| . |
worlds of theater, entertainment media, and publishing hardly came as a
surprise, communities with which she has a prolonged history of engagement
and interaction with. But when she points out that relevant lesbian fiction and
plays are shamelessly not published and produced in America I seethed. How
can this be? In theater in New York City? In the vast reach of contemporary
publishing? This divide in the world of literature and the arts is preposterous.
But Schulman’s primary thrust for making long-term changes is that third-party
intervention is crucially needed. The civil rights movement got a significant
boost from whites who opposed their black neighbors’ oppression. They stood up
for them and marched. If you have two cousins (one gay, one not) and the
straight cousin harasses the gay cousin for being who he/she is, you ought to call
out this injustice—no matter who you are. Not saying anything allows this to
continue and be perceived as acceptable. It’s time now, to squash unnecessary
miseries for tomorrow’s gays, who just may be your own nieces and brothers—
your own children. Three thumbs up, Sarah!
CLICK HERE for more Charlie Vázquez
surprise, communities with which she has a prolonged history of engagement
and interaction with. But when she points out that relevant lesbian fiction and
plays are shamelessly not published and produced in America I seethed. How
can this be? In theater in New York City? In the vast reach of contemporary
publishing? This divide in the world of literature and the arts is preposterous.
But Schulman’s primary thrust for making long-term changes is that third-party
intervention is crucially needed. The civil rights movement got a significant
boost from whites who opposed their black neighbors’ oppression. They stood up
for them and marched. If you have two cousins (one gay, one not) and the
straight cousin harasses the gay cousin for being who he/she is, you ought to call
out this injustice—no matter who you are. Not saying anything allows this to
continue and be perceived as acceptable. It’s time now, to squash unnecessary
miseries for tomorrow’s gays, who just may be your own nieces and brothers—
your own children. Three thumbs up, Sarah!
CLICK HERE for more Charlie Vázquez
www.ambiente.us JANUARY | ENERO 2010
Book Review |
Sarah Schulman's Study on Homophobia and Family
by Charlie Vázquez
Activist, author, and playwright Sarah Schulman’s new book Ties that Bind shines
some revealing light on the pathology of homophobia: its roots in early family
life and its devastating impact on people who are simply trying to live their
lives. Schulman points out that the family, as an entity, is a microcosm of society-
at-large and homophobia’s springboard, where rival family members learn to
intimidate and be intimidated, in addition to other fracturing behaviors that
lead to social divisions that dramatically grow nastier in force—as their effects
leave the “nest” and arrive at our great and complex “world.”
She is quick to point out that this pattern of inequality is often seen as normal by
non-queers: the queer person is less and deserves all the hurtful actions thrust
upon him/her—such as not being invited to weddings, being denied the human
right to form a loving relationship with nieces and nephews, and other
catastrophic punishments that hurt not only the person being singled out, but
the rest of the family, by the simple act of keeping someone of cultural value to
children at a cruel distance.
She admits that a primary need for writing
this book was so that her younger relatives
(children) might someday read it and get to
hear her side of this tragic—and
unfortunately common—story. This broke my
Book Review |
Sarah Schulman's Study on Homophobia and Family
by Charlie Vázquez
Activist, author, and playwright Sarah Schulman’s new book Ties that Bind shines
some revealing light on the pathology of homophobia: its roots in early family
life and its devastating impact on people who are simply trying to live their
lives. Schulman points out that the family, as an entity, is a microcosm of society-
at-large and homophobia’s springboard, where rival family members learn to
intimidate and be intimidated, in addition to other fracturing behaviors that
lead to social divisions that dramatically grow nastier in force—as their effects
leave the “nest” and arrive at our great and complex “world.”
She is quick to point out that this pattern of inequality is often seen as normal by
non-queers: the queer person is less and deserves all the hurtful actions thrust
upon him/her—such as not being invited to weddings, being denied the human
right to form a loving relationship with nieces and nephews, and other
catastrophic punishments that hurt not only the person being singled out, but
the rest of the family, by the simple act of keeping someone of cultural value to
children at a cruel distance.
She admits that a primary need for writing
this book was so that her younger relatives
(children) might someday read it and get to
hear her side of this tragic—and
unfortunately common—story. This broke my
| . |
| . |
| . |
heart as a gay man who
is the only male mentor
to his youngest brother,
a brother with whom I’m
building a strong and
educating bond with. I
know that my love and
cultural leanings are
having a positive
influence on him (his
grades have since
improved) and my soul
sinks knowing that
children everywhere
are being deprived of
this magical bond, as
my own father shunned
me for who I am, all the
way to his grave.
Schulman explores
various arenas of
contemporary life
where homophobia
(especially against
lesbians—and often by
other queers!) rears its
spiteful head. The
is the only male mentor
to his youngest brother,
a brother with whom I’m
building a strong and
educating bond with. I
know that my love and
cultural leanings are
having a positive
influence on him (his
grades have since
improved) and my soul
sinks knowing that
children everywhere
are being deprived of
this magical bond, as
my own father shunned
me for who I am, all the
way to his grave.
Schulman explores
various arenas of
contemporary life
where homophobia
(especially against
lesbians—and often by
other queers!) rears its
spiteful head. The
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