Comments for Discovering Voices, Uncovering Selves

Comment on Re-thinking Research: Autoethnographies by Intro to Methodology « Jamie Mason's Blog

Intro to Methodology « Jamie Mason's Blog — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:52:59 +0000

[...] many questions on data collection or about methods. I have read Marlen’s post from his blog “Re-Thinking Research: Autoethnographies” I found it to be very helpful with great examples of autoethnographies from the research he [...]

Comment on Rika’s 1st Draft by Y aka. Rika

Y aka. Rika — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:09:25 +0000

Thx for your warm comment.
I think everybody has strength. Some people just don’t realize that they have enough strength in themselves.
I wasn’t so strong before deciding to study abroad.
But Canada changed my life. And people around me, close friends, my mom and mother( I call Canadian host mother ” mom” and biological mother ” mother”. Funny,eh?), and music support and guide me. This project leader, who’s going to get his Ph.D, is actually my soul mate, and he influenced me a lot in a good and positive way. I’m so lucky to get to know him.
YOU HAVE strength to post a comment on this blog!
I assume you live in Japan? Yeah, it’s sometimes hard to live as sexual mynority in Japan, but I want to change it.
I’m writing and adding some more things on my esssay, so if you have time, plz come back and check it.
And there will be more stories coming soon. Don’t forget to read them,too.
If I can give you a hope with my story, it’s such an honor . Arigato.

Comment on Rika’s 1st Draft by mie girl

mie girl — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:42:42 +0000

thank you for such a brave and honesty. your story is so interesting. you give me lots of hope I can be myself but I am afraid people`s thinking in japan, really my parents. how do you get your strnegth?

Comment on Writing Can Be Emotional by marlen

marlen — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:17:19 +0000

Arigatou, Y. Thank you for offering support and understanding.

Ma-chan

Comment on Writing Can Be Emotional by Y from Osaka

Y from Osaka — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:16:04 +0000

Dear.XXX who are struggling with your anger

Hi.I’m a bisexual woman living in Osaka, and I’m one of the participants on Ma-chan’s project.

I’m also writing my story but I don’t feel angry from thinking of the past because I’m too old to get angry anymore.hahaha.Thinking about the past is sometimes very
sad, painful, and rough.I’ve been through these emotions when I was younger.

I was sad and angry when noone undertood me or somebody insulted me.
I was never happy while I was in Japan, but after staying in Vancouver, somehow I changed.I became confident, I was able to laugh at the people who had insulted me, I can forget all the sadness because I’m happy for who I am now.
Well,I still have problems, but I’ve got the strength to go through them.

If you want to share your feelings, especially your anger, you can write to me in Japanese. Because we have the similuar background(like growing up in Japan, being gay, being on this project,etc) you might feel better by exploding your emotions in Japanese.

Of course, I won’t tell anyone but Marlen about what you write to me.
Just remember, you’re always welcome to write to me.
Ma-chan can give my address if you ask him.
Ma-chan surely can guess who I am.

Gambatte on your story.You’re not the only one who are struggling.

From Y. living in Osaka

Comment on Excerpt from Ch. 2, On sexuality by Simone

Simone — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:46:52 +0000

I will be always interested in knowing and sharing things with people I feel connected to.
No need for appologies.
I came here to post just because I heard other homossexual´s opinions.
Yeap, being Jewish is to face controversy and prejudice, just like being different because of his or her sexual preferences.
My grandmother used to say that when you have a doubt, in reality you have already an answer.
Anyways, good lucky with all your projects and remember that being honest with yourself and being proud of what you are is the key to hapiness. Many kisses.

Comment on Excerpt from Ch. 2, On sexuality by marlen

marlen — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:35:17 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Simone. I’m happy that you felt moved to respond and question. I would love to hear your stories in the future and I’m sorry to be so exclusive in this project; the goal is to take a snapshot of a very specific group of individuals.

I understand what you are explaining about being Jewish. I am lucky to be able to say that I have never knowingly been persecuted for my religious heritage.

As for my own sexuality – no, I’m not sure of anything. I suppose this is one reason why I work in this field and ask these questions; researching others’ understandings of their own sexuality in some small (or large) way helps me to see myself more clearly and perhaps with a different perspective. One thing I find really cool about doing cultural research is the unique ability to look into the lives of others. As I was briefly a counselor in the past, I can see this thread of curiosity running throughout my entire lifeline.

Comment on Excerpt from Ch. 2, On sexuality by simone

simone — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:03:02 +0000

Dear Marlen,
I read your story and I have some comments. I won’t share my story because I am straight, meaning I am married to a guy, always wanted guys and I am sure of my sexual option.
But I have thoughts of what you say here.
I am Jewish. That means there is no place for me in the world and people look at me different. We are hated, not understood, people wish to banish our kind from earth.
So in a way, I face the same “problems” every Gay person does.
While I was in High school I had friends who loved me because I was a different jew as they used to say , or I was skipping this detail. People didn’t know.
Like some gays, that never come out the closet.
When I moved to Israel I learn that being Jewish is an Honor and in fact, we are the sons of the big guy up there.
I learned that no matter what people think of me, I know who I am, what are my beliefs and if someone does not accept my religion or my race, FUCK HIM.
I think of humans as humans, not gays, muslims, black, whites, straight, drags, fags…we are all humans.
Seems to me, and maybe I risk to say, that you found yourself a comfort zone where you are accepted. Maybe you are even cool to be bi, it is fashionable.
The truth is my friend, I met 1000 of homossexuals and they all said one thing: they knew from early age they were gay. There is no such a thing as B,i or a gay who became straight.
Those are the rules.
They all say that a guy who calls himself bi, either is not accepting he is gay or is afraid people will not accept him.
I don’t really belong to this group and frankly, I think to be gay is as natural as to be straight ( and this is word that turns gay into not straight, not right, wrong behior). We don’t have such a slang in Portuguese.
Maybe I am risking to say something that it is not my business, but are you really comfort with yourself? with your sexuality?
Do you think BI is something that really exists or it is the name for someone confused with his sexual preferences?

many kisses, Simone.

Comment on Author & Participant Narratives by marlen

marlen — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:59:03 +0000

http://intersections.anu.edu.au/

Comment on Author & Participant Narratives by marlen

marlen — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:41:59 +0000

thanks, cooledskin. come back in a few weeks for chapters 2 and 3!

marlen