Comments for (Mis)adventures of a Queer Student Teacher

Comment on Swing yo’ bitch to the left by Peg

Peg — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:03:25 +0000

Note that there are MANY gay dance clubs. In square dance clubs you can choose whichever role you want. Those designated to do the “girl’s” part wear beads to help identify who’s who. Our gay contra club uses armbands; callers refer to the parties as “lead” and “follow” or “armbands” and “barearms”. At my regular straight club it’s OK for anybody who wants to dance the other part and guest callers are asked to leave out the sexist language. So what you’re experiencing is very very unfortunate, but there are big enthusiastic corners of the square and contra dance world which don’t have this problem.

Comment on Standing Up For Myself by Momo

Momo — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:42:49 +0000

Friends have shared this blog over Facebook.

Good for you, James. One of my best buds in university had a heck of a time with people misunderstanding and maligning his transgender identity, so I have a small (very small) idea of the challenges you’ve faced.

Stay strong, stay you! And thank you for sharing your story! Sending you love.

Comment on Hello, my name is… by david michel

david michel — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:01:29 +0000

people are stupid

Comment on Be An Ally by Ian Weniger

Ian Weniger — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:57:21 +0000

Dear James,

I heard about your site via FB friends who work for the Vancouver School Board. I was moved by the change in attitude among your cohort. I’ve been trying to lead a GayStraight Alliance at a conservative highschool in East Vancouver. The board has a boilerplate diversity policy, which doesn’t mean much when the diversity consultant’s position was cut in half. But a simple change in forms to offer a ‘third gender’ option along with male and female wouldn’t cost much and would put that commitment front and centre.

I look forward to seeing you if you’ve been accepted on the VSB TOC list. Good luck and keep me in the loop if you can!

Comment on Standing Up For Myself by Stiffy

Stiffy — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:58:31 +0000

Way to go, James! I am so proud to call you my friend. Whatever you call yourself and however you identify, you will always be my dear little sandal.

Comment on Standing Up For Myself by Cyrina

Cyrina — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:54:13 +0000

I am so proud of you too!! I read your previous post on my blackberry 2 days ago and was wondering what would happen. And was also HOPING for the respons you just wrote about! Yay!! I want to hug you now!! And I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it over to Canada this summer. I miss you sooooo!!

Comment on Intersections between Queerness & Disability by rubyben

rubyben — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:50:03 +0000

Interesting territory. Queer/genderqueer and a wheelchair user myself, I’m trying to delve into some f this. Feminism and “disability” activism have a lot of overlap as well. Redifining body image + ideals of beauty, for instance. Disliking my body’s perceived brokenness and its femaleness were inextricably linked when I was younger, and becoming comfortable with one makes me more comfortable with the other.

I’m Ben, by the way. Hi.

Comment on Gay for Play by rubyben

rubyben — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:40:09 +0000

I think that whether or not they’re actually questioning their sexuality, it’s often a way of testing the waters. Either asking “Would it be okay if I were gay?” or “How am I supposed to respond to people who are?”
As a little girl who was always desperate to be a little boy, I often slipped into boy roles in childhood games, and sometimes it was treated as a joke and other times it was just accepted because we needed a boy in our game and didn’t have any. This sounds potentially similar.

Comment on Day of Pink by Cyrina

Cyrina — Sun, 09 May 2010 07:37:47 +0000

So. Proud.

Comment on Brewing Backlash? by Cyrina

Cyrina — Sun, 09 May 2010 07:32:42 +0000

Me too. Sounds like a great lesson you gave there.