"What's Wrong with Homosexuality"? UM NOTHING. A response!

Hey there! So yet again it is Wednesday, or as I affectionately call it, WOW Wednesday. This semester has had its share of challenges, triumphs, and.. weird days. Today has been crazy busy but also productive and.. informative.

I am currently the Director of the Students' Art Gallery at NMU and this semester has been extremely eventful for me. The current exhibition is titled "What is Wrong with Homosexuality?" and is on display in conjunction with the President's Committee on Diversity's exploration of larger cultural and societal topics. The title is not meant to infer there is anything inherently wrong with homosexuality, but echoes the title of author John Corvino's book "What's Wrong with Homosexuality?" which is a social satire and philosophical exploration into the stigma, assumptions, and misconceptions about homosexuality in our current culture. It's a pretty excellent read and I am looking forward to meeting Corvino and hearing him discuss his work and passion for advocacy.

All throughout the semester the Diversity Committee has been bringing guest authors (Corvino will be here during our reception!!), artists (iO Tillet Wright was here earlier this week for lecturing and photo shoots), philosophers, and other personalities to campus in hopes that NMU will welcome diverse and new ideas. Today, for example, I witnessed the handiwork of master ceramicist Gail Nichols, who hails from Australia and has been cranking out work on campus since Sunday at least! I am not by any means confident in ceramics as a media yet.. but the surety with which she handled her work was inspiring and frankly intimidating! She works 'upside down' when she throws, meaning she flips her work to add a bottom slab to it.. so nerve-wracking to watch.

Anyway, more on ceramics in the next post.. I want to get this other experience down on 'paper'.

I was speaking to one of my classmates today in my hand building class. She had brought up the topic of the exhibition in the gallery and is a representative for the on-campus group Queers and Allies. Q&A advocate for LGBTQ students on campus and organize events both on and off campus to connect the campus communities and educate the general public. It's a very proactive and supportive organization and NMU is lucky to have them. However, what she said concerning the exhibition made me step back.

"I think that the numbers for this show were low because of the topic." To which I replied, "Yea, it seemed rather narrow for the amount of work we expected... but it was a show that needed to happen and the diversity committee was pushing this since December."
 My classmate agreed but also added, "I think the topic turned many people away because, well, not all of us make 'queer' art. The art we make is not about being queer or having that lifestyle; we make art about everything! And the fact that we are queer or identify as something other than straight essentially makes our art queer art." She also stated that the show title implied something being 'wrong' with homosexuality and I tried to explain to her that it was the same as one of the author's works... but I took her concern into account. This was a battle between words and ideals: Nothing is wrong with homosexuality and showcasing that question as a tagline was not a good move on part of the committee. It's hard to spin such an accusatory statement into one of advocacy and personal growth. I apologized for the negative connotations that were brought to light by using this phrasing and I have made the BIGGEST mental note ever to always clarify statements with departments before display!

My classmate's next suggestion was to create an exhibition for 'queer art' meaning art created by those members of the LGBTQ community who were, in her own words "afraid to say or create something that could expose them too much. It's not exactly safe for us here". I understood her concern and it was upsetting to hear that fear is still such a large stigma for these students and community members... I want to make this show a reality in the coming school year. I think it would be interesting to have students submit work and display it anonymously - to protect those who are not quite ready to reveal that part of themselves - or those who fear what may happen. As my classmate said, "There are a LOT of queer artists on campus and the work is whatever they want it to be. It's not about orientation." The date of the show is being organized because, dammit, it needs to happen!

 --

In a separate event that occurred only an hour ago I was sitting at work and a gentleman came in to the gallery to look at the exhibition. At first I greeted him and he remained silent, just walking through the space and what I can only assume was absorbing all the visual information on our walls.  He spent a very long time at the front of the gallery looking at a particular piece. His first statement to me after the silence was finally broken was that he was in an "interesting and perplexing" situation when it came to his son. I asked him why. He proceeded to tell me that he and his wife are evangelical preachers who "just so happen to have" a son who is gay. He spoke to me at length about the 'signs' he chose to ignore in his son's childhood and upbringing; things that he was not sure of until very recently.  He said, "I did not choose my son son, nor do I think he would have chosen me and my wife. But that's just our situation, I suppose.." I finally spoke up, "I don't think this is a matter of choice but a matter of truth, sir. Everyone needs to live their truth and when you stop doing that you lose who you are." I was beginning to feel disheartened by this man's responses to his son and his lifestyle.. but then the tide changed.

I listened quietly and let him pour out his apprehensions, fears, confusion, and confessions onto my desk. He began talking about his profession as a preacher and personality in the evangelical faith. Looking around the gallery with a smile he also admitted to having 'stray thoughts' in college and not being sure of his own sexuality because, as he said, "I was striking out with the ladies and wanted an excuse." He let the words flow freely and honestly, stating that many of his congregation and peers in faith would not understand his current situation if presented with it. He said it was hard to see eye-to-eye with them knowing his son-- and he fiercely defended him. He talked about how his son is a lawyer, not a court lawyer but "nose in a book". How he defends companies and small businesses and protects doctors and professionals. He told me about his degree and how hard he worked in law school and how he was also an Art History minor - which was "all about analysis and interpretation".  He told me that some of his fellow preachers and religious personalities "cherry pick" from the Bible and make it say what they want to their own advantage and that he often disagrees with their interpretations. After my brief comment this man wanted to make sure I knew he was proud. He was showing his love and admiration for his son's individuality and dedication to hard 'nose in book' work. But most importantly he showed me that he was standing on his own without questioning his son as a human being because of his faith community members.

He walked around the gallery for another half hour and made some other quick comments. I was glad to have met him and to be here to listen to his story. I think that's what this show is about: not what is wrong with homosexuality, or what other people (maybe artists, maybe not) observe about it, but what is the best way we can overcome our misconceptions and fears of a different lifestyle than 'the norm'. This stranger, an evangelical preacher from Marquette, walked around a gallery of artwork all focused on the trials, successes, and lives of LGBTQ students.  As a student I have seen the consequences of prejudice and fear on campus - both concerning homosexuality and other personal characteristics of people. The gallery has, in just the past week, become more of a safe haven and beacon for students to learn from and experience art from across campus. We have received many, many visitors including community members, students, and faculty and each person has a different story to tell - or to keep to themselves. I want to apologize to any who felt attacked or conflicted by the title of this exhibition; that was never the intent of the committee or the gallery. There was never an implication that homosexuality or LGBTQ lifestyles were 'wrong'. We wanted the exact opposite result of these comments: we wanted expression and the reassurance that messages in this space would be on display for all to hear and see and feel without fear or misconception. The SAG* was to be a place for art that communicated about the topics that interconnect and intersect with this community. I am upset that the title of our exhibition in the SAG* has caused such conflict and apprehension but I know I have learned a great deal from this experience. Words are powerful in scope and influence and we need to be more careful of how we say what we say.

As a teacher I will strive to create a community where all students feel welcome and welcome others. Throughout my years in college I have observed many k-12 classrooms where students identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual etc.. I do not think these revelations and experiences are something that people should hide or conversely be afraid to witness. In fact, I want students to be empowered by their lives, personalities, and their personal truths. After watching the TEDTalk with iO Tillet Wright I realized that, as she stated, "we often put people into boxes". We do not have the right to do that - and the more we challenge that need to distinguish one person from the other for their beliefs, lifestyles, appearances, or whatever else can be categorized - the more we can learn from each other that everyone has different paths and truths. We have a painting in the center of the gallery that patrons are free to write on during this show and the man who came in to the gallery today wrote : "Evangelical Parent: What to think? What to do? LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY!" Reading that and hearing him commend all of the artwork in the SAG* made me smile. He gets it.

We often do not choose the people or the paths on the journey; we only choose which way to point our feet when we finally start moving. I never want to stop moving forward.

Thank you for reading

Ms. Breanne Kanak