Marching towards Equality

The LGBT Fight for Equal Access to Public Accommodations

A Timeline of HB2: the "Bathroom Bill"

    In March of this year, the North Carolina General Assembly passed House Bill number 2 (HB2), a state law which sparked a nationwide debate. The section of this bill that drew the most attention required people using bathrooms in government facilities to use the bathroom that corresponded to the gender they were assigned at birth. As you can imagine, this ended up leading to some pretty awkward situations like the one pictured below.
   The LGBT community and its allies were outraged. Many members of the trans community have spent time and money on surgery, hormonal treatment, and lifestyle choices in order to feel more comfortable in their bodies and better portray their "true" selves. However, this "bathroom bill" put many of these people in very uncomfortable places. In fact, by forcing these people to use the "proper" facilities, they are more likely to be recognized as transsexual before being recognized as people.
   Advocates of the bill claimed that this would help keep potential sexual predators out of women's bathrooms that might enter under the pretense of being transsexual, but there has been no proof of this having ever been an issue.
   But no matter which stance you were to take on this issue it all boils down to one simple question: does the state have the right to tell you which bathroom to use? The answer to the question seems simple, especially when you consider the fact that we already answered a similar question less than a century ago, dealing with the issue of "separate but equal." You probably would not readily equate these situations, but a public bathroom is a public accommodation which means that all people deserve equal access to them, no matter their race or gender identity. 
   In Senator John Lewis's March (book one), he makes it very clear that the fight against discrimination and hate is an ongoing battle, and while we may make great strides, there will still be oppression to fight and enemies to face. He dedicates his book "to the past and future children of the movement" because he believes that the trials he's faced and the lessons he's learned will still be applicable to those who carry on in the fight today.
   There are some surprising parallels that can be drawn between the current LGBT movement and the Civil Right's movement of the 60's. In March, Lewis emphasizes the need to meet hate with love and nonviolence. In the 60's, peaceful protests were the key to winning the war against segregation and discrimination, from marches to sit-ins young African Americans took it upon themselves to peacefully draw attention to the unfair and unconstitutional treatment of the black community in the South. Today, in response to HB2 members of the trans community have taken to posting pictures of themselves in their "assigned" restrooms, like the one seen above and the one mentioned earlier. These peacefully draw attention to the ludicrous situation that HB2 has put them in. 
   The war on hate has made great strides in recent years. We coming to the end of our first black President's second term in office, and it's possible that his successor may be the first woman elected President. In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry. The LGBT community cried "Love Wins" across the country. However, the "bathroom bill" and bills like it in other states have still not been addressed. The federal hearing for HB2 has been pushed back until May 2017, and the Supreme Court ruling will decide if love will win over hate in this bathroom debate.

Diverse Comics

"[In regard to a particular image of a male superhero in a slightly sexual and vulnerable pose.] If it was a female superhero, it would have gone to print. No question. Because it was a male superhero--who is supposed to be powerful, not vulnerably sexualized--it was pulled before print." - G. Willow Wilson


"If you want THESE pictures to do what the Hawkeye Initiative does,...I want to see ANATOMICALLY INCORRECT, SKINNY, UNDERWEIGHT, VULNERABLY POSED men who’s image says nothing more than 'please bend me over and fuck me hard, I’m a powerless sex object only here to compliment your ego' with large come hither eyes, to an audience of women." - caffeinesbian


"In a post-Gamergate world, it seems clear that rampant sexual objectification in geek culture leads to the devaluation of women's lives and to very real sexual harassment. Women are the fastest-growing reader demographic in comics, yet they still routinely get harassed, fake geek girl'd, and confronted with hypersexualized images like these." - Aja Romano

"A super-hero comic like [Ms. Marvel]... was the trifecta of death. New characters don't sell. Female characters don't sell. And minority characters don't sell. In order for a series like this to succeed, it would have to shatter decades of conventional wisdom." - G. Willow Wilson

"I wasn't interested in writing some kind of model minority book. I wanted to create a hero from a background that is often misunderstood and maligned for a generation that is often misunderstood and maligned." - G. Willow Wilson

"There's not always a way out, but there is a way forward." - G. Willow Wilson's message to Millennials

"All [we] did was hold up a mirror." - G. Willow Wilson on why Ms. Marvel was so successul

Journey to Freedom

Rays from the setting sun caress the shifting sands, creating a rose-hued world that sparkles before me. The desert wind ripples the hem of my robe and curls the edges of my scarf in its wake. My robe -- it was a gift I think, but I can't remember anymore. I raise my eyes again towards Nen Kuraht, God's Pillar. Its image fills me with a strange sense of purpose, and without it I would undoubtedly be lost in this inhumanly beautiful wasteland. It is my beacon of hope in this mysterious place. Though I know where I must go, I still wonder why. Why was I sent here? Who was I before I came to this desert? I hope...no, I know that these answers will be found at the peak of Nen Kuraht.

My thoughts are interrupted by...a sound, something like singing. There is something living in this place? Is it calling to me? I step forward seeking its source, but I still find it hard to believe that anything could live in this forgotten pile of sand. As I reach the crest of the next dune, I hear the sound again. My eyes are drawn to a ruinous mound that lies in the depression between this dune and the next. And as I move forward, I am more certain that something is trapped inside this structure. But I don't understand, there have only ever been ribbons encased in these constructs, never something alive and imprisoned. In a panic, I call out, seeking to free this being and hoping desperately that its prison obeys the same commands that I used to free the ribbons before. 

And in the silence that falls between my cry and this creature's potential freedom, my heart beats twice. Then the sound of grinding stone releases time from its standstill as the cage door opens and a red streak blurs upward into the open sky. My eyes follow the creatures path closely as it slowly spirals back down towards the sand and circles around me, assessing my status as either friend or foe. In an attempt to calm it, I call out to it once more, with the only language I have. This seems to remove some of the creature's apprehension, and it decides to approach. I extend my hand in a gesture of friendship, and it responds by nuzzling against my open palm. This satisfies the creature's assessment.

"N'ella." The involuntary phrase that escapes my lips seems to please the creature further. She quickly circles me once more and launches herself further into the wasteland, occasionally glancing back and chirping as if to beckon me forward.

Sailor Moon: An Assessment Using McCloud's Key Concepts

In  his book Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud expresses and defines the characteristics of the comic medium: icons and symbolism, expression of time and space, color association, communication of emotion through shape, expression of movement through lines. He also remarks on the differing evolution of Western comics and Japanese comics (or manga), specifically the Japanese use of dynamic panels and subjective motion.

Sailor Moon is a Japanese comic that follows a young girl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into her alter ego, Sailor Moon, and creates a team of sailor guardians to find and protect the Legendary Silver Crystal so that its power cannot be used to destroy the solar system. This comic is a great example of some of McCloud's key concepts for Japanese comics and comics as a collective medium.

**(Note: Example pages taken from Sailor Moon are read from right-to-left)

First, let's talk about panels. McCloud speaks to the relationship between time and space, stating that, in comics, we must learn to perceive time spatially, "for in the world of comics, time and space are one and the same." And the way time and space are shaped, is through the use of panels. In a general sense, panels are used to separate moments in time and create linear transitions, but within a single panel time can be expressed in different ways. The spatial length of a panel and the use of negative space can contribute to a feeling of temporal length. Moreover, if a panel were to bleed off the page as in the image above, it creates a sense of timelessness, as if time stretches on forever in this single moment. As you can see through the dialogue above, timelessness is exactly what the author was trying to convey with this panel. Usagi wishes that time could stop for this moment, and for the reader it almost feels like it could.

Panel shape can also contribute to the energy of the moment. As is common in most Japanese comics, moments of action and intensity are conveyed by using diagonal panel borders.This follows very closely with Molly Bang's principle that diagonal lines convey a sense of motion and tension. In the above image, the intensity of Sailor Moon's surprise is clearly felt when Sailor Jupiter transforms for the first time. When Sailor Jupiter attacks on the next page, the reader can feel the movement and action in her attacks.

Now, let's talk about shapes and lines, especially those that communicate action and emotion. In his text, McCloud discusses how the depiction of movement has evolved in comics and how the trend from objective motion to subjective motion is becoming apparent. Objective motion is a comic technique that uses motion blur to either blur the object that is moving or blur the space directly behind it. Subjective motion, a concept that began in Japanese comics, blurs the background so that the object in motion can remain in focus and therefore draw the most attention since it is rendered in the most detail. The author of Sailor Moon tends to denote movement through the placement of the character's hair, as seen in the image above. Also, notice that there is no background to blur here, but the same goal is accomplished. The author has chosen to use no background in this panel so the reader can truly focus on Sailor Moon and what she is doing.

McCloud also speaks on the use of shape to convey a certain emotion, which is used quite often in speech bubbles. As seen in the image to the left, the shape of a speech bubble can be used to add additional meaning and inflection to the dialogue. In this scene, it is clear that they are yelling this phrase together. Given in the context that this is the preparation for an attack, the reader can strongly feel that this attack will be extremely formiddable.

And lastly, let's talk about symbolism, namely icons and color. McCloud remarks on the importance of icon and abstraction in images. McCloud's argument is that abstraction is favored over realism in a character in order to give the reader the ability to project him/herself into the text, and icons allow the reader to readily recognize an image and be able to give it meaning. Sailor Moon uses these concepts in a number of ways. Sailor Moon herself is an icon and is widely considered one of the most important and popular female superheroes of all time, and this is partly because of the stylistic choices made for her character. Her sailor outfit is easily recognizable and mirrored by her companions. Her nickname "dumpling head" or "meatball head" calls attention to her unique and definitively iconic hairstyle. All of the main characters and antagonists have their own particular symbols as well (shown in the image below). These images are especially prominent when each sailor scout transforms for the first time. This allows each scout to have a particular identity apart from Sailor Moon, whose crescent moon is a prominent part of her outfit, jewelry, and attacks.

McCloud also mentions how colors, when restricted to a certain palette and used repeatedly can create a visual association with a certain character. This is especially true in Sailor Moon. Each scout has a particular color scheme for her outfit, accessories, and attacks, and while their outfit style is a mirror of Sailor Moon, their color gives them a uniqueness on top of their unique symbols.
To an extent a scout's color scheme is also indicative of her abilities. For example, Sailor Mars, whose outfit is red, tends to attack with fiery abilities while Sailor Mercury, whose outfit and hair are blue, tends to be a more supportive member of the team using water-based attacks.

"Reading" Images

Submitted on behalf of: Elisabeth Ostrow and Nathaniel Manning

The large cube is obviously the center of the piece. It is a well recognized icon and readily gives the feeling of a three-dimensional space. It communicates its strength through its size and the eye is easily drawn to the empty space it's emphasizing. The cube feels solid, with its strong right angles despite its hollow interior and almost seems to be rising upwards, following the diagonal axis on which it has been placed. However, this is all heavily contrasted by the overlapping and shriveled root-like objects at its base. What creates an even greater anomaly is that fact that these small dead-looking things seem to be what's supporting this large, impressive cube. Are these supposed to be roots searching for nutrients? Or are they a parasite seeking to steal this cube's obvious strength? Since both pieces seem to be cast from the same material it seems more likely that these tendrils are a part of the cube: legs, roots, or otherwise. If they are roots, it makes one wonder how the cube could have gathered such strength through such frail appendages. Is this cube at the height of it's life? Has it used up all its nutrients and are its roots showing how truly vulnerable it will be in the near future?

Getting to Know Me

My name is Elisabeth Ostrow, but I usually go by Lis. Yes, it's spelled with an 's'. And yes, it is still pronounced /lɪz/. I'm a proud member of the Ravenclaw house and my MBT personality is INTJ. What this should tell you about me is that I'm an introverted academic that usually wants to be left alone but cares deeply about personal success, organization, and the happiness of those who have earned my friendship and loyalty.

I am studying software engineering and am currently employed by the local library. I am very much interested in discovering graphic novels and narratives in an academic setting and having the opportunity to discuss and reflect on them critically. 

I originally became interested in anime while I was still in middle school. I was introduced to it by my best friend who started me off with the Miyazaki classics "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle." The first show we watched together was called "DN Angel," a slightly campy fantasy romance that I absolutely adored. I gradually began to explore more titles on my own such as "Ouran High School Host Club," "Fullmetal Alchemist," and "Sailor Moon."
Since then, I have read various online comics, mangas, and graphic novels and would consider myself experienced in this genre but not an expert. Because of this, I am definitely open to learning new and better techniques to experience these texts.

As for visual novels and video games, I am a huge fan of role-playing games, episodic adventures, and point-and-click adventures. I especially love experiencing each games unique art style and lore while I explore the character's background and development. My favorite part about episodic adventures is that each of your choices determines how the world will work in the future which allows the game to provide a different experience every time you play it.

I believe there are a lot of stereotypes and preconceived opinions about fans of comics, anime, and manga. They are obsessive, over-excited, and generally unrelatable and singular in their passion. However, I would submit that this is untrue on a general basis. Since I am part of the Computer Science department, I come into contact with a lot of your typical nerds: antisocial computer geeks who like video games and anime. And I would consider myself one of these people, but I do not believe we all feel the same about our interests and passions. For instance, I also love to read traditional novels and prefer non-competitive game play, which cannot be said for most of my peers. In the same way, lovers of the graphic narrative genre can have outside interests and also be very particular about what they do and do not enjoy about the genre.

All in all, I am very excited to be participating in this course and hope to learn new ways to see and experience a genre that I already love.