A short reflection by student staff member Shira Devorah ( She/Her or They/Them) 

I really love queer media. I’ve probably watched most of the movies in the “Gay and Lesbian” category on Netflix, as long as they didn’t look too dull or exploitative. There are some really fantastic and challenging shows and movies available at the click of a button. Why am I so drawn to television shows with women kissing, to movies with actual trans actresses playing trans women? I know I’m not the only queer woman who revels in the opportunity to see a new lesbian drama. Why is this?

Well, it all boils down to one thing: The need for representation. The queer community is constantly portrayed by the media through stereotypes and tropes that are incredibly harmful and inconsistent with the realities of our queer lives. This article from the queer- woman’s website Autostraddle recently went viral – because it listed all 162 (and counting) dead lesbian and bisexual women killed on television and how they died.

The post circulated widely using the hashtag “bury your gays,” which was created after a beloved lesbian character from The 100 was killed off as a cheap plot device – a trope all too common in any media that portrays queer women. While I never really watched The 100, I understand what it feels like when a fan favorite lesbian meets an early demise.

I remember the first time I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer all the way through. I had the complete series box set growing up and watched BtVS religiously. I was heartbroken when (spoiler) Tara, one of two lesbians on that show, was killed off. She was shot by a stray bullet, and none of the magic in a supernatural show about vampires was used to bring her back.

I was devastated.

I had clung so hard to Willow and Tara’s relationship. I didn’t yet have the labels that I use today, but I knew that I liked girls. Tara, who I had identified with because she was shy and smart and kind of a dork. Tara, who kissed Willow and held her hand and called her “babe.”  She was killed, all as a plot device. It wouldn’t be the last time a character I loved, who also loved women, would be killed in a similar way.

See the full article HERE 

Positive representation really does matter. When queer shows and films are done in more humanizing ways, they allow queer people who watch to see a reflection of themselves in beloved and complex characters. It’s incredibly validating to see someone like you given substance and meaning beyond hegemonic perception of what it means to be LGBTQ. I want to see more characters like Cosima from Orphan Black, characters who are integral to the plot of their show, have flaws, and are also LGBTQ.

Positive representation doesn’t stop there: There are so many intersecting identities that deserve more and better representation in media that are also commonly overlooked. People of color are rarely cast as anything other than “that one black friend” or “that perceived-as-white love interest.” The moment there are an array of dynamic characters of color on one show, it is labeled as “other” and often dismissed. When LGBTQ people of color do appear in media, writers are often careless when contending with the  multiple facets of their identities.

spoken by one of the few black gay men on television who isn’t a cliche, Captain Holt from Brooklyn 9-9

Often writers don’t come equipped with the ability to write complex queer characters of color – especially when they do not identify alongside their characters. Take the example of Orange Is the New Black. 90% of the writers for the Netflix show are white women, and they write for queer women of color characters. Because there isn’t enough diverse representation on staff, important aspects of identity are left out or altered, letting down major characters and long-time fans. Don’t get me started with how they let down a certain fan favorite this past season…

For a show with so many women of color characters, there sure are a lot of white people in the writers’ room.

Even with all of the negatives, there is still some very positive representation in queer media. Films like Mosquita Y Mari,  Boy Meets Girl and Tangerine are all beautiful movies written by and/or starring queer individuals that explore LGBTQ characters genuinely. TV shows like Steven Universe, Brooklyn 9-9, and Grey’s Anatomy are also really great examples of good writing for queer characters. None of these characters are perfect people, and I wouldn’t want them to be. They are just more human, more three-dimensional, more interesting to watch.

Queer people live just as interesting and complicated lives as everyone else. We deserve to see these lives reflected in the media that we consume. I can’t wait to see how media evolves further and allows for more varied storylines and characters. As viewers, we should continue to be critical of what is and isn’t portrayed on the screen. One day I hope mainstream media will be more inclusive through  authentic representations of queer characters. For now, I say you should go check out some of those titles I mentioned. Continue to demand more from your favorite shows, and don’t settle for tropes.

We’re here, we’re queer, and we deserve better!

***

If you’re interested in checking out any of the movies mentioned here, the title of the films link to YouTube theatrical trailers!

Tangerine, Boy Meets Girl and Grey’s Anatomy are currently streaming on Netflix.

The Women’s Center at UMBC turns 25 this year! We’re excited to share our important milestone with UMBC’s 50th Anniversary and will be celebrating throughout the year with the rest of campus! We were inspired by Special Collections archival project Archives Gold: 50 Objects for UMBC’s 50th and decided to do our own digging into the Women’s Center archives. Over the course of the year, we’ll be sharing 25 “Then vs Now” archives to celebrate the origin and evolution of the Women’s Center at UMBC.

This week we’re featuring the marketing and publicity the Women’s Center has created and shared with the UMBC community over the past several years. 

Before smart phones and Snapchat, there were actual hard copy brochures and flyers (pre-PhotoShop) to help spread the word about the Women’s Center. Here’s some examples!

And, before MailChimp there were newsletters printed on actual paper and then ones made on Publisher and emailed to a list-serv.

Today, the Women’s Center still has a brochure and prints flyers but we really shine on our social media platforms. That’s where every one is anyways right? So be sure to like us on Facebook, tweet us at on Twitter, follow us on Instagram, and catch our snaps on Snapchat (@womencenterumbc). You already found our blog so be sure to subscribe! And, of course, there’s our myUMBC group.

One side of the current Women’s Center brochure.

Have you followed us on SnapChat yet?!

What are the memories you have of the Women’s Center over the years that are meaningful to you? What does the Women’s Center mean to you today? Share your memories and pictures with us in the comment section below!

Stay up-to-date with our 25th anniversary on social media using #UMBCWC25. Share your Women’s Center experiences and memories with the UMBC community using #UMBCWC25 AND #UMBC50!

Meet Nick,
He is a Biochemistry major and a URA Scholar. He is a real proponent in developing future researchers. He advises, "If you are really interested in the work you are doing and want the project to succeed, then observing and looking into work that others have done in your field is a truly great thing to do. It will give you great insight not only on your own project, but also on the general knowledge associated with the field in which you are working." Nicholas would ultimately like to become a biomedical researcher to assist on developing cures and vaccines for infectious diseases. 

His research will explore the microscopic world of Nanoscience. Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors can be utilized to detect a multitude of different target molecules in a sample. Current methods, however, are limited to ensemble measurements of a large number of target molecules. Conversely, specific single molecule sensing at low detection limits represents a highly sensitive method of detection of analytes in a sample. In this project, I aim to detect Immunoglobulin E (IgE), a protein that is involved with the immune response in the human body, with specific single molecule sensitivity. 

Read more about his research project here...

Here is a great way to catch up on all our events for the month.

Check out our Mosaic and Interfaith Center Newsletter - December Edition! 

 A weekly round-up currated by Women’s Center staff member, Michael Jalloh Jamboria

This week, my good friend came into the Women’s Center to chat. She mentioned how I ‘slayed on the daily’, her words, not mine. In the spirit of my friend, every week I will be bringing you some interesting, funny or thought-provoking content from the internet! Be sure to join us next week for more and continue to slay! This week’s articles:

Protestors of the North Dakota Pipeline Project finally have some good news as the Departments of Justice, Interior and the Army issued a temporary halt in the continuation of the project!

Saturday Night Live finally has a Latina cast member. Hmm…it only took 41 years of being on the air. Welcome Melissa Villasenor to the cast! Also, check out the Women’s Center Blog post on some other seriously funny women.

While Donald Trump was getting ready for his appearances in Baltimore to address the National Guard, People’s Power Assembly was gearing up to protest the convention.

The women on the white house staff have been using the strategy of “amplifying” to combat mansplaining on the job. Check them out!!

Finally, the Women’s Center turned 25 this week! Check out Women’s Center 25th Anniversary Playlist!

Women Center Staff members in the Birthday Party photo booth

Friday, September 30, 2016
(Setup on Thursday, September 29)

Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street – West Wing
Baltimore, MD 21201

Join your friends, coworkers and neighbors to help hundreds of homeless individuals, children and families access the services they need. As a volunteer guide, you’ll be paired with a homeless participant and accompany them throughout the event.

This year’s event will also feature our first Mission of Mercy dental clinic serving an estimated 1,000 patients. Additional volunteers are needed for the dental clinic on Thursday, September 29.

We’re looking forward to having you volunteer again. Thank you!

REGISTER NOW

Questions? Contact us at phc@uwcm.org.

A blog reflection by Women’s Center intern Mariana de Matos Medeiros 

On October 5^th, 2014, I was finally able to cast my first vote for a Presidential election since moving to America. It was an incredible experience to head over into the Brazilian consulate event in Washington, DC, bright-eyed and ready to make a difference for my home country. As an immigrant who has not yet attained citizen status, I am not able to vote in America so voting to make a difference for my family and friends at home was empowering. As a feminist, I felt most thrilled about having the ability to vote for a leftist woman who had already done much to carry out social welfare programs. I voted for Dilma Rousseff based on how she had run her administration in her previous term: focusing on women and marginalized communities and continuing to carry out social welfare programs to address the ever widening gap between the rich and the poor.

During the past months Brazil’s political drama has reached its all-time high. With the most recent Olympic games being hosted in Rio, the entire world was watching as Brazil’s first woman-identified, leftist president was pushed out of office pending an investigation on alleged corrupt behavior.

Dilma Rousseff // image credit: Wikipedia

Rousseff ran for president under the left-winged Worker’s Party of Brazil, yet she did not always bring solidarity among feminists, as some may assume. In fact, the Brazilian feminist movements were often split between those who supported her public policies and those who rejected her administration, demanding advances in issues of reproductive justice and education. However, Brazilian feminists tend to agree that Rousseff’s impeachment was a blatant act of sexism and discrimination.  

Not only have several of her male counterparts been found to be involved with pedaladas fiscais (misusing bank funds from the federal government that are allocated to many state and federal social programs) without punishment, but over half of the senators who voted for her impeachment are being investigated for laundering money for personal benefit and other serious crimes.

Despite being cleared from any involvement in the pedaladas fiscais, Rousseff has been formally impeached. (This video helps unpack Brazil’s current political situation in more detail.)

What’s most disconcerting is that her replacement, Michel Temer, has been formally convicted of violating election laws and is barred from running for office for the next eight years. However, since he is already in office he is permitted to remain president until the election cycle in 2018.

With support of the elite, Temer and other conservatives began a slogan to encourage Rousseff’s impeachment: Tchau, Querida, which roughly translates to “Bye, darling.” This sexist and patronizing slogan undermines the significance of Rousseff’s time in office by dismissing it as the problem caused by a woman, a “darling.”

As it were, this is not the first time a woman in leadership has been undermined in her power and ability, and referring to a political leader in such a condescending and infantilizing manner is blatantly disrespectful.

Prior to the impeachment, politicians from all sides began passing a multitude of laws that slowly chipped away at women’s rights, including laws that would criminalize abortions for rape survivors, define families as a union between a man and a woman, and make accessing emergency contraception in the wake of the Zika outbreak more difficult. Simultaneously, old gendered concerns did not go away: violence against women is still a widespread pandemic and there is still an overall cultural acceptance surrounding gendered-based violence in Brazil as rape still remains an invisible crime.

However, with a more conservative political push came increased feminist mobilization. Through street protests and social media activism Brazilian women have fought back against this conservative wave of legislature. In June of this year, thousands of women took the streets behind a poster that read Por Elas Todas (For All Women) in outrage of the high rates of sexual violence against young girls.

Por Elas Todas protest // image credit: Flickr

Sadly, despite the feminist mobilization, the situation is still quite grim as Temer has already created the most conservative congress since the end of the military rule in 1985. His all-white, all-male congress has slashed ministries aimed at assisting women, black people, and other marginalized groups. Indeed, 7.6% of Brazil’s population is made up of individuals from African decent and most of these individuals live in poverty.

There are far more nuances to be investigated and discussed about Brazil’s deeply intricate political situation than I have space to discuss on this post. I have felt deeply concerned and proud to see so much activism surrounding the community I call home. It’s unquestionable that the circumstances surrounding Rousseff’s impeachment serves as a reminder to Brazil’s citizens and the world that misogyny and sexism toward women in leadership is alive and well.