The winter season in Seattle is dark. And I mean this in both a figurative and literal sense. The sun is barely out during the day. I would always be in the most teen angsty mood. You could even say my days were becoming more and more like scenes from 80s coming of age films. My daily routine would consist of me dragging myself out of bed, making a mediocre cup of coffee, turning on my computer, and looking outside my window and into the mustard yellow wall of the other apartment building. I slowly found myself dreading the work that I loved to do.
My workload consisted of readings from various texts, which meant I was bound to have a lot of writing assignments to go with those readings. The reading part was easy. The writing part…not so much. The writing assignments from this quarter have been extremely time sensitive, so I always found myself under a lot of pressure to get them done in a timely manner while also ensuring that the quality of my writing was at its best. For me, writing a thoughtful paper, regardless of its length, usually takes about a week, which is about the amount of time I was given to write an assignment in prior quarters, especially pre-pandemic. Usually when students are given a shorter time frame to finish an assignment, they are usually more motivated to get the assignment done faster. However, this was not the case for me. Even for a three-page reflection paper, it would take me an hour just to finish one paragraph. I would take up until three hours prior to the deadline to finish the actual assignment. Needless to say, I became the epitome of procrastination. There were many culprits to this new level of procrastination, which all involved various activities that were meant to distract. These included scrolling though Tik Tok, rearranging my furniture, and reading memes on Reddit. Little did I know, these activities were not distractions from my work. Rather, they were distractions from my own reality. These distractions ultimately fed my brain the biggest lie it can tell my entire body: “everything is okay”. Of course, everything was not okay. The world around me was still falling apart. Society was still hanging by a thread with the rise of political and social tensions. And I was still in denial that the nightmares of the pandemic continue to leach onto our lives. So, what got me out of this head space? Let’s just say, I had a “it’s the little things in life” philosophical moment. What I mean by that is, I started to engage in practices that are simple but complicated at the same time. Pre-pandemic James would consider these practices as the bare minimum. Pandemic James would consider these as god-like abilities. I will leave you with these practices and hope that you may find them useful:
Lastly, I want to reassure you all that it is okay to be more attentive to your own needs before others. I understand that what I have shared thus far can seem selfish. However, if there is one thing that I hope you all take away from this post, it is that there is nothing selfish about needing more space to collect your thoughts and reevaluate your priorities. It is more than okay to prioritize your own wellbeing. You may not know exactly what you need in order to stay as physically, mentally, and emotionally stable as possible, but know that it will take time to fully understand yourself and what you need to stay healthy. It has been a year since this pandemic began, and there is nothing wrong with reestablishing and altering the boundaries you set for yourself. If anything, I am always here to support you every step of the way! Happy Writing and take care! -James
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As a young adult, I am proud to say that most of the media that I consume is animated! I have always been just as emotionally invested, if not more so, with the struggles and successes of the animated characters depicted and really love the freedom that comes with worldbuilding that isn’t always possible for live action series. Though it is fairly common for animated series to have LGBTQIA+ representation today, there wasn’t very much for me to draw from as a young queer person growing up. However, that made almost any representation that wasn’t overtly negative very meaningful to me. Today, I’m going to go through some of the characters and series that surprised and affirmed me early on and likely set the stage for the wider scope of LGBTQIA+ representation that is available today! Just as a warning, some of what I will share will contain spoilers pertaining to the shows Sailor Moon, Fushigi Yuugi, Adventure Time, The Legend of Korra, and Steven Universe.
Though I was born in the late 90’s, I grew up with three older siblings who introduced me to anime, many of which were their favorites from the 80’s and 90’s. By the time I was in middle school, I often watched anime on my own, both subbed and dubbed. Though not all of the series I enjoyed had LGBTQIA+ representation, I quickly learned that it seemed to be far more common in Japanese animation than it was in series produced in the US. The first instance of representation I remember seeing was Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) and Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus) from the Sailor Moon franchise, who were a couple. Seeing them being a normal couple as side characters was really shocking to me as I had never seen anything like it before. I knew that same-sex couples existed, but they were considered taboo and were simply never discussed in the conservative environment I grew up in. In addition to those two were the tragic couple, Zoisite and Kunzite, as well as the Sailor Starlights, who have been confirmed to be genderqueer. Unfortunately, in early US dubbed versions of the series, the relationships between the aforementioned couples were changed due to censorship. As a result, their relationships were either portrayed as being heterosexual or familial (the latter being extremely problematic). Another one of my favorite anime series from the 90s was Fushigi Yuugi. My favorite character, Nuriko, was a bisexual man who often cross-dressed. Throughout the series, he was depicted as being very comfortable with his identity even when it was constantly questioned by others. My favorite aspect about him was how he was willing to sacrifice anything for the friends he made, who seemed to become his chosen family. The overtly positive portrayal of his character helped me realize that it was ok for me to be bisexual and nonbinary as it showed that one doesn’t have to exist within binaries in order to be a good person. Other characters who were bisexual or didn’t follow rigid gender roles also appeared in Fruits Basket and Ouran Highschool Host Club, which were two series that I got to enjoy in the company of my friends. In part, knowing that my friends were fine with these shows helped me feel safer with them even before I ever considered coming out to them as they viewed each character as being normal or likable. In the 2000s, US animated series were beginning to have more LGBTQIA+ representation, though most were not series meant for kids and were generally for comedic purposes. The later 2000s proved to be more promising in terms of positive representation for kids. Two examples that were subtle but had a great impact on me as a teenager occurred in Adventure Time and The Legend of Korra. The first portrayed a side plot between the two characters, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen. It was implied that they had been in a romantic relationship prior to the events of the show. This was confirmed by the show’s creator in 2014, though it was claimed that the show couldn’t go deeper into their relationship at the time because of censorship in some of the countries it aired in. That same year, The Legend of Korra concluded with Korra and her rival-turned-friend, Asami, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Though many were upset that very little development happened between the two in the course of the show, I was ecstatic to see it air! The creators also cited censorship issues as the reason why there was very little leading up to the ending. However, I have heard there is a graphic novel which better shares the dynamics of their romantic relationship. Similarly, with the conclusion of Adventure Time in 2018 Princess Bubblegum and Marceline kiss and have an episode about their relationship in the spin-off series Adventure Time: Distant Lands. I was first introduced to the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe by my now partner around my junior year of high school and became immediately fixated on it. Overall, it addresses many difficult subjects in ways that kids can understand pertaining to body positivity, consent, and working through difficult emotions or memories. In terms of LGBTQIA+ representation, it doesn’t only boil down to one character or a couple, but shows different relationship and family structures, gender fluidity and ambiguity, and often transcends gender norms. Looking back, my favorite part about the show is that most of the characters are actually genderless since they are gemstones. With that said, the romantic relationships between the characters were monumental to me, even at 17 and 18. I remember my jaw dropping at the introduction of Ruby and Sapphire’s relationship in the second season. I was shock that it was allowed on air, not because it was inappropriate for children but rather I couldn’t believe the progress that had been made! I continue to enjoy the series today, which has since concluded and I’m still catching up on. There are also numerous other animated series that I watch on my own or with loved ones today with a light heart knowing that diverse representation in this form of media can bring joy to people of all ages. Below I will also include a few places to stream the series mentioned if you’re interested in checking any of them out! I would also recommend checking in with your local library for either full seasons or graphic novels of the series for free. - Bek Where to stream the series shared: Sailor Moon (1992): Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, Vudu Fushigi Yuugi: Crunchy Roll, Amazon Ouran High School Host Club: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, Apple TV+ Fruits Basket (2001): Hulu, Funimation, Amazon Adventure Time: Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max Adventure Time Distant Lands: HBO Max The Legend of Korra: Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, iTunes Steven Universe: HBO Max, Hulu, Apple TV+ Using your writing to be a fact warrior in the age of misinformation
Meghan Vismara Benavides My family celebrates April Fools day with enthusiasm. In this spirit, as a teacher, it was always a goal to fool my middle school students when the day came. I convinced a sixth-grade class that eggs left in vinegar over the weekend were decomposing sheep eyeballs. I convinced a seventh-grade class that small pieces of spaghetti were a rare species of needlefish, wanting to take them home to their families over the weekend. Each time, when I told them the truth, classes would gape at me, open-mouthed, incredulous that I, their teacher, would ever lie to them. I would laugh and then ask them what made the lies believable? What makes someone believe that a piece of spaghetti is really a small fish? How can I tell the difference between a well-constructed lie and objective truth? In today's climate, especially considering recent events, it is now more critical than ever for citizens to be fact warriors against misinformation. The Corona Virus has created a significant space for conspiracy theorists. As humans, it seems impossible that such a momentous event could have happened on its own, that there must be something more to the story. This is why the Corona Virus has so many conspiracies about it: how could a virus from bats have taken over the entire world so absolutely (Embarek, Gupta-Smith, 2020)? Furthermore, with new technologies, it is easier for the average person to create content that looks convincing. It is easier for the average person to spread misinformation through social media. Finally, with social media, there are more places to disseminate all types of information; therefore, misinformation is more easily spread to the masses (Frenkel, et. al, 2020). MIT's study determined that misinformation is 70% more likely to be retweeted than truthful information (Dizikes, 2020). Falsehoods travel ten to twenty times faster than real information on Twitter (Dizikes, 2020). Why? I mean, I would never fall for misinformation, would I? Well, the truth is, you might. Our brains are conditioned to look for and focus on new, exciting information (Enders, Uscinski, 2020). Think about it, are you likely to click on a link to the published, peer-reviewed, double-blind study on social media feed? Or a quiz from Buzzfeed? Our brains are attracted to the novel, the less tedious (Enders, Uscinski, 2020). The truth can be...well...more boring than the myth. The truth is, yours truly included, we could all do a little bit better when it comes to spreading misinformation on the internet. In an academic sense, repeating misinformation can have devastating effects. A brief mention of misinformation can leave your work to question and make you seem less credible as a writer. Citing from a website like Wikipedia or using a social media site to back up your claims can make it seem like you didn't take the necessary time to fully understand the issue. Whether you are writing a paper or posting a new update, here are some practical tips on how can you stop the spread (Oliver, 2020) (Dizikes, 2020):
Suggested fact check sites include: factcheck.org, hoax-slayer.com, politifact.com, snopes.com, truthorfiction.com, urbanlegends.about.com
Dizikes, P. (2020). Study: On Twitter, false news travels faster than true stories. Embarek, P. B., & Gupta-Smith, V. (2020). Episode #21 - COVID-19 - Origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media- resources/science-in-5/episode-21---covid-19---origins-of-the-sars-cov-2-virus. https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308 Enders, A. M., & Uscinski, J. E. (2020, April 30). The Coronavirus Conspiracy Boom. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/what-can-coronavirus- tell-us-about-conspiracy-theories/610894/ Frenkel, S., Decker, B., & Alba, D. (2020, May 20). How the 'Plandemic' Movie and Its Falsehoods Spread Widely Online. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/technology/plandemic-movie-youtube- Facebook-coronavirus.html Oliver, J. (2020). Coronavirus: Conspiracy Theories. Last Week Tonight. HBO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_eHBZLM6U&t=1145s. I want to start this post by acknowledging a few things. For this post in particular I will be mostly focusing on my experience and that of others in the LGBTQIA+ community while also providing some comparison to how it also affects people of color and disability and neurodiverse communities. Though I am a queer and neurodivergent person of color, I in no way represent how everyone in those communities feel about any of what I will be describing and do not wish to try to. With that said, I will be leaning into views that do differ from mine from within those same communities and strongly encourage further discourse around the language that marginalized groups choose to use from within. I also want to give a warning since I will be using or discussing language that has oppressive roots in the LGBTQIA+, Black, disabled, and neurodiverse communities after this paragraph. If you believe that could be upsetting or a trigger for you, you may want to skip this post and wait for a new one next week. For the words that are still widely considered slurs by the respective communities, I have not typed out fully or only vaguely allude to. However, one word that is controversial in the LGBTQIA+ community and that I identify as is typed out in its entirety and is discussed heavily throughout.
One word that I have personally liked to describe myself as is “queer”. Sometimes when I’m feeling the need to be more specific, I will detail that I am a bisexual, demiromantic, transmasculine nonbinary person. That can be a bit of a mouthful. For that reason, myself and many others like to simply use queer as an umbrella term. However, I do try to not call the greater community as such because of the oppressive history behind the word. It wasn’t a word I heard very often myself in a negative way growing up, but when I included it in a paper one time (referring to how I identified), a teacher actually had me change the word. This was the first time I really considered its origins and learned more about it. For those who may not know, the word has been used as a slur against people in the community in the past. In the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Stylebook on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Terminology, it is listed as, “Originally a pejorative term for gay, now being reclaimed by some gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as a self-affirming umbrella term ... Queer is still offensive as an epithet to many.” Where does that leave the reclamation or reappropriation of the word then? Some say it is comparable to the somewhat widely reclaimed N-word for the Black community while others say it is irredeemable like the r-slur for people in disabled and neurodiverse communities. I would say that it is just not for any one person or even group of people in the community to decide for all, but it also can only be decided by individuals who are in the community. There are many reasons why some in a community may want to reclaim oppressive language, according to Robin Brontsema in “A Queer Revolution”. The first and what I would argue is the most common one with the use of queer is that it reverses the meaning from being something negative and painful to being positive and worthy of pride. Another is to take the power away from oppressors who want to use it to further harm the community. Lastly, it can be reclaimed as a reminder of a history of oppression against a community, rather than letting future generations forget. These reasons can also coincide with one another or change over time. Either way, reclamation is something that is beneficial to some and is in no way a “one size fits all” phenomenon. One way that I can begin to understand why some people in the LGBTQIA+ community do not accept queer as a descriptive term for themselves is by reflecting on other language that some want to reclaim that I’m generally uncomfortable with. For example, some creators on TikTok and increasingly more Gen Z people who are in the LGBTQIA+ community have been using two certain words to describe themselves in defiant or satirical ways. These are words that I had heard used as slurs growing up and in my adult life, thus they are like nails on a chalkboard for me when I do hear them. However, if someone wants to use those words for themselves in any way to reclaim power that they previously did not have or had taken from them, I don’t think it’s my place to tell them to stop as long as they also respect my personal boundaries. Going through these experiences have also made me more considerate in the language that I use to describe the community as a whole as I don’t want anyone to feel the way that I would if those words were imposed on me. Ideally, I believe that it is very important for future generations to understand the roots and previous negative implications of oppressive language before they decide whether or not to reclaim it for themselves. Part of that should include listening to the people who have been harmed by that language in the past or even in the present either through discussion or research. Ultimately, the most important thing to remember is that it is disrespectful to simply disregard the harm that can come with some language and choose to apply it to someone who doesn’t identify as such. With that said, it would be very beneficial for all to be able to continue this conversation around language that inform our identities while understanding that what makes us a community are not shared terms, but rather shared respect that we have for each other. - Bek Works Cited and Further Reading: Brontsema, Robin. "A Queer Revolution: Reconceptualizing the Debate Over Linguistic Reclamation." Colorado Research in Linguistics, University of Colorado Boulder, 2004, journals.colorado.edu/index.php/cril/article/view/255. Cheves, Alexander. "9 LGBTQ+ People Explain How They Love, Hate, and Understand the Word "Queer"." Them, 4 June 2019, www.them.us/story/what-does-queer-mean. Johnson, Bek. “How to Use Inclusive Language: Respecting the LGBTQIA+ Community in Your Writing.” Seattle University Writing Center. https://www.seattleu.edu/media/writing-center/worksheets/Respecting_the_LGBTQIA_Community_in_Your_Writing.pdf. "Queer." Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, www.nlgja.org/stylebook/queer/. Wheeler, André. "Why I'm reclaiming the homophobic slur I used to fear." The Guardian, 9 Mar. 2020, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/09/lgbt-gay-men-slur-homophobia. by Sarah Mahl
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January 2024
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