(Journalism Senior Capstone Project ) Transgender Texas State University students are strengthening their community in light of increased transphobia in Texas

By Chris Boeke

cwboeke@gmail .com

SAN MARCOS- When he was driving with his mother, Sean Haynes was hit with a moment of clarity that was a year in the making.

“I was like ‘I have got to come out as a trans guy or else, like, I can’t keep living like this,’” Haynes said.

This epiphany seemed to be unexpected, even for Haynes himself. Before he came out to his mother, Haynes was living with his parents. By the time he had moved back in with them, he discovered that he identified outside of the gender binary but decided to present as female to his parents and delay his coming out as transgender. 

“There was kind of a lot of introspection during that time of making things from my childhood make sense,” Haynes said. “The relationships that I had with other people, I never felt like a woman in those relationships. I never felt like my brother’s sister. I sort of felt like my brother’s brother,” Haynes said. 

After this introspection and subsequent coming out, Haynes decided to move back to Texas in 2020 to continue his education: this time as an out trans man.  He is now the vice president of outreach for Texas State University’s Transcend at Texas State, a student organization for gender-nonconforming Texas State students, and is working to finish graduate school.

Haynes graduated from Texas State with a Bachelor of Science in anthropology. He is currently enrolled as a grad student in Texas State’s biological anthropology program. (Photo Credit: Sean Haynes)

Haynes’ story is one that stands in bright relief against a darker backdrop of the recent increase in transphobia in both Texas and the U.S. at large.

A stark reality

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) deemed 2021 to be the deadliest year for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals on-record, with at least 46 deaths recorded nationwide in 2021.  Discrimination is also an equally large issue. On a local level, the crisis hotline Trans Lifeline experienced a 72% increase in calls specifically from Texas as of May 2021, pointing to the fact that many transgender and gender non-conforming individuals feel unsafe in Texas. 

Lex Loro, who is part of Pride Center San Antonio’s community health center, pointed out that this feeling of danger has a holistic effect on the life of a trans individual.

“When we think about mental health and physical health and the ability to have a job and have meaningful relationships and just connect with community, all that– you can’t do those things if you’re just worried about your overall safety and well-being every day, all the time,” Loro said.

Loro has 10+ years experience in LGBTQ+ activism. Her areas of interest are sexual and mental health in the LGBTQ+ community. (Photo Credit: Lex Loro)

Some of the discrimination that causes this sense of danger is due to a misunderstanding of the community. As aspects of gender are discovered to be more multifaceted than previously thought, misconceptions about those who do not conform to established ideas of gender increase. According to Jayson Guest, a graduate student and Instructional Assistant (IA) at Texas State who identifies as agender, some of the misconceptions stem from the lack of a proper vocabulary to differentiate people in the LGBTQ+ community.

“The biggest misconception is that gender nonconforming individuals are gay,” Guest said. “It’s two completely separate, you know, parts of your identity. Gender is a social construct; it’s how you see yourself. Your sexuality is who you are attracted to. [They have] nothing to do with each other.”

Guest is an IA in Texas State’s English department. They first identified as transgender before identifying as agender. (Photo Credit: Jayson Guest)

Coupled with misunderstandings like this is the fact that, according to Loro, there is a direct relationship between the visibility of trans and gender-nonconforming individuals and the vocalization of their detractors.

“I do think as trans and non-binary people become more visible, so do our opponents,” Loro said. “I think that that is a really difficult and complicated situation.”

Exploring trans life at Texas State

This increase in visibility towards the community has made its way to Texas State. In addition to student organizations like Transcend at Texas State, many faculty members at the university have made themselves visible as members of the community. Among them is Jessica Soukup, the education chair of LGBTQIA Alliance at Texas State, who has been an out trans woman since 2016. Since that time, she has received notes from students thanking her for being out and dispensing advice to those wanting to learn about the community.

However, like Loro mentioned, the increased visibility of trans people directly correlates to the vocalization of the community’s opponents. According to Soukup, it is no different at Texas State.

“I had a professor lecture a trans student about the gender binary and how the gender binary is real ,” Soukup said. “But we successfully educated that faculty member.”

Such education at Texas State comes in the form of Ally Training, an educational program provided by Alliance at Texas State. The purpose of Ally Training is to give Texas State students and faculty resources to combat homophobia and transphobia, thus making campus safer for LGBTQ+ students.

Soukup is also the vice board chair of the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) and is the author of He/She/They-Us, a guide on how to be a good ally for trans and non-binary people. (Photo Credit: Jessica Soukup)

Even with programs like this, discriminatory sentiments, along with a general fear for safety, can make life as a trans student at Texas State difficult to navigate. According to Haynes, this feeling hinges on several different aspects.

“It very much depends where I’m at,” said Haynes. “Whereas, on-campus, it’s a total toss-up. There’s a lot of people in a space I might not feel safe [with]. And I know for a lot of trans people, and especially with recent legislation and news cycles and stuff like that, even trying to navigate gendered spaces on-campus can be a very anxious experience.”

Though the trans community feels that Texas State could do more for them, there seems to be a sense of hope that the community will continue to educate faculty and students and give trans students a sense of belonging, a notion echoed by Soukup.

“And so, I think, like society, Texas State is mixed, you know? There’s good spots, there’s bad spots, and what I’m happy to say is that I feel like people are trying to do better,” Soukup said.

After undergoing his own personal journey towards the acceptance of his identity, Haynes feels that there is a place for all trans students at Texas State, regardless of the struggles the on-campus community face. 

“You’re not alone and you don’t have to be alone because there is a community here that will support you and love you and embrace who you are as you find yourself,” Haynes said. “Whatever that means, finding yourself.”

Click the picture to be linked to a video on how one can practice allyship towards the trans community (Video by Chris Boeke).

“A Very Vibrant Community”: On the Austin Film Community in the Time of COVID-19

Though the COVID-19 pandemic halted Austin’s film industry, it is slowly being restored to the way it was before the pandemic.

However, this restoration was not thought to be viable at the beginning of the pandemic. Its progression of over the past year has shown that filmmakers, and the theaters that show their work, were not faring well in the new world brought on by the pandemic. In fact, independent theaters like Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse and larger chains such as AMC were, and still are, either at risk for or have already declared bankruptcy. In spite of this, the film community in Austin seems to be weathering the pandemic. This has been made possible through institutions such as the Austin Film Commission and the Austin Film Society. The former helps filmmakers find the best locations in Austin to film, while the latter provides workshops for filmmakers and screenings in its arthouse theater– both of which have been rendered virtual due to the pandemic. Though the COVID-19 pandemic may hinder the Austin film community its spirit, according to AFS production specialist Max Benitez, will not be so easy to break.

“If you’re a filmmaker in Austin, you feel like you’ve landed in heaven,” Benitez said. “Everything is here for you.”

This statement seems to be confirmed by the many locations in Austin that have been utilized by filmmakers for their films , mainly because of the city’s diversity of locations and easy-to-navigate downtown. For these reasons, Austin has attracted filmmakers since the mid-20th century.

But this sense of community is not only limited to those who make movies. The independent movie theaters that operate in Austin also act as a gathering place for those who love film. For this reason, the moviegoing experience in Austin has a bit of a reputation. This is exemplified in the Alamo Drafthouse, an independent movie theater chain started in Austin. With a formula combining restaurant-quality food served alongside the newest cinematic releases (and established classics) and special events, like sing-along screenings of famous musicals, it maintains a large following of those who want something different for a day at the movies. Even through they were forced to file chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are still in operation, taking safety precautions, such as a two-seat buffer between patrons and a mandatory “masks on” policy when indoors, while also trying to go about business as best as they can.

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  The following images constitute a tour of the Alamo Drafthouse, located at 5701 W Slaughter Ln, Austin, in the time of COVID-19. A mural commemorating the Terminator franchise on the side of the building greets one as they drive by. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  Pictured here is a sign familiar to many who have been to a Drafthouse location. Seen on the lower part of the frame are signs advising people to social distance and wear a mask. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  As one steps inside, one notices the decoration, including the film reels pictured here. This decor shows how the Alamo Drafthouse caters to people who are passionate about movies. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  Pride in Austin’s cinematic heritage is also seen as one looks for the theater in which their movie is playing. Pictured here is a poster found at the end of the hall of theaters commemorating The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, filmed in the suburbs of Austin. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  The interior of one of the theaters. Pictured here is a light fashioned from a film reel, another piece of decoration that gives the Drafthouse its ambience. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  When sitting down, the COVID-19 precautions become apparent in the form of a 2-seat buffer between one and another moviegoer. That aside, if one arrives early, one can catch a special compilation of clips and photos complied specifically for the movie they are watching. In this case, pictured above is Stanley Kubrick, behind the scenes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the feature presentation. (pic credit Chris Boeke)

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  Also pictured in the compilation is Arthur C. Clarke, a co-writer of the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey, during a press conference. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

Alamo Drafthouse does not have a monopoly on the independent movie theater industry in Austin, though. With a handful of locations in Austin, Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In offers patrons the option to watch a movie from the comfort of their own car– a choice that helps keep business alive during the COVID-19 pandemic (patrons are only allowed to leave their car to go to the restroom). In addition to their regular drive-ins, there are also special movie picnics, and other events that do not involve sitting in a car. Its location downtown (at the top of a parking garage) gives one the opportunity to watch everything from the newest releases to cult classics while offering a view of downtown Austin.

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  Old fashioned ads play before each screening at Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In, found on 300 San Antonio St. These ads acted as a prelude to a 4/20 screening of Dazed and Confused. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  Though the top of a parking garage may not seem like the best ambiance, the staff make up for it with small decorations, like this Lone Star on the equipment trailer. (pic credit: Chris Boeke)

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  The view from above is quite dizzying!

These two examples, though brief, seem to report that independent cinemas in Austin are still in operation, despite the pandemic. This is represented by those who have a hand in running independent movie theaters, like David Gil, director of marketing and programing of Austin’s Violet Crown cinema, a local arthouse theater located in downtown Austin, who feels that going to the movies is a singular experience that will not be made extinct by the pandemic.

“There’s still something about sitting in a dark room experiencing a movie with a bunch of strangers. That’s something you can’t duplicate,” Gil said. “Therein lies the magic of cinema.”

Beyond independent theaters, film festivals in Austin, like the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), were also impacted by the pandemic. Films featured at SXSW range from highly anticipated new releases from established filmmakers to those just beginning to cut their teeth in the industry and, though it is a local event, films shown at the festival come from all over the world. All of this is why it came as a great disappointment to many when the 2020 iteration of the festival was cancelled due to the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. during March of that year. It was initially unknown how the festival would reemerge one year later. This is because the SXSW Film Festival is more multi-faceted than being merely an event where new movies are screened. There are also panels, discussions, and Q&A’s– all of which, with a festival that is as large as SXSW, are hard to replicate in a virtual setting. Fortunately the festival was able to to provide an experience that kept the interactivity and people-centric approach that the festival is known for. For Janet Piersen, who had a hand in helping with the festival, this proved to be no small task.

“We’re really a live event, and what people love about us is how we gather people together,” Piersen said. “They are not only meeting a great film community, but they’re also meeting everyone else at South by Southwest as well.”

At the beginning of the festival, there was an orientation that hundreds of filmmakers took part in– introducing themselves and their works via Zoom. Screenings of the films were held in Zoom breakout rooms, and afterwards, interaction with fellow festival-goers was possible via text chats, virtual clubhouses, and various other methods of online communication. All in all, Piersen is proud of the way SXSW was able to navigate the pandemic in order to bring the festival to life online.

“I feel like we got the essence of South by Southwest as best as one could online,” Piersen said. “We were able to present a really diverse range of programing.”

With an industry as multifaceted as film, it would seem that some facets of the industry are struggling more than others during the COVID-19 pandemic. While this is true, as seen by Alamo Drafthouse’s filing for bankruptcy and SXSW’s success in its online iteration, there seems to be a spirit of optimism within the community that the film industry in Austin will return to what it once was. This optimism seems to have reached Gannon, who is confident in the industry’s future.

“My hope is that it continues to grow. All points head that direction at this point in time,” said Gannon. “I think it’s just gonna continue to flourish.”

Presenting Data Using Infographics

Downloading your social media analytics can be a great way to see what is working and what is not as far as your posts are concerned. But what happens when you have all of that data, but no idea how to organize it? That’s where infographics come in, the utilization of which can present your data in an organized, eye-catching way.

Pandemic Hobbies: Video Journalism in Action

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carson Jones has taken on cooking as a hobby. I was lucky enough to document him cooking a pizzookie (a cookie baked in a cast iron skillet and cut into slices) and interview him about his hobby.

Making an Audio Story

In order to further demonstrate the power of audio journalism, I have put together an audio story of my own. The story utilizes the techniques discussed in my previous post, including natural sound and speaking in a way that is natural and easy to understand. It is about the continuing struggle of students adjusting to online learning, as seen through the example of my friend.

The Power of Audio Journalism

Audio journalism is the dark horse of the journalism world– often overlooked in comparison with its writing and image based counterparts. This aside, audio journalism has as much power as the latter mediums , and can give stories a feeling of immediacy and immersion. A good example of this is a piece of audio journalism produced by the the Dallas- based KERA News. It talks about how a new influx of COVID-19 tests is helping a non-profit, called OurCalling, test more homeless people which, in turn, increases the amount of people that are able to be sheltered.

One thing that this piece does right is that it includes the natural sound of the chatter and bustle of those inside the day shelter run by OurCalling (where the tests are available) while the reporter, Christopher Connelly, gives the basics of the story. By doing this, the listener is able to get a sense of what it is like in OurCalling, and are able to immerse themselves in the story.

Another thing the piece did right was that it gave signposts, or narration on where the story was headed. Connelly’s descriptions of the OurCalling shelter and the people who utilize it gave much needed context on who is involved with the story and how they are involved.

A final thing that the piece did right was that it kept Connelly’s reporting concise. When he was reporting, Connelly left no room for superfluity– he told the facts of the story and then let sound bites and interviews add depth to his reporting.

How to Tell a Story in 5 Photos

Photography is a great medium to tell stories and document events as they happen. In order to illustrate this, I documented a game night I had with my friends last Saturday (who I hadn’t seen since last March!) as we played a charades-like game called Party Bowl. I wove this game into a visual narrative.

Shoot with depth: In this tight shot, I focused on the game in the foreground, contrasting it with the couch as I set up the game. (Photo Credit: Chris Boeke)

Work the Room: I stood on a couch to achieve this medium shot as the game began. (Photo Credit: Chris Boeke)

Quick note: the teams in the game were my friends Cara (bottom left) and Abie (bottom right) versus Naomi (top left) and me. Whichever team guessed the most answers correctly based on imitation and verbal clues was the winner!

Work with Light: I turned on the fan light above us to help make to setting more vibrant in this medium shot–though it did nothing to help Cara’s confusion at Abie’s clues. (Photo Credit: Chris Boeke)

Rule of Thirds: To get this medium shot of Abie giving a clue (Mickey Mouse, if it’s not already apparent), I utilized the rule of thirds to align Abie with my phone’s grid. Her shoulders and legs were aligned with the vertical quadrants and her arms and torso with the horizontal quadrants. (Photo Credit: Chris Boeke)

Capture a Moment: Even the most questionable of clues were the source of much laughter, as illustrated by this tight shot of Cara. (Photo Credit: Chris Boeke)

Shooting Better Smartphone Photos

These days, you don’t have to have be a professional photographer with a complicated set-up to shoot quality photos. In fact, you’re probably carrying a photography studio in your pocket right now: your phone. With that in mind, here are 3 tips to help you shoot better photos on your smartphone, supplemented with photographs I took illustrating said tips.

1. Take Advantage of the Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is a rule utilized by photographers and filmmakers, who will divide a framed image into thirds in order to achieve a certain symmetry. Luckily, it is easy to use this rule for your own photos. Most smartphones come equipped with a grid feature that can be turned on in the settings app.

Texas State’s own LBJ enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Notice how I aligned LBJ into the quadrants for a more centered photo.

2. Use Your Focus

Most photos have a certain subject that is the center of attention, which photographers will “focus” on in order to make it stand out. Luckily, it is simple to utilize focus on your smartphone’s camera: simply tap the subject you would like to focus on and take the photo.

Notice how the flowers at the front are focused on, leaving the flowers at the back blurred.

3. Experiment With Angles

Experimenting with unconventional angles can help the camera capture an ordinary subject in a new and exciting way. Case in point: the upward angle utilized in this picture of a tree I took creates a dizzying effect that highlights the size of the tree. This is an effect that wouldn’t be achieved if I took a picture of it head-on.

Shooting something as ordinary as a tree calls for more unconventional photography methods to create a new perspective.

Now that you have learned how to take high quality photos with your smartphone (and have taken some of your own as well), the natural next step would be to share them. Instagram is a great platform to share your photos, but you can’t just share the photos without context– you need a caption. Luckily, there is a rule that will come in handy when writing a caption for any occasion…

Keep It Short, Keep It Simple

Most people won’t bother interacting with your post if the caption is lengthy, so be concise. You’d be surprised how much you can say with so few words.

My shortest caption is just two words. From it, you can glean that I went to Chicago.

5 Ways to Write Better for Instagram

Just because Instagram is a photo-sharing app, doesn’t mean that the writing of captions for the photos isn’t important. On the contrary, these captions carry just as much weight as the photos themselves. With that in mind, here are 5 ways to improve your writing on Instagram.

1. Be Concise

The length of a caption can determine how much engagement you receive on a given post. Instagram allows for 2,200 characters, but just because you can write a lot, doesn’t mean you should. The most concise writing often packs the biggest punch (just ask Hemingway).

2. Start a Conversation with Your Audience

Social media participation is not a passive activity, and Instagram is no exception. When people follow you, they are more than likely actively invested in your content and, because of this, it is important to converse with your followers. Fostering conversation, through questions and polls, is a great way to keep your followers coming back while also gaining new ones.

3. Find Your Brand and Stick With It

Simply put, your “brand” is the personality that shines through your posts and captions on Instagram: whether they be funny and lighthearted, or serious and thoughtful (it’s much more complex than this, but that’s the gist). However you choose to approach your brand is up to you, but make sure it is consistent, especially in your writing. Jarring tonal shifts could potentially alienate followers.

4. Utilize Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to build an audience. By categorizing your posts into different niches, you will able to attract diverse groups of people to your page. A word of caution: there is such a thing as over-utilizing hashtags, so don’t go overboard (a couple of well-worded hashtags should do the trick for the average post).

5. Utilize Emojis

Who says you can’t use visuals in your writing as well? A well-placed emoji can help give a caption flair, as well as reinforce what you have written (provided it is consistent with your brand’s tone). The same rule of thumb applied to the utilization of hashtags translates to emojis as well: don’t overdo it.