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Homophobia at Genderfuck Party

In print | April 3, 2008

To the Editor:

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Sager Symposium was incredible. Hearing speakers and performers affirm and give voice to queerness was very empowering. It made me want to dance. But by the time I got to dancing at the Sager party, surrounded by more Swatties and others than I could ever deem to count, that celebratory voice was quickly silenced. The Sager Party is meant to be tied to the symposium. It is the culminating event and more than anything, I felt that this year the party served to bring heterosexist, misogynist reality crashing back around my ears, ending my genderqueer euphoria.

The party was not a safe space. It felt dangerous and threatening especially for queer people and women. The idea behind the party is genderfuck, NOT guys wear a dress girls wear less as is commonly believed. Regardless of what people are wearing, though, there is no excuse for the homophobia and sexual harassment that occurs. I was wearing less and I was messing with gender. In a queer, celebratory space it was the genderfucking that was appreciated and celebrated. At the party, however, any genderfucking was completely ignored because I have a female body and its exposure is taken as a token for people to leer at me and assume that my body exists for their pleasure. It does not. The Sager party is not an excuse to leave misogyny and heterosexism unchecked.

While I recognize that problematic behavior is absolutely not limited to straight men at the party, this is was what I felt most acutely. If the party is to continue, I implore those of you with heterosexual male privilege to check your internalized sexism, heterosexism and your egos at the door. Just because a female body is scantily clad (note that female body does not mean woman), does not mean you have any right to leer, objectify and especially touch or otherwise harass. Women’s bodies do not exist for your sake.

Alexandra (Sasha) Raskin ’09

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