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Introduction

My research paper is on the visibility of homosexuals in the media. I also touch on the visibility on McDaniel campus as well. Mostly though, the paper will be on media aspects. We were assigned to write a letter to a public official about some aspect of our topic. I chose to write to the CEO of NBC Studio Television. I want him to change Will & Grace to make it more fitting to the male homosexual. Right now Will and Jack are the opposites of a normal gay man. The reason I chose Will & Grace as the television show to try to alter is because that show is very popular and reaches millions of people. If the reality of the visibility of homosexuals on that one show is made more realistic, perhaps the acceptance level of homosexuals will change as well.

I worked with Allies, a group on campus dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, other, and straight supporters in the campus community. I've worked with them throughout the beginning of the semester and I hope to continue throughout my college career. I chose the group because I am very passionate about gay rights and feel deep concern for the acceptance rate of homosexuals around the world, particularly on college campuses. I also made fliers for the Allies events on campus to be distributed around campus to advertise the events. I worked with Robin Armstrong throughout the research process and she helped give me information both directly and through a book (see Works Cited page in research paper).

I wrote an article for the Phoenix newspaper of McDaniel discussing how the reality of homosexuals in the media affects the rate that homosexuals are being accepted in real life. I used a survey of 35 students both on and off McDaniel campus as an information tool for the results.

There are various links below to what I've used to gather information for my research, as well as contact information to people I've used or talked to for my paper. Feel free to naviagte around and click on the links. Take the survey if you want to, and email me your answers for my future knowledge.

Links

• First Draft
• Second Draft
• Third Draft
• Fourth Draft (only half-way done because Jen and I didn't get to finish it. Also, don't mind mistakes, I had computer problems and the format got all messed up.)
• Final Draft
• Survey Used for Information
• Letter of Introduction to Allies Advisor, Robin Armstrong
• Interview (between Robin Armstrong and myself)
• Letter to Bob Wright, CEO NBC
• Flier to advertise Allies Bake Sale
• Flier to advertise Allies Coffee House Poetry Reading
• Flier to advertise McDaniel Coming Out Day
• Flier to advertise the Postcard Signing for legalizing Gay Marriages
• Volunteer Day Experience Summary
• Practical Project Article for Phoenix
• Service Learning Contract with Robin Armstrong

Reflection

I cannot express enough how much fun I have had during the process of writing this research paper. The overall service-learning project was a great success and I have had no problems promoting the increased visibility on campus. The research paper writing assignment was a great achievement for myself because through every aspect (from writing letters to designing fliers and articles to writing the actual paper) I have learned more about myself and the gay community. My hope is that people will read my research paper and become more aware of the gay community and all of its splendors, rather than discriminating against a group of people who are vastly unknown.

I hope to receive a response from Mr. Wright because that will give me hope that perhaps my ideas will be heard. I can only imagine his feelings if he, himself, reads my letter and not an office clerk. I believe that although my paper is about a very sensitive subject, it will reach many people in a way that I never thought possible before.

© 2003 McDaniel College and Robert Gill
McDaniel College