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Marcus Scott
The Fahari-Libertad Magazine
"Shhh... Say It Louder" issue
“Pier Queen: The Banjee Hype”
The primary colors of man—black, white, yellow, red—and all that in between has set an atonement for the like of its species, vitalizing stigmas, ignominy, chauvinism and placing predisposition on the prevaricating circumstances that influence positive change. In 21st century, the median has predisposed young minds to an obligatory settlement of prejudice, mostly beleaguered and advocated among hyphenated multitudes. Lately, the prejudice has habitually placed homosexual and people of Afro-origin under fire. Black men, those of the Americas, Caribbean and of Sub-Saharan descent have been trained pathologically to be fearless, and prepared to face problems that are collectively distilled in society such as the refusal of gaining employment. Homosexuals, particularly men who sleep with men (MSM), are faced with the anxiety of intimation of the heterosexual because they are seen as a threat to the order of the work place, let alone in club circuits or public bistro, because they are not the quintessential organization man. With this being said, why should one’s sexual orientation and ethnicity be considered in a corporate setting where one works to gain capital? With this being stated, at a time, there were no Fortune 500 companies that offered health benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian workers until Levi Strauss did so in 1992.According to “Corporate America backs gay rights” by Marc Gunther, a Fortune senior writer, more than half of the Fortune 500 offer those benefits today. However, with this in mind, these rights often cater to the White homosexual young urban professional.
In fact, according to American Lawyer magazine a writer-columnist and now-infamous unidentified “maven fashionista” for Glamour Magazine, conducted theories in her presentation of corporate fashion to forty-plus New York legal representatives, to which many were appalled. In the presentation, she quotes that the afro is “a real no-no,” and that “political hairstyles have to go.” This of course came with very little comfort, and while understanding that her statements weren’t to denote treasonable circumstance but could lead to proceedings. These interesting statements were later followed with “and as for dreadlocks: how truly dreadful,” which provokes the politics of hair, inserting rudimentary doctrines of beauty onto corporate mores. Exactly what image is necessary to obtain employment and what constitutes for the idea hyphenated-marginal minorities and other unorthodox melting-pot alternatives?
The Banjee or “Pier Queen” in 21st century, is everything but ideal. With definitions on urbandictionary.com, the term is derived from Nuyorican descent and used mostly in New York City concrete jungles in the late 80s and for the duration of the 90s, to describe young Black or Latino men who have sex with men and dressed in urban glam fashion, but are not effeminate or powerless. This of course carries a weight for Banjee alike. According to “Deconstructing Banjee Realness” by Tim’m T. West, West stated that this 90s term was old school in gay years, and that in the summer of 1991, when he was resolved in his sexuality, he was defined this in his days boyscouting Christopher Street piers, where he met masculine homosexuals. Only through his experiences reading the likes of Isaac Julian's "Looking for Langston" and Marlon Riggs' "Tongues Untied," did West later appreciate “something incredibly seductive about a brotha with a lil’ sugar in his swagger.”
Regardless, the media hasn’t portrayed Banjee Realness or Pier Queens, in a positive light. With the rise of "Pomo Afro Homo" or "post-modern African American homosexuals," and that of gay marriage, a question begs to be asked. Is Gay Marriage Anti-Black? In “Is Gay Marriage Anti Black???” By Kenyon Farrow, a reply to the Feb. 29th Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, discusses Homophobia in Black Popular Culture, Same-sex Marriage and Racial Politics on the gay marriage debate. In it Farrow states that it is not quite the Right-wing Christian that’s been successful in using same-sex marriage as a “wedge issue” by exploiting homophobia in the black community nor racism in the gay community, but hip-hop music itself: The hip-hop image is controlled by White suburban youth, the majority that buy these records. Commercial rap aside, “Conscious” hip–hop artists has promoted homophobia through their lyrics, sparking notions adversative to what a “strong black man” should be. Dancehall artists such as Rupee, Elephant Man and TOK have also come under much criticism having featured homophobic lyrics that adress the killing of homosexuals by harsh fatality. However, little is said about lesbianism.
Concluding, many groups have often asserted a predisposed prejudice on this issue in their politics, denoting that it is more of an image quandary than a religious one. Some even point to the black church as a spread of homophobia, and while it is preached in the bible and other religious texts, this does not speak foe the entire black church. It’s rather the difficulty of seeing same-sex couples in a sensual rendezvous than a religious belief, in fact, some theorist believe that religion in itself is used as a back-up in stating that the act of same-sex sensuality is wrong. This of course denotes black sexual identity. While racism still exist in the LGBTQI circle, the idea of the sexually dangerous militant black still exists and while many desire more White features (such as Asians widening their eyes, for example), whites are seen desired universally and homosexuality is even accepted and preferred to that of Banjee individuals, because of the ideology behind the identity of the black man. The weight in which West describes is one that has many dimensions. Simply stated, a banjee must maintain his hip-hop livelihood in order to maintain his image, being respected by heterosexuals but also keeping the desired images that both White and Black effeminate men deem masculine and desirable because banjees are depicted as lustful and sexually intense.
Maybe this is why Black-Canadian cartoonist Patrick Fillion has 80% of white males in his homoerotic comics, feeling that 80% of people are more shocked by White men doing gay things than other ethnic types and with an asking price of $500-$1000 for each pictorial, its simple economics that most Whites buy more art, supplying Fillion with a lasting career. Maybe people just aren’t shocked to see to “straight-acting individuals” kissing. After all, that’s not why its become a media sensation, right?
The Fahari-Libertad Magazine
"Shhh... Say It Louder" issue
“Pier Queen: The Banjee Hype”
The primary colors of man—black, white, yellow, red—and all that in between has set an atonement for the like of its species, vitalizing stigmas, ignominy, chauvinism and placing predisposition on the prevaricating circumstances that influence positive change. In 21st century, the median has predisposed young minds to an obligatory settlement of prejudice, mostly beleaguered and advocated among hyphenated multitudes. Lately, the prejudice has habitually placed homosexual and people of Afro-origin under fire. Black men, those of the Americas, Caribbean and of Sub-Saharan descent have been trained pathologically to be fearless, and prepared to face problems that are collectively distilled in society such as the refusal of gaining employment. Homosexuals, particularly men who sleep with men (MSM), are faced with the anxiety of intimation of the heterosexual because they are seen as a threat to the order of the work place, let alone in club circuits or public bistro, because they are not the quintessential organization man. With this being said, why should one’s sexual orientation and ethnicity be considered in a corporate setting where one works to gain capital? With this being stated, at a time, there were no Fortune 500 companies that offered health benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian workers until Levi Strauss did so in 1992.According to “Corporate America backs gay rights” by Marc Gunther, a Fortune senior writer, more than half of the Fortune 500 offer those benefits today. However, with this in mind, these rights often cater to the White homosexual young urban professional.
In fact, according to American Lawyer magazine a writer-columnist and now-infamous unidentified “maven fashionista” for Glamour Magazine, conducted theories in her presentation of corporate fashion to forty-plus New York legal representatives, to which many were appalled. In the presentation, she quotes that the afro is “a real no-no,” and that “political hairstyles have to go.” This of course came with very little comfort, and while understanding that her statements weren’t to denote treasonable circumstance but could lead to proceedings. These interesting statements were later followed with “and as for dreadlocks: how truly dreadful,” which provokes the politics of hair, inserting rudimentary doctrines of beauty onto corporate mores. Exactly what image is necessary to obtain employment and what constitutes for the idea hyphenated-marginal minorities and other unorthodox melting-pot alternatives?
The Banjee or “Pier Queen” in 21st century, is everything but ideal. With definitions on urbandictionary.com, the term is derived from Nuyorican descent and used mostly in New York City concrete jungles in the late 80s and for the duration of the 90s, to describe young Black or Latino men who have sex with men and dressed in urban glam fashion, but are not effeminate or powerless. This of course carries a weight for Banjee alike. According to “Deconstructing Banjee Realness” by Tim’m T. West, West stated that this 90s term was old school in gay years, and that in the summer of 1991, when he was resolved in his sexuality, he was defined this in his days boyscouting Christopher Street piers, where he met masculine homosexuals. Only through his experiences reading the likes of Isaac Julian's "Looking for Langston" and Marlon Riggs' "Tongues Untied," did West later appreciate “something incredibly seductive about a brotha with a lil’ sugar in his swagger.”
Regardless, the media hasn’t portrayed Banjee Realness or Pier Queens, in a positive light. With the rise of "Pomo Afro Homo" or "post-modern African American homosexuals," and that of gay marriage, a question begs to be asked. Is Gay Marriage Anti-Black? In “Is Gay Marriage Anti Black???” By Kenyon Farrow, a reply to the Feb. 29th Sunday edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, discusses Homophobia in Black Popular Culture, Same-sex Marriage and Racial Politics on the gay marriage debate. In it Farrow states that it is not quite the Right-wing Christian that’s been successful in using same-sex marriage as a “wedge issue” by exploiting homophobia in the black community nor racism in the gay community, but hip-hop music itself: The hip-hop image is controlled by White suburban youth, the majority that buy these records. Commercial rap aside, “Conscious” hip–hop artists has promoted homophobia through their lyrics, sparking notions adversative to what a “strong black man” should be. Dancehall artists such as Rupee, Elephant Man and TOK have also come under much criticism having featured homophobic lyrics that adress the killing of homosexuals by harsh fatality. However, little is said about lesbianism.
Concluding, many groups have often asserted a predisposed prejudice on this issue in their politics, denoting that it is more of an image quandary than a religious one. Some even point to the black church as a spread of homophobia, and while it is preached in the bible and other religious texts, this does not speak foe the entire black church. It’s rather the difficulty of seeing same-sex couples in a sensual rendezvous than a religious belief, in fact, some theorist believe that religion in itself is used as a back-up in stating that the act of same-sex sensuality is wrong. This of course denotes black sexual identity. While racism still exist in the LGBTQI circle, the idea of the sexually dangerous militant black still exists and while many desire more White features (such as Asians widening their eyes, for example), whites are seen desired universally and homosexuality is even accepted and preferred to that of Banjee individuals, because of the ideology behind the identity of the black man. The weight in which West describes is one that has many dimensions. Simply stated, a banjee must maintain his hip-hop livelihood in order to maintain his image, being respected by heterosexuals but also keeping the desired images that both White and Black effeminate men deem masculine and desirable because banjees are depicted as lustful and sexually intense.
Maybe this is why Black-Canadian cartoonist Patrick Fillion has 80% of white males in his homoerotic comics, feeling that 80% of people are more shocked by White men doing gay things than other ethnic types and with an asking price of $500-$1000 for each pictorial, its simple economics that most Whites buy more art, supplying Fillion with a lasting career. Maybe people just aren’t shocked to see to “straight-acting individuals” kissing. After all, that’s not why its become a media sensation, right?
1 comment:
Some very interesting ideas! But as a point of clarification/correction Patrick Fillion is both an acquaintance and a shy, charming white guy. Perhaps you were thinking of American gay artist Joe Phillips?
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