Writing Workshop Conclusion
I just wanted to thank my writing workshop partner, Christy, for completing this exercise with me. I think we both realized how difficult it can be to exchange revision/feedback through an online forum. I learned a lot from this class module and will take away with me some great information.
I reviewed Christy's comments about my initial piece and was very appreciative of her kind words. I decided to look back over my piece from last semester with fresh eyes and to make a few adjustments of my own.
"Don't Forget the Rest of Us"
The emergence of new global communication technologies will forever change the way we interact as an integrated worldwide community. The Internet, which was once a medium accessible only to the technologically advanced, has now become widely available to the general public. The introduction of user-friendly e-mail, chat rooms, web sites and weblogs has created an abundance of new communities springing up all over the virtual map, but who is being left behind?
Individuals who are fortunate enough to have access to these technologies are no longer held back by the identities created for us in a socially constructed society. In the real world, our identities are often put on us, much like labels, and are usually based on the preconceived notions of what it means to be a certain sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, etc. In the virtual world, we can be represented solely by our minds and creativity if we choose to shed our socially-prescribed identities in favor of our own self-awareness. There is a space for all of us to be heard and we are allowed to voice our opinions, feelings, and ideas in any way that we want without the fear of stepping beyond our "roles" in society. I can think of no better way to do this than with a weblog.
According to Rebecca Blood, one of the original creators of a web journal, "Free-style blogs are nothing less than an outbreak of self-expression. Each is evidence of a staggering shift from an age of carefully controlled information provided by sanctioned authorities (and artists), to an unprecedented opportunity for individual expression on a worldwide scale. Each kind of weblog empowers individuals on many levels." (weblogs: a history and perspective, Rebecca Blood)
With the click of the button, we are allowed to transport ourselves to places unimaginable, meet people we never thought we would encounter and, in our own way, allow diversity into our lives. Weblogs are a great way for us to share our opinions and to learn about people, places and things that are much different from what we already know. At the same time, we are able to build new communities and support systems if we choose to focus our energies on the people and things we find most interesting.
These new virtual communities are nothing like we've ever seen before because they are transnational. In a sense, they exist by virtue of common interests and influences and are not generally regulated by the barriers created by political tensions or geographic locations.
One of the things I am greatly interested in is the increased visibility of social movements in underdeveloped countries. It is true that social movements here in the United States, such as the womens' rights movement, the civil rights movement and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement have greatly influenced the far corners of the world, but by how much? It is an over-simplified assumption that movements in the Third World are a recent phenomenon that were primarily ignited by "westernized" movements. A more reasonable explanation of the increased visibility would be cultural globalization and the advancement and impact of new global communication technologies.
Through my research, I have been able to find some well-informed weblogs that deal specifically with LGBT politics and social movements. As a sexual minority and a veteran of the armed forces, these issues are really important to me because they directly impact my life. Josh Michael's blog contains links to many of the top LGBT news stories from around the world. QueerFilter allows the user to search for personal blogs by state, country, language, gender and/or sexual orientation.
Sexual minorities are often pushed to the margins of society in varying degrees, but with the ability to access new communication technologies, no one has to be left behind. LGBT Americans have to deal with the prospect of an anti-gay federal marriage amendment, but other sexual minorities around the world may face a death sentence if their sexual orientation is revealed or discovered. Often, finding a community that is truly accepting of us is a difficult thing to do in the real world, but weblogs just might be a way to make a space of our own.
I reviewed Christy's comments about my initial piece and was very appreciative of her kind words. I decided to look back over my piece from last semester with fresh eyes and to make a few adjustments of my own.
"Don't Forget the Rest of Us"
The emergence of new global communication technologies will forever change the way we interact as an integrated worldwide community. The Internet, which was once a medium accessible only to the technologically advanced, has now become widely available to the general public. The introduction of user-friendly e-mail, chat rooms, web sites and weblogs has created an abundance of new communities springing up all over the virtual map, but who is being left behind?
Individuals who are fortunate enough to have access to these technologies are no longer held back by the identities created for us in a socially constructed society. In the real world, our identities are often put on us, much like labels, and are usually based on the preconceived notions of what it means to be a certain sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, etc. In the virtual world, we can be represented solely by our minds and creativity if we choose to shed our socially-prescribed identities in favor of our own self-awareness. There is a space for all of us to be heard and we are allowed to voice our opinions, feelings, and ideas in any way that we want without the fear of stepping beyond our "roles" in society. I can think of no better way to do this than with a weblog.
According to Rebecca Blood, one of the original creators of a web journal, "Free-style blogs are nothing less than an outbreak of self-expression. Each is evidence of a staggering shift from an age of carefully controlled information provided by sanctioned authorities (and artists), to an unprecedented opportunity for individual expression on a worldwide scale. Each kind of weblog empowers individuals on many levels." (weblogs: a history and perspective, Rebecca Blood)
With the click of the button, we are allowed to transport ourselves to places unimaginable, meet people we never thought we would encounter and, in our own way, allow diversity into our lives. Weblogs are a great way for us to share our opinions and to learn about people, places and things that are much different from what we already know. At the same time, we are able to build new communities and support systems if we choose to focus our energies on the people and things we find most interesting.
These new virtual communities are nothing like we've ever seen before because they are transnational. In a sense, they exist by virtue of common interests and influences and are not generally regulated by the barriers created by political tensions or geographic locations.
One of the things I am greatly interested in is the increased visibility of social movements in underdeveloped countries. It is true that social movements here in the United States, such as the womens' rights movement, the civil rights movement and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement have greatly influenced the far corners of the world, but by how much? It is an over-simplified assumption that movements in the Third World are a recent phenomenon that were primarily ignited by "westernized" movements. A more reasonable explanation of the increased visibility would be cultural globalization and the advancement and impact of new global communication technologies.
Through my research, I have been able to find some well-informed weblogs that deal specifically with LGBT politics and social movements. As a sexual minority and a veteran of the armed forces, these issues are really important to me because they directly impact my life. Josh Michael's blog contains links to many of the top LGBT news stories from around the world. QueerFilter allows the user to search for personal blogs by state, country, language, gender and/or sexual orientation.
Sexual minorities are often pushed to the margins of society in varying degrees, but with the ability to access new communication technologies, no one has to be left behind. LGBT Americans have to deal with the prospect of an anti-gay federal marriage amendment, but other sexual minorities around the world may face a death sentence if their sexual orientation is revealed or discovered. Often, finding a community that is truly accepting of us is a difficult thing to do in the real world, but weblogs just might be a way to make a space of our own.
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