Exploring Sexuality: An Anthology of Queer Short Stories
Date
2021-12
Authors
Giesecke, Ashton
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Abstract
The thesis I have written is an anthology of short stories about topics ranging from sexuality to queer experiences in general. During my freshman year at Texas State, I discovered that I had feelings for another woman. I had never experienced romantic attraction to someone before, so it was both terrifying and exhilarating for me. I did not know what to call myself, or who to tell. I was thrust into my own journey of self-discovery and sexuality, one that I was not prepared to have. After some time, the two of us fell in love and started dating. On top of it being my first ever relationship, I also had to deal with the pitfalls that come with being in a same sex relationship. Including our love being seen as less than or as an upgraded friendship. I could hardly ever see myself or my struggles reflected in the media I consumed. I took it upon myself to write my own stories about people who went through the same things I went through. And people who loved in the same way that I loved. On top of these things, the topic of sexuality was fascinating to me. It was so much more complicated than what I had been taught my entire life. When writing this thesis, I wanted to create stories that explored complexities of sexuality and love. I wanted to write about how multifaceted queer people and queer relationships could be—messy, sweet, loving, and imperfect. I want to push my readers, just like how I was pushed, into reconsidering themselves and the world around them. And most importantly, I wanted to write something that people like me could read and see themselves in the page.
Description
Keywords
creative thesis, Anthropology, Honors College
Citation
Giesecke, A. B. (2021). Exploring sexuality: An anthology of queer short stories (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.