In a Dream That is Real: tales of the past, Present, FUTURE

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjxDRWiyMbU

Grace Kelly

By Mika

 

"I wanna talk to you."

"The last time we talked, Mr. Smith, you reduced me to tears. I promise you it won't happen again."

 

Do I attract you?

Do I repulse you with my queasy smile?

Am I too dirty?

Am I too flirty?

Do I like what you like?

 

I could be wholesome

I could be loathsome

I guess I'm a little bit shy

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like me without making me try?

 

I tried to be like Grace Kelly

But all her looks were too sad

So I try a little Freddie

I’ve gone identity mad!

 

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you walk out the door!

 

"Getting angry doesn't solve anything"

 

How can I help it

How can I help it

How can I help what you think?

Hello my baby

Hello my baby

Putting my life on the brink

Why don't you like me

Why don't you like me

Why don't you like yourself?

Should I bend over?

Should I look older just to be put on your shelf?

 

I tried to be like Grace Kelly

But all her looks were too sad

So I try a little Freddie

I’ve gone identity mad!

 

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you walk out the door!

 

Say what you want to satisfy yourself

But you only want what everybody else says you should want

 

[x2]

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like me?

                                         Why don't you walk out the door!

 

Tales of the past/Present/FUTURE

 

First I was there and now I’m here.

Where was I?: a history.

Where am I?: A present.

Where am I going?: A Future.

 

What do I know? Gender and Sexuality… Gender and Sexuality: a history

 

An educationally stunted public school curriculum. That’s where I was.

A phase one “women in history” curriculum. There was never open discussion. Not on gender. Not on sexuality. Not.

 

Middle School: that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad time (like the day Alexander once had)

“People are calling you a dyke? Just thought you should know. Oh and we’re not friends. Cause people think you’re a dyke. Duh.”

 

High School: April, 2008

“See that girl with the Bryn Mawr College Sweatshirt? AND she has Hillary Clinton sticker! Clearly she must be a lesbian or at least a huge bitch. CLEARLY. See that girl? Did you see her? Did you?”

 

“Did you see?”

 

The discrimination. The consequences. The hurt.

 

English class was a place for that girl to read the occasional feminist writer. “The Awakening,” “The Yellow Wallpaper,” “The…???? nothing,” let’s not get greedy here.

I didn’t know about gender and sexuality, but I knew. At least that girl was lucky to be surrounded by more at home. But more was not a lot. Not enough. No real growth. But soon I would see.

 

Gender and Sexuality: A present. An exploding present. An education.

 

“All species have genetic diversity—their biological rainbow. No exceptions. Biological rainbows are universal and eternal.” – Joan Roughgarden, “Evolutions Rainbow” (p.13)

 

Intelligent. Thoughtful. Outspoken. Joan Roughgarden.

There could not have been a better start to an Interdisciplinary Gender and Sexuality Studies course than Joan Roughgarden. “Evolution’s Rainbow” is a book everyone needs to read.

 

Why?

 

Because “Evolution’s Rainbow” takes science mixed with purpose to show that everything from fish to humans are different. Finally, a way to give concrete evidence for those who think different is wrong, different is bad, different is unnatural. Roughgarden tells them they are the ones that are wrong. Diversity is REAL. Embrace it, live it, love it.

 

Why do humans try to categorize diversity? Why would people want to impose similarity? Have categories been useful? Individually and culturally we have categorized gender and sex. To do what? To achieve norms and ideals? Yes. But is it worth the loss of diversity? No.

 

I’ve always known different was beautiful, but I didn’t know. And now, thanks to Roughgarden, I know.

 

The More I Know, The More I Don’t Know, The More I Want to Know

Gender and Sexuality: A Future…

 

I know a lot and a little. I know about openness. I know of acceptance. I know love of diversity. I now know of explanations for that diversity: explanations through biology, anthropology, sociology, and literature. Explanations through family and friends.

 

…I also know discrimination. I know hurtful words. I know fear of the unknown.

 

But I know there is a future, a future for change. A future of forgiveness where we will work towards understanding, accepting, and respecting one another for who we are, for all of our differences. Listen to Mika. He is everything he is. No apologies. Why would anyone not like him for being himself? He’s not going to change. Change himself to make others more comfortable? Not an option. Not. If people can’t except him, they should just “walk out the door.”

 

The Dream: A Course Curriculum

 

I looked through the window. I had only read so much, talked to nothing, walked a little. And I looked through the window. I saw what was on the other side. I saw the green grass and the tall trees just as they were. Then I read some more, talked out loud, walked further, and I looked again. Things were different. I saw something else. I saw pink flowers among the grass and yellow elephants beside the trees. A beautiful addition, a beautiful change a beautiful difference. Then I read on again, talk yelled, walked into a run. And I looked through the window. Another change. A rainbow appeared all around the flowers, grass, elephants, and trees. And I saw the air. I breathed the air in. I drew in life. And I kept going.

 

Day 16-19

 

Book #1:

“Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality”

By Anne Fausto-Sterling

 

Why “Sexing the Body”?

 

Because “Evolution’s Rainbow” was/is such an important book. By reading “Sexing the Body” we would be able to further explore and expand on science versus society.

 

Let’s look into the body again. Let’s look at ourselves. We are diverse, because we are human. Diversity is a virtue. Let’s put that out there. Let’s let people know. Like Roughgarden, Fausto-Sterling uses a variety of fields and methods to explain that gender and sex categories are socially constructed. She uses science, social and feminist theory, anthropology, and more to help people understand that we are all innately different, it’s society that tries to make us the same. People are afraid of different because they don’t know it, don’t understand it. By putting an explanation out there, Fausto-Sterling is helping people. She is helping people realize their differences are what make them human. Their differences are what make them beautiful. Their differences are what make them different. And different is a good thing.

 

Day 20-23

 

Book #2:

“Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws”

By Kate Bornstein

 

Why Kate Bornstein? Why suicide?

 

Being able to read Kate Bornstein and see Kate Bornstein will give us a greater understanding of Kate Bornstein. Suicide is a problem. Amongst those who see themselves as different: different in a bad way, different in a wrong way… suicide lurks. “Hello Cruel World” will bring a real life quality to the consequences of discrimination and categorization. A sense of urgency for change will be brought forth. If more people knew of the natural beauty of diversity (which books like “Evolution’s Rainbow” and “Sexing the Body” help show), there would be less hate towards it and therefore less death. We are who we are for a reason. But not everyone can see that, even in themselves. Let’s show people an alternative to a cruel world. Kate Bornstein can tell us and show us how.

 

Day 24-26

 

Let’s construct:

Take/draw a picture, write a song/poem/story/scene/dialogue, make a movie/dance. Create.

 

Let’s create something from nothing. Remember social construction? People have created the categories of gender and sexuality. We made them. Since we made them in the first place, let’s make them differently. We can change categories or get rid of them all together. Express a newly created idea about gender and sexuality through art. Expression in the purest form. How did Kate Bornstein perform on stage? How did Anne Faust-Sterling convey diversity? Gender and Sexuality. Not light topics. Not easy to tackle. But tackle them. Make them yours. Make them yours and show it.