Today, I lit a fire, threw gasoline on it, then tried to put it out with napalm...well, hyperbole has always been a useful linguistic tool. As a college developmental reading instructor, I needed something...okay, ANYTHING, to keep my students attention on the material rather than counting down the milliseconds until our four day weekend. Of course, I, too, was counting down the milliseconds until I could leave on my four day weekend. What began has a simple discussion of societal stressors--situation in Iran, earthquake in Chile, Jihad Jane, gas prices, etc.--turned into an insightful discursive space. With each new issue, I noticed my students levels of discomfort rise. They were moving away from politically correct or what the teacher wants to hear to speaking what they always wanted to say but thought they couldn't. This was uncharted territory.
I think Jihad Jane was the napalm. She is a white American female who promotes militant terrorism allegedly. When asked to visualize her, each class depicted her as an Arabic woman not a suburban American woman. Her actions did not fit the stereotype terrorist; whoever or whatever that is. Once the shock of her identity sunk into my students' minds, the flood of violent, sexist comments were spewing from their mouths--she should just die, be tortured, exiled, etc. Her existence defied the stereotype and made them uncomfortable. Rather than discuss what about her was disconcerting, denial and eradication were the best options. Of course, being the instructor, I did attempt to move them in that direction whether I was successful remains to be seen.
Sure, I got the lively class discussion that I wanted, but will it continue? I find that we don't open up spaces for discourse about stereotypes, race, gender, and religion outside of those who hold the same values. Is it that I fear being judged? Yes. I feel judged no matter what stance I take. I'm Christian feminist...so now my traditional Bible thumping, skirt wearing, friends will judge me as bad Christian... try to show me that I am wrong in how I label myself. Then, I will have feminist friends judge me for believing in a misogynistic text. I don't fit in, contradict myself, but this is a space in which I can do just that. Judge me if you want.
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