The Role Of Disclosure Of Transgender Identity - 2433 Words

Disclosure of transgender identity is one of the most challenging yet personally liberating pronouncements that an individual can share with others. Verbalizing their self-identity can be a struggle for transgender individuals due to fears of social disapproval, rejection, loss of loved ones, discrimination, ostracism, verbal harassment, and violence (Shira Maguen, 2007). An estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults are transgender. This implies that there are approximately 9 million LGBT Americans, a figure roughly equivalent to the population of New Jersey. Among adults who identify as LGB, bisexuals comprise a slight majority (1.8% compared to 1.7% who identify as lesbian or gay) (Gates, 2011) Transgender Identity: Growing Up in the Wrong Body Breasts. Bows. Barbie dolls. The foundation of a societal female identity has been established and reinforced time and time again. As children, we are taught which physical attributes and personal preferences align with the stereotypical women’s figure, culminated in the Bratz Doll. â€Å"Sugar, spice and everything nice† has taken on a modern day spin. Less room exists for the model quiet, book reading girl while more space is made for the spacey mean girls whose handbag contents include lap dogs and hair brushes. Stroll through the toy aisle in any store. Adjust your eyes to the colors, patterns, and themes associated with the products availableShow MoreRelatedGender Identity And The Transgender Orientation1386 Words   |  6 Pagessex-related behaviors develop in later years. These roles are largely based on social experiences and inner feelings. Generally, the behaviors are consistent with the gender assigned at birth, however; there are some children who are cross-gendered and show behaviors that are opposite to the sex assigned to them at birth (Pardo, 2008). Most of the transgender people identify their gender identity during adolescence, research studies suggest that transgender males and females go through a process of dissonanceRead MoreChallenges Throughout Their Transition Of Being Expected1535 Words   |  7 PagesTransgenders face several challenges throughout their transition of being expected. MacNish Gold-Peifer (2014) defined the term transgender as an umbrella term used to describe variations of gender identities derived from your expected birth gender and societies expectations of that gender. Growing Up LGBT in America, stated that 26% of LGBT youth reported that the biggest problem that they face is not feeling accepted by their family, bullying and other school troubles, and the fear of beingRead MoreA Research Study On Transgender Orientation1661 Words   |  7 PagesThe terminology throughout gender is constantly evolving as is the understanding of the growing issues and therefore is inconsistent throughout the literature. Transgender may refer to people who embrace a different gender identity on a full time basis to that appointed at birth, which may be ambiguous or gender specific, but without any medical intervention. Transsexual is often used to differentiate those who have taken medical intervention to live full time in the fixed gender different to thatRead MoreTransgender Inequality : Human Dignity.that Is Why We Defend Free Speech, And Advocate For Political Prisoners1326 Words   |  6 Pages Transgender Inequality M. Georgia Valdes November 12th, 2015 SYG 2010 Social Problems â€Å"As Americans we respect human dignity†¦.That is why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.† This is the first time that a president has said the word â€Å"transgender† in the State of the Union address. These words were not said by any accident and shouldRead MoreCultural Sensitivity And The Therapeutic Relationship1361 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferences among us create a mosaic-like society, rich in diversity and culture. Arnold and Boggs (2016) define culture as a complex social concept, which encompasses socially transmitted communication styles, family customs, political systems, and ethnic identity held by a particular group of people (p. 113). It is what brings people together, and it is also what sets them apart. Cultural diversity is broad in the sense that ‘culture’ can include our religion, gender, sexual orientation, history, educationRead MoreEssay On Sex Discrimination In The Workplace1014 Words   |  5 Pages1. Should transgender employees be considered by the courts to be a protected class under Title VII s prohibition of sex discrimina tion in the workplace? I agree that transgender employee should be considered by the courts to be a protected class under Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Sex refers to the biologicalRead MoreLgbt, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Queer Identified ( Lgbtq ) Runaway And Homeless Youth1416 Words   |  6 PagesThe problem Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual transgender, and queer identified (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth are of the most vulnerable groups in this country. Homelessness, particularly among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, queer youth is an enduring example of a social problem in our society. The LGBTQ youth faces an increasing number of challenges. In disclosing their sexual orientation family conflict arises and plays a huge role in the issue of homelessness among the LGBTQ youth. They faceRead MoreShould Same Sex Marriage Be Legal?1551 Words   |  7 Pages Many people do not realize that there is a difference between gender identity and sexual orientation. As well that there is many different types of sexual orientations and what they all mean. The country, itself, has presented itself has proudly heterosexual for a long time. This causes the people who are not heterosexual to feel discomfort in their own cities. Some people may confuse sexual orientation with gender identity, and vice versa. They often confuse these two terms because they are oftenRead MoreThe Burden Of Cancer : Aging And Adoption Of Westernized Lifestyle Like Physical Inactivity1161 Words   |  5 PagesDALYs (13.1 million) in women. Affect of gender roles: Susceptibility Stomach cancer is found more in men. The presumed cause is reflux esophagitis, related to a combination of things like late night eating, alcohol or coffee consumption, and smoking. Higher alcohol consumption predisposes men to greater risk of liver cancer (10,000/year versus 5300/year). Tobacco smoking has been the greatest cause for lung cancers and smoking has been a gendered role for men for a significant amount of time in theRead MoreThe Importance Of Disclosure Of Transgender Identity2565 Words   |  11 PagesAbstract Disclosure of transgender identity is one of the most challenging yet personally liberating pronouncements that an individual can share with others. Verbalizing their self-identity can be a struggle for transgender individuals due to fears of social disapproval, rejection, loss of loved ones, discrimination, ostracism, verbal harassment, and violence (Shira Maguen, 2007). An estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults

Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck - 1668 Words

Of Mice and Men starts a few miles south of Soledad, California. Two men are walking near a river bed. One man is large and the other small. The small one is names George and the bigger man is Lennie. After being warned Lennie drinks from the river by putting his entire head under the water. The men are headed to work at a new ranch. The large one, Lennie, is carrying with him a dead mouse, which George makes him discard. Lennie and George were apparently ran out of the town where they previously worked. After a supper of beans George tells Lennie the plan for their future and tells him that they will not be lonely like all the other ranch hands because they have each other. After sleeping in the clearing by the river the pair finally arrive at the ranch. Arriving a day late the men are questioned by the ranch owner, Lennie slips up and begins to talk making the boss very nervous, assuming George is somehow taking advantage of him. George assures him that he has nothing but good in tentions and wishes only to take care of Lennie, whom he says was kicked in the head by a horse. In the end they are bothe assigned to working in a grain team. The boss leaves the men along with an old one-handed ranch hand named Candy. The bosses son comes into the bunk house the men are in and soon tries to antagonize the new men. The old man explains that he is just a short man with a shorter temper. Curleys wife comes to see Lennie, George and a respected ranch hand named slim, flirtingShow MoreRelatedOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: I. Background A. John Steinbeck was born on February 27th, 1902 in Salinas, California. 1. Salinas River was one of the few centers for shipping, farming, and agriculture a. John Steinbeck worked as an employed laborer, digging canals and working beside men similar to characters in his novels. 2. In a discussion John Steinbeck said, I worked in the same country that the story is laid in. The characters are composites to a certain extent. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insaneRead MoreOf Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck842 Words   |  4 Pages it was not uncommon to become morosely secluded while working. Men would go far away from their families in search of any jobs they could get, with only themselves to confide in; colleagues only filling in the void of friends and family partially. Naturally, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, written during this period, would reflect this fact as a major aspect of the story. Loneliness would become the sinew of Of Mice and Men, manifested in some of the story’s main characters: Candy, CrooksRead MoreOf Mice and Men by John Steinbeck1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthis expression to stress the fact that there are and will be difficulties in life. John Steinbeck, in his novella Of Mice and Men, does not fall short of the same views. It takes place in the year 1937, a period associated with the Great Depression, and illustrates the hardships of the time, and more so those that laborers such as George and Lennie experience. Life proves to be full of disappointments for both men who are victims of harsh circumstances in more ways than one. The two have a dreamRead MoreThe And Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1549 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will be exploring the role of women in the texts ‘DNA’ by Dennis Kelly and ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck. Both texts are quite dissimilar for the most part, with ‘DNA’ being a contemporary play, dealing with problems faced by modern youth groups and ‘Of Mice and Men’ being a classic novella. Set in the 1930’s, the novella tells a story of two migrant workers who flee to Salinas, California, for work. In spite of this, both explore the presentation of female characters similarlyRead MoreOf Mi ce And Men By John Steinbeck894 Words   |  4 PagesOf Mice and Men Essay John Steinbeck once said, â€Å"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us†. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, two men go on an unexpected journey in search for their dream of happiness. There are many themes that come from their journey such as, the gilded American dream, the bond of male friendships, the power of women and femininityRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1433 Words   |  6 PagesI am writing a literary essay on the novella, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I will be responding to the question describe an important character and explain how the character helped you understand an important message. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, two characters, Crooks and Curley’s wife, help me understand the message ‘Discrimination isolates people’. The book takes place in Soledad, California, mid 1930’s, during the Great Depression, at a time when discriminationRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1747 Words   |  7 Pages Of Mice and Men is a tragedy And The Pearl is a parable. Author s Name John Steinbeck -Title of Work #1: Of Mice and Men -Genre: Tragedy -Evidence of Genre (explain what makes the work an example of the genre): Tragedy is a branch of literature that uses a serious and dignified style the sad or unfortunate events encountered or caused by a heroic individual. In Of Mice and Men George and Lennie face a lot of tragic events. -Complete Summary of Work: Of Mice and Men is theRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1354 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, written by John Steinbeck, is set near the Salinas River in California, America during the Great Depression between 1930-1939. The Great Depression was a distressing time in the history of America as the unemployment rate was high which in turn led to poverty and hunger. During this time, many struggled to find work and this steered them to travel long distances, often without having anyone to talk to. Dreams were crafted by this travelling workforce and were somethingRead MoreMice Of Men By John Steinbeck785 Words   |  4 Pages It was an hopeless time period. For George in steinbeck s book mice of men by John Steinbeck,it was the great depression.This was a time period of a deep and dark economic downturn that affected the whole country. While the story focuses on George and Lennie s struggles through this hopeless time.They were best buds that got along great. They went to farm to farm as migrant works to get there pay. George had to take care of Lennie throughout the book and pick up the pieces, but lennie was a kindRead MoreOf Mice And Men By John Steinbeck1400 Words   |  6 PagesOf Mice and Men, it is not just a band! Of Mice and Men was originally a short novel written by John Steinbeck in the 1930s. Regardless of the shortness in length, though, it is a rather deep and emotional book with quite a few messages behind the fictional storyline. These messages, however, cannot be discovered right off the bat. To genuinely absorb the messages Steinbeck teaches and actually understand the meaning behind them, one must read the book in its entirety. Steinbeck educates readers

Musical Analysis of Lose Yourself free essay sample

When faced with the decision of which pop song really stood out to me during my youth and adolescent years, the song Lose Yourself by Mine Immediately came across my mind. From listening to this song during soccer game warm ups, to quietly being indulged in my own headphones while studying for high school exams, this song was like no other in my Tunes library. On top of its amazing use of musical elements, I especially love this song because of its connection to certain socio historical factors and the pure raw meaning behind its lyrics. Although the reaction o this song was quite mixed, and stirred a lot controversy, it was the most defining rap song of the early 20005. While sitting at my seat pondering about this piece, It brought me to a scene of reminisce to all the milestones that Vie gone through with this song playing in the background. We will write a custom essay sample on Musical Analysis of Lose Yourself or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This feeling serves as a foreshadow to the content and messages delivered In this song that will be further discussed. I will attempt to dissect Lose Yourself in this paper and provide a thorough analysis of its different musical elements, its social background, and my own personal thoughts towards It.Amines Ingeniousness in creating this masterpiece resulted in an academy award for the best Orlando song In 2002 a vindication to the Impact that this song has had. In discussing its musical elements, something which makes this song so easy to enjoy and popular among all audiences is its duration. Its combination of piano, guitar and drums creates a simple layering which rocks to a common 4/4 time measure. Its rhythm is simple but strong, and gives Mine a good framework to rap on. Similar to many rap songs, the time measure does not change throughout the whole piece and keeps a repetitive beat.The consistency of guitar chords playing on the downbeat creates an engaging feeling for the listeners to nod their heads to. Most notably, in the beginning of the song where the guitar is first introduced, the use of the word generatorl can be heard very clear. The snares follow a similar four feel rhythm with accents on the downbeat while the piano compliments these two aspects well with its harmony. Its duration is very downbeat focused. Apart from the guitar chords and snare drums, we can hear that the left hand chords on the Plano all occur on the first beat of every bar. The use of loud humanities sounds during the chorus Is also on the first beat of every bar. The simple mixture of the uses of these instruments is important in delivering a driving beat for the rest of the song. Lose Yourself employs a typical strophic form. It has the regular ABA sections, where A is the verse and B is the chorus. This song very accurately represents the definition behind verse and chorus. The lyrics explain In details the story of his Journey and certain emotions he encountered through the verses.The chorus Is the moral, hook and what comes to everyones minds when they hind of this song. It stirs inspiration, adrenaline, and is the essence behind this song. Its repeated three times and flows perfectly between the verses, giving the listeners a quick recap of the moral in the song. Mine uses an interesting entrance to this song where he puts out a scenario, and asks a question If you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, one moment, would you capture It or Just let It SLP3.Although similar to a bridge, Its not completely a bridge because song. However, it has the same effect of a bridge, which offers a different sound to he song, sets the tone for the rest of the piece, and engages the audience to begin thinking and keep their ears listening. Simply put, piano chords described as instantly recognizable open the song with a sense of mystery, and throughout the song there is a tense, unrelenting guitar lick4. What make this song so popular among sport teams who want to get pumped before games is the buildup and its dynamics. Every one of the three verses progresses in a crescendo until the chorus. The chorus is very forte and it has quick volume increases by a synthesizer sounding instrument that accents the downbeats in the chorus. The use of the softness of the piano harmony complements this hardness perfectly in his three verses as you can hear it lingering in the back. The use of his fading in and out with the symbolic piano sound uses dynamics very effectively especially his opening, which starts by only a unique piano melody creating that feeling of mystery, nostalgia, and adrenaline.Timbre plays a vital role in the layering of this track. The three main instruments come in at different times and add its own unique place in the song contributing to the overall mood of the song. First, its the light high pitched piano, which is unusual n a rap song. Then the dark low pitched guitar comes in when he starts asking the question and its soon followed by the heavy sounding drums as he starts to rap. The interesting use of timbre gives an acoustic and classical feel versus the drums and synthesizer of hip hop giving the song its diversity and originality.The tempo of this song is not too fast and not too slow. The track runs around 88 beats per minute, close to a maestros. Its the perfect mix of deep thoughts and relentless energy. If this song was any faster, it may ruin the strong statement that it delivers, while if its o slow, it contradicts the fundamental beat and rhythm of hip hop. Although many listeners may associate this song to have a certain depth in its tone, its texture is actually quite transparent. Its very easy to see through this song and dissect the instruments behind its layers.The individual instruments and voices are easy to distinguish and there is no large Jumble of sounds that mixes the sonic landscape. Now that the music background of the song has been established, we will look further into the making and context behind the lyrics. This song is basically the plot f the movie 8 mile a movie about his transcendence from poverty to success and famed. He starred as the main character of the movie, a-Rabbit, which was supposed to represent himself. It was his Journey through the underground rap scene which served as the inspiration for the plot of the movie.In fact, it was on the set of the movie in which Mine himself was so touched by seeing his past being put together, that he spontaneously wrote this piece. During breaks between sets, his producer Just started playing chord progressions, and he would scribble lines in between sets on a small piece of paper. The importance of the instructiveness is reflected in the movie as that actual piece of paper makes an appearance when B- Rabbit was writing lines on a bus. The idea behind the spontaneous creation of the song resembles closely about his past his determination and his ingenuity.Having to Juggle working multiple Jobs to make a living quote from the piece that I cant get by with my 9 to 56, and having limited time and few resources to pursue his passion in hopes of making it into stardom, reflects the hardships that many people who still without the help of any modern music gadgets, other artists, or other resources, he just composed the song while on set and recorded it in a simple trailer recording studio. Ironically, something that seemed so ordinary became his most renowned song, earning him an Oscar.I especially enjoy this song because in those four minutes, it represents everything about his career, his movie, and has continuously inspired me even after a decade. There is a central theme in Lose Yourself about seizing the moment, but the lyrics are fragmented, almost as if Mine is grasping for something to says. However, he gets the message across, imparting shards of trudge and ambition as he switches personalities between a-Rabbit and back to his original self, Marshall Matters.If you follow the narrative that has been constructed by Amines albums and the character he plays in 8 Mile, it is almost as if Mine has simply been sharing his personal diary with listeners. Lose Yourself is a cap on the frustrations, anxieties, and setbacks that everyone can relate to. Not everyone grew up as a poor rapper from Detroit, but its Amines unmatched ability to convey raw emotion that gives him the credibility to put together an anthem that tells us to seize the day and live in the moment while using specific examples from his lives, both real (Mine) and imagined (B-Rabbit).The music video for Lose Yourself was filmed in Detroit, Michigan, and thus contains numerous shots of the iconic city. The video is a mixture of multiple scenarios, including scenes from the movie 8 Mile. The social and historical importance of this video is vast as it reflects the haunted sorrows and broken dreams of Detroit a rundown city hoping to make a new image and revivalist itself in the turn of the century. The specific history of Detroit will not be scudded, but in a nutshell, this city exemplifies a lot of the socio-racial problems present in America especially problems regarding the Diaspora of poor blacks into the inner city and inequality issues. Mine demonstrates hope for the whole city by breaking obstacles of the poverty and racial cycle to make it to the big stages. Its truly special to see that the person bringing hope for all the problems in Detroit is someone who is when first thought of, not representative of the population in the problem ravaged area a white male.A major topic that often revolves around Mine especially in the early sass is owe he is a white male in a predominately black industry, but in a predominately white country. As illustrated in 8 mile, not only does he struggle with some of the more common tangible things associated with poverty, he had to deal with his skin color as being the main source of setback in his career. He eventually overcomes his many obstacles to gain the respect of other rappers. The subsequent impact of Mine was huge; he was the pioneer for other white hip hop artists to look up to. However, his proclaimed self-identity was initially hard to be accepted by both whites and blacks. His darkened whiteness through being raised in an impoverished black inner city Detroit community deprives the filthy white of his dignity. The audacity of this rapper from Detroit is that he dares to heroine this transgression: he is thus the discursively black white who undergoes the experience of moving between the two sides of racial identity. He also explicitly proclaims, Im a piece of white trashes identifying that to some extent he is also a minority within the whites.To put into context, white trash is a common phrase used to categorize a permanently classification was hard for both the black and white community to accept. He was caught up in the middle, with the black music industry not respecting him because of his white heritage, but the dominant white American media not accepting him due to his associations with black culture. However, Mine manages to skillfully manipulate s ocial classifications while alternatively positioning himself inside and outside the mainstream12. When Mine addresses white America, he positions himself on the outside of this group, while addressing black crowds as his own. His music links himself to his social status, reminding us that because of his past and identity of poor white trash, he is perceived as and describes himself as black although his skin is white, crossing the frontiers of race and class. He is from the black side, dark and damned by the America of the powerful. It is this aspect that fundamentally distinguishes Amines uniqueness from other white rappers, such as the Beastie Boys or Vanilla Ice who were both middle class.He demolishes the norm, and is eventually respected by all groups through his merits in his music. He is the first artist to break such racial and class barriers to become accepted by all of America. His popularity exposed the hip hop industry to a whole new market of sub urban white teens, and created drastic transformations along with controversy which will be further discussed. On top of the many positive impacts that Mine has had, he also had his fair share of controversy.Mine has accumulated many people who despise his music through his violent and often degrading lyrics. Ever since he biblically used the infamous n-word to discuss black people, much of the hip hop nation has been divided. One side claims that although it was decidedly wrong for Mine to use such language, the situation only points towards bigger issues effecting hip-hop music and culture. They claim that it is hip-hop in general that is at fault and that Mine is Just another example of that. The other side of the debate contends that Mine is solely at fault.They insist that Amines role as the number one selling hip-hop artist-?combined with the fact that he is white-?makes his comments all the more hurtful and insulting. In 2001, he was famously able to survive a storm of criticism by the gay and lesbian community that was directed toward what they deemed as gay-bashing lyrics on his The Marshall Matters LIP album 5. His objectification of females as hoes and the demeaning way he bashes his ex-wife through gender attacks stirred uproar from feminist groups.Both Castoff and Green would not have been too fond of his function in society and inter-gender relations. Under Castoffs principles, he reinforced atrocious stereotypes about gender, ones that may incur significant consequences in later generations. Despite the firestorm of controversy surrounding his often misogynistic, homophobic and violent lyrics, Mine has always been able to transcend hip-hop musics boundaries in a variety of ways. In conclusion, Lose Yourself is an accurate depiction of everything about Mine put into one song.It stirs emotions and inspiration that has touched millions around the world. Amines persona, his poor upbringing in Detroit with a relative closeness to African-Americans, and his amazing lyrical prowess, afford him two things that are of very high value in the hip-hop community: industry respect and street credibility. He offers a sense of hope for all impoverished communities in the United States. Although he has endured heavy criticism, he has still be up for debate for numerous generations to come, but one thing is certain Lose Yourself is definitely a song for the ages.

Hairspray and Tracy free essay sample

Tracy is played by Nikki Blonsky. Tracy is joined by her best friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), and semi-supportive parents (Christopher Walken and John Travolta). Once Tracy earns her spot on the show, she goes head to head with Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), manager of the TV station that produces The Corny Collins Show. Velma likes her dancers thin and white. Tracy joins together with some new friends, (Queen Latifah and Elijah Kelley), to give Velma Von Tussle and Baltimore a â€Å"Miss Teenage Hairspray† pageant like they had never seen. In the end, Tracy integrates the show and wins the man of her dreams, Link Larkin (Zac Efron), all with perfect hair. The music in Hairspray centers on 1960’s pop and RB. Two of my favorite songs are â€Å"I Can Hear the Bells,† sung by Tracy Turnblad, and â€Å"Ladies’ Choice,† sung by Link Larkin. â€Å"I Can Hear the Bells† is written in 4/4 meter. We will write a custom essay sample on Hairspray and Tracy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Dynamically, the song starts softly, piano, played by upper strings and woodwinds, and builds as Tracy gains self-confidence in her plan to woo Link. Different percussion instruments play a big part of this song, portraying the ‘bells’ Tracy keeps hearing. Nikki Blonsky’s mezzo-soprano voice is perfect for this heartfelt song. â€Å"Ladies Choice† is a 60’s style pop-rock song written for the movie. This song gives Zac Efron a perfect showcase for his mellow tenor voice and rock star style. Link sings the song at the ‘hop’ he invited Tracy to dance at. The allegro tempo of the song is perfect for dancingthis is where Tracy wins her spot on The Corny Collins Show. One memorable part of this song is the harmony played by the double bass. The groovy bass sound is the perfect undertone for the upbeat melody. Aside from the music, I also thoroughly enjoy the setting of Hairspray. As I said before, it is set in 1960’s Baltimore. The show pokes fun at a lot of ‘normal’ 1960 ideals. One scene portrays Tracy and her mother, Edna, watching a group of pregnant mothers in a bar drinking and smoking. Tracy and Edna think the mothers are â€Å"so glamorous. † At one point, Tracy hides from the authorities in Penny’s family’s bomb shelter. Penny doesn’t know why they have the shelter, but it has â€Å"†¦food, water, †¦gas masks and Russian language books. The way the writers make fun of the era brings a lot of laughter to the movie. Personally, I love Hairspray—for many reasons. The music is fun and easy to enjoy. No matter how many times I watch it, I can count on it to cheer me up. Also, Hairspray is the only musical film my family enjoys as much as I do. As soon as Tracy starts singing â€Å"Good Morning Baltimore,† the boy s start singing along and my girls start dancing. Besides birthday cake, nothing brings my family together like Tracy Turnblad and Hairspray.