Day: February 6, 2018

One of the objects from our visit to the Special Collections that particularly stood out to me was an article for the Empty Closet called “Lesbian Life and Happiness In Rochester”, which was published in the April 1985 paper. The article describes a lesbian couple who had been together for 50 years having to keep their relationship a secret, and buried in lies. Lies that they were only together to cut the cost of living, never able to reveal that they were lovers. This stood out to me because I didn’t think much of the lengths to which same- sex couples had to go in order to protect themselves. The article also describes resource centers such as the Lesbian Resource Center, the Gay Alliance, and the Metropolitan Community Church. I think that this article is important to campus and city communities because it acknowledges the difficultiy of being in a same- sex relationship, and the fears that society won’t accept it.

The day after the inauguration of Donald Trump, I went to the Women’s March on Raleigh. The streets of Downtown Raleigh were flooded with people, both men and women. In my ignorance, I did not notice that the turnout at the march was nearly all white men and women until I went home and read about the Women’s March. Several of the articles mentioned that while the aim of the Women’s Marches was positive, it failed at achieving intersectionality and was only focused on a brand of white feminism. This became more apparent when I went on Instagram, and in the comments section of a feminism account I follow, it discussed the problematic nature of “token selfies” of the Women’s Marches. This made me upset because while it came across like an attempt at inclusivity and visibility, the majority of the posts seemed like only a pass at celebrating diversity.

-ML

1. I know I’ve already spoken and written about it, but Stephen Lein’s letter to the editor in the campus times really did strike me as being significant for our school community. From my perspective, while there has been considerable progress regarding the inclusion, protection, and even celebration, of LGBT+ students on campus, the University of Rochester still has a way to go. This letter pushes the school to take responsibility for its inadequacies and to actively disavow homophobic actions on the part of its own faculty. People who hold power over others usually don’t relinquish it unless compelled to, and Lein definitely did some compelling. Showcasing this letter would be a reminder to both students and faculty that their actions, whether they are interpreted as positive or negative, impact the school as a whole in many cases.

2. The other day, a friend of mine wrote a Facebook post tangentially related to the experience of having a vagina, and used the phrase “women and/or uterus havers.” While her post didn’t explicitly exclude trans women or nonbinary people who were assigned male at birth (that “and/or” certainly complicates things linguistically), it still didn’t sit quite right with me. I try not to get too hung up on language when I can tell people’s intentions are good, and this really wasn’t a big deal, but it shows that progress is a process, I think. Hopefully, if we all keep at it, we’ll find a way to make the language of identity even more respectful and meaningful.

The object that I found very interesting was the Gay Liberation Front’s Info pamphlet that was at the table that I was it. I found it interesting, because it had a lot of valuable information about the group’s main purpose. I found the 5 Truths that were in the front page very interesting, because that is how the message of the Gay Liberation Front was made clear for people. The pamphlet also has a lot of historical context, especially in regard to the University of Rochester. My partner and I were both looking at how the campus used to look in that time period. It is interesting to get a feel for how the campus was and how it is now. That is why I think having this pamphlet as part of an exhibit would be great, because people will be able to see that history behind the Gay Liberation Front and what exactly it stood for, along with showing the structure of the campus at the time.

For me, the issue that I have seen often and still currently see is the exclusion of Queer People of Color. I have seen a lot of LGBTQ+ films and in pretty much all of them, you will only see white queer people or just one or two queer people of color. Even the television shows and movies that focus on Queer People of Color characters, still play on other various stereotypes that are associated with race. For example, we were having a discussion in the Queer Students of Color Circle meeting about the lack of Queer Characters of Color and Orange is the New Black was brought up. We discussed how the show has various Queer Characters of Color, but the main character is still a white queer woman. Another big issue was that in a way, the show was glorifying being in jail especially because of how the majority of people in jail are people of color and also how there is a mindset that everyone in jail is having sexual encounters with one another. I feel that we need to have shows that portray Queer People of Color as the main characters, but also without having to use other stereotypes associate with people of color in order to create it either. That way younger queer people of color will have more exposure to situations and character that are relatable to them to help them as they learn more about themselves.

I think the diary that I read from the gay male graduate student (whose name I wish I had written down) who attended U of R in the 1970s stood out to me because the entries were so personal yet so relatable.  I loved the anecdotes that were written in about the early days of the Gay Liberation club, and how people would give them flack but often they were able to laugh it off.  I loved hearing the stories of the first few trans information panels on which trans people would share their experiences and educate people about trans issues.  I think this diary would be incredibly important to include in an exhibition about queerness at the University of Rochester because it provides a first hand account of what life was like for the queer people here during the early days of the Gay Liberation Movement.

One example of inclusion I encountered that left me feeling unsatisfied was the depiction of a queer couple on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy.  The couple is a female-female couple, one of them lesbian and one of them bisexual.  In the scenes with this couple, the chemistry was abhorrently non-existent I felt like I was watching people kiss as if it the other had terrible breath or something.  Their expressions didn’t change, they looked bored, and it was very disappointing.  I find it very important to represent queer intimacy on television because most drama and comedy shows on today include tons of heterosexual intimacy or passion, and yet often queer couples kiss as if their grandmother is watching.  Perhaps this was just a case of bad acting, but I really thought that perhaps the scene could have been written and directed better as well.

-RF

One of the objects from the Special Collections that we visited during our last class that I found most interesting was the dairy entries from a previous student at the University of Rochester. In his diary entries, this student described his interactions with transgender individuals in the Rochester community.   I think that the inclusion of this specific object in a public exhibit would be important because it may help show transgender experiences in the time frame that the diary was written, the late 1970’s to the early 1980’s. The diary also does a good job at showing the authors progression to meeting a transgender individual for the first time to learning more about transgender issues and attending and facilitating transgender forums at the University of Rochester. The author talked about specific transgender experiences such as an individual transitioning after marriage and what came along with the transition, in this case divorce. While these experiences are not told by a transgender individual, I still think it shows transgender experiences at the time. 

I think that throughout the LGBTQ movement, the movement has mainly been focused on white gay men rather than minorities or even individuals that identify as bisexual, transgender, gender queer, pansexual, etc. I think that this is displayed in both the policies that the LGBTQ movement has fought for an media representation of LGBTQ issues. For example, a big focus in LGBTQ policies has been in winning the fight for gay marriage. Meanwhile, minority members of the LGBTQ community have been fighting for simple rights such as the right to use the bathroom of their identified gender. Minority communities also face systematic racism which, with the possible stigma LGBTQ members may face, just makes it that much harder for individuals. Inclusion and representation is important for minorities in LGBTQ communities because it allows people who identify with those represented feel less alone and have a role model to look to.

 

The objects that were present at my table were a collection of articles that contained information about lesbians during the history of Rochester. One of the articles that I read was written in the campus times for the University of Rochester. The piece was deeply personal as the author reflected on her  experience as a lesbian at the University of Rochester at the time when the Gay Liberation Front was founded. She spoke about how she knew of some other lesbians because of word of mouth and that she had been hoping to find more at the GLF meetings but was unsuccessful because the majority of people at the meetings were always men. One of her biggest points, however, was that the reason that she had been unable to meet other lesbians was because they were all afraid to come out for some reason or another.  This fear stemmed from the fact that  they might not be accepted for who they were and was perpetrated, in some ways, by the lack of a group to represent them specifically.

The first part of the article that I read talked about how women didn’t show up to GLF meetings, possibly because they did not feel included in the meetings. One of the explanations for this exclusion could simply be in the naming of the group. By using the term “gay” as opposed to some all-encompassing term (LGBTQ+, queer, etc) the Gay Liberation Front could have made anyone who did not identify as “gay” feel as though they were not welcomed. This is an example of one of the simplest forms of exclusion that I have found throughout my life: using the term “gay” as an encompassing term for the LGBTQ+ community.  In my personal experience, my high school had a Gay Straight Alliance my freshman through junior years. Although it never prevented me from going to meetings, the fact that I was not represented in the name of a group that I felt as though I belonged in could have made me feel as though I was not supposed to be a part of that group. My senior year, the Gay Straight Alliance changed its name to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. Because of this change, myself and other people who did not identify as gay could feel as though they were really represented by the group.

The Campus Times has apparently been a place to vent anger over the school’s oppressive systems for longer than I thought, with several editorial columns about such issues even back in the 1970s. I was particularly intrigued by a few articles from May 1971 decrying Eastman Dean Flora Burton’s homophobic policies. These articles were harshly critical both of Dean Burton’s threatening of students discovered to be having gay sex, and of the administration’s refusal to respond to these allegations. My impression had always been that this was not the kind of issue that earned a place in newspapers any time before the past two decades or so, and it was surprising to me to learn not only that it was talked about, but that people were able to be so vocal about it. I also thought it was very relevant to current events on campus—protests against racism, the sexual harrassment lawsuits, and so on—where we STILL see the administration’s refusal to enact actual beneficial change in response. If anything could be found, I would want to include with these something indicating whether any changes came about after these articles, or if the administration’s inactivity was just as pervasive back then.

Lack of inclusion is something that I, as a non-binary person, notice almost constantly in my everyday life. Our language is so deeply coded with binary-gendered speech that this exclusion is essentially unavoidable. I am always particularly aware of phrases people use that are meant to address everyone in an audience, but still depend on gender divisions—for example, when a crowd is addressed as “ladies and gentlemen,” or when the members of a group are spoken of as “brothers and sisters.” Even spaces where the existence of non-binary people is recognized frequently use expressions like these. Just the other day, I saw an intersectional feminist page comment about “support for our black brothers and sisters,” yet also posting about issues for non-binary people, which blatantly ignores that non-binary people of color do exist. This exclusion, of course, is only one part of it; beyond that there are issues of pronouns, “polite” terms of address (which are usually limited to “sir” or “ma’am”), and the fact that Hylan building has a small bathroom on each of its 11 floors and all of them are gendered.

An object that really stood out to me during our session at the Rare Books and Special Collections library was the little section in my article of the Empty Closet. My article was dated January 1975 Number 46, the small section in the newspaper was titled: “Transexual Murder.” I think that this piece is important and if we can find others like it, that they should be included in the exhibition for a few reasons. One, I think that it shows the progression of the LGBTQ movement and how trans people were not included in the moment originally. I think that highlighting this is important because its essential to show where the movement started and how far the movement has improved since then. Second, I think this piece and other like it are important because it generates questions about the trans population that is now included in the LGBTQ moevement as well as calls to question other forms of identity, such as class and race.

In the article, it tells the story of Leah Wilder, age 33 who was murdered off campus in the city of Rochester in 1975. Her story can be found only if you were to look through the paper carefully. I honestly glossed right over it the first few times I looked through it, and it was only pointed out to Raul and myself by Lina. I am glad that she did because, like I mentioned above, I think this article speaks to the importance to the trans movement and acceptance within the LGBTQ community. I tried searching for more information on Leah Wilder, but was unsuccessful in finding anything. One thing’s for sure, although there may be no record of her anywhere else, she will forever be remembered through this article. I am happy that I got the opportunity to learn a little about her.

Originally, I had a hard time thinking about a particular example of inclusion that left me unsatisfied. But after a little while of thinking, I think I felt this way last semester in one of my GSW classes. The reason why I felt this way was because during the class I was surrounded by people that were invested in learning about topics within my major but my peers did not take into consideration the fact that class and race play a factor into our discussions. I found myself constantly having to bring up issues of race and I found our conversations limiting to open discussion.

One set of items that stood out to me from Rare Books and Special Collections was the collection of articles on the distinct “Perversity to Diversity” art exhibits held at the University of Rochester in 1991 and 1992. This included the two Empty Closet articles on the original “Perversity to Diversity” exhibit assigned earlier in the class as well as a Campus Times article on a forum held to discuss the exhibit and another Empty Closet article discussing the sequel exhibit curated the following spring: “Perversity to Diversity: Gaze Again.” This set of articles resonated with me because they gave insight into: 1) the visceral negativity from the non-LGBTQ+ community in response to the original exhibit, expressed in comments referring to the exhibit as “sick” and “violent” and “degrading”; and 2) the choice of the LGBTQ+ community to make the sequel exhibit less bold in its depictions of their culture. I believe the inclusion of this collection would be important to campus and city communities because it illustrates just how lightly the LGBTQ+ community has been expected to tread in public even within the past two decades.

I recently attended the College Feminists’ production of The Vagina Monologues. The poster for the event included a disclaimer that anyone seeking disability accommodations for the event should contact the University Intercessor at least five business days in advance. I’m happy the College Feminists included this on their poster; but I’m markedly disappointed with the University’s required time frame to grant such accommodations. This is quite literally a message that anyone in need of accommodations on a decidedly inaccessible campus must make an explicit arrangement five business days in advance to exist on this campus. Why is this the case? Why is a university with such financial and labor resources unable to prioritize simple requests for accommodations with lesser notice? I don’t believe there’s a real lack of capability; I believe this simply reflects the belief that the disabled community is a burden and their needs are appropriately handled as a standard business transaction.

One particular article that stands out to me from the exhibit was one from the Democrat and Chronicle from the 1980s, titled “Wife Attempts to Save Marriage to Homosexual Husband.” The article details a woman named Debby asking Ann Landers, an advice columnist, for advice about how she married a man who later came out as gay. The detail that most stands out to me is how desperately she tried to change him, rather than divorce him outright. The article notes that Debby “stayed in that marriage six years anyway, thinking [she] could straighten him out.” Debby truly did love her husband, and desperately wanted to “fix” him, but it did not work. The tone Ann Landers responds with seems to feel very sorry for Debby; it was a most unfortunate mistake on her part to fall for her husband. In fact, she does not mention at all that her husband was struggling too: most likely trying as hard as he could to fit in and hide his same-sex attraction. While this lack of sympathy is not terribly surprising given the negative feelings for homosexuality in the ’80s, it does make me wonder: if the article were written today, would the advice really be any different? Though I’m not sure, I suspect the man’s position might still be ignored, even given improvement to the climate surrounding LGBTQ topics.

Although it’s been some time now, I wanted to bring up the film, “Hidden Figures,” from last year. The movie focuses on three brilliant African American women working for NASA during the earlier stages of the Space Race, exploring their struggle to get the recognition and respect they deserved. What left me feeling unsatisfied was not about the movie per se, but the fact that my prior education on the Space Race (and other similar scientific endeavors) seldom mentioned people of any minority at all. As Hidden Figures showed, there were plenty of non-white women working on the project, yet I was fully unaware of that prior to watching the film. In addition to race and gender, however, my education on non-heterosexual scientific figures is sadly lacking. Off the top of my head, the only such example I can think of is Alan Turing; no other examples come to mind whatsoever, which quite frankly makes me a little sad.

–AG