1. Queer by Choice Anita Tijerina Revilla, PhD University of Nevada, Las Vegas Anita.Revilla@unlv.edu

2. “Born this way” by Lady Gaga http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4a8QtvOkBQ&feature=fvwkrel Whether you're broke or evergreenYou're black, white, beige, chola descentYou're lebanese, you're orientWhether life's disabilitiesLeft you outcast, bullied, or teasedRejoice and love yourself today'Cause baby you were born this wayNo matter gay, straight, or bi,Lesbian, transgendered lifeI'm on the right track babyI was born to survive….I was born to be braveI was born this way hey! My mama told me when I was young We are all born superstars She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on In the glass of her boudoir ‘There's nothin wrong with lovinwho you are,’ She said, ‘cause he made you perfect, babe. So hold your head up girl and you'll go far,’ Listen to me when I say, I'm beautiful in my way Cause God makes no mistakes…

3. Sorry Gaga, I was *not* born this way by Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano http://hairsprayandfideo.blogspot.com/2011/02/sorry-gaga-i-was-not-born-this-way.html

4. Choice The issue of choice and the conflict it presents. Queer by Choice by Vera Whisman(1996) Social Construction vs. Essentialism What does it do to the Civil Rights argument based on lack of choice? What freedom does it offer us? Moving from deficit Queer identity to self-empowered fluid sexual identity.

5. Essentialistshttp://www.queerbychoice.com In philosophy, essentialism is the view that, for any specific kind of entity, there is a set of characteristics or properties all of which any entity of that kind must possess. Therefore all things can be precisely defined or described. In this view, it follows that terms or words should have a single definition and meaning. In simple terms, essentialism is a generalization stating that certain properties possessed by a group (e.g. people, things, ideas) are universal, and not dependent on context.

6. Essentialist Queer Rights In their efforts to fight homophobia, essentialists tend to start with the assumption that queers will always be in the 10% minority and that heterosexuals will always be in the 90% majority. Essentialists typically try to promote queer rights through arguing that gay people “can't help” being queer and saying that giving queer people equal rights to marry and not be discriminated against will not cause anyone else to become queer.

7. Social Constructionist Queer Rights Social constructionists tend to believe that in a truly liberated society where same-sex desire was not stigmatized, everyone would feel and acknowledge feeling same-sex sexual desire, and exclusive heterosexuality would be the minority and/or non-existent. Thus, they believe that in order to win queer rights we have to also teach hets to liberate their own queer potential and see same-sex desire as a natural part of what all humans are capable of experiencing.

8. No Choice Results in No Agency “Predicating the legitimacy of homosexuality on its not being a choice is profoundly heterosexist.” p. 6 Why would you want to change your sexuality or choose heterosexuality in a non-heterosexist society? “To the extent that homosexuality is acceptable only if it is not chosen it remains stigmatized, illegitimate, deviant.” Deficit/powerless/no agency if we are saying, “I can’t help it.”

9. The Logic? If it’s not a choice Then it is legitimate. If you have a choice Choose to be straight.. Non-homophobic Being gay is not a choice Non-racist I must be colorblind. How does this help queer/marginalized folks? How does it keep them in the margins and invisibilized?