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Thanks for the insightful responses to my previous post on fandom, academia and "coming out." I will respond to them individually as soon as I've got these damn edits done. In the interim, I thought this old Henry Jenkins piece from Harper's, on the Whitewater juror who wore her Starfleet uniform to court, was relevant.
As someone who has been a Star Trek fan for more than twenty years, I've often thought that a strong analogy can be drawn between the queer community's politics of sexual preference and the fan community's politics of cultural preference. From the point of view of mundane mainstream culture, both groups provoke discomfort concerning their "scandalous" tastes and "shocking" behavior. Like gays, fans often speak of "coming out" as a fan or being "closeted" at work. Fans tend not to disclose their cultural preferences, afraid of what their officemates might think about their hobbies, their friends, or how they spend their weekends. I've known many fans who have had to hide fanzines from unsympathetic eyes or lie to their spouses about a convention. And most of us have been snickered at and subjected to endless harangues against fans in the popular media. That's why many Trekkers, including myself, automatically cringed when we saw pictures of Barbara Adams wearing her Starfleet uniform. We feared that her appearance on the evening news would reinforce all the horror stories about fans, give new credence to the stereotypes, and confirm the mundane world's worst suspicions about us.
But when I compared this issue with current debates in the queer community, I started to rethink my response. ... Assimilationists criticize drag queens and bare-breasted lesbians in the gay-pride parades for feeding homophobic stereotypes, just as fans are embarrassed by the pervasive images of pimple-faced geeks in Starfleet uniforms and rubber Spock ears. The International Federation of Trekkers denounced Adams, saying that she had "condemned us all to continued marking as immature wackos," and suggested that next time she adopt a less flamboyant expression of her fan identity - perhaps a Trek lapel pin on a business suit. Yet, as queer activists have argued, this kind of conformist attitude buys tolerance on someone else's terms. It forces gays and lesbians to police their own ranks, punishing violations of middle-class decorum rather than embracing with pride what makes them distinctive. Similarly, to insist that fans took and act like everyone else is to suggest that there is something shameful about being a fan. Queer politics tells us that we are free only when all of our members - even the most extreme - are able to make their own choices and give public expression to their preferences.
... [Adams] appreciates the power of art - especially popular art - to transform how we live in the universe. As her comments to the media show, she sees her gesture in political terms, as an expression of Star Trek ideals: celebration of diversity, optimism about the future, and a commitment to public service.
Such beliefs might seem strange indeed in the context of the Whitewater trial, where both sides appear to be governed more by political advantage and self-gain than by any higher ideals. Yet for that reason, it was important for fans to make a public statement about what Star Trek's philosophy might offer to America. In such circumstances, the Vulcan salute is as much a political symbol as the Black Power fist or the pink triangle.
... When I saw her picture in the newspaper as she awaited jury selection, I assumed that neither the prosecution nor the defense would find her acceptable, because, as a Trekker, she would be seen as abnormal, unpredictable, and excessive. Instead, the lawyers probably thought that they would be able to control her with their rhetoric, that as a fan who couldn't tell the difference between TV and real life, she would be gullible and easily manipulated.
The woman we saw on the news fits neither stereotype. She is thoughtful, moderate, and articulate. She also happens to be a Star Trek fan. Get used to it.
As someone who has been a Star Trek fan for more than twenty years, I've often thought that a strong analogy can be drawn between the queer community's politics of sexual preference and the fan community's politics of cultural preference. From the point of view of mundane mainstream culture, both groups provoke discomfort concerning their "scandalous" tastes and "shocking" behavior. Like gays, fans often speak of "coming out" as a fan or being "closeted" at work. Fans tend not to disclose their cultural preferences, afraid of what their officemates might think about their hobbies, their friends, or how they spend their weekends. I've known many fans who have had to hide fanzines from unsympathetic eyes or lie to their spouses about a convention. And most of us have been snickered at and subjected to endless harangues against fans in the popular media. That's why many Trekkers, including myself, automatically cringed when we saw pictures of Barbara Adams wearing her Starfleet uniform. We feared that her appearance on the evening news would reinforce all the horror stories about fans, give new credence to the stereotypes, and confirm the mundane world's worst suspicions about us.
But when I compared this issue with current debates in the queer community, I started to rethink my response. ... Assimilationists criticize drag queens and bare-breasted lesbians in the gay-pride parades for feeding homophobic stereotypes, just as fans are embarrassed by the pervasive images of pimple-faced geeks in Starfleet uniforms and rubber Spock ears. The International Federation of Trekkers denounced Adams, saying that she had "condemned us all to continued marking as immature wackos," and suggested that next time she adopt a less flamboyant expression of her fan identity - perhaps a Trek lapel pin on a business suit. Yet, as queer activists have argued, this kind of conformist attitude buys tolerance on someone else's terms. It forces gays and lesbians to police their own ranks, punishing violations of middle-class decorum rather than embracing with pride what makes them distinctive. Similarly, to insist that fans took and act like everyone else is to suggest that there is something shameful about being a fan. Queer politics tells us that we are free only when all of our members - even the most extreme - are able to make their own choices and give public expression to their preferences.
... [Adams] appreciates the power of art - especially popular art - to transform how we live in the universe. As her comments to the media show, she sees her gesture in political terms, as an expression of Star Trek ideals: celebration of diversity, optimism about the future, and a commitment to public service.
Such beliefs might seem strange indeed in the context of the Whitewater trial, where both sides appear to be governed more by political advantage and self-gain than by any higher ideals. Yet for that reason, it was important for fans to make a public statement about what Star Trek's philosophy might offer to America. In such circumstances, the Vulcan salute is as much a political symbol as the Black Power fist or the pink triangle.
... When I saw her picture in the newspaper as she awaited jury selection, I assumed that neither the prosecution nor the defense would find her acceptable, because, as a Trekker, she would be seen as abnormal, unpredictable, and excessive. Instead, the lawyers probably thought that they would be able to control her with their rhetoric, that as a fan who couldn't tell the difference between TV and real life, she would be gullible and easily manipulated.
The woman we saw on the news fits neither stereotype. She is thoughtful, moderate, and articulate. She also happens to be a Star Trek fan. Get used to it.
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It is not, however acceptable to show up barebreast in a courthouse. Just like it is unacceptable to wear an excercise leotard. Just like it is unacceptable to wear a fantasy outfit.
One might decorate one's office with rainbow posters, or action figures, but it would be very strange if anybody showed up in the office dressed as one.
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Though the idea of someone showing up to court dressed, say, as Spike still makes me cringe.
To me it's really a question of appropriateness. Is a serious legal procedure really the time and place to proclaim your fannish zeal? It would be a bit like the drag queen who works a conservative day job showing up to work in platforms and a glittery wig. Or, in a less loaded comparison, a scuba diving aficionado arriving in a wetsuit and flippers.
There's nothing wrong with having hobbies, or even taking those hobbies to an extreme level. But we have to keep some perspective on our passions. Much as I adore him, Spike (or Lex, or Captain Picard, or whomever) has no place in a jury box.
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Still, I'm more sympathetic to it than you are. I understand your point about norms, but then the question arises: is it unacceptable to wear drag to court? What about a pink triangle T-shirt? A "Re-Elect Bush" T-shirt? Whose norms count? And, if the court does not require business attire -- which is true in the two courts where I've been a juror -- is it fair to say that T-shirts and leotards are okay but Star Trek uniforms, which are pretty formal in their own way, are not? That is, from all we know the court didn't bar exercise leotards -- nor did it bar the costume, either, despite all the attention it received -- the media attention and the objections were based on the specific content of the outfit, not on its general divergence from business attire.
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Yes, I'm using a fictional example. ::sigh::
=======================
From the West Wing episode "Artic Radar" (4-10):
CUT TO: JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY
Josh and Donna pass by.
JOSH
There are some new people.
DONNA
Cabinet Affairs installed some temps so you'd have extra staff during the vetting period.
They enter JOSH'S OFFICE.
JOSH
Which is good.
DONNA
But?
JOSH
I'm not one to give fashion advice...
DONNA
No, you're not.
JOSH
But one of them...
DONNA
Sorry.
JOSH
...one of them is wearing a... a, uh... a Star Trek pin. Is today a special Star Trek holiday or something?
DONNA
How the hell would I know?
JOSH
Okay, well, then would you find out? And is it's not, you know people walk through here and it's not the most confidence-inspiring sight to see in a White House employee, so if you could ask her to...
--> Later.....
JOSH
Hey, I see she's not wearing the pin anymore. Thanks.
DONNA
She's kind of worked up about it.
JOSH
Why?
DONNA
I don't know.
JOSH
All right. Hang on.
Josh walks over to where JANICE TRUMBULL is working.
JOSH
Hi. I'm Josh Lyman.
JANICE TRUMBULL
Janice Trumbull.
JOSH
Yeah, the reason why I wanted you to take off the pin is just around the White House, you understand...
JANICE
I'm appealing your request to Stacy.
JOSH
I'm sorry?
JANICE
My supervisor is Stacy.
JOSH
Right, except Stacy works for me.
JANICE
Okay, well, you got the cards but Star Trek and the entire Starfleet series is about honor and loyalty and civic duty and the fact that you don't think that those are characteristics that should be displayed inside the White House is sad. But I wouldn't expect you to understand those kinds of things. Anything else?
JOSH
No.
Josh walks away from Janice. He walks with Donna.
DONNA
See what I mean?
JOSH
Shhh, shhh, shhh.
DONNA
What?
JOSH
She is... well, one of the special people.
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
She's taken off the pin. We're going to let it be.
=======================
I think what "less flamboyant expression" and the like really means is "tone it down till we can't see it any more." And yeah, giving in to that is a Bad Thing.
~
From:
Politics of Fashion
I suspect I was the only one who knew it, though.
And how wrong is it that it's perfectly all right to wear a Dale Earnhardt pin or NASCAR stuff? Do sports people not realize that they are part of a fandom?
Obviously, we need to start some pan-fandom pride movement. Something like the rainbows. Maybe a band of stars or something?
Sally
I MISS YOU!!
CALL ME SOMETIME!!
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Re: Politics of Fashion
Traveling this weekend, but I'll call next week -- unless you can talk tonight despite the press of little monsters waiting in the morning