Recently I attended the opening of an exhibition of paintings and photographs by 15 or so Chicago gay and lesbian artists at the gay community center. The theme-welcome after Chicago's irritatingly long and difficult winter-was flowers: roses, water lilies, daisies, dahlias, hyacinths and so forth.
The opening was a success by most measures. Several of the artists attended and a number had the forethought to send email announcement and invitations to their friends, understanding that self-promotion is key to artistic success. Also attending were several people interested in or curious about art and happy to have the opportunity to meet some of the artists and talk with them about their work.
There is nothing intimidating here. Art is not some mysterious, esoteric activity. It is a learned craft or skill. And we're not talking Rembrandt or Caravaggio. These are fellow gays and lesbians. Some are mature and very good but some are young, still developing their skills, and have never been in a juried show before. They are all approachable and happy to talk about their work.
The monthly exhibitions at the community center grew out of the Gay and Lesbian Artists Network. While that group has had some organizational difficulties, the group did at least serve the purpose of beginning to bring area gay and lesbian artists together to foster a sense of community and common interest and-at a practical level-share ideas and techniques.
The exhibitions take the next step, which is putting the artists in contact with the larger gay and lesbian community who may be interested in or curious about art, along with some who may collect art and be particularly interested in seeing what fellow gays and lesbians are producing. The paintings and photographs were all for sale and most were affordably priced for even the beginning collector who would like to have an attractive work of art to hang in his or her home.
Even for the most casual viewers, seeing so many different works all on the same theme provides an opportunity to see what kinds of things they like and dislike and helps develop a conscious awareness of their own tastes. Those initial tastes are not static, of course; with exposure to more art, the tastes inevitably shift and develop, but there is nothing wrong with starting somewhere.
It is also worth pointing out that artists, viewers and collectors all serve to support and strengthen the gay community. Not all activism is political activism; there is also cultural activism-promoting the gay community as thriving and creative. This is particularly important as our major cities shift from manufacturing centers to entertainment and cultural centers. The city fathers are well aware of the economic value of cultural vibrancy. A major creative community in the long run can get what it wants.
But to understand the full benefit of this arts activity, you have to pull back and think sociologically. For all the talk of a "gay and lesbian community" there really isn't much sense of community among us. Most of us do not know large numbers of other gays and lesbians. There are at one extreme the fairly limited friendship networks and at the other extreme the relatively impersonal anonymity of the bars.
What we need is a multiplicity of "mediating organizations," groups that are larger and more open than friendship networks but more focused and friendlier than bars. Groups organized around hobbies and interests are the most obvious examples. We need to generate a large number of those for people to join so they can meet other people they have something in common with.
The point is to create more situations where gays and lesbians, old and young, shy and outgoing, can get to know more people outside their niche in the gay community and feel some sense of common ground with them.
After the initial success of the artists group, I thought about proposing one based on an interest in classical music. But there were some logistical problems and people's interests are varied and pretty specific even within classical music. Recently I have run across a few people who email articles about music to one another. That might be a way to begin; not all groups have to start with a big meeting.
But such mediating groups do not need to be based on cultural interests such as concert music or art; those just happen to be my own interests. They can be about whatever interests you.
18 Comments for “Creating Community”
posted by Jay on
Gay rodeo has been fostering community based upon “American” values, culture, and tradition since 1976. As well as providing the opportunity for gay folks to participate in a segment of American culture often unfriendly to us, it helps to network people with like interests, inform and educate gay folk, and challenge mainstream stereotypes about what it means to be queer and how we define ourselves. Sure it’s not for everyone, but neither is any other aspect of culture, gay or straight.
For more info, browse on over to igra.com
posted by Richard on
Their are many LGBT-faith based organizations as well.
posted by John M. on
There are thousands of such organizations already; professional networks, hobby groups, faith communities, caucuses of mainstream organizations. There are lgbt quilters, cloggers, square dancers, the list goes on and on.
Perhaps I lived in the queer ghetto for too long, but this is not a new idea. However, you are right that when we talk about the “community” these are not the groups we generally think of, though this is the fabric that makes up the real communities that we inhabit.
posted by avee on
Richard: Their are many LGBT-faith based organizations as well.
Yes, but they’re just bitterly clinging to religion because of false consciousness. Remember, the only acceptable religion is one that preaches “God D-m America”! (Oh, sorry, that’s only supposed to be said to a liberal audience…never mind.)
posted by tavdy on
“There are thousands of such organizations already; professional networks, hobby groups, faith communities, caucuses of mainstream organizations. There are lgbt quilters, cloggers, square dancers, the list goes on and on.”
Those are all quite specific to particular groups though – they don’t so much create community (singluar) as create communities (plural). Yes, they draw like-minded people together, which can provide much-needed support and self-esteem, but that can limit a person’s experience of the wider LGBT community and the issues others face by limiting contact with LGBT people whose lives have been and/or are very different. Amongst other things, this can (and does) damage the fight for LGBT rights, because some LGBT people will only fight for the rights relevant to them as a result – so a gay person who has sees marriage as irrelevant won’t fight for marriage equality, or may even fight against it, while many gays (and even some transsexuals) don’t fight for legalised third-gender recognition.
I think what Paul Varnell was talking about was a framework where LGBT people who *don’t* necessarily have much in common can come together as a community, and are encouraged to interact with others with widely differing issues and lifestyles. There are a few groups/organisations/websites like that – outeverywhere, a British LGBTA website, is one example – but there aren’t really enough of them.
posted by John M. on
Tavdy,
“What we need is a multiplicity of “mediating organizations,” groups that are larger and more open than friendship networks but more focused and friendlier than bars. Groups organized around hobbies and interests are the most obvious examples. We need to generate a large number of those for people to join so they can meet other people they have something in common with.”
“Groups organized around hobbies and interests are the most obvious examples. We need to generate a large number of those for people to join so they can meet other people they have something in common with.”
These are the words I read and responded to, with my point being that if Paul Varnell thinks these “mediating organizations” don’t yet exist, then he should look again.
You are making different point, I think, regarding the fractured nature of the alleged lgbt “community,” which I don’t disagree with.
I would add, however, that after spending so much of my life working for the “cause,” I find that what I need back from my community is not more “action alerts,” marches, political meetings, etc., but some fun in a safe environment, some real human warmth instead of the calculation, shifting alliances and often outright viciousness that can characterize political activism. Sometimes I want a movie night, knitting circle, prayer group or square dancing, (and certainly more of that as I get older.) Does this undermine the movement? Or asked in a different way, do the ways we treat each other in the movement undermine community?
posted by NG on
It’s a great idea, but I don’t see how it’s going to happen with current attitudes. Based on my observations, the gay community (really communities) is more cliquey than high school. I’ve seen countless complaints about this from other people too. At the risk of getting all “Dr. Phil” about the issue, I think once people finally find a group in which they finally feel safe, they are loathe to move beyond that comfort zone for fear of losing their safety net and exposing themselves. Again, it’s a lot like high school.
posted by KamatariSeta on
This place needs some more lulz.
posted by Josh on
What you say about gay community over porn movie service? Maybe it is a great idea to gather together? Huh, in my opinion it’s not futuristic solution! Why? Beacause gay on over the world do it ALLREADY! Look for eg. here: http://www.eporner.com/keywords/gay …and what you say now? Think about it when talk with others about “creating community”.
Regards,
Josh
posted by Michigan-Matt on
NG offers: “Based on my observations, the gay community is more cliquey than high school.”
Four years ago, my partner and I tried to start a gay parents group here in Ann Arbor -one of the most progressive, liberal cities in the Midwest. Unfortunately, it’s also the home to some of the most rabid, activist GayLeft groups and gays in North America.
We began by hosting a gathering -complete with food, bar-b-q, ice cream, clowns- at the city park across from our home. The afternoon was a total delight (87 gay couples and families came) except when a group of gay activists showed up wearing JohnKerry tshirts and passing out campaign literature to those in attendance.
Without asking, they assumed that because it was a widely reported “gay event” in the newspaper, it’d be ok to use it for campaign purposes because “everyone” there would naturally support Kerry/Edwards over the war criminals Bush/Cheney. Honest, the leader of the activist group prefaced the President’s name with “war criminal”.
I asked them not to continue; they said it was their right since it was a public park. I said it was pointless to fight and offered them our hospitality of food and music and good cheer. Which they partook (sp?) and sat at a picnic table by themselves.
In leaving, the 3 sort of ringleaders of the band of 8 came over and told my partner that they didn’t get why gay people would want to become parents… and -their words: turn your back on being gay. My partner offered it was because we loved kids more than self.
Gosh, sometimes it is very hard to build community in our gay culture when our own people thwart the efforts of the well-meaning. And, maybe to those activists, being gay is all about “self” first and foremost?
posted by Richard on
The difficult part, is that the LGBT community is more diverse — culturally, socioeconomically, politically — then most people, within it, really want to deal with.
MM family potluck event sounds like it would be a lot of fun, pflag often operates similarily, but I am single (recently) and without children (but would love to have some)and I did, hold my nose and, vote for Kerry/Edwards.
I have bi and trans friends, who tell me horror stories of going to
such ‘community’ events and been met with cold sholders.
posted by Brian Miller on
I agree with Paul’s commentary and also commend his willingness to allow people to reply with comments.
I wish other gay journalists, such as Dale Carpenter, would allow commentary and debate on their own articles — rather than blast out one-way missives filled with truisms while apparently requesting no comments be allowed on his articles (I have yet to see commentary permitted on one of his articles).
posted by Zendo Deb on
Community? As Richard noted, a lot of people are willing to welcome you into their community as long as you are ideologically pure. Step outside the bounds of where they have delineated the community and you can expect a cold reception or open hostility.
Try starting a chapter of the Pink Pistols and see how much the community welcomes you. I routinely get less flack from the gun crowd for being a lesbian than from the lesbian “community” (I don’t even bother much anymore) for being a gun owner. (Though both sides have idiots and good folks, the gun owners are by and large polite, even when they disagree about something. The Left doesn’t value “polite.”)
posted by Richard on
The door swings both ways. I have had LGBT people on the right and left, politically, who have been equally crude and mean about my politics.
posted by RIchard on
One thing that MIGHT help is for more open conversations within the LGBT community about issues such as race, faith, class and politics.
posted by David Skidmore on
According to Zendo Deb:
“…a lot of people are willing to welcome you into their community as long as you are ideologically pure.”
Actually, I find many gay people are welcoming so long as you shut-up about politics. I wouldn’t mind meeting a few more “ideologically pure” gay people. At least I could have a decent argument. Too often, conversation turns to the pros and cons of Kylie Minogue or when the Imperial Hotel is going to re-open. That’s why I like forums such as these.
posted by queerunity on
there is no uniting besides on the issue of sexuality because we are all so different but we can unite in our opposition to our oppressors
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
posted by Felliy on
There are thousands of such organizations already, especially online service. I know some of them like biloves.com, http://bicupid.com/user/bicommunity, etc. The two seems for bisexuals and bicurious looking to explore their sexuality.