Final Thoughts On My Project

This project was so much fun to research.  Not only do I have a better understanding of how animated cartoons are critically analyzed by media scholars, but I also learned how cartoon producers can and do interact with these analyses.  I will definitely never look at cartoons the same way, that's for sure!  My research led me in many different interesting directions, but many of them were too off-topic to include in my paper... which brings me to my next point.

One of the most important lessons learned over the course of sculpting this paper is how to keep a writing focused on the topic of discussion.  I believe this is an important skill which should prove useful in my future writing efforts.  I hope to write further on the topic of queer representations in cinema and television, because I thoroughly enjoyed analyzing how such representations may be used to present the LGBTQ community more truthfully while other representations may fall back onto gender stereotypes (despite the good intentions of some producers to create greater visibility for the LGBTQ community).

I also learned that by engaging in a conversation with others about my project, I was able to narrow the scope of my research and develop a more focused thesis.  My desire to combine the fields of Gender Studies and Cinema/Television led me down many different paths, but I wanted to address a currently relevant social issue.  By vocalizing these interests aloud in a workshop setting, I was able to develop a more focused and specific thesis for my paper.  The ongoing problem of violence and bullying in schools of those who identify with the LGBTQ community seemed to be a natural fit for exploring the possible use of queer cartoons as an educational tool.

My research quickly revealed the nonthreatening power of cartoons to influence children and adults on topics that may be viewed as objectionable if presented in other forms.  I received some excellent comments on my blog and I heard many favorite queer cartoon suggestions from several classmates! Thanks so much to all who made suggestions!  While I tried to incorporate most of the comments and suggestions into my paper, I regret not being able to incorporate a discussion of queer representations in South Park or Family Guy into my paper.  Ultimately, I had to make sacrifices in order to maintain the focus of my paper by selecting examples that aided my particular thesis.

South Park addresses homosexuality as a fashion fad in one episode wherein the boys (and indeed all the men in the town) proudly proclaim themselves metrosexuals, much to the dismay of the town's actual gay character Mr. Garrison 

Thank you all for a great learning experience! Fight On!

~Ryan