I we have seen by our discussion in class today it is clear that at least half our class does not know that the gay community can be far reaching and can be found in some of the most unlikely places along with some of the most unlikely people. Bears or overweight gay gentlemen are almost as common as the muscular men who are most associated as gay. The fact of the matter is, homosexuality much like heterosexuality is unbiased. The only reason society may not associate the gay community with overweight members is due in part to the major problem of sizism in our current society. The world is imperfect, but it seems easy to question why anyone with a few extra pounds could be attractive, especially in the gay community. The real problem is that society spends so much time questioning others choices about their size and sexual choices that those same questioning individuals loss sight of what they are doing. Those judging members of society spend so much time judging others that it is they who are the ones who deserve to be questioned, it is them who deserve to be cast out of society as not fitting the social mold. The reality is that we as a society have several different lifestyle choices among us. However, the moment we decide to lean so far toward any one particular direction everyone else has to question why and explain how that particular decision is the wrong choice. Big men and women can be attractive, they can also make different life style choices which may not fit the schema of others around them. The article Big, Fat, Hairy, and Beautiful has done something wonderful for society, it has made us question ourselves on why we think that if you are part of a particular label or category you need to look the part. By saying that this is not the case, we as a society must now figure out why stereotyping has become the normal action when discussing certain topics such as homosexuality and overweight men not fitting the mold. Why do you suppose we as a society have to use stereotyping just when thinking about specific individuals?
-William Webster
I agree with you that those who stereotype others and spend an immense amount of time judging people based on their appearance, sexual orientation, and lifestyle should be the ones questioned. If they were to take this course they would probably see things from a different perspective and realize that their assumptions are ignorant and highly inaccurate. I think that some people who make these judgments like determining who is 'fat' and not considering a larger size man to fit the model of homosexual men that we generally have, are not intentionally doing it, it is just how they have been forced to think (going back to the general idea of our class, authority over the body). What needs to be done is a change in media and what we tell our youth. We need to portray an neutral image and focus more on talent, ability, intelligence, and character; versus on physical appearance and sexual orientation. I feel that the reason we still see so many people attaching stereotypes and negative ideas with people who have been viewed as 'not normal' for centuries, is because media and schools are enforcing these labels. Sure we have made a progress in solving these issues, but it is not enough. Personally, I think the solution comes from interdisciplinary courses such as this one, as well as events like the ones we are creating for our activism proposal. We shouldn't be putting all the blame on people who display these judgements and stereotypes, we should be working to change them!
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