Johnson reading and Venus Boyz
Venus Boyz was one of the most informative, well-put together documentaries, that I have seen in a long time. I enjoyed getting to see how different each person was when they dressed up as their opposite gender. I think that our class really had a wake up call that there are people who live like that, and I am glad that even if they didn't agree with it, or like it, that they saw it and now have to acknowledge it.

From the time I was young I knew and understood what it meant to be "gay" or "homosexual". My mother's youngest brother was gay and was with his partner until the day he died of AIDS years later. I still consider his partner to be my uncle, just as anyone else would consider their aunt's husband to be their uncle, even after death. My Uncle Frank, my mother's brother, was a sweet, compassionate, hardworking, yet fun-loving man, who unfortuantely was given a blood transfusion before they used to test for diseases, like AIDS. I have participated in the AIDS walk every year of my life, since I was born (in the stroller with my mom and on..) and will continue to do it forever. I feel like there are so many misconceptions about homosexuality and I just wish there was something we could all do to get through to those who continue to judge people they don't know. My uncle didn't get AIDS from having wild sex or doing drugs, like many people think all gay people do, it was not his fault and he was one of the classiest men I have ever known.

Moving on now to the Johnson reading, I don't know how to express how I feel about it, because it was so powerful! I was taken aback at first, by its length, but once I started reading it, I couldn’t get enough! I kept getting excited to see what the next pages held in store for me and actually found myself not wanting it to end. There was so much said that I agreed with to the highest degree, while there was some I wasn’t totally in agreement with. When she talked about not knowing why she sat in the faucet end of the tub, I was right with her. Ever since I have been with my boyfriend I have been profoundly happy and really think I have gotten to know myself better as a person, because of the relationship. But, at the same time, I catch myself doing things I never would have done before, like get up to get him a drink, even if it disrupts what I am doing to something like giving him the last bite of the best chocolate dessert I ever had in my life. Women so often put themselves second to their men, and whether it be knowingly or not, we are not doing ourselves any favors. The funny thing about me realizing the things I do for him, is that I would never tell him, not because I am “scared” or “embarrassed” but I guess, just because I have been socialized as a girl, to cater to men’s needs.

When the article talked about sex, I still agreed with her. Many women have sex, and not nearly enough of them enjoy it. I think sex and sexuality are two extremely empowering tools women have. Unfortunately, too many women “do it”, just to do it, to please their lover. If it’s not “good” or “exciting” a woman should feel comfortable enough to tell the man that, but in so many instances they feel they can’t, due to things such as not wanting to upset him, hurt his ego, or lose him. Ridiculous! If men are mature enough to have sex, and therefore have to deal with the chance of disease and/or pregnancy, they should “be man enough” to handle hearing how to better please their companion.

I am really interested to see how everyone else felt about the article..??