Qwo-Li Driskill

Qwo-Li is a difficult topic for me to write about. I almost decided not to blog at all about him because it means facing my personal prejudices and fears. As far as most men go, I consider myself to be one of the more sensitive ones. I'm ex-Army, chivalrous, and I firmly believe that every person in this world deserves the right to pursue happiness. This said, I have a confession.

Like most American men I find it very sexy to watch two women kissing and disgusting to watch two men kissing. It is a double standard but it that is what my biology does to me. However, I believe gay men and women have the right to happiness and I fought in the Army to defend that right. But even with these beliefs... Qwo-Li really freaks me out.

Part of this freak-out comes from the fact that I REALLY love his poetry. Some of the sexier bits of his writing are so well done that I get all tingly inside. However, my homophobic side gets me all twisted up inside when I remember this is a guy who likes other guys. It is all so confusing.

I think my biggest problem is that he chooses to dress as a woman. As a pagan, I have had to adjust my wardrobe, my appearance, my mannerisms, and my way of life to conform to the primarily Christian society. When I see someone getting hurt because they refuse to conform, it upsets me. Part of me gets angry at society, but part of me gets angry at the individual. I see acts of physical conformity to be part of the growing up process. While we are allowed to think whatever we want, we should accept that a boy in a dress is going to get his ass beat and he should probably stop wearing dresses in public.

While I do not condone the beating, I would probably do my best to avoid talking to him if I ran into him on the street. I see the boy in a dress to be a childish thing. Much like how I will never voluntarily walk through Harlem for fear of being shot, I do not feel a man should wear a dress.

So am I insensitive? Am I an ass? Maybe, but at least I gave 5 years to the Army so that these debates over rights and freedom could continue. Maybe in a generation or two things will be different. Maybe in a generation or two, the boys will not have to wish they were girls. Maybe... but I doubt it...