My Newspaper Poem about AIDS and the Gay Rights Movement.

I did not think that my Newspaper Blackout Poetry assignment would be so challenging when I started it, but it was. I chose an editorial about Obama’s Inaugural Speech from the New York Times and managed to turn it into a poem about the history of the Gay Rights Movement.

I had to scan my piece into my Macbook in two parts due to the length before splicing them together in Photoshop, blending the scans as best I could and honestly, over all, I am happy with my result. I think that my poem has a message and meaning. It talks about something that I am passionate about as a Gender Studies major, which is nice.

Here is the text of the poem for those who cannot follow the scan.

Human Dignity

Stonewall.
poetry waiting
speech and music
bold
something to hear
progress
years spoke volumes
today
all of us
equal

blood

A Stonewall
A I D S

America
subjected to bullying
L.G.B.T dignity
denied
gay
Americans questioned their decisions
explicitly shocked about how
sex
was in news
coverage
drew attention

I want
I’m proud
minds open
laws change
But the “gay”
American ideal

reality
love must be equal
the right to marry
gay and lesbian don’t have that
we’re not honorable

Despite our strides
no
weddings
taxes
benefits

treats gays and lesbians differently
An inferior class

validate L.G.B.T