That's a facinating theme of discussion, study, research... I'd like to=20
know more about your thoughts over that issue. Had you any book or=20
article published about it?
Some people think that beeing "gay" is an option. You choose a social=20
mask/character and consequenytly a "gay way of life". Someone can have=20
homossexual sexual relationship although this fact doesn't make him a=20
"gay": Because "gay" is a way of life, a choice, a social behavior. In=20
thesis, as Freud had said, everyone is bissexual.=20
Many scort boys who ofer their "ass" to men or "eat" someones's "ass"=20
don't consider tehemselves as "gays". They do that for money and their=20
sexuality is very restricted to genitals.
In the other hand there are many "homossexual" people who are maried=20
with a partner of the oposite sex and although they can be designated as=20
homossexual, they do not act like gay people. They look like "straight".
And indeed they can be considereded "straight" because to be "straight"=20
is a "way of life"...
What do you think about it? What makes someone homossexual?=20
Cultural-social constrains or biologic ones?
>=20
> Ricardo -
>=20
> muchas gracias. the different cultural organizations of "difference" ar=
e
> quite fascinating, actually.
> Your comments on the class structures of sexual identities
>=20
> >Low midle class are more
> >>"bisssexual": to be "man" means "put a stick in any bottom".
>=20
> remind me of the film/documentary, "Paris is Burning", which explores t=
he
> class/race history of "Posing" ,- a classical "drag queen" act during N=
ew
> York's late 1970s early 1980s...
>=20
> it was specifically a practice cultivated in lower income Puerto Rican =
and
> African-American communities;
>=20
> and was quickly co-opted by upper-class New York Whites, and
> turned into high-fashion art - literally de-politicizing something
> which was, initially, a performance about racism, sexuality and class.
>=20
> many thanks for your thoughts.
> diane
>=20
> At 6:04 PM 3/1/98, Ricardo Ottoni Vaz Japiassu wrote:
> >Hi Diane,
> >
> >Thank you for the explanation.
> >
> >Here in Brazil we have equivalent terms:
> >For "tomboys" =3D "Sapata", "Sapa", "Sapatona" or "Sapat=E3o" ( Sapat=E3=
o
> >means strictly "big shoes" )
> >
> >For "Faggy" =3D "boyola", "fresco", "viado", "viadinho", "frutinha",
> >"mona", "ad=E9"
> >
> >But many "frutinhas" don't worry about being called so, they do assume
> >they are diferent without any problem, and boys usually apreciate
> >"frutinhas", something like a bissexual culture...
> >
> >Well, this behavior change from social class to social class. High
> >midle class are more "homophobic". Low midle class are more
> >"bisssexual": to be "man" means "put a stick in any bottom".
> >
> >We have a "square magazine" character called "M=F4nica", designed and
> >conceived by Mauricio de Souza, who is a "tomboy" girl who are the
> >leader of a children group. She is very popular among children of all
> >social classes in Brasil.
> >
> >Bye.
> >
> > diane celia hodges wrote:
> >>
> >> At 4:46 PM 2/28/98, Ricardo Ottoni Vaz Japiassu wrote:
> >> >Diane,
> >> >
> >> >I know "tomboys" and "faggy" are american slangs. As I'm not
> >> >american and have nver been in USA I would be very pleased if you
> >> >tell me what "tomboys" and "faggy" means.
> >> >
> >>
> >> Hi Ricardo -
> >> these are indeed "slangy" terms. They refer to "girls" who "act" lik=
e boys
> >> (girls who run, climb, play sports, dress casual, wear sensible shoe=
s);
> >>
> >> "faggy" boys is a painful and derogatory term used to describe
> >> effeminate boys, usually boys who are "slight" in physical build,
> >> and who aren't involved in typically "boy" activities -
> >>
> >> I ought to step on that slippery line between words and their speake=
rs:
> >>
> >> particularly with the word "fag" - as a queer woman myself, I often =
use it
> >> affectionately, with my gay men friends; they refer to each other as=
fags,
> >>
> >> and like "nigger", these are historically offensive term used to de=
nigrate
> >> difference.
> >>
> >> Black folks are deep in the discussions now, concerning the use of
> >> "nigger", and what does it mean for black folks to refer to each oth=
er,
> >> familiarly, as such;
> >>
> >> the same discussions take place in gay & lesbian groups - calling ou=
rselves
> >> "queer"
> >> is alleged to defuse the historically-assaultive intent of the word;
> >> however, and this is the slippery slope,
> >>
> >> *who* may refer to *whom* as "what," of course, is at the heart of t=
his.
> >> I perhaps should not have used the terms "faggy" (although, oddly, "=
tomboy"
> >> is not an insult, ...
> >>
> >> my thoughts on this have to do with the value of masculine culture.)=
For
> >> boys to reject machisimo and "traditional" concepts of masculinity i=
s far
> >> more threatening
> >> to masculine culture
> >>
> >> than when girls reject traditional "feminine" constructs:
> >> in other words, when girls act like boys, it's okay... 'cause they a=
re
> >> embracing the masculine characteristics which
> >> are so valued.
> >>
> >> It worsens considerably in high school. Tolerance for "tomboys" shif=
ts
> >> dramatically, to "dyke" and "lesbo" which are both intended, by
> >> hetersexuals and/or homophobes
> >> to denigrate the girl/woman, to chastise her for refusing "femininit=
y";
> >>
> >> as well, for boys, it is worse, much worse. It isn't about hurt feel=
ings by
> >> this time, but about beatings, assault, and, many many many gay yout=
h
> >> choose suicide...because there is NO SPACE at all for them in this c=
ulture.
> >> Testosterone my arse. Space is about politics.
> >>
> >> diane
> >>
> >> "Every tool is a weapon if you hold it right." Ani Difranco
> >> *********************************************
> >> diane celia hodges
> >> faculty of education, centre for the study of curriculum and
> >> instruction,
> >> university of british columbia
> >> vancouver, bc canada
> >>
> >> tel: (604)-874-4807
> >> =
mail:
> >> 3519 Hull Street
> >>
> >> Vancouver, BC, Canada V5N 4R8
>=20
> "Every tool is a weapon if you hold it right." Ani Difranco
> *********************************************
> diane celia hodges
> faculty of education, centre for the study of curriculum and
> instruction,
> university of british columbia
> vancouver, bc canada
>=20
> snailmail: 3519 Hull Street
> Vancouver, BC, Canada V5N 4R8
>=20
>