Brokeback Blog Post

The beginning of this story is much like the beginning of the movie "Brokeback Mountain." It starts with two kids under the age of twenty, Ennis and Jack Twist. They were scruffy ranch foke who had less then a high school education and to support themselves one summer they herded sheep up on Brokeback Mountain. They were two men who saw the world differently, but respected the opinions of one another. On the mountain they found comfort in one another and never were able to shake that feeling even after they got married and had kids. Over the years Jack would go see Ennis, but in the first trip Alma (Ennis's wife) discovered what kind of friend Jack really was to Ennis and eventually divorced him.
What are the differences found between the movie and story? I was pretty amazed how much dialogue came from this story to make this movie. But some of the stories were elaborated on and some were recreated almost exactly to the content of the story. Something i really enjoyed was the description given to each of the characters in the beginning when they were young boys, and again later in life as they filled out into men.
In one part of the story; Ennis says that Jack is not a restaurant man to Alma when Alma wanted to take him out to dinner for the first visit with Jack. But he doesn't know that, he doesn't know what kind of man Jack really is outside the mountain. I understand why they keep going back to the mountain, to look back in times that were lost and the best summer of their lives, but they are not living in reality. They are stuck in the past and Ennis is convinced they have no future together, because of demons from his past. Even though it was said that Jack died from a tire, Ennis still believed the demons striked again. What was it between them that made their bond so strong, a love that lasted decades with little personal interaction? Did Jack leave Ennis, did Ennis leave Jack, or if Jack would not have died would he have written again?

Reflecting on the first three weeks of our course

As we complete the first third of our course, I'd be curious to read your reflections on how the course is going for you. Looking back at everything we've read thus far, what reading or issue has engaged you most fully? What has surprised or even frustrated you in our reading? Have you discovered something already that has enlarged or shifted your sense of the history of sexuality, queerness, or the North American West? If so, what was it? If not, what would you like to see us focus on to promote your own growth as a scholar of gender, race, and sexuality?

I'd also be curious to hear what you think about our class discussions. Is there anything you need from me or the rest of class to enhance the community we're building together? What are you most interested in focusing on in the next phase of our class?

For me, I've been delighted by the quality of our discussions and the thoughtfulness the rest of you have brought to the material. Out of all the readings, I was most struck by Will Roscoe's essay. Even though I've read it before and have valued his work, for some reason his argument about the inter-relatedness of Native American sex/gender systems and the evolution of modern sexual identities in Europe and Anglo-America resonated with me more strongly than it had before. I think scholars of sexuality can sometimes focus too much on distinct traditions (for good reason) and lose sight of how different cultures have shaped each other's notions of sex and gender. This may seem like an obvious point, but I thought his article reminded me of something very important. As I look ahead, I'm eager to shift the focus of our analysis from history to literature and see how the stories of Bret Harte and a film/short story like "Brokeback Mountain" relates to the material we've just studied. I hope you all enjoy this material, too.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to reading your responses.

Reflecting on Roscoe & Johnson

Please get into pairs (and one group of three), and discuss these two questions:

How does Will Roscoe characterize the relationships between European/Anglo-American and Native American cultures in terms of sexuality/gender as they came into contact over the past 500 years?

Using Roscoe’s terms, which framework works best to describe the encounters between Tim Osborn and Native Americans during the Gold Rush that Susan Johnson describes?

Individually, write a few sentences that summarize your response to the second question.

Compare your response to your partner’s. What do you notice about each other’s response? Pick one that best captures your collective thinking on the issue. Revise it as needed. Post your final response to our blog.

What did you learn by completing this exercise?

Rudd Response

Originally I had planned to talk about Rupp’s third chapter, “Worlds of Men Worlds of Women.” But after having discussed it in such detail I’d rather discuss the fourth chapter of her book, “Definitions and Deviance.” In reading this chapter I found myself somewhat confused by her examples. After the sexologists studied and created the idea of homosexuality and deviance many found themselves unable to continue their romantic friendships for fear of being labeled. Others continued on, not caring, or identifying themselves in the sexologist’s terms. After discussing what started to happen in female boarding schools and colleges, and how their peers would humiliate those girls that were in romantic friendships she posed the examples of Jane Addams, Anne Shaw, and M. Carey Thomas. Though she said that these women were unselfconscious about their actions she attributes their lack of being labeled deviants to their respectability and ability to fit within society’s view of gender roles. Thus I ask you what constitutes respectability, was it the age of these women? How did they avoid Walt Whitman’s fate and the fate of the men in Long Beach, was it by working within female-only institutions? What makes a person respectable to society, while still being true to his or her own personal sexuality and idea of gender?

These issues also tie into our nation’s idea of religion and morality. In looking at the navy’s actions what I can’t quite fathom is why they were so interested in the morality of their soldiers. How can a government expect a person forced from their home and taught to kill another without question be expected to also follow the normative views of morality as well?

Summarizing arguments, analyzing evidence

To start class today, I would like you to write a bit about Leila Rupp's history of same-sex sexuality in the United States. First, summarize the argument you think she makes in either Chapter Three ("Worlds of Men, Worlds of Women") or Chapter Four ("Definitions and Deviance"). Do your best to capture the chapter's entire argument and not just one of its sub-arguments.

Then, identify one key example that she draws on to support her claim about sexuality's history. What is the example and how does it relate to her main argument? What is striking or significant about this example? What are its limitations as evidence about sexuality?

Generating today's class discussion

To start class today, I would like you to reflect on the issues or questions that you think are the most significant from today’s reading. That is, what do you think we should talk about? Take a few minutes and describe what you found most interesting from our reading and pose a few questions to the rest of class that you think would generate a meaningful discussion. Post your reflection and your questions here as a comment.

First Response Questions!

After completing, the readings for this first week of class the one that intrigued me the most was Turner’s “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”. The most fascinating idea that he brought up was this idea that the frontier created specific “American” intellectual traits that allowed us to separate our identities from Europe. These intellectual traits over time have evolved and been intertwined with the hegemonic masculine doctrine, for example the urge to be able to do your own plumbing and the notion that men should not ask for directions seems to stem from these intellectual traits that Turner is discussing. I wonder how these intellectual traits, on which we rely to differentiate ourselves from Europe, harm our current social constructions, and how they become so intertwined in how the United States defines masculinity. My first question for everyone is do you think that these intellectual traits have proven to be more valuable or harmful to the US society?

The second thing that really threw me off was when Turner was talking about composite nationality. He seems to claim that due to the frontier the current category of white or Caucasian to define all people of European decent would have never been possible. I feel like I would have to agree with Turner because to my knowledge the majority of the frontier was built on the backs of people of color. It may have been white men who owned the land and had the idea to build cities, but it was people of color who actually built the railroads and farmed the fields in the early parts of this nation’s history. Without people of color to do all this work white men could not have united under one racial banner. So my second question to the class is whether you believe that this idea of composite nationality exists or does not exist and why?

An introduction

In writing this I have to say that I have always had trouble with writing. What I can express in person, I often find comes out confused on paper. Even so, I will try. My name is Andrew Baldwin, I'm twenty four years old and hope to graduate next fall. I'm a transfer student and have been at DU since January of 2007. Before that I studied at Lehigh University as a Political Science major. I grew up in Rye, Ny and went to boarding school in MA. My parents currently live in Princeton, NJ. This is my first academic foray into GWST and I'm excited because I've never really approached any GWST or specifically queer issues from an academic standpoint. My own acceptance of my sexuality has taken a long time for me and I hope to delve into this course as a way to broaden my understanding of queer issues especially those specific to the west. I'm very happy at the size of the class, I too feel that because of its size all of the members of the class will be able to discuss the issues freely and openly. I hope to get to know all of you better as time goes on.

Me

My name is Carly Schlotterer. I am from a small town in rural Ohio, and Denver is the most West I have traveled. I’m a lesbian as well, which adds a great deal of fun stories and insights into the Midwest, from my own perspective of course! I read a great deal and love to debate, especially when I am able to question and discuss issues with people of differing perspectives. I also appreciate the outdoors, especially outside of cities, although the city has been a haven for education and confort for me as well.

I absolutely love discussing GWST topics. I’ve taken 6 classes that were based on some sort of gender or sexuality topic, including Into to GWST, Geography of the Queer Body, and Fesminst philosophy. I like these types of classes because it is discussion based, but also because one only needs to defend and make connections and understandings with discussion topics, as opposed to a black or white, right or wrong answer. There are so many variables to humans that I really dislike the study of solely opposed and binary concepts. Gender and women’s studies has allowed me to continue to learn and understand not just through the regurgitation of information, but by thinking and analizing the data I experience as well as have read and creating a view or perspective from that, to which I then can interact with others and really understand and not solely learn.

I would say the only thing I would like from classmates is honestly, open-mindedness to ideas and concepts, and to use evidence to support one’s perspective.

My Intro

Hello to my fellow classmates. My name is Aly Rose Friedman. People call me Aly or Aly Rose I'll respond to both. I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Communities I belong to are the artist community, Jewish (but identify more culturally then spiritually), and people often categorize me as a "hippie" but I just like to think I am free spirited. Outside of class I spend most of my time working, going to shows, painting(art), and skiing in the winter.

I have gone to four other colleges, but I have been at DU for the last three years and will be graduating at the end of this school year with a B.A. in Studio Arts with a painting focus and a minor in Digital Media.

I am not quite sure where my interest in queer theory came from. I have had family members and friends since I can remember being harassed for being gay, and I guess I never truely understood why it could not be excepted into the "norms" of society. Also, being part of the art world a lot of these subject matters and issues arise and often times these pieces create the most meaning. So i guess my intrigue is to be able stand up for what i believe in and know the background of what I am talking about. I have taken a class on queer theory and it really helped answer some of the questions I had, so I thought this class would be a good continuation of that.

I really enjoy a classroom that interacts with one another. A classroom that knows each others name by the third week of class (give or take). I like this because in that kind of setting, people are more willing to speak out and give different interpretations which helps give me pathways to other ways of thinking.

I am really looking forward to this class and very interested to see what others have to say.

Introducing Christopher Turner

Hey everyone! My name is Christopher Turner, and I prefer to be called Christopher, not Chris or Topher so don’t forget it! Geoffrey has asked us to tell each other about ourselves but I always have so much trouble with these things, how am I supposed to describe the essence of who I am without a auto-biography, but alas I shall try. I identify as a queer, bi-racial, male identified, able bodied, and I’m from a lower-middle class family. I went to high school in Colorado Springs which really impacted my coming out experience due to its high Christian influences. I’m enjoy being a part of the queer and gay community’s here in Denver where I volunteer with the Colorado Anti-Violence Program on their 24 hour crisis hotline. Here at DU I am working on a degree in Philosophy and a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies. When it comes to issues of queer theory, sexuality, feminism, critical race theory, and other issues relation to social justice I like to study them and feel like that have a rather good understanding of these concepts. I hope to one day begin a graduate degree studying queer people of color and movement building after my years at DU. When it comes to the queer frontier relating to the western expansion I do not know a lot but I think it will be an interesting topic.

Intro

Hi everyone,
I know we went over the basics in class and such, but I guess this is just a little more about me. My name is Korinne Sam and I'm a 19 year-old sophomore. I'm studying Spanish and International Studies. I was born in Texas, lived in South Carolina for about 6 years, then moved back to Texas and now I'm here in Denver. My mother and father are from two very different backgrounds and as a result I feel I've been exposed to differences in class, race, and identity. My father is 1/2 American Indian (from the Choctaw tribe) and my mother grew up as a very fortunate white woman in Midland, TX. Their differences allowed my siblings and I to be accepting and aware of differences among people for which I am very grateful. As far as GWST goes... My fsem was a Queer Theory class that I really enjoyed; I found the ideas and discussions very interesting and stimulating- and I loved my teacher, Luc. Along with this class and various communication classes that I have taken topics like gender, culture, sex, sexuality, race...have all been explored and have equally interested me. I'm hoping to be able to learn more from both the teacher as well as the other students in class. I enjoy having a small class experience, especially in a setting where students are genuinely interested in the topic. I know that we will all be respectful and open, so I'm just excited to get to know everyone and learn more from you guys as well!

Introduction

Hello all, hope everything is going well. My name is Noah Schneider, and I am a senior, majoring in International Studies (focus on International Development, Gender & Health) and minoring in Political Science.

I will start with a little background information. I am a fourth generation Jewish Coloradan. I was born in raised in Denver, about 10 minutes south of DU. I have always been interested in Queer Theory because of my father coming out when I was young. I have also read a fair amount of Foucault. Since college, I have become fascinated with International Relations, and specifically with Feminist IR. Probably my favorite Feminist is bell hooks. I have read some Critical Race Theory, and have always found it very compelling, so I am looking forward to learning more.

I learn best in discussion based classes. I enjoy debating over ideas, and getting opinion from other students. I also enjoy student led lessons, because they often expose new ideas and views.

Piñata- Buster.

Hi class! So i know we went through a lot of this earlier today...but since we have to blog about it, here it goes.

So my name is Jessica- Pearl. It's my first name, but you can call me J.P. or Pearl, or whatever variation you can think of, doesn't really matter to me. I was born and raised in Denver Colorado, and I consider myself apart the North-Side and Globeville communities of Denver, speaking in terms of where I was raised. In larger terms I consider myself a Chicana, which in itself holds a lot of different cultures and holds so much more meaning beyond culture. Feel free to ask about, some people have a hard time grasping it. I'm a studio and Film Studies Major so as you can imagine I spend most of time doing some pieces, or working on or watching a film. Beyond that I'm either working or sleeping.

I don't have much background in GWST, and I've never taken a course but I took and interest in the class because of it's specific focus on the South West United States, and because I've always had a interest in GWST, just haven't had a chance to take a class. I have some familiarity with topics like feminism, queer theory, and sexuality, as I work for the LGBTIQA offices at CME, but I have much more knowledge in critical race theory, as I was raised with a family who understood a great many of those issue's. I hope to learn much more though in this class about all of these topics as I take a great interest in them!

I work best in the classroom through discussion, it helps me grasp a better idea of what a professor is trying to say. I do however like to take detailed notes on what the professor says and from there go back and put my own opinions on the notes, as well as some of the thoughts of my peers. Through this process I'm able to comprehend and thus write better on the topic at hand.

p.s. About the title...

"A Piñata-Buster is a risk taker who seldom gets the goodies. He or she busts the system wide for others, not necessarily for himself or herself. By the time the blindfolded is removed, the best candy has been taken by the others. Only on rare occasions are the most desirable treats shared with the piñata- buster."- Roberto P. Haro

reading a great book right now by Jose Antonio Burciaga called Drink Cultura. though I'd share apart of the chapter I just read. :]

Welcome to GWST 2700-1: Your First Post

For your first post to our course blog, I would like you to introduce yourself to the rest of our class. First, you might consider telling us more about who you are, where you come from, what communities you consider yourself a part of, how you identify, what you study here at DU in addition to Gender and Women’s Studies, or how you spend your time outside of class.

I’d also like to hear more about your interest and background in relation to GWST. Why are you taking this course? What do you hope to gain from it? Have you taken a GWST course before? How would you describe your familiarity with topics like feminism, queer theory, sexuality, critical race theory, or other issues you associate with GWST? What questions do you have or what do you hope to learn about these issues?

Last, please share with us how you work best in a classroom community. What do you need from the rest of us to succeed as a student, as a writer, or as a person learning more about the “queer frontier”?

Please post your response as an individual post. Remember to give it a title and leave a space between paragraphs. Before we meet on Thursday, read through your peers’ introductions and comment on at least three of them.