Irish Drag Queen On Homophobia

[rawTOP]

I love drag queens. They were the ones fighting the police at Stonewall, and they're still fighting for us…

The question is, will drag queens fade away when the oppression stops? Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?

In the meantime we all have a lot to learn from drag queens…

[Rayne]

As annoying as I find many drag queens, I can't ever be mad at them. They can be far more intelligent than many people give them credit for.

I don't think they will fade away, but I think it will become a bit of a fad for a while. At the moment, we are still giving into our strange urges to, effectively, exploit whatever we recently accept to be a good thing. Humans are impulsive, and something with that "newness" is always going to be bring many people to be immersed into it for a short term. I do, however, think that, when the oppression stops, drag queens will not fade out in the short term. If anything, in the long term, they will eventually be considered something similar to a couple girls kissing (innocent fun to most straight people), and then later we will no longer see them as drag queens, but as just another type of person. Personally, I see drag queens in the same light I see bikers, or people in the Gothic community. They have their own attraction to something they enjoy, and I'm okay with it as long as their actions aren't forcing me to partake in their lifestyle. They have bars that cater to them, while I have bars that cater to me. I think this kind of attitude will be adopted over time.

But, this is also assuming that the oppression actually ends, and people actively pursue real equality in general. While I think this will happen over time, I personally fear that it might not happen within my lifetime.

[CumSlutDamien]

The slow death of the oppression and growing acceptance of gays and lesbians, something that, unfortunately, the trans community has been left behind by, is overall a good thing. However, I feel that it comes at a serious price. The gay and lesbian "community" as an idea may sadly fall apart over time. Already, the younger generations seem to not need a community to be a part of, as they often find "enough" acceptance among their peers and society. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in the arts. When we were more openly oppressed, the anger fueled so many brilliant books, films, plays, and other works of art. The golden age of queer art may sadly be over.

[firefighter]

Panti is amazing, both on tv and in real life, I have had the pleasure of meeting panti on several occasions

and that clip above I watched last night, I was sent a link to it. I found it very moving articulate and precise.

If any of you that are not from Ireland come over to our fair shores, (well the ones that are not battered with the wind) she runs a bar, mostly leather and bears few twinks accumulate there. But a great place to assemble before doing, well whatever it is you do when you leave these places

[Inception]

I attended this event last week:

http://pushfestival.ca/2014/shows/tucked-plucked-vancouvers-drag-herstory-live-onstage/

It was eye opening to learn a lot of history about the place I grew up, from people who lived it like someone who was involved in the drag scene from the late 60's. This is a city with a very conservative history, that from the 50's until up until the late 80's was controlled by one of Canada's most far right wing political parties. Even in the 60's, while beer parlours were allowed, hard liquor was not allowed to be served and "bottle clubs" operated. People ordered soda and mixers and kept there own bottles hidden under the table, where if the place was raided they could disavow knowing about the bottle under the table. Homosexuality wasn't decriminalized, thanks to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, until 1968. Since they couldn't openly say they were gay night clubs, by putting drag queens on stage it let people know right away that it was a gay venue. Incredibly, there were about 20 - 25 gay bars throughout the city at the time. I say incredible because currently there are only about 5 or 6 dedicated gay bars, all on one street within a couple blocks.

In BC in 1969 restrictions on selling hard liquor were lifted, and in 1970 women were even allowed to work in a bar! In 1972 a group was tired of still being harassed despite legal changes that were taking place and wanted to make hold a statement making event, so a bunch of bars banded together to hold a one off event where they would put their best queens up in a competition. They approached the owners of the Commodore Ballroom, still one of the most prestigious venues in the city, about using the facilities. They cut a deal where the venue could keep the profits from all bar sales, and so the owners let them have the place rent free. It was the first coronation of the Dogwood Monarchist Society. The place filled to capacity and bar sales were the biggest they had ever seen - the owners let them use the place for free every year after up into the 80's. The D.M.S. has now been around for 42 years and has become one of the city's biggest gay charitable organizations.

Myria Le Noir, the reigning queen from 1986 - and also a 6 foot something bouncer from couple long gone 80's clubs - alos performed and spoke at the event about her reign that year. 1986 was famous for Vancouver hosting the world's fair that year - I was 12 and went a couple times with my parents and also once on a class field trip. The government finally allowed liquor sales on Sundays, in anticipation of tourism dollars. Meanwhile in the gay community AIDS was taking a toll and the government was almost totally ignoring it. Almost... the gay bars were given posters with the photographs of anyone who had been diagnosed and bouncers like Ms. Le Noir were instructed to immediately call the police if any of these people showed up their club so that they may be arrested for possible health code violations. The bar owners got together and asked Myria to act as that year's reigning queen as the AIDS Queen of 1986, and then used the fact that so much press was in the city covering the world's fair to call attention to their issues. Anytime a 6 foot something drag queen attended an event at the fair the cameras came on. Only Princess Diana got more attention - and she famously fell asleep in the front row of one gala event.

It was so eye opening to hear about history like this from the people who lived it. Today there may be way fewer clubs, and all the young guys sit at home on their computers and phones rather than go out, but at the same time within the city of Vancouver (the burbs are another story) any politician - local or federal - who wants to go far has to campaign in the gay bars and be seen with the drag queens.

[Belfast-Bottom]

Panti's speech is powerful and thought provoking. It's interesting for the insight it gives into our own often unconscious homophobia, as well as highlighting the way "opinion formers" ( government, media, religious leaders ) assume the right to describe, limit and define OUR lives while disregarding OUR opinions and rights. It is worth watching the full ten minutes of this video.

I expect that drag queens will ALWAYS be with us. There are many men who are transgender to some degree. Some of them identify so fully with the female sex, that gender reassignment surgery becomes the only acceptable option. For many others who wish to live as male, for business, family, social acceptance, or other reasons, drag/crossdressing becomes their acceptable option. They can be male when they want to be and female when they want to be. I don't think traditional gender roles will ever be abolished. Women can dress as men ( up to a point ) but men can't dress as women and keep a job. Drag and transvestism provide an outlet for those who want to keep a foot in both camps.