Is popular culture reinventing language or simply appropriating it?

Have you ever thought about the origins of the words we use in everyday discussion? Well, neither have I…until recently. I found out that colloquial terms such as “yasss” and “slay” have been appropriated from Queer culture. More specifically, from the transgender community. This is a culture that has been disenfranchised and ridiculed for centuries, and its existence undermined by many. Literary critic and political activist Bell Hooks argues that many negative definition of the term drag “reconnect this label to an experience that is burdensome, as retrograde and retrogressive”[1]. Yet, here we are in the 21 century using their language, whilst continuing to delegitimise the queer culture. In the podcast Reply All, the host interviews ballroom “legend” Jose Xtravaganza. He is known for popularising voguing, and is one of the most famous personalities to emerge from the ballroom scene.

When asked for his opinion on the growing popularity and usage of “drag” vocabulary, Jose explains that for him, these terms are not simply words. He refers to them as “speaking code”, developed to prevent others from understanding their conversations. Jose further explains that the individuals who have invented the many colloquial terms have sadly passed away. For Jose these words embody the suffering and embarrassment his community had to endure. Arguably, the transgender community developed their own lexis to separate themselves from mainstream or hegemonic social conventions. Since, it is the very concept of societal norms that confine them to the realm of the other. Furthermore, there is something powerful about creating a language which other people will not be able to comprehend. This is significant for a community which lacks authority and recognition. Hooks describes their predicament in this manner:  “to choose to appear as “female”  when one is “male” is always constructed in the patriarchal mindset as a loss, as a choice worth only ridicule”[2]. The invention of a language which is being used constantly by straight or heterosexual individuals reinforces the irony embedded within this statement. On the one hand, many transgender individuals are mocked and humiliated for their choices. Yet, their language is popularised and turned into hashtags which circulated globally.

Therefore, popular culture has arguably given us access to the language of the queer community, and become a portal into a sub-culture which is becoming more and more prominent. It was because of a Lady Gaga fan the term “yasss” recognised as a term, and given an actual dictionary definition.

In this video, the fan can be heard articulating his adoration by shouting “yasss Gaga”, whilst  Lady Gaga poses for the camera outside a hotel. The young man is a member of the queer community, and this term functions as a marker of his identity. This video went viral, and initiated a surge in the usage of the word. It must also be noted that language also functions as a tool that can be used to construct identity.

In the documentary Paris is Burning,  the viewer encouters the fluid nature of identity. More specifically, the viewer is taken into the lives of homosexual and transgender individuals from Hispanic and African American descent. We are invited into the Ballroom, and experience a unique form of entertainment. The Ball has various categories in which one can compete in, and the winner is given a highly coveted price. Most of the categories include a form of dance or expression that must be mastered by the competitors. However, there is one peculiar subdivision entitled Realness, and inorfer to win the individual must embody a “straight” person they may have encountered. To put it plainly: “if you are gay, you have to go back into the closet”. This category may seem strange, and at first I was perplexed as well. Then, I slowly started to realise that by changing their appearance and mannerism, they are in fact ridiculing heterosexuality in the same manner homosexualitu is derided in mainstream depictions. Once again, this demonstrates the fluidity of identity categorization, a person’s attire and behaviour can determine whether or not they are recognised as gay or straight. Consequently, this also reaffirms the notion that identity is “capable of construction, invention and change”.

Returning to the function of popular culture in this dialectic between homosexuality and hertonormativity, I would also like to argue that popular culture has not only given us access to term such as “slay”. It also functions as a catalyst in the process of appropriating queer culture, as if it is accessible to all. On multiple social media platforms, individuals are utilising these neologism without knowing the sentiments attached to it. More importantly, all of these users are acknowledging and endorsing the existence of queer culture, some without being fully aware of this. A twitter user posted an image of a girl sobbing in response to seeing so many “heterosexual friends” use “yasss” on Facebook comments. This user felt as if his culture was finally being validated, and felt a sense of pride. For him this the lines between homosexuality and heterosexuality were being blurred. However, is this really the case when so many people are typing “yasss” in all caps without knowing that it was never intended for them to utilise.

[1] Bell Hooks, ‘Is Paris Burning?’, in Black Looks: Race and Representation, p. 146.

[2]Bell Hooks, ‘Is Paris Burning?’, in Black Looks: Race and Representation, p. 145.

Popular culture is a “Queer” thing in itself.

In this week blog, I will be considering how “queer” is represented in the media. In the 21^st century homosexuality, bisexuality and trans-sexuality is no longer confined to the realm of secrecy. Multiple movies and TV shows includes homosexual characters or have homosexual character in lead roles. More importantly, these characters are shown to have successful careers, find love and build families of their own. LGBT and other equal rights movements have not only raised awareness but have also appealed for the acceptance and tolerance of non-normative sexualities. Television has increasingly become a medium and space where homosexuality is being normalised as well as contested. For instance, sitcoms such as The Modern Family and The New Normal attempt to reinvent the image of a typical queer man. Furthermore, the titles of the shows use adjectives such as modern, new and normal to describe its content. In turn legitimising homosexuality as an ordinarily intrinsic part of contemporary American society.

 

Modern depictions have moved away from stereotypical characterisation of “gay” men. They are no longer solely feminine men or men mimicking what would be classed as feminine behavioural traits. The American-Canadian TV show, Queer as Folk has made significant contribution to altering popular media depiction of “gay” men. It first began on the 3rd of December 2000 and ended on the 7^th of August 2005. The show was based on the British TV series of the same name. More importantly, Queer as Folk was the first hour long drama depicting the lives of homosexual men and women. However, this show was not only ground-breaking for this reason. It attempted to demonstrate that individuals who identified themselves as homosexual or even transsexual could easily be identified as heteosexuals. For instance, the male characters on this show encountered everyday problems, and lived life like any other “normal” individual. If anything was presented as deviating from the norm, it was their choices in sexual partners. Homosexuality is not depicted as strange or fetishised. Instead, queer men are relatable, and given a space to challenge stereotypical popular depictions.

More to the point, in these portrayals whether “negative” or “positive” white homosexuality is accounted for in the media. Therefore, when watching even the most modern sitcoms, I am left with wondering what about black homosexual men?  I am mainly referring to men, because I have noticed this problem persistently in representations concerning homosexual men. Whether one examines 20th century depictions or current representation, Queer is still a white thing. White homosexual men are given the opportunity to reclaim their sexuality as normal, and acceptable. The issue of race is unacknowledged in most of these shows. The most important issue being addressed in these sitcoms and drama productions is sexuality, thus forgetting that race and sexuality for many people are interlinked. Author James Baldwin insisted that “race and sex must be approached as immutably interconnected and that homophobia was to be combated alongside racism”[1]. However, media representation of queer hesitate, and in many ways fail to account for black homosexual experiences.

This is why individuals such as Miss Lawrence from The Real Housewives of Atlanta are forced to leave TV shows, due disrespect. In an interview with BET, he explained that some of the women on the show did not respect the gay community, nor understand their situation. The fashion designer conveyed his issues in this manner:  “I don’t think they’re homophobic. What I’m saying is, they need to be held accountable for the cultural appropriation and they need to understand how to respect our culture – what’s appropriate to say and what’s not”[2]. Miss Lawrence was both hypervisible and invisible on a show where his race is dominantly represented. In other words, his sexuality turned him into a spectacle, he was both ridiculed and misunderstood.

This pattern of under-representation of black homosexual men is also evident on YouTube. There are numerous videos of people “coming out” (taking ownership of their sexuality), and yet again most of these videos have white protagonists. Their efforts are rightfully applauded and acknowledged. The Rhodes brothers uploaded a video on their channel entitled: Twins Come Out To Dad.  

In this video, the twin brothers candidly phone their father, and inform him that they are both homosexuals. Their struggles as white homosexual men are documented and rightfully validated through social media. This video has over 23 million views, and circulation has ensured that their story is watched and re-watched by people all over the world. The circulation of this video also encourages other people to “come out”, and share their experiences. Black homosexual men are not given the opportunity to achieve this through popular culture, as a result, they may not feel comfortable in engaging with discussion of sexuality on social media. They are doubly oppressed, and this remains unacknowledged by mainstream media.

(Note: I am aware that my post has neglected transsexuals and bisexual individuals. However, I have done this deliberately in order to focus on the lack of black homosexual male representation).

[1] James Baldwin’s Turkish Decade: Erotics of Exile, Magdalena Zaborowska.

[2] Link to interview: http://www.musictimes.com/articles/49078/20150924/miss-lawrence-left-rhoa-didnt-respect-gay-culture-token-guy.htm.