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Ive been reading "The Laramie project" for my Eng 102 class. Im doing really good in that class, I got an A on my midterm :D If only it was that way with math!!! Anyways I was doing some research for the book and found this in my schools site, I thought it was interesting, smart and funny and thought I should post it...
1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
2. When and how did you first define that you were heterosexual?
3. Is it possible heterosexuality is a phase you will grow out of?
4. Is it possible you are heterosexual because you fear the same sex?
5. If you have never slept with someone of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn't prefer that? Is it possible you merely need a good gay experience?
6. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexuality? How did they react?
7. Heterosexuality isn't offensive as long as you leave others alone. Why, however, do so many heterosexuals try to seduce others into their orientation?
8. Most child molesters are heterosexual. Do you consider it safe to expose your children to heterosexuals? Heterosexual teachers particularly?
9. Why are heterosexuals so blant, always making a spectacle of their heterosexuality? Why can't they just be who they are and not flaunt their sexuality by kissing in public, wearing wedding rings, etc.?
10. How can you have a truly satisfying relationship with someone of the opposite sex, given the obvious physical and emotional differences?
11. Heterosexual marriage has total societal support, yet over half of all heterosexuals who marry this year will divorce. Why are there so few successful heterosexual relationships?
12. Given the problems heterosexuals face, would you want your children to be heterosexual? Would you consider aversion therapy to change them?
(The above questionnaire is part of an article titled, "A Discussion about Differences: the Left-Hand Analogy," by Warren J. Blumenfeld and Diane Raymond. It is included in the book Becoming Visible, edited by Kevin Jennings.)
Now that you have answered the questionnarie, how do you feel? Are you startled by the questions? Did they make you angry? Imagine how a gay or lesbian person feels having to answer the same kinds of questions based on their sexual orientation. Can you imagine how Matthew Shepard felt. In the text of the play, the character Doc O'Connor relates a conversation he had with Matthew:
"Are you Matthew Shepard?" and he says,
"Yeah, I'm Matthew Shepard. But I don't want
you to call me Matthew, or Mr. Shepard. I
don't want you to call me anything. My
name is Matt. And I want you to know, I
am gay and we're going to a gay
bar. Do you have a problem with that?
Why do you feel that Matthew responded that way? From what we learn about Matthew from the play, how would you describe his attitude toward life?
Clearly, The Laramie Project is about a young gay man who is the victim of a hate crime, but hate crimes, and intolerance in general, are attitudes that many people face in this country. Have you ever been treated unfairly by someone based on who they perceived you were (race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.)? How did the incident make you feel? What did you do when it happened to you?
Or, have you ever treated someone unfairly solely based on what you perceived them to be? How did they respond?
Language is sometimes the first line of hate that we see in our society. In The Laramie Project, Father Roger Schmit refers to words (specifically the words fag and dyke) as "violence. That is the seed of violence." How can words, especially words that denigrate a group, be considered violence? Do you hear such words while walking the halls at LaGuardia? If so, how do those words make you feel? Is your reaction the same if the words are directed at you or to someone else?
1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
2. When and how did you first define that you were heterosexual?
3. Is it possible heterosexuality is a phase you will grow out of?
4. Is it possible you are heterosexual because you fear the same sex?
5. If you have never slept with someone of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn't prefer that? Is it possible you merely need a good gay experience?
6. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexuality? How did they react?
7. Heterosexuality isn't offensive as long as you leave others alone. Why, however, do so many heterosexuals try to seduce others into their orientation?
8. Most child molesters are heterosexual. Do you consider it safe to expose your children to heterosexuals? Heterosexual teachers particularly?
9. Why are heterosexuals so blant, always making a spectacle of their heterosexuality? Why can't they just be who they are and not flaunt their sexuality by kissing in public, wearing wedding rings, etc.?
10. How can you have a truly satisfying relationship with someone of the opposite sex, given the obvious physical and emotional differences?
11. Heterosexual marriage has total societal support, yet over half of all heterosexuals who marry this year will divorce. Why are there so few successful heterosexual relationships?
12. Given the problems heterosexuals face, would you want your children to be heterosexual? Would you consider aversion therapy to change them?
(The above questionnaire is part of an article titled, "A Discussion about Differences: the Left-Hand Analogy," by Warren J. Blumenfeld and Diane Raymond. It is included in the book Becoming Visible, edited by Kevin Jennings.)
Now that you have answered the questionnarie, how do you feel? Are you startled by the questions? Did they make you angry? Imagine how a gay or lesbian person feels having to answer the same kinds of questions based on their sexual orientation. Can you imagine how Matthew Shepard felt. In the text of the play, the character Doc O'Connor relates a conversation he had with Matthew:
"Are you Matthew Shepard?" and he says,
"Yeah, I'm Matthew Shepard. But I don't want
you to call me Matthew, or Mr. Shepard. I
don't want you to call me anything. My
name is Matt. And I want you to know, I
am gay and we're going to a gay
bar. Do you have a problem with that?
Why do you feel that Matthew responded that way? From what we learn about Matthew from the play, how would you describe his attitude toward life?
Clearly, The Laramie Project is about a young gay man who is the victim of a hate crime, but hate crimes, and intolerance in general, are attitudes that many people face in this country. Have you ever been treated unfairly by someone based on who they perceived you were (race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.)? How did the incident make you feel? What did you do when it happened to you?
Or, have you ever treated someone unfairly solely based on what you perceived them to be? How did they respond?
Language is sometimes the first line of hate that we see in our society. In The Laramie Project, Father Roger Schmit refers to words (specifically the words fag and dyke) as "violence. That is the seed of violence." How can words, especially words that denigrate a group, be considered violence? Do you hear such words while walking the halls at LaGuardia? If so, how do those words make you feel? Is your reaction the same if the words are directed at you or to someone else?