FUNDAMENTALS OF SEXUALITY AND GENDER STUDIES (aka FUNDAMENTALS OF LGBTQ) Fall 2020, Brooklyn College, CUNY Professor: B Lee Aultman | baultman@gradcenter.cuny.edu | Office: By Appointment Course Description: This course looks at the history and canonical litétatures of sexttality and gender as expressed throngh the vantage points of emergent queer and trans communities. The term “queer” encompasses lesbian, gay, and bisexual sexualities that eame into being at the turn of the 20th century. The term “trans” emcompases identities that historian Susan Stryker has described as “crossing-over” or “transgressing” a person’s assigned sex/gender. Special attention, will be paid to intersecting identities of class, race, and ethnicity in the development of sex, gender, and sexuality. We will also focus on areas of rebellion and resistance in terms of Sovial praxis along these lines of difference with a particular interest the Black Lives Matter movement(s). While the primary focus of this course is twenticth century history we wilbhave occasion to look into the late nineteenth century in ordér fo draw connections among'the expansion of sexual and gender identities in both theoretical and material terns Course Expectations: The couse’s grade will be determined by the following assignments 1. Response papers (20%): Students will write two response papers throughout the semester for various “themes” of related readings with corresponding deadlines below. These papers should give students the opportunity to express concerns with the readings themselves: the theme(s), methods; thesis, ete., that the atithor(s) are expressing. These papers should be written in the following foumat: 3-5 pages. double spaced, 12 pt. font., and printed. A rubric for this assignment is found at the end of this syllabus. Due Dates: September 30, October 30. 2. Analysis Paper (20%): A final paper should be roughly 7-10 pages and address in an analytically tigorous a distinctive historical issue we covered in the course. More infounation about this paper will be distubuted as the semester gets underway. Due Date: December 28 3, Midterm and Final Exam (50%): "These exams consist of short answer questions and essay questions. 4) Attendance/Participation (10%): Attendance and participation will be taken every session. The patticipation-portion of this percentage will be in the form of “chat room questions” and breakout sessions Technology: These are’ strange times (as 1 hope other courses and colleagues emphasize). Much of the experiences that proceed will be new to both you (the students) and me. Although I have had the last several months (and the end of the last semester) to adjust to the use of Zoom and other online meeting software, [ understand that this may not be the case for all of you. Because of issues related to access, time, and other material constraints I want to explain how we will meet. This coinse will consist of what colleges and universities are calling “synchronous”meeting times via Zoom. As an online course we will meet at the regularly scheduled times of 3:40-6:25 on Wednesdays. The Zoom link will be sent out weekly with a passcode associated with it via the Announcements section of Blackboard. For that matter, all. communication will be coordinated through Blackboard. If there are any difficulties accessing Blackboard or Zoom for any particular day or length of time, I will inform the entire course in one email/announcement. If you have any questions please use my Graduate Cenfer email address located in the heading of the syllabus (haullman@gradceufer etiny @du), All eburse readings will be uploaded to Blackboard for fiee as a series of PDFs Jiom my owncollection of materials. Academic Honesty: Ifa student is found in violation of aéademie integrity standards while an undergraduate at Brooklyn College, the following sanctions shall beimposed: First Offense: 41. The student shall receive an F on the assignment/éxamination, The student nia}"in addition receive an F in the course at the discretion of the instructor. In the event that the student receives an F in the course and Subsequently elects to withdraw from the course prior to the withdrawal deadline, the student shall receive the grade of WE, a grade that is equivalent to an earned F inthe cumulative quality point index: 2. The case shall be documented in the student’ file, where it will x¢main until the time of the student’s graduation from the college, at which time the material will be removed from their file, Any records kept for the pimpose of analysis and program evaluation by the AIC and not destroyed will have all personal identifiing information removed, Second Offense’ 3. The student shall receive an F for the course ancl shall be subject to suspension or expulsion fiom the college, at the diseretion of the deary’In the event that the student receives an F in the comrse and subsequently elects to withdraw. from the course prior to the withdrawal deadline, the student shall receive the grade of WF) a gtade that is equivalent to an eamed F in the cumulative quality pomt index, If the student is expelled, the notation—Withdrawn by the University —will appear on their transcript 4, The case shall be documented in the student’s file, where it will zemain. until the time of the student's graduation from the college, at which time the material will be removed from their file, Any records kept for theypurpose of analysis and program evaluation by the AIC and not destroyed will have all personal identifying information removed, Third Offense: 5. Ifa student is found ghilty of a third violation of academic integrity, the student will receive an F for the couse and will be expelled fiom the University, at the discretion of the dean. In te event that the student receives an F in the couse and subsequently elects to withdraw fiom the course prior to the withdrawal deadline, the student shall receive the grade of WF, a grade that is equivalent to an eamed F in the cumulative quality point index. If the student is expelled, the notation—Withdrawn by the University—will appear on their transcript.Accommodations: It is the mission of the Center for Student Disability Services (SDS) to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to all campus facilities, currieulay/and activities ‘The programs objective focuses on providing students with reasonable disability-related accommodations and the opportunity to maximize their academic success at Brooklyn College. The goal is to ensure an inclusive environment while maintaining and enhancing, the ¢ollege's academic excellence by providing students with disabilities the opportunity to achieve their highest possible academic potential. Please contact CSDS at either 718-951-5538 or testingesds@brooklvn.cuny edu Please note that students aremot cligible to receive any academic accommodations until they have formally registered with ODS and completed their intake appointment. Accommodations are not made retroactively,so it iS best to contact ODS to begin this process during the summer before entering. Pronouns, Gender Identity, and Racial Insensitivity: My name is B. Call me B. lam, nonbinary, transferinine, For my information coneeming the nse of these terms please éonsult http://www hransstudent org/. [use gender-neutral pronouns (they/them). I adhere fo'a strict policy of respect for the gender, sexual, and racial identities of my students. Intentional misgendering, as with any attempt to'sluranother student’s personal integnity'on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion, will result in immediate cismissal from class for that session. Continued abuses will result in disciplinary action with the appropriate admrinistrators Texts: There are no required textbooks, All readings will be made available on Blackboard gratis Tentative Reading List August 26: Introduction to the Course September 2: Defining the Historical Tersis of Engagement, Pt 1. 1. Foucault, “Part One and Patt Two” History of Sexuality, Vol. 1 An Introduction 2. Sedgwick, “Chapter One: Axidmnalic,” Epistemology of the Closet 3) Hartinan, “Redressing the Pairied Body” fiom Scenes of Subjection September 9: Defining the Historical Terms of Engagement, Pt. 2. 1, Halperin, “Chapter On8: One Hundred Years of Homosexuality,” One Hundred Years of Homosexuality 2. Stryker, “Chapter One: One Hundred Years of Transgender,” Transgender History 3. Issar, “Listening to Black Lives Matter”September 16: Urbanization and the Question of Desire 1. Chauncey, “Chapter Nine: Building Gay Neighborhood Enclaves: The Village and Harlem,” Gay New York 2. Rich, “Compulsory Heterosexnality and Lesbian Existence” 3. Hartman, “The Terible Beauty of the Shum,” Wayward Lives, Beautifid Experiments September 23: Defining Communities and Identities 1. D’Emilio, “Homophobia and the Course of Postwar Ameriean Radicalism, The Caréer*of Bayard Rustin” Chauncey, “Chapter Two: The Fairy as an Intermediate Sex.” Gav New York 3. Berube, “Lesbian Masquerade,” 4. Newton, “The Mythic Manish Lesbian” September 30: Disciplinary Power and the Role of the State 1. Canaday, “Part One: Naseent Policing? The Straight State~SeXiality and Citizenship in Twentieth Century America 2. Mills, “A Political Theory of Race,” from Zhe Racial Contract October 7: Film Screening and Midterm Review 1. “Stonewall Forever: A Documentary about the Past, Present, and Future of Pride” October 14: No Class; Classes Follow a Monday Schedule October 21: Midterm Exam October 28: Post-Stonewall and the Politics of Historical Consciousness 1. Radicalesbians, “Womantidentified-Woman,” ‘Atty: /scriptoriumdib dike edu/wiwwomid/ 2, Bunch, “Lesbiatis if Ravolt,” htip:/Seriptorium Jib duke.edwwim/furies! 3. Springer “Black Feminist Organizations and the Emergence of Interstitial Politics” November 4: HIV-AIDS and Queer Mobilization1. Bersani, “Is the Rectum a Grave?” 2. Edelman, “Chapter One: No Future” from No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive 3. Gould, “The Role of Emotion” from Moving Politics November 11: The Biopolitics of Identity a 1. Berlant, “Slow Death,” Cruel Optimism. Sedgwick, “How to Bring Your Kids Up Gay,” Tendencies 3. Snorton, “Chapter One: The Anatomical” fiom Black ri Both Sides November 18: New Directions for Queer and Trans Historiographies 1. Various, “Combahee River Collective Statement” 2. Lorde, “Poetry is Not a Lapsury”” 3. Aultman, “The Trans Complaint: Contributions to the Disagreement about Desire” 4. Berlant, “Thinking abont Feeling Historical” ‘November 25: No Class: Classes Follow a Friday Schedule, December 2: Course and Semester Review December 9: Final Exam Review Final Exam: TBD [Student Name] [Cowse Name] [Date] [Title of Chiapter/Artiele] Summaries Respoitse Papers should be written in essay format. This includes presenting a thesis statemenf aboutthe given piece. There should be a “topic sentence” that establishes the premise of any given paragraph followed by a “body.” or collection of sentences that serve asevidence for your thesis. The first paragraph usually establishes a firm sense of whatwill follow and be argued. Finally, each paragraph should be considered a complete thotight into itself ‘The following parts of the essay is the body. The overall purposé of this assignment is to present one or two themes from the reading that most interested you and:to comment 6n it/them, Ideally, the summary/response will contain a few statements about what. the reading is “doing” or is attempting to argue. Some chapters/articles have multiple and/eomplex arguments, You are‘hot responsible for elaborating each one. By selecting one or fwolarguments; or if you decide tpoi a single argument that captures the entirety of the Yeading, you will explain in your own words what they mean (both as a text and in a practical sense) The final paragraph is ustially reserved for concluding thoughts, These, tioughts can attempt to sum anything that may have been dispersed throughout the éssay. These thoughts can also revolve around a central isstie you feel was either compelling’ot lacking, an argument/theme that you would like to see discussed atlengtl elsewhere. Or, thiS:paragraph might be reserved for what the piece means to a'broadér, more lived experience of the text. Can the text be applied in ordinary life? If so how?