1. How do you feel about sexuality?
2. Are you hetero/homo/bi/pan sexual?
3. Are you born gay, or is it a choice you make?
4. Don’t ask, don’t tell prohibits anyone who "demonstrates a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts” from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because it is said to pose a threat to military-related capabilities and morale. Is sexual orientation a matter of morality?
5. The U.S. has spent millions on replacing troops that have been expelled from the military. A portion of this number violated Don’t ask, don’t tell. How does that make you feel?
6. Is your sexual orientation private?
7. Gays can serve in the military, as long as they keep their sexual orientation secret. What do you think of our govt. in this context, and how do you think this enforced privatization of sexual orientation speaks to society?
9. What do you believe prevents people from accepting homosexuality?
10. Do you think that the presidency should focus on gay rights with the same attention that he does on healthcare reform?
11. What is nature? How do you define natural?
12. Heteronormative marriage is an expectation in society, while homosexual union is a violation. The two lie on opposite ends of the spectrum so to speak. What does this say about acceptance and denial?
These are some questions I recently used for an interview. I am creatively working with the language now, and I am excited to see what I come out with. I think that the questions are pretty basic, and I hope they are not slanted at all, but I had a really good conversation, and I feel like his answers contained a lot of emotion, so I'm happy about that. I am not going to post the langauge, because it would just be one huge hogwash right now. The person I interviewed will play a significant part in my project because his language is going to be visually recurring. in my book, i decided that repetition will be important, and certain phrases I've extrapolated will be useful, I think, to repeat.
I will also be using articles and documents in my book because I want to intersperse my interviews (first-hand language) with found text (secondary language) from engaging texts. I really like an article called OFFENCES AGAINST ONE'S SELF: PAEDERASTY by Jeremy Bentham. [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/exhibitions/sw25/bentham/index.html#02] His article is the first known argument for gay law reform.
I am going to crash a college republican meeting. i think, with full disclosure even, i can get some good material from some of the more conservative folks out here, and I'm sure there are many on this campus.
Music composing making progress one day at a time. Will be recording my piece once the book is complete at jeff's studio.
I am currently working with the language
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Hey Zach,
ReplyDeleteI am interested to see how your work turns out. What is it that you are doing with the language in the interviews? I also am not quite sure how music is encorporated but it sounds like an interesting topic. I personally have never been to a college republican meeting, and I am not too sure about what they discuss or how often they meet. Are you thinking that you want to ask some of the republicans about their thoughts on homosexuality? I also know a few (not many but a few) gay republicans (believe it or not they do exist, though I'm not too sure how many there are on this campus) I think that somehow encorporating homosexual people of all different political beliefs would be helpful. Of the people you interviewed are most gay men, or lesbians? Are you covering topics that arise in the gay community such as inner-group discrimination (ie gay men who disapprove of cross dressers, lesbian woman who dislike 'lipstick lesbians', or any number of other discriminatory practices which tear the community internially)?
Zach,
ReplyDeleteThis oddly reminds me of my project: interviewing a bunch of people, looking for repetitions in the answers, and then making a book out of it. Strange.
Anyway -I think you're going to get some very interesting material. I too have concerns with you crashing a college repubs meeting. They're obviously going to know you're sort of infiltrating their conservative sphere, and I don't think they'll react positively. I think you're going to end up making a lot of people angry, unless you're merely recording their answers. If you try to start any sort of conversation at all, things could get ugly. Regardless, you'll be getting some interesting material.
I'm also interested in what you'll be doing with the language. I'm sort of having the same problem right now. My material isn't as controversial, but I still don't really know what to do with it. I suppose you could juxtapose a lot of the liberal answers with the conservative ones, or just randomly see what happens. Maybe after I start messing with my found language I'll have more suggestions. Anyway it sounds fun, good luck!