For this project I've identified a social problem - the need to teach children about queer identities - and proposed a solution - using cartoons as a tool for introducing these topics. However, I wanted to take some time to investigate other methods that have previously been used in schools to teach children about queer identities and queer issues.
The notable children's book Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman has been used to normalize the idea of same-sex parents since it was published in 1989. The book was number eleven on the American Library Association "100 Most Challenged Books of 1990- 2000. Much controversy has surrounded the book so I was not surprised to learn that The Simpsons actually did a parody episode entitled "Bart Has Two Mommies".
Besides Heather Has Two Mommies, I stumbled upon a children's book about two homosexual penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo. The book is called And Tango Makes Three. Check out this cute story in these two short Youtube videos ....
Not surprisingly, this adorable story has also been banned in many places.... even though it's based off a true incident that really happened at Central Park Zoo! This ban demonstrates the extensive censorship of queer identities in childrens' media. Hopefully cartoons will be harder to ban! Perhaps The Simpsons producers are on to something....although the book has been extensively banned, the cartoon episode has not to date experienced censorship.
The day when cartoons could be used as an educational tool in California public schools just got closer with the passage of the FAIR Education Act earlier this month. As reported in my last post, Governor Brown signed the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act (SB 48) into law on July 14, 2011. The law amends the California Education Code to require the “instruction of social studies to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans . . . with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.” Sponsors of the legislation cite to studies that have linked the inclusion of LGBT people in instructional materials to greater safety and lower rates of bullying. While California is the first state to pass a law that requires public schools to include LGBT topics in the classroom, the issue of LGBT youth being bullied at school is a national issue. Here’s a link to a recent message from President Obama discussing violence against LGBTQ youth:
Although I thought there would be great support for the new law, there is already a campaign underway to repeal SB 48 as seen in this week’s article on LA Weekly’s blog:
After reading the law, I noticed it didn’t provide any direction to the state or local boards of education about how to incorporate the new LGBT issues into the social studies curriculum. This is where the findings in my paper will suggest lesson plans incorporating these issues could benefit from including cartoons!!
So, maybe someday kids will come home from school saying that they watched cartoons in social studies class . . . hey, it was required!!!
As my research and writing continues on my paper, I have come to a better understanding how our current educational system is influenced by political and social forces that promote heteronormativity –the suite of practices that maintain normative assumptions of heterosexuality. Reading through articles written about the difficulties experienced by those educators who wish to diversify the dialogue of sexuality and expose students to concepts that support a wide variety of sexual identities, I am somewhat saddened by the apparent closed-mindedness of those who oppose the incorporation of LGBTQ issues into the classroom. It’s not that I don’t understand the concerns expressed – such as the need to protect our children – but I have come to a belief that many of our “educators” are the ones in need of education. My research has not identified any credible study which establishes a relationship between the teaching of queer theory and a modification of sexual identity. To the contrary, my research has revealed that teaching queer theory at appropriate ages actually promotes a better understanding of human sexuality and a greater appreciation of all expressions of gender. I invite others to comment as to their views on this topic.
On a related note, I was glad to hear that Governor Brown signed a bill that requires public schools in California to include the contributions of people who are LGBTQ in social studies curriculum. For my next post, I will review this legislation and report how schools intend to implement the new law to add lessons about the LGBTQ community into their class assignments and at what educational level. I will also report on the reasons provided by those who voted against the bill, which went along party lines. In the meantime, take a look at this link to an Associated Press article dated July 14, 2011 that discusses the bill – known at Senate Bill (SB) 48:
I am now more encouraged than ever that there could be a real interest in using cartoons as a vehicle for teaching queer theory in schools, especially in California where the new law requires the incorporation of LGBTQ issues into the classroom. Comments on this aspect of my paper or this legislation are welcome.
One of the article's I've found to be the most useful to my project so far is Jeffery Dennis's "The Same Thing We Do Every Night," which appeared in the Journal of Popular Film & Television. Dennis explores the history of same-sex desire in animated cartoons and cites Ruff and Reddy as the first instance wherein a queer reading could be applied since this was the first time that a cartoon duo was paired as friends instead of enemies (think Tom & Jerry or Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd).
Ruff and Reddy (created in 1957)
According to Dennis the increasing visibility of queer identities during the 1970s lead viewers to apply queer readings to animated texts more regularly. In an effort to ward off these speculations, producers of animated texts began to create overtly heteronormative characters (example -Strawberry Shortcake, G.I. Joe) or asexual, infantile characters (The Muppet Babies, A Pup Named Scooby Doo, Tiny Toon Adventures).
The Scooby Gang becomes a-sexualized in 1988 with the series A Pup Named Scooby Doo
Dennis writes extensively on Pinky and the Brain, which he claims displays the first characters with overtly same-sex identities. Dennis believes this to be a part of their relationship from the beginning and cites examples from dialogue and plot that support his argument. When Brain is asked the question "Are you married during a job interview, take a look at his answer... (you can fast forward to 50 secs into the video)
Denis notes that Brain also introduces Pinky as his "umm... roommate" to his parents. Pinky and the Brain even combine their DNA to create a son, Romy. Dennis claims that the mice live together as men -not mocking a husband-wife relationship. Dennis even believes the famous line "The same thing we do every night..." leaves room for speculation. Examining the 75 "ponderings" (responses to the show's famous question "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?") 13 of Pinky's "I think so Brain but ...." responses have to do with transvestism or fetish costumes, and 12 evoke double entendres. Take a look at this video montage of some of Pinky's responses...
Dennis also contends that Spongebob SquarePants validates same-sex desire. Dennis identifies 6 concepts for locating instances of same-sex desire ...
1) Sharing a Living Space
2) Engaging in Social Activities as a Couple
3) Receiving Social Acceptance as a Couple
4) Failing to Cultivate Valued Relationships with the Opposite Sex
5) Rejecting Romantic Advances from Others
6) Explicitly Conveying Desire Through Flirting of Sexual Banter
SpongeBob and Patrick often engage in social activities as a couple and are even accepted as a couple by others in their world (See- "Valentines Day", Season 1, Episode 15). Dennis also references Season 2, Episode 9 entitled "Dumped" in which SpongeBob and Patrick fight over Gary, SpongeBob's male snail, and the dialogue mimics a romantic love triangle ("Gary, I thought what we had was special!"). Ultimately the audience, Patrick, and SpongeBob learn that Gary was only clinging to Patrick because he wanted the cookie in Patrick's pocket and Patrick proclaims "He only liked me for my shorts!"
Please leave me your thoughts and suggestions!
~Ryan
Students all around the country could soon be joyfully asking this very question.
According to Gilad Padva's article "Educating The Simpsons: Teaching Queer Representations in Contemporary Visual Media" in the Journal of LGBT Youth, the hit animated TV series can be used in the classroom to open up dialogue about queer issues. Padva focuses on one famous episode of The Simpsons entitled "Homer's Phobia" (Season 8, Episode 15) in which iconic filmmaker John Waters guest stars as a homosexual man who befriends the Simpson family.
In the episode, Homer acts friendly towards the character, John, until he finds out that the man is gay. Homer then begins to suspect John is "turning" Bart gay and Homer embarks on a series of silly schemes to reassert his son's masculinity. In the end, John gains Homer's respect after John saves Homer, his male friends, and Bart from a deer attack on a hunting trip gone awry. Homer shows his respect by calling John "queer" as he believes this to be the desired term.
Padva argues that this episode brings up a lot of important queer issues including homophobia, naming the Other, Gay-Straight Alliance, stereotyping, family acceptance, etc. Padva lays out exactly which parts of the episode can be useful for discussing which topics; for example, the conversation nearing the end of the episode wherein Homer and wife Marge discuss whether Bart might be gay is an example of the "coming in" process parents and families go through wherein they come in to the reality of their child's sexuality. Padva argues the friendship between John and Marge can be used to discuss Gay-Straight Alliance. Additionally, Padva believes Homer's statement that he will call John "queer" can be used to discuss the issue of who gets to name the minority or Other and refers to self-identification and authoring.
Leave me your thoughts or cartoon recommendations for animated texts you think might be similarly useful!
~Ryan
For my last project I'm examining the relationship between the fields of Gender and Queer Studies and mainstream, American Animation. Recent years have seen a vast increase in the queer dialogue taking place in animated television shows and queer representations are increasingly showing up in the prime time lineups of the major television networks. For my paper, I would like to research and evaluate the effects of these cartoon representations and I would like to argue that these animated texts can be useful tools to open up discussion about queer issues in the classroom.
As a voice-over actor, I spend a lot of time watching cartoons and I have been impressed by many of the messages producers of these shows are expressing. As the LGBTQ community achieves greater visibility in media, cartoon producers are daring to tackle some of the most controversial and complex topics through their satiric characters and situations. Thus far, my studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts have been focused on gender representations in media and I can't wait to take this next step in exploring some of my favorite cartoon programs and how they might come to be used to promote sexual tolerance and contest traditional views of gender.
Quagmire's dad has sex reassignment surgery in one of last year's memorable episodes of Family Guy
I think this is going to be a very fun project for me! :) Please feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions!
