Drag Show and City of Borders

Last Friday I attended the Illini Union Board Drag Show with Alejandra and some other friends. This drag show is probably the best one in the Champaign-Urbana area. There are some classy ladies that come here every year.

I wanted to throw all of my money at them, but I had a limited amount of singles, so I just had to settle for giving them a small tip.

Look at those shiny fake breasts. Oiled them up
just for this occasion.

It was this girl's birthday. She got a ring and something else
from the emcee. I can only assume it is intended to be shoved
up the anus.

Kalexis really stepped up her game this year and is blossoming into a diva. Get it girl.

We decided we needed flash.... I hate flash.

Tonight I attended a screening of the film City of Borders. For a brief synopsis look at its IMDb page. This film, in my opinion, was very well done and quite eye opening to the situation for LGBT people living in Jerusalem.

The film followed the owner of Jerusalem's only gay bar, Shushan, who happens to also be the first (and it seemed to be only) openly gay city councilman in Jerusalem. The film also focused on three other locals who frequented the bar regularly: Samira and her partner Ravit, two lesbians (one who is Israeli and the other who is Arabic/Israeli) who are actively political in LGBT equality and the end to violence. Adam, who was stabbed in the 2005 gay pride parade (by an orthodox Jew) and is openly gay, very political, and an atheist. And Boody, who is from across the border. He is a drag queen, pretty femme gay boy, and Muslim.

Boody does a lot of voice overs and talks a lot, probably because he had the worst time out of all of the interviewees. He said how Jerusalem is a city of borders. There is the obvious border of the walls between various sections of Jerusalem (religious districts, etc) but also there are borders of East vs. West. Secular vs. Orthodox. Gay vs. Straight. Because of this tensions are high and people do violent and hateful things.

While watching this I felt that the situation in Jerusalem is reminiscent of the U.S. in the 1970's. There was a lot of people fighting, there were few gay bars but that was where people from all walks of life joined to feel community. There didn't seem to be the cliquey-catty gayness that we see in today's U.S. gay culture. Mainly because they all helped and supported each other and saw each other as a big community. BUT, we discussed this afterwards and it is easy for us to sit back and say, "Oh look how bad they have it!" But really there is a chance to learn and reflect on the strides made in the U.S. The fact that we aren't imprisoned or stabbed at parades really shows how far we have come.

Some other great things I noticed in the film was the portrayal of Orthodox Jews. Usually we think of Jews as being polite and peaceful, but when homosexuality came into play these Jews in Jerusalem got angry. They yelled slurs and there was even that one man who stabbed three people at the pride parade. We don't get to see "Jewish extremists" much, but I think this would be a close depiction. There were some very saddening things said in the documentary. The bar owner/councilman got phone calls saying that they shouldn't hold a parade for the men who act like beasts and they shouldn't bring sin onto the holy city. There was a moment where he got a letter with white powder in it and he didn't even freak out. He said it happened frequently. There was also an instance where Boody was shot at which spurred him to leave Palestine and move to the U.S. The hate in Jerusalem is very ripe and religious based, but unlike the U.S. where is is primarily Christian opposition, in Jerusalem there are Christians, Muslims and Jews. It was pointed out how the three religions conjoined to oppose and protest the gay pride parade.

At one pride rally, there were several groups protesting their cause. There was one group saying they should tear down the walls separating Jerusalem and another that said "Meat is murder." One of the interviewees, Adam, saw these signs at their gay pride rally and said "THIS ISN'T EVEN A RELATED ISSUE!" I will admit I think the same thing when people come up to me and tell me to protest red meat while I'm at a gay event. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I should have to also be a vegan who sews all his own clothes.

Also, Tel Aviv is an hour away from Jerusalem (I mapped it... did you know you can get horizontally across the country in an hour. vertically in about five hours... what the heck. It takes like 8 hours to get from Rockford to Cairo and that's just one state. Dammit America) and the two cities differ immensely. Tel Aviv is viewed as the city of freedom and fun and modernity while Jerusalem is the holy city with the orthodox people and violence and hate. It is seen as a better place to live for many Israelis, but many want to stay in Jerusalem where they grew up and want to live. Kind of like living in the Bible Belt.

I forgot to get photo of myself at the event. But here is and older gentleman watching
 Boody cut up a melon. I'm sure this is the only time Boody handles melons.