Centers and Margins

"Youth who struggle with lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender identities, or are bullied for the mere perception of being different, often feel as if they have nowhere to turn"
From this, many youth suicidal incidents are from this statistic.

"Refusing to talk about LGBT issues or showing discomfort when LGBT topics arise are nonverbal messages that tell youth that being LGBT is abnormal or wrong"
This is the reason that so many are afraid to show who they really are and feel isolated from everyone else.

"Teaching young people to 'read the world' goes a long way toward nurturing sophisticated and democratic thinkers"
Teaching people to be more open minded and accepting at a younger age can allow more of a sophisticated and safe feeling environment for everyone.

("Safe Spaces" Gerri August)


https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=lgbt&&view=detail&mid=150FED36065E2FAFCB18150FED36065E2FAFCB18&FORM=VRDGAR

Education Beyond the Classroom: Media Literacy

It was so interesting to read unlearning the Mets that bind us by Linda Christensen. I never really thought into the facts of different myths and stereotypes within children's cartoons and books. For example ducktails at first glance apparently they are looked at to be cute then when you look closer into the show the whole show is based on money and that's the important thing in life. Also Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles they're fighting the bad guy and they solve their problems using fists and swords instead of words. It is so interesting to think that the shows are created for children's entertainment but when you actually think of the deeper meaning that is being taught to the children, it is completely disgusting. No wonder why people are complaining about generations and generations to come your painting a message in media of ways for kids to be acting and thinking and these ways are completely disgusting. Girls don't have to be a damsel in distress having men be princes and come to save them and provide for them men don't have to be strong knights they can be whatever they want to be. The media from the beginning has painted what everyone should think why can't the prince wear a dress why can't a princess where are sword and shield why does there have to be a town clown why does somebody have to profit from money in the end. Not only did Christensen educate us on what media has been secretly been doing all these years, she also taught her students to make the change and they have the opportunity to make a difference into unbind the myths that bind us. 

Voices and Silences: Language is Power

This reading is called "Aria", it was written by Richard Rodriguez. Richard Rodriguez and his family were immigrants from Mexico, in coming to America they adopted the English language as their main language. Rodriguez explains in his writing that all That all immigrants should try and adopt English as their main language because they will be more successful in their new country. It will be hard and it will be difficult but it is rewarding in the end. At school he spoke mainly English and even though his teachers said that he wasn't speaking as well, the family did everything that they possibly could to help them in school. By doing this and taking on this challenge the family spoke complete English at home. It led to frustration because the parents weren't as advanced as the children in the English language. This led to a strain in the family and their family closeness was lost. "So they do not realize that while one suffers a diminished sense of private individuality by becoming assimilated into public society, such assimilation makes possible the achievement of public individuality" (Rodriguez, 39).
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2010/09/01/8385/assimilation-today/