Dharum Ravi & the construction of dangerous bodies
Some of you may remember the suicide of Tyler Clementi. His roomate, Dharun Ravi, was convincted last week after being found guilty of privacy invasion, tampering with evidence, and bias intimidation (a hate crime). Tthis is a really interesting example of a case that has been taken up as an example of what bullying can do, yet there is a lot more going on than a straightforward case of 'homophobia' in the restricted sense of the word.
I'd like to draw your attention to two articles on the topic: the first one, by Danah Boyd and John Palfrey, sets the stage by suggesting that Ravi is less the problem than ourselves and the culture that we have created; the second one actually comments on Ravi's conviction itself:
This case is being hailed for its symbolism, but what is the message that it conveys? It says that a brown kid who never intended to hurt anyone because of their sexuality will do jail time, while politicians and pundits who espouse hatred on TV and radio and in stump speeches continue to be celebrated. It says that a teen who invades the privacy of his peer will be condemned, even while companies and media moguls continue to profit off of more invasive invasions.
This case is sad, not just because it is profoundly sad and upsetting that Clementi came to kill himself, but because it underlines our incapacity to take responsibility for the pervasiveness of heteronormativity and homophobia, to see both phenomena for what they are: structural rather than individual issues. We are showing more and more concerned for homophobia, but our energy seems to be almost solely channelled into creating 'dangerous bodies', in the Foucauldian sense: we are learning to identify 'homophobic' individuals, in a way that intersects deeply with narratives racism and classism. As someone who has been fighting against homophobia in schools for a long time now, there is something very disheartening about seeing homophobia finally being identified a social issue, yet becoming so in a way that leaves the roots of the problem untouched. We convict Ravis and in the process, we absolve ourselves and fail to actually see how we continue to feed into a culture of gender binaries and heteronormative expectations that make the world an inhabitable place for our queer children.
If you are interested in a really in-depth look at the whole case, check out this article on The New Yorker. It's long and painful, but it does justice to a terribly sad and complex story.
I'd like to draw your attention to two articles on the topic: the first one, by Danah Boyd and John Palfrey, sets the stage by suggesting that Ravi is less the problem than ourselves and the culture that we have created; the second one actually comments on Ravi's conviction itself:
This case is being hailed for its symbolism, but what is the message that it conveys? It says that a brown kid who never intended to hurt anyone because of their sexuality will do jail time, while politicians and pundits who espouse hatred on TV and radio and in stump speeches continue to be celebrated. It says that a teen who invades the privacy of his peer will be condemned, even while companies and media moguls continue to profit off of more invasive invasions.
This case is sad, not just because it is profoundly sad and upsetting that Clementi came to kill himself, but because it underlines our incapacity to take responsibility for the pervasiveness of heteronormativity and homophobia, to see both phenomena for what they are: structural rather than individual issues. We are showing more and more concerned for homophobia, but our energy seems to be almost solely channelled into creating 'dangerous bodies', in the Foucauldian sense: we are learning to identify 'homophobic' individuals, in a way that intersects deeply with narratives racism and classism. As someone who has been fighting against homophobia in schools for a long time now, there is something very disheartening about seeing homophobia finally being identified a social issue, yet becoming so in a way that leaves the roots of the problem untouched. We convict Ravis and in the process, we absolve ourselves and fail to actually see how we continue to feed into a culture of gender binaries and heteronormative expectations that make the world an inhabitable place for our queer children.
If you are interested in a really in-depth look at the whole case, check out this article on The New Yorker. It's long and painful, but it does justice to a terribly sad and complex story.