Njengoba ngisanda kubuya e-2007 Z Media Institute lapho ngafundisa khona amakilasi
ku-Queer Theory, Queer Organising, kanye nePop Culture, ngikhunjuzwa ukuthi kanjani
Ipolitiki eningi ethuthukayo iyenzeka ixhumene nesiko elidumile. Okomphakathi
ushintsho lwenzeka ngazo zonke izinhlobo zezindlela, kodwa enye yezindlela ezibaluleke kakhulu
lezo zinkinga eziwumshoshaphansiโkusuka ekwamukelweni nasekuhlaliseni ukuya ekulinganeni nasekubonakaleni obala
ithonya-ziye zabonakala ku-mainstream iye ngokusebenzisa ezihlukahlukene
izici zesiko elidumile. Ngempela, ngezinga elikhulu, amathonya ongqingili kanye nabesifazane abathandana nabobulili obufanayo
esikweni elidumile ziye zashintsha ngokuphelele ukuthi bangaki abantu e-US
(futhi ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba ezithonywe isiko laseMelika) hhayi nje
cabanga ngabantu abangama-queer, kodwa indlela abacabanga futhi benze ngayo ngempilo yabo.
Kusukela ku-Stonewall Riots ka-1969, i-gay counterculture engaphansi komhlaba iye
ngokungaguquguquki, futhi ngokubaluleke kakhulu, kube nomthelela esikweni elijwayelekile elidumile ngesitayela,
umculo, imfashini, ulimi, izindaba zocansi, nepolitiki. Mhlawumbe lokhu kwakuyi-a
"i-ajenda yobungqingili" lapho uphiko olufanele lukhononda ngokungapheli, kodwa
yamukelwa abaningi baseMelika abaphakathi ababekujabulela ukujabulela okuthile
lokho kwakuhlukile ezimpilweni zabo. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, yabakhulula
kusukela emigomeni yemicabango yabo kanye nemikhawulo abazibekela yona.
Ukugubha lokhu kuqhubekela phambili, nazi izikhathi eziyishumi ezibalulekile zeshadi
ukuhlukunyezwa kancane kancane kwesiko lase-US.
1970: UBette Midler
Yize esephenduke isilomo esikhululekile esicula izingoma ezifana nethi โThe Wind
Beneath My Wings,โ ngo-1970 uBette Midler, exuba inhlanganisela enyantisayo
ikamu, izingxoxo zocansi, nezingoma zika-Andrews Sisters, zaqala ukucula eManhattan's
gay Continental Baths. Phakathi nezinyanga eziyisithupha, wayesengomunye kaJohnny Carson
izivakashi ozithandayo futhi ekuqaleni kuka-1973 i-LP yakhe I-Divine Miss M wahamba igolide. EkaMidler
ukuthandwa okukhulu kwaletha ukuzwela kwekamu labesilisa abayizitabane kubabukeli abaningi
futhi wenza kwakulungile ukuthi abesifazane bakhulume ngokusobala ngocansi esidlangalaleni. Midler
wabonisa isiko elivamile ukuthi ubulili nezinsongo zocansi zesiko gay
futhi kwakuyisithembiso salo esihlala njalo nenkululeko yawo wonke umuntu.
1972: Ziggy Stardust
Uma i-Rolling Stones ishaqisa ukuzwela kwesigaba esiphakathi ngobulukhuni bayo,
I-swagger, kwakunguZiggy Stardust-David Bowie-owathi ngo-1972 yedwa.
wasungula i-glam rock, wenza i-androgyny, i-glitter, upende wobuso, kanye ne-ambi-sexual
ukuthumela usongo olusha entsheni yaseMelika enegazi elibomvu, okuzalanisa abaculi
njengoKISS kanye noMfana George. U-Bowie wathi ngo-1972 wayenobulili obubili
kwase kuthi ngemva kweminyaka eyishumi wathi wakwenza lokho ukuze nje athole ukunakwaโokuningi
ukunaka kunokugqokisana, ukugqoka izimonyo, ukuqabula amadoda esiteji, futhi
ukucula ngocansi lwangaphandle? Kodwa akubanga nandaba ngempela, ngezigidi zentsha
abalaleli isithombe Bowie kanye umyalezo kwaba ukuthi umcabango kanye nesifiso sobulili
kubaluleke kakhulu kunobulili nokuthambekela kwezocansi.
1977: Abantu Besigodi
Ngo-1977 umdidiyeli uJacques Morali wenza i-disco sensation i-Village
Abantu, abahlekisa ngemibono yabesilisa abayizitabane. Yini eyaqala njengomuntu wangaphakathi
umdlalo ohlekisayo udayise ama-albhamu angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-85 kanye ne-โYMCAโโokuwubufakazi kubantu abangaziwa
ucansi lwezitabaneโmanje seluyinsada yezingoma zasehlobo zasehlobo. Kwalandelwa
unyaka kamuva ngomdlalo ohlekisayo othi โMacho Manโ kanye nonyaka owalandela ngokuthi โIn
Umkhumbi Wasemanzini,โ omyalezo wawo ngobulili phakathi kwamadoda wawucace nakakhulu. I-Stonewall
Izibhelu zazineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili kuphela ubudala futhi inhlangano yayenze yaba nkulu kangako
ukuthuthuka kwezamasiko umsakazo we-AM manje ongadlala ngawo ingoma enekhodi encane
ucansi lwezitabane izingane ezincane ezicula nalo. Ingabe kwakumangaza lokho okukhulu
i-anti-queer backlashโeqale yaholwa ngu-Anita Bryant kanye no-Save Our
Umkhankaso wezinganeโuqale ngalesi sikhathi samasiko?
1984: UMadonna
Ukulingisa kwakhe uMarilyn Monroe ngo-1984 Material Girl ividiyo ne-
ingoma yakhe eyashisa izikhotha ngo-1990 ethi "Vogue" yenza uMadonna waba ngumzila wokuqala wesiko lezitabane
uquqaba lwabantu abasha okungenzeka babengawazi umsuka oqondile wezithombe zakhe
nokudansa, kodwa ababanga nankinga yokumlingisa. Kanye nokuphusha imvilophi
ezingxoxweni zobulili nobuliliโyena noSandra Bernhardt baqhubeka sekwephuzile
I-TV yasebusuku izikhathi eziningi bethi bayizithandani. UMadonna egcizelela
ukuthi abantu bathathe umbono wakhe wokuthi kungenzeka ukuthi ungowesifazane, okhululiwe
owesifazane sina. Wacula izingoma ezikhuluma ngokuthi โnjengentombi ntoโ (ezihluke kakhulu
ekubeni munye) futhi wayegcizelela ekuqinisekiseni kwakhe amalungelo ezitabane.
1985: Rock Hudson
I-Rock Hudson, i-heterosexual heartthrob yama-1950 ebaluleke kakhulu, eyisilisa,
wabulawa izifo ezihlobene nengculaza ngo-1985, okwenza ubungqingili bakhe osekunesikhathi eside benamahemuhemu
ebonakalayo. Ubuso bakhe obudabukile esembozweni sika Abantu kanye nama-tabloids ezitolo ezinkulu
kwaletha ukwesaba okubangelwa ubhadane lwengculaza ezigidini ezazizikhethile
ukuyiziba. Uma lokhu kungenzeka ku-Rock Hudsonโomunye weqembu laseHollywood
yonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukaziโingculaza kumele kube yinkinga enkulu. Kodwa ngaphezu kwalokho
ukushaqeka kwesiko okwakuwumphumela wokugula nokufa kwakhe, kwakukhona futhi
ukuqonda okusha ukuthi impilo ngaphansi kwe-tinsel yaseHollywood yayinzima kakhulu
kunalokho ababukeli bamabhayisikobho ababekusola ngaphambiliโnokuthi abesifazane nabesilisa wena
ukwamukelwa ezinhliziyweni zenu eminyakeni edlule kwakungeyona into enanicabanga ngayo
uku.
1992: UCalvin Klein
Imizimba yabesilisa ibilokhu yenziwa ucansi ngokwesiko lobungqingiliโIsithombe Somzimba
yama-1950s yaba isifanekiso semizimba yabesilisa yonke indawo. Kodwa ngo-1992
umthwebuli wezithombe u-Herb Ritts uphakamise i-ante ngezikhangiso zakhe ze-Calvin Klein, okuyinto
waletha umuzwa we-gay-porn ku Vanity Fair. Ngokusebenzisa uCalvin Klein
izithombe ezinkulu zamadoda asondele enqunu emabhodini e-Times Square, mass culture
kwadingeka bavume ukuthi i-passive yocansi ekhangayo eyayihlala idlulisiwe
isimo sowesifazane manje sase sinikezwa ubulili obungakhethi ngokwesiko.
Ngenkathi izifinyezo ezigcwele kahle kanye nezingono ezivelele zaba yimali evusa inkanuko
ezikhangisweni zezingubo zabesilisa kanye nama-cologne, baphinde babonisa ukuthi isikhalazo
ukuba yinto yocansi-umzimba ubhekwe, umzimba uhloselwe,
umzimba owawufunwaโkwakuvunyelwe ngokwenhlalo nangokwesiko.
1997: "Ellen"
Ngo-1997 u-Ellen Degeneresโi-soft-butch edume kakhulu eMelikaโโwaphumaโ
ku-TV yakhe sit-com. Umbukiso wakhanselwa ngemva konyaka, kodwa u-Ellen wenza
โIntando Nomusa,โ โIso Elibukhali Lensizwa Eqondile,โ โIzinja Njengomuntu,โ kanye
โIZwi likaNkulunkuluโ kungenzeka. Nakuba ungekho kule midlalo emihle (โIntando Nomusaโ
kungaba mnandi; "Queer Eye" ukubekwa komkhiqizo we-conditioner yezinwele),
zonke zaziyingxenye yenqubo enkulu yokujwayela umabonakude okwathi ngayo
likeable Queer abantu baba njengoba American njengoba Lucy kanye Desi Arnez, June futhi
Ward Cleaver. Umthelela omkhulu walokhu kwakungekona nje ukuletha izitabane
emakamelweni ethu okuhlala njalo ebusuku, kodwa ukuthunaza wona kanye umqondo we
ithelevishini evamile isiko lase-US elalikugqugquzele amashumi eminyaka.
1998: UDennis Rodman
I-autobiography ka-Dennis Rodman yango-1998 Kubi njengoba Ngifuna Ukuba kwakuveza njenge
umbukiso wakhe ogqamile wobuciko bomzimba. Ukuthanda kukaRodman ama-tattoos, ukubhoboza,
izimpaphe ezinemibala egqamile, nezingubo zomshado zazishaqisa
hhayi kubalandeli bezemidlalo kuphela, kodwa iningi laseMelika ejwayelekile. Kodwa isithombe sikaRodman
yaphuma ngqo ku-queer male subculture. Ukunqoba kokuhudula/i-punk/ibhayisikili elixubile
ukuzwela kwezitabaneโkwakuyisandulela se-metrosexual emnene, kodwa ukujikijela emuva
kokuphambuka ocansini okuyingozi. Impela, ngezindlela eziningi, uRodman wayemuhle kakhulu
freak, kodwa wayebuye abe ukuphikisana okukhulu emibonweni yendabuko yalokho
kwakusho ukuba yindoda.
1998: "Ucansi Nedolobha"
Akumangazi ukuthi abagxeki bacabanga ukuthi โUcansi Nedolobhaโ (1998-2004) kwaba
ukuhlanganiswa kokugcina kokuzwela kwezitabane kumabonakude. Kwabhalwa
ngamadoda ayizitabane kanye nenkhulumomphendvulwano yocansi ekhahlamezayo kanye nezinhlelo zayo zaziyizitabane kune-โWill
kanye noGrace.โ Ingabe yilokhu abesifazane abathanda ubulili obuhlukile ababezwakala benjalo ngasese?
Ababhali babo besikrini kuphela ababebazi ngokuqinisekile. "Ucansi Nomuzi" wazala
umqondo wokuthi abesifazane bangakwazi ukuxoxa ngesifiso nobulili njengabesilisa, i
umlayezo uBette Midler ayewushumayela kwabasanda kuguquka ngo-1972.
Izwi lomphakathi labesifazane abakhuluma ngocansi lalixhumene ngokujulile nalo
izitabane ukuphila nesiko. Kwaphinde kwavela inkululeko yobulili obuhlukile
ukuba ikhophi yokuphila queer nothando.
2006: UMark Foley et al.
NgoSepthemba 2006, uMark Foley waseFlorida Republican Congress wesula esikhundleni
phakathi kwezinsolo zokuziphatha okungafanele emakhasini besilisa. Abobulili obuhlukile
aphefumulele phezulu ukuthi akusekho, futhi, omunye wabo. Nini
Umvangeli omkhulu u-Ted Haggard uvumile ukuthi unobudlelwano beminyaka emithathu
nowesilisa oshayela ucingo uMike Jones ngoNovemba 2006, kwacaca ukuthi
uxhaso lwezimali lwalungekho ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho kufanele lube khona. Umshini wokunyathelisa odumile
ukhuthaze lokhu njengokungathi bekungokunye nje kokuhlukana kukaBrad Pitt noma okunye okunye
Ukuhlukaniswa kweParis Hilton. Ukunganaki kukaFoley kwaveza omunye uqhekeko phakathi
i-facade yokuhlonishwa kweRiphabhulikhi kanye nemidlalo eyinqaba ka-Haggard
kwafakazela ukuthi ukuhlwithwa kwakuseduze kunalokho abantu ababekucabanga. Zombili lezi zigameko
kufakazele isisho sakudala se-gay: sikuyo yonke indawo. Kodwa, ngaphandle kokuhleba
ukubaluleka, umqondo we-gay conservative unikeze isiko elidumile nomunye,
ehlala iguquka, imodeli yokungazinzi okuphelele kobugwegwe. Kade bengu
azikho izindonga zangempela, eziqinile phakathi "kwezitabane" kanye "nokuqondisa" phakathi "kokuziphatha okubi"
kanye โnabalungile.โ Kusukela ekamu lika-Bette Midler elishaya umoya lixoxa nelikaMadonna
gal pals kuya big, amabruiser aqinile in white wedding gown, America ngokuya
ngokuba (okungenani ngokomfanekiso) izwe labakhululekile kanye nekhaya lika
i-queer, noma ngabe wawuyindlovukazi noma cha.
Z
UMichael Bronski ungumbhali we I-Pulp Friction: Ukwembula Inkathi Yegolide
weGay Male Pulps (St. Martin's Press).