gay public speaking survey
J_FA...@unhh.unh.edu
I think Mr. Slagle's inquiry is well intentioned, and no
doubt part of a carefully designed research project. Nevertheless,
his question #8 seemed rather peculiar. Upon what basis should a
public speaking instructor "suspect" that a student is gay, lesbian,
or bi-sexual? Apart from the occasionally courageous student who
comes out in the classroom, in front of her/his peers, why should a
faculty member even be concerned about the sexual orientation of his/
her students. And should the issue be of interest to a faculty member,
how does Mr. Slagle propose that a professor make the determination?
The affirmative action rules of most Universities would forbid such
an inquiry (as would common sense and respect for privacy). So, Mr.
Slagle, at the risk of reinforcing old stereotypes, has the burden to
supply us with clues we can use as the basis for a "suspicion" that a
student is gay or lesbian or bi-sexual.
Frankly, I think this was a stupid question to ask. I don't
think faculty should ever be in the position of "suspecting" anything
of a personal nature about their students. Short of determining whether
a person has read an assignment, or done a capable job giving a particular
type of speech, faculty should be making no judgments about their students
--especially about a student's sexual life. That is not to say faculty
shouldn't be sensitive to the fact that students in their class may
represent very diverse cultural, political, social attitudes--most of which
will not be signaled by anything as obvious as skin color, or accent. It
is just that the idea that faculty should make it their business to try
is just that the idea that faculty should make it their business to
"suspect" their students of being gay, Catholic, communist, or anything
else is a rather uncomfortable notion to me.
No personal offense intended, Mr. Slagle. Any other thoughts
on this out there?
Jim Farrell
Dept. of Communication
Univ. of New Hampshire
Tony Slagle
lesbian, and bisexual (glb) students for the most part remain invisible. I do n
ot
mean to suggest that a professor ought to play some sort of guessing game as
to the sexual identitites of his/her students. Rather, I am trying to examine
whether or not professors perceive having glbs in their classes (a suprising
number of people in this world don't believe they know any glbs). If these
students are in our classes to what extent, then, do we have a responsibility
to deal with their issues (give them a voice, etc.). Clearly, in the case of
most other non-dominant groups, it is fairly clear. That is, we can tell if a
student is a woman, we can tell if a student is African American, and so on.
Again, my purpose is not to offend. I certainly agree that a students's
sexual identity should *not* make any difference in the way we treat our
students -- I am all for equal treatment of students. Unfortunately, this is
not generally the case for glb students. (I would be more than happy to
provide some personal testimony, but I don't think that would be either
necessary, or even appropriate.)
Tony Slagle
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JOEL
glad that Jim said something. Indeed, why should a
professor/instructor worry about the sexual orientation of
his or her students.
This very clearly is an area of research that requires
approval by the person's Human Subjects Institutional Review
Board, and I suspect that the HSIRB would not approve the
questionnaire in its current form.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Joel P. Bowman bow...@gw.wmich.edu
Haworth College of Business CompuServe: 73206,2537
Western Michigan University Voice: 616/387-5410
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-3821 FAX: 616/387-5710
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Slagle
Thank you for you input. However, perhaps what is needed is a clarification
of what I meant by "suspect." (Which, if not clear, is certainly a weakness of
the survey.) I am *NOT* saying that we should, as professors, attempt to
categorize our students, or make any attempt to guess as to what their sexual
identity might be. What I am trying to find out, is whether or not professors
in the field of communication see this as an issue that is important to deal
with. My assumption is that if we don't have gays, lesbians, or bisexuals in
our classes, attempts to empower these students are irrelevant. That is all I
am trying to establish. Let me assure you, and everyone else, that I am the
last personwho would attempt to put gay, lesbian, and bisexual students into
some type of category.
As I explained in an earlier post, I don't believe that we should treat our
students any differently if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Rather, do we
as educators have a responsibility to create an environment that is, in a
sense, "safe" for these students.
Tony
Tony Slagle
question, rather than as an "informal survey" (which is how I described it),
would I still be accused of being improper? Really, folks, all I wanted was a
little input.
Grid Witch
that the question should be worded differently, I should point out that
there are occasions when a student who is not out to the rest of the class
comes out to a professor (perhaps to discuss reactions to readings which
address LGB issues). I do agree however that it is none of our business
as instructors what our students' sexual preference is.
JOEL
a message is the response it elicits, you still might wish
to consider rephrasing the way you are presenting the
survey. What did your HSIRB have to say about the study?
Charles Curran
about "suspecting." Charlie Curran, Chair
Dept. of Communication and Theatre Arts
Stonehill College
No. Easton, MA
Tony Slagle
wroding is inappropriate. Anyone care to attack. (I mean, my God, I think I
have conceded the point.)
Tony Slagle, M.A.
Home Address:
1527 Tomahawk Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Home Phone:
(801) 531-7438
Internet: RSL...@VAX.CSUN.EDU
Joan Livingston-Webber
I agree that the question about professors' perceptions of students
sexual identity is off base. I have known enough people to know
that whatever cues I might use to judge are not good cues. The only
students whose sexual identity I am sure of are those who have come
out to me or the class. I do not often know that students are
hetero--it's likely that I assume they are in situations where assumptions
about sexual identity are evoked. But, right now, I'm not coming up
with examples of those situations. I guess if a student mentions a
husband or wife or child and someone asked me later if that student
was hetero, I'd assume so. When I read the survey (I don't teach
public speaking), I thought, well, only so and so and so and so because
they let me know. Otherwise, I would have to try to review my
rosters--it's just not one of my ready-to-hand categories for students.
And if I did review my rosters, I would have nothing to go by. It
seems like a question with only arbitrary or random answers.
Joan L-W
--
Joan Livingston-Webber web...@unomaha.edu
"It's hard to work with a group when you're omnipotent." -Q, TNG
Jim Mackin
> One last question just came to mind: If I had approached this as a discussion
> question, rather than as an "informal survey" (which is how I described it),
> would I still be accused of being improper? Really, folks, all I wanted was a
> little input.
>
> Tony
I hope we have finished with the question of poor word choice. The question
of professorial responsibility is still significant and worth discussing.
The problem is that real responsibility cannot exceed authority, or power,
and do we have the power to assure a safe environment for any person who is
endangered by discrimination? A student may feel safe to disclose in
the environment of the office but not the classroom because of deserved fear
of fellow students. Encouraging self-disclosure may, in reality, expose
the student to abuse the professor cannot control. Countering homophobic
discourse, on the other hand, is something a professor of communication
should be expected to do.
Jim Mackin
Tulane University
mac...@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Tom Green
> Because the meaning of
>a message is the response it elicits, you still might wish
>to consider rephrasing the way you are presenting the
>survey.
What do you say to the objection that the "meaning of a
message" cannot be identical with "the response it elicits"
because if that is so, then there could be no messages that
are misunderstood and one wonders about the possibility of
messages being ignored. Is THEIR meaning also the "response
they elicit"
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+ EMERITUS FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY +
+ PHILOSOPHER IN RESIDENCE ON POMPEY HILL +
+ Box 100 Pompey, NY 13138 (315) 677-9935 +
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JOEL
elicits" is an old communication aphorism the purpose of
which is to remind people that what the sender intends is
not necessarily what the receiver understands the sender to
have meant.
If I send you a message and you respond in way that I did
not anticipate, I need to re-evaluate my message in light of
your behavior, which provides me with overt evidence of the
message you received regardless of the message I thought I
had sent.
I don't think that we've discussed the way in which
colorless green ideas sleep furiously, have we?