HHS 321 Gay Studies
The course draws on such diverse areas as media studies, literature, art, and psychology, an interdisciplinary approach focusing on the production, distribution, and consumption of cultural artifacts that reflect and/or promote identities and stereotypes based on sexual orientation. Socially normative conditions, in particular compulsive heterosexuality, are examined in an effort to understand the underlying reasons for the narrow range of sexual behaviors and identities traditionally expected in Western societies. By sampling a wide array of works, notably films and literary texts, the course aims to destabilize normative sexual expectations while considering the consequences of social constructions to which individuals are conventionally subjected. Although the course focuses primarily on gay history, parallels to, and intersections with, issues of importance elsewhere in the GLBTQ community are indicated in lectures.