Why create a project based on the concept of gender? That is the most basic question I’ve been asked to answer throughout this year, and although there never was a “true” answer to a question like this, I do believe that I’m closer to an answer for this question than I ever have been before. And it is the answer to this question that inspired the title of my presentation: Educate, Don’t Discriminate. An admittedly simple title, but one that I feel truly encapsulates my goals behind my research: to teach. It has become painfully obvious that people don’t like learning when they get to age they feel they’re supposed to “know everything”, it becomes scary to ask questions when no one around you is struggling to understand the concept at hand. This fear goes right to our core in that survival instinct demands we don’t show weakness, as showing weakness means getting eaten. But that’s not the world we live in anymore, and it is only by facing the uncomfortability of vulnerability that we can truly grow.
I found myself facing this setback time and time again, either through my own fear of learning, or by being faced by the fear of learning from others. This is how microaggressions happen, it is through false information being spread that seems correct enough, but is never actually checked properly, given enough time the misinformation spreads and hurts the communities that are being incorrectly represented and discriminated against. It is only by learning the true meaning of the words that we use that we can avoid hurting those that are human, just as we are, and it is by asking our fellow human what a word means to them that we can fully understand how to not hurt one another.
I looked to use as many opportunities offered to me as a means of sharing my experiences and research around the words and identities for those in the LGBTQ+ community as a way of reaching out to people who may not realize they lack information on such terms and people. Through this I’ve found a rare few who utilize my knowledge by asking me questions they had during the presentation itself, these interactions further cemented the realization that I both need to and greatly enjoy sharing information about this constantly misrepresented community.
I want to continue to utilize my incessant desire to inform as a motivator to keep finding ways to educate others, and I really hope this project acts as a first step in a long stretching journey to teach about LGBTQ+ topics. This class offered a place for me to funnel this strong, but undefined and unfocused passion, but it is going to take a good deal more work to get anywhere close to satiating it. I love that I was faced with continuous support from anyone who I asked for help from, many even being incredibly excited at the concept which kept my excitement fueled. I debate to myself whether this class was the best course of action for me to take during my junior year due to a plethora of factors, but I cannot deny that I am proud to have had time to share my piece at the capstone exhibitions.