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The Lance February/March 2011 CLASS EXPERIENCES Page 3 The Politics of Sex Josh Pickett Reporter I was just a freshman when I was introduced to sex, or at least the renowned Politics of Sex class. At that time in my college career I was used to going to classes where professors would stand up in front of the students, lec ture, and click a button that would make an invisible hand move slides on the board. Sometimes I would catch myself nodding off and trying to lift my drooping eyelids, which at the time felt like a herculean mission. When I went back to my room or library there was little, if any, inspiration to do home work that dealt with pie-charts, and supply and demand. However, sex changed all this. At first I had no inkling of what was in store for me. Was I poking into a warm, dark classroom that would mere ly put me to sleep or one that would make me rise to the occasion? Was I entering a vapid, dry class that would rub me raw or a powerftil and juicy class that would fulfill my every wish and desire? I was soon answered by Dr. Bushoven when he walked through the door. He told us to be seated and began talking and I started thinking, “here we go again.” That thought soon stopped when I heard him say something about penises and vaginas. What? How could this be? A profes sor talking about, of all things... private parts! I soon found out that this sex had teeth, though not physically painfiil bite. It was both fun and educational. There was quite a bit of homework and tests were more than just receiving candy, but, ****, it was fun (pun intended). I learned more about my body—and the female body—in that class than in any health class I was forced to take in High School. Moreover, I learned how much we are ruled by social constructs (what “socie ty” tells us to be) than I ever realized. What really brought this insight to my attention was when Dr. Bushoven asked, “What would all of you think if you saw a group of guys holding hands?” Of course we all answered, “That they are gay.” He then pulled out the cover to the hit football movie, Friday Night Lights. On it were three guys walking onto a football field, hold ing hands. He said, “What about now.” Many of us were at a loss for words because that image did not fit into the two box world that we Americans tend Distin^ished Professor Neal Bushoven to place aspects of reality into. Dr. Bushoven then said “Well are they gay or not? If a group of men are standing around holding hands then, according to you all, they are gay?” We responded by saying, “Well it’s not that simple.” Dr. Bushoven then responded, “Exactly.” After that class ended I signed up to become a Politics major. I was captivat ed by the idea that certain classes, like sex, required participation rather than demanding that I play the part of a receptacle that should be filled with “knowledge” of the professor-gods. I have been satisfied with my decision ever since. Getting to know John Knesel Photo courtesy of Ren^e Jones Dr. John Knesel and Toto The Lance would like to formally introduce one of SAPC’s newest pro fessors, Dr. John Knesel. If you’ve been in his class, then you’re probably familiar with his buddy, Toto, and his teaching style! But, in case you haven’t, just for fim, here’s 10 things you many not know about this biology professor! 1. I was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, which is also the birthplace of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Lee Swaggart and Howard K. Smith. 2. I worked as a deckhand for the Canal Barge Company for one year. 3. I graduated from Ferriday High School in 1967, hold a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Northeast Louisiana University and a Ph.D. from Perdue University. 4. My thesis work focused on the golden hamster and the hyperthermic ewe. 5. Before coming to St. Andrews, I held (See Knesel, P^e 8)
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