December 13, 2023
When considering topics for a documentary on belonging, I began thinking about situations in which there was a lack of belonging– places that made people uncomfortable, exclusive places, places where maybe I belonged but recognized that others may not feel the same.
I thought through all of the various activities I’m involved in on campus. WMUH, The Muhlenberg Weekly, Hillel, etc. One that I simply couldn’t get out of my head was my a capella group, The Muhlenberg Acafellas.
I was compelled by the lore of its creation. Though I ultimately wasn’t able to find proof to support this story, it has been said that the group was formed by a group of gay men at Muhlenberg, who were excluded from other performance groups. Whether or not it’s true, I was struck by this idea of creating, cultivating, and fostering a belonging space, rather than entering one.
I also continued thinking back to the many conversations I had with my family on how the Fellas are an all-male and nonbinary group, and what it means for students who are non-gender-conforming to bring themselves to the group, as well as the formation of this group as a safe space for queer students. I wanted to know more about this experience. It’s one that, though I’m not personally familiar with, I was always interested in.
Due to the time restrictions as we headed toward the end of the semester, I mostly got interviews from cisgendered members of the group. I was hesitant at first to have them discussing issues of queerness that didn’t wholly pertain to them. I realized, however, that everyone deserves to belong. It’s not about creating safety for just one identity group, but for anyone. That was the goal of opening it up to genderqueer students in the first place.
The documentary somewhat shifted to be generally about belonging– what it means to be surrounded by a positive group of people, and the impact of making music together. We talked about masculinity and its toxicity, the feelings of being among people who are older than you, and how quickly they feel comfortable with the people around them.
It made me think more deeply about belonging. I hadn’t realized just how much being part of what I considered a “silly little a capella group” meant to those involved. And through reflection, it means just as much to me too.
In post-production, I knew I wanted to include a performance of the song “Change in My Life.” Its themes are all about togetherness and belonging. It discusses hardships faced previously, then continues with the line “but with you I belong.” I also find that the blending of our voices also evokes a sense of belonging– that we all come together to make a beautiful sound. It also beautifully underscores the descriptions of belonging within the group; it’s a song we’re all a part of.
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