Danny- Research Proposal
For my Critical Research Paper, I
have decided to write about the queer community within YA literature. The
following questions are what I aim to answer within my paper:
1.
Does a lack of queer representation within YA
novels create heteronormality in the classroom and suppress self-discovery of
those who are a part of the queer community?
2.
Do outsiders of the queer community understand
what the queer community is?
3.
What is heteronormality?
4.
How can we bring about the discussion of queer
representation with the classroom?
5.
Why is there a lack of queer representation with
YA novels?
6.
How can we as teachers help students realize who
they are?
This topic is near and dear to my
heart, as I am part of the queer community myself. I grew up without reading a
single book featuring a queer community member, so when I came to realize that
I was gay, I was forced to go through the transition with little to no help. I
was on my own in the process and I feel the need to explore why.
Some books that relate to this
topic are:
·
Over the Rainbow (by Michelle Ann Abate & Kenneth
B. Kidd)
·
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (by Stephen
Chbosky)
·
Openly Straight (by Bill Konigsberg)
·
Geography Club (by Brent Hartinger)
·
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (by Becky
Albertalli)
Most of these books are YA novels
featuring queer characters, but the first happens to be a series of essays
about the lack of representation. I intend to incorporate these books to show
the lack of representation and how that affects those that might be going
through the questioning that comes with being queer. I will also use other
texts that refer to inclusiveness in the classroom and the affects of
heteronormality, an unknown factor that plays a large role in our society.
I strongly believe that
heteronormality is causing queer representation to be lacking, and thus,
restricting the ability to educate the youth about the queer community. I feel
that I will find a lack of information on the topic and will struggle to craft
a strong argument as a result.
Speaking of, if anyone who has read
through this in its entirety and would like to participate in a survey, please
click HERE to fill out the
survey I created on my topic, which I will be incorporating within my
presentation!
I definitely never thought about the lack of homosexuality in YA books, and now i'm realizing. I'm really ready for your presentation on this topic! great choice !
ReplyDeleteI love that you're tackling this topic. All of your questions provoke interesting and meaningful findings. I agree that the books that include the LGBTQIA community are slim to none. If the community is included, it is in extreme/secretive conditions. I think you're going to have a great topic with plenty of research and answers!
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