by: Tony Soto (via Qu)
Photo courtesy of © Michael Holden 2010
There has been a lot of anger about the recent Tumblr “When in Boystown.”
I believe this is a divisive blog, and I don’t want to give them anymore attention than they have already gotten. The video below is my take on the divide between the gay and queer community in Chicago. I wanted to be as real as possible with this and I hope that my point comes across. I should say that the views and opinions in this video are mine and mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my colleagues at The Qu.
However, this site was created to give all queer people a platform to speak, and so I’m exercising that opportunity now. This video is meant to start a dialogue. If you agree with me, cool. If you think I’m full of shit and way off base, cool, but let’s talk about the issues. I am a recovering bigot, and that is hard for me to say, but I started the dialogue. Feel free to email me your thoughts and opinions at tony@thequ.co or comment on this post proper. I am here and listening.
Thank you for addressing this issue, Qu. I really appreciate your honesty and self-awareness. I’m particularly interested in your point on the competitive aspect within the gay community and this idea of the “adult high school.” What are some ways to educate/discuss with other fellow gay people about getting along better? I understand that your focus is more on strengthening ties between the “queer community” and the “gay community” but what of this issue in the “gay community?”
I think I had a similar reaction to the WhenInBoystown firestorm which I discussed in my own blog. I didn’t see it as a queer/gay divide, but that model works too. I am glad you reserved some criticism for both sides; I think it’s well-warranted. If you’re interested, you can read my post on the subject: http://austinduus.blogspot.com/2012/04/other-people-exist-on-love-and.html