Week 2: Asian American Masculinity and Femininity

Respond to one or more of the following questions:


Negotiating New Asian-American Masculinities

“[US-born Asian men] rely on economic power...and embrace caring as part of their masculinity. In contrast to U.S.-born Asians, immigrant Asian men...simply see their masculinity in terms of attractiveness.”

What is your definition of masculinity? Of the all characteristics that the study uses, which, in your opinion, best embraces that definition of masculinity?

The Most Outrageous Masquerade: Queering Asian-American Masculinity

“What are we to make, then, of this alliance between Asian-American and homosexual men? If heterosexual romantic failures are deemed to be unspeakable...what does this reveal to us, not only about the formation of these marginalized subjectivities, but also about the constitution of the normative male subject? And what are the subversive political implications of these queer identifications?”

Describe the alliance between Asian-American and homosexual men that Parikh identifies. Does the alliance hold true today, nine years after this was written?

Breaking through the Chrysalis: Hanh Thi Pham

“I used to wear very feminine shoes that young women are supposed to wear, and had very long hair, and was married for twelve and a half years. So in that time I served the role of a formal wife, the genteel woman.”

Lee identifies various symbols (e.g. shoes and Buddha) and their meanings to Pham. What is a symbol to which you relate and what is its meaning to you?

Details Magazine Gay or Asian Spread

Satire is often utilized to illuminate a societal issue, eliciting an emotional reaction. What is the purpose/issue, if any, that this spread attempts to demonstrate. Is it effective? Does it perpetuate Asian-American stereotypes, and if so, what stereotypes?

Possible field trip to the QPOC Conference at UC Riverside

"Decolonize Your Mind" is the title of the 6th annual Queer People of Color Conference, which will be held at UC Riverside from April 8 to 10 (Friday to Sunday). Kenyon Farrow and Ryka Aoki are the confirmed speakers.

It could be a cool project to submit a workshop proposal as a class; you can all check out this website for more information about this and other scheduling details. Best of all, it's only $25 per campus--not per student--and it's quite nearby, so we can even book the Sagecoach for transportation.

Alice Hom: Monday, January 31st, 12PM! Lunch provided!

The AARC's Q&A presents:

A conversation about
Queer Asian American
Communities and ACTIVISM
with Alice Y. Hom

Who: You! Everyone is welcome!

What: This interactive presentation will highlight the activism of queer Asian Americans from the late 1970's to current day. Particular attention will be paid to the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality as well as ally building.

Where: Asian American Resource Center at Pomona (SCC 240)

When: Monday, January 31st, 12PM
*Lunch will be provided

Why: Because it will be a fabulous presentation by Alice Y. Hom. Alice is the co-editor of Q & A: Queer in Asian America. She currently serves as the director of the Queer Justice Fund at AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy) and is a board member of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. Come see what she's all about!

Critical Ethnic Studies Conference

This was the conference I was talking about if anyone is interested in going, or we can organize the whole class to go. The speaker list is on the site as well: http://cesa.ucr.edu/

Week 1: General Overview and Pedagogy

Please respond to one or more of the following questions. Have fun!!

Freire -

1. Freire emphasizes the role of prescription in helping the oppressor to maintain their position of power over the oppressed (see pg 47). Discuss a prescribed behavioral pattern that you have observed - one amongst members of an oppressed group that is designed to maintain the interests of the oppressor. How does this prescribed behavior serve to keep the oppressor-oppressed relationship in place? How can one identify and combat this pattern of prescribed behavior in oneself or others?

Omatsu -

2. Do you consider yourself to be a "conscious element" as defined by Omatsu (page 6 of "Listening to the Small Voice Speaking the Truth")? Why or why not? What role does mass organizing play in the evolution of the "conscious element" identity?

3. Omatsu names keywords to describe the Asian American Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and contrasts them with those of the 1980s and 1990s (page 7 of the pdf, pg 30 of original text in "The Four Prisons"). What do you think the keywords are for the Asian American social justice movement of the 2000s? What will they be in the coming decade? What does this say about the focus of current social justice movements in the United States?

Quon -

4. How does coalition building between social justice groups function to help these groups achieve their goals? What are some of the structural obstacles to coalition building?"