By Christopher Street he Emily Carr queer students’ show was just beginning as I started to write this, and I know I was not alone in hearing others question why being a group of gay students merited having “our own” show in the Concourse. To many, it appears that, when viewed as a group, homosexuals tend to intentionally segregate ourselves from mainstream society, even as we become more and more accepted. Vancouver is a city with a very visible gay component; gay newspapers, bars, and many gay- owned businesses aim to serve with an almost entirely gay clientele in mind. So if one were to try and imagine a total, collective “gay con- sciousness” , it would appear that we are trying to become more vis- ible and accepted as a valuable and productive element of society, while at the same time “keeping to our own kind” and shutting the non-gay out of our lives. As if such segregation weren't enough, even within gay and lesbian culture there is a surprising amount of sepa- rateness and stereotyping that comes with labelling both selves and others. But is this actually segregation? Or if such cultures were more involved with each other, wouldn't they just become more alike and lose their individual characteristics? I have heard of the opinion that there is really no such thing as Gay/Queer culture. From a certain perspective this could be true (if you were determined to convince yourself of it), since the culture of homosexuals doesn’t consist of a heritage or history handed down through familial lineage, as happens when one inherits one’s parents’ customs, ethnic or racial features, or religious background, for exam- ple. Instead, the gay culture(in terms of past or background) that is referred to is found in histories of other gay people, who aren’t likely to be relatives; they are people who simply (or perhaps not so simply) found ways to live (openly or not) as homosexuals in the conditions of their own time and place. For gay artists and performers daring to express their homosexual identity in their works, the expressions often took form hidden in metaphor, and eventually a “sensibility” developed among those who could communicate in and recognize these elements. Since many of these works have been presented to society as a whole, a lot of work done with this sensibility in mind had simply passed by unnoticed to much of straight society. As far as mainstream society tends to see things, many, many works of art with this sensibility don’t exist because their queer context is invisible. So works by homosexuals such as Tennessee Williams, Cole Porter, or Leonard Bernstein found popular success within mainstream society, but at the time their queer sensibility went largely unnoticed. People may prefer not to notice. Today, some television programs like The Tick or Absolutely Fabulous actually attract a portion of their viewers because of their gay undertones. Both mainstream and gay societies have made their gradual adjustments to each other over time, but in today’s culture, a gay context still maintains this sort of hidden presence. It’s still a big deal if a television show, for instance, features an out lesbian charac- ter, because pressure is maintained against mainstream entertainers (and the corporations that finance them) to avoid something that leads people to question established sets of beliefs, mostly among conservative or fundamentalist backgrounds, that say that something like homosexuality as a practice (“Love the sinner, hate the sin”) can and should be eradicated, or that there is a danger involved in its presence. This pressure, which has also given rise to myth and negative stereotyping of homosexuals, has led many homosexuals to feel uncomfortable with themselves for exhibiting any of these “signs”. Many people immediately associate homosexuality with exhibiting feminine tendencies for men, or masculine tendencies for women. I’ve personally had many people tell me they never knew I was gay because I’m probably not particularly effeminate, and others who 2 spring 1998 / planet of the arts 15 \ IDENTITIES 16 The Sugar Dance Aidan Kelly Dealing with type 1 diabetes. 17 Alternative Medicine Shirley Bear, et al. Voices of First Nations students. 19 “I” Calls Into Question Derek Brunen Returning to the scene of the crime. thought I was joking when I told them. The sorts of insults involving homosexuality we’ve been raised hearing usually reflect this assump- tion that gay men are effeminate and lesbians are “butch”. The segregation amongst homosexuals that I’m talking about here in many ways isn’t all that different from how individuals with- in mainstream society prefer to socialize and interact with its own barriers. Status, background, interests, tastes, and hobbies are the kinds of things we all tend to allow to determine who we let into our lives. If youre reading this, for example, it’s not likely that you go to bingo halls or strip bars like a great many people “out there” do. Or maybe you don’t go out and you have better things to do. Of course, most gay men probably don’t go to bars regularly. So bars hardly offer a cross-section of gay culture. There’s no one place that evenly mixes gay men and lesbians, or different types of crowds, for instance. I personally go to The Royal (Granville & Nelson) about once every week or two because “there’s a good mix” of people there (I like Friday nights), especially for a gay bar. Others tend to attract specific crowds, come across as seedy, or have become so popular with straight college students that they’ve scared all their gay crowd away. But even at the Royal, the “crowd” splits up into “sub-crowds”, where the regulars divide into cliques. There’s a wide range of age groups, but these cliques seem more defined by what they wear, body type, or the type of guy people like to meet or pick up. I don’t go to get laid or get drunk; I like to watch the crowd and chat with people I know. Besides, I have a partner; and he doesn’t like to go to bars. He must know something I don’t. What is it with gay men being obsessed with sex? Are we? Well, if one identifies him/herself as homosexual, a lot of thought on the sub- ject of sex is likely to have taken place. But most gay men don’t go out of their way to be presented differently. Gay men are typically a lot more open about sexuality, so in a public environment consisting of gay men it’s just accepted that a lot of men here are out for a good time... as in looking to hook up for S-E-X. People like those in the leather group will dress according to what sort of sexual activity or fetish they’re interested in. The leather part is obvious, but on the odd occasion you can see people advertising what they’re into by using a system involving colour-specific hankies hanging out of either the left or right rear pants pocket. What I find remarkable about those using this “system” is how this protocol seems to have evolved. People can go about their typical daily lives and then go out, “dressed up” almost as a different persona, but not as intense as something like drag. (Although many suggest “leather” is just another form of drag.) At a continued on page 18, see “Stereotypes” uA spring 1998 / planet of the arts 15 ‘ IDENTITIES 16 ‘The Sager Dance ‘ian Key sy! 19 ‘ternative Maing -F cats into Question Shey Bea ea Derek tren ‘ero Fit No es een testo erin Stereotyping Queer By Christopher Street he Emily Care queer students show was just beginning as 1 started to write this, and {know Twas nt alone in heating ‘others question why being a group of gay students merited ‘having “our own” show inthe Concourse "To many, it appears that, when viewed asa group, homosexuals tend to intentionally segregate ourselves from mainstream society, ‘even as we become more and more accepted, Vancouver sa city with very visible ay component; gay newspaper, bars, and many gy- ‘owed businesses aim to serve with an almost ntl gay cientele in ‘mind. So if one wee to try and imagine a total, collective “gay con- sciousness”, it would appear that we are trying to become more vs ible and accepted asa valuable and productive element of society, hile atthe same time “keping to our own Kind” and shutting the on-ay out of our lives Asif such segregation weren't enough, ven within gay and lesbian culture ther sa surprising amount of sepa rateness and stereotyping that comes with labeling both selves and others. Burs this actualy segregation? Orif such cultures were more involved with eachother, would’ they jst become more alike and lose their individual characteristics? have heard ofthe opinion that there i ell no such thing as GGaylQucer cltre. From a certain perspective this could be true (if you were determined to convince yourself of it) since the culture of homosexuals doesn't consist ofa heritage or history handed down {hough familial ineage, a happens when one inherits one's parents ‘ustoms, ethnic o acl features, o religious background, for exam le Instead the gay’ culturein terms of pastor background) tha is referred to is found in histories of other gay people, who aren ikely tobe relatives they are peopl who simply (or perhaps not so simply) found ways te ive (openly or not s homosexuals in the conditions ‘oftheir own time and place. For gay artist and performers daring to ‘express their homosexual identity in their work, the expressions ‘often took form hidden in metaphor, and eventually a “sensibly” developed among those who could communicate in and recognize these elements Since many of these works have been presented 0 society asa whole, alt of work done with this sensibility in mind haa simply passed by unnoticed to much of straight society. As fi a8 mainstream society tends tose things, many, many works of at with this sensbilty don’ exist because their queer context is invisible. So ‘works by homosexuals such as Tennessee Willams, Cae Porter, of Leonard Berstin found popular success within mainstream society, but at the time thee queer sensibility went largely unnoticed People ray prefer not to noice. Today, some television programs lke The Tick or Abioutely Fabulous actually ateact portion of thee viewers because oftheir ‘ay undertones. Both mainstream and gay societies have made thee ‘gradual adjustments to cach oer over ime, but in today’s eultre, ‘8 context sill maintains ths sort of hidden presence. I's til a big dea if tlevision show, fr instance, features an out lesbian charac ter, because pressure is maintained against mainstream entertainers {and the corporations that finance them) to avoid something that leads people to question established ses of beliefs, mostly among ‘conservative or fundamentalist background, tat say that something Tike homosexuality asa practice ("Love the sinner, hate the sn”) can and should be eradicated, or that there isa danger involved in presence. “This presure, which has alo given rise to myth and negative stereotyping of homosexuals, has led many homosexuals to feel ‘uncomfortable with themsclves for exhibiting any of these “sign Many people immediatly associate homosexuality with exhibiting feminine tendencies for men, or masculine tendencies for women, ve personally had! many people tell me they never knew I was ay because I'm probably not paticulely effeminate, and others who thought Iwas joking when I told them, The sorts of insults involving homosexuality we've been raised hearing usually reflec this assump: tion that gay men are effeminate and lesbians are “butch ‘The segregation amongst homosexuals that 'm talking about Ihre in many ways snl that different from how individuals with- Jn mainstream society prefer to socialize and interact with its own, barriers. Status, background, interests, tates, and hobbies are the Kinds of things weal tend to aloe to determine who we let into our lives If youre reading this, for example, it’ not likly that you go to bingo halls or strip bars ike a great many people “out there” do. Or ‘maybe you dont go out and you have better things to do ‘Of couse, most gay men probably dont goto bars regularly. So bars hardly offer a cross-section of gay culture. There's noone pace that evenly mines gay men and lesbians oF different types of cows, for instance 1 personally goto The Royal (Granville & Nelson) about once ‘every week or two because “there's good mix” of people there (Hike Friday nights), especially for a gay bat. Others tend to attract speifc toms, come across as seedy, or have become so popular with straight college students that they've scared all their ay crowd aay. But even a the Royal the “crowd” splits up into “sub-crowd’ where the regulars divide into cliques. There's a wide range of age groups, ‘but these cliques seem more defined by what they wear, body type oF the typeof guy peopl keto meet or pick up. dont go to get ad or ‘et drunk; [like to watch the crowd and chat with people I know. Besides, havea partner and he does like to goto bars, He must know something I do. ‘What sit with gay men being obsessed with sex? Are we? Wel if ‘one identifies hinvherslfas homosexual lo of thought onthe sub ject of Sex is ikl to have taken plac. But most gay men don't go out ‘of ther way tobe presente diferent. Gay men are typically a ot ‘more open about sexuality, 50 ina public environment consisting of ‘ay men ifs just accepted that alot of men hee ae out fr a good time... asin looking to hook up for S-E-X. People like thos in the leather group will dessacording to what sort of sexual activity or fetish theyre interested in The leather partis obvious, but on the odd ‘occasion you can se people advertising what they’ into by using 2 _sjstem involving colour specific hankies hanging out of ithe the et ‘or right rear pants pocket. What I ind remarkable about those using this "system is how this protocol seme to have evolved. People can {0 about their typical dal lives and then go out, “dressed up” almost 52 diferent persona, but not as intense a something like drag. (Although many sugges “eather” is just another form of dag.) Ata contin on page 38 0 Steere"