Blog Post 5: Deviance Debates

In this course, and in our lives, we are constantly hearing about controversies and arguments around deviance. Some of the debates are about whether or not an attribute or behavior really is “deviant” and some are about what rights people should have if they are labeled “deviant.” In each section of this course we have uncovered (or will uncover) ongoing questions that correspond to current social and political debates, including a few I list at the bottom of this post.

For your final Blog Post, you are going to take on a question of deviance, and explain the current debate on the topic. You can choose from the list below, or find something else that interests you. Choose a topic based on a realistic ability to do a fair treatment of the arguments in the space allotted. Feel free to email me or meet with me about your choice, if you want help brainstorming. After you choose a topic, pick two sides of the debate—even though many of these are far too complex for just two sides—and explain what you see as the most convincing arguments on each.

First, pick a question. Briefly explain why you chose the topic, and explain how it relates to the course. Next, briefly explain the THREE best arguments for EACH side of the debate (there will be SIX arguments total). Last, take a stand! Let me know where you fall in the debate, and why, firmly grounded in the concepts of this course, NOT personal experience or opinion. Remember, this is an academic analysis of arguments, not an editorial. Keep the tone and language scholarly throughout the entire post.

To find the arguments, cull through all of the chapters of the book, and class materials. Make sure you pull out everything we have used in lecture, and the readings—look back at the theories, and all of the concepts we’ve discussed. You may also want to read ahead if you see a future article that pertains to your topic. Also do outside research to make sure you are finding the best possible arguments. As with your other Blog Posts, you must integrate, explain, and fully cite at least THREE of the readings from the class above and beyond the citations for the outside sources of your arguments (unless the reading is the source of your argument). Be sure you properly cite each and every source—remember, if it isn’t a thought that originated in your brain, cite it! Try your best to rely on academic sources, and only use informal sources (such as blogs) when you must. When you do use other sources, make sure you cite them properly.

This paper should be 600 to 1500 words in length, NOT including the Works Cited at the end, and must be posted by 9:00pm on April 29th. Be sure to proofread carefully—spelling and grammar issues detract from the points you are trying to make. If you are unsure of your writing in any way, I suggest seeking help from the Writing Center. They will provide free proofreading help, and can give you tips for organizing your writing. Push yourself to produce a post you can be proud of!

Potential Topics (choose one, or come up with your own!):

• Should intersex babies be surgically assigned a sex category at birth?
• Should we have separate high schools for LGBTQ students?
• Should sex work be legal?
• Should/can the United States legally recognize more than two genders?
• Should same-sex marriage be legal?
• Should polygamy be legal?
• Is the “gay panic” or “trans panic” defense legitimate?
• How young is too young to make a transgender transition?
• What should be the age of consent for sexual activity?
• Should police be patrolling bathrooms for people having consensual sex?
• Should LGBTQ issues be discussed in schools? If so, starting at what age? Or, what types of topics?
• How should schools handle transgender students and bathrooms?
• Should [enter group here] be labeled as deviant?
• Should there be regulations about how deviant people are portrayed in the media?
• What is the best way to change a social norm? Through the culture, or policy?
• Should sex offenders have to register? Should any other type of crime have a registry, also or instead?
• What can we do to ensure members of minority groups get fair treatment in the criminal justice system?
• Should some groups get special treatment in the criminal justice system, given their systematic disadvantage?
• Should there be more/less regulation on media and/or products around weight loss?
• What accommodations should institutions have to accommodate different levels of ability?
• What is an appropriate age for a person to get a cochlear implant?
• How can bullying best be stopped?
• Should self-harm be legal or illegal?
• What should be the age of consent for body modification?
• Should we be working to reduce the prevalence of eating disorders? If so, how?
• Are some kinks or fetishes harmful?
• How can we change the stud/slut double standard? Or should we?
• What can we do to stop sex tourism? Or should we?
• Should someone be able to amputate a healthy limb if they want? Should they have to be diagnosed with Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) first?
• Should we see more models of average and above average size in mainstream media?
• Should people with particular disabilities, sexual functioning and/or fetishes be able to legally hire specialized sex workers?

Section 5 :: Deviant Behaviors Part I (March 27 – April 5)

We have arrived at the final section of the course! After discussing deviant bodies and minds, we are ready to talk about behaviors that are considered deviant, to some degree, by mainstream society. The readings over the next few week are going to make you laugh, cringe, and perhaps shake your head a time or two. The more open you are, and the more willing you are to at least try to see everyone as “normal” for a moment (or at least more human than they are often treated) the more you may find yourself engaged with the stories and perspectives you are going to read, watch and hear. Have fun with this section, keeping your sociological imagination in high gear, and your critical thinking skills at full capacity.

March 27: We begin this exploration by discussing how two central social constructions impact how deviant we perceive sex to be—age, and gender. The “double standard” of slut vs. stud when it comes to gender is well known, but we are going to push even further into our understanding of how gender impacts our perceptions of deviance when it comes to sexual behaviors and practices. We are also going to discuss age, and how our perceptions of what it means to be certain ages also impacts our perceptions of what is deviant when it comes to sex. As you are reading about gender and age, you will also be exploring some of the most controversial questions about sexuality. How do groups (like women, or boy-loving men) work around the stigmas associated with their sexuality? Can pornography be feminist, or pro-female? Does one sexual encounter with a man make a man "gay" (and have you noticed we don’t ask that same question of women?)? What are the limits of the language and labels we use for sexuality? For today you will read the following:

• Read "Everyone Knows Who the Sluts Are”: How Young Women Get around the Stigma by Jennifer L. Dunn, available in your textbook.
  
• Read The World According to NAMBLA: Accounting for Deviance by Mary DeYoung (available on Angel)
• Read What is Feminist Porn? by sex educator and feminist pornographer Tristan Taormino
• Read Mostly Straight, Most of the Time by developmental psychologist Ritch C. Savin-Williams and Kenneth M. Cohen, published at The Good Men Project
  

On March 29 our two themes will be public sex, and the difficulties with legislating behaviors. We start with a groundbreaking article from author and activist Patrick Califia, on how laws draw a line in the sand, and impact our perceptions of sex. To keep you thinking about the complexities in deciding what is "public" and "private" using the example of bathrooms, I am also having you read a recent piece by author Ivan Coyote. It is a short piece; it is her an open letter to women that question her presence in bathrooms. Sex in Public Places offers more information about, and tips for, the practice.

You will also be reading an article by a peace and social justice activist Rubby Diesu who says the LGBTQ community is misguided in their feverish campaigning for “equality” in the form of same-sex marriage and the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Diesu asks: is that what we should be fighting for? For the LGBTQ community to give themselves up to heteronormativity? Can we ever be "equal" if we are supposed to assimilate? Think about what Califia says about the limits of laws when you read that article. In any social movement asking the public to change their perceptions of them, there will be some parts of the community that insist we have to focus on policies, and let social change trickle down. There is also usually a faction that says we need to change the social climate and culture, which will change policy, but also have more systemic changes in the broader culture. These articles will speak to that debate.

• Read Public Sex: The Culture of Radical Sex by Pat Califia, available on Angel.
• Read Dear Lady in the Women’s Washroom by Ivan Coyote
• Read Sex in Public Places from the SexInfo site hosted and maintained by sexuality students at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I think I have found my calling!
  
• Read Why I Don’t Want Equality by Robby Diesu

On April 3 we will ask the question: is sex work deviant? Is all sex work deviant? Does it depend on the type of work you are doing? Where do you draw the line? Based on behavior? Location? What happens when sex workers meet and organize?

• Read Exotic Dancers: ‘Where am I Going to Stop?’ by Jennifer K. Wesely, available in your textbook
• Check out the series "Stripped" by Mexico City photographer Alicia Vera
• Read Humanizing Sex Workers? by blogger Margo DeMello on Sociological Images
  
• Read The H Word: What the H by Melissa Petro at Bitch Media
  
• Read U.S. Sex Worker Advocates Expose Human Rights Violations Before UN by Cara at the feminist blog The Curvature
  
• In class that day we will be watching the film Live Nude Girls Unite! (remember your Film Review is due by 9:00pm April 8)

April 5: Who says monogamy is the only valid option for a relationship? Why are we so stuck on monogamy as the ultimate type of relationship? Are there other options, that could be just—if not more—valid? Is the difficulty in other formats of relationship due to them being less valid, or due to the pressure of monogamy being the norm? Be prepared to debate the topic in class--I really want to hear what arguments stand out to you in these pieces.

• Check out the image The Varieties of Intimate Relationships on the web site Information is Beautiful
  
• Read Bigger Love by Jim Catano in Salt Lake City's alternative newspaper City Weekly
  
• Read the NY Times Editorial Married, With Infidelities by Mark Oppenheimer
• Listen to Dan Savage--columnist, activist and editor of Seattle’s The Stranger--discuss “It’s Not Easy Being Non-Monogamous” (12:15) on Kinsey Confidential from The Kinsey Institute, named after the (in)famous sex researcher Alfred Kinsey
  

Extra Credit to go to the WSUV Drag Show!

WSU Vancouver's Cougar Pride Club is sponsoring their 3rd Annual Drag Show, called "A Black Tie Affair" on March 29th. Doors open at 8:00, and the suggested donation is $5. It is being held in the Firstenberg Student Commons, and parking is free after 7:00. There will be various performances by drag queens and drag kings, including some performances by fellow WSU Vancouver students.

The etiquette of these shows is to enthusiastically watch--and tip--the performers! So come prepared with plenty of dollar bills to tip. If you can't afford this, don't let it stop you from attending, but it is the polite thing to do.

You can receive extra credit for attending, and writing up a one page (single-spaced) response to the event. Your response should include answers to the following questions:

1. What did you think?
2. How is drag a response to our social constructions of gender?
3. Is drag deviant?

Only plan to attend if you are 100% sure you can maintain a safe space for the LGBT community that will be in attendance. If you can not respectfully handle the event, do the alternative assignment. If you are unable to attend because of work or family obligations, the alternative assignment is to read the article "Learning From Drag Queens" (available on Angel, in the readings from Section 5) and do a one page (single-spaced) write up. Please include the following in your write up:

1. A brief history of drag.
2. How is drag a response to our social constructions of gender?
3. Is drag deviant?
   

Do Drugs and Alcohol Make You Sick?

Since we missed a day of class, I am turning Thursday's lecture into a blog post, so you can make sense of why I assigned the readings that I did. We will be discussing Tuesday's readings in class.

For Thursday, I asked you to read five short articles about drugs and alcohol. You may have wondered why I included these in a section on deviant minds. I think we all know that doing illegal drugs is considered deviant, to various degrees, and some of you may include alcohol in your personal definition of deviance. But I want to talk about drugs and alcohol from a different angle. How much is too much? How much consumption is "normal" and when does that cross over into too much? When is that too much considered fun, and when is it considered an illness, or a problem that needs to be fixed? Who gets to make those determinations?



If we were in class, I would ask you this question: is alcoholism/drug addiction an individual problem? Or a societal issue? As with the other topics we have discussed this semester, we have been sold an image in the United States that a person who drinks too much is sick. They can't help their consumption; it's a lifelong disease, with no cure.

So then let me ask you this: is drinking deviant? Think about how deviance is a social construction, in how it varies by time, person, location and context. The same behaviors you exhibit at 21 (give or take), such as binge drinking, are charming--even expected--when you are a traditionally-aged undergraduate (especially if you are in Pullman). Is it always charming? Do race, class, gender, size, ability or sexual orientation make a difference in how "deviant" or not that behavior is perceived? What happens when your 64-year-old professor shows up and gets in line to do a keg stand? Is that same behavior now a little suspect? A little....problematic? What assumptions do you start making about that professor, especially if she's a woman (spot check: what gender did you have in your mind when I said "professor"?)? Has drinking always been considered a problem? Or is that a relatively new construction? Would the same level of consumption be seen as deviant anywhere in the world? Look at how we have regulated alcohol consumption over time, as discussed in the article about the drinking age. As with other categories (like race, gender, size, ability, et al.) we have discussed this semester, age is a social construction. What behaviors and abilities we correlate with which ages are a fluid construction of our making, and the debates around the drinking age show that well.



In the United States, and now around the world, we have an organization called Alcoholics Anonymous. They have done tremendous work to help people stop drinking when they find it is interfering with their life in various ways. In no way do I want to diminish the work they do. I would like you, however, to take a step back and look at how they have shaped our understanding of alcoholism. They, along with a broader social movement, have given a set of behaviors a name (label), and have really changed the way we look at that label. At this point in our history, you are far more likely to see sympathetic portrayals of alcoholics, struggling valiantly with a disease than you would have seen a generation ago. They have been part of an overall reframing of alcohol consumption being a medical issue--they are part of an example of medicalization, as we have discussed in this section. In a way, they have switched the view of alcoholism from being an achieved status to an ascribed status, at some level.



Right now, you could take an online quiz somewhere, and it would tell you if you are an alcoholic. We have a whole list of behaviors that we see as "symptoms" signaling a "problem." And, luckily, groups like AA can offer you a solution. Unlike many of the groups we have discussed this semester, they are not offering their solution to make a profit. But they have created almost a monopoly on the solution. It's their program, or you're not fixing your problem correctly--even the criminal justice system seems to agree, when they mandate attendance at meetings.



What is the consequence of that medicalization? Now that we have these clearly defined symptoms, we see certain behaviors as pathological. Before, maybe you got an eyeroll. Now you get a headshake, and a court mandate. We believe people that drink too much--or in certain ways--are sick. That is a social construction, created by a social movement. Their intentions are positive, perhaps, but it still has consequences. Once you are labeled an alcoholic, that becomes your master status. You know the story from here.

That pathologization has spread to drug consumption in similar ways. Though drugs have been handled differently in our laws compared to alcohol, they too have been medicalized in our culture. Just like you can go to an AA meeting, you can go to a meeting for Narcotics Anonymous, or Crystal Meth Anonymous. Name your "problem" drug, and there is a 12 step solution for you out there. For every drug, there is a support group saying "we know, you couldn't help it, but now we can help you."

There is a positive and a negative impact from this pathologization. It takes the blame off of the individual, in one way, but puts it right back on them with the label of "sick." Is that a fair trade off?



Is drug use a problem? If so, how much is too much? How should it be regulated? Who should decide when it is too much, legally, or medically? How, as a society, should we handle drugs? How have we reacted to the use of drugs we have chosen to make illegal? Are some drugs more deviant than others? Does the deviant label depend on your race, class, gender, ability, et al.?



If you look at the billboards out there trying to stop people from doing crystal meth, they give a very particular message--don't use meth, because it will make you ugly. Are scare tactics the answer? If drugs are a problem, are scare tactics the answer? Research says that youth overestimate the impacts of cigarettes--they actually think they are more harmful than they really are. But that doesn't stop them from smoking. Smoking is cool, and youth often feel invincible.



Is it ever deviant to not do a drug? Is there a pressure to participate in some consumption, such as alcohol or pot? Why is pot a controlled substance? Has it always been illegal? Why is it still illegal? Pot is a great example of a form of deviance being a social construction. It wasn't illegal in the United States. And then it was. And how it became illegal was largely based in politics and lobbying, not for medical reasons, or because of crime problems. To justify making it illegal, the culture had to reframe the way they thought about pot. They had to start seeing it as a "problem" that needed to be controlled, in the eyes of the public, and in the ears of the legislators. Some groups helped to make this happen by using propaganda, including the infamous film Reefer Madness (1938), filled with scare tactics (you've got to protect the children!).



If you really dig into the history of how pot became illegal, you will see it wasn't to help society, it was to make money. And they used racist insecurities and fears to turn the country against a substance they once enjoyed, or at least viewed as neutral.



Why does a society control alcohol and/or drugs? Do we need the government to save us from ourselves? Or is it because controlling alcohol and/or drugs helps society? Certainly, drugs and alcohol cost society, in car accidents, health care, and lost productivity taking away from our economy. But are there also benefits to the consumption of drugs and alcohol?

I gave you two readings about the social harm of drugs. What does the most harm? If we are really legislating drugs to help society, why are we not controlling the drug that causes more harm than all the others, by far--alcohol? Who has the best political lobbyists? Who stands to make money by alcohol sales? If pot could make that much money for some people, would it suddenly be legal? If marijuana had the same political power as alcohol, what would happen? Would it be legal? Could it not just be legal, but woven into our culture as the ultimate party device, as alcohol is?



We have a twisted relationship with alcohol in our culture. We love it, it makes you sexy and cool, but don't drink too much....because that's sick. Why? Why are prescription drugs not treated the same way? Who can afford prescription drugs, and who can afford "street" drugs? How does that influence how we see deviance? Our definitions of deviance, when it comes to drugs and alcohol, are complex, and our messages often contradict each other.

Should the LGBT Community Use Words Like 'Faggot' And 'Tranny'?

Because we have been talking about language recently, and you recently wrote a blog post about this topic, I thought you might find this interesting. Huffington Post is starting a series called the Change My Mind debate series. The first installment came out today, and features a debate between two LGBT activists: Mara Keisling, the smart and wonderful Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Randall Jenson, the Executive Director of a documentary company called SocialScope Productions.

The debate article is fun, and different--you get to vote before you read each side of the debate, then dive into the two perspectives. Then, you get to vote again at the end. Give it a go!

As deviance scholars, it would be interesting to hear what you think--how did they do, defending each side? Did they hit all the major points? Did they bring in any arguments that surprised you, or were new to you? What was missing?

Diagnosis

First, from The Onion (satirical news source):


Here are the two parts of the Diagnosis podcast we listened to today. This is one episode of the amazing podcast RadioLab, which covers a host of scientific topics in an interesting, unique way. Seriously--the show blows my mind all the time. You will never think about some topics the same again!

The Frowners (about 18:00)

How to Cure What Ails You (the part we heard in class starts about 11:15 in) (10:15)

Final Project :: Due April 22

I want to talk about the Final Project now, to get it on your radar with plenty of time to consider your options. Your Final Project is worth 50 points toward your final grade, and is due by 9:00pm Sunday, April 22nd.

For your Final Project, you will choose your favorite Blog Post, and expand it into a final paper, post or presentation. It may be a temptation to just automatically choose the Blog Post 5, as it is due one week later, but I hope you will choose the project that engages you the most, not just the one that is most convenient.

Your Final Project will be more than an expansion; it will be a deeper examination of the same project, and the concepts it addressed. I expect you to fix any problems you had in the original post, incorporating the feedback I gave you, as well as helpful suggestions from your peers. Then I expect you to push deeper with your analysis, showing off all that you have learned, and your ability to engage with your project at an academic level. You may need to conduct additional research, and you will have to use more of the course materials. Instead of using only the materials from the section in which you wrote the post, you will have the entire semester's worth of materials from which to draw.

You must use, explain and fully cite at least FIVE of the course materials (anything from the syllabus) in your project. I will be looking for you to integrate the concepts and materials from the class in a way that shows clear understanding, and an ability to synthesize materials into new knowledge. Remember to explain concepts well, as if the audience reading your post is not me, but someone with no prior knowledge of social deviance. Also remember that if the thought did not originate in your head--whether it be a historical tidbit, a concept, an idea or a theory--you MUST cite the specific originator of that idea. Be respectful, be thorough, and do no plagiarize.

Because I extended the word count for the individual Blog Posts, I need to adjust the word count for the Final Project as well. Where the syllabus says 1500-2000 words, the Final Project should now be 2000-3000 words.

As I said above, your Final Project can be a paper, post or presentation.

• If you want to do a traditional paper, it should be on double spaced pages, with full in text citations and a works cited. The font must be 12 inch (and comparable to a Times New Roman-type font), and the margins 1 inch. No cover sheet is necessary, but be sure to put your word count at the end.
• If you want to do a post, you may want to type it into your word processing software first, for word count, as well as spell check. The expectation will be the same as for the paper when it comes to content, but this will allow you the creative freedom to use images, videos, links and so forth.
• If you want to do a presentation, you have a few options. You can do a PowerPoint presentation, a podcast, a video, a web site, an academic poster, a pictorial...I am open. Please talk to me in advance so we can work out details, but plan on creating a presentation that lasts 5-8 minutes. Note: if you plan to do any of these options, please let me know by Tuesday, April 10th so we can discuss details, and make we leave sufficient time for presentations on April 26th.
  

To submit your Final Project:

• Extended Blog Posts should be posted to your personal blogs.
• Traditional Papers (or anything else you can turn in electronically) should be submitted to the Final Project Dropbox on Angel (under "lessons").
• Presentations will be submitted through Dropbox if possible, or you can email me a URL if it is posted online somewhere. If you create something that is available online, please link to it from your blog.
  

I strongly, strongly suggest you utilize the Writing Center if you have struggled with any of your Blog Posts. This is a Final Project for a 300-level, upper division course. I expect you to have ZERO mistakes when it comes to spelling and grammar, no matter the format. I also expect your citations to be perfect. If you are not 100% sure you can do this, get help. I will be grading with the highest of expectations.

Best of the Blog Awards

As you are working on your next few blog posts....

And as you are reading the words of your classmates....

Keep in mind that at the end of the semester, you will be nominating your classmates for the Best of the Blog Awards! Here is your opportunity to be recognize, and be recognized, for your hard work and academic analysis this semester.

The categories for the awards are:

• Best Writing: For this award, you will choose the blog that you thought showed the best writing ability. It could be because they were able to find that balance between keeping you academic, while they were teaching you. Or it could be because they brought the most unique voice. Be on the lookout for blogs that display great writing.
  
• Best Use of Multimedia: For this award, you will choose the blog that used images and video, along with text, in the best ways. More than just throwing in fun images, they integrated multimedia into their posts to actually enrich the experience of reading their post, with humor, or for historic examples, or as a unique way to integrate other perspectives. As you are reading the blogs, take note of the ones that use multimedia well.
  
• Best Use of Course Concepts: This award will recognize the blogger that gets it. This blogger weaves the course concepts into their posts so well, it is apparent they not only understand, but can take what we are learning to the next level. They explain things in a way you can understand, and also perhaps push you a little in your understanding.
  
• Best Responder: Despite the fact that you were all forced to give both positive and negative feedback, this classmate did so with style. Their feedback was helpful, insightful, respectful, and helped further your understanding of the course concepts and materials. Whether they used humor, or just brought in a perspective you had not thought about, this award goes to the person who did the best job providing commentary on other blogs.
  
• Best Overall Blogger: However you define "best" when it comes to our blogs, this is the award that will recognize the top blogger. It could be the person who made you laugh the most, made you think the most, pushed you the most, or just most consistently kept you engaged. As you read through all of the blogs, think about the posts that have lingered with you, and kept you thinking long after you've moved on to another post.
  
• Best _________: This is a write-in category, where you get to make up the award. Feel free to be funny (but try to be respectful!). It could be anything from "best ideas" to "best research" to "best sense of humor" to "best grammar"...the possibilities are endless. I will choose a few of the best write-in awards, and those peers will be recognized with the other award winners.

Note: Because of the timing of the due date for the final Blog Post (April 29th), you will only be able to use the first FOUR blog posts to work with. Make your next Blog Post (and round of comments) count!

For your 5th and final homework assignment (worth 5 points), you will be nominating your peers for the Best of the Blog Awards. You will do so using a survey on Angel. It will come available Tuesday, April 17th at 9:00pm and will close Tuesday, April 24th at 9:00pm--you will have one week to make your nominations. The survey will be in a folder under "lessons."

Drug Trials in India

Here is a story that is just coming out today, on how drug testers are turning to the poor areas of India to do their drug testing, so they can workaround all of the rules we use in the U.S. to protect people during human drug testing.

'People keep falling sick': How Poor Indians are Recruited for Clinical Drug Trials

"Drug trial outsourcing to foreign countries is rapidly becoming an attractive alternative for U.S. pharmaceutical companies looking to save millions of dollars, avoid regulatory scrutiny and tap into a seemingly endless supply of drug study participants.

But a year-long Dateline investigation into one of the preferred destinations for overseas drug trials, India, raises questions about lax regulatory oversight in these studies, the integrity of some of the companies contracted to run them and the reliability of the data they produce. "

Read more here.