Reading and Reporting LGBTQ Health (330-0-20)
Instructors
Steven William Thrasher
Meeting Info
Fisk Hall 206: Tues 9:00AM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
In Reading and Reporting LGBTQ+ Health, Medill journalism students will learn how to explore, navigate and report on public health in the City of Chicago by reading LGBTQ+ news media and learning queer and trans writing methods. LGBTQ+ health will include medicine, art, culture, and literature. Students will also learn how to critically read media coverage of LGBTQ+ people. Research areas will include queer theory, LGBTQ+ activism, Chicago's LGBTQ+ media history, health disparities, HIV/AIDS, MPX, sex work, disability, and how researchers are using geolocation apps like Grindr and Tinder. Field work in the City of Chicago will be paramount. The course is open to Medill students and may be of particular interest to those who identify as LGBTQ+, who are interested in covering LGBTQ+ issues, and/or who are interested in learning how to cover public health and infectious disease. Students will complete short reporting and reading response papers throughout the course. Final individual projects will either be a reported written journalism story of 1200 to 1500 words; a five- to eight-minute podcast; or a five- to seven-page research paper critically analyzing LGBTQ issues in contemporary media coverage. Please note: The first session will take place on Evanston campus, but most sessions will take place as field trips thereafter, with several sessions happening at the Institute of Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing on Northwestern's Chicago campus. All field sessions will be scheduled so that students can be back in Evanston by the end of the scheduled course time and will be ADA accessible regardless of their location.
Class Materials (Required)
> Imagining Queer Methods (edited by Ghaziani and Brim, $15)
> Queer Love in Color (Jordan, $20)
> The Women's House of Detention (Ryan, $15)
> Nepantla: An Anthology Dedicated to Queer Poets of Color (edited by Soto, $15)
> Trans Care (Malatino, $10)
> One Dimensional Queer (Ferguson, $10)
> The View From Somewhere (Wallace, $15)
While all are available digitally, please get Queer Love in Color in physical copy if you are able. All other readings will be provided. Total book cost: $100
Class Attributes
Attendance at 1st class mandatory
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Medill Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors