I thought this was an interesting read. I recently read an op-ed from TSL that discussed a queer centered party, Queer Apron. I went to this party with a friend and it was pretty fun; we enjoyed the space as a place where people were comfortable expressing their queerness and the community. However, later into the night, we noticed the surge of people who seemed to be completely unaware of the purpose of the party. As the writer from the TSL article points out, while being an ally is great, you also have to remember that part of it is taking a step back. I feel like this article touches on this and the idea that being queer is cool/fashionable, without considering the history and issues that still effect the community today. I've also discussed with another friend the companies that plaster rainbow flags across their buildings during June. While I appreciate the open support, I also consider the capitalistic approach they are taking, profiting off of a symbol that used to be and still is ridiculed, abused, and disregarded. In the NY Times article they say "Isa Noyola, a transgender Latina activist in San Francisco, remarked on the paradox that the same companies championing gay rights have contributed to the gentrification that has made the Castro one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country." This contributes to idea of performative activism/white feminism that is really popular now. It's showing everyone that you are progressive and inclusive without actually enacting change or considering the intersecting issues that are present.
I really enjoyed reading this piece and the TSL article as well. On platforms like Twitter, I can really see this move to queer identity as a trend. I am also very interested in the commodification of this queer identity and the way the companies mentioned like Walmart or Netflix benefit from this current idea that "everyone can be queer" as the article mentions. It is yet another thing to consider as a consumer choosing what to purchase: is this company actually in support of a queer movement? Or are they exploiting its trendiness to make money?
ReplyDeleteThank you Nana, I loved your summary about how being queer is considered cool/fashionable, which makes performative queerness a new trend. I noticed this problem both in the US and in Asian countries like China and Japan, where some people identify themselves as "Yaoi" or "Funv", but many did not consider the history, the struggle, and the request of LGBTQ people.
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