Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Minutes 10/12


  • Discussing funding of bringing S. Bergman to campus. Nobody has our account number apparently.
  • Talking about wearing our Gay: Fine by Me Shirts to the Taylor Swift concert
    • We have a new shipment of the shirt at OID
      • Including smalls!
    • We need to access OID over the weekend so people can pick them up?
    • Send out a students-l email.
  • What is the nature of activism?
    • Would wearing our Gay: Fine by Me t-shirts be activism?
      • Is it too passive to qualify?
    • What is a clear example of activism?
      • The Hey Hetero! campaign from 2 years ago, potentially?
        • Got people thinking.
        • Definitely provoked a response.
        • In retrospect, considered somewhat successful, but could have gone better.
        • Well-recieved by prospective students.
        • Made some feel uncomfortable.
          • Made a few feel threatened.
      • Kevin McSwiggin: a friend had 500 posters of a renaissance statue in a bright, tight-fitting ski outfit.
  • What are the goals of activism?
    • Raising awareness
    • Change opinions
  • How does queer-friendliness relate to schools?
    • The attitude of a school towards queer issues is not as well advertised as other aspects of a school.
    • There are religious schools that require you to sign a contract saying you will not be gay.
    • College brochures often do not advertise the level of acceptance of the school.
      • Not in the Harvey Mudd brochures.
        • Would we want it to be? Response seems in general to be yes.
        • Do we want to talk to Admissions about this?
    • Though some school guides have begun to do grade schools on acceptance.
      • Compiled from student surveys.
  • Darbi from Pitzer introduces herself
    • is studying the lives of various queer people on the 5Cs
  • Cameron talks about Inner Varsity
    • Inner Varsity is organizing a group of people of different faith backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities
      • goal is to discuss bible passages at Saturday at 1
  • Discussing people's first impressions of Mudd
    • Google's primary image of Mudd is of West
    • People's first visits to campus were kind of underwhelming
      • Miranda: "The dorms are like motels from 60's horror movies"
  • Beginning of queer activism and queer community
    • Chance explains the Stonewall riots

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Minutes 9/28 and 10/4

9/28 - Coming out and family/friends

  • Greg Rae, alumnus, board member, and one of the founders of PRISM, and his partner Tyrus joined us for the meeting. Some things we talked to him about:
    • PRISM (People Respecting Individuals' Sexualities at Mudd, now just Prism) was founded  because the only big queer groups on the 5Cs before were the QRC and QQS (Queer and Questioning Students). QQS was primarily for people already out as queer or questioning, so some were unable to join. Also, Mudders were taking over this organization, so they needed their own club.
  • Middle School Dance is on 9/29 at 10pm in Edmund's Ballroom
    • QRC run event, good DJ, nonalcoholic (but you don't have to be sober to attend)
  • Rohitashwa brought the play "Just in Love" to our attention
    • If people are interested, we can plan an event
    • Occurs regularly on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays (I think - double check me on that!)
  • Topic of the week: Coming out and family/friends
    • Easier telling parents than grandparents often, but depends on the people of course
    • Should we consider how people will take it before telling people?
      • Most people said yes, that it would not be beneficial in some cases to bring it up.
    • Does age make a difference?
      • Somewhat. Again, depends upon the actual people
    • Friends? Facebook?
      • More people should put things on Facebook, it's helpful. Also misleading, however.
      • Lots of times people don't give a big deal reaction, even when you want one
      • Sometimes better to be out in some places, but not in others
10/4 - Queer Culture and Art
  • Funding request about bringing a S. Bear Bergman, a transgender author, to the 5Cs
    • Wiki description: "S. Bear Bergman ... is a transgender author, poetplaywright, and theater artist. Bergman identifies as neither male nor female and prefers pronouns 'ze' and 'hir.' "
    • Will be a lecture/performance about the Origin of Transgender and Chanukah
    • Held by a variety of groups, including QRC and Claremont Hillel
    • It will be taking the place of the regular Shabbat Dinner held by Claremont Hillel 
    • Event will be taking place sometime between National Transgender Day and Chanukah
    • There is interest from members of Prism! Yay! 
    • Requesting $100 for transportation, etc. 
    • Request granted! Need someone to front the money. 
  • National Coming Out Day
    • Traditionally, we hold a panel of students, faculty,  and staff that range from people who themselves identify as queer to parents/family/friends of someone who is queer. 
    • Talk to Angelica about doing something
    • We should try to do something this year. Try for a panel otherwise we can do a general discussion open to students, faculty, and staff
    • Try to rent out the Aviation room or another room during lunch
  • This meeting's topic: Queer Culture in Art (other than media)
    • Is queer art everything a queer person creates? Does it need to be queer themed?
      • Erica Moen, author of webcomic Dar! (www.darcomic.org) writes about her sexuality and how its changing. 
      • Lambda Literary Awards (celebrating LGBT literature) allow queer authors to win, even if not queer content
      • Some people talked about how drawing heterosexual people as a queer person feels more "queer" because it's something they don't identify with.
    • Popular items being interpreted or performed by queer people = queer art? 
    • Drag shows = queer art, even though they're for entertainment purposes only? 
    • Resolution - none of the present Prism members are going to be art majors. :P
  • Running out of topics for the meetings! Suggest more!