2009/10 Academic Year: Welcome

With the start of the new academic year looming, this post seeks to introduce this blog and the other social networking services that are available to you as a student of LAW326, Law and Sexuality or on LAWM28, Gender, Sexuality and Law. I’ve also produced an audio recording of this blog post that you can listen to at the end of this post if you’d rather listen than read.

LAW326, LAW AND SEXUALITY: INTRODUCTION

STRUCTURE

As you will perhaps recall from the options fair, the module, like most modules at level 3 is taught over three hour workshops once a fortnight. Perhaps unlike other level three modules, there are no fixed questions for you to prepare in advance of a workshop but you are expected to discover online and text based literature for yourself and that work will then inform our workshop discussions. It’s hard work but will hopefully be fun and enlightening. That said, don’t panic, I’ll give you lots of guidance on where to begin and how to go about finding and using material.

FIELD TRIPS

In workshops I’ll outline core material, but the emphasis will be on debate and discussion. Sometimes we’ll be doing group or interactive activities, and at other times we’ll be looking at video and other multimedia. Along with these ‘classroom’ based activities, we’ll be getting out into the ‘real world’ through a number of field trips that enable us to consider the literature you’ll be encountering in the places that they were produced.

Within the first few weeks we’ll meet up in Newcastle and take a quick queer space walkabout. A few weeks later, there will be an opportunity to head over to Manchester for a similar, but extended field trip. We’ll hire a mini bus and head down for a two-day visit. During the first day we have a walkabout through Canal Street and a further area, north of Piccadilly. We’ll also take a general walk through the city so pack comfortable shoes! In the evening, there will be an opportunity to socialise and reflect on the day. You can then do your own thing or I can take small groups for a look at Canal Street by night.

In February next year, there will be a chance to head over to San Francisco. More details will be
given in the first workshop. We head over for about a week and take a look at variety of LGBTQ linked events and activities, as well as giving you an opportunity to explore this amazing city. You can find photos of all previous field trips by clicking the Picasa logo on the right hand side of this blog.

ASSESSMENT

The assessment is two individual 2,500 word essays. One completed in each semester. The essays will seek to link multiple topics together and apply theory (feminism, queer, postmodernism) to a specific ‘issue’ so there is no ‘magic’ workshop to attend that will give you all the answers. It’s more a sort of jigsaw that emerges, so attendance at workshops and full participation will, as I’m sure you realise by now, enable you to achieve the results you want and deserve.

SOCIAL MEDIA/NETWORKS

You’re reading the blog so you’re already well ahead. This blog will provide longer reflections on developments, pictures, video and additional support to the course. There are also links to additional sources of information down the right hand side. The search bar on the top right enables you to search the blog archive for specific material – and the blog is now in its third year so there’s lots of info on here.

On SunSpace you’ll find all the PowerPoint Slides, interactive exercises and further info and videos. You’ll also see links to Twitter, Facebook, Audioboo and this blog. Twitter consists of links to interesting news stories, quick thoughts and so on. If you’re on Twitter, why not follow me? New blog posts will also be automatically fed to twitter. If you’d rather add me on Facebook, where blog posts will also be fed, feel free to add me. Finally, Audioboo which are simply short audio posts will be used from time to time, usually embedded into the blog or linked via Twitter. Assessment feedback will be provided by Audioboo along with other thoughts, and reflections. You can subscribe to my Audioboo in iTunes so they will automatically be downloaded to your ITunes account. Just lick the audioboo link in Sunspace. This may seem like a bewildering array of different technologies and platforms – use whatever works best for you.

WHAT COULD I BE DOING BEOFRE WORKSHOPS START?

Well if you’re one of the eager beavers, you can take a look at the course text – Les Moran’s Homosexuality of Law. It’s probably pretty hard going the first time you take a look, but don’t worry, it will come together as the course progresses. You may also want to take a look at the work of Judith Butler, Eve Sedgwick and Michel Foucault. You may find introductory guides to these authors ideas useful and more accessible. You’ll also see an earlier blog post gives some guidance on films and TV to take a look at.

In addition, you can also spend some time searching through this blog. There’s lots of video and some documentaries available on here. There’s also lots of links to sites that will be useful for your study. Take some time to familiarise yourself with them and explore! You’ll also be using ATHENS databases you might not have used before. As well as LexisNexis and Westlaw, you’ll find databases such as Sage, Ebsco and Emerald of use as you progress through he module. Log into http://www.athens.ac.uk/ and have a play. Use the time now to explore – there’s probably a lot more literature available to you than you ever imagined. You’ll have less time to explore when the module is in full swing and assessment deadlines are on the horizon.

Also take some time to head over to the Murray Library at City Campus. There are useful journals and lots of sociology/sexuality/theory books on the top floor. Have a browse and if something looks/sounds interesting, take a closer look.

I’m really looking forward to exploring the subject of law and sexuality with you and I’ll see you all real soon.

Chris

LAW326 INTRODUCTION PART 1:



LAW326 INTRODUCTION PART 2:



LAWM28, GENDER, SEXUALITY AND LAW: INTRODUCTION

For those of you who studies LAW326 last year, you can expect a module that builds on your knowledge, rather than one that simply repeats information previous covered. If you didn't do LAW326, don't worry, I'll make sure you get the support to ensure you quickly grasp some of the more difficult concepts.

In all cases, the above advice on what you could be doing in advance of workshops and the guidance on the social networking tools should be read as these are also applicable to you. In the workshops will be three hours, once a week, every week during the first term. There will also be an opportunity to take part in a field trip to Manchester.

The assessment will be one 5,000 individual written assignment. There is an audio introduction to LAWM28 below.

LAWM28 INTRODUCTION:

Pre-Module Filmography

If you’re starting LAW326 or LAWM28 in 2009/10 and you are particularly enthusiastic, you might want to spend the final few weeks of the summer break taking a look at these films/TV shows. I’ve put them in order of use for the module, and it’s a pretty easy way to familiarise yourself with some of the socio-legal themes we will explore on the modules:

Angels in America (TV show of a play – 6hrs). This gives a good overview of issues and is is great for exploring identity and power.

Queer as Folk UK (two series, only need series 1) Landmark 90s drama set in Manchester which amongst its various achievements, mainstreamed awareness of the word 'rimming' (watch episode 1). All episodes available for free via 4 On Demand. Click here. You should watch this series before the Manchester Field Trip.

Milk (film) Dramatisation of the life of Harvey Milk. You should watch this film before the San Francisco Field Trip (LAW326 only).

The Life and Times of Harvey Milk (film). This is a documentary but worth a watch before the SF field trip.

Irina Palm (film) Addresses sex work.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film) (pictured right) Explores trans and identity issues in a musical.

The Laramie Project (film) Drama of a real life project followign the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Victim (film) Classic film exploring blackmail in 50s Britain.

The Children’s Hour (film) One of the first films to explore lesbianism and prejudice.

Rick and Steve (TV – two series) (bottom picture) Series 2 currently showing on E4. Animated comedy take on modern gay life.

Brokeback Mountain. Surely no introduction needed? Gay cow boys.

The L Word (ongoing –several series to date, dip into) Kind of a lesbian 'Queer as Folk'.

Queer as Folk USA (5 series) (top picture) US version of UK series. Worth dipping into.

Channel 4 has released lots of interesting and useful documentaries on 4OD. Take a look here.

If you’ve worked through all these and would like further suggestions, give me a shout. If you think there's something that should be recommended, and I've missed it off, just click the 'comment' link below and add your suggestion. There's a slight delay in comments appearing as they are all moderated.

Lavender Law/LGBT American Bar Association 2009 - Brooklyn, New York

As I write this, I’m sat on my suitcase at JFK Airport waiting for check in to open in four hours time so I can progress to an area that has seats, bathrooms, food and shops. So, provided I don’t need any such comforts in the next four hours, all will be fine. I’ll then be in comfier surroundings to wait a further three hours to board a flight which will take off an hour after that and arrive in Amsterdam seven and a half hours after that. Then I’ll wait around for another four hours before flying to Newcastle. Happy Days. I would add that my travel instructions told me to be here at this time and consequently a travel agent back in the North East can expect pain is on its way to them. Ahhh, that feels better.

On the plus side, I can blog about what on earth I’m doing here in New York and share with you those positive experiences. I’ve been in town to attend the Lavender Law Conference in Brooklyn. This is the Annual National LGBT Bar Association Conference. That’s bar as in the legal one, not the drinking establishment and it brings US LGBT lawyers, academics and students together. I had planned to be presenting some work on public sex and the law in the UK but it seems they didn’t want that. Having now attended the conference, my hunch is there wasn’t a panel it obviously sat in this year and my proposal probably lacked sufficient law. I know for submitting a proposal next year!

So the conference kicked off on Thursday with a career fair. This was really aimed at LGBT law students (who, don’t forget, are PGs here in the US). A number of big firms that UK readers might recognise were here including Allen & Overy LLP, Clifford Chance LLP, Linklaters LLP, Reed Smith LLP, DLA Piper LLP and Mayer Brown LLP. There were many more and it was fascinating to see these big global, elite firms recognising the need to recruit talent from LGBT students and LGBT students who care about and are active in LGBT related work. The conference included a table of all the firms present, explaining whether the firm included sexual orientation as a protected class, include gender as a protected class, offers domestic partner benefits, adjusts gross salary for domestic partners to offset tax burdens, offers domestic partner bereavement leave, offers domestic partner paternity and maternity leave and helps defray the cost of family planning (in vitro, adoption fees etc).

News flash. As I write this I’m becoming increasingly surrounded by people (maybe they got dud info too?) and a Dutch woman has just taken her skirt off and changed into trousers while her female friend struggles with a case next to her. All this 30cm from my feet. Not impressed.
OK, back to the conference. So ‘my bit’ started properly on Thursday morning with a plenary session on relationship recognition through a federal lens. It was a really interesting session that gave me a good overview of how the case law has developed. The session culminated in discussion round the current case of Gill v OPM which is seeking to challenge the Defense of marriage Act (DOMA). This was a piece of legislation enacted by the Clinton government in the 1990s to try and ‘protect’ the special status of marriage. DOMA was to prove a dominant theme of the conference but more about that later. One of the lines that really struck me was where one law professor talked about the ‘fetishisation of the Supreme Court’. Essentially, he was warning that Americans, lawyers and the public, tend to hold the Supreme Court in far too much regard – they think it can do everything they want to, a skinning beacon of hope, but the reality is a little more complicated. It seemed a fair point and was reflected in the final plenary that dwelt on the possibility that the appointment of Justice Sonia Sotomayor may hold.

This session was also interesting for bringing tax law into discussion. Yes, tax law, yawn. This perception of tax law was changed at a conference last year in Montreal where I heard Anthony Infanti present a paper on tax law and the LGBT ‘community’. His book Everyday Law for Gays and Lesbians and Those Who Care Abut Them is worth a read. It’s very interesting to see how tax is such a bigger issue in the USA than the UK and we don’t seem to have the same discussions. Anyway, onto the first session.

Before I do, let me comment that I now have one of those baggage wrap machine manoeuvred in front on me and an operator who is literally jangling his bottom above my laptop. If he thinks that will persuade me to leave, his is mistaken :-)

OK, so the first workshop. You have a whole series of different sessions to choose from, as with most conferences. I opted for a session on Queering the Bench: Judicial Selection Methods and the Impact of LGBT Diversity. It was a panel with some big personalities and it was interesting to hear the complex and varied ways that one becomes a judge in the US, before understanding and debating the LGBT presence on that bench. A New York judge on the panel talked about the difficult of needing to come out at multiple times and when to come out – sure you wear lilac robes? He didn’t think so and agree but he was right to highlight this question. If we think it important that we have judges who not only are gay, but are ‘out’ as gay how do we facilitate that?

I then went to a workshop on HIV/AIDS under President Obama. Just to update you, the baggage protection man moved to the front. Oh hello, three cute Dutch cyclists debating a fee for their bikes to be wrapped. “It must be perfect” one of the cyclists said, underlining a stereotype but never mind. Before I continue, let me add that I’m a big fan of cycling shorts.
OK, so the HIV/AIDS session was interesting for adding a policy discussion to proceedings. Like many sessions, and like the SSSP Conference I blogged about in SF, I was given the impression that liberal America doesn’t know what to do/think about Obama. He is in so many ways what they wanted but he isn’t quite living up to all their hopes. The main news item was the hope around the lift on the HIV/AIDS travel ban later this year.

I then went to a session led by Nancy Polikoff and her book Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage. Many of the books ideas are reflected in the Beyond Marriage website that I’ve used as a starting point in LAW326 for the last two years. She signed a couple of copies of her book for me and I’ll be donating one book to the law library. Check it out if you want to read her message to LAW326 students. She also blogs here. Check it out.

Now this luggage malarkey is getting interested. They have to take air out of the tyres. Who knew? Clearly not the Dutch man who is rather annoyed. I’m grateful for the distraction.
Right, so on to the second day of the programme I kicked the day off with a session on ‘Priorities for the LGBT Agenda in a New Administration’. The session asked, with a constitutional lawyer as America’s new president, how key LGBT are groups working with the new administration and how are they finding relations. Generally, people seemed upbeat but the liberal dilemma I describe above was once more evident.

I then went along to a workshop on Pedagogy for Sexuality Courses. The session brought together those who teach Law and Sexuality either as a stand alone module/class or as part of a wider subject. It was interesting and I’ve never had the fortune to attend a similar session in the UK. It was interesting to compare both the content of such courses and the way they are taught, and if I’m honest, I left feeling pretty good about our course at Sunderland. I finished things off with a session looking at LGBT issues and the Supreme Court. It largely seemed to echo the themes of the conference but provided yet another angle. The general mood seemed one of optimism for the future and that’s a good note to end a conference on.
Speaking of moods of optimism, I have three more hours ‘till check in opens and I could do with one of the numerous facilities I described earlier as lacking. Darn it.