Academic Pursuits

[keitichan]

In my Nurse Practitioner master's program we do a Capstone Project in place of a master's thesis.  My Capstone Project is focusing on LGBT adolescents and young adults.  I have to do a large literature review on LGBT mental health issues, policy development, and art and entertainment.  I also have to conduct interviews with healthcare providers who

Comments

[karadin]

I think its an interesting project, but I don't associate manga with superpowers - in the sense of western comics, so why do the characters have to have superpowers? Isn't dealing with ignorance and prejudice and being yourself brave enough? - just a thought.

[keitichan]

I like the idea of pulling issues of identity/hidden identity and disclosure over and transposing them onto something other than sexuality and gender identity. Those are the parallels that draw so many LGBT youth to comics in the first place. But maybe I'm being too academic about the final product. I want to make something that people can really relate to and that has mental/emotional health promotion qualities.
Thank you for your input! I really appreciate it.

[karadin]

I think it's important to have good story and characters, rather than work toward something with a message as it's driving force, if you create something, and you have these sensitivites and interests, it comes through in the work, case in point,

actor/screenwriter/author Mark Gatiss is homosexual, and he's been working on the new SHERLOCK series, so the series gives John Watson a sister who is married to a woman, and gives a blatant homosexual subtext to both the Watson/Holmes and Holmes/Moriarity relationships, but remains accessible to the mainstream audience, not beating anyone over the head.

[larkir]

You can interview me further if it would help :P And I'd be happy to help you find that sort of stuff once you get here! [lots of it among my friends xD]

[larkir]

Also, in terms of superpowers, going to second what karadin said; it's pretty brave to stand out there and let yourself be a target. Maybe the fact that the characters are able to [and have each other for support, perhaps?] would be a good plot? :)