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With Capital B



When I told you that Drag Queens and Trans women were gonna save the day I was not kidding. Bob the Drag Queen and Peppermint (both RPDR's alumni) recently created the first Black Queer Townhall and talked about healing, rejoicing, mourning and joy in the Black community. It was about Reflection, Action and Black Joy.

It was a three-day online event and I watched it every day. It was fantastic, to say the least, and illuminating, to be truthful. When you have Black people talking about Black people's issues, you get the whole picture. One of the things that jumped at me was that they got Dr. Angela Davis. yes, the iconic Angela Davis of Black Panther's fame! to talk about the current situation regarding police brutality and the state of Black Lives Matter. I almost fell off my chair when Bob and Pep appeared on screen and announced that Davis was a guest in the Townhall. When she identified herself as a communist, evolutionist, internationalist, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, feminist, Black, queer, activist, pro-working class, revolutionary, intellectual community builder I was in heaven. Intersectionality, darling.



I won't tell you what they talked about. I'll let you watch. But it was illuminating and it made me feel like the kids are all right. From the moment they asked Dr. Davis to identify herself (a communist, evolutionist, internationalist, anti-racist,  anti-capitalist, feminist, Black, queer, activist, pro-working class, revolutionary, intellectual community builder? Sign me up!)  to the moment Pep thanks Dr. Davis for the conversation it was fantastic. The joy Pep and Bob shared during this interview with Davis is contagious and it gives me hope. But I'll let you draw your own conclusions, though. A reading of the intersectionality and activism they spouse brings also the inclusion of a discussion of the violence transgender people of color suffer. And we all know that intersectionality is key. Drawing from different struggles is necessary and useful. We need to listen to these voices. Our role is to listen and pass the message.

So I'll let you with the three days of this Black Queer Town Hall, in case you have some free time during this pandemic.










Oh, and did you know that the AP is capitalizing Black from now on?

On Juneteenth, the Associate Press announced that it was updating its style guide to capitalize the B in Black. The decision came after a week in which USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and NBC News all made the switch.

“AP’s style is now to capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, conveying an essential and shared sense of history, identity, and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa,” wrote John Daniszewski, the AP’s vice president for standards, in a blog post. “The lowercase black is a color, not a person.”


I think it was about fucking time that we capitalize that B.

XOXO


Comments

  1. Do they capitalize the 'G'? Just wondering. I agree - intersectionality is key to breaking the Gay glass ceilings that exist in the Gay community. Understanding who people are and where they come from generates empathy - and empathy breaks down barriers. Great post. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I usually do but I don't know if the AP is doing it. And one of the things that Gay people do not understand is that one cannot be anti-homophobia if one's not anti-racist or anti-misogyny. Empathy does break down barriers.

      XOXO

      Delete
  2. I almost always capitalize the 'B' but then I see it not being done elsewhere so i assumed I as wrong.
    I was just ahead of the curve.
    PS I capitalize the 'G' in The Gays.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You were indeed!
      And same, just like Upton up there. Yay the Gays!

      XOXO

      Delete
  3. Asian American, Native American...it's damn about time for Black American!

    Angela Davis - holy shitsnax, a blast from the past! she has aged well and is still feisty. I will give her clip a look-see later, as my fat ass is not yet awake.

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    Replies
    1. Oh I think she's fantastic! So eloquent. So poised. So wise. And she's been through so much and so many changes! I was in awe, same as Bob and Pepp.

      XOXO

      Delete
  4. I am so "gun shy" of saying the wrong term, word, or phrase, in fear of it not coming out right. However, I'm both legs up for everyone!
    luv U, Six!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha I know, Jimmy.
      I've found myself in that position so many times....

      XOXO

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Like Jimmy, I’ve always been a little hesitant to use Black. But it’s way past time for this evolution. And like asking for pronouns, we need to ask how people want to be identified. If you don’t ask you don’t learn.

      Now, to make time for the videos.

      XOXO 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

      Delete
    2. I think Black is much more accurate than 'African American'. That would imply like the other hyphenations, theirs was a voluntary migration when it was not. And asking is learning, that's right!

      XOXO

      Delete
  6. I usually don't watch online events. You may find this difficult to believe, but I'm rather hyperactive and my attention has been known to wander.

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    Replies
    1. LOL that's why I posted the juicy parts. And I can totally believe you are always looking for that 'other' angle.

      XOXO

      Delete
  7. I have never met Bob and don't know much about him, but doesn't surprise me in the least about Peppermint. When back in New York clubbing and such Peppermint and Shiqueta and Harmonica Sunbeam were always the biggest community advocates of issues of many variety, and I wasn't even a resident, and I saw it. And thank the goddess for online drag events....to continue to entertain and teach.

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    Replies
    1. Bob has turned out to be very woke and super interested in discussing matters of race and class in his comedy. I think some of his one-woman-specials are either on iTunes or whatever is called now and on Amazon. Peppermint is also super cool. They are super interesting and very good examples of intersectionality, because they discuss race, class, gender and sexuality in a very coherent manner.

      And yo know what they say about a good Drag Queen...

      XOXO

      Delete
  8. Now, I really don't get it. My comment was here a moment ago. I saw it. Now it's disappeared. Blogger hates me. I know it hates me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no, Big!
      I think I did see your post. I have no idea why Blogger has decided to make your posting difficult. But I'm glad you still drop by...

      XOXO

      Delete

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