Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson

Premise:

• Gay, Lesbians, homosexual, queer (Others)
• Not being viewed the same way as others
• AIDS being disease given by homosexuals
• Not fitting in
• Feeling ashamed to stand up for yourself
• Escape from a normalizing community

Author's Argument:

Carlson argues that he is a gay white male who comes from a working-class background and that he is not ashamed of being gay. Carlson doesn't care about anyone else he tries to make himself as unique as possible.

Evidence

1. "I am not merely a gay person, but rather a gay, white, male with a particular working-class background and middle-class status occupation."
2. "As an individual, my identity is multifaceted and this means that i am freer to "make myself" as a unique subjectivity."
3. " I am inextricably involved in multiple cultural struggles rather than merely one."

Questions/Comments/Point to Share

I thought that this reading was a little difficult in understanding some point that Carlson were trying to make. But I think I got the gist of it, what he was trying to say is that the community makes homosexuals different even though they are not. We live in a superficial world were it's not okay to be different than everyone else. I also think that Carlson is happy being a gay white male and he could care less if anyone cares. We need to treat others as we would like others to treat us.

This relates to the other text that we read because the other text talks about silencing people and it might not be the same way but people of power are silencing people who are not like them and I find this unfair. People who are different should not stay quiet they should stand up for what they believe in.