Monday, September 20, 2010
This letter is in response to the “Little Scottie” comic for the Tuesday, September 14, 2010, edition of The University Daily Kansan.
Let me preface this letter by saying that I value the UDK’s freedom of publication and first amendment rights; without it, I would not be able to have this response letter published. Furthermore, I value the uniqueness of the UDK in that allows me to learn about many different aspects of Lawrence, the University of Kansas, and the students. Also, I appreciate past articles and willingness to explore topics in the LGBT community. I, however, do not appreciate when the freedom of speech turns into comic slander.
I do not find it a coincidence at all that today a cartoon comic ran that featured a seemingly gay fraternity during Delta Lambda Phi’s (a fraternity for Gay, Bisexual and Progressive Men) Rush Week. Opinions on LGBT culture and the fraternity are warranted and welcomed. That being said, they should not exemplify the misconceptions and stereotypes projected upon the queer community.
This cartoon pigeonholed queer-friendly fraternities as predatory by insinuating particular roles played by members of different pledge classes; i.e. the “Big Brothers” were older, hairy, and more muscular men while the pledges were portrayed as cuter, more child-like and effeminate boys. Also, the language being used by the characters makes the pledges (more broadly, gay men) seem unintelligent, unmasculine, and immature. The last box of the comic, especially, took it too far. In it, the pledge process and fraternity system were completely undermined by the underlying sexual connotations. The heterosexual community often hypersexualizes the queer community in order to vilify them. Using these stereotypes, including the sexualization of the gay community, paralyzes social justice and progress.
Gay-friendly fraternities as well as other queer organizations on campus serve to give sexual minorities places to feel safe. The cartoon aims to strip the sanctity of these enitities. Progressive fraternities provide a safe-haven for those who are marginalized and ostracized by the obstinate traditions of heteronormative fraternal beliefs. Overall, this cartoon unjustly turns the public against a gay fraternity. All fraternities stand upon the same pillars: service, philanthropy, recreation and brotherhood, and one that welcomes gay men is no different. This aspect of their membership does not mean that they run their organization by sexual urges and desires. The fact that this cartoon would reduce a fraternity to the stance of a brothel or some kind of sexual competition is absurd and offensive. I hope that in the future the University Daily Kansan will think twice before publishing a cartoon that uses comedy as a means of discrimination, perpetuation of negative stereotypes, and vilification an entire group of (minority) people.
— Sara Thompson and Joshua Williams are president and vice-president, respectively, of Queers and Allies at KU
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Comments
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
"Opinions on LGBT culture and the fraternity are warranted and welcomed. That being said, they should not exemplify the misconceptions and stereotypes projected upon the queer community." So, a comic can be made about Delta Lambda Phi, but it can't make FUN of Delta Lambda Phi.
Excuse me, but isn't that censorship?
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Well said kujayhawk. The way I see it, nobody gets a free pass from ridicule.
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
"Using these stereotypes, including the sexualization of the gay community, paralyzes social justice and progress."
The sexualization of the gay community? How else can you define the nature of the "gay community?" It is an identity entirely based on its members' sexual preferences!
Clearly the Queers and their allies have pretty thin skin to let some poorly crafted cartoon on the back page of a college newspaper get them worked up. But, they had to speak up, you know? I mean, that cartoon single-handedly paralyzed social justice and progress!
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Uh, the cartoon isn't on the back page and it's hardly poorly crafted. However, you're right in that it definitely single-handedly paralyzed social justice and progress. :P
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
It makes complete sense to criticize the UDK article. They should only print nice things about student groups.
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Just so we're clear... DLP has a "hands off" policy between pledges and members. However, once a member they can do whatever they want with each other.
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Care to upload the comic so we know what this letter is referring to?
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Here it is: http://littlescottie.com/ls_104
Letter: Comic perpetuates stereotypes
Queers & Allies must also wonder if they have done more harm for the queer community by writing this letter than good. The cartoon is frankly not terribly offensive, and I did not get the same read as Sara Thompson and Josh Williams.
Also, this is a good lesson of do your research before you write something, as this comic was the queer community commenting on the queer community. What does that say?
Final note, I commend Scott Winer and Todd Pickrell on their response to this letter. It was eloquent, simple, and effective.
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