Hannah Staley
Mr. Salsich
English 9
20 November 2008
Reactions and Discussion
An essay on a talk with Ms. Stump Olsen and what I think Heterosexism is



OP: In today’s world, discrimination against gay people is a big debate. Some people take the situation lightly and then there are people like Ms. Stump Olsen who take it quite seriously. Also, there are some people who just discriminate for the heck of it and don’t fully understand what heterosexism is and it is wrong. In this essay you will read about my reaction to a talk our ninth grade class had with Ms. Olsen and also about what heterosexism means to me.
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TS:Imagine what it would be like wondering if people are going to hate you? Questioning if they are ever going to treat you like everyone else? Well those questions are ones Ms. Stump Olsen had to face when questioning her sexuality. SD: Ms. Olsen is a remarkable person full of interesting stories that came in to talk to the 9th grade class. CM: One of her sad stories that she shared with us was that she got jumped at least twice a week at the high school attended. CM: This story simply shocked me and really put things into perspective and made me realize that there are some cruel people out there that don’t understand how “hurtful” they can be SD: Something else that saddened me during her talk was how she mentioned the lack of teachers support. Here at Pine Point, the teachers aren’t just here to teach you, but to also be your friend. CM: Ms. Olsen stated that “not one teacher stood up for me.” CM: This statement is extremely hurtful since I am in such a loving community and have never been exposed to a situation like this. CS: But, all I know is that Ms. Olsen’s story has inspired me to help other people if they need it and to not judge people just because they are different.
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TS: My take on heterosexism is that everyone should be able to express themselves without thinking twice. SD: I believe that no one should be judged on how they look or who they like. CM: If everyone liked the same thing and looked the same, the world would be plain and boring. CM: Also, without people expressing themselves and being proud of whom they are, there are no support systems to help them when there are difficult times. SD: Also, heterosexism means to me that it’s ok to show your emotions and get angry sometimes. CM: Crying for help and crying for love, (absolute) Ms. Olsen finally got out what she needed to say. CM: As you can see feelings are such big parts of being a person and then on top of it having people not like you for something stupid, is really a shame and is one side of heterosexism. CS: Whether you are gay or straight, one thing will never change and that is your personality and emotions. If something is bothering you, pestering you and really irking you to the extreme, (participle) don’t be afraid to let it out and tell the world what you need to say.
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CP: As you can see the hate some people have against gay people is horrible and most of the times these people don’t understand the effect they are having on this person’s life. I think it’s great that Ms. Olsen is going around educating students about this matter because it is one that is affecting many lives today. Also, by having this discussion I think that many of us are slowly starting to have a new perspective on the word heterosexism and what exactly it means.
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Self Assesment:
Name: Hannah Staley
Date: November 20, 2008
Assignment name: Reactions and discussion

Some strong points I see in my writing is the opening paragraph. I think it captures the readers attention and summarizes what I am about to talk about quite well.

Some weak points I see in my writing is my absolute. I think that maybe I could have found a better place to put it. Plus, I was still a little confussed.

Some things in my writing I am continuing to work on in the use of unnecissary words. I started falling out of that habit and now I am noticing myself doing it again. So that is something I need to keep on my radar screen.