Discuss!

Did peoples see The Kids are All Right, the new lezzie movie? I saw it last night with CC. If you saw it, what did you think? I am curious!

Judith Butler Declines Berlin Pride's "Civil Courage" Award

Judith Butler declined the Berlin Pride Parade's "Civil Courage" award in a speech here in Berlin less than a week ago in a call for gay pride movements to fight racism and islamophobia.

Butler said that she declined the award in order to distance herself from the explicit racism of the organizers of the giant Berlin gay pride event (known here as Christopher Street Day or CSD) and their failure to deal with racism in their movement, including racism against Muslims here in Berlin. Butler also decried the commercialism of the pride event. Her action has, as you can imagine, caused a kerfuffle here, but sadly hasn't gotten any coverage in the U.S. as far as I can tell.

I say: Way to go, Judy B.!
Butler suggested that the "Civil Courage" prize be given instead to these Berlin groups:

GLADT (Turkish Gays and Lesbians)

LesMigraS (an organization of lesbian migrants and black lesbians against violence and discrimination)

SUSPECT (a group of queers against violence, racism, and homophobia)
ReachOut (an organization for victims of right-wing, racist, antisemitic, homophobic, and transphobic violence)

Transgenialer CSD (the alternative Pride parade)

Here is an English press release from SUSPECT and and a video of part of Butler's speech (with English subtitles--she apparently spoke in German.)

Angela Davis's statement of support for Butler.

Transgenialer CSD's 2009 logo:

Lesbian skeletons found by archeologists!

Wars, natural catastrophes, and indeed all situations with great danger and uncertain outcome, will quickly upset regimes of pleasure and desire. “In such periods dreams that have been restrained are quickly realized."

There are countless episodes in history that prove this. A classic example is ancient Pompeii. Many skeletons found there, it’s well known to researchers, are in the act of having sex. In one house: lesbian skeletons. One has its hand on the other’s pubic region.

--Franz Scott (partial paraphrase), Das Lesbische Weib, 1933

Not doing the lesbian avengers proud

I got to my parent's house (accompanied by the lovely CC), the rest of my family showed up, and suddenly and without aforethought, I found myself employing the word "buddy" as a synonym for "lesbian."

My sister-in-law: So where can you get a job after you graduate?
Me: Well, it is hard to find a job, but I am hoping that CC will get me a buddy hire.

(Note: Most people call it a "spousal hire.")

The next day...

My four-year-old niece (pausing in the midst of a sock-hurling game me and CC were playing with her in my parent's living room): Are you [as in, me] her [that is, CC's] mommy?
Me: No, she is my girlfriend.
Silence from four-year-old, and from her parents nearby who are surely listening.
Me: We hang out together a lot. We are, like, buddies.

Shana Tova everyone!

THE GAYS

I came out to my class. This is maybe the first time I've done this (there maybe was one other time?) but certainly the first time I've been crystal-clear to the class that yes, I'm A GAY.

(The class is on imperialism, so maybe you are thinking, how did this happen? Was it like the world's most helpful accused witches?) It happened like this.

We were reading this anti-immigration piece by Margaret Thatcher where she says that immigration and 'the growth of the permissive society' or something both threaten Britain. (Oh no!)

Student: What's she mean by the permissive society?
Me: Class, what's she mean?
People in class: Loosening morals, etc.
Me: That's right! She means THE GAYS.
(People in class look confused.)
Me: (Hopping around happily) THE GAYS, that's what she's talking about. She's like, 'Oh no, watch out, spooky immigrants and GAYS!'
Me: (Spooky hand motions)
Student: What? 'The gaze"?

(We talk a lot in class about 'the European gaze.')

Me: (Merrily writing it in huge letters on the board) No, not 'the gaze', THE GAYS.
Me: (Circling 'THE GAYS' on the board)
Me: (Realizing that I've got to tell them I'm a lezzie or they'll think I'm gay bashing) I call it this because I'm one of them. I'm A GAY!
Me: (Realizing that this is super funny to me and my buddies, but my poor dear students are lost, lonely and turning bright red.)
Me: I can call it this because I'm one of them. You don't have to. You can call it gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trans folks, etc. Or queer.

Then we had a big discussion about what "queer" means, how it offends some people, and whether to use it.

Anyway, well, my excuse for not coming out to my classes is that it never comes up, and I don't like to talk about my personal life. But today it came up. Not that they were surprised, I hope.

Happy Pride, everyone!

Wow, I am kind of sucking as a blogger. Hmm. This weekend I had a good idea for a post when I was really drunk, but now I can't quite remember it. Except that The Gays shouldn't be forced to choose between the NY Met Opera performing for free in New Brunswick (yes, it happened) and the Dyke March. That is just a purposeful thwarting of homo nationalism by the opera. The opera! I thought they were on our side!