Friday, February 27, 2015
Friday, February 20, 2015
Week Seven 2/16-2/20
Title of Resource : The Concept of “Same Love”
Link : here
Citation: Diep, E. (2012, October 9). The Concept of “Same Love”. Retrieved February 19, 2015, from http://www.complex.com/music/2012/10/who-is-macklemore/the-concept-of-same-love
Summary: This article talks about the writing process that Macklemore went through in order to write the song; he couldn't make it "his story" because he doesn't identify as part of the LGBT+ community. He still knew there was a story for this song, however, and he explains how he needed to talk about the stereotypes, his family, church, and the use of slurs such as "faggot". Macklemore explains how his song has impacted straight and cisgender people, making them think twice about their treatment towards the LGBT+ community.
Quotes- “The other greatest thing about “Same Love” to me is that the youth generation that are saying ‘faggot’ or are saying ‘that’s gay.’ Or putting people down for that sexual preference, they are like, ‘Before “Same Love” that was me and this make me think twice about this issue or gay marriage."
"It’s been 100 percent positive from the gay community, which is the co-sign that I care the most about."
Reflection: Queer representation in music isn't seen very often. Macklemore's "Same love" is a way for him to utilize his privilege of being an influential heterosexual musician in order to reach wide scale audiences and affect them for the better. He also includes a lesbian singer and song writer, Mary Lambert. This inclusion of an LGBT+ identifying musician is powerful because it combines a member of the LGBT+ community with an ally in order to produce an impactful song. Many young people who look up to Macklemore and enjoy his music are now thinking twice about the way they treat the LGBT+ community, because their role model/a notable artist is telling them to. It is a song of hope and support, which urges society to be open minded and accepting. It pushes for equal rights, a stance that many rappers don't conventionally address in their songs. "Same love" was an important song that swept across the nation due to it's progressive message.
Here are the lyrics: "Same Love"
(with Ryan Lewis)
(feat. Mary Lambert)
Link : here
Citation: Diep, E. (2012, October 9). The Concept of “Same Love”. Retrieved February 19, 2015, from http://www.complex.com/music/2012/10/who-is-macklemore/the-concept-of-same-love
Summary: This article talks about the writing process that Macklemore went through in order to write the song; he couldn't make it "his story" because he doesn't identify as part of the LGBT+ community. He still knew there was a story for this song, however, and he explains how he needed to talk about the stereotypes, his family, church, and the use of slurs such as "faggot". Macklemore explains how his song has impacted straight and cisgender people, making them think twice about their treatment towards the LGBT+ community.
Quotes- “The other greatest thing about “Same Love” to me is that the youth generation that are saying ‘faggot’ or are saying ‘that’s gay.’ Or putting people down for that sexual preference, they are like, ‘Before “Same Love” that was me and this make me think twice about this issue or gay marriage."
"It’s been 100 percent positive from the gay community, which is the co-sign that I care the most about."
Reflection: Queer representation in music isn't seen very often. Macklemore's "Same love" is a way for him to utilize his privilege of being an influential heterosexual musician in order to reach wide scale audiences and affect them for the better. He also includes a lesbian singer and song writer, Mary Lambert. This inclusion of an LGBT+ identifying musician is powerful because it combines a member of the LGBT+ community with an ally in order to produce an impactful song. Many young people who look up to Macklemore and enjoy his music are now thinking twice about the way they treat the LGBT+ community, because their role model/a notable artist is telling them to. It is a song of hope and support, which urges society to be open minded and accepting. It pushes for equal rights, a stance that many rappers don't conventionally address in their songs. "Same love" was an important song that swept across the nation due to it's progressive message.
Here are the lyrics: "Same Love"
(with Ryan Lewis)
(feat. Mary Lambert)
When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay,
'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
She's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k, trippin'."
Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she?
Bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, "Yeah, I'm good at little league."
A preconceived idea of what it all meant
For those that liked the same sex
Had the characteristics
The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And "God loves all his children" is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom 'til we're equal, damn right I support it
(I don't know)
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
We press play, don't press pause
Progress, march on
With the veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
'Til the day that my uncles can be united by law
When kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
About time that we raised up... sex
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind
'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
She's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k, trippin'."
Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she?
Bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, "Yeah, I'm good at little league."
A preconceived idea of what it all meant
For those that liked the same sex
Had the characteristics
The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And "God loves all his children" is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom 'til we're equal, damn right I support it
(I don't know)
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
We press play, don't press pause
Progress, march on
With the veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
'Til the day that my uncles can be united by law
When kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
About time that we raised up... sex
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind
Thursday, February 12, 2015
2/9-2/13
TITLE OF RESOURCE: Why Can't People "Just So Happen" to Be Gay in Movies?
here
citation: Kohgadai, S. (2013, April 9). Why Can't People "Just So Happen" to Be Gay in Movies? Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://mic.com/articles/33815/why-can-t-people-just-so-happen-to-be-gay-in-movies
Summary: This article explains why it's important that gay characters in media aren't ONLY portrayed as stereotypically gay. This creates the idea that "gay" is a personality type, it's all that this character has to offer. It is important to instead have representation of doctors, politicians, teachers, soldiers, lawyers, engineers, who just happen to be gay. The article explains that by doing this, media becomes a tool to shift our cultural acceptance of the LGBT+ community. Also, it points out that REPRESENTATION is VITAL, because the lack of representation marginalizes the LGBT+ community. It is harmful to only portray LGBT+ characters as "the gay character", because it dehumanizes them, it gives them less depth and creates negative stereotypes that don't properly represent the LGBT+ community.
Important quotes : "We should acknowledge lack of media portrayal as a form of oppression"
"But because media portrayals create arbitrary, or at least stereotypical, lines that define being gay to everyone, young LGBT people may or may not identify with the supposed representations of themselves."
"By only providing certain negatively stereotypical examples of what being gay looks like (similar to race or gender stereotypes), both LGBT-identified and hetero-identified young people have an expectation of what it means to be LGBT."
Reflection: As someone who identifies as a member of the LGBT+ community, it is disappointing and frustrating to see the lack of diverse LGBT+ characters. A lot of them are JUST the gay character, who have little to no definable traits besides their sexual orientation. There are recently more and more transgender characters in media, which is great. However, every LGBT+ character can not be as similar as I find them to be in media. This creates the idea that "LGBT+ people look and act a certain way", which promotes stereotypes. Also, many LGBT+ people do not look or act that way, so it dangerous to show just ONE example of how an LGBT+ person could be. It creates the expectation, the idea that "this is how an LGBT+ person SHOULD be." I completely agree with the article, there needs to be more characters who "just happen to be part of the LGBT+ community". It doesn't need to define them.
here
citation: Kohgadai, S. (2013, April 9). Why Can't People "Just So Happen" to Be Gay in Movies? Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://mic.com/articles/33815/why-can-t-people-just-so-happen-to-be-gay-in-movies
Summary: This article explains why it's important that gay characters in media aren't ONLY portrayed as stereotypically gay. This creates the idea that "gay" is a personality type, it's all that this character has to offer. It is important to instead have representation of doctors, politicians, teachers, soldiers, lawyers, engineers, who just happen to be gay. The article explains that by doing this, media becomes a tool to shift our cultural acceptance of the LGBT+ community. Also, it points out that REPRESENTATION is VITAL, because the lack of representation marginalizes the LGBT+ community. It is harmful to only portray LGBT+ characters as "the gay character", because it dehumanizes them, it gives them less depth and creates negative stereotypes that don't properly represent the LGBT+ community.
Important quotes : "We should acknowledge lack of media portrayal as a form of oppression"
"But because media portrayals create arbitrary, or at least stereotypical, lines that define being gay to everyone, young LGBT people may or may not identify with the supposed representations of themselves."
"By only providing certain negatively stereotypical examples of what being gay looks like (similar to race or gender stereotypes), both LGBT-identified and hetero-identified young people have an expectation of what it means to be LGBT."
Reflection: As someone who identifies as a member of the LGBT+ community, it is disappointing and frustrating to see the lack of diverse LGBT+ characters. A lot of them are JUST the gay character, who have little to no definable traits besides their sexual orientation. There are recently more and more transgender characters in media, which is great. However, every LGBT+ character can not be as similar as I find them to be in media. This creates the idea that "LGBT+ people look and act a certain way", which promotes stereotypes. Also, many LGBT+ people do not look or act that way, so it dangerous to show just ONE example of how an LGBT+ person could be. It creates the expectation, the idea that "this is how an LGBT+ person SHOULD be." I completely agree with the article, there needs to be more characters who "just happen to be part of the LGBT+ community". It doesn't need to define them.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Week 5 2/2-2/6
Title of Resource: Legend of Korra Creators Confirm that Korrasami is Canon
Citation of source: Trendacosta, K. (2014, December 22). Legend of Korra Creators Confirm that Korrasami is Canon. Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://io9.com/legend-of-korra-creators-confirm-that-korrasami-is-cano-1674384152
Summary of source: Lots of discussion has been had on the topic of whether Korra and Asami from the hit series "Legend of Korra" are officially a couple, or just very close friends. It has been confirmed by the creators that the season finale that showed unclear hints of a romantic relationship was really just that, a romantic relationship. This is a step for representation in the LGBT+ community, because this show is targeted towards youth. The creators express their goal of including LGBT+ characters in their story and the trouble they had getting it approved. They do explain that they are aware that this isn't a "slam-dunk victory for queer representation" because it's not very clear, but it really is encouraging. This decision has been received well by consumers.
2-3 Important quotes: "It is long over due that our media (including children's media) stops treating non-heterosexual people as nonexistent, or as something merely to be mocked. I'm only sorry it took us so long to have this kind of representation in one of our stories."
"Was it a slam-dunk victory for queer representation? I think it falls short of that, but hopefully it is a somewhat significant inching forward. It has been encouraging how well the media and the bulk of the fans have embraced it. Sadly and unsurprisingly, there are also plenty of people who have lashed out with homophobic vitriol and nonsense. It has been my experience that by and large this kind of mindset is a result of a lack of exposure to people whose lives and struggles are different from one's own, and due to a deficiency in empathy––the latter being a key theme in Book 4. (Despite what you might have heard, bisexual people are real!)"
Reflection: I chose to focus on a recent event in media history, where a television show marketed towards a younger audience created a main character that is bisexual. Although it's never directly stated, it's HEAVILY implied, and the creators of the show have confirmed it. They were limited in what they could do due to the network company, especially because of the younger audience, but they still managed to incorporate positive representation of the LGBT+ community, which is a step. Cartoons don't tend to include LGBT+ characters, or they do so "quietly". Two lesbian characters were changed to "cousins" in the Americanized version of Sailor Moon, and the couple of Marcelline and Princess Bubble Gum is extremely low-key. Although I understand that the creators were being restricted in how direct they could be, so I can appreciate this exciting storyline even with it's ambiguity. However, it's sad that most television shows make the identity LGBT+ characters unclear. If you're intending to make a change, go all the way. However, this is an important step, especially because this event takes place in children's television. It's showing young audiences that bisexuality does exist, and it's exposing them to diversity.
Citation of source: Trendacosta, K. (2014, December 22). Legend of Korra Creators Confirm that Korrasami is Canon. Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://io9.com/legend-of-korra-creators-confirm-that-korrasami-is-cano-1674384152
Summary of source: Lots of discussion has been had on the topic of whether Korra and Asami from the hit series "Legend of Korra" are officially a couple, or just very close friends. It has been confirmed by the creators that the season finale that showed unclear hints of a romantic relationship was really just that, a romantic relationship. This is a step for representation in the LGBT+ community, because this show is targeted towards youth. The creators express their goal of including LGBT+ characters in their story and the trouble they had getting it approved. They do explain that they are aware that this isn't a "slam-dunk victory for queer representation" because it's not very clear, but it really is encouraging. This decision has been received well by consumers.
2-3 Important quotes: "It is long over due that our media (including children's media) stops treating non-heterosexual people as nonexistent, or as something merely to be mocked. I'm only sorry it took us so long to have this kind of representation in one of our stories."
"Was it a slam-dunk victory for queer representation? I think it falls short of that, but hopefully it is a somewhat significant inching forward. It has been encouraging how well the media and the bulk of the fans have embraced it. Sadly and unsurprisingly, there are also plenty of people who have lashed out with homophobic vitriol and nonsense. It has been my experience that by and large this kind of mindset is a result of a lack of exposure to people whose lives and struggles are different from one's own, and due to a deficiency in empathy––the latter being a key theme in Book 4. (Despite what you might have heard, bisexual people are real!)"
Reflection: I chose to focus on a recent event in media history, where a television show marketed towards a younger audience created a main character that is bisexual. Although it's never directly stated, it's HEAVILY implied, and the creators of the show have confirmed it. They were limited in what they could do due to the network company, especially because of the younger audience, but they still managed to incorporate positive representation of the LGBT+ community, which is a step. Cartoons don't tend to include LGBT+ characters, or they do so "quietly". Two lesbian characters were changed to "cousins" in the Americanized version of Sailor Moon, and the couple of Marcelline and Princess Bubble Gum is extremely low-key. Although I understand that the creators were being restricted in how direct they could be, so I can appreciate this exciting storyline even with it's ambiguity. However, it's sad that most television shows make the identity LGBT+ characters unclear. If you're intending to make a change, go all the way. However, this is an important step, especially because this event takes place in children's television. It's showing young audiences that bisexuality does exist, and it's exposing them to diversity.
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