Llama, Llama, Llama, Llama, Llama, Llama, Llama, Dyke!

[eumelia]

In my previous post regarding the Lammy Awards I was very fuzzy on where I stood regarding the fact that non-queer authors were now disqualified from submitting their work for the award.

The way I roll, I think stories should be honoured first and foremost. Just this evening I was talking to my older sister and she was telling her kids how their dad was seeing the same Moon in India right now (because that's where he is) and it slipped out of my mouth "Because all times are now and all places are here. And that's why even fictional people are real" h/t rm.
My sister agreed with me whole heartedly and it began a whole discussion with my seven year old nephew about the veracity of Vampires and Werewolves.

My concern, first and foremost, is the policing of identity. We live in such fluid times, it causes problems.
I know I prefer to my Lesbian Friends and Sisters when it comes to political identification and queer social gatherings... I'm also wary of the fact that if I ever date a man (cis man specifically, whether he is queer or not), that I will be viewed as though I'm betraying some kind of identity promise.

That's a Queer concern.

So are the Lammy Awards.

When I first read about the Lammy Awards change, the people who were raising alarms and concerns were people who are openly queer.
Later on, as I read more on the issue I encountered the voices of straight authors who write same-sex romance, specifically m/m. Professional Slash authors, as they've been dubbed and like most Slash authors they are Straight.
Straight Cis authors who write LGBTQ characters, I thank you for writing awesome people with which we can fall in love, identify with and celebrate.
That doesn't mean you get to say that by taking Orientation into account you are being oppressed.
You are not, because you have straight and cis privilege.
By bringing up the fact that you're a member of another oppressed community you're derailing and playing the Oppression Olympics.

Stop it, just... no. Your entitlement and privilege blindness is showing by demanding to be recognised in an Award that is about celebrating our lives and stories. You happen to write people who could live our lives, and that's great, I love reading and knowing stories like that, that still doesn't entitle you to come into our space and trample all over what we (or the Lambda Literary Foundation, rather) built so that our status and visibility could be elevated.

I'll not be writing any more about this, but I wanted to get my piece out there. I wanted to say, this is a queer concern, about queer visibility, queer identity and queer story telling. As such, it's not about straight cis people.

The end, ces't tout.

Now I have to decide whether I'm going to write about Rape Culture, or about the fact that my Identity is flaunted as propaganda in order to deflect criticism over the human rights violations my country commits on a daily basis.

Any takers?

Comments

[nurint.livejournal.com]

Just so you'd know, I wouldn't think any less of you if you dated a (cis) man, and you'd still be one of the queerest people I know. If you know anyone who would think otherwise, give me their address and I'll take care of matters, Netanya style ;)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm one of the queerest people you know?! We need to get out more!

:P I kid. Thanks hon, greatly appreciated! *hugs*

[stateofwonder.livejournal.com]

So... if it's not about straight cis people, but it is about the stories, you're saying that stories written by straight cis people should still be included? Sorry, I was still unclear on your position (if you have one!).

Since sexual orientation is to be determined by self-identification, there's not much policing that can go on, officially. Maybe a question of what you identify as on a form. Unofficially, yeah, if someone who's queer but has an opposite-sex partner or isn't very active in the community won, there would probably be some smack-talking.

But you know what? Let 'em talk. I honestly can't see that many straight cis people still submitting their work to the Lammy Awards under false pretenses, even if they could easily get away with it by fudging their sexual identity. And for those of us who are queer but not always visible as such, maybe it will bring more awareness to the fact that not all queer people have same-sex partners all the time, nor are all queer people constantly crusading and living out loud (particularly if you're writing a book, I imagine). I think this could serve to highlight the diversity of the queer community.

I'm supportive of the Lammy board's decision, but think that the wording of their guideline clarifications was unfortunate, to say the least.

As for these so-called "allies" getting butthurt over their "exclusion"... maybe they should take a closer look at what being an ally really means.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

So... if it's not about straight cis people, but it is about the stories, you're saying that stories written by straight cis people should still be included? Sorry, I was still unclear on your position (if you have one!).
*weeps* I dunno, dude, I dunno.
*sigh* as a rule, I'm pretty keen on having a space in which I can be queer, read queer things and do queer activities without needing to justify the fact that I'm not letting in the hetero's who think we're cool.
So, yeah, having awards that honour and support LGBT(Q!!!) stories by LGBTQ authors is of the good. I've read too many stories written by straight and cis that are queer and am friends with many real, true and beautiful straight and cis allies, some of whom also write queer characters.
They're part of my queer family as well.
So, I'm kind of torn.

I'm with you on the opportunity to show the diversity in the queer community.

The so-called "allies" are getting the two fingered salute from me, regarding their behaviour in this matter.
Seriously.

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

My concern, first and foremost, is the policing of identity. We live in such fluid times, it causes problems.
I know I prefer to my Lesbian Friends and Sisters when it comes to political identification and queer social gatherings... I'm also wary of the fact that if I ever date a man (cis man specifically, whether he is queer or not), that I will be viewed as though I'm betraying some kind of identity promise.

That's a Queer concern.

I identify with this so much. Thank you for saying it. It's weird being married to a man and sticking up for myself as QUEER in certain situations. It's not about the life we live publicly, it's about the life we live in our own hearts.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly.

I identify very strongly with having a queer space and it not being and the concerns brought forth here (http://ithiliana.livejournal.com/1140080.html), here (http://kaigou.dreamwidth.org/314949.html) and here (http://sanguinity.livejournal.com/509186.html) (sorry to spam you, but I also want to keep those links for reference) where they the discussion of straight and cis appropriation is the issue that erupted from this fail.
But as I said, this is a queer concern and not about the straight and cis people!

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

Thank you for all those links. It's taken me this long to get through them all! (A girl must work, you know.)

I am starting to feel my stance on the whole thing change. At first, I really didn't like the idea of making people identify in order to be eligible. Now, with the whole fail making waves, I'm starting to feel differently. Maybe it is about the stories *we* tell about *us*. Because all this fail just feels hinky and weird and makes my skin crawl a little. And that makes me feel strange because of how people could perceive me. Sigh.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Maybe it is about the stories *we* tell about *us*.

Yeah, that's how I'm feeling as well. 'Cause the fail has been gargantuan.

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

Also, thinking I might add "Queer" to my icon. People are interacting with it differently than I had anticipated. More "Hot woman!!!" than "Gender Queer."

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Queer visibility is win, ya know :)