Teaching gay

"Teaching Gay”

by

Jarvis Emery

Reading the peer reviewed journal “Recognizing and Utilizing Queer Pedagogy” (Smith. J, and Smit. G, 2010) It talked about how teaching sexual orientation to kids in education programs was something teachers need to consider. The only issue I think would be the immaturity from the students, who are rather insecure in themselves and their own sexuality. They would see it as a perfect opportunity to make more jokes at another student, or even a teacher. While reading this article I notice that it was missing a few things on what and how they would teach the program.

From what I read it seems as though it was going to focus on teaching the class only to stop the hate crimes, and bulling, which in itself could possibly lessen the hate crimes, and suicides. That’s great, but such a program should not be wasted on just kids, but should be used as a tool to educate parents, and adults. It is very important to teach why and where this hate, dislike, or uncomfortably comes from. (Personally I think it’s because of the bible) “Man shall not lay with man as he does with woman. It is an abomination to the lord, and they shall be put to death” Leviticus 18:22.

If people are so quick to use the bible as a tool in today’s society to hate, or kill, then why just that one, why not the others such has: Exodus 35:2 “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.” Or Leviticus 11:10"And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:”

A perfect example to tell them that what’s in the bible is/was for that time period would be the story of Onan. He was killed because he did not want to get his brother’s wife pregnant. Back then it was a family duty that when a man died and left no children, the next of kin was sometimes obligated to produce children with the widow, but the children would be considered the descendents of the late husband’s and would be raised as such. For Onan not wanting to do that the lord took his life. (Genesis 38:9)

Now in today’s society, you would be considered “scum of the earth” for even making out with your brother’s ex girlfriend, so just imagine what would happen if he was dead and you slept with her, and or got her pregnant. But for people trying to hear things, that could show the bible as being remotely hypocritical or just not making much sense at times would be a task itself. But I strongly feel that doing that would really help people think twice before they try to use the bible as a weapon.

When it comes to sexual orientation on its on it is important to discuss why it may be a “choice”, or NOT BE A CHOICE. How can that be done? Simple!

For starters, they would, or should start at the beginning like if they were learning for the first time. Describe what sexual orientation really is, and not just focusing on the gayness, or the hate crimes. For example, define what sexual orientation really is, and break down the categories. There are at least five. (For those who are wondering I fit into two of them.)

1. Asexual: Is a person who does not care for sexual activity. That doesn’t mean they don’t have sex, it’s just not at the top of their list like most people. That’s not saying asexual don’t get aroused they do, they just prefer having sex by themselves more so than with a partner. In spite of what some people might say, or think nothing traumatic has to happen to a person for them to be asexual. It is somewhat important to know that there is a difference in being asexual, celibate, and abstinent. (Celibacy is usually and religious type ordeal and abstinence is usually to prevent STD’s, and unwanted pregnancy). (American heritage dictionary, 1992)

The X on the Kinsey scale are the 2% males that are asexual (Kinsey, 1948) There was also a second book called “Sexual behavior in the human female” that broke down the X even further. (Kinsey, 1953)

2. Heterosexual: They take up more of the space in the world. They are the “normal” people, they way god intended us to be, and the whole reason the world is populated. Heterosexuals are two people of the opposite sex who have romantic and sexual feelings toward one another.
3. Bisexual: These are the group of people that have more of an “open mind” when it comes to have sexual feelings, and attractions to people. They prefer both sexes. They also sadly get a bad reputation, for being greedy, sneaky, down low, confused and unfaithful just to name a few. I’ve notice a few things when it came to teenagers that claimed to be bisexual. With girls it’s usually for attention they still end up with a man when it’s all said and done. With boys it’s not so much for attention, but expectance. They feel that if people think they are bi then all they will hear is he still likes girls, so it’s just a phase. But at the end of the day his true affections are for other males.

Every time I hear a male kid say he’s bisexual I just remember a student of mine named Jordan.

Jordan was the boy who didn’t really associate with the other boys. You always saw him around with girls, and I knew why. For some reason on the last day of school completely out of the blue he says to me “you know I’m bisexual right” I said “Jordan no you’re not”, he said “yes I am”, I said “no you’re not, you’re gay. You’re just saying that you are bi because you think that people won’t look at you as weird, or you feel that it will be easier for people to except you if your bi, than if your just gay, trust me I’ve been there before” after a few moments of awkward silence( on his part, I was fine) he gave me the usual “my family is really religious” I said “to hell with them. You need to be you; you need to be who you really are inside. If they truly care for you that shouldn’t matter, and if they cast you aside for something that you can’t control, then you go out and be the best at what it is you want to do, and when they come to you wanting to be in your life you tell them whatever is truly on your mind, without holding back…. Unless you want to cry and tell them how much you missed them, don’t do that, that would be letting them off the hook”

4. Transgendered: They are a group of people who are born one sex, but inside feel they should have been born the other sex. I would say it is pretty hard to “class” transgender fall under (gay, straight, bi) If you are born with the gentile of a male, but you feel you should’ve been born a female you aren’t really attracted to guy that identify themselves as gay. That’s why many transgender people are disliked, or beaten to death. (Venus Xtravaganza, Brandon Teena, and Sanesha Stewart) They go after straight men/women who believe them to be an actual women/man without telling them the truth before any type of activity happens. The most important thing to know and understand about transgender people that they are not drag queens there is such a big difference. You want to see a drag queen you watch “Jerry Springer” they are the gay men who are making a fool of themselves, and furthering a negative stereotype on the gay community. A transgender is doing what he/she can to look more like the sex they feel they should have been born as. That includes having whatever necessary surgery they can have, and afford. Notable transgender’s are. Alexis Arquette (formally known as Alex) and Chaz Bono (formally known as Chastity)
5. Homosexuality: This is probably one of the most controversial topics in the world, and defiantly the longest. Homosexuality is when a person of a sex has a strong attraction, and or sexual feeling towards someone of the same sex.

Breaking everything down like that would give such a better understand of a person’s sexual orientation. If you just focus on the “hate crimes” then all they are hearing is “don’t do this” and “don’t do that” Which means it’s going in one ear, and out their ass.

A very important aspect of this class should focus on how kids and adults who are comfortable with their sexuality are not in any way forcing others to take such a leap. They need to know and understand that a person “coming out” on there own time, in there own way is more important than them thinking it’s a good idea, and that it’s a must.

As I said before an Educational program for sexual orientation is great, but why does it have to be a “program”. A program is optional unless its court ordered. This is something that could be taught in school. Considering all the violence that is surrounding the LGBT community I would think this is a bit more important than learning about a form of math you won’t really use after you graduate high school, or any history topic.

Please notice that I said LGBT community, and not LGBTQ. That is because I personally take offense to that “Q” The Q stands for questioning. It was added as away to say it’s a choice. Even though it’s not part of the normal acronym, it was added in the late 90’s, and it’s used in the article I read. To say that your sexual orientation is a choice is to say that being straight is a choice. It’s saying that all the kids and adults who have been beaten up, killed, kicked out of the house, ostracized by their families, had their parenting skills questioned, or had their kids taken from them, or killed themselves. That Q says they all chose that.

Based on what I’ve seen, read, heard, and experienced. The only choice you have in your sexual orientation is the choice not to be ashamed.

: References:

Jeffrey D. Zacko-Smith & G. Pritchy Smit “Recognizing and Utilizing Queer Pedagogy” MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 09/01/2010.

The American heritage dictionary of the English Language (3d ed. 1992), entries for celibacy thence abstinence.

Kinsey, Alfred c. (1948). Sexual behavior in the humane male. W.B. Saunders.

Kinsey, Alfred c. (1953). Sexual behavior in the humane female. W.B. Saunders.

Blog 25 ( Refelctions of the way....)

Me being dyslexic, and ADHA, I found it rather hard for me to learn, and grasp certain things. Because of that I half assed everything just to get by. In high school it got worst, mainly because I had two kids, and working, and my grades suffered. I was happy when I got the D, because it was passing and that’s all I cared about. Ten years later I decided to finally attend college, but because of my grades in high school I had to start with remedial classes. I received my first B+ last year and I was surprised. Now this year that is not good enough. I’ve constantly have questioned my professor about the 87,, or 89 that I received for an assignment that I feel it should have been higher or making sure they didn‘t leave something out. I never have done that. I just always accepted the grades for what they were. Taking Louie’s class was an amazing experience. It was like an open forum class and I think (at least for me) it’s a lot easier to learn, and pick-up information. In Smith’s class it was a little more of a standard type class, in the way that we always had papers, and using the blogs was such a great idea. It was like you had to come up with your own homework, it all came from your opinion on whatever topic we had to write about, and it was a great feeling. In professor Reuben’s class I wanted to feel the same way, but I couldn’t. I enjoy movies but not in the way she would like a person to. I care about the acting, and the story. I do not, and will not analyze everything in a movie. I personally feel that, that would ruin the movie for me, and I am not that pretentious. Professor Reuben is a fair, and open-minded professor, and she knows her stuff, but her class was just not for me. So in her class I’m happy to get no lower than a C.

In all, this was a good academic year for me and because of that I am proud of myself.

Blog 24 ( Race)

Jarvis Emery
Professor Smith
Eng: 101

Influenced by The Matrix is a stretch outside of the plugs in their bodies I really didn‘t see the connection. I did research the film a little before I wrote this and found nothing on how it was influenced by The Matrix. In an interview I found with the Director Alex Rivera ( http://www.sf360.org/features/qa-alex-rivera-sleep-dealer) he says Star Wars, and El Morte were the influences, while other people say Blade Runner, The 1982 film starring Harrison ford. That‘s like saying, The Matrix was influenced by Total Recall, or Showgirls was influenced by A Chorus Line There might be some similarities, but it’s more coincidence than planned.
For starters The Matrix is more about a revaluation. Its man verses machine, when they’re in the Matrix they are fighting and working for freedom, the world as we know it does not truly exist, as for Sleep Dealers it is how it is. When they go in to “The Matrix” there not fighting for anything, there working. You’re living in Mexico, and working in New York all at the same time. There is no fight for freedom, or the truth.
Race in this movie is not an issue. It is a Latino/Mexican film because it takes place in Mexico with migrant workers, and ninety seven percent of the film is in Spanish. There is no type of race issues or racism going on. Just a big American company went there and took over their main water supply, but I don’t feel that had anything to do with them being Mexican, and it was a tiny fraction that had little to do with the story.
Urban life is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it, and rural life are large and isolated areas of a country, often with low population density. I think the movie just showed that, which made it a little more important in understand why so many people go to urban areas to get jobs, to help their family back home. It’s a lot easier to make money in a place where there’s actual people, and actual jobs and that’s what the film was pointing out.
Considering it’s a low budget sci-fi film, for what it’s worth. Overall it was a good film (aside from having to read it) I didn’t care for it, but I liked it because it stayed true to how the future could be with technology progressing in the way that it is, without being so over the top, like most sci-fi futuristic films are like, Terminator, Back to the future, Total Recall, Johnny Mnemonic, Minority Report, I Robot. Just to name a few.

Blog 23 (ummm I don't get it)

I believe that they were saying you shouldn’t take things for face value….I agree with them for the most part, but sometimes you have to take it as you see it. One the examples that they used was when the character “Cypher” played by long time actor Joe Patanolin, when he and the agents were in the resturant and he was eating the steak he said…”I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth the matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years I realized ignorance is bliss”
He hasd know choice to not take that experience, and the other for what they weren’t because he already knew that it wasn’t true, but for the rest of the people in the film who were still in the matrix they knew nothing of life outside of what they were living, and that‘s fine for most because the people in the Matrix had the better deal. To question whether or not should we take things for face value? I feel there is no right or wrong answer, it’s what you yourself feel. Who’s to say that the people on the street spreading the word on the end of the world are crazy. We label people crazy who are not religious when they say they have a relationship with god, but ignore the priest who molest little boys. Nothing really happens to them when they are caught, sure we say that’s so wrong and unfair but in the end(no pun intended) we just take it for what it is.

Blog 22 (story v special effects)

First I have to say I agree with her whole-heartedly, and if you check my previous blogs you will see we where on the same wave link of thinking. The Matrix is vastly overrated and childlike because of it special effects.

The Matrix is very stereotypical film that is very appeasing to the male fantasy. With the ground breaking special effects, attractive leading characters, martial arts and lots of sleek black leather, or latex. It also has the standard boy meets girl, and falls in love plot. Now eXtistenZ had its stereotypical moments, but because there were very little special effects it as a more honest, and intriguing vision of pleasure of “connected” minds and bodies.

I saw eXtistenZ in 2000 or 2001, and I personal saw it has another version of the movie “Total Recall” it was at times a rather confusing movie but It had a story that you could see because there were no cinematic effects to take away from it. I think that the Matrix was all the rage over eXtistenZ was because of its bigger budget, and special effects. But I feel as trying to find a story to be able to teach in a class is I feel both are valued, but a big stretch.


Both movies it there own right will make any feminist proud, because the female characters are not the normal female characters you see in film…You know the one’s “o look at me I’m a weak girl who can’t stand up for myself, I need a man in my life to function, he hits me and I don’t know how to hit back type” When first see the character Trinity from the Matrix she is a bad ass, sexy, and in black Latex fighting with and over powering the men, so you pretty much get the idea she is the one to look out for and no one can stop her. Then she meets the male character Neo and still she is rather overpowering, knowing more than him, forcing him down when they are trying to get the tracking device out of him, and being rather aloof when telling him he can get out the care if he wants to, not showing any signs of weakness or catering to him in anyway. But then as the film progresses she still is a badass when it comes to fighting, but she reverts more into the female stereotype character, calling Morpheus “big daddy”, bringing Neo food in away that is more of a subordinate than an equal. Then of course you can’t have a movie unless the to leads make out, and then towards the end she is kneeling by Neo’s side crying and confession that she loves him. Now I’m not saying that because of the stereotypical that is bestowed on to Trinity it takes away from the actually film because that is a small part of it I just feel it is inconsistent. Now in eXtistenZ the female character is the man, and the male character is the woman through out the whole film. The female character is smarter, braver, and has a dominating personality, and where the male character is not as smart, and when he is “himself” he is very submissive. One of the first times you see this in him is when they are in the hotel, and she just with no warning lifts up his shirt to see if he has a port (a hole that is placed into you lower back to play the game) he jumps up and ask her what are you doing? As he is explaining why he does not have a port she is trying to talk him into getting a port so she can plug in her
Game system into him, she is speaking softly and being very sympathetic to his feelings about how it would make him uncomfortable. The whole scene plays out like a man who is trying to have sex with a girl for the first time. There is really nothing that takes away from the film like how the Matrix does. In my opinion the films are more different than alike. The Matrix is more reality in the sense that that is how the world is, where as eXtistenZ is reality, but they are playing a game. If you want more of an actually “story” you watch eXtistenZ, if you want action you watch The Matrix. I think that the Matrix was a more popular film because as I said before it played more for a males psyche, with the glitz and glamour, and the male hero, but because eXtistenZ had a smaller budget, and a female heroin a lot of people don’t know of it. Which shows that the world is not and may never be ready for action, sci-fi movies with female heroin’s.
word count: 809

blog 21 (Before and After)

Today I'm starting with my final, typing up a draft, and if there is time work on my oral prsentation for Joyce.

I've found more info on my final, but still not clear on making a presentation, or video. When I was done I went on and work on my presentation for Joyce, and decided what scene I was going to do and what I was going to talk about.

Blog 20 ( M v E)

First I have to say I agree with her whole-heartedly, and if you check my previous blogs you will see we where on the same wave link of thinking. The Matrix is vastly overrated and childlike because of it special effects.


The Matrix is very stereotypical film that is very appeasing to the male fantasy. With the ground breaking special effects, attractive leading characters, martial arts and lots of sleek black leather, or latex. It also has the standard boy meets girl, and falls in love plot. Now eXtistenZ had its stereotypical moments, but because there was very little special effects it as a more honest, and intriguing vision of pleasure of “connected” minds and bodies.


I saw eXtistenZ in 2000 or 2001, and I personal saw it has another version of the movie “Total Recall” it was at times a rather confusing movie but It had a story that you could see because there were no cinematic effects to take away from it. I think that the Matrix was all the rage over eXtistenZ was because of its bigger budget, and special effects. But I feel as trying to find a story to be able to teach in a class is I feel both are valued, but a big stretch.