It's Elementary takes a look as to whether or not gay issues should be discussed in schools and how such issues should be treated. Its not often that adults get the chance to hear what children think about homosexuality. When asked to respond to the discussion the school children responded in a frank and earnest manner, some especially in the younger grades with an instinctual sense of fairness and democracy towards homosexuals, particularly those facing adversity. Unlike opposing teachers and parents who thought discussion would expose alternative lifestyles and encourage homosexual sex, the children in the video were far more interested in name-calling, non-traditional families, and gay/lesbian stereotypes. The film also focused on how the media influences opinions by presenting misconceptions and stereotypes. Many children in the film admitted that their notions of homosexuality had been learned not only at home but also from the news and movies. Several popular PG movies were used as examples that showed instances of homophobia: Ace Ventura, Home Alone, and Kindergarten Cop. In order to nurture a democratic learning environment, the schools in the film implemented gay pride days and celebrated the national `coming out' day, focusing on differing family structures (such as the second grader who read her essay on her two mommies) and homosexuality as part of individual identity (ex. the teacher who analogized staying in the closet to playing soccer with one foot). As a social activist and filmmaker, Debra Chasnoff, the director and co-producer has worked on several films and won the 1991Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for her film Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons, and Our Environment. A grad...
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...ts in the film hoped the suicide rate of gay and lesbian teens would decrease as a result of gays issues being included in school curriculum. I think the filmmakers could have played this up and used it to their advantage.
In conclusion, It's Elementary by Chasnoff and Cohen provides excellent examples of how educators can introduce the discussion of gay issues in the classroom. The film's strengths lie in its juxtaposition of opposing politicians with the innocent, democratic acceptance of little children, and also with its focus on making students aware of media bias against gays. Though minor, the film's weaknesses would have only strengthened the position for including gay issues in schools. Altogether, I would have to definitely recommend this film as must see for educators, and likewise recommend curricula which includes gay and other diversity issues.
The setup of the film really allowed the viewer to imagine the social issues such as racism, homophobia and AIDS that African-American gay men were facing at
... Not only does this provide an example of the ambient racism in this story, but it also relates to the previous statement of how the filmmakers exaggerated the sexual energy of black people.
Overall, the film effectively depicts individual stories of homosexuals and their families’ struggles that are both inspiring and a warning. If we are to ask, “What would Jesus do”, I think the Bible demonstrates over and over that we are to love, not hate or condemn. I thinks it’s time society wake-up and search for spiritual truth and let go of old stereotypes and embrace humanity.
... homosexual being felt in the world around the 1970’s and 1980’s. The time period in which this play was written was one of great dissonance to the LGBT movement. For Harvey Fierstein to be so bold and public with his own lifestyle was truly admirable and brave. Fierstein shows us that ignorance can destroy a life because of what is unknown.
On television, I watched characters such as Marco del Rossi and Paige Michalchuk on the Canadian teen-drama Degrassi. These were the first positive experiences I had of what gay culture was like. Of what I saw, I did not feel like I fit into that lifestyle/group. On the other hand, the movie The Matthew Shepard Story shared the violent side of homosexuality’s history in the retelling of Matthew Shepard’s murder.
...were initially skeptical, until gradually, the weight of scientific fact has shifted the opinion to the belief in these views. As seen in the film, Paris is Burning, homosexuality is not much of a choice, but a way of life that not many would chose living unless biologically destined to be. We must trust that the very knowledge of the natural and biological springs of sexual abnormality will bring about the recognition that the syndrome is natural, and may change our perceptions of what is normal. After all, the problem, such as Bornstein stated, is with our intolerance that they do not conform with what we think is 'normal' gender identity and sexual behavior. Though it is our biologically wired mind that makes us intolerable and aggressive to the 'outsider', it is our duty as a society to erase this ignorance by education of the genetically sexual 'deviant' ones.
I believe this movie does a good job incorporating what we have discussed in class in terms of adolescent development. Although the movie is greatly exaggerated and blown up, the movie does emphasize on key factors to the development of an adolescent. Aside from the self-identity and friendship, the film incorporates parental relationships, academics, teacher-student relationships, risky behaviors, and moral development during adolescent
Almost immediately we are faced with the conflict of everyday life for Brittany, and as she enters the main setting of the story and a place that should be a safe environment she is immediately besieged. The author, using simple diction, describes another morning at school for Brittany where we see how her classmates attack her verbally with derogatory terms such as “Dyke” and “Whore”(Erdly 253). Because of this and other more physical bullying we see a safe setting become a source of anxiety and fear, and instead of combating the problem the school district does nothing. In clearly understandable writing Erdely deciphers the situation and relates to us how the school district passed a regulation effectively stating that staff “shall remain neutral on matters regarding sexual orientation” (Erdely 264). Effectively preventing children in need of guidance and role models from reaching out. The author uses an easily relatable setting, common vernacular, a clear point of view and familiar events to highlight the issues in this essay. Those issues detail the conflict that LGBTQ children face from people that don’t empathize with them, and understand that just because of who they are doesn’t mean that they aren’t still children in
The first people introduced are a couple, Agustin and Marcelo, that has been well established in Chicago, Illinois. Marcelo explained his struggle of being both gay and staying catholic because as a kid he prayed to god for a miracle to change him to be “normal”. Marcelo has accepted himself and continues to practice the religion even though Catholicism prohibits being gay. Another man named David described being teased in his school career for kissing another boy in the third grade because of his sexuality. He moved to New York City to get away from his childhood and to finally be happy in a place where he isn’t judged. This homophobia from young kids instigates violence in school that is learned from parents and from the community of others. The last person introduced in the film was a man who transitioned to be a woman that was rejected by her family and had to move out of her home for coming home with hair extensions. This form of violence caused Gabriela to abuse drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain of rejection. These three examples show how people have overcome the cultural normality, but have experienced all sorts of different
The purpose of the film was to show that no matter what skin color you are what only matters is who you are on the inside. The movie fails in this attempt to display a political statement in a comedic manner in the sense that in reality it depicts that people need to be aware that we should be equal regardless of skin color but it makes a mockery out of the fact that we are not equal in a non-hysterical manner. This movie is not a comedy in the sense that the jokes are funny because they truly are not funny especially for those who face these discrimination issues daily. The movie is basically promoting conformity in the idea that we all know that equality is a far stretch and that we are not there yet so let us just deal with it and turn it into a mockery.
The movie, And the Band Played On, portrays a current issue the U.S. health care system face: the effects of societal perceptions of people who should receive health care support. Those perceived as undeserving are disregarded. Homosexual men were the first to be affected by AIDS in the US, and because of this, the stigma of homosexuality prevented developing health care policy to control the epidemic. Homosexuality was, and to a lesser extent now, not widely accepted. Marginalizing gay individuals was seen in the movie at the beginning, when media coverage on AIDs would not include “homosexual” within the news title (Pillsbury, Sanford, & Spottiswoode, 1993). This represents how media has to be marketed; the broader public will not be interested if a new disease only affects an undesirable population. Another example of this negligence is seen when Phillip Burton is asked to introduce a bill on AIDS. He agrees, but does not hesitate to retort, “They couldn’t get a dime out of this administration with the name gay on it” (Pillsbury, Sanford, & Spottiswoode, 1993). Finally, in order to change the perception, at the CDC conference with blood agencies, they renamed gay related immune deficiency (GRID) to AIDS, and the film cuts to news segments finally covering
After watched the Shutter Island, I believe this film is combat against stigma of mental ill.
If I meet the wrong person or being forced to do something, I should reject and leave immediately. This movie brings a lot of thinking about sexuality, sexual orientation and gender issues, and it does influence audiences in many different
Baker, Jean M. How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community. New York: Harrington Park, 2002. Print.
Adam Sharpiro, Megan Schultz, Christina Roush, Cassandra Schofar, Emily Shilling, Tawnia Simpson, Natalie Sampiller. Portrayal of Homosexuality in Media. 26 March 2014 .