“I wanted to enjoy this podcast. Nicole Byer was the saving grace of her featured episode.
Unfortunately, a more serious “safe space” moment of the cast centered around identifying what belongs in queer culture and then evaluating through an elitist lens what is and is not acceptable.
I think appropriation is thrown around so much that they don’t understand their own usage in the context of their Beyoncé example. Appropriation insinuates two things.
1. That the use of another’s cultural elements is being done without any consent.
2. The proper acknowledgment of where those cultural elements stems from to increase soap education/awareness is not being performed.
So when you talk about Madonna? Yeah. I get it. She has several moments through her career where she take from queer and POC cultures without acknowledgment. But you lost me at Renaissance.
.
Literally, the album is an homage to Queer POC—specifically ballroom—culture. And the album features several queer entertainers and icons. TS Madison, Kevin Aviance, Moi Renee to make a FEW. Recognition and a coin is already feeling less appropriated.
But beyond that, you have a Black female gay icon bringing more attention to what was largely a Queer Black part of culture. Bringing it into the mainstream so as to move queerness away from being a “dirty” subject like so many states clearly still think it is.
Beyoncé has had several pro-Black statement pieces and this is yet another. Because pro-Black means of all gender expressions, ages, sexualities, etc. Just like pro-Queer means of ALL expressions, races, etc.
Which brings me to what separates the hosts from white gays, as they say. Conforming to heterosexual norms is NOT exclusive to white gays. And white gays have several issues, but I think you fail to realize DL culture is exhibited far less proportionately in white gays than POC. And DL culture is inherently het-coded. Masculine/feminine roles are practiced more heavily among gay POC than white gays. And if you’re really basing the whole thing on music, mindless music consumption is common among white gays… as it is for POC. And just because something isn’t art to you doesn’t mean it isn’t art to someone else, especially the creators of art. Your elitism does not produce absolute fact.
So please. As artists, as you continue to appropriate from others in the form of inspiration, give credit where it’s due. And then respect the art of those around you even if you don’t like it. Do your research and support ALL people and stop diminishing the unique experiences of others (like white gays) who you clearly deem beneath you.”
J.beard08 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/18/23