Women's Studies 126/LGBS 128: CRITICAL APPROACHES TO HETEROSEXUALITY Fall 2011 T/Th 2:10-3:30 Humanities 1503 Professor Jane Ward ce Interaseipinary Bulaing 2025 Email janew@ucr edu ce Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 12pm anc by appt Introduction to the Course: In 1991, queer scnalar Michael Wamer coined the term neteronormanity to refer to all at the ways that heterosexualty is taken for granted in both cultural and institutional tie. To investigate neteronormativty Isto place the spotight on the speci ideas and practices that make helerosenuably seemingly ubiquitous and invisible, exalted and mundane, unchanging ang universal, and, natural, normal, and nght. In this vein, this course erticaly examines ine late 19!-century ongins and 20°-century evolution of the meaning of neterasexualy In the United States. We wil Undertake this project from a queer perspective that views heterosexualty not as a sexual orientation,” but as a set of contested sewual, cufural, ana polical practices In contrast with 3 dominant script that celebrates heterosexualiys apparent seamlessness and success, this course Is. also organized arcund the argument that hetercsexuaity—as a system bound up vith misogyny and reliant upon the gender binaiy—Ks ulimately unworkable and In need of queer intervention The course 1s organized around three themes: 1) The Invention of Hetetosexualty (weeks 1-9); The Faire of Heterosexuaity (Weeks 4-7); 2) Hope for Heterosexualty’? (Weeks 8-10), Welcome ta the coursel Requived Texts 1 Jonaman Nea Katz. 2007. The invention oF Hetercsewamty. Chleage: UnWersty of Chicage Press. (avaliable on [Amazon for $18, oF used for less) 2 Numerous Aviles posted on earn ‘See reading schedule below. THEME #1: The Invention of Heterosexuality Sept 22na: Welcome and introduction to the Course Week one “The Heterosexual Is Born (9/27 & 3/28) ‘© Katz, Jonatnan Ned. “The Genealogy of a Sex Concept (Ch. 1): “The DeDut of ine Heterosexual” (Ch. 2): “Serre Heterorenualty” (Ch. 3) Week Two ‘The Heterosexual Mystique (10/4 & 1018) ‘+ Katz, Jonathan Ned. “Making the Heterosexual Mystique" (Ch. 4); “The Heterosexual Comes Gut! (Ch. 5) ‘Week Three Keeping the Dream Alive: True Love, Romance, and Heterosexiness (10/11 & 10/13) ‘+ Marin, Karin, “Hetero-Romantic Love and Heierosexiness in Children's G-Rated Films’ Gender & Society (2009)‘+ Collins, Patricia Hil “Get Your Freak On. Sex, Bables, and Images of Black Femininity” In Biack Sexual Poiltios (2004) + Maher, Tennifer “What Do Women Watch? Tuning Ta 10 the Compulsory Heterosexuality Channel" In Realin’ 7 BBleviston Culture (2004) Remaking + _Brancato, Jim. “Domesticating Poltics: The Representation of Wives end Mothers itt America Reality Television.” Rewity Felovision If - Film & History, Volume 37.2 THEME #2: The Failure of Heterosexuality Week Four He's Just Not That Into You: The Heterosexual Contradiction (10118 & 10/20) Film: Dreamworids ‘= Rubin, Gayle. “The Tramic in Women: Notes on tne Poiticat Economy of Sex" + Sedgwick, Eve. "Homosccial Desire” in Benen Men = Pascoe, CJ. “Compulsive Heterosexuality: Masculinity and Dominance.” Ch. 4 in Dude, Youre a Fag (2007) ‘+ Excerpts trom He's Just Not That Into You, & The Game Week Five Gender Entrapment and Compulsory Heterosexuality (10/26 & 10/27) ‘+ Richie, Beth “introduction” and “Trapped by Violence.” In Compelied (o Cre: The Gender Entrapment of Battered Black Wornen. 1995 ‘= Rich, Acnenne. “Compulsory Heterosexualtly ang Lesbian Existence.” 1980 ‘Week Six Divores, Violence, Bad Parenting, and Other Heterosexual Problems that Threaten the Sanctity of Queer Feminism (11/1 & 11/9) Flim: The Real Housewives or New Jersey ‘+ Hochschild, ariie. “Tensions in tarriage in the Age of Divorce" In The Second snit (2003) + Anderson, Kristin and Debra Umberson. “Gendering Violence: Masculinty and Power in Men’s Accounts of Domestic Violence Gender & Society. 2001 ‘+ Martin, Karin. “Normalizing Helerosenualily. Mothers! Assumptions, Talk, and Strategies with Young Children” Gender & Society. pp. 190-207 + Kane, Emily. “No Way My Boys Are Gaing to Ge Like That!’ Parents’ Responses to Children's Gender Nonconformiy.* Gender & Society. 2006 Week Seven ‘The Heterosexual Repair Industry (or “It Gets Better!”): Managing Hetero-Boredom, Hetero-Sexlessness, and Hetero-antagonism (11/8 & 11/70) Flim: Men are trom Mars, Women are trom Venus ‘© MeCaugney, Marina. "Homo Habilus: Evolution, Popular Gukure, and the Emboaied Einos of male Sexually.” in The Gayeman Mysiique (2008) ‘+ Carter, Julian. “The Marriage Crisis" In The Heart ef Whitowese: Normal Sorell and Reice in dmortca, 1880-1940 (2007) ‘+ Hochschild, Autie, “The Cultural Cover-wp” in Tho Secon Shy? (2003) + Excerpts from Men are From Mars, Women are From VenusWeek Bight Heterosexuality: Just Another Way of Having Homosexual Sex (11/16 & 11/17) Laura Hamilton, "Trading on Heterosexuaiily: College Women's Gender Strategies and Homophobia’ Gender & Sooiety. pp. 145-172 Benshoff, Harty “A Straight Conboy Movie: Heterosexualiy According to Brokehack Mountain.” in Hetero. Queering Representations of Siraighiness (2009) Ward, Jane. “The Elephant Chain.” In Mot Gay 2012. Forthcoming THEME #3: Hope for Heterosexuality? Week Nine Heterosexuality's Feminist Future (11/22, no class on 11/24 HOLIDAY) Risman, Barbara and Danete Johnson-Sumerford. “Doing It Fairly A Study of Posigender Marriages." Journal of Marriage and Farnily. 1998 Shows. Carla and Naomi Gersiel “Fathering. Class, and Gender” Gender & Society 2009 ‘Schultz, Jason. “Getting Off on Feminism.’ In To Be Real. 1994 Week Ten Heterosexuality’s Queer Future (11/29 & 12/1) Halberstam, Jack. “Pregnant Men, Heteroflesible Women, Butch Daddies an the Future of Gender.” 2012, forthcom ‘Ward, Fane “Queer Pedagogy and the Specter of the Matemal” 2011