1. Uncovered Self Data Analysis/Results Multigenre Projects Presentation ENGLISH 145

2. Agenda Data Analysis Reflections and Peer-editing Discussion Facilitation # 7: Uncovered Self by Conrad and Kurt— “Uncovered Selves” is a powerful story against the demands of assimilation. Response writing to an article on “Don’t ask, don’t tell” Multigenre Presentation work: Creating the flyer

3. Who is Kenji Yoshino? Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law. received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, took a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University earned his law degree at Yale Law School. A specialist in constitutional law, antidiscrimination law, and law and literature http://www.kenjiyoshino.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM7CU-s_B7Q&feature=channel

4. A gay professor of law who had to be engaged in straight-acting Identity shifts: from straight-acting gay to gay; from a literature major to law. “ You will have a better chance at tenure if you are a homosexual professional than if you are a professional homosexual” (p. 17) Be openly gay if you want, but don’t flaunt.

5. Phases of gay history and also Kenji Yoshino’s experiences Conversion (MOST SEVERE) --through the middle of the twentieth century gays were routinely asked to convert heterosexuality, whether through electroshock therapy or psychoanalysis. Passing --with the gay rights moment the demand to convert changed to the demand to pass. Don’t ask, don’t tell (1993): Gays are permitted to serve in military as long as they agree to pass. Covering --You can be gay, but you cannot flaunt your identities. “Fine, be gay, but don’t shove it in our faces.”

6. What is covering? “Covering” is sociologist Erving Goffman’s term for how we try to “tone down” stigmatized identities, even when those identities are known to the world. To cover is to tone down one’s disfavored identity to fit into the mainstream. It is a form of assimilation. "It is a fact that persons who are ready to admit possession of a stigma (in many cases because it is known about or immediately apparent) may nonetheless make a great effort to keep the stigma from looming large. . . . this process will be referred to as covering." Erving Goffman, Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity (1963). Examples of covering: Religious covering, gay covering, sex-based covering, racial covering, disability-based covering

7. Civil Rights and Covering Although civil rights laws protect race, national origin, religion, and disability, covering is still very common. Civil rights are concerned with immutable/biological aspects of our identity, but covering demands are directed at behavioral aspects of our personhood. There is still a demand to mute differences : An example of assimilation.

8. The story of uncovered selves… All of us struggle for self expression; we all have covered selves… (p.25) Everyone covers. To cover is to downplay a disfavored trait so as to blend into the mainstream. Because all of us possess stigmatized attributes, we all encounter pressure to cover in our daily lives. Kenji Yoshino

9. How do we all cover? Racial minorities are pressed to “act white” by changing their names, languages, or cultural practices. Women are told to “play like men” at work. Gays are asked not to engage in public displays of same-sex affection. The devout are instructed to minimize expressions of faith, and individuals with disabilities are urged to conceal the paraphernalia that permit them to function.

10. Yoshino argues… For a new civil rights paradigm that moves away from group-based equality toward universal liberty rights, and away from legal solutions toward social solutions—p. 27

11. Class Discussion and blogging on “Covering” 1. What parts of your identities are your covering? Are there any parts of your identities that you cannot fully express? 2. On page 21, Yoshino says “all civil right groups feel the bite of the covering demand. African Americans are told to dress white and to abandon street talk Asian Americans are told to avoid seeming fresh off the boat; women are told to play like men at work and to make their child-care responsibilities invisible” What are our thoughts about Yoshino’s statements about the covering demands? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Do you think Yoshino is essentializing our identities? 3. Read and respond to the article “Potential Don’t Ask Repeal Practical Questions.” Do you agree with the “Don’t Ask, Don’t tell policy”? Why? Why not?

13. Legal arguments

14. Autobiography

15. Personal Story: a story against demands of assimilation

16. Examples drawn from his personal experiences

17. Cites important works on civil rights to strengthen his claims

19. December, 2nd Agenda Connecting the parts: The importance of transitions and connecting devices as you revise your SAPs. How to write a conclusion to your social action project? Preparation for the Multigenre presentation day

20. Connecting the parts The reader need to follow your train of thought The writer need to make explicit connections among different parts (in one sentence or in one paragraph) What’s wrong with the following-- Spot is a good dog. He has fleas.

21. Importance of transitions Have only one idea in one sentence. In your next sentence: Given what I just said, HERE is a NEW idea to add to it. Reinforce your ideas before jumping to another one. Use connections, transitions (however, in addition to, moreover, thus…) Use reflective pronouns, POINTERS (this, that, those, it) Use repeated words—Repeat the key terms, phrases. Repeat yourself with a difference. “ Alexis was highly critical of democratic societies, which he saw as tending toward mob rule. At the same time, he accorded democratic societies grudging respect. This is seen in Alexis’ statement that…” Insert a meaningful transition/connecting devises: “Susan loved basketball. She feared her height would put her at a disadvantage.”

22. An activity on transitions What are your thoughts about the paragraph below? Provide transitions (phrase, sentences that will connect the sentences better) Today, an increasing number of males are concerned about physical appearance. Young females have experienced a great deal of psychological and even physical stress from body-image pressures present in modern society (Marvo, 1999). According to Lynn, the greater economic power people have nowadays has caused a significant expansion of male body-image industry including magazines, fashion products, and fitness. It seems like when males enter the workforce, after high school or college, is when the body image pressure is at its greatest

23. Exercise Go to page 119 of They say I say file in digital reserves. Underline/circle the transitions in the paragraph from The Roads to Wigan Pier by George Orwell. Go back to one section of your Social Action project. Read over that section with an eye for the devices you have used to connect parts. If you have not used many connecting devices where it is necessary, revise your writing.

24. Writing Conclusions for your Social Action Research Projects Writing a conclusion should give your readers a sense of “ending” and “completion. Avoid introducing any new information (don’t just write your random thoughts) Provide a summary of the answers to your Research Questions. Make sure that all the questions you were asking in your introduction and research questions section were answered. Tell the readers if you found new questions as a result of your social action project. Answer the question "So What?“---Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful to your field of investigation! Ask a provocative question. Suggest results or consequences. Include the limitations of your study: What questions were not answered through your research? What other questions do you think student-researchers should ask about this important social topic?

26. You could include some suggestions to use your paper in the "real" world.

27. Here, you can also briefly write about your multi-genre presentation and how you hope it will help people understand your Social Action Research and the suggestions you are making to better the social issue at hand.

29. Assignments Read Covering chapter 1 (75-105) by Yoshino (Final Discussion facilitation by Mike and Mark) Read Curious Researcher Chapter 5 Visit the media relations Bring all the parts of your SAP. We’ll be putting everything together!