This course explores the ways in which objects and material culture embody personal narrative. Moving back and forth from ephemeral traces of events and experiences to the culturally invested luxury goods that create legacy to the objects that facilitate daily life, this class will use, as its primary references, examples that draw from queer and African American cultures to underscore the potential of objects to tell the stories that not only reflect majority traditions and experiences but those of the disenfranchised, the details of whose lives are often obscured. In addition to readings that will provide background for class discussion, student will be asked to play the roles of detectives, archeologists, and curators at various sites around New York City. Each student will also be asked to create an annotated material record that reveals the public and private lives of one individual. That record may consist of texts, objects or any variety of media chosen or designed by the student. This blogs serves as an archive for the work done in the context of this course and related materials that become relevant to this exploration.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Genderfcked at Central Michigan University

http://www.cm-life.com/article/2014/10/sex-and-genderfcked
 
At Central Michigan University they have a new form of sex ed aimed to cover and educate many of the topics forgotten by most high school health classes. In addition to giving misinformation, if not even culturally shaming information, many high schools completely ignore all orientations other than heterosexual. They also neglect mentioning gender identity. In addition to the fact that different orientations require different precautions and care, they are also missing an opportunity to help young people questioning their orientation and identity. Now that we live in a time where there are more labels than gay and straight and male and female, it can be very confusing for young people to know where they fit in. Many people in minority orientations or gender identities realize they fall into that category upon learning the term for the first time. And prior to that, many feel confused or like they are a strange exception to society. This is a great idea and program, but it leads me to think it would be much more important for these lessons to come sooner rather than later.

Posted by Briana Lynch

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