COMMUNICATIONS 430
[Women’s Studies 430]
Communication, Culture and Sexual Minorities
SPRING 2001
LARRY GROSS (lgross@asc.upenn.edu)
Office Hours: T 2.00-4.00
ASC 317
JOHN CAMPBELL (jcampbell@asc.upenn.edu)
Office Hours: T6.30-7.30 & W2.00-3.00 ASC 139
DAVID GUDELUNAS (dgudelunas@asc.upenn.edu) Office Hours: T3.30-4.30 & Th3.00-4.00 ASC 127
WEB: http://www.blackboard.com/courses/COMM430
Class: Tuesday: 4.30 – 6.30 PM
ASC Room 108
Required Recitation & Screenings: Thursday 4.30 – 7.30 PM
ASC Room 108
This course will examine the role of cultural institutions in shaping the images and self-images of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in Western society. Because of their "invisibility"
sexual minorities provide a unique example of the role of cultural stereotypes in socialization and
identity-shaping and can thus illuminate these basic communicational processes. Definitions and
images to be analyzed (within a historical and cross-cultural context) are drawn from religious,
medical and social scientific sources, as well as elite and popular culture.
The required book – The Columbia Reader on Lesbians and Gay Men in Media, Society, and
Politics, edited by L. Gross and J. Woods, – is available for purchase at the Penn Book Center
[34th & Sansom], and it is on reserve at the Rosengarten Reading Room at Van Pelt.
In addition to the readings there will be required weekly out-of-class recitation and film screenings
on Thursdays from 4.30 – 7.30 p.m. in room 108.1 If you cannot attend the Thursday sessions, the
films will be placed on reserve after the screening at the Annenberg Library. Many are also
available at your local video rental shop. Short films and television programs will be shown from
time to time in class.
Grading will be based on class assignments & participation (15%), two take-home papers (25%
each), and a take-home final exam (35%). The two take-home papers and final exam will be
evaluated on the clarity of your argument, your understanding of the concepts in the readings and
screenings, and the successful tying together of issues.
You are required to submit questions/comments about the assigned readings via e-mail to
your assigned TA (either dgudelunas@asc.upenn.edu or jcampbell@asc.upenn.edu) prior to
class discussion on Tuesdays, but no later than 10 p.m. on Monday evening. A portion of
your grade will also be based upon class participation, so you should ensure that you have
some means of discussing the readings if called upon to participate.
Check the course website (http://www.blackboard.com/courses/COMM430) for information
related to the class. You must register a unique user name and password in order to access the site.
The “Enrollment Access Code” is “3620”.
Recitation will be held prior to the screenings from 4.30 – 5.30. Screenings will begin at 5.30 and most will
last only until 7.00 p.m., however some screenings may take the full 2 hours.
1
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 2
COMMUNICATIONS 430
Communication, Culture, and Sexual Minorities
Spring 2001
Required Screenings Schedule:
(Thursdays 4.30 – 7.30; ASC 108)
SCREENING DATE
-------
CLASS DATE
FILM TITLE
Tuesday, January 16
------
Thursday, January 18
Tuesday, January 23
The Children's Hour
Thursday, January 25
Tuesday, January 30
Killing of Sister George
Thursday, February 1
Tuesday, February 6
The Boys in the Band
Thursday, February 8
Tuesday, February 13
Making Love
Thursday, February 15
Tuesday, February 20
Personal Best
Thursday, February 22
Tuesday, February 27
Celluloid Closet
Thursday, March 1
Tuesday, March 6
Taxi Zum Klo
Thursday, March 8
-------
Go Fish
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 10-18
-------
Tuesday, March 20
-------
Thursday, March 22
Tuesday, March 27
Beautiful Thing
Thursday, March 29
Tuesday, April 3
Tongues Untied &
Framing Lesbian Fashion
Thursday, April 5
Tuesday, April 10
Paris is Burning
Thursday, April 12
Tuesday, April 17
[TBA]
Thursday, April 19
Tuesday, April 24
Screening for final exam
Thursday, April 26
-------
Screening for final exam
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 3
COMMUNICATIONS 430:
[Women’s Studies 430]
COMMUNICATION, CULTURE AND SEXUAL MINORITIES
LARRY GROSS (lgross@asc.upenn.edu)
Office Hours: T 2.00-4.00
ASC 317
JOHN CAMPBELL (jcampbell@asc.upenn.edu)
Office Hours: T6.30-7.30 & W2.00-3.00 ASC 139
DAVID GUDELUNAS (dgudelunas@asc.upenn.edu) Office Hours: T3.30-4.30 & Th3.00-4.00 ASC 127
WEB: http://www.blackboard.com/courses/COMM430
CLASS: TUESDAY 4.30 – 6.30 PM (ASC 108)
OUT-OF-CLASS RECITATION & FILM SCREENINGS: THURSDAY 4.30 – 7.30 (ASC 108)
SYLLABUS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
All readings are required. The readings are in The Columbia Reader on Lesbians and
Gay Men in Media, Society, and Politics, edited by Gross and Woods, available at the Penn
Book Center. Additional required readings will be distributed in class from time to time.
1. JANUARY 16: Introduction
SCREENING: CBS Reports: The Homosexuals (March 7, 1967)
2. JANUARY 23: Other Times, Other Customs
Introduction: Being Gay in American Media and Society. Larry Gross and James D. Woods, p.3.
Section Introduction, p.25
1. A Matter of Difference. Martin Duberman, p.31.
2. “Intimate Friendships.” Erica E. Goode, with Betsy Wagner, p.33.
3. Categories, Experience, and Sexuality. John Boswell, p.36.
4. Capitalism and Gay Identity. John D’Emilio, p.48.
5. A Worm in the Bud: The Early Sexologists and Love Between Women. Lillian Faderman, p.56.
6. The Bowery as Haven and Spectacle. George Chauncey, p.67.
*Rubin, Gayle. 1984 "Thinking Sex," in Carole Vance, ed. Pleasure & Danger, Boston: RKP, pp.
267-319 [distributed in class]
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 4
3. JANUARY 30: Who’s a Queer? Identities in Question
Section Introduction, p. 75
7. Making Ourselves from Scratch. Joseph Beam, p.79.
8. Becoming Lesbians: Identity Work and the Performance of Sexuality. Arlene Stein, p.81.
9. Gay men, Lesbians, and Sex: Doing it Together. Pat Califia, p.92.
10. Maiden Voyage: Excursion into Sexuality and Identity Politics in Asia America. Dana Y.
Takagi, p.96.
11. Strangers at Home: Bisexuals in the Queer Movement. Carol Queen, p.105.
12. Just Add Water: Searching for the Bisexual Politic. Ara Wilson, p.108.
13. To Be or Not to Be. Leslie Feinberg, p.112.
4. FEBRUARY 6 : Inventing Sin: Religion and the Church & Making Us Sick: The Medical
and Psychological Establishment
Section Introduction, p. 119
14. The Abominable Sin: The Spanish Campaign Against “Sodomy,” and Its Results in Modern
Latin America. Walter Williams, p.125.
15. Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, p.135.
16. Homophobic? Re-Read Your Bible. Peter J. Gomes, p.138.
17. Biblical Verse: Is it a Reason or an Excuse? Deb Price, p.140.
18. The Homosexual Movement: A Response by the Ramsey Colloquium. Ramsey Colloquium,
p.141.
19. In God’s Image: Coming to Terms with Leviticus. Rebecca T. Alpert, p.147.
Section Introduction, p. 153
20. The Product Conversion – From Heresy to Illness. Thomas Szasz, p.157.
21. Homosexuals in Uniform. Newsweek, p.163.
22. I was Raising a Homosexual Child. Flora Rheta Schreiber, p.164
23. The Psychologist – Dr. Evelyn Hooker. Eric Marcus, p.169.
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 5
24. A Symposium: Should Homosexuality Be in the APA Nomenclature? Judd Marmor, Irving
Bieber, Ronald Gold, p.175.
25. If Freud Had Been a Neurotic Colored Woman: Reading Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. Essex
Hemphill, p.180.
5. FEBRUARY 13: Causes and Cures: The Etiology Debate
Section Introduction, p. 185
26. Boys will Be Girls: Sexology and Homosexuality. Janice Irvine, p.191.
27. How to Bring Your Kids Up Gay: The War on Effeminate Boys. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick,
p.201.
28. Studying the Biology of Sexual Orientation Has Political Fallout. David J. Jefferson, p. 207
29. Are Gay Men Born That Way? Kay Diaz, p. 211.
6. FEBRUARY 20: Creating Criminals: Government and the Legal System & Denial and
Erasure: Education and Culture
Section Introduction, p. 219
30. Crime Story. Stern Russell, p. 223.
31. Public Policy and Private Prejudice: Psychology and Law on Gay Rights. Gary B. Melton,
p.225.
32. Crimes of Lesbian Sex. Ruthann Robson, p.228.
Section Introduction, p. 235
33. Who Hid Lesbian History. Lillian Faderman, p.241.
34. Stolen Goods. Michael Bronski, p.245.
35. Remembering Lenny: Parting Notes on a Friend Who Never Quite Came Out. Paul Moor,
p.251.
36. Willa Cather. Sharon O’Brien, p.253.
37. Closets in the Museum: Homophobia and Art History. James Saslow, p.256.
38. Imagine a Lesbian, a Black Lesbian. Jewelle Gomez, p.262.
39. Too Queer for College: Notes on Homophobia. Esther Newton, p.270.
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 6
40. The Gay and Lesbian Publishing Boom. William J. Mann, p.273.
41. A Lesson in Tolerance. David Ruenzel, p.278.
42. Gay Teachers Make Their Lives Whole Again. Deb Price, p.285.
43. Pop Tune Can Comfort Teens Unsure of Their Sexuality. Victoria Brownworth, p.286.
7. FEBRUARY 27: Up From Invisibility: Film and Television
First Take-Home Paper Due In Class
Section Introduction, p. 291
44. Stereotyping. Richard Dyer, p.297.
45. Lesbians and Film: Some Thoughts. Caroline Sheldon, p.301.
46. Where is the Life That Late He Led? Hollywood’s Construction of Sexuality in the Life of
Cole Porter. George F. Custen, p.306.
47. Old Strategies for New Texts: How American Television Is Creating and treating Lesbian
Characters. Marguerite J. Moritz, p.316.
48. Culture Stays Screen-Shy of Showing the Gay Kiss. Frank Bruni, p.327.
49. Do Ask, Do Tell: Freak Talk on TV. Joshua Gamson, p.329.
50. More Than Friends. David Ehrenstein, p.335.
51. Anything But Idyllic: Lesbian Filmmaking in the 1980s and 1990s. Liz Kotz, p.341.
8. MARCH 6: Fit to Print? Journalism
Section Introduction, p. 349
52. Perverts Called Government Peril. New York Times, p.355.
53. The Homosexual in America. Time, p.356.
54. A Rebuke for TIME’s Pernicious Prejudice. Kay Tobin, p.359.
55. A Minority’s Plea: U.S. Homosexuals Gain in Trying to Persuade Society to Accept Them.
Charles Alverson, p.361.
56. Homo Nest Raided! Queen Bees Are Stinging Mad. Jerry Lisker, p.364.
57. The “Gay” People Demand Their Rights. Lacey Fosburgh, p.366.
58. The Lesbian Issue and Women’s Lib. Judy Klemensrud, p.367.
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 7
59. Uptight on Gay News: Can the Straight Press Get the Gay Story Straight? Randsell Pierson,
p.369.
60. Out at the New York Times. Michelangelo Signorile, p.376.
9. MARCH 20: Cries and Whispers: AIDS and the Media
Section Introduction, p. 387
61. Illness and Deviance: The Response of the Press to AIDS. Edward Albert, p.393.
62. The Second Wave. James Kinsella, p.402.
63. A Test of Who We Are As a People. Vito Russo, p.408.
64. More to the Shilts Story. Jessea Greenman, p.410.
65. Big Science: What Ever Happened to Safer Sex? Richard Goldstein, p.412.
10. MARCH 27: Naming Names: Outing
Section Introduction, p. 417
66. Contested Closets: The Politics and Ethics of Outing. Larry Gross, p.421.
67. How I Brought Out Malcolm Forbes and the Media Flinched. Michelangelo Signorile, p.429.
68. Why Outing Must Stop. C. Carr, p.431.
69. The Inning of Outing. Gabriel Rotello, p.433.
11. APRIL 3: In Our Own Voices: The Lesbian and Gay Press & Queers in Cyberspace
Section Introduction, p. 437
70. “Gay Gal” – Lisa Ben. Eric Marcus, p.443.
71. “News Hound” – Jim Kepner. Eric Marcus, p.446.
72. The Advocate: Setting the Standard for the Gay Liberation Press. Rodger Streitmatter, p.450.
73. Representation, Liberation, and the Queer Press. Polly Thistlethwaite, p.460.
74. Flaunting It! A Decade of Gay Journalism from The Body Politic. Ed Jackson, p.461.
75. I Want My Gay TV. Larry Closs, p.466.
Section Introduction, p. 527
83. Notes on Queer’ N Asian Virtual Sex. Daniel Tsang, p.531.
84. We’re Teen, We’re Queer, and We’ve Got E-mail. Steve Silberman, p.537.
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 8
85. Logging On, Coming Out. Jeff Walsh, p.540.
12. APRIL 10: The Good Parts: Pornography
Second Take-Home Paper Due In Class
Section Introduction, p. 475
76. Coming to Terms: Gay Pornography. Richard Dyer, p.479.
77. Gender, Fucking, and Utopia: An Essay in Response to John Stoltenberg’s Refusing to Be a
Man. Scott Tucker, p.486.
78. Free Speech or Hate Speech: Pornography and Its Means of Production. Charles E. Nero,
p.497.
79. My History with Censorship. Joan Nestle, p.502.
80. My Mother Liked to Fuck. Joan Nestle, p.505.
81. Lesbian Pornography: Cultural Transgression and Sexual Demystification. Lisa Henderson,
p.506.
82. Looking for My Penis: The Eroticized Asian in Gay Video Porn. Richard Fung, p.517.
13. APRIL 17: Queer Positions and Perspectives
Section Introduction, p. 545
86. With Downcast Gays: Aspects of Homosexual Self-oppression. Andrew Hodges and David
Hutter, p.551.
87. The Woman-Identified Woman. Radicalesbians, p.562.
88. Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance. Cheryl Clarke, p.565.
89. I Paid Very Hard for My Immigrant Ignorance. Mirtha Quintanales, p.571.
90. Our Right to the World: Beyond the Right to Privacy. Scott Tucker, p.575.
91. Chasing the Crossover Audience and Other Self-Defeating Strategies. Michael Denneny,
p.583.
92. Queers Read This: I Hate Straights. Anonymous Queers, p.588.
COMM 430 -- SPRING 2001 -- 9
14. APRIL 24: The New Right = The Old Wrongs? & A Place at Which Table?
Section Introduction, p. 595
93. The Boys on the Beach. Midge Decter, p.601.
94. Straight Talk About Gays. E. L. Pattullo, p.611.
95. In God’s Country. John Weir, p.616.
Section Introduction, p. 625
96. Here Comes the Groom: A (Conservative) Case for Gay Marriage. Andrew Sullivan, p.631.
97. Why Gay People Should seek the Right to Marry. Thomas B. Stoddard, p.633.
98. Since When Is Gay Marriage a Path to Liberation? Paula L. Ettelbrick, p.637.
99. Homocons. Matthew Rees, p.640.
100. The Naked Truth. Candace Chellew, p.643.
101. Out of Asia. Jeff Yang, p.644.
102. Backlash? Henry Louis Gates Jr., p.647.
103. Blacks and Gays: Healing the Great Divide. Barbara Smith, p.649.
Final Take-Home Assignment Due Monday, May 7th