The Problematic Weekend...
This past weekend was filled with many Debbie downers, but filled with some positivity to it. This past weekend, if you can describe it in one word: problematic! Throughout the weekend, the usage of the word “problematic” was uttered numerous times, and I do mean a lot! Which really made me think about the word problematic, and who it is describing or the situation it is describing. There were many events during the weekend that I too have said multiple times.
So this past weekend was the Western Regional Conference at UCLA. Yeah, what ended up as problematic was that this was a queer conference, and the phrase “queer conference” really speaks for itself.
I realized that I have gone to only two conferences in which it was focused around queer issues: first was the Queer Pin@y Conference, and this recent Western Regional. Now, what I noticed, and already knew about the queer community is that generally, spaces like these are for getting drunk, dressing HELLA gay, and hooking up. And seeing that makes me sad about how far our community has achieved? Also, I am talking about the queer community in general, I have yet to break that community down even farther with queer people of color, transgender people (of color), genderqueer, two spirited, the list goes on.
During the Western Regional conference, I observed that some of the participants of the conference were only there the sole purpose of getting drunk, dressing HELLA gay, and hooking up. Although I did have fun spending time with Dorothy Young as we played…”Spot the Hipster.” We had to search through the crowd of queers for scarfs, vests, fawkhawks, DEEP v-necks, etc.
The situation started with the “Lesbian Latina” comedienne. Then came the situation of there was no Queer People of Color Caucus, the situation within my own delegation with ignorant queer white people who don’t really understand the concept and the struggles of queer people of color, transgender people (of color), genderqueer, two-spirted, etc. So yeah, then came the API caucus. It wasn’t as problematic but was difficult for me to understand. This Western Regional was….as expected, problematic.
But the conference was a good thing to the extent that it made queer white people to think and more conscious of their privilege, although some won’t admit it and some avoided the discussions.
By the end of the conference and the trip home, There was a woman who was, um, problematic herself. Ugh. It’s the feeling of where, when you are like….are you serious? Wait, are you saying what you really are saying? Like talking from a privileged perspective.
Although there were some good points to the conference. I got a chance to see my Greggy Bear, and Dorothy Young! So I was quite happy, although that was overpowered by the problematic-ness of the entire weekend. Also, there were some people within my delegation who I am glad to have met, like they are really conscious and critical of the situation during Western Regional. So that was pretty awesome!
Critically Thinking...
<3 Tommy
So this past weekend was the Western Regional Conference at UCLA. Yeah, what ended up as problematic was that this was a queer conference, and the phrase “queer conference” really speaks for itself.
I realized that I have gone to only two conferences in which it was focused around queer issues: first was the Queer Pin@y Conference, and this recent Western Regional. Now, what I noticed, and already knew about the queer community is that generally, spaces like these are for getting drunk, dressing HELLA gay, and hooking up. And seeing that makes me sad about how far our community has achieved? Also, I am talking about the queer community in general, I have yet to break that community down even farther with queer people of color, transgender people (of color), genderqueer, two spirited, the list goes on.
During the Western Regional conference, I observed that some of the participants of the conference were only there the sole purpose of getting drunk, dressing HELLA gay, and hooking up. Although I did have fun spending time with Dorothy Young as we played…”Spot the Hipster.” We had to search through the crowd of queers for scarfs, vests, fawkhawks, DEEP v-necks, etc.
The situation started with the “Lesbian Latina” comedienne. Then came the situation of there was no Queer People of Color Caucus, the situation within my own delegation with ignorant queer white people who don’t really understand the concept and the struggles of queer people of color, transgender people (of color), genderqueer, two-spirted, etc. So yeah, then came the API caucus. It wasn’t as problematic but was difficult for me to understand. This Western Regional was….as expected, problematic.
But the conference was a good thing to the extent that it made queer white people to think and more conscious of their privilege, although some won’t admit it and some avoided the discussions.
By the end of the conference and the trip home, There was a woman who was, um, problematic herself. Ugh. It’s the feeling of where, when you are like….are you serious? Wait, are you saying what you really are saying? Like talking from a privileged perspective.
Although there were some good points to the conference. I got a chance to see my Greggy Bear, and Dorothy Young! So I was quite happy, although that was overpowered by the problematic-ness of the entire weekend. Also, there were some people within my delegation who I am glad to have met, like they are really conscious and critical of the situation during Western Regional. So that was pretty awesome!
Critically Thinking...
<3 Tommy