Shifting the Narrative: Queer Art
Art by and for queer people has always existed; however, its acceptance into mainstream culture has often come at the cost of authenticity. The creation of queer content for queer people brings into question who is creating this content. Some would argue that queer content created by straight people is not queer content at all, but a misguided attempt to showcase an (unclear) understanding of the LGBTQ experience. To really examine who this content caters to, we must take into account a multitude of factors, including the way it affects how the LGBTQ community is viewed by the rest of society. When content such as “Love, Simon” or “Brokeback Mountain” is thrust into the spotlight, it can be more harmful than helpful, because while the intention may be to be inclusive, this type of representation can often provide inauthentic representation of the queer experience and/or reinforce negative stereotypes about the queer community.
When content created by and for queer people is brought into the mainstream, it provides representation that hasn’t historically been seen by the masses, adding fresh perspective and breaking down old stereotypes. This brings to light the question: “What’s the point of creating queer content for straight people at all?” You might have heard of the term to “queer” something, i.e. “queering Shakespeare.” It’s more than just turning “Romeo and Juliet” into “Romeo and Julio.” This dichotomy of “queering” traditionally hetero content adds a whole new layer of history and intersectionality to the issue of who this content is for. These issues aren’t black and white; they’re extremely nuanced.
In this day and age as more Black, Indigenous, and other minority creators are being given the representation they should have already had, we’re seeing a new generation of creators striving to bring more inclusivity to the art we consume through a lens of intersectionality. While intersectionality is not a new concept by any means, the changes that we see the world and, more specifically, the United States going through right now are slowly being reflected in the art that is being brought into mainstream culture. This raises the question of how we are to engage more authentically with this type of art without tokenizing and culturally appropriating. How can we bring queer content into the mainstream without tokenizing the queer experience for capitalist consumption? More importantly, can we? When examining these types of questions, we must take into account cultural trends and capitalist practices in order to get a clearer picture.
Engaging more authentically with art starts when we ask ourselves to reexamine what’s missing from the art we currently consume. What do we as queer people want to see more or less of? Are we looking beyond the parameters of what is considered mainstream? Do we engage with content that isn’t created in our country, and if we choose to, in what ways can we decentralize Westernized content from our current circulation and understanding of what queer content is available to us? How are we supporting queer artists who create art for queer people?
Due to the oppression that queer people have experienced throughout time, representation can often feel like straight people finally “letting us” tell our own stories. Of course, representation is important, but if nonLGBTQ people want to provide us with said representation, we can tell our own stories instead of turning our experience into something more easily digestible for those who are not queer. Lil Nas X is an artist I believe has mastered this, as his content is unapologetically queer while still being in the mainstream. And just because a queer artist is in the mainstream, that does not necessarily mean their art is for straight people, or even just for queer people. Art is an expression of ourselves and our lived experiences, and the beauty of art being subjective means it can fit into multiple categories at once.
Emma X. O’Loughlin is a new regular Georgia Voice columnist. Raised in the queer community, she is a performing artist and recent graduate of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she received a degree in musical theater.
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Georgia Senate Passes Transphobic School Sports Bill
The Georgia Senate has passed SB 435, legislation preventing transgender students from participating on gendered sports teams that align with their gender identity.
According to the AJC, the Senate backed the measure along party lines with a Republicanled vote of 32-22. This is the first time a bill similar to this has had a vote by the full Senate chamber.
The bill was introduced by Sen. Marty Harbin to create “fairness” for girls who play school sports. Advocacy organizations like the New Georgia Project (NGP), however, say that the bill is an “assault on transgender youth.”
“This transphobic piece of legislation intentionally misrepresents everything we know about gender in order to discriminate against transgender student athletes — specifically trans girls,” Maxsim Ealy, NGP’s Communications Specialist, said in a statement. “These aren’t professional, or even amateur, athletes we’re talking about here. These are children. The point of participating in extracurricular activities like football or basketball is to teach the principles of determination and teamwork. This legislation only teaches students that transgender people deserve discrimination for no other reason than their desire to play a game.”
“Not only is this horrible, but it also potentially violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,” they continued. “Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy, in any education program or activity receiving federal assistance.”
If passed by the Georgia House of Representatives and signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp, the law would impact public and participating private schools in Georgia.
Sen. Kim Jackson, Georgia’s first LGBTQ State Senator, recalled her experience in youth sports as a lesbian woman on the floor, likening the character attacks on gay athletes to SB 435. “In the early 2000s, adults said really cruel things to me about gay athletes,” she said. “They made straight athletes feel afraid by suggesting a gay athlete would touch them inappropriately during games. As I stand here today, the very same accusations and mischaracterizations that were hurled at me 20 years ago are not being used to harm a new generation of children. I want you to know that they were wrong to be afraid of us and to deny our dignity then. And they are wrong to be afraid of you and to deny your dignity now.”
In a May 2021 interview with Georgia Voice, Shannon Clawson, the Outreach Manager at Georgia Equality, called bills like SB 435 “solutions in search of a problem.” Harbin, who took no questions from colleagues during the debate, has appeared to confirm this, as he has said he was not aware of any real transgender students who took the spots of cisgender girls on school sports teams.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration. The House currently consists of 107 Republicans and 77 Democrats.
GLAAD Reveals LGBTQ Voting Motivations and Attitudes with New Poll
GLAAD has released their 2022 LGBTQ Voter Pulse Poll, which gauges and tracks motivation, enthusiasm, and issues ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
According to the poll, 83 percent of LGBTQ likely voters said they would probably or vote in the midterm election this November. Compared to the 2020 presidential election, 48 percent said they were more motivated to vote in this upcoming election.
When it comes to the issues most important to LGBTQ voters, COVID-19 response topped the list. 32 percent of all polled selected it as one of the most important issues that candidates for office must address in 2022.
This could be due to the impact COVID-19 had on the LGBTQ community. 46 percent of those polled said they experienced increased mental health issues due to COVID-19 (particularly among 18–24-year-olds at 64 percent), 27 percent increased their personal debt to make ends meet, 23 percent tested positive for COVID, and 23 percent reported they had a close friend or family member die due to COVID-19.
Among other important issues to LGBTQ voters is jobs and the economy (28 percent), healthcare (25 percent), the environment (23 percent), inflation (19 percent), racial justice (18 percent), voting rights (15 percent), and LGBTQ equality (11 percent).