Queer Studies at A&M benefits members

Queer Studies at A&M benefits members

By: Katy Ralston

Issue date: 10/12/09 Section: News

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Media Credit: Patrick Clayton

Rebecca Schloss and Krista May are co-facilitators of the Queer Studies working group.

[Click to enlarge]

The Queer Studies working group, a branch of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities, meet once a month to provide an outlet for faculty and students to voice opinions and examine perspectives.

The Glasscock Center working groups are topically oriented discussion forums for faculty members and graduate students interested in the same topic to interact with others.

The Queer Studies working group focuses on the meaning of sexual identities, performances, discourses, practices and representations throughout history and in everyday life.

As a group, they meet in different places on campus to discuss and peer-review works in progress by group members related to queer theory. The group collectively studies books and films dealing with queer studies and also engages in active dialogue rejecting and destabilizing ideas about sexuality, gender and race.

"I have had a chance to have my work by the people in the Queer Studies group and critiqued, which is a great help to my own scholarship," said member Christopher Carmona, an English graduate student. "It has certainly added to my theoretical education and helped me to be able to think more critically about all aspects of my work and society."

English graduate student Rebecca South said one reason she became involved in the group is it is good to be in a community of scholars who work in a similar field.

"The real benefit for me of being in the group is being able to discuss readings, films or lectures with other people who work in the same field that I do," South said. "It is helpful to be able to circulate ideas about the field itself and about individual topics within Queer Studies in order to get a broad range of perspectives."

The Queer Studies working group was created seven years ago by two professors looking for an outlet to share research. Confronted with a lack of formalization, they started the working group to bring scholars interested in the subject together.

Continued...

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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 22

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Vinh Nguyen '98

posted 10/12/09 @ 6:13 AM CST

Is it just me, or is anyone else worried about the types of comments that will result from this article?

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Nicholas Green '80

posted 10/12/09 @ 6:29 AM CST

Vinh: Why are you worried about the types of comments that MAY be elicited by publication of this article? I'd bet the price of a Coca-Cola that the spectrum of viewpoints will be expressed in a spectrum of approaches from academic to pinheaded. (Continued…)

(1 reply) Details Reply to this comment

Hood Mauermann 85'

posted 10/12/09 @ 6:43 AM CST

This is really dissappointing. To see my school focusing on this kind of crap is just very sad. I can't believe what is happening to TAMU. Just disgusting. (Continued…)

(6 replies) Details Reply to this comment

David Wells '98

posted 10/12/09 @ 9:09 AM CST

Hood, I bet a lot of people like you thought the same thing back when they started studies about african americans and their culture. How else are people going to learn about us? This group is for those OPEN MINDED individuals who what to learn history and not repeat it. (Continued…)

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chaz

posted 10/12/09 @ 9:27 AM CST

Graduated in 05 and still keep up with the batt. There is either nothing important going on or someone on the news staff has come out of the closet. Gay its just wrong. (Continued…)

(1 reply) Details Reply to this comment

Andrea '07

posted 10/12/09 @ 12:19 PM CST

Chaz:

1.) That joke was pointless, rude and just shows how immature you are.

2.) Offering a program like this will help former, current and future students be proud of a school that isn't homophobic, bigoted and close-minded. (Continued…)

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Zane

posted 10/12/09 @ 1:04 PM CST

The article does a poor job explaining the meaning of Queer Studies and queer theory. Its general description is "focuses on the meaning of sexual identities, performances, discourses, practices and representations throughout history and in everyday life. (Continued…)

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Jody Muniz '85

posted 10/12/09 @ 1:24 PM CST

Obviously the Title of the study was to invoke an emotional response and it has succeeded. Blatant disrespect for others is a true sign of arrogance, ignorance, hatred, and bigotry. (Continued…)

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William '98

posted 10/12/09 @ 1:39 PM CST

How to write a batt article.

Step 1.
Find a group with a stereotypical name.
(Who decided to use the word Queer?)

Step 2.
Get a picture of a person that fits the stereotype. (Continued…)

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Cheney Coker '82

posted 10/12/09 @ 2:04 PM CST

I get a chuckle when I read comments from ignorant flks who think gays at A&M are a new thing. What hogwash. My roommate back in 1981 was gay. Yup. Aston Hall. (Continued…)

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