Talking Points #3

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community
-Dennis Carlson


Premise:
-gayness
-straightness
-normalcy
-silence
-race
-stereotypes
-ignorance
-support/lack of support
-abuse
-students
-teachers
-schools


Carlson Argues that homosexuals are not being treated as equals and we need to talk about the issues that are involved rather than ignore them.

Evidence:
1. "Abuses get tolerated because gay teachers and students operate in an environment where they feel afraid to stand up for themselves and because any discussion of gay people continues to be absent in the curriculum so that homophobia is not interrogated.

2. "Throughout this century one of the many primary means of ensuring that gayness was an invisible presence in the school was through the dismissal of teachers who were found out to be homosexuals."

3. "Three techniques of normalization and (hence) marginalization have been of primary importance in thisreguard: (1) the erasure of gayness in the curriculum, (2) the "closeting" and "witch hunting" of gay teachers, and (3) verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students."



Comments:
Although Carlson's peice was difficult for me to read and completely understand, I think that I figured out the main argument. I think that Carlson would agree with Johnson and Delpit when they say that it is important to face the problem rather than ignore it. Homosexuals are being mistreated because they are ignored in our society. People feel that if they pretend that it doesn't exist, then it will go away. Homosexual teacher's are being taken out of classrooms and any talk of gayness is being taken out of curriculums. Because homosexuals are belittled in society, it makes them afraid to be themselves and be proud of who they are. They are people just like us and there is nothing different about them. We are all different in our own ways and it makes me incredibly angry that certain people are singled out for their differences.

Also, this article made me think about the language that I use around my friends. Too often do I catch myself using the term "gay" in a negative way. I have been much more aware of the language that I use since I began taking this class.

First blog!

Helloooo! My name's Erin and I'm 18. I just recently moved on campus at RIC but plan on going to University of North Carolina in Wilmington next year. I want to be out of the cold and near the beaches! I'm looking forward to making the best out of this semester....