Chattanooga Pulse

Room For Everyone
Thanks for the history lesson and for the encouragement for all of us to be exactly who we are, without judgment or fear, Dr. Rick [“Thank A Drag Queen”, Shrink Rap]. And I hope that Chattanooga can come together as you’ve suggested, and understand that there’s room for everyone. We need to recognize, accept, and celebrate ALL the colors of the rainbow!
Bearman Bill

Self-Alienation Choice
In reference to Dr. Rick’s “Thank a Drag Queen” column, I’d like to engage Dr. Rick with two comments.  1) Drag queens are great, but they have a place: bars. 2) Some people marginalize/alienate themselves. Two examples of self-marginalization mentioned in your article are: men who dress as women in public and people who don offensive leather garb in public.

Evidently, both sets of people will be present at the Pride festival. Society does not marginalize them; on the contrary, the disenfranchisement is entirely self-inflicted. I submit to you that if these people ceased the pursuit of activities that publicly misfitize them, the perceived societal ‘oppression’ that they realize would cease, as well. I enjoy your column, and read it on a weekly basis. Keep up the good work.
Andrew Clark

Dr. Rick responds:

This is a familiar objection throughout the decades. For as long as there have been gay pride festivals and parades, there have been conflicted opinions about taste and propriety.  One thing I’d like to express to you is that whenever we tell people their “place,” we are relegating them to second class citizenry.  I can’t help but think of Rosa Parks, who refused to occupy the place she was relegated to, and sat proudly up in the front of the bus.

Certainly an argument can be made about Rosa being black, which she had no control over, versus drag queens choosing to don certain garb and showing themselves to be the colorful folks they are.  But regardless, we’re still talking about “putting people in their place,” and I don’t believe anyone has the right to do that to others. I dream of a society where there is room for the drag queens and leather queens alike (and in my column I did not say they were donning “offensive” leather garb, simply that there would be folks dressed in leather), all part of the celebrated and welcomed fabric of society.

Oppression doesn’t occur because of what these folks are wearing, but because of the prejudice against these people from “mainstream” society.  Sure, they could conform.  But that isn’t what Pride is about. Pride is about the individual, and creating room for him or her, no matter what the “norm” may be.  Does that lead to oppression?  It certainly does in some communities, especially in the South.  But that doesn’t mean that individuals don’t have the right to express themselves without oppression.

I don’t know if you’re gay or non-gay, but I’m glad you feel that “drag queens are great.”  My hope is that you’d feel they are great wherever they decide to be, and not contribute to the marginalization of a people, no matter whom they are or where they choose to show their pride.
Dr. Rick