In Rosemary Mahoney’s Whoredom
in Kimmage: Irish Women Coming of Age,
the author explores the life of queer women in parts of Ireland still extremely
marginalized. These women still hear
“queer” spat as an insult, the term not yet reappropriated as it is in
America. Their clubs are not really
theirs, but loaned to them once a week as a small refuge from the otherwise
hostile world they face in their own country.
Here, the old school dichotomies of butch and femme still exist as
strict either-ors. But there’s an
interesting twist on it. At these weekly
gatherings, femme women are forced butch-up to “fit in.” In a country so harsh to the queer community,
it’s as if these women are forced to make themselves more masculine to present
themselves as strong, to show their resilience to the oppression they face on
the streets the other six days a week, to prove themselves to the other queer
women as one who’s overcome the outside world.
These women wear their butchness as a badge of honor, as proof of their
days in battle. Still, as Mahoney’s ending suggests, these battle-worn women
are still women, and with that we are
entitled a grace and beauty no amount of men’s clothing can hide.
This may be me, but I think Irish men are more masculine than American men. This may just be a stereotype that is in my mind, but I think Irish people in general always have to have a sense of "gruffness" to show that they can fit into society. I'm not saying that the women had to butch themselves up was a right thing, but I think it was the only way to garner respect from men that are so butch themselves. I could imagine a strong woman only earning respect from an Irishman after punching out one of his teeth.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of these women acting butch to display their toughness and resilience against the oppression that they face as a community of queer women, but I have to agree with Gregg a little. I think it also has something to do with the fact that Irishmen seem to hold a heightened sense of masculinity and therefore the women must try adopt more masculine mannerisms and traits to prove their toughness and to earn the respect of the men around them.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I think you really hit on a good point. Some countries are not nearly as progressive and accepting as the United States (I did have to giggle typing this, because it really doesn't seem too open, but it is more-so than some other places), and especially with the way that Mahoney paints the man in the beginning that is very vile and wicked toward even the idea of queer folk, these women really have to prove their worth and ability to stand up to the opposition.