Feb25
on February 25, 2015
So, after I wrote part one of ‘Fitting In’ a whole bunch of stuff happened with the pride festival. It all feels pretty sad, and lots of people are angry and hurt. In a bit I’ll add some links for where people can go for more information – but I just wanna get the comic up first.
[Edit] Links to articles about GaYtm pink washing:
- GayNZ article about ANZ’s GaYtm’s: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_16396.php
- Original Statement from people who did the paint throwing: http://hashtag500words.com/2015/02/21/political-statement-regarding-vandalism-of-gaytm/
- GayNZ article about second round of paint attacks: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_16514.php
Links to articles about Pride Parade:
- Most of the articles written about this have been collated in this handy link, so this is pretty much the best link to get all the other links: http://klutz.geek.nz/post/111910326371/notproud-auckland-pride-2015-roundup
- I wanted to highlight especially Jen’s blog post about her experiences marching, as she specifically features in the comic, so here’s that too: https://jenniferkateshields.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/notproud/ (her blog in general is pretty excellent to follow and has posts about both the parade and the ATM’s)
Discussion (22) ¬
Thank you so much for commenting on this. Not enough people are.
I was proud of you when you took PFLAG here in Dunedin
Being queer is not a culture, its a sexuality. Don’t try and make it your ‘thing’, normalise it through whatever means, how the fuck are we going to be seen equally in society if all we seem to do is promote an evolutionary feature as unremarkable as any other.
To spin acts of vandalism as “asking” someone to “see” something is disingenuous in the extreme.
The trans woman describes herself as a “radical anarchacommunist” and makes references to Karl Marx’s political philosophy on her Twitter feed. Explain why this zealot should be allowed to try and force her political extremism on the vast majority of us who are NOT Marxists and are not interested in Marxism or “anarchcommunism”?
She was looking for a confrontation as “radicals” always do and wrestled with security. Not a smart move but you are now spinning her as some kind of martyr for the cause.
The other one’s parade performance was completely inappropriate. Putting on some kind of mourning act like the old sack cloth, ashes routine at a gay party and then acting all OUTraged when the revellers predictably despise and shun you is an exercise in attention whoring.
If you are Marxists or Anarchists or Communists or whatever weird political ideology you ascribe to, please have the integrity to actually operate under that flag.
To be fair the protestors need to call themselves “Radical, Marxist and Anarchcommunists Queers Against Injustice”, so that the gay community and public have a clearer understanding of their political agenda.
I was trying to point out that we can do better to be more inclusive of different points of view, different beliefs, and different identities. I don’t think it’s an either/or situation, but a both/and.
The point I’m making is Queers Against Injustice is a self described Marxist or Anarchist movement, so if they are true to their beliefs they are definitely not interested in inclusiveness and diversity – or more accurately they do not think those things are achievable unless we all start “smashing Patriarchy” and “smashing Capitalism”.
This Introduction to Queer Theory 101 rhetoric is mumbo jumbo to anyone outside Academia and only causes bemusement and confusion.
Even the police seemed baffled by the vandalism of their stations.
Its easy to claim the parade is “too commercial”, ok fine, then how are you planning on financing it? Putting on a half decent show doesn’t come cheap.
In fact if QAI may have already seriously damaged the Pride Parade ability to attract future sponsorship. And is that something you would be #Proud of, Sam?
My comic is about feeling like I’m not valued within the pride festival context.
You need to put your feelings to one side and take a close look at the ideology driving your friends to do what they did.
Ugh. Go away. “Gay party.” Yeah exactly. Time for the T to secede from the union I think.
“putting on some kind of mourning act… at a gay party”
Good to know that you think the biggest and most central LGBT event in the city shouldn’t pay attention at all to the fact that young trans women are still dying at a hugely disproportionate rate.
Good to know it’s just a “gay party”. Good to know where your priorities lie.
I’m not proud of a “gay party”. I don’t belong at a “gay party”. I am not proud.
Then what you do is you build a float that is rockin it, get into the spirit of Pride, present the issues you want addressed in a POSITIVE way – “Hey look at these guys still able smile at the world despite their struggles and burdens – they could do with your support and understanding”. Then the crowd will react postively and be RECEPTIVE to your story.
You go in scowling and banging a gavel like the grim reaper and people will feel threatened, creeped out and then get angry – Psychology 101. The crowd didn’t make the effort to come into town on a hot summers night for that treatment.
As for your poo pooing gay parties I think Madonna expressed it best:
“It’s time for the good times
Forget about the bad times, oh yeah
One day to come together
To release the pressure
We need a holiday
You can turn this world around
And bring back all of those happy days
Put your troubles down
It’s time to celebrate
Let love shine
And we will find
A way to come together
And make things better
We need a holiday
“
It’s funny you should say that, because in the past (as a trans queer person) when I’ve marched in parades, gone out dancing during pride, just tried to enjoy the party and the good vibes, I was routinely mocked for my appearance. I carried a sign saying “There are more then 2 genders!” and had cis gay people on the sidelines yell at me “No there are not!” I’ve had straight cis white gays call me a “fat dyke” when I tried to go out to party at gay clubs during pride. For years I thought the same as you; if only I could be positive and enjoy myself, everyone would be receptive. Guess what: they are not.
How dare people invade the “gay party” space officially or unofficially, to mourn our dead, or protest our ongoing brutalisation by the state? Because that kind of Marxist anarchocommunist claptrap sounds a little bit too much like a reality check on my privilege, now that I can get married and everything’s just fine thanks. NO, STOP TALKING. EVERYTHING IS FINE. HUNKY DORY, OK?
^ see above, Lily.
Really? Your big argument is quoting effing MADONNA? MADONNA?
No one is under any obligation to put a happy face on their pain to make it more palatable for others. Why should the suicide of a transwoman as a result of transphobia be presented as a celebration of her life rather than the fucking base tragedy that it is? We should be grieving that this STILL, STILL, in this day and age STILL happens regardless of how many parties are thrown for us.
Or not even “us”, apparently. Just those of “us” who are smiling. Send in the clowns…
And you tell Sam to put his feelings to one side. That’s pretty much telling him to stop drawing his comic; seeing as he draws a lot about his feelings. That’s just disrespectful. I, for one, hope he continues to draw. You don’t have to agree with his voice, but there’s no need to be dismissive.
I think he asks a good question and I think it is a good springboard to start talking about making pride parades an even more inclusive event. I live in the Netherlands and go to Amsterdam parade; all sorts of floats and boats there on a wide variety of different subjects. And it’s not just about pride I can tell you. It’s also about repression and disease and inequality.
both/and !!! xxxxx
200% agree. I and so many of my queer friends feel alienated at pride, simply for not being cis white males.
Even if we want to party and celebrate.. we are not wanted. Not really.
Thank you so much for this comic Sam. You’ve manged to articulate all the feelings I’ve been having about pride incredibly well! Thank you so much for all your hard work and effort! You’re awesome!
i live in the US,and while i dont do the best job of keeping up with news and such, i always keep an eye and ear or for such like this comic and the events linked/mentioned… similar things have happend plenty in america and still do. th pride events are getting more inclusive yet theres still harassment and verbal abuse, and sometimes still physical abuse, that takes place. while pening up more, trans communities still lack open representation at events just as you said 🙁 im highly inclined to send some of these links including the comic to the Milwaukee pride board at the local LGBT community center and try to open up conversation about this in your homeland as well as our own with my many friends and connections at the center. i also offer sincere apologies and condolences to you and friends about these terrible events that occurred… its honestly kind of disgusting what happend in regard to the “open and inclusive” setting of pride events
I’m in America, but I still relate to this so much.
I’ve started to call the main Pride event in NYC “Corporate Pride” because in so many ways it doesn’t feel like it speaks for me. Drag Marches and Trans Days of Action are much more likely to feel real, because it’s times when we can act in empowering ways and allow our very real anger to shine.
I still participate in Corporate Pride for practical reasons (visibility for the organization I’m a leader of, primarily), but the fact that so many people think the fight is over just because people can get married is infuriating.
Our people are still DYING, every day, and cis white gay folks seem to think we’re buzzkills for calling their attention to that. Fuck that.
I get it, everyone deserves a chance to celebrate their life and feel included, but Pride sure doesn’t feel that inclusive these days.