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The GSRC offers a variety of programs. The following is a list of our scheduled events for the spring 2012 semester:
Thursdays 7–9 pm, in the GSRC – 219 Hunt Union
August 30
“A Family Affair: Coming out to families and the impact on the LGBTQ individuals” [Melissa Fallon]
Recent research suggests that positive social support from families is a significant predictor of well-being for LGBT individuals. A discussion will be facilitated about the impact of family affirmation and rejection as well as parent experiences of their child’s coming out process. Particular attention will be paid to decisions to come out to family and ways to compensate for lack of family support.
Setpember 6
“It's T Time” [Aaron Braun]
This will be a discussion of the not so obvious changes that come along with taking testosterone. In particular, we will focus on the mental and emotional changes of the female-to-male (FTM) transition.
September 13
“Everyone can do something, lessons from bystander prevention” [Rebecca Harringtonl]
When you know why you don’t intervene you increase the likelihood of overcoming those obstacles.
September 20
“Making Babies in New-Fashioned Ways: Gender, Sexuality, and Assisted Reproductive Technologies” [Sallie Han]
I will give a brief overview on assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), such as gamete donation and in-vitro fertilization, then discuss recent studies by cultural anthropologists about how ARTs are both "opening" the possibility for individuals to become parents, regardless of gender identification and sexual orientation, and in surprising ways reinforcing other normative ideas and practices about gender, sexuality, and family and kinship.
October 4
“What did you just say?! : The language of prejudice” [Charlene Christie]
We will explore the psychology of the labels we use and the words we choose. We will also discuss strategies for calling people out on the use of prejudicial or biased language.
October 11
“LGBT Parenting” [Brenda Seery]
We will discuss the current scholarship on LGBT parenting—particularly issues faced by all parents, including heterosexual, as well as unique challenges faced by LGBT parents. We will focus on links between parents and children and social institutions particularly courts (who is defined as a parent), school systems, and neighborhoods/communities.
October 18
“Creating Community in the Face of Challenge: Organizing in Abu Dhabi” [Megan Fallon]
Creating community can sometimes be challenging to the LGBTQ and ally community. Megan Fallon will speak briefly about her experience as a bi-sexual woman in Abu Dhabi and how people were creative in their approach to community. How have other people created community in challenging situations? What makes us feel good about being a part of our community? This is an open discussion about what we need to feel supported by each other.
October 25
“What’s In A Name: Identity, Ownership, Nothing?” [Cynthia Miller]
What is important about a name? Names define us as individuals, and also as members of a family. Historically, marriage was about the transfer of property (from father to husband); a woman changed her last name to her husband’s to encode this exchange, and to define her as a member of a “new” family. Naming children after their fathers is a tradition that enables and perpetuates patriarchal institutions, including the ownership by men of women’s reproductive life.
In recent decades, women have begun to make different choices. But questions remain. Do these choices represent real change? With the growing possibility of legal marriage for lesbians and gay men, how do these couples make decisions about names? How do we name our children? Is it important for members of a family to have the same name? And, of course, how do we change institutions to affirm the validity of choice in this area?
This dialogue session will provide a “non-scholarly” atmosphere in which to explore some of these questions, and we will entertain all sorts of creative alternatives to our current system of naming.
November 1
“Masculine? Feminine? Not sure where you fit? How ‘bout Androgynous?” [Michelle Hymowitz]
An open dialogue session on all aspects and concepts of androgyny. Discussing topics such as gender identity and expression and where it fits in the LGBTQ spectrum, including identifying celebrities that are androgynous.
November 8
“Let’s Talk Sex” [Ericka Medina]
This program is about sexual health awareness and will encourage students to ask questions that they are unsure about. The questions are written anonymously so that it minimizes discomfort. We will discuss a range of topics depending on the questions.
November 15
“Appearance and Gender in the Cultural and Historical Context” [Damayanthie Eluwawalage]
The study of dress and appearance is interdisciplinary. No single theory or field of knowledge or isolated ideology is able to explain the entire concept. Several theories and theses have been invoked in this paper, such as Flugel’s psychological model of sexual differentiation in clothes; Veblen’s economical and sociological theory of the leisure-class; and Marx’s and Engel’s economical theory of capitalism and social class, to interpret, explain and define the society, social stratum and gender aspects. Gender and related issues are too complex to understand in a solitary discipline. Biological gender explanation for instance, basically enhanced our comprehension of the sexes, nevertheless it scarcely explained the relations and evaluations of the sexes in contemporary forms of life. According to the biological argument in relation to male domination, there are many theories of gender inequality established on biological aspects of sexes. According to Freud, the anatomical distinction between the sexes resulted in clear physical differences. These differences may create distinctive psychological characteristics in the two sexes, which determine male and female behavior.
November 29
“Thinking Clearly About Sex and Gender: A Biologist’s Perspective” [Keith Schillo]
Humans are “social animals,” meaning that the societies into which they are born help shape their habits, emotions and beliefs, including behaviors, feelings and ideas concerning sex. Biology also shapes how we behave, feel and think. No one truly knows how much of a role each variable plays in determining who each of us is. In Biology, sex refers to a particular type of reproductive process that requires two different types of sex cells (gametes) one provided by the male (i.e., sperm) and the other provided by the female (i.e., oocytes). The particular strategy that sexually reproducing organisms use to procreate depends on various anatomic (structural) and physiologic (functional) traits all of which serve the purpose of enhancing the probability of a sperm interacting with an oocyte. While most people understand the major features of sexual reproduction, the common use of the term sex typically refers to something other than reproduction; that is, a set of pleasurable activities involving the genitalia. These sorts of activities are usually referred to as sexual behaviors. Sexual behavior is one of many necessary conditions for reproduction, but it is not a sufficient condition for reproduction. In humans, and many other primates, only a small percentage of sexual behaviors culminate in reproduction. Human sexual behavior can be analyzed into several components; that is, gender identity (identify of the self as male or female); gender role (differences in male and female behaviors as defined by social and cultural norms), gender orientation (choice of sexual partners). Although the terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, it is useful to regard them as different concepts. As noted earlier, sex refers to a type of reproduction. Gender, on the other hand, refers to how a society defines the physical and behavioral traits of the sexes (i.e., masculinity and femininity). One of the greatest social controversies involves the issue of whether sex should be strictly aligned with gender. In other words should the appearances and behaviors of males and females be masculine and feminine, respectively? Our major goal in this dialogue is to engage in a critical analysis of this issue and outline ideas that can be used to construct a critical theory of sex and gender; that is, a theory of sex and gender that takes into account the perspectives of individuals whose life experiences conflict with foundational assumptions of prevailing views. Specifically I should like us to consider the following questions: 1) What are the dominant views of sex and gender in our society? 3) What, if any, is the connection between sex and gender? 3) What are the major conflicts between dominant and subordinate views of sex and gender in our society? 4) How should we understand sex and gender to develop more realistic views of these concepts?
December 6
“Gays and the Supreme Court: Legal Rights of the LGBT Community in the US” [Andrew Stammel]
Acceptance of the LGBT community in the U.S. has increased at an accelerating pace over the last several decades but the notoriously slow-moving legal and judicial system has been unable to keep up with the rapid progression of public opinion. In this session we will examine the evolution of legal rights of the LGBT community and the evolving judicial interpretation of fundamental institutions such as marriage and the family. These issues touch all areas of law including Constitutional law, employment law, family law, property law, criminal law, and estate planning.
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