cultural appropriation article
Jan. 20th, 2005 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tyresiasRecent context relevant to entry:
Last Saturday LGBTOUT celebrated it's 35th anniversary. During this celebration at the ROM there was a performance by a white gay guy who idenfies not as a dragqueen but as a performance artist. He stepped on stage in full geisha gear having coarked his face and chest. His chest had a few gold lines intersecting. He performed Gwen Stefanie's latest hit (which has been found troubling by many people for its cultural appropriation). Many people there (myself included) jaws dropped at this site. I had nothing to do with the planning of this event and certaintly not seen the performer before hand. Many who knew I am an exec came up to me and complaint quite a bit about the performance. Others went to other execs and members of the Student Administration Council's equity commission.
LGBTOUT's exec got in touch with the performer had him provide us iwth his intended meaning for his performance and a brief explanation. We forwarded that one to the general listserve along with an open letter apologizing for any offence people felt and explaining that in the future we will preview all acts for our events.
A hot debate has ensued. People on all sides of the equation (sides I didn't even foresee). In anycase... all this said, one person replied ith his two cents than sent the following link I found good food for thought.
http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/2003-1/issue4/op-ed.html
I am not trying to start the same debate here. I merely thought others might enjoy reading the article. If people choose to have a discussion I will entertain it for as long as I am comfortable with it but I have no idea how much that would be. I will not tolerate personal attacks, if you disagree counter the claim or stance not the person. Own your knowledge and history, lived experience cannot be substituted by acquiring knowledge through lecture/readings. I have already let the LGBTOUT exec and committee chairs know where I stand on the issue. I am not intending on repeating this here.
Last Saturday LGBTOUT celebrated it's 35th anniversary. During this celebration at the ROM there was a performance by a white gay guy who idenfies not as a dragqueen but as a performance artist. He stepped on stage in full geisha gear having coarked his face and chest. His chest had a few gold lines intersecting. He performed Gwen Stefanie's latest hit (which has been found troubling by many people for its cultural appropriation). Many people there (myself included) jaws dropped at this site. I had nothing to do with the planning of this event and certaintly not seen the performer before hand. Many who knew I am an exec came up to me and complaint quite a bit about the performance. Others went to other execs and members of the Student Administration Council's equity commission.
LGBTOUT's exec got in touch with the performer had him provide us iwth his intended meaning for his performance and a brief explanation. We forwarded that one to the general listserve along with an open letter apologizing for any offence people felt and explaining that in the future we will preview all acts for our events.
A hot debate has ensued. People on all sides of the equation (sides I didn't even foresee). In anycase... all this said, one person replied ith his two cents than sent the following link I found good food for thought.
http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/2003-1/issue4/op-ed.html
I am not trying to start the same debate here. I merely thought others might enjoy reading the article. If people choose to have a discussion I will entertain it for as long as I am comfortable with it but I have no idea how much that would be. I will not tolerate personal attacks, if you disagree counter the claim or stance not the person. Own your knowledge and history, lived experience cannot be substituted by acquiring knowledge through lecture/readings. I have already let the LGBTOUT exec and committee chairs know where I stand on the issue. I am not intending on repeating this here.
