uncle

Uncle is a very attention grabbing story that tackles the issues of sexuality in children. In what may perhaps be a very relate able way in which we all as children grew up with a sense of curiosity about our bodies. Jake is unsure about his penis and it is an item of much mystery and to him a foreign object which he cannot predict or understand.

His shame is also interesting, the scene when he developed an erection and the terror he felt, shows his ignorance. Jake’s lack of knowledge is a very relatable to many of us because although now a days it is strongly encouraged that parents talk to their children about such thing it is still a very difficult topic to discuss and most parent choose to put of this sort of talk for later day that may perhaps never come. And what end up happening is what happened to Jake we learn about sexuality from unreliable sources such as siblings who are just as ignorant or classmates who are just attracted to the vulgarity of it. We then grow up with a much distorted image of sexuality. And unfortunately this cycle of discomfort with the topic of sexuality is carried on to our children.

-jorge aguayo

Lesbian couple wins Homecoming King & Queen

Hoorraaaayyy for change......

Students at a San Diego high school elected a lesbian couple as homecoming king and queen over the weekend, a move that has garnered international attention for the couple.Patrick Henry High School senior Rebeca Arellano was crowned king on Friday and her girlfriend, Haileigh Adams, was named queen, KSWB-TV reported."I hope people understand that lesbians and gays do need the same rights," Adams told the San Diego television station.The couple said they were not planning to run and were shocked by the attention they've received.Arellano, the school's first female homecoming king, told ABC News, "It was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had."The couple said they had received a lot of positive support, but that a lot of people were also angry about it, saying that it's wrong for a girl to be king.ABC News reported that Arellano posted a response on Facebook: "For all the girls who think tradition should be continued, go back to the kitchen, stop having sex before you're married, get out of school and job system, don't have an opinion, don't own any property, give up the right to marry who you love, don't vote, and allow your husband to do whatever he pleases to you. Think about the meaning of tradition when you use it in your argument against us."

**Via L.A. Times

Transgender student gets expelled...

This is in the news today....

A man who identifies himself as a woman said she has been expelled from a nursing program at California Baptist University for appearing on a television program to discuss her gender identity, a local newspaper is reporting.Domaine Javier, 24, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise she was expelled from the school after appearing on MTV’s "True Life” and declaring that she is biologically male. Javier dresses as a woman and has identified herself as female since childhood.The show’s episode was called “I’m Passing As Someone I’m Not,” the newspaper reported.Javier told the paper that she clicked the space next to “female” on the school’s online application form.“They said, ‘On your application form you put "female," ’ " Javier told the paper. "And I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s how I see myself.’ ”Javier told the Press-Enterprise she was expelled in August, a week before she was to begin a nursing program. A Cal Baptist spokesman told the paper that the school doesn’t comment on student disciplinary matters.Javier said she had passed up admission at Cal State San Bernardino University, which as a public university cannot discriminate against transgender students, the paper reported. Cal Baptist, a private university, reportedly awarded Javier a $3,500 academic scholarship.Javier said she is back at Riverside City College but she cannot enter the nursing program until next fall.“This totally ruined my career path,” she told the paper. “I’ve been trying to finish as soon as possible.”

**Via L.A. Times

"Uncle" and "Imitation Gender Insubordination"

Uncle by Winston James was very interesting read and yet surprising. Jake is only 6 years old and yet, he is able to explain what is going on with his confusing thoughts about sexuality. At first, I thought what Jake was feeling towards his uncle was simply like a role-model figure; like masculinity he would want to possess one day when he grows up. But as he starts talking about playing barber with his brother Vince or wanting to watch the "magic" Vince performs, it makes me question about his sexuality or is it a simple sexual curiosity/desire at a young age? Considering that Jake maybe starting to be opening up to his homosexuality, he is confused with his actions as well and feels insecure. When he gets caught swimming under his uncle's legs to see his penis, he says "I feel like I did something wrong". He is continuously conscious of what he is doing and afraid of getting caught by people around him (ex. his mom), which I say is normal for a young boy. But as young as he is, he even questions his actions to the point where he thinks it may be thought as "in league with Satan" if he tells his mom about it. When he also sees Uncle Paul's penis, he freezes and doesn't know what to do, but pee in his pants. It can be seen as a simple shock for a 6 year old boy as he wasn't even able to say a word to correct his mom's misunderstandings who thought the uncle was molesting her child. Overall, this reading had good insights about sexual identity and confusions at a young age.
On the other hand, Butler's Imitation Gender Insubordination was very hard to read but it seemed to have lots of deep thoughts involved in one's identity as a homosexual and the "theory" of coming out as a homosexual individual. I also questioned, what if I was able to understand thoroughly what the reading was saying? Would it have made a difference? because the concept of sexuality and identity itself is very unclear and hard to explain. I also noticed the author questioning as well in the reading.

Butler and James

What I took away from Butler’s Imitation and Gender Insubordination is that human classification cannot necessarily be applied to the most fundamental elements of life, as gender and sexuality are too complex to be fully understood. While Butler succeeded in accentuating this claim, she did not articulate the pros and cons of a world in which desire is uninhibited by normative social practices. She continuously (and justifiably) picks apart our current binary system, but does not explain how an absence of – or alternative to – the system would strengthen or weaken society. Such clarification would have put her argument in context with the larger social and political issues that stem from gender constructions.

While I found James’ essay Uncle incredibly powerful, I was unable to identify the point she was trying to make. At first I thought that Jake's seemingly ‘homosexual’ behavior was a product of raw, youthful desire (as opposed to homosexuality). I then thought back to Bersani's idea of sexual identification - if you identify with your mother, you like women, if you identify with your father, you like men. According to this principle, Jake is a homosexual, as he identifies with his uncle. However, I feel that providing Jake with a sexual orientation does not comply with James’ conception of free-flowing desire. Thus, Bersani’s principle undermines James' essay, as it veils her broader implications.

Jake

I found this article very interesting. I felt that I wanted to know Jake's story, but we may never know what happened to his uncle or him. As I was reading, some of the things that got my attention was how Jake was thought out everything he was doing. Although at times he could not control himself, he knew what he was doing and what the people around where doing. I use to believe you are born homosexual, but after reading Jake's case I think otherwise. The reason for this is because Jake was not taught that girls are suppose to be with girls, but he was influenced by his brother to like the male genital. Through the barber game, Jake eventually became accustomed to this so he became acceptive of an effection for the penis. His homosexuality came naturally.

Just curious, What do you guys think about being born homosexual or becoming homosexual? What do you believe and why?

Butler and James

Wow, Judith Butler's "Imitation and Gender Insubordination" was a difficult but intriguing read. It tended to focus on identity and the social constructions for homosexuals, classes if you will. She made extraordinary insights which I agree with, including the passage about being a lesbian and yet having to "be" a lesbian. Such as the example of Yale, my feelings on this are that while you are a lesbian in every way, It almost needs to be proven, as if it's acted. You only "are" something in the context it is represented. Remember the controversy of Britney Spears' on-stage kiss with a woman? I suppose this challenges the affirmation of gender idea but how would that on-stage kiss be received if Britney was a lesbian? What was the point of the whole stunt? certainly not to just "be" gay, or "come out", but what of the other woman? Is she an out lesbian? who knows, but I believe this example to be a representation of the "I". Really what all this means is taken from the coming out process. Homosexuals come out of a closet, into a world set on manipulating itself to keep the "closet" as such, a place to keep all the homosexuals away from being "normal". There are many other controversial ideas in this essay I hope we'll explore further in class.

On "Uncle", I found myself easily put in the boy's shoes, yet some of the events seem far-fetched. Jake's mother thought Uncle Paul was gay or at least a child molester, although I had that vibe for a while too. although It seemed as though Jake was causing all the events and that he was discovering the "closet". He didn't want to tell anyone of his "gay" tendencies, yet he didn't know that's what they were. Vince also plays a role to build Jake's sexuality, but what I really loved in this story was the religious significance. The ending was so powerful. Jake doesn't want to be associated with Satan, he doesn't want to be different but he is discovering that he is. Jake will probably grow up very confused with himself, and have different opinions of Uncle Paul, who he looked up to (pun intended). This was truly a story of a 6 year old's first experience of gender/sexuality line, the distinctions of gay and strait, and it'll only get more complicated as he gets older. I don't know if it's based on a true story, but I had no clue Jake's feelings could exist like they did at such a young age, eye-opening.

I found Butler’s “coming out of the closet” argument a very interesting on at that. I to have engaged in long soliloquies about where exactly people are coming out into once they are subjected as “out of the closet.” I believe that one can argue that that same sense of “coming out” that Butler is referring to in her piece can be described as a similar one as the one children go through when they are transitioning from infant to child and from child to adolescent. We could not have had a better example than the one we got from The Uncle. The way that we see and feel how this little boy is contemplating all these unknown factors of his life can be thought of this metaphoric closet that Butler refers to.

Something that really caught my attention was how Butler’s notion that “the subjection that subjectivates the gay or lesbian subject in some way continues to oppress, or oppresses most insidiously once ‘outness’ is claimed” was portrayed by the boy and his expression of curiosity. When the boy ran into the bathroom his uncle occupied he attained more than he bargained for. From here on out a sense of anarchy took over his story: Boy went to the bathroom on himself, uncle screamed at him, boy kept staring at his uncle’s pelvic area non-immutably, and the mother’s grave assumption of her brother molesting her child.

Butler and Winston James

Judith Butler’s article “Imitation and Gender Subordination” was particularly difficult for me to read, however it did give an insightful observation of the performativity of gender. She explains that self-identification is confusing, but is a representation of the nature of gender relations. For example, she explains that for her to “be a lesbian” was to constantly play a performative role in which she associated herself as socially and physically as a lesbian, and blossoms into “becoming a lesbian.” Butler clarifies that “becoming a lesbian” is a somewhat “private identity” but with her performative role, the “private identity” is extended to the public. This supports her idea of that the characteristics of one’s sexuality is essential by a set of social constructs are symbolized through the performative acts of gender.

In “Uncle” by G. Winston James, it is written from a six year old boy’s point of view, who tries to recognize the games his older brother plays with him, along with the growth of his “love” towards his tall uncle Paul. The young boy celebrates his sixth birthday and does not understand why his body develops such strong feelings for his uncle. This short story explains a reminiscence of a new, uniformed sensation of the six-year-old boy who faces a frightening and confusing pre-pubescent feeling by the presence of being worshipped by the same sex relative.

In her essay, Imitation and Gender Insubordination, Judith Butler writes about the origins of gender, how is it produced, and reinforced. She argues that gender is built around a sort of heterosexuality from which it cannot escape. It is this innate drive for heterosexuality that causes individuals to engage in the performance of gender. She talks about those individuals who attempt to break away from the norm, through homosexuality as sexual preference, despite their performance they cannot escape the heterosexual system. Butler argues that gender and sexual preference operate jointly from which there appears to be no break.
Although gender is defined culturally and socially defined as traits, outside of the scientific, that are particular to the sex of an individual as Butler find this perverse. Butler states, and many others would agree that gender is socially constructed. Butler goes on to say that the “naturalness” a woman is based on is the moment that she recognizes herself within the heterosexual society.
Butler argues that “heterosexuality sets itself up as the original, the true, the authentic”. What we are experiencing in our understanding of gender is the hegemony of heterosexuality. Butler does not want to expel notions of gender completely, but to address what happens when the gender norms are questioned. In order to do so, Butler examines gender in relation to homosexual relations and argues that the hegemony of heterosexuality is always present.
We perform our gender in order to define what it means to be “I”. The “I” is created through repetitions which produce an air of coherence. Therefore, in order for the “I” to exist, the individual must be involved in continual performance of gender. It is not simply enough to be female or male, but rather an individual must engage in the constant performance of a given gender. She goes on to talk about how drag demonstrates that gender is always a performance that attempts a representation. It shows that there is no true and original gender as it is always an imitation and never a “true” form.Butler argues that performance of drag breaks down “natural” understanding of sex as the origin of gender. When this argument is pushed further, what becomes clear is that even without a dependence on the “natural” ideas of sex, gender is still based on the heterosexual. If a man can perform as a female (in drag), it is no longer the “natural” ideas of female (the feminine) that they are emulated but rather the sexual preferences defined by heterosexuality. A man performs as a woman in order to demonstrate that he identifies with the sexual preference of woman—that he desires man. The homosexual individual must emulate heterosexual sex preference in order for their own sexuality to be understood and recognized by others. Identity has become a performance of what is “other” to itself. In order to demonstrate homosexuality as one’s sexual preference, the individual is forced to imitate heterosexual norms. Butler relies on theorists Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen and Ruth Leys for a discussion of self identity. In the end. Bulter offers only as a solution that, “it may be a matter of working sexuality against identity, even against gender, and of letting that which cannot fully appear in any performance persist in its disruptive promise”
In this next essay, "The Uncle" I found it very interesting how Jake was so curious about the penis. He actually enjoyed when his brother rubbed his penis all over his face and enjoyed looking at it and watching it grow. I think this essay makes an interesting statement about little kids and their curiosity and desire for intimacy. More than the fact tht Jake liked penis, I think he enjoyed the intimacy associated with the penis.

Observing the Other

Judith Butler introduces Freudian psychic mimetism and the exploration of the "Other" when she mentions the statement, "Consider that identifications are always made in response to loss of some kind, and that they involve a certain mimetic practice that seeks to incorporate the lost love within the very 'identity' of the one who remains." This loss is not exactly understood in terms of a tangible or necessarily identifiable, singular loss, a force that seeks out an alternative to the individual's being, represented by the aforementioned "Other." But also, mimetism can come before any dramatic loss, as a premature attempt that precedes any tangible desire. And so, the "Other" can exist within the self before the self even identifies with the Other, which by the time it is acknowledged would have already existed. With the constant reminder of the prospect of attainment , the individual has the constant possibility of being something else available, one that can never be achieved as long as the acceptance of the Other remains.

The story of "Uncle" implicates the incorporation of the Other in the protagonist Jake, formed by both the physicality of the older 13-year-old brother and the Uncle. Jake feels confusion but nonetheless quiet acquiescence while playing barber with his brother. It is revealed intermittently throughout the story, an example being when the younger broher experiences pride when the Uncle praises him, that Jake has perhaps found the "Other" brought about by his brother's dominance. Exemplified mainly by the unattainability of the elder's physical status, the mystery and jealousy of the body is overturned by the physicality of the Uncle; "The first thing I think is how much bigger Uncle Paul is without his clothes on," reaffirming the idea that the larger, more powerful being suppresses those weaker to it.

Playing with Gender

The first essay was very difficult both to read and analyze in itself, so I'm going to stick with critiquing the two essays separately, though I can see links between them. In Judith Butler's essay "Imitation and Gender Insubordination," she intensely discusses the issue of identity as a sexual, private, and public paradigm. I thought she brought up two particularly fascinating points that I had never considered before: one, that by assigning a specific identity (sexual or otherwise) we must therefore also exclude a host of other identities; and two, that all gender roles are a result of "compulsory performance." Her discussion of identity and the "I" was confusing at first, but the more critically I read it, I began to better understand the point she was making. I believe Butler is saying that whenever we decide on a particular identity, we also temporarily exclude a large number of other possibilities in order to make their claim. This happens because the act of defining makes us subconsciously decide becomes included and what becomes excluded. Thus, she is saying that at the same time, disclosure reveals and also conceals. Butler's second hypothesis is that, if all sexual identity is merely a performance based on societal dictates, homosexuality is a "copy," as is any other sexuality. She delves deeper in this hypothesis and acknowledges that this is a complex subject, because by saying that all sexuality is a "copy," there has to be an original form (NOT heterosexuality) that existed and was the basis of all sexual preferences/gender.

The next essay, "Uncle" by Winston James, reminded me of the term "voyeurism" that we discussed in class. Although that is definitely not the only point referenced in this essay, I though it was relevant because of Jake's pleasure from viewing other male genitalia. However, this possible voyeurism is different because it is not necessarily driven by sexual desire. Like Mandi stated in her blog, I believe that Jake's yearning for physical closeness to his uncle and his enjoyment of his brother's actions stem from a deeper desire for love and attachment towards two male figures that he looks up to. However, whether this desire is sexual or not, Jake is frightened of it because of the beliefs subconsciously instilled in him by his mother, associating anything "wrong" with Satan. It doesn't matter whether Jake will grow to sexually desire men or not; what matters is that he instinctively seems to know that homosexuality is wrong without ever being explicitly told so.

Living Within Language

For me, Judith Butler's essay "Imitation and Gender Insubordination" really enforced the subjectivity of the determining gender characteristics within labels of "butch" "lesbian" "heterosexual" etc. It is almost impossible to place individuals is such categories because sexuality exists in a continuum of varying degrees. Our language assumes certain characteristics associated with different labels of sexuality, yet Butler points out that even when one "comes out of the closet" the new group they are placed into encloses them into another "closet" because they may not fit completely fit within the predetermined characteristics of that group. For example, social constructs of gender roles are so ingrained in our society that we find the need to determine the "butch" in a lesbian relationship as the "male" of the pairing to make sense of the relationship. This prevents us from seeing the couple as merely two individuals with a common attraction and forces us to associate gender roles in each situation.

The boy, Jake, in the essay "Uncle" seems to face the same difficulty of fitting in with the language and social norms of sexuality. He describes all of these emotions building up, yet does not understand them as sexual implications. Rather, he feels that something is "wrong" with these feelings due to his social upbringing of being a "though" boy (as a his father wants) and growing up normally/heterosexually (as his mother wants). As a six year old, his intentions may not necessarily be sexual. They are more of a desire to be loved by the only man who has shown him compassion and a curiosity to understand everything about the man he would like to emulate.

- Mandi Brooksbank

Jake's View

As I read the story, Uncle, I found myself questioning if Jakes brother, Vince, was liked playing the “barber” game with him because he was a homosexual. Then I thought, why does this matter? Why do we make it such a big deal? I realized that narrating the story from Jake’s point of view shows the reader what it would be like if these thoughts and labels society creates for people were inexistent. His innocent words as he describes what goes on around him makes us feel guilty for constructing the stereotypes behind homosexuals, which he will grow to learn. The only reason that Jake has feelings of insecurity is because of the adults who look at him differently or show him that there is something wrong. For example, when Jake’s mom starts crying, she says to him, “Jake, I need my boys to learn what’s right from wrong. I want you to grow up right.” This phrase upset me, because in the mother’s mind, heterosexuality is “right.”
In “Imitation and Gender Subordination, Butler explains how “heterosexuality sets itself up as the original, the true, the authentic,” which makes it “right” in our minds. However, she explains that we cannot truly claim it as original, if there weren’t the idea of “homosexuality” as a copy to affirm its originality. Here, the only reason that heterosexuality is the original is because it came before homosexuality. It is interesting to think about how different society would be if homosexuality preceded heterosexuality. In either case, I think that neither social constructs could exist without the other, which shows that neither can be claimed “right” or “natural.”

Film Recommendations...

Based on some of the issues or concepts that we have been discussing in lecture and discussion, I wanted to suggest a few films that deal with homosexuality, cross-dressing, discrimination in college, Male to Female and Female to Male issues. In case anyone is interested, here are some titles and descriptions of each film. Some of them are documentaries and others are independent films. These films are quite insightful.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Invited to perform at a casino in remote Alice Springs, Australia, drag queens Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) and Felicia (Guy Pearce) and transsexual Bernadette (Terence Stamp) hit the road in a broken-down lavender bus named Priscilla in this campy comedy classic. Along the way, the friends change into their most outrageous costumes and lip-synch disco tunes -- including plenty of ABBA -- for the outback's befuddled locals.

Prodigal Sons: In high school, Kimberly Reed was male, a straight-A student and captain of the football team. But since leaving his rural Montana hometown, he's become a woman -- and a filmmaker whose documentary could not be any more personal. Half the story involves her attending her high school reunion as a transgendered female; the other half involves reuniting with her siblings, including her estranged adopted brother.

Fagbug: Turning a slur sprayed on her VW Beetle from scarlet letters into a badge of honor, Sage College grad student Erin Davies hit the road in her rechristened "fagbug" to raise awareness of gay rights and to speak where others had been silenced. The resulting documentary captures a 58-day cross-continental trip in which Davies interviews 400 people, discovers the virulence of hate crimes and records reactions to her queerly customized ride.

Red Without Blue: This provocative and insightful film documents three years in the lives of identical twins Mark and Alex Farley as they come to terms not only with their homosexuality, but also with Alex's decision to transition from male to female. Haunted by a troubled past -- including divorced parents, discrimination and a joint suicide attempt -- the brothers struggle to affirm their identity and learn what it means to be a family outside of traditional norms.

**Descriptions courtesy of NetFlix

METRAC Video Game

Since Susana Ruiz' presentation in class, I visited some of the websites she mentioned and even played a few of the games just to get some perspective. The game that I played was hosted by METRAC (see link below) and it's called "What it is," which is a game that talks about sexual violence. It's a digital game that shows you (the player) as a silohuette and you move your avatar around the environment to speak with people. Once you come up on a person, you are prompted with a question. If you get the question right, you score 20 points. If you go towards the red exclamation points, you get an extra 5 points. I thought it was interesting that instead of picking an avatar that resembled you, it was actually a silohuette that carried no label or classification for sex or gender. I just wonder if it's better that way? Or if it's better to be able to design your avatar to be male, female, or transgender. Either way, I would like to see digital games like these at schools for young students to play with.

http://metrac.org/whatitis.htm#

Tabloid Phenomenon & Pregnant Men

I was browsing some YouTube videos and came across this video (link blow) of a guy who says that Thomas Beatie wasn't a "real" pregnant man and that a "real" pregnant man would shock everyone asserting that the tabloids would cover him in their stories.

http://youtu.be/wMjYCuDuH2U

I am just curious to see what you all think about what he has to say? The issue of the pregnant man is still around and apparently there are some men who like to try it. Even after Thomas Beatie, do you all think that there would still be shock value to seeing or hearing about a pregnant man? Or do you think there's no more shock value in it anymore?

Thanks...

Influences on identity

Although both James and Butler’s articles were interesting, I had a lot of difficulty getting through Butler’s, as it was incredibly confusing. This isn’t a bad thing; it was very thought-provoking, I just wasn’t able to enjoy it as much because it was so dense. What I was able to discern was that both James and Butler’s essays were about identity and how one determines one’s identity. Butler seemed to discuss identity as an adult looking at his or her identity, while James’ essay was from the perspective of a six year old.

In Butler’s section entitled “Psychic Mimesis,” it says, “any intense emotional attachment thus divides into either wanting to have someone or wanting to be that someone, but never both at once” (316). When I read this, it seemed to directly correlate to the “Uncle” essay by Winston James. The child, Jake, seems to be going through a process of discovering what it really means to be male. Jake’s uncle is a crucial figure in his life, as is clear from his vivid descriptions and thoughts about him in the essay. Jake clearly wants to have his uncle throughout the beginning of the story, as he talks about going swimming with him and how happy he is that he’s the favorite nephew over his brother. At the end of the essay in the bathroom, however, it might not be that Jake wants to be his uncle, but I saw him as wanting to have that bond of unity. In a six year old’s life, he’s still developing his perceptions of men and women, and a positive male figure is crucial. I noticed that there was no real description or mention of Jake’s father, only in that his mom was mad at him, making Jake’s uncle his number one male figure. This fill-in male figure could be confusing Jake, and possibly altering his future identity.

Bella Narvaez