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Reading Journal #3: Week 10 (Queer)

The reading this week from Eve Sedgwick focuses in on our topic of Queer, looking at the 7 Axioms from the text, Epistemology of the Closet. Each axiom discusses a component of people, identities, and what "queer" means. This text dates back to 1990, just about 29 years old, however many of the concepts that Sedgwick brings up are very relevant in 2019.

Axiom 1 focuses on the categorization of people, and that not everyone fits directly into a specific mold. Rather, Sedgwick believes we lay on a spectrum for every characteristic, and that no one falls on exactly the same scale. I believe that this idea is extremely accurate in today's society, however, was probably quite a progressive theory in the early 90's. At that point in time, although things were changing, I feel that there was still a strong sense to still force individuals into specific categories. To me, this is one of the most relevant Axioms, as defining individuals is such a highly discussed subject nowadays.

Axiom 2 looks at how sex, gender and sexuality differentiate from one another, while Axiom 3 looks at the conceptualization of lesbian and gay identities. In Axiom 3, Sedgwick goes as far to discuss how “women loving women” gives a “more female” sense and further constructs a homophobic theorization in the world of media. Axiom 4 shifts gears slightly and focuses on the Nature vs. Nurture argument. This axiom believes that these arguments fail to consider the instability of "nature" and "nurture", and in a sense disproves the statement "born this way", as they are all constructed ideas.

Axiom 5 looks at how focusing on past events complicates the perception and understanding of our present. This in turn affects the knowledge behind sexual identity and how our definitions of contexts can be altered. Axiom 6 shifts to discuss the literacy and gay studies and how the two are complexly intertwined with one another. This Axiom focuses more on how text, words and authors change how homosexuality is discussed in literary pieces, looking at how later developments in social awareness ultimately affects how text prior to that was written and understood. Lastly, Axiom 7 is about the difference between “identifying as” something versus “identifying with” something. Its idea is that categories of understanding ideas about gender have been constructed, yet we still feel uncomfortable or find it difficult to force into those molds.  

To me, these ideas that Eve Sedgwick has produced are still quite relevant and have merit in our societies understanding of queer studies. All 7 of the axioms discussed give the reader a greater understanding of how to make sense of identification in the most positive way possible. This text encourages understanding and open discussion, rather than seclusion, which I believe is part of the reason why our society has come as far as it has. Without texts like these, I believe that the majority of our Western world may not be as progressive and developed in our knowledge on the topics discussed in Eve Sedgwick’s text.

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Reading Journal #2: Week 8 (Dis/ability)

This weeks focus was slightly different then those of the previous weeks, looking at individuals and their interactions with others in society. Finishing up Fun Home by Alison Bechdel helped shift our views from the books ideas on gender, to disability and its affects on the characters. There were many instances in Fun Home that focused in on disability and mental health. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Depression were two forms of disability that we discussed within our seminar. Although they may not be visible to those around them, they still are disabling to those who are suffering.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is discussed as being genetic for Bechdel, and having being surrounded by her father who was always concerned with things being done a specific way, it is clear that there were lasting implications on her . life. This was constantly displayed in her repetitive acts, that all stem from the fears of her fathers lifestyle. Her OCD controlled many components of her life, and was a coping mechanism to lessen her anxiety. Bechdel was forced to silently cope with these issues, which was a topic of discussion that we had during our seminars. It is unfortunate when family and those around someone suffering does not fully understand or know how to help, which can make these disabilities much more difficult to deal with.

In the book, the reader sees a scene that shows everyone in Bechdel’s family separated, and that the only thing they would do as a family was eat dinner. These moments obviously had their own impacts on their already deteriorating mental health. The isolation that Bechdel went through caused her to fall into a state of depression. These small events that occurred all contributed to her disabilities, making everything that much worse.

Overall, Fun Home focuses on disabilities that are not visible to the average person. Mental health is not always seen, yet must still be treated fairly and with respect. Bechdel draws attention to the implications and affects that surround an individuals family life. As we continue to grow and learn more as a society, our views on mental health and other disabilities change in a more positive manner. Even myself, I feel that after reading Fun Home, my mind has been opened up to seeing that even small incidents that we see occurring, can be even bigger for someone who is suffering. These sorts of stories are important in expanding our minds to what we may not understand, and I am grateful for the fact that I am able to learn to shape my views on disability in a more positive manner.

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Reading Journal #1: Week 4 (Race)

Finishing “The Hate U Give” this week gave me a lot to think about, especially going into our first seminars. Race is a topic that I often don’t think about and I believe that its due to my white privilege. It can often be an uncomfortable topic, especially in a time where so much controversy exists. However, our lecture and seminars, I became more comfortable having these discussions. In the safety of our classroom, I was able to grasp a better understanding of race and the parts of being African American that many do not understand unless they have dealt firsthand. This in turn has opened a new door on this topic, as well as given me the opportunity to gain a better sense of awareness. 

I was fully aware of the Black Lives Matters movements, the riots and ongoing effects of police brutality that are occurring worldwide. However, since I’m not one who was directly impacted, I think that I struggled to connect with those who did, since I could not put myself in their shoes. During our lecture, we discussed “The Whiteness Project”, which was something that I had never heard about. After leaving class, I decided to take a further look and was appalled when hearing some of the statements made. One in particular that stood out to me was from a white male who said, “I feel that Caucasian individuals are more suppressed than African Americans.” The feeling that sat with me after hearing that was of pure disgust. I felt that even though I could not directly relate to African American’s who have dealt with certain issues, I know that these statements are extremely false. It is moments like these that I am so grateful to have the opportunity to take classes like this that allow me to gain a better understanding on difficult topics like race. “The Hate U Give” was an extremely insightful read and I feel that it connected to the audience as young adults. I became socially aware of culture and race in the media when I was in high school. The Black Lives Matter Movement took off in 2013, and while I read the book, felt very representative of the “Real life” events that occurred. Much of the media coverage that occurred during this time period was reflected in the text. Towards the end of the book when riots and protests were occurring, I couldn’t help but think of the riots that occurred in Ferguson in 2014, as well as the numerous other protests that have occurred since then. I think the beauty behind “The Hate U Give” is that anyone can create a personal connection to the story, no matter what race they identify as. Someone who is African American may identify more literally with the text, understanding the daily struggles that Starr deals with. Someone like myself can connect more with the perspective of it, seeing police brutality in the media and seeing a more personal view on how it impacts certain people’s lives. Overall, I feel that the assigned reading for this week, as well as our seminars and class discussions truly gave me a better sense of understanding race which is something that can be difficult to grasp.