"Queer." You've been recruited.

"QUEER."

you've been recruited.

by Cynthia Rodriguez







This year so far has been a good gay year in certain ways. In an enlightening way, almost in a spiritual way, in the gay sense. No, I am not becoming a Scientologist. I already went through my L. Ron Hubbard phase back in the day. I guess it's a new level of gayness, if that makes sense at all.





It all began towards the end of last year, when I participated in a local rally for the whole "FIGHT PROP8" ordeal. Then later that year I went to see "MILK" with a group of people, and acquired a new hero. Then this year at the same theatre went with the same group of people again to see "Execution of Justice", a play that followed the trial of Harvey Milk's killer after his assasination. Watched the premiere of "Prayers for Bobby" on Lifetime television. Attended the annual, local, Oscar party for the 4th year in a row (as you know, that is the "gay super bowl"), and won a "Milk" movie poster, which is at my art studio.





In the spring of this year I curated a month-long, group, political art show in Philadelphia called "QUEER."


It consisted of several mediums of art dealing with a range of issues from sexual identity to hate crimes. Included in the exhibit was a temporary installation piece I created just for the duration of the show. It was my version of a replica of the Matthew Shephard crime scene.










I'm glad I did this show when I did. After all these years of being out and about in the scene, I guess I was ready to put something like this together. It was the accumulation of familiarity in the gay movement, and of being "in the life". Relationships, clubbing, drag shows, performances, benefits, a diverse, endless amount of experiences relating to this matter. Not saying that I'm a "gay authority" so to speak, but honestly, yes, I feel that I am by now.


Like any other political theme I've dealt with in exhibits, it never fails to be an eye-opening glimpse into how far I've come regarding the subject, and how much work is left to be done, in the activist's sense, and in a personal way.