butches and squash
1. BUTCHES
This is an old news story, i think. But surely sometimes proclaimations work in rounds. I dont know why this is sticking to me (possibly an investment in the queer, possibly an investment in my own sense) but i can't put down the fact that last week my roommate, in an exxagerated gesture (or maybe not), announced that she could only think of one self-identified butch lesbian under the age of 40 in the entire city of toronto.
This quickly prompted my creation of the "potential list of butch candidates", in a rediculously now urgent need to prove this estimate wrong. The list was indeed small. And after speaking to a number of the potential listees, most were actually not in the habit of using that word as a term of self-identification, regardless of their proximity to the stereotypical features of that title. possible (potentially accurate, potentially really dangerous) reasons i have heard for this include: a) its an east / west thing. "butch" gets articulated differently on church street than it does at the gladstone. indentity titles are obviously all location-based or at least informed by location, and the supposed existence/depletion of "butches" can be understood as an urban queer phenomenon...b) all the butch women are now trans men (this to some may or may not link precariously with reason a, but that might be a whole nother can of worms) ) c) the queer world is (as always) fast (r)evolving. Bars are in and out quicker than me in a public washroom. everything from club nights to clothing trends skyrocket and fade. Queers always seem on the edge of some social margin, anticipating the next. but then why does the "evolution" of "femme/fem(me)" look so radically different? (not to dychotomize "butch" and "femme"...actually yes. thats actually exactly what just happened.) ug.
2. SQUASH
I really think i want to learn how to play squash. I really think it would be a lot of fun. This is my yearly attemp to up the active element in my day-to-day, but this time i mean it. however, i need a partner. i promise not to bring up queer theory while we play, if you're down with a little recreational hitting of ball against wall. let the sweatband and mandatory protective goggles be incentive.
This is an old news story, i think. But surely sometimes proclaimations work in rounds. I dont know why this is sticking to me (possibly an investment in the queer, possibly an investment in my own sense) but i can't put down the fact that last week my roommate, in an exxagerated gesture (or maybe not), announced that she could only think of one self-identified butch lesbian under the age of 40 in the entire city of toronto.
This quickly prompted my creation of the "potential list of butch candidates", in a rediculously now urgent need to prove this estimate wrong. The list was indeed small. And after speaking to a number of the potential listees, most were actually not in the habit of using that word as a term of self-identification, regardless of their proximity to the stereotypical features of that title. possible (potentially accurate, potentially really dangerous) reasons i have heard for this include: a) its an east / west thing. "butch" gets articulated differently on church street than it does at the gladstone. indentity titles are obviously all location-based or at least informed by location, and the supposed existence/depletion of "butches" can be understood as an urban queer phenomenon...b) all the butch women are now trans men (this to some may or may not link precariously with reason a, but that might be a whole nother can of worms) ) c) the queer world is (as always) fast (r)evolving. Bars are in and out quicker than me in a public washroom. everything from club nights to clothing trends skyrocket and fade. Queers always seem on the edge of some social margin, anticipating the next. but then why does the "evolution" of "femme/fem(me)" look so radically different? (not to dychotomize "butch" and "femme"...actually yes. thats actually exactly what just happened.) ug.
2. SQUASH
I really think i want to learn how to play squash. I really think it would be a lot of fun. This is my yearly attemp to up the active element in my day-to-day, but this time i mean it. however, i need a partner. i promise not to bring up queer theory while we play, if you're down with a little recreational hitting of ball against wall. let the sweatband and mandatory protective goggles be incentive.