June
2009
Happy Birthday To Me0
I can’t believe I’ve experienced a quarter of a century go by. It’s a little depressing to think about how fast time goes by, but I am excited to think about what wonderful things are still to come.
So what, one might ask, am I doing to commemorate the 25th year of my life? Why, I’m going to a tranny show, of course! There are many reasons why I am super excited to go to the show! And the reasons will, of course, be put in a list…
1.) When my Mom and I were cleaning out my Grandmother’s apartment, we found a wonderful collection of photos of my Grandmother and my Grandfather sitting at a table, drinks and cigarettes in hand of course, looking like they are having a grand old time. The back of the photos all had “Finnochio’s” printed on the back. My Mom said it was a drag bar of sorts that put on elaborate drag shows. I guess my Grandmother adored these shows. I never knew. At any rate, her fondness for men in drag inspired me to see a show for myself. I figure, I’m 25, I ought to be having as much fun as my Grandmother did!
2.) The show is called “The Golden Girls: The Gay Episodes,” or something like that. Yet another thing that brings up sentimental feelings of my Grandmother. We used to watch that show all of the time! How perfect! And you know, come to think of it, Dorothy (played by Bea Arthur) was pretty manly to begin with! It really won’t be that much of a stretch.
3.) (Non-literature nerds can tune out now.) The concept of gender has always fascinated me, and a few semesters ago I was able to do a little bit of research on Renaissance literature and gender studies (and by extension feminist studies). It was really interesting to see how male actors playing women on the Renaissance stage illustrates the fluidity and constructed nature of gender. The transvestite really is an emblem of how gender binaries and definitions do not hold. So it will be fun seeing men dressed as women, and thinking about how the definitions we hold and value about gender are completely fabricated by society/culture, and in no way are natural or innate. And you can count on me to actually be thinking this when I’m there. (End nerd thought.)
4.) It’s just going to be loads of fun. All sentiment and nerdiness aside, I know that it’s going to be a blast. Especially since I’ll be in good company!
Well Grandma, I hope you can take a few minutes from whatever you’re doing and watch a little bit of the show with us. I’d sure like that.