Sexuality

When the government was faced with an epidemic in the 1980s, they ignored it for a while, just long enough for “25,644” people to die (146). There existed a misconception that only homosexuals were susceptible to AIDS. This essay covers a period of time before I was even born, but it is a pity to think that it wasn’t so long ago that this was going on. I couldn’t imagine trying to ignore this epidemic running through my friends, collogues, my community, or myself. The ignorance of President Reagan was well communicated through Let the Record Show… set up by ACT UP (144-146). I could imagine seeing “SILENCE=DEATH,” and the ignorant statements quoted from politicians, a surgeon, a televangelist, and a columnist, being effective in a public space even if the Nuremberg Trials were not widely known of. I’ve noticed that Senator Jesse Helms has made his comment about AIDS research “The logical outcome of testing is a quarantine of those infected,” (145). This is the second time I’ve seen Senator Helms’s name mentioned in this text, and not in a positive way- I have to ask, who in their right mind would want this man as a representative? He obviously is no friend to the art community. Other statements that were quoted and put into display made me quite upset. It is close-minded people who should be quarantined. I also found the statement about President Reagan appointing Dr. Cory Servaas to the Presidential AIDS Commission, a person who is not recognized by the National Institute of Health, to be a very stupid decision. After reading this, it makes me believe that the majority of the people running this country –at least in the 1980s—are homophobic and out of touch with the American people. The government did little to fund research on AIDS. The art community took the initiate to raise money with “Music for Life,” “Dancing for Life,” and “Arts against AIDS.” I agree with Crimp that it is the government’s responsibility to educate the people on this epidemic and to conduct research about it. Make the knowledge known about the disease more infections than the disease. Minorities and poor people were the hardest hit, but diseases do not discriminate. AIDS effected not only the homosexuals in the art world, but women, children, blacks, whites, Hispanics, and straight men. A fatal problem has to be recognized and addressed before anyone can come up with a solution. Some people chose not to address the problem, others pushed the problem into public view using artistic mediums- “Art lives on forever” (143).
When I first read Gender is Burning, a scene from the movie To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, came to mind (Internet Movie Data Base). Gay and straight men were dressed very convincingly as women at a drag competition, similar to what I imagine the gay balls mentioned in the text would be like. Gay men are not the only ones to dress in drag. I’m sure that straight men do it to, and not just on Halloween. I have to ask, when women dress in a traditionally masculine way, is that dressing in drag? Where is the line drawn there? I don’t believe that women should be offended by men dressing up as women. It may be disturbing to some to experience it first hand, but it could also be seen as a compliment- Imitation is the best form of flattery. I also found some of the information to be a little ridiculous. Gay people are not gay because of a failed relationship with the opposite sex. Everyone has their reasons for everything they do, but if every individual who ever got dumped or experienced a very unpleasant relationship “decided” to be gay, gays would be a majority. That is to say that sexual preference can be a decision- I do not know. Sexuality is not directly correlated with gender- and with that said, who is to determine which gender qualities should go with which sex?

Kocur, Zoya, and Simon Leung. Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985. 1st ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2005. 141-149, 166-181. Print.

Internet Move Data Base. www.imdb.com