Blog #6

In this weeks lecture and in the story “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel a common theme is noted in both. This theme is homosexuality. Being LBGTQ in our society has always been a controversial topic. Gay marriage is one of the largest debated issues in our country. Many people in our country feel that it is wrong to have sexual relations with someone of the same sex and are homophobic.

            Singing sensation Lady Gaga is one of the biggest and most well known icons for gay rights. Her song “Born this Way” exemplifies the common misinterpretation that people choose to be attracted to the same sex instead of being born with those feelings. The message I received from this song is that no matter what your sexuality might be you were born the way you are for a reason and deserve the same respect as those who are straight. One line that stuck out to me in the song was “Whether life's disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied or teased. Rejoice and love yourself today 'Cause baby, you were Born This Way.” This line grabbed my attention because I realized the scrutiny that many LGBTQ people are receiving and that the world needs to change. We are all human beings and just because they are LGBTQ does not mean that they are an alien. The graphic images seen within the music video also grabbed by attention because it reiterated that lesbians and gays were born as fighters they are prepared for the hatred they are going to face and they a prepared to fight it head on.

            For this weeks class we were also supposed to read “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel. This book tells the story of her life growing up with her mother, father, and two brothers. They also live in a small town where the rest of the family lives and where her grandparents live at the family business, which is a funeral home. Alison describes her father as being abusive and demanding when she was a child and loved decorating the house. She also described his love for young boys. Alison later goes on to explain how she came out of the closet to her parents when she was in college and a few weeks later her father had “killed himself.” Alison could not help but to put blame on herself for her fathers death but later found out that her father had been having affairs with other men her entire life and his death could not possibly have been her fault. On page 85 she notices the resemblance between her father and Fitzgerald’s life and could not help but think that her father planned his death to parallel that of Fitzgerald’s. On page 86 she states, “But that would only confirm that his death was not my fault. That, in fact, it had nothing to do with me at all.” Alison described her troubles as a child having severe OCD and realized that she had been struggling with being a lesbian from the time she was 4 or 5. When she decided to come out she was very open about it and was able to come out so easily. Her father had been gay almost his entire life as well but never had the courage like his daughter to come out and say it. This graphic novel helps to reiterate what life is like for those who are LGBTQ and the images help to make the novel send a stronger message. It is ok to be gay, everyone is born the way they are for a reason.