Transgender (Boys Don't Cry)

The movie Boys Don’t Cry was a film I probably won't ever forget. The movie was uncomfortable at times but at the end made me feel sympathy for Brandon Teena. The movie which was based off of a true story truly depicted the idea of reinventing one’s self. Sexual identity crisis is not a concept most people can relate too. Watching Brandon Teena grow from the beginning to the end was a very interesting development. Brandon is the self-made man; he goes from being a woman and changing his whole identity to fit the profile of a man. Brandon is portrayed as a strong, confident, male. He is seen the chivalrous stranger who had a very charismatic effect on people due to high amount of faith he had in himself. Everyone fell in love with him; he instantly sparks a friendship with John and Tim. Brandon knew how to treat women with respect. He's truly dedicated to being a male. He only gets very jittery when others question his sexuality. The element of confidence is portrayed when he fights other men and tries to get Lana sexually. He is determined to make a better life for himself as a male. He seems happier and more at peace with himself as a male Even when tested and broken down while he is raped, he still allows Lana to help him be a comfortable in his own skin even though he was not an actual boy. 

When Brandon is shot, its like hope is lost for the transgender community. Not only did Brandon suffer so much for his identity but also was brutally raped, degraded, and beaten to the small little girl he once was. They took his virginity in a brutal scene one so vulgar and violent that I will never forget watching it. It was painful to see a person who was so determined and bold to be killed in the eyes of his loved ones. Brandon lived a life many didn’t; he lived on the edge but as the person he truly wanted to be even if it did not fit in with society’s stereotypes.

The murder scene was something hard for me to watch and something I will never forget again. It made my sympathies for transgender grow even more than before. Ultimately Brandon’s desire was linked to the danger of his life and his desire to be a transgender caused him to be killed by two people he called his friends. Their hatred for transgender ultimately killed Brandon Teena; the girl and boy version of him.

The other week in sociology we were learning about people who are transgender and they are seen as a very different species compared to homosexuals. It is very hard for certain people to understand the struggles they deal with. People act very violently towards transgender.  A woman and her boyfriend were accompanied by a friend in McDonald’s, the girls thought that a girl in the facility was hitting on the boyfriend. When the girl seemed to have followed the boyfriend into the bathroom, the two other girls pounced and literally beat who they thought was a girl. This other woman in the restaurant was a transgender and she was violently beaten. Transgender people are having a very difficult time being accepted by society. This film and these articles share the story of Brandon Teena makes me get a closer look to the struggle people that are a transgender are faced with on a daily basis. I commend Brandon for the strength to set for on his own path and march to the beat of his own drum.

Art Expression

In the Houston House of Law, “Political and artistic expressions are both ancient and symbolic endeavors.” Throughout this class, I have seen through first point of view looking at the pieces of art that it is a look inside their inter most part of the mind and thoughts. Art is like the window to the soul for artists. Expression is the first thing that comes to mind when looking at art. There should be no rules to what people decided to create whether if its reflective or reactive which is similar to a mirror to society, as opposed to society itself. People are very critical of other work that is different than the stereotypical norm. Artwork creates much controversy when an artist uses it to express their view on society. The Houston House of Law, states, “art is political”. I don’t think I fully understand how powerful art could be in a political or influential essence until I went to the museum last week. Each piece has a story; the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words is a very true statement. Those who fund the art may or may not support the meaning or display of the piece. For example in The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago was funded by a group of conservative politicians and once they hear about the plan Chicago had for this display they were threatening to withdraw funding because it seemed to be more pornography and not art. This idea embodies the concept of Culture Wars that politicians and religious leaders argue that public money should not be sed to support art that is seen as offensive, pornographic, religious, and homosexual or against their religion.

Art is where people tend to test the boundaries while they express themselves The term struggling artist is a very popular concept for describing the occupation of these people. Because art is so political, the people who fund the piece hold the power of what will be popular. Art is not as free as people think it is there funders of each piece hold all of the to what is displayed in galleries and what is appropriate to be seen. The mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, attacked the funding of the Brooklyn Museum because it held the pieces The Dinner Party as well as The Holy Virgin Mary (1996) by Chris Ofili. The people in higher-class society are trying to censor the artwork that the general public will see. We live in a society where we preach how we have so much freedom but in reality artwork is constantly being censored and politics are controlling the way things are being viewed. Artwork is where genuine ideas can be displayed and right now the art we see is a very distorted view of society and expression. Even though The Dinner Party project made me uncomfortable, Judy Chicago should still be able to express her ideas and let them be seen.

National Museum of Women Art's

When I was walking towards the museum, I was very unsure what to expect. The museum itself was a beautiful building with very tasteful decorations that were not over powering the pieces of art. The contrast between the beige walls and the pieces allowed the artwork to shine and be the focal points of the exhibit. The context of these pieces of art had lights beaming on the art to highlight the colors and depth of the artwork.

I first walked two the temporary exhibit was “A World Apart”, one of U.S. exhibition that focused on Anna Ancher and her exploration and role as the only professional woman artist within the Danish colony. This exhibit reminds me of the idea of Amish country that was mixed with the Victorian Era clothing. The colors used in majority of the art were light pastels in fields, very much in setting with nature. There were a few darker pieces in the exhibit, which were on a darker wall; using more blacks and browns. Looking through the exhibit, I chose the painting “Wait for Me” painted by PS Kroyer which is used in this painting of two little children running into the water naked. PS Kroyer uses some of Anna Ancher’s elements such as the aspects of lighting and color the work in the museum. The concepts are used in this painting of two little children running into the water naked. It illustrates Anchers influence of natural and realism on Kroyer’s work. It portrays the idea of innocence, easily achieved bliss, as well as enjoyment of life. It is a very light, simple painting which is a technique that Ancher loved to use. It also portrays the innocence in light with sexuality through this subtle childish expression.

The permanent exhibition was definitely the area I enjoyed more. It was many random, exotic pieces that encompassed a lot of creativity with its structure and presentation. The piece in the permanent exhibit I found very unique and eye-catching piece called Untitled #781 by Petah Coyne.  It is this structure of a classical dress that has a ballerina feel for it but with an edgy, rare material formation made of wax, plastic, cloth, and steel. Its femininity is very observable but it has a funky effect with clumps of wax creating a greater three-dimensional concept. The description does not really add much to the display of this but the lighting highlights the unique texture and dimensions of the dress. On the museum website I read that this piece, “it reflects how Coyne imagined womanhood as a girl: beautiful and extravagantly festive, like ‘floating on air’”. This Rocco style piece really was inspiring to step out of the box of the standard perceptions of feminism.

For the third piece, I chose the one when I walked into the exhibit it stuck out to me. It was a very light photograph called “Michelle Jacuzzi” by Daniela Rossell that was found in the permanent exhibit. The picture was pretty much all white and had a background of a city skyline in the background with a girl who looked like Emily Van Camp sitting in the middle of it all from a view up top.  It was comparing the social classes of Mexico through photography by the subtlest contrasts.  It was very different to the piece in the A World Apart exhibit; “Wait for Me”. Although it compared the idea of light, that is the two pieces of art’s only similarity.  Kroyer’s piece has an idea of fun, happiness, and life while the photo, “Michelle Jacuzzi” describes in a very subtle way the huge gap between the rich and poor social class in Mexico. It displays the very small minority in Mexico the ultra rich. “Michelle Jacuzzi” describes in a very subtle way the huge gap between the rich and poor social class in Mexico. It seems like a simple piece of photography displaying the foreground and background in a very dramatic sense but there was much more depth to. It displays the very small minority in Mexico the ultra rich but honestly by looking at this picture I didn’t even think anything about social class, as well economic status. It has the idea of a landscape picture of Mexico City. If I never read the plaque, I would not have grasped the context of the picture. 

Going to the museum, I was able to understand and see many more paintings in a completely different way. There was many more things to consider while looking at it in person such as presentation, the description next to it, the lighting, its surrounding paintings. It was a very enjoyable experience and I was pleasantly surprised that I was very intrigued by the pieces of art and the stories behind them.  You can see more of the details in real life than on the power point. There was more freedom and choice in the museum while in the classroom it is much more structured. 

Dancing Blog

Growing up as a child, my parents put me in a plethora of dance classes; ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and probably more. It was just an expected class for a little girl to sign up for. There was never a boy in my class that I can remember but if there were it would have been the weirdest news in the world. If you find a male in your dance class you assume he is gay automatically. Dance is a something found in the natural world, which women tend, join while men go with the forces of civilization and cultural advancement. Even though dancing is so simple, men still partake it but are typically seen in the background while women perform their work. In today’s society for the most part female dancers take in all of the spotlight. It is very rare to see or hear of profession male dancers. I was unaware of how much gender and sexuality influenced a dance profession in society as a whole. Society created these gender barriers and stereotypes in the work field that are difficult to be broken.

When I took dance all I cared about was getting the right position at the right part of the song, while making the movements look fluid and functional. Little did I know that I was participating in a very feminine art especially ballet. It is more than movement especially the historical dances that were before my time. Each dance tells a story and has a meaning behind each position and movement, the song selection, as well as costume choice. It is all one big presentation. After watching several of the Urban Bush Women’s videos, I realized how much depth went into these dances. Not only was their meaning behind the movement but also factoring in the costume colors, the lyrical dance moves, lyrics of the music, the beat and volume of the song, etc. Each song shared a different story some angry which the dark clothing and loud music could tell. Others dances were peaceful because of the soft music and calm lyrical motions. Batty Moves was a dance that was different than most because of the choice of a provocative costume and more sexual dance moves. The dance was made more exciting because each dancer added their personal spin on the basic design in a very elaborate taste. With African Americans growing up in the country of the United States of America, dance was a way to connect with their heritage, culture, and roots. It expresses more than a dance; dancing explains the ancestry and the history these women had mold the person they are. Dance is a much more expressive outlet that I realized. This dance group was also helpful to African Americans in order to find their niche in this new world. Dancing to these African women allows them to be unique and express themselves with a group of women who share the bond of having similar historical roots.

Sexuality Blog #8

Nature versus Nurture for homosexuality is the constant controversy that never seems to have an answer. Is it caused by genetics or experience? Sexuality is a person’s sexual orientation. Heterosexuality is the norm in society it is what has been seen for years in the world. Because gays and lesbians are different than the stereotypical norm; they are oppressed because their wishes of the life they want to live are not socially acceptable. LGBT community should be treated as equals in society because as Lady Gaga says in her song lyrics, “we are born this way”.

In the past, many people tend to hide their homosexuality because it was not accepted in society whatsoever. There was a well-known riot at the Stonewall Inn, which was a gay bar that sparked the Gay Liberation movement. When I read this in the lecture, it sparked a story my father told me. My grandfather’s brother decided to start and run his own bar but with my grandfather sharing the business. My dad’s uncle took care of the entire business without my grandfather ever-stepping foot into the bar. My dad and his brother decided they should support the business so they took their dates to their father’s bar. When they walked through the doors of the bar all they saw were men. That was how my family found out that my great uncle was gay. He was in the closet his entire life because it was socially unacceptable to be interested in the same sex. My great uncle parallels Bruce Bechdel who was the narrator/ author’s father.  They were both dealing with their sexuality in the 1970s, had a wife and kids at home, and hiding their true identity. My great uncle was luckily able to live his life without being as oppressed as Bruce was; he came out to his family and found a life long partner.

 Both men made things appear to be what they were not. My father told me that his uncle was very weird about his house just like Allison’s father was. He treated their house like a museum which was more his child than his actual children. Allison’s father was all about creating the perfect image for his family but in reality it was an allusion. Homosexuality was completely repressed at this time. Before her father allegedly commits suicide, Bruce’s true identity was revealed to his family. He treated his relationship with men like the flowers in his garden. Allison differed from her father and chose to acknowledge her homosexual feelings in public and take up a partner. To be honest I am not sure if it was a difference in time when bother Allison and her father grew up or their gender but they handled their sexuality very differently from one another.

Comparing the past and the present in the LGBT community, homosexuality is much more accepted but there is still inequality. Only nine states have passed marriage laws for homosexuals. It is taking a slow amount of time. No matter what gender you are it is hard to come out in society and be sexually different than the norm.