Paul Blog

The struggle for full equality for LGBTQIA+ citizens in America has been a long and arduous journey. From the Stonewall Riots of 1969 to the present day, significant progress has been made in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, both legally and socially. Even with such progress being made, the question of, "Are we there yet?", in regards to LGBTQIA+ liberation still remains. Despite the significant progress that has been made during the post-Stonewall era, the goal of liberation for LGBTQIA+ people in America remains an elusive goal that cannot be achieved until all sexual and gender minorities are free from mass social and legal discrimination.When we look back at the Stonewall Riots, we can see how they paved the way for future progress to be made from the precedents that they set. On a social level, one of the most salient events in the history of gay liberation was the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall Riots, which occurred in June 1969, are often seen as the catalyst for the mod

The representation of sexual minorities in popular media has come a long way, and some can now be viewed in a positive light. One of these stereotypes is the "closeted jock", a very masculine character who is outwardly homophobic but secretly gay. The social meanings associated with this stereotype include the perpetuation of toxic masculinity, the idea that LGBTQIA+ individuals must conform to traditional gender roles, and the fear of coming out due to potential harm or discrimination. The closeted jock character is a lot more common of an archetype nowadays given that this archetype tends to promote a positive notion towards homosexuality as the audience develops a sense of empathy as we see the closeted jocks struggle with a fear of rejection or ridicule from their peers. The “closeted jock” trope shows the struggles of typically homophobic men who are “in the closet” while also highlighting how they can come to terms with their own sexuality.  Sex Education (2019-2023) An

 First off I thought the movie was a banger. It mixed clips from old movies and clips from interviews really well, and I really liked hearing what directors, writers, and actors thought of the films they were in in retrospect. Even though some were oblivious to the queer coded undertones in films that were presented, most took pride in the ways they were able to subtly implement references to queerness while still standing by the strict restrictions of the time. It was really special to the positive ways in which queerness was implemented in films rather than when it was villainized. When I heard about how some people would watch entire movies just for a single subtle reference to queer representation, it really struck a tone with me. I feel that that somewhat lives on in today as I'll look out for queer representation in films that isn't just being used as a cash grab. Overall, watching the The Celluloid Closet was a very valuable experience as it gave me a very insightful his

The Construction of My Race (534 words) My race is constructed by the societal expectations associated with my physical traits and past-experiences. To start, my white skin, fluent English, and positive interactions with public actors are clear notions that I am white. My physical appearance is a clear notion to anyone walking past me that I am white. My fluent English is another notion to how others would perceive me as white as typically it is assumed that all white people in America speak English. Finally my positive experience with public actors is another clear notion to my whiteness. While most of my school officials were ones without any racial prejudice, they still all were very kind to me as I was kind to them. However whenever looking back at my interactions with authority figures, specifically with police officers, it is made clear that I am white.  One of the two times I was detained in my life I was with a group of all white men, and we got called on because gunshots were