Intertextuality

Last week, I attended a fantastic presentation by O. Segal, doctoral candidate in Near Eastern Studies at the University. Segal's talk was a comparative essay on two recent exhibitions (2001, 2007) on Independence Park, a cruising place in T. Aviv. Both works were attempts to challenge the conventional representations of this park as a dark cruising site, and critique the everyday reduction of sexuality to sickness, something unnatural and illicit. Specifically, the 2001 exhibition aimed to present the park as a beautiful place – showcasing the site in broad daylight (emphasis edded), with identifiable actors, in their everyday wear and beautiful postures. It sought to legitimize the space by describing it as a site where gays openly exercise their sexuality. The 2007 work, in comparison, exhibited the park as a natural site with emphasis on its flora, animal life and colorful sunsets. It downplayed the sexual context of the park only to universalize the space, and place it in the context of natural (read normal) geographies. Segal's close readings of the images, however, revealed an interesting trap. By way of intertextuality, he argued that despite each exhibition's attempts to "depoliticize" the park, the exhibits referred back to queer culture and made implicit references to homosexuality and its deep embedding in space - both physical and social.

The trap notwithstanding, I felt, Segal's critical use of art history to illuminate the queer context ultimately also helped historicize, naturalize, intellectualize, militarize and regionalize the park and its spatio-sexual dialectic. The exhibitions in and of themselves might have failed in naturalizing the environs, but Segal's work offered a perfect rethinking of the park with all its contradictions.

On Work

Too many developments on this front. Where do I start? What do I include? Let me attempt:

1. A-Team Year 2: Yes, folks! I decided to serve on the Student Advisory Board, now in its second year. The experience from previous academic year was just so wonderful. Besides, projects started and conversations shared over the last one year in part, needed to be carried over, discussed and given a direction with members, both continuing and new. The new board is brimming with energy from undergraduate and graduate students alike. As with last year, this time too we were successful in identifying several interesting issues in our very first meeting. More on that later.

2. Global village dinner + talk: As a member of the Advisory Board, I was invited to be part of Tuesday dinner + talk at the international resident house on campus. As is the tradition at the House, a community dinner is served every Tuesday evening during the School year. Housemates take turns preparing meals for the larger group, and a free dinner is planned with invited speaker/s. The talk this past Tuesday was entitled, "Understanding homosexuality and learning to be allies." Joining me, were representatives each from the SC and the International Center.

Our talk generated great discussion. The members of the House were patient, they heard our stories, shared their experiences, and were extremely encouraging of our spirits. I spoke about my experiences on campus, my volunteer work and my understanding of the complexity in and around human sexuality in India. From Sec 377 and ancient texts to archaic morality and its role and meaning vis-a-vis constitutional morality, I presented a spectrum of issues centering on what it means to be gay. The end note was one of a just and more tolerant tomorrow, and most memorable was the concluding question, "How would Gandhi have reacted to this struggle?"

3. Meeting with the VP, Division of Student Affairs: Brilliant! The Advisory Board met with Ms. Harper yesterday to understand the institutional framework, and how best to approach our current concerns for an all inclusive climate on campus. As always, she was extremely supportive of our thoughts and ideas. She even connected them to some of her own experiences, both personal and professional. Words of wisdom included thoughts such as, "move slow but keep pushing and continue making progress," "there are always many gifts out of struggle, but if you look only at struggle then you miss out on gifts," and "it is important to understand what your 'calling' is. This defines work and sets it apart from job." For people like her and Jackie, this world is ever so bright and wonderful.

Cheers!

Quote

On identity, J. Butler speaks my mind:
"Yes, I am lesbian, I am gay but do I subscribe to everything that the gay movement says? Do I always come out as a lesbian and gay person first before say, I am a woman or before I am Jew or before I am an American or a citizen or a philosopher ... No, it's not the only identity. So these are communities where one belongs and one does not belong and it seems to me we travel, I travel ..." (Judith Butler, 2006).

Opening thoughts from a documentary on American post-structuralist philosopher Judith Butler entitled, "Judith Butler: philosophe en tout genre," ARTE, 2006. The Interview is in English with subtitles in French. You can also watch parts of this film on YouTube: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6.

Perspective

Source: "Marriage Equality March," The A2 Chronicle, Nov. 15, 2008

The SC and the International Center are collaborating to create a website providing information to LGBTQ international students and to LGBTQ students who are considering studying, working or traveling abroad. In order to understand student perspectives, the following survey was created. Here are my responses:

Describe your experience as an international LGBTQ student at the University.
Excellent. The University has given me the utmost confidence to be out in thought and action. It has provided me with the opportunity to serve the LGBTQ community on campus and learn more about diverse issues affecting us. It has given me the agency to BE the change that I wish to see and bring about.

What do you wish you'd known about US culture and LGBTQ issues before coming to the University?
As an International student, I wished I had been introduced to resources on LGBTQ life and related support on Campus during our month long orientation workshops with the IC and Rackham.

How have you gotten support as an LGBTQ international student? For example, have you accessed resources on-campus or in the surrounding comunity in A2?
Absolutely. I have worked with the SC in different capacities and also contributed to policy level changes at Rackham. In both instances, volunteering my time, participating in discussions and meeting new people was a great way to become increasingly comfortable with my own sexuality.

Did you have trouble adjusting to the US as an LGBTQ international student? Please explain.
None at all. Coming from a country where LGBTQ individuals/issues are still not given due respect, it was fantastic to be embraced without judgment here.

Have you had any issues with your family or home culture and your LGBTQ identity? Please explain.
It is an ongoing battle and a very difficult one at that. I often say, "acts of translation is an ongoing process." Through my volunteering work, I wish to win the support of my family and enlarge their understanding of issues at stake. I am trying and so are they.

Have you had any issues with immigration or other legal issues relating your LGBTQ identity? Please explain.
Not applicable.

What advice do you have for other LGBTQ international students?
U-M is a center of thought, conversation and action. LGBTQ international students - either open about their sexuality, in different phases of coming out or closeted, should make the most of the available resources, people, educational programs and activities on campus. It is a place that will make you comfortable, regardless of your orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. It is an urban microcosm that will fill you with confidence and provide you with enough motivation and courage to continuously work toward improving the climate for LGBTQ individuals, wherever you go.

Good luck!

Advocacy Matters!

This story is special.

On May 5, SC Director Jackie Simpson was honored with the Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award, which is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and University Human Resources. From among ninety nominees, Jackie was chosen for her dedicated work around issues of Non-Discrimination Policy and Education at the University.

I have had the privilege to work with Jackie on various projects while serving as a member of the Center’s Student Advisory Board. In her capacity as the co-chair of this initiative, she guided our ideas and worked with us to develop them into strategies for effective action. She provided us with opportunities to discuss our concerns with several invited members of the academia and continued to inform each of our meetings with her experience in areas of advocacy and education.

All those who have worked with Jackie in different capacities, will agree that she is truly deserving of this and many such awards. Her quiet confidence, dedication and humility are her winning strengths and she has been absolutely superb in her role as a leader, mentor and team-worker.

Congratulations, Jackie! and thanks for being there always. I am so proud of you.

Acts of Translation

Visibility is not about presence alone. It is also about the presence of absence where absence is not what is not visible but what is not given thought. If sexuality is an invisible trait, making it visible implies translating what is not widely understood. It demands outreach. It requires constant acts of translation of traits that sexual minorities embody but may not make/be evident.

This was my argument at the A-Team Annual Meeting last week. The board members, including myself, had gathered to reflect on our work of this past year and evaluate our current strengths and limitations. Our greatest contribution was the proposal for Gender-Neutral Housing and a new forum entitled International + LGBT formed in collaboration with the International Center to address issues specific to International LGBT identified/questioning scholars and individuals at the University. Both these were initiatives of students. Both these marked the start of a series of conversations to follow. And finally, both these were markers of the outreach potential of our team.

But this is not where we concluded. Continuing on the idea of translation, we felt that our efforts of this past year will need to assume a descriptive framework for new board members to begin work from. We argued that description rather than prescription is what will both sustain this body and facilitate newer conversations on thoughtful topics needing action. This was to remind us that A-team stood for Action Team – action informed by thought, conversation, debate and research.

Thank you Jackie for being such brilliant support throughout. You are terrific!

Inclusive

It's great to see Merriam-Webster, one of the oldest dictionaries, carry an inclusive definition of "marriage." It reads, "mar.riage 1 a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage <same-sex marriage> b: (...)"

Not just this, Boston based Houghton-Mifflin, publisher of the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, had made changes to its definition of marriage way back in the year 2000. This month, the editors of the Oxford Dictionary too proposed to update the meaning of the word marriage to "the condition of being a husband or wife; the relation between persons married to each other; matrimony" (via NYdaily news).

Are people reading enough these days?

Sexuality and Scholarship

It was extremely encouraging to be part of a workshop entitled, "Queer in the Academy" this afternoon. It centered on an interesting discussion with a panel of distinguished faculty willing to share their personal stories on intersections of their LGBT identities and their identities as scholars/faculty in the academy. The panel comprised four academics, one each from Classics and Law Studies, Astronomy, Sociology and Public Health.

The workshop asked the following questions: Will your chosen academic field afford you the opportunity to be “out?” Does your scholarly work intersect with one or more of your own identities? How do you manage tenure-track work while establishing an LGBT community? Understandably, none of these questions had "straight" answers. They arguably raised more questions and provided each one of us with additional food for thought. Nevertheless, here is the (near) survival mantra:

When applying for academic jobs or post-doc research positions, it may help to familiarize oneself with the non-discrimination policies of the University around sexual orientation and gender identity. Additionally, guidance from your academic mentor in your specific field/program/department can prove to be extremely helpful when searching for available peer support in academic institutions of interest. As for the cover letter and/or CV, if your work is not directly linked with research on gender identity, gender expression and/or sexual orientation, then observe some restraint in writing without necessarily censoring language and/or use of proper-nouns. This is tricky! It needs to weigh in both personal choice and the specifics of the academic job that you are applying for. If you wish to be "out" at the onset, you may craft your cover letter to include details that add to the breadth of your teaching and learning experience. If not, you may wish to speak with academic friends or faculty who have known you in different capacities and can guide you through the process. On a different note, individuals with partners may also want to consider same-sex partnership benefits and in some cases, adoption rules in that particular State before applying.

Once you get the job, the next challenge is whether or not to be "out" to your students. Again, this depends on your area of research and your own choice and self-formed rules of navigation. There are those who prefer to make no direct references to sexual orientation during their discussions with students. This is to primarily avoid making students uncomfortable in unanticipated ways. And then there are those, for whom the need may be to put their sexual orientation on the back-burner, just because their research scholarship speaks volumes of their sexual and/or gender identity. At the end of the day, as an academic if the decision is taken on the side of the students, it may go a long way in easing the painful dilemma. As for peer faculty - again, you have to self-select. If you are not comfortable being "out" at the onset, then take your time and win their confidence with your work and investment in the academic program first.

It may be helpful to know that academic institutions may not be hostile, but then they might not be completely transparent either. Hence, think of this challenge in this way: Do we necessarily discuss our political orientation with students in class? If yes, then how? If no, then why? It is a tough battle, and as one of the panellists said, "acts of translation is an ongoing process and in part, the objective of education is to learn how to deal with discomfort."

Good-luck!

Let's talk about SEX

Source: Bottom Monologues Project

I am thrilled to read of yet another accomplishment of my blogpal and fellow A2ite, Trevor Hoppe. I would like to describe Trevor as a radical LGBT activist and researcher, working in the realm of gay men’s health and sexual behavior.

What's special is that his work has been featured in this month’s Guide Magazine. The story, entitled “The bottom monologues” introduces Trevor’s multi-work and discusses in particular his most recent online project by the same name - on stories about gay, bi-, or trans- bottoms, to be part of a future performance. “The stories included in The Bottom Monologues are about creating a method for discussion that’s fun and exciting and able to reach a number of people who might not otherwise be open to frank discussions of sexuality.” (Hoppe T. in Amico, M., Guide, March 09). At the bottom of it all, Trevor wants gays to talk honestly about their sex choices.

Congratulations, Trevor!
Trevor’s weblog is as interesting space for both intellectual and intoxicating encounters! Read this story and more at TrevorHoppe.com - Guide Magazine Feature of My Work!

LGBT + International

Among the many developments on my front, this one deserves some attention. The office of LGBT affairs at my University has started a new initiative entitled "LGBT + International." I am proud to call it yet another feather in the cap of the offices’ outreach program.

Stemming from both student and staff discussions last semester and before, the office of LGBT affairs and the International Center are now collaborating to address the needs of international LGBT and questioning students. Led by IC Advisor EJ, LSA Senior and Spectrum Intern, JF and Spectrum Student Advisory Board Member, K, the goal of this initiative is to develop new resources and improve both offices' ability to serve the unique needs of this segment of the student population.

On my part, in the summer of 2007, I had worked with a volunteer group to particularly suggest changes in the application process that would make it better suited to applicants with same-sex parents. Based on our suggestions, the graduate application at my University with regards to familial background is now gender-neutral. In a different capacity and in the academic year 2007-08, I had mentored an International student on ways to adjust to life at the University and his new cultural surrounds. This experience made me realize that a large majority of incoming International graduate students are often overwhelmed when confronted with diversity in all its shades, particularly around issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Building up on such eye-opening experiences, EJ and JF are now working together to coordinate the development of a new website, revamp international student orientation to include discussion of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, as well as coordinate a kind of staff training exchange. In fact, when the staff from the LGBT affairs and the International Center met to discuss ways in which the two could collaborate, I had identified the need to evaluate the experience of LGBT students coming from other cultures.

In the Director of LGBT Affairs, JS’ own words, "I'm very excited about this initiative; it's one of those things that should have been addressed a long time ago and I'm glad that everyone seems to be on the same page." I am sure with regular input from students, faculty and staff this initiative will go a long way in addressing the issue of sexuality across cultures, regions and borders (this story is via SC Newletter dated February 10, 2009).

Invitation

[Before]

Finally, the opportunity to watch MILK at the local theater. What's more? Well, I have been invited for the Special Sneak Preview. Revisit this space for my thoughts on the film. If you are impatient, click here to read my previous post on why the critics says, MILK is good for you.

[After]

Dramatic as this may read, but there was indeed a minute of pin-drop silence when the film ended. People seemed glued to their seats and there was very little activity. This is what MILK did to most of us. It made us think. It made us cry. And above all, it made us realize that the battle for gay rights is far from over.

A lot has already been said about the film, its performances, the cinematography and its direction. But in this space I wish to put together key ideas from this film, relevant to different degrees in both thought and action today.
Never Blend In * Make the invisible visible * Out of the Closet, Into the streets * Unite, for the battle has just begun.

Born Free-Born Natural II

Excerpt source: For the Bible Tells Me So (2007) - a film exploring the intersections of sexuality and religion. I know many of us have seen this film and some of us have even bookmarked this cartoon story; nevertheless I thought of sharing it with my readers since in my previous post, I discussed the "choice" question. I think the creative story-telling idea is brilliant. However, there is a slight glitch. Notice how the gay and the lesbian protagonists are represented, especially Martha.

My question - Can we alongside, also fight gay stereotypes please? To visit the film's website, click here.

Words and Identities

Recently, local authorities in the UK directed its staff to be careful about using words, which could be considered racist, sexist, homophobic or nationalistic, including the phrase British, which implied “a false sense of unity.” This came about considering that many Scots, Welsh and Irish resist from being called British and that the country today is a land of a variety of cultures, languages, religions and identities.

On the careful use of homophobic terms consider this: Scotland's National Health Service recently told doctors and nurses to avoid using the terms ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ as they excluded same-sex couples with children. As part of their “zero-tolerance policy to discriminatory language” they recommend:
1. The use of terms ‘parents’, ‘carers’ or ‘guardians’ instead of ‘mom’ and ‘dad’.
2. The use of terms ‘partners’ and ‘next of kin’ instead of ‘husband’, ‘wife’ and ‘marriage’.

This is serendipituous and coincidental at the same time. Last year, I had participated as a graduate student volunteer in a pre-test of questions to review the graduate admissions evaluation process in my University. As a student volunteer group we jointly brainstormed on what current questions could be amended. One thing that some of us insisted be changed was the question that asked the educational background/occupation of "Father” and "Mother.” We debated the implicit assumption in this question with regards to mainstream sexuality and gender; and asked for the terms to be replaced with "Parent 1" and "Parent 2." Our purpose was to shift the emphasis from socially constructed gender binaries and the traditional understanding of family as a heterosexual unit to a more cognizant view of alternate sexualities and changing family structures. We wanted the University to take that valuable step and become a model Institution, welcoming prospective students and their families, irrespective of their gender or sexual orientation.

Before I conclude, I think it is worth revisiting some super common gender stereotypes and the terms used for them here:
Boys = sporty, strong, decision-makers, and
Girls = emotional and expressive.
As a result, boys who are emotional and show their feelings are often called "sissy's", "girls", "faggots" and/or "poofs". Girls who are too boyish or who hold feminist views run the risk of being called "dykes" and/or "lesbians". The damaging effect of such terms on individual's psyche and personality have long been studied and known. It is reassuring to see, however, that governments and various other groups throughout the world are exercising high degree of control and thought in utterances - both public and otherwise; and also realizing that it is not enough to be careful about using words that are racist but even those that are homophobic.

Homophobia in Education

This poster appeared on UK billboards for two weeks in February 2008. Click here for more information.

Stonewall is one of the leading organizations working towards equality and justice of lesbians, gays and bisexuals in the UK. Founded in 1989, it is well known for its thoughtful and effective campaigning and lobbying. Their “Education for All” campaign was launched in January 2005 to address homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools in the UK.

Their message: Education for all is a call to action…
“Homophobic bullying causes permanent damage to young people and blights the School and Colleges where it takes place. Making all young people – regardless of their sexuality – feel included and valued is a major opportunity for the educational system to transform the lives of a significant number of pupils and students.”

The efforts of this organization and their creative and thoughtful campaigning paves way for the much needed awareness on sexuality to reach Schools and institutional spaces - otherwise perceived to be safe and inclusive of all. According to a recent study in the US, gay and lesbian students are 3 times more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network; Chicago Public School District survey, 2003). To address this, public school officials in Chicago recently recommended a “gay-friendly high school” as a way to target students who feel they have been victims of bullying for their sexual orientation. The Chicago Sun-Times also quoted a member of the school’s design team as saying that students at this school shall be taught about “gay and lesbian historical figures” as their role models.

It is currently being debated whether a separate educational environment is truly the best solution. Even homosexual activist groups in the area are opposing this move on the grounds that it amounts to separate but equal treatment. As a precedent, a similar school but one exclusively for LGBTQ students, the Harvey Milk High School, was created in the East Village, New York City in 1985. The then State Conservative Party Chairman M. Long had criticized the creation of the school, asking “Is there a different way to teach homosexuals? Is there a gay math?”

Between measures adopted by organization such as the Stonewall in the UK and those being proposed here in the US, I think it may be helpful to critically reconsider the latter – or all such recommendations that seek to set up separate domains of learning for groups identified by their sexual orientation. In my opinion, education is a great leveler and educational spaces should provide for one and all a safe climate for personal growth and development. I am more inclined to spread awareness from within all inclusive educational environments than fight for the establishment of nouveau ghettos-in-the-making or the so-called “gay-friendly” schools. It may help to think along the lines of subaltern counter-publics and reach out to one and all. As a member of the A-Team in my University, we are committed to this endeavor - an environment inclusive of all.

The A-Team

Following up on Oct.29 post, the first meeting of the Student Advisory Board was fantastic to say the least. We are a group of graduate and undergraduate students at the University in different years and in different Schools/Departments. We brainstormed issues of concern to the LGBTQ community and identified common threads based on the list of those discussed. We also laid the ground rules of expectations from each other from within the Advisory group and finally talked of ways to ensure sustainability of our conversations over time.

I am excited and energized about this new initiative and I hope our LGBTQ Action Team, unofficially the A-Team, is able to effect change and make this University truly inclusive of all its members. [The Cottage Inn lunch notwithstanding, this Saturday afternoon was wholesome and simply delicious].

OUT in Thought and Action

A little update. I will be serving on the first ever Advisory Board of the LGBTQ organization at my University. I believe the advisory board will provide the LGBTQA students-on board, a forum to debate and discuss issues of concern to our community. I also believe that this will give the students and other academic members at large, the agency to devise and employ measures that could help resolve some of the challenges in broadening the public understanding of alternate sexuality.

The strength of the student body in one of the top and most gay-friendly Research Universities such as mine is its diversity, and this is represented in both student composition and their inter-disciplinary scholarship. While the latter is often a matter of academic interest, the former for most part is not, and this is where problems, opportunities and issues arise. In most Campus settings, students don’t always get to live with people of their own choosing. As such, many find it difficult to deal with anything lesser-known or “alternate” - especially if this concerns sexuality. In situations such as these, they are also more likely to express fear, which becomes most difficult to address when expressed in spaces otherwise perceived to be most safe – classrooms/studios, seminar rooms and university housing.

It is imperative then for all of us from within our community to start sharing our concerns, begin telling stories from our personal experiences and continue talking to each other about issues that need to be addressed. Only then would we be able to make well informed arguments and devise strategies toward shaping a better and a more tolerant tomorrow. This is precisely where I see myself contributing and how I see myself benefitting from this new opportunity. I hope with the rest of the group on-board, we are able to continue in our efforts towards shaping an environment inclusive of one and all.

Cheers!