Is It OK for Our Entertainers To Call Us 'Faggots?'

In the local St Louis news these past couple of days, the most prominent articles were of the protest at the Cathedral Basilica and the vicious attack on three young gay men at a local establishment. Skipping through the story of the protest, the story of the young men is gathering not only local, but national attention. As it should. After an evening at this establishment, they young men went out to their auto out in the parking lot, where they were confronted by a group of straight men. As the incident unfolded, the young gay men were called 'faggots' by the other, a scuffle began and the three young gay men were on the ground with serious injuries. After viciously beating and kicking the young men of our Community, the attackers drove off in their car. The City of St. Louis Police Department is investigating the assaults and determining if in fact this was a hate crime. Which we know it is.

Do you know where I am going with this post?

RevlonRobyn has a problem. Wasn't it just last week when she was in another Community establishment listening to a drag queen, liberally calling the patrons 'Faggots?' And at the same place, this same entertainer (?) was marginalizing the Transgender Community. What about the RiverFront Times’ last issue, where their sordid story of a Transwoman, laid bare her soul, without a thought for decency. And in the issue before that, the RFT had done another story where a local drag queen at the Miss Gay America Pageant called the Transgender Community psychologically diseased. "It is!" Neither the drag queen, nor the RFT had qualms about what was published.

Don't you think it is about time for us to educate these entertainers and the RFT with some sensitivity training? Or do you want to continue to hear these words of hate, discrimination and marginalization as entertainment? Then, hearing them applied to our brothers and sisters in hate, out on the street? I think it is time we take back these words, put them in a safe and throw away the key. Next time you hear an entertainer calling you a 'faggot' or when you read the marginalization of anyone in any of the sectors of our Community in the RFT, tell them what you think.


This 'T' is not silent. And she is not going away anytime soon.


[Note: This blog was presented as part of Robyn Carolyn Montague's speech at the Community Gala on November 30th]