Gender Performativity by Sarah Loeffler

Some people may not realize that there is a difference between sex and gender.  Sex refers to a person’s biologically status; male, female, or intersex.  Factors that determine the sex are internal reproductive organs, external genitalia, sex chromosomes, and more.  Gender refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with someone’s biological sex.  Someone’s sex and gender don’t always have to be the same.  Most people don’t realize that gender is performed.  As we grow up, we are taught how to act more feminine or masculine depending on what your biological sex is.  Because we learn from a young age what is consider more masculine or feminine, when someone acts out of the norm, society tends to question why they dress or act “differently”.  

Everything society does, from the way we get ready in the morning to how we dress follows a certain script about what is “normal” for someone who is feminine and masculine.  Society usually looks down on people who want to be there own person and change the way they do their own daily activities.  The way people act and perform their genders change depending on what is consider the norm at that specific time period.  

Religious Aspects of Sexuality by Samantha Garcia

Historically, most structured Religions  have some sort of moral code against homosexuality and anything out of the heterosexual "norm" such as transgender, bisexuals, transsexuals etc. For example Christians see activism and the fight for equal rights for the gay community, as "political immorality". Words of the Bible condemn homosexuality and as for Catholicism, it is considered one of the most grave sins to be committed. There are protests that still happen all over America to this day against homosexuality and for Proposition 8. Things have definitely progressed but as a society, we are still very far from equality. 

Catholicism Vs. Homosexuality

• Believes marriage can only be between a man and a woman
• Same-sex marriages considered not a favorable environment for children to be raised in
• Homosexual activity = "moral disorder"
• Homosexual acts= "contrary to natural law" It doesn't produce life therefore it is against God's intentions that was meant for sex
• Leaders (bishops, priests, cardinals etc.) of the Church have actively campaigned against same-sex marriages

Stance: Completely opposed

Westboro Baptist Church Vs. Homosexuality

The Westboro Baptist Church is an extremist group, known as a "hate group". Their main purpose is protesting against the gay community and "Gay America".  They are highly homophobic and believe that God in fact hates America because of how it has progressed in the acceptance of the gay community. They believe every death, shooting, or mass murder was "God's punishment" for all of the progressive activity that has been happening in America. They do things as extreme as picketing the funerals of dead soldiers because they have fought for the country. They believe God intended for them to die to punish them for trying to protect what they like to call "Fag America". They are highly recognized for their offensive signs they use to picket almost every day. 

                                 

The children are also highly involved in the process of picketing. They teach them these values from day one.

Stance: Viciously Opposed

As for progression, America has come a long way in the gay community. Now we have organizations and parades that fight for equal rights and celebrate LGBT pride. But when it comes to religion and structured religious practices, the traditions stay alive and so do the people who practice them. This doesn't stop the fight for equality and the progressive education that continues to make a change in the world.

Mythical Norm

One of the biggest questions we can ask ourselves is: what drives one to prefer a certain someone? In the “Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” paper by Adure Lorde, an in depth analysis of the “mythical norm” in the U.S. is presented to the reader. Adure states that "In America, this norm is usually defined as white, thin, male, young, heterosexual, Christian, and financially secure”.  The idea that this is a mythical norm of specified to a white male makes it a “white privilege”. Furthermore,  though a white woman can marry the mythical norm, she would never be described in the norm because she is not male and may or may not be financially secure.  

This is a good example of the mythical norm, which is based off what is normal, common and typical. Not only is the mythical norm based off what one looks like but also how one behaves, what is and is not acceptable in that time.
-Eleni Sarantinos