Just a Visitor

39+ | Old enough to know better | M | He/Him | Queer Just here for a visit, taking in the sights. | Empty blogs will be blocked.

[itsfullofstars]

SOURCE: NASA Johnson https://flic.kr/p/2s6971B

[whatyoustand4]

earth set

[mutant-what-not]

[reappearedinavision]

[dinovelvet]

[whatyoustand4]

george.

[fforsythiaaa]

Once when I was in undergrad, someone described something as “problematic” in class and our professor was like, “That’s cool, but ‘problematic’ doesn’t really mean anything. It means that the thing you’re describing has a problem, and in and of itself that’s not bad. Art, especially, should always have problems, or else it’s not interesting and not art, either. It sounds like you’re trying to say that this is bad, but you don’t want to say ‘bad.’ Is that right?”

So from then on whenever one of us called something problematic, he would make us talk it out until we could name the “bad” thing we were hinting at. In this particular class, 7/10 it was some type of oppression, and the remainder was like, “I’m uncomfortable because this is very new/confusing/pushing boundaries that made me feel safe.”

Once we stopped calling things “problematic” and stopping at that, class got way more interesting and... we all had to say, like, “that’s racist” or “that’s misogynistic” or “ew capitalism gross” out loud, which a lot of us had never done in a classroom before. Or we had to be like, “Uhhh... I’m not sure what’s so bad?” and confront our own beliefs and that was maybe even more useful.

Anyway. Whenever I see the word problematic, I can’t help but think of this professor being like, “Good starting point, now let’s get specific.” I think when we have to commit to saying “that’s ___” it requires a lot more careful thought about the truth and impact and complexities of whatever we’re claiming. Sometimes there really is some bullshit afoot, and also sometimes it’s art, and it should be full of problems, because that’s what art is.

[likitesplit]

[whatyoustand4]

too soon? Nah.

[my-dailydreams]

[guywithbotheyes]

[excitementshewrote]

[theconcealedweapon]

[ixxur]

[velvet-man]

[whatyoustand4]

brad.

[sexy-male-bodies]

[dissolving--time]

°

[futileexercise]

[misterlemonzmen]

MisterLemonzMen.tumblr.com/archive

[ixxur]

[rawstrap]

reblog to make someone bisexual

[makingqueerhistory]

Queer history isn't just a duty, it's a pleasure.

Learning about the history of the queer community does more than make you a better community member. It also just makes life seem less overwhelming. In a world where your feelings of powerlessness benefit the powerful, seeking historical precedent for being the underdog has worth.

Learning the stories of queer anti-fascists making zines to scare off Nazis is fun (Claude Cahun). Exploring the history of a radical newspaper that somehow turned into a cultural touchstone is a drama-filled journey and often so funny (The Village Voice). Reading queer peoples' diaries is generally a wild ride (Vaslav Nijinsky).

The reason so many people are drawn to these stories is not just because they are morally important, it's because they capture attention. They are interesting, and weird, and sometimes hilarious.

Queer history is important, of course. But it's also pleasurable, and understanding that is often the best motivation to start learning. As someone who is constantly researching this subject, the self-pitying cries of "but no one taught us this!" is getting a bit old.

No one taught you this because they wanted to keep you disempowered, and by giving into that, you let them win. Do something. Learn.