Queering the Curriculum
Dr Shaun Longstreet
&
Dr Kassia Wosick-Correa
Friday, February 8, 2008 1

Agenda
Discuss, “What is Queer Theory?”
Destablizing and coaching - how to engage a
spectrum of points of view
Diversity in the classroom and issues of visibility
Friday, February 8, 2008 2

What is Queer Theory?
Write on your handout
&
Share with a partner
Friday, February 8, 2008 3

Let’s Discuss!
Friday, February 8, 2008 4

Religious Studies
Texas A&M
Friday, February 8, 2008 5

Student Body
Predominantly evangelical Christian,
with students, on average, attending
church functions 1-2 per week.
72% White, 11 % Latina/o, 3%
African-American, 4% Asian, 8%
International.
Students self-identify politically as
conser vative or very conser vative
Friday, February 8, 2008 6

Student Body
20% are Engineering majors, 20% are
Agriculture and Veterinary majors and
14% are Liberal Arts majors.
86% of the students come from TX,
75% come from Dallas and Houston
Students self-identify politically as
conser vative or very conser vative
Friday, February 8, 2008 7

Religious Studies
Introduction to Religions and
Philosophies of South and East Asia
Introduction to Western Religious
Traditions
The Hebrew Scriptures
Friday, February 8, 2008 8

Queering the Religious
Studies Curriculum
There was some content regarding
concepts of gender and sexuality, but it
was not the focus of the course
Friday, February 8, 2008 9

Queering the Religious
Studies Curriculum
Primarily the queering came in the idea
that there is a spectrum of thought
about the subject matter
Move away from ‘essentialist’
approaches to the discipline.
Friday, February 8, 2008 10

We identified a broad range of
approaches to the subject matter
bet ween the devotional and the
academic or the ‘insider’ vs ‘outsider’
perspectives.
Then we identified different tacts taken
by the t wo poles of the spectrum.
Friday, February 8, 2008 11

Students were encouraged to identify
themselves on the spectrum and
recognize that others can and would be
at different points.
Friday, February 8, 2008 12

What was the effect of
“queering the religious studies
curriculum” on student course
evaluations?
Friday, February 8, 2008 13

Western Religions Hebrew Scriptures Asian Religions
5.00
4.60 4.56 4.62 4.71
4.52 4.55 4.56 4.52
4.30
3.75
2.50
1.25
0
2002-03 2004 2005 2006-07
Friday, February 8, 2008 14

Another Activity
Friday, February 8, 2008 15

Identify a ‘polarity’ in a
subject that you teach
How might you ‘queer’ your course by
identifying a spectrum? (content or
process)
Where can you introduce instability?
How might you facilitate students’
acclimation to the discipline?
Friday, February 8, 2008 16

and now....
Sociology 69
Friday, February 8, 2008 17

Sociology of Sexuality
Uses of queer theory
As a parallel to feminist theory
Provide a non-heterosexist
perspective
Challenge dichotomous approaches
Encourage positionality and visibility
Friday, February 8, 2008 18

Theories +
Three main sociological theories
Feminist theory
Queer theory
Provides students with multiple
perspectives
Friday, February 8, 2008 19

Not the “norm”
Typical approach is heterosexualized
Soc 69 approach: inclusive
Examples
Pictures
Readings
Anecdotes
Guest Speakers
Videos
Pornography
Friday, February 8, 2008 20

Either/Or.... NOT!
Theorizing Sexuality (Content)
Approaching sexuality (Content)
Problematizing Sexuality (Content + Process)
Encouraging multiplicity
Friday, February 8, 2008 21

Actively Resisting
Polarity
Gender; Sexual Orientation
Alfred Kinsey: Continuum
Fitz Klein: Grid
Friday, February 8, 2008 22

Positionality & Visibility
Impact of instructors position
Coming Out
Contribution to Sex Positivity
Contribution to Visibility
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Purposive=topic
Classroom dynamic
Friday, February 8, 2008 23

Student Comments
E-mails
Personal Comments
Evaluations
Friday, February 8, 2008 24

Anonymous E-mail
“I actually approached you after your lecture on thurs this week but i wanted to just say
again how much i appreciated you sharing your own story in class. There was no way in
one brief chat with you, that i could even begin to tell you how much your story impacted
me. I just recently declared myself as bisexual and i found myself getting really emotional
the other night when you were telling your story. I have told most of my friends, not my
boyfriend (which is a completely different & difficult concept to approach altogether), but
most of the people i have told don't know how to react to the concept of being bisexual,
and as a result often times write it off as something that i will eventually grow out of. So i
think when you told your story i completely identified with not knowing where exactly i fit in
and feeling rebelious and upset with people categorizing my sexuality as a \"phase\".
Anyway to cut a long conversation short i just wanted to say i truly appreciate you taking
your own personal life and bringing it to the class simply because i don't often encounter
people who consider themselves bisexuals and it's comforting to hear that someone else
other than me has had a lot of internal struggle with it. It really makes me wish that more
people were informed and accepting of it. But i truly did gain some inspiration and comfort
from your story, and it has affected me in ways i can't even begin to describe. I'm eagerly
looking forward to what else will come about in this class.”
Friday, February 8, 2008 25

Personal Comment
“I’m a bio major, and this class has opened my eyes to
so much. I have only gotten the bio perspective,
which I guess you call essentialist, but now I know
about the other two. Just wanted to say thanks.”
Friday, February 8, 2008 26

Evaluation Comment
A little off topic here, I just wanted to let you know that I have
never learned so much from a single class before. I guess it's
partly because I have never been exposed to the lecture
material you presented in class. It's been extremely educational,
and the readings have talked about stuff I never considered. The
gay pictures have actually helped me come to terms with my
own homophobia. I never thought I’d be ok with seeing two
dudes, you know. But I just wanted to tell you that it worked.
Believe it or not
Friday, February 8, 2008 27

Final Activity
Discuss how you might/or might not
incorporate your own positionality into
the classroom.
Why?
Friday, February 8, 2008 28

Questions?
Thank you!
Friday, February 8, 2008 29