Pulse of the Class

This course was always intriguing to me because I really enjoy classes within the media program that analyze and unpack themes/symbols from different forms of media (film, tv, radio, etc.). Much like my 300W class where we analyzed all different genres and forms, I thought this class would be just as in depth. I was pleasantly surprised when I felt even more interested in the topics and information we have studied so far. I really think the intellectual stimulation that I exhibit during the readings is fantastic. I really have to think outside of traditional realm of examination and find new ways to unpack media. I really like looking at a medium from all different angles, such as when in class we discussed Camp readings vs. Queer readings. There are so many different songs, films, shows that I have looked back at to observe from a point of view that we’ve learned in class. It opens my eyes to see symbols and motifs I had never realized before.

This class has challenged me to look further past the basic layer of media. When I view a specific piece, I now dissect every layer and try to dig deeper than the implied themes and symbols. I really find it important for everyone involved with media to understand the different angles and points of views of gender and sexuality. There is no set guidelines within the industry, when making productions not all views are the same. I think people should really get to see the various ways in which media can be approached. I come from a very diverse family where there are numerous people who identify as LGBTQ, and everyone is extremely open minded and accepting of it. I often forget that this is not always the case for everyone. I find myself angry sometimes at the state of our culture and society, that though we have come so far in technological innovations and cultural phenomenons that there are still those who struggle day by day with acceptance of their identities. Some texts have left me pissed off and wanting to protest in front of people's houses and write angry letters to my Congressman to fix it (not like that would get me anywhere, but you get my point). When we watched Ma Vie En Rose, I left class fuming about the way Ludo's parents treated him! 

I really enjoyed the Bornstein reading that we had gone over where she identified gender as a cult. It really was a spot on comparison, because gender roles in society are cult-ish. Especially those who oppose differentiation in gender roles, they are the biggest cult of them all! In recent politics, the Arizona Gay-Ban bill that they had tried to pass, I was watching interviews of speakers and those who supported the bill and they all came off as being within a secret society where they can't believe Gays would want a cake at their wedding! It is sad, and unfortunate, that society sometimes expects us to be confined in these tiny boxes with rules written all over the walls of how a lady should act, how a man should act. All of the extreme-religious protesters who stand by the rules of gender and sexuality "as it is written in the Bible," all seem like a giant cult as well. I never had thought of gender roles and society as a cult until after the Bornstein reading, and it really changed the way I look at things. I also really liked the Mulvey reading we did in the beginning of the semester. In 300W with Professor Tsika, my class discussed the male gaze so many times with different pieces of media, some older films and even modern films. It shows the context of cinema and media when some modern films have females returning the male gaze, which was very rare. 

I found Butler's reading a bit difficult at times, however after we saw the Cat cartoon everything seemed really simple and easy! I think that many of the readings were difficult, but not because they were hard to understand, but because it was difficult for me to see that some people suffer due to society's lack of modernization, that some people are stuck so much in their biases that others have to suffer for who they feel they are and what they wish to identify/not identify as. 

Overall, this class has shown to be interesting and enticing. I have learned so much and really would recommend it to any student, media majors or not!