This week youve learned about various facets of sexual identity a

This week you've learned about various facets of sexual identity
and the ways sexualties are informed by social institutions,
cultural norms, and other forms of identity (e.g., gender norms,
race/ethnicity, social class, religion, etc.) The film Moonlight
provides us an opportunity to explore these connections as we
watch the main character, Chiron, navigate his childhood and
adolescence. (Before you begin, please make sure you have
completed the readings, especially Kameron Copeland's film
review.)
Note: The film is accessible from the library; just do a title
search and follow the link to Swank digital media if the
following link doesn't work:
https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/udenver333780/watch/E83C
519A1FB4E618?referrer=direct
In this four page paper, please answer the following question:
Writing Prompt:
· What does an intersectional analysis of Moonlight teach us
about how gender, race and class shape Chiron's sexual identity
(and his life in general?)
Note, your paper should include a clear, well-defined thesis
statement (or argument) that answers this question. Your thesis
should provide the organizing framework for your paper and
be supported throughout with the readings, key terms, and
thoughtful examples from the film.
Other questions that might help you create your
argument/thesis/analysis: (Note, these are suggestions. You
are not required to answer them!).
· What does this film tell us about the relationship
between hegemonic masculinity and violence?
· What role does "family" (and its many iterations) play in
Chiron's life?
· What does Chiron's life teach us about the ability (or lack
thereof) for queer men of color to be "out"?
· This film received widespread critical acclaim and won the

Oscar for "Best Picture of the Year" in 2017 for its thoughtful
(yet arguably heartbreaking at times) portrayal of black queer
masculinity. However, some argue that Hollywood needs more
positive portrayals of LGBTQ+ stories that celebrate diverse
queer and LGBGTQ+ people. Where do you think Moonlight
fits in this debate?
Grading Requirements:
· Minimum of four (4) pages, double spaced
· Includes a thoughtful thesis that poses an argument; frames
the paper; and is supported with the readings and examples from
the film
· Engages with at least two (2) readings from Week 3 and at
least one (1) reading from Week 2. (Remember to use
parenthetical citations or footnotes...no works cited required)
· Avoids overusing direct citations and instead articulates the
readings arguments by paraphrasing (and citing!)
· Thoughtfully answers above questions using evidence from
film and texts to support insights/opinions/reflections Reflects
college level writing standards (e.g., grammar, syntax, voice,
spelling, etc).
GCU College of Education
LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Section 1: Lesson Preparation
Teacher Candidate Name:
Grade Level:
Date:

Unit/Subject:
Instructional Plan Title:
Lesson Summary and Focus:
In 2-3 sentences, summarize the lesson, identifying the central
focus based on the content and skills you are teaching.
Classroom and Student Factors/Grouping:
Describe the important classroom factors (demographics and
environment) and student factors (IEPs, 504s, ELLs, students
with behavior concerns, gifted learners), and the effect of those
factors on planning, teaching, and assessing students to
facilitate learning for all students. This should be limited to 2-3
sentences and the information should inform the differentiation
components of the lesson.
National/State Learning Standards:
Review national and state standards to become familiar with the
standards you will be working with in the classroom
environment.
Your goal in this section is to identify the standards that are the
focus of the lesson being presented. Standards must address
learning initiatives from one or more content areas, as well as
align with the lesson’s learning targets/objectives and
assessments.
Include the standards with the performance indicators and the
standard language in its entirety.

Specific Learning Target(s)/Objectives:
Learning objectives are designed to identify what the teacher
intends to measure in learning. These must be aligned with the
standards. When creating objectives, a learner must consider the
following:
· Who is the audience
· What action verb will be measured during
instruction/assessment
· What tools or conditions are being used to meet the learning
What is being assessed in the lesson must align directly to the
objective created. This should not be a summary of the lesson,
but a measurable statement demonstrating what the student will
be assessed on at the completion of the lesson. For instance,
“understand” is not measureable, but “describe” and “identify”
are.
For example:
Given an unlabeled map outlining the 50 states, students will
accurately label all state names.
Academic Language
In this section, include a bulleted list of the general academic
vocabulary and content-specific vocabulary you need to teach.
In a few sentences, describe how you will teach students those
terms in the lesson.

Resources, Materials, Equipment, and Technology:
List all resources, materials, equipment, and technology you and
the students will use during the lesson. As required by your
instructor, add or attach copies of ALL printed and online
materials at the end of this template. Include links needed for
online resources.
Section 2: Instructional Planning
Anticipatory Set
Your goal in this section is to open the lesson by activating
students’ prior knowledge, linking previous learning with what
they will be learning in this lesson and gaining student interest
for the lesson. Consider various learning preferences
(movement, music, visuals) as a tool to engage interest and
motivate learners for the lesson.
In a bulleted list, describe the materials and activities you will
use to open the lesson. Bold any materials you will need to
prepare for the lesson.
For example:
· I will use a visual of the planet Earth and ask students to
describe what Earth looks like.
· I will record their ideas on the white board and ask more
questions about the amount of water they think is on planet
Earth and where the water is located.

Time Needed
Multiple Means of Representation
Learners perceive and comprehend information differently.
Your goal in this section is to explain how you would present
content in various ways to meet the needs of different learners.
For example, you may present the material using guided notes,
graphic organizers, video or other visual media, annotation
tools, anchor charts, hands-on manipulatives, adaptive
technologies, etc.
In a bulleted list, describe the materials you will use to
differentiate instruction and how you will use these materials
throughout the lesson to support learning. Bold any materials
you will need to prepare for the lesson.
For example:
· I will use a Venn diagram graphic organizer to teach students
how to compare and contrast the two main characters in the
read-aloud story.
· I will model one example on the white board before allowing
students to work on the Venn diagram graphic organizer with
their elbow partner.
Explain how you will differentiate materials for each of the
following groups:

· English language learners (ELL):
· Students with special needs:
· Students with gifted abilities:
· Early finishers (those students who finish early and may need
additional resources/support):
Time Needed
Multiple Means of Engagement
Your goal for this section is to outline how you will engage
students in interacting with the content and academic language.
How will students explore, practice, and apply the content? For
example, you may engage students through collaborative group
work, Kagan cooperative learning structures, hands-on
activities, structured discussions, reading and writing activities,
experiments, problem solving, etc.
In a bulleted list, describe the activities you will engage
students in to allow them to explore, practice, and apply the
content and academic language. Bold any activities you will use
in the lesson. Also, include formative questioning strategies and
higher order thinking questions you might pose.
For example:
· I will use a matching card activity where students will need to
find a partner with a card that has an answer that matches their

number sentence.
· I will model one example of solving a number sentence on the
white board before having students search for the matching
card.
· I will then have the partner who has the number sentence
explain to their partner how they got the answer.
Explain how you will differentiate activities for each of the
following groups:
Time Needed
Multiple Means of Expression

Learners differ in the ways they navigate a learning
environment and express what they know. Your goal in this
section is to explain the various ways in which your students
will demonstrate what they have learned. Explain how you will
provide alternative means for response, selection, and
composition to accommodate all learners. Will you tier any of
these products? Will you offer students choices to demonstrate
mastery? This section is essentially differentiated assessment.
In a bulleted list, explain the options you will provide for your
students to express their knowledge about the topic. For
example, students may demonstrate their knowledge in more
summative ways through a short answer or multiple-choice test,
multimedia presentation, video, speech to text, website, written
sentence, paragraph, essay, poster, portfolio, hands-on project,
experiment, reflection, blog post, or skit. Bold the names of any
summative assessments.
Students may also demonstrate their knowledge in ways that are
more formative. For example, students may take part in thumbs
up-thumbs middle-thumbs down, a short essay or drawing, an
entrance slip or exit ticket, mini-whiteboard answers, fist to
five, electronic quiz games, running records, four corners, or
hand raising.Underline the names of any formative assessments.
For example:
Students will complete a one-paragraph reflection on the in-
class simulation they experienced. They will be expected to
write the reflection using complete sentences, proper
capitalization and punctuation, and utilize an example from the
simulation to demonstrate their understanding. Students will
also take part in formative assessments throughout the lesson,
such as thumbs up-thumbs middle-thumbs down and pair-share
discussions, where you will determine if you need to re-teach or
re-direct learning.

Explain if you will differentiate assessments for each of the
following groups:
Time Needed
Extension Activity and/or Homework
Identify and describe any extension activities or homework
tasks as appropriate. Explain how the extension activity or
homework assignment supports the learning targets/objectives.
As required by your instructor, attach any copies of homework
at the end of this template.

Time Needed
Rationale/Reflection
After writing your complete lesson plan, explain three
instructional strategies you included in your lesson and why.
How do these strategies promote collaboration, communication,
critical thinking, and creativity? Bold the name of the strategy.
For example:
.
· Think-Pair-Share promotes engagement, communication, and
collaboration because all students get a chance to share their
ideas or answers. This is beneficial to students because they get
to put their ideas into words, and hear and discuss the
perspectives of others.
© 2018. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.

Assessment Description
There are various methods and tools that can be used to improve
the accessibility of curriculum
for students with disabilities. Augmentative and alternative
communication devices as well as
other assistive technologies are often used for this purpose. It is
important for teachers to
understand the options that are available, and that they advocate
for students to be provided
with the best possible tools to assist them.
Part 1: Measurement Data Lesson Plan
Select a 1-5 grade level, a corresponding Arizona or other state
standard based on the
Measurement and Data domain, and a group of 3-4 students
from the “Class Profile” who would
benefit from the use of augmentative and/or alternative
communication devices or other forms of
assistive technology.
With your identified learning target and small group in mind,
complete a lesson plan, using the
“COE Lesson Plan Template,” that specifies applicable assistive
technology and includes
differentiated activities to facilitate students making
measurement comparisons, and
Using models of measuring units; or
Using measuring instruments; or
Representing and interpreting the data.
Part 2: Communication Device Rationale
In addition to your completed lesson plan, justify your
augmentative and/or alternative
communication devices or other forms of assistive technology

choices in a 250-500 word
rationale.
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalC
ode=wjhm20
Journal of Homosexuality
ISSN: 0091-8369 (Print) 1540-3602 (Online) Journal homepage:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wjhm20
MOONLIGHT, Directed by Barry Jenkins
Kameron J. Copeland
To cite this article: Kameron J. Copeland (2018) MOONLIGHT,
Directed by Barry Jenkins, Journal
of Homosexuality, 65:5, 687-689, DOI:
10.1080/00918369.2017.1333815
To link to this article:
https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1333815
Accepted author version posted online: 08
Jun 2017.
Published online: 07 Jul 2017.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 766
View related articles

View Crossmark data
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalC
ode=wjhm20
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wjhm20
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.108
0/00918369.2017.1333815
https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1333815
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCo
de=wjhm20&show=instructions
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCo
de=wjhm20&show=instructions
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/mlt/10.1080/00918369.2017.13
33815
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/mlt/10.1080/00918369.2017.13
33815
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1080/00918369.20
17.1333815&domain=pdf&date_stamp=2017-06-08
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1080/00918369.20
FILM REVIEW
Moonlight, Directed by Barry Jenkins. New York, NY: A24.
2016, 111 min.
In 2013, Brian Stewart, a student at the historically Black
Morgan State University,
received widespread media coverage when he was rejected from
his university’s chapter
of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity because of his queerness. The
mainstream media narratives
explained that despite his achievements of maintaining a high
GPA and serving as an

intern in the White House, Stewart was still declined
membership. Although the situa-
tion revived an age-old conversation on homophobia in Black
fraternities, it failed to
introduce an often-overlooked discussion on the trials of
growing up young, Black, poor,
and queer. Although Stewart was a highly successful student
leader, it has also been
noted that he desired to join the fraternity of his mentor and
pastor, who served as a role
model during his upbringing as an economically disadvantaged
Black queer youth in
Baltimore. Unlike Stewart’s media narrative, the critically
acclaimed film Moonlight
delved into a deep exploration of the trials associated with
growing up as a poor Black
queer man in an urban environment. In the midst of a time when
powerful Black queer
men who grew up poor, such as Black Lives Matter activist
DeRay McKesson and honors
student Brian Stewart, have transitioned into mainstream
American public discourse,
Moonlight dissects the difficulties undergone by young Black
queer men who have faced
several hardships associated with the intersections of race,
class, and sexuality.
Presented in three acts that explore a young Black man’s
transition through child-
hood, adolescence, and early adult life, Moonlight takes on the
groundbreaking task of
examining the manner in which Black men are forced into a
system of Black masculinity
emphasizing a brutal sense of toughness and emotional
suppression. The first part of the
film, titled “Little,” features a young, skinny Chiron, who is

bullied and tormented by his
peers because of his social awkwardness, as he lives in a poor,
all-Black area of Miami. As
Chiron resides in a meager apartment with his mother who is
either working or abusing
drugs, he is befriended by a local drug dealer who serves as a
fatherly figure.
Additionally, he builds a companionship with Kevin, a
classmate who seems to possess
a special fondness for Chiron, despite constantly policing his
own cool pose. He tells
Chiron to “show these niggas you ain’t soft” when he faces
bullies, as the two wrestle in
an open field to test each other’s strength. As Chiron’s
reserved, passive demeanor causes
him to easily attract bullies, the drug dealer and his girlfriend
Teresa take the quiet child
under their wings and help him cope through providing an outlet
for him to express
himself. They serve as essential coping outlets that free Chiron
from the judgment of his
schoolmates and the carelessness of his mother. The drug dealer
serves in the same
capacity as Stewart’s college-educated pastoral mentor and
serves as a key outlet that
neutralizes the impact of anti-queer undertones on Chiron’s
self-concept. When Chiron
asks if he is a “faggot,” the drug dealer empathi zes with him
and says, “You could be gay
but never let nobody call you a faggot.” In a symbolic baptismal
scene, the drug dealer
tells Chiron, “At some point, you’ve got to decide for yourself
who you’re gonna be—you
can’t let nobody make that decision for you.”
While Teresa and her boyfriend serve as forces that affirm

Chiron’s identity as a Black
queer man at a young age, he still faces severe backlash from
his schoolmates, who
continue to bully him as he enters high school in the second
part, titled “Black.” He
builds on his relationship with Kevin, as he transparently
transcends the barriers of
JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY
2018, VOL. 65, NO. 5, 687–689
https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2017.1333815
© 2017 Taylor & Francis
https://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1080/00918369.2
hegemonic masculinity and tells him, “I cry so much sometimes
it feels like I’m about to
turn into droplets” during an intimate night scene on the shore
of a beach. Upon
engaging in a brief sexual encounter, Kevin takes him to his
mother’s home that is
now located in the projects, as she has become an unemployed
drug addict. Unlike many
films featuring intimate sexual relationships between Black
men, Kevin does not tell
Chiron that he must keep their relationship a secret. Despite the
fact that Kevin is
bisexual, he does not fall into the clichéd caricature of a
deceptive Black man on the
“down low.” Nevertheless, he eventually deceives Chiron in
order to maintain his cool
pose, when a mischievous bully dares him to play “knockout”
with Chiron serving as the

victim. This causes him to brutally punch Chiron in the
cafeteria, which leads to a large
group of young men brutally assaulting him. When a
traumatized, wounded Chiron
enters the principal’s office, she degrades him through saying,
“If you were a man, there
would be four other knuckleheads sitting right next to you.” She
normalizes violent,
destructive behavior as an essential tenet to maintaining an
acceptable Black masculinity
through blaming Chiron’s passiveness for his own demise.
While the drug dealer has died between the first two acts,
Teresa is still around to
offer support for Chiron, as she provides “all love and all pride”
in her house after he has
been traumatized for being himself and facing brutal deception
from Kevin. He even-
tually enters a classroom and violently smashes a chair into the
back of the student who
dared Kevin to attack him. In a sequence similar to a scene
featuring two poor preteen
Black boys being escorted out of their homes to a police car in
John Singleton’s Boyz n
the Hood (1991), a helpless Chiron is escorted out of the school
building to a police unit.
This segues into the final act that features a new Chiron who
now lives in Atlanta and
sells drugs. He has now gained several pounds of muscle,
carries a gun, and reveals a
gold grille over his teeth when he opens his mouth. His mother
is in rehabilitation in the
same city. When Chiron gets a call from Kevin, he travels back
to Miami, where they
spend time at a restaurant where Kevin serves as a cook. It is
revealed that Kevin has

children, although he is no longer in any relationship, which
seemingly relieves Chiron.
Upon eating dinner at the restaurant, Kevin criticizes Chiron’s
new “front” and apol-
ogizes for not being there for him during their tough high
school days. After Kevin
completes his night shift at the restaurant, they travel to
Kevin’s house, where Chiron
eventually confesses, “You’re the only man that’s ever touched
me—you’re the only one.
I haven’t really touched anyone since.” The film ends with
Chiron and Kevin embracing
in a manner resembling the sensual aura of director Ryan
Coogler and actor Michael B.
Jordan’s controversial pose of nonsexual intimacy featured in a
Vanity Fair photograph
(van Lamsweerde & Matadin, 2016).
Moonlight has emerged at an interesting time of vast social
change. It has been
released in the midst of a dynamic era in which the mainstream
media is finally
beginning to recognize the diverse narratives of Black queer
men who are equipped
with human struggles and needs for supportive outlets, as seen
in television series such as
Fox’s Empire (2015) and the CW’s The L.A. Complex (2012).
In its avoidance of clichéd
dehumanizing representations of Black male sexuality,
Moonlight humanizes Black queer
men through confronting day-to-day issues such as poverty,
addiction, and childhood
struggles. Whereas intense discussions of DeRay McKesson’s
childhood with rehabili-
tated drug addict parents in urban Baltimore or Brian Stewart’s
impoverished upbringing

are overall absent in media discourse, Moonlight brings these
topics to the forefront,
which adds a sense of multidimensionality to representations of
Black queerness. The
film also pays tribute to 1990s New Black Realism films that
sought to explore and
redefine Black masculinity and racial identity. Unlike the
hypermasculine undertones of
New Black Realism, Moonlight does not present
hypermasculinity as a plausible solution.
688 FILM REVIEW
Whereas Black men have been urged to normalize themselves
through embracing a
hegemonic masculinity and anti-Black notions, Moonlight
presents the failure to create a
culturally affirming environment for the traumatized Black male
as dangerous. This
unique approach serves to normalize Black male sexuality and
traditionally stigmatized
Black masculinities.
During a time when Black male bodies have been exploited by
the media and
devalued by law enforcement officials, causing the Black queer
community to rise up
as highly visible leaders in the contemporary movement for
Black lives, Moonlight serves
as an essential definitive gem that presents a new form of Black
pride characterized by
the promotion of self-acceptance and affirmation. The three-part
story following the
same character portrayed by different actors presents a

relatable, emotionally captivating
story paired alongside a dynamic nostalgic music score that
makes the entire film a
memorable, culturally significant experience. This radical tale
of self-discovery beauti-
fully resonates with the contemporary urgent push for Black
men to abandon toxic
mainstream masculinities and embark on wholesome journeys
toward affirmation and
unity. In contemporary educational settings, Moonlight provides
an intense exploration
of Black masculinity in the context of the intersection of race,
class, gender, and
sexuality. As a result, the semiautobiographical film is useful
for social scientists explor-
ing the processes of coping and self-discovery among Black
men who have been
traumatized for possessing stigmatized masculinities to provide
implications for practi-
tioners across fields addressing the psychological wellbeing of
Black men.
Reference
Daniels, L. (Creator), Griffin, H. (Producer), & Sforza, S.
(Producer). (2015). Empire. Chicago, IL: 20th
Century Fox Television.
Gero, M. (Creator), & Williams, S. (Producer). (2012). The L.A.
complex. Los Angeles, CA: Epitome
Pictures Inc.
Nicolaides, S. (Producer), & Singleton, J. (Director). (1991).
Boyz n the hood [Motion picture]. USA:
Columbia Pictures.
van Lamsweerde, I., & Matadin, V. (2016, March 2). Michael B.

Jordan and Ryan Coogler [Photograph
found in Michael B. Jordan, Grimes, and St. Vincent describe
what it means to be a style disrupter,
Vanity Fair]. (Originally photographed 2016). Retrieved from
http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/
03/michael-b-jordan-grimes-st-vincent-style-disrupters
Kameron J. Copeland, BFA, MA, MA
Valdosta, Georgia
[email protected]
JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 689
http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/03/michael-b-jordan-
grimes-st-vincent-style-disrupters
http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/03/michael-b-jordan-
grimes-st-vincent-style-disruptersFilm ReviewReference

This week youve learned about various facets of sexual identity a

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to This week youve learned about various facets of sexual identity a

Similar to This week youve learned about various facets of sexual identity a (20)

More from TakishaPeck109

More from TakishaPeck109 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

This week youve learned about various facets of sexual identity a