stirs up memories of friends and loved ones, but even without a direct personal relationship to the issue, this training is emotionally challenging. While I know guilt is a fairly useless emotion, being able to reflect on our past behaviors and actions is what allows us to grow. Human relationships are messy, and sometimes other important factors prevent us from providing the best support for loved ones when they are struggling with issues of identity. Doing this exercise again made me reconsider how I am showing up to support people, especially those with whom I have complicated relationships. Real relationships are usually complicated.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the reading for today, I am excited to go more in depth with the complexities presented in this chapter. As is stated throughout this book, queer theory is by definition non-fixed and non-rigid, making it difficult to fully grasp. Furthermore, it is difficult to maintain a theory based around “para-doxa,” or “That which would resist and disturb the beliefs and forms and codes of that culture” in practice. (87). Or rather, a theoretical framework is defined by it’s deviance from norms, popular opinions, and narrow perspectives is challenging to uphold relative to our tendency to fall into “The self-satisfaction, stasis, and sterility of the doxa.” (88). Many contradictions exist within this framework, and critiques of queer theory exist, including ones the author considers valid such as the tendency of queer theory to exclude the relevance of other identities as they relate to sexuality. However, what is so intriguing about this body of knowledge is that it is again, by definition complex and pluralistic, leaving space for both criticism and a variety of perspectives that allow for fluidity and growth.
I had written this on this day, but for some reason it did not publish. Sorry about that!
DeleteGot it! Thank you!
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