William Leap discusses the implications of globalization on small groups such as gay men in America at 5 p.m. Thursday evening in Shideler Hall. (Jordan Kessler)
"I'm very privileged, happy, and honored to be able to say that you will be the first public audience to hear this argument," said William Leap, an anthropology professor from American University, Thursday evening.
To a room of Miami University students and community members, Leap presented his two-tiered argument regarding the connections of globalization and U.S. gay culture in "Globalization Comes Home: U.S. Gay Cultures and the Consequences of Flexible Accumulation."
The first half of Leap's speech described globalization and its direct impact on people locally. The second part of the speech, and the second part of his argument, described how globalization affects gay men and their dialect, what he referred to as Gay Men's English.
Leap said that a main, overarching point of his speech was for listeners to think about the culture in which they live.
"For some Americans the consequences of globalization have simply gone too far," Leap said. The number of people in the United States who do not speak English, a result of globalization Leap argues, is rapidly increasing.
He illustrated this point with an example of the mayor of a small town in New Jersey who protested an advertisement for McDonald's that was printed in Spanish, believing that English as the common language holds citizens together.
Keeping in step with a discussion of language, Leap explained the concept of Gay Men's English, a topic that he has written a book about titled, The Word's Out: Gay Men's English.
"Gay Men's English is my cover term for the linguistic and cultural practices that are of interest to this particular discussion," Leap said. "(It) is an avenue for claiming gay identity in public and private conversation."
Leap also pointed out that a person does not have to be gay to use Gay Men's English and that this language is made up of more than words and phrases and has worldwide circulation
"It's the significance, not the uniqueness, of Gay Men's English that is of interest to us in this discussion," Leap said.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
Leap was brought to Miami by the Center for American and World Cultures (CAWC) as part of the center's spring lecture series.
"I was impressed with his ideas, his insight, and his clarity of thought," said Mary Jane Berman, director of the CAWC.
In addition, Leap used gay sexual cinema to prove his point of globalization as negatively affecting gay men and others.
He said that because of the affects of globalization and new technology, the production and dissemination of gay pornographic films has been made easier and therefore products like gay pornography, which used to be unfamiliar, are more commonplace.
"It was surprising and wasn't what I expected," said junior Krystal Dill. "I didn't know he was going to use cinema to portray his ideas."
Other students shared Dill's sentiments, but agreed that Leap's perspective was varied and interesting to hear.
"It was shocking, but it opened my eyes to alternate ways of life," said first-year Allison Smith.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.