In this section will talk about what different students will remember about the class after it’s over. It also goes into what each student will take away from the class and use in their future endeavors.
“One thing is for sure; I no longer feel as if queer pedagogy is a taboo subject, and it is something that I can confidently discuss in the future.”
–Spring 2022 Queer Studies Classmate
“What I will remember from this class is how I did not know the history of queer studies and for some reason, in my mind, I did not think people back then acted out on who they were. We read so many interesting and unique stories in class, but specifically, the writing by Lilian Faderman stuck to me because I felt so shocked to learn that back in the 1920’s men were okay with their wives being with other women as long as they came back home to them. Also, I will remember how comfortable we all became as a class to talk openly about these topics and the stories that were told when someone would relate to the topic at hand.”
“This class has taught me so much about the LGBT+ community. Although I may not have been interested in learning a lot of these things before, this class has opened my eyes to try to explore and go deeper into the history of the LGBT+ community. Reading more about the HIV epidemic and learning more than I already knew made me realize that most people do not include problems that LGBT+ people go through as well as people of color, I already know that HIV is not only an LGBT+ problem but also a people of color problem. This class has helped me understand more about how the community is where it is. It has also made me want to explore more queer stories. I want to take this class with me in the future.”
“Out of all things that I will remember from this class, I would have to say that my classmates’ “openness” and respect would be number one. Every one of my classmates spoke freely about their ideas and knowledge of queer pedagogy, and in most cases, I was left intrigued by these ideas. Furthermore, another aspect of this class that I will remember is how Professor Brim started off the course, and the most memorable piece for me was the “Screaming Queens” film. Not only did this film offer insight into the lives of queer individuals, but it also gives the audience a chance to get to know the individuals behind the movements and stories on a personal level. One thing is for sure; I no longer feel as if queer pedagogy is a taboo subject, and it is something that I can confidently discuss in the future.”
“To be honest there aren’t just some things I will remember after this class… There will be a lot of things that I will remember. From learning in-depth the history of the LGBTQ+ community and new queer terms. Before this class, I had some knowledge, especially with knowing friends and family who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, but this class not only educated us but it brought us all together on a personal level and thus created a safe space to be in, which in itself is an eye opener having never felt so comfortable and so safe to truly indulge in any topic in a class before. To truly understand the history, we get personal, and it allows you to fully understand the topics at hand. A class like this truly reminds me why I chose to major in Women’s Gender and Sexuality.”
“From taking Queer Studies this semester there are a lot of things I find myself reflecting on and remembering. One thing would be the idea that Queer Theory does not solely exist within the box of LGBTQ+ rights and what mainstream media knows it as. However, it is influenced and a product of many other social injustices such as classism and racism. Specifically, in readings such as A Question of Class by Dorothy Allison she uses her article to touch on ideas of classism and being lesbian and how those felt like two different identities to her. Along with this, the process of teaching Queer articles and readings. The discussion around who should be taught and why that is important was a critical point in my learning as I hope to be an educator one day. Another thing that became important to me from this course was the lived experiences everyone shared. This class was created as a safe space and bubble where we can share and expand our knowledge. From there we can choose to step out of this bubble and be better teachers and allies when it comes to these topics. “
“The discussion around who should be taught and why that is important was a critical point in my learning as I hope to be an educator one day.”
–Spring 2022 Queer Studies Classmate
“Taking this course was more of an eye-opener than anything. I remember being in high school and discovering queer culture for the first time. If I’m being honest, until I took this course, I would have never thought queer culture went as far back as it did. It just shows what our society does to those it determines aren’t part of the “norm” and how far it will go to even try and erase these parts of history from our knowledge or even awareness. I expected this course to be a course teaching me about modern-day queer culture but I am glad that we focused more on the past and how it affects the present time. I am grateful for all the discussions we had, the readings we went through, and that my knowledge was expanded and I gained a better understanding of what Queer culture is as a whole.”
“One of my main takeaways is defining people on their terms, I learned this through Nestle’s Butch-Femme Relationships article. This article as well as the idea of defining people on their terms is something I will remember because it completely changed the way I thought about lesbian relationships. I came into this class as someone with very little knowledge about queer ideas and a whole lot of misconceptions, but this class helped me unlearn those misconceptions I had which I will continue to remember and implement in everyday life. Another big takeaway from this class is the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. From the Act Up website to the article about HIV in black communities in the South, I learned a lot about the importance of bringing what we learn in this class to everyday life. I specifically liked learning through the Act Up website because it helped the stories we hear about the HIV epidemic become personal.”
“I have to say most of my other classes I know for sure I will not remember much, I don’t remember much from most classes I took last semester already, yet this class I know it’ll always stand out to me and I’ll always remember it. I know I won’t remember all the readings we’ve done in class but I’ll remember how the fact that there was so much more to queer rich history than what I’ve known, I’ll always relate to this class on a personal level. This class has changed a lot of my point of view and quite frankly has opened my eyes to a lot of things, including the way I will treat and raise my children. That’s what makes me so confident about the fact that I will remember it for sure. I will also never forget the feeling of a judgment-free and supportive environment that we shared in every class.”
“The knowledge I gain during my time in queer studies is important to mold the person I will be moving forward. This does not only pertain to this particular class but every experience in life. I will somehow filter learned information and experiences and share them with those around me. There are many lessons to be learned from different backgrounds and different perspectives, these are the things that shape us into forever-changing individuals. I stumbled along with WGS my last year at CSI having only to choose electives and expecting to learn one specific topic, about the LGBTQ+ community, I never expected to be so intrigued. I thought growing up in a family where my brother is a drag queen there would be nothing I didn’t already know. Watching documentaries such as Scream Queens showed the injustices that so many members of the LGBTQ+ community faced and the courage it took to stand up for their basic human rights. I never thought how much I related to these people, the culture, lack of income, lack of health care, health challenges, and the stigmas of being the minority receiving resources that are implemented to help. We find one another collaborating, sharing ideas, and sharing our lives at CSI and here in our queer studies class, with no judgment and finding a safe place to be unique and unapologetically you.”
“I never expected to be so intrigued. I thought growing up in a family where my brother is a drag queen there would be nothing I didn’t already know.”
–Spring 2022 Queer Studies Classmate
“What I will remember is my self-reflection as a student mother and also learning how to talk to my daughter about difficult conversations I need to have with her as a growing young lady. I’ve identified the struggle of being a mother, having queer curiosity, and having to be vulnerable and open with myself socially. Going through systematic oppression and having a place like this women and gender class to talk about and feel relatable with Melanie has lifted the burden. Dealing with depression, and being able to talk in class with beautiful souls has been helpful to my life and it’s very emotional but the best experience.”
“This class taught me a lot about the LGBT community. When I was figuring out my schedule for the semester and I saw this class, I was excited to take it. It really helped me discover my passion for the LGBT community. It made me think about my own life and put it in a different perspective. For example, I thought about one time that a girl had a crush on me and she said how she was confused about her feelings. I felt that she had really conservative parents that banned her from talking to me. I lost touch with her a while ago, but this class opened up my eyes about my experience. I remember how often people would use the word “gay” as an insult, or to talk about something badly, and I had no idea how much that stigma seeped into my everyday language and how I looked at the world. I have experienced shame for lots of experiences that I have learned are very normal and common, that are a part of human life. The comfort that I found from the judgment-free zone in this class, helped me feel like I could finally be myself. This class has helped me feel brave about my experiences. I felt community and solidarity and was able to talk about personal stories for the first time in my life. I was even able to open up about my personal identity, which includes being autistic. Never before have I found such an accepting class and I am so thankful that I took it because it helped me discover my passions in helping and connecting with the LGBT community.”
“Following this class I will take with me the queerest lessons I’ve learned, along with the queerest conversations I have had as I continue my life journey. The comfort that came from using the word “queer” as a form of empowerment, instead of as an offense, has changed my outlook not only the LGBTQ+ community, but on my identity as a trans man. On my phone, I have a list of moments that have brought me joy in even the slightest of ways dating back to the start of my transition. I need to be able to pick myself up when I fall too hard and lose track of the positives in my life, as medically and socially transitioning can be draining. So, when I think about this class I will remember and refer to the things I jotted down, like when someone stated that “men have vaginas too.” Or when a classmate interrupted what I was saying to remind me that her and everyone else were so proud of me and were actually interested in the queer things I had to say regarding my transition. Or when I was losing my family one by one because of who I am, and yet I came to class one day and felt as if I lost nothing, and as if there was hope for me to form my own family by surrounding myself with supportive people like my classmates. I will remember the caring and kind treatment I received in this class, and I will expect it from every person I invite into my life from now on. This class has taught me that what I deserve as a queer person goes beyond just tolerance.”
“When I was losing my family one by one because of who I am, and yet I came to class one day and felt as if I lost nothing, and as if there was hope for me to form my own family by surrounding myself with supportive people like my classmates.”
–Spring 2022 Queer Studies Classmate
“I won’t forget the many discussions we had, delving into topics that would otherwise be deemed too risque for the classroom. As our earliest reading asked, how dare you think these things? We had cultivated an environment where we were able to talk about the down and the dirty of queer politics. It is very easy to have a very whitewashed view of what the queer community is. This community is so diverse, and owes a lot to that diversity, and we are doing ourselves a disservice if we disregard our own history because it is seen as “too dirty.” We should be open to having these hard discussions! That is exactly those who choose to oppress queer people want, is for us to be too afraid to converse among our peers. I’ll never forget that this class sparked an interest in queer history that wasn’t absent before, but needed to be dug out through subject matter that was more nuanced than many of the tired discussions that are held online.”
“Taking this class enabled me to see the universality of struggle. From both the readings and films, it was made evident that what all minorities have in common is struggle and therefore, struggling is what unites us. This class has shown me the power of unity. If each of us advocated for one another, united, the minority would become the majority. It is imperative that we recognize the power of our voices and use them for the sake of the greater good. From this class, I have been exposed to the work of many great activists who altered the course of history. However, I was also reminded that we not only should appreciate the work of those who paved the way for us, but also continue to teach and spread the word. Though we have come a long way as a society, there is still work to be done. There will always be work- this class has shown me the importance of doing the work and continuing to advocate for the rights of not only the LGBTQ+ community but also all other minority groups.”
