Comments on: Dear Straight Cisgender People Who Are Showing Out

By: Audrey P.

Audrey P. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:29:44 +0000

Ahhh, thank you. @_@ As a lesbian this is driving me nuts. There are some issues here, like shouldn’t the award celebrate queer people writing anything at all and not just queer people writing fiction about queers? Shouldn’t all queer art perhaps be celebrated? But at the end of the day it’s still a queer award for queers and, oh hi, apparently we can’t throw a party for ourselves unless straight, cisgendered people are on the invitation list?

I’d hate for them for one minute to suffer from the discrimination against them that’s insidiously written into the legal system and inhibits their access to the mainstream publishing, television, and movie industries. … Oh wait.

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:23:03 +0000

LOL The social implications of associating FOX news with anything remotely erotic (as in making someone wet) will probably keep me amused for hours. (Yea my day is that boring)

Seriously though you are SO right. However for most of this country, aka less racially diverse areas than LA or NYC, you may be making an optimistic guess at 5 non-WET channels. And even here in LA most of those seem to be Spanish speaking/Mexican. Meaning that as a non-Spanish speaker I can not often support them as a viewer.(not to say that they should be in english but that they do not reach into the mainstream and are very much consider ‘other’ by whites, and not in a good way. I hope that came out right)

By: Megan

Megan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:12:23 +0000

Another thing I found annoying about many of the comments was the repeated assertation that the judging has always been ‘predjudiced’ against non-GLBT writers. This may be true, and in my mind justified. But isn’t it just as likely, if not more so, that while the works of non-GLBT writers are equal in literary quality they do not speak to the GLBT experience as well or accurately as GLBT writers? I have often heard that many writers write from their life experience. And have found that, at least in my own work, conscious or not most art is in some way informed by the artist’s personal experience or emotional worldview.

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:11:03 +0000

Thank you for posting this. I have limited exposure to this topic, but it seems to me that many critics of the Lambda decision are contributing to the idea that identifying as a sexual or gender minority is really only about who you sleep with, and has nothing to do with your unique social experiences as a perceived minority, or how those experiences might shape and give texture to your voice as a writer, providing a truly unique contribution to literature (that in my opinion should be nurtured and applauded). It’s disappointing to me that many of the writers that were linked to in this article seem to be stuck on ‘fetishizing’ sexual identities.

By: brownstocking

brownstocking — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:07:46 +0000

the fail wasn’t epic, in only that that would take surprise/shock at the privilege. Every day something moves me closer to the realization that aren’t enough cisgendered people who are real allies. For so many to jump on the failbus, they are fakers, frauds and phonies. And they’d better not claim antiracism alliance, either!

White Entertainment Television? Hello? Every channel but maybe 5 would be considered WET. Heh. I said wet.

By: LDR

LDR — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:57:30 +0000

As opinions go, holding one that the world would be a better place without orientation being considered in contests of skill doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. . . . Do you (any reader) allege the fail is in the crazy rhetoric or holding that opinion?

I wonder if it’s actually possible to separate the rhetoric and the opinion in this case. In other words, I don’t think that “the world would be a better place without orientation being considered in contests of skill” is the same opinion as “OMG they’re ignoring my storyyyyy!!!”

By: Jarla

Jarla — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:53:03 +0000

I can identify as a Straight, Cisgender African Descended woman who believes
the Lambda Awards have the right to define and set the terms they wish to acknowledge in writers. So be it. I’m not insulted or upset even though a lot of my work has homoerotic content. As far as I know there are still the Gaylactic Spectrum awards, and if that ever changes, I’m certain there will be an appropriate avenue to recognize any other straight cisgender allies out there.

Peace,

Her Tangh-i-ness

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:49:52 +0000

The FAIL!!! as I see it is definitely the language, as well as the idea that excluding straight writers is a terrible injustice.

Of course it would be great if there was no need for exclusion of any writer.But as long as mainstream culture doesn’t recognize members of marginalized groups just as much as it recognizes the people who fit into mainsteam categories (really, as long as discrimination and privilege exist), safe spaces are neccessary to make sure that those “minority writers” get at least some of the recognition they deserve.

And in this case, the save space is for GLBT authors. Because they need one much more than people who are just interested in the topic, but not personally affected by what it means to be GLBT. That’s what this new rule is about, I think.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:57:26 +0000

They are not saying that straight people shouldn’t write about GLBT people. They arenot saying that straight people could not possible write good books about GLBT people. They are not saying that straight writers do not deserve recognition when they write good books.

They are saying that GLBT people who take an extreme personal risk, outing themselves to the entire world by writing as openly GLBT people about GLBT experiences deserve recognition. And that they want to give them that recognition.

How could a supposed “ally” think that there is anything wrong with that? How could they not cheer on everyone who gets nominated, and celebrate the winners?

We need an “but I am an Ally!!!” BINGO – card.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:03:25 +0000

A lot of the rhetoric is bad, it’s hard to see this as a tremendous injustice from any angle. But people get very invested in their hobbies, being shut out never makes anyone feel good, and the response was pretty predictable given the group of people we’re talking about here.

As opinions go, holding one that the world would be a better place without orientation being considered in contests of skill doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. Though there are definitely other equally (or more) reasonable opinions on the subject to my mind.

Do you (any reader) allege the fail is in the crazy rhetoric or holding that opinion?