Point of Interest
Whats so wrong with drag?
Using paedophilia to create harmful stereotypes about queer identities - particularly gay men and trans women - to oppose civil rights. This idea of vulnerable young people choosing to be homosexual due to the influence of predatory queers isn't new. Far-right groups have been pushing perversion on us since the 1970's with contrasting views on homosexuality being forefronted with the ongoing civil rights arguments.
Due to this contemporary shift in attitude, queer people have felt safer because of acceptance from the larger society and access to informative materials, resulting in an influx of younger people coming out.
With the popularity of shows such as RuPaul's Drag race, drag has been pushed into the limelight with people of all ages engaged in its' rich history and culture. This kick-started a rise in drag media, POSE (2018) and Beyonces' Renaissance album were based on and inspired by the African-American and Latino ballroom scene in the mid-20th century, which has lead to a greater awareness about LGBTQ+ struggle - particularly the intersectionality of being African-American or Latino and being queer.
Accusing Drag queens of "grooming children" is right-wing organisation's scheme to attack LGBTQ+ rights
Current Reads
"Pew" by Catherine Lacey.
A new book that Iv'e recently started and CANNOT put down!!!
"Pew" is a speculative work following the first-hand account of a person with no home, distinct gender, distinct race, distinct nationality, family history, background and the shock that follows from their arrival in a small, Southern, rural Christian town in the US.
It's an easy read but is aslo effective in making you as the reader reflect on your subconcious attitudes and awareness on other's behaviours. The point of Pews' identity is that they dont consider aspects of themself that they dont deem important or remember, and as the reader you often catch yourself intensely wondering the very things the novel is trying to illustrate - you don't need to know some things.
It's also a wonderfully gothic book, from the cryptic disappearances, questionable characters and Pew's quiet rebellion towards the ignorance of the town-people's holy standpoint, despite their own hypocrisy.
I'm loving it so far.
"Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway"
I initially found myself judging the book based on it's "classic" status but upon picking up this book I honestly couldn't put it down. The majority of this book takes place with the old man essentially stranded at sea, feverishly following this fish through the open water over three days, clinging to the chance that it may exhaust itself enough for the old man - weak and bordering senile.
Hemingway does a fantastic job of taking a simple storyline and splicing barely cameoflaged commentry on the complex American ego. Santiago clings to the delusion that reeling his "lucky fish" will solve all of his issues, his rapidly declining health
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSA!
"Oranges aren't the Only Fruit" by Jeanette Winterson.