Intro

Would you like having a lesbian president? Or maybe having your parents to set you up on a date?

How would you feel about that?

As Danes we see ourselves as a very tolerant and a very openminded people. We think that we have a good understanding of other peoples culture and religion, but are we in fact misleading ourselves?

The next few weeks we are going to look at the following topics: Arranged marriages, gay marriages and what different countries think about homosexuality.

The first thing you need to do is to to make your own blog on blogger. You will be asked to publish the things we make the next few weeks on your blog.

Arranged Marriages

The first task you have to make in connection to arranged marriage is a map that shows which countries that practise arranged marriages today.

I have found a tool called SmartDraw, where you can make your own map. You can download this program for a trial period of 7 days.

These links might help you to find the countries:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-arranged-marriages.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arranged_marriage

It is not as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, but you have to look carefully to find the answers.
If you find any good links - share them with your class :-)

When your are done with your map, you have to publish it on your blog.

Extra:

If you finish quick answer this question:

Why do you think it is in exactly these countries we find arranged marriages?

Publish your answer on your blog.

East is East

You have now seen the movie "East is East" about a Pakistani father and a British mother and their children.

Your task is to do following:

1. Make a summary of the movie.


2. Write down the most important contrasts you see in the movie.


3. In which way have your view on arranged marriages changed after seing the movie "East is East" and why/why not?


4. Do you think the movie portraits arranged marriages realisticly? Why/why not?

As an extra task you have to do following:

• Make a review of the movie "East is East" in 200 words
  

"Marriage is a Private Affair"

You have now read the short story "Marriage is a Private Affair"

Group up in pairs or the one you sit next to, and discuss the questions on the last page of the story.

• What is Nnaemeka's problem?
• Why doesn't Nene think there is a problem?
• Tell about Nnaemeka's father. What is his view of marriage?
• How does his father react when Nnaemeka marries Nene?
• Tell about the ending of the story. How does the old man fell? Why does he change his mind?

After answering the questions your task is to make a summary of the text.

As homework for Friday you have to write a letter from the father to Nnaemeka, where he expresses his new found feelings and how he would like their relationship to evolve in the future.

You can begin on your homework if you are done with the questions and the summary before the lesson is over.

Extra task:

Anissa found this site called "Marry Our Daughter". Look at the quotes and answer these questions.

• What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you read this?
• Why do the parents do it?

Same-sex marriage

Now we are moving on to same-sex marriage. Before we begin you have to find out the difference between a civil union and a marriage?

After that write down your own thoughts about same-sex marriage. Remeber to publish it on your blog.

Your next task is to follow this link and find out which country was the first to officially legalize same-sex unions. Does the answer surprise you? Why/why not.

The next link sends you to a page that shows you a map over the countries with same-sex marriages.

• Is there something that surprises you about the map?
• What is your view on same-sex marriage, should it allowed or should it be punishable? Explain your answer.
• Find out what countries punish homosexuality by death. Can you explain why it is exactly these countries?

Proposition 8 California

Our next stop is California, where there have been a great dicussion about same-sex marriage. You may have heard about Proposition 8. Here are two commercials that shows why one should vote yes or no:



via videosift.com




After seeing these two commercials, what do you thing about proposition 8? Would you vote "yes" or "no"? Why?

Next you have to see this video and follow this link. Then write down with your own words what consequences a "yes" to proposition 8 would have and what consequences a "no" would have.

Find out if the governor is pro or con proposition 8? Find examples that supports your answer.

Why do you think that the majority of the people in California voted "yes"? Find examples that support your answer.

Find other videos that explains proposition 8.

Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay who got elected to the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco.
Milk saw this as a step forward for homosexuals and other minorities in the future.
It wasn't the first time Harvey Milk ran for at seat as a city supervisor, he tried two times before he succeeded the third time in 1977.

The speech you have got is the famous "Hope Speech" of Harvey Milk at Freedom Day after he got sworn in in the Board of Supervisors. Answer the questions below and publish it on your blog:

• Harvey Milk mentions, in the beginning of his speech, Anita Bryant. Who is she?


• Milk talkes about the rain, why does he do that?


• What does he mean about the movement to the right?


• What does Milk think about media?


• What does Milk say about dialogue, is it good or bad? Why?


• What is the difference between a gay and a friend of a gay, according to Harvey Milk?


• What does Harvey Milk want the gay people to be judged upon? Why?


• Why do people need hope?

You next task - and homework for Friday is to write a speech that go against the speech of Harvey Milk. Your speech has to last 2-4 minutes.

Harvey Milk was assasinated by Dan White in 1978. Today he is still mentioned as a "martyr of gay rights" in San Francisco.

3

...

2

...

1

...