Am I too sensitive regarding this email?

[demgurl]

I received an email inviting me to an anti-war film in my city tonight. I read and then had to read it again to make sure this was something sent by someone on the left rather than the right. Specifically, here is what offended me:

FREE Sneak Preview of An Anti-War Documentary on Thurs March 23rd
(The 3rd Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq)

What do a military wife living on Ft. Bragg, a queer drag king who is an
Air Force veteran, and a National Guard veteran whose son deserted the
Navy all have in common?



A queer drag queen? Am I being too sensitive? Is this offensive to anyone else?

[Bjornsdotter]

1. No, You aren't being too sensitive

I find it offensive also.

Cheers

[NMDemDist2]

2. what the heck is a "queer drag KING who is an AF Veteran"

the phrase is certainly odd.....

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Maybe to straight drag queens.....n/t

[CBGLuthier]

4. maybe not

Many gays are proud and claim the term queer so I would have to know more to properly judge.

Sometimes you do have to use inflammatory language to get people's attention.

But I will defer to those more gay than me. :-)

[John Q. Citizen]

6. I remember a chant gay rights groups used to use..

We're here
we're queer
get used to it.

[CBGLuthier]

8. Or as Homer Simpson put it

Paraphrasing from memory. That's our word for you. :-)

It almost goes back to Lenny Bruce's argument about the n word. He said that maybe if everyone would use it until it lost all meaning then a little girl wouldn't have to come home from school crying.

[demgurl]

10. Well, this was sent to a peace group....

that I am a member of. I doubt you would have to work hard to get our attention since we are all anti-war and would be more than happy to see this movie. (I would, anyway, if hubby were not out for the night and I have to be with the kids!!!!)

[Swamp Rat]

5. Yeah, drag queens are NOT "queer!"

They are normal and quite common here in New Orleans. :)

[Buddyblazon]

7. My oldest and dearest friend came out when we were 21.

He and his friends use terms like that all the time. But I don't dare use them.

And my other friend was raised by his two Dad's. They met in Vietnam. There's a picture of the two of them in full gear in the field in 'Nam sitting on their mantle.

And one of them was Miss Drag Queen Colorado years ago...and he uses terms like that all the time.

But I think it would be an individual thing. I don't think any of my gay friends would be offended by the use there. However, if it were coming from someone who's a redneck and obvious bigot, in a hateful way...they would probably be pretty pissed.

[Neil Lisst]

9. I think I'd be dubious of the source

sounds ... not right

[demgurl]

11. The rest sounds OK to me.....

Here it is in full:

> Please Post and Forward!
>
> FREE Sneak Preview of An Anti-War Documentary on Thurs March 23rd
> (The 3rd Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq)
>
> What do a military wife living on Ft. Bragg, a queer drag king who is an
> Air Force veteran, and a National Guard veteran whose son deserted the
> Navy all have in common?
>
> All of them live in North Carolina, are part of the anti-war movement,
> and are featured in an upcoming documentary by local film company Red
> Clay Productions.
>
> Come see the movie so far, get the inside scoop, and give your feedback...
>
> FREE Sneak Preview
> Thursday March 23rd, 7:30pm
> The Scene 604 S. Elm St.
> Downtown Greensboro
> www.thescene.us
>
> Untitled (About Fayetteville Anti-War Demo, March 2005)
> By Red Clay Productions (Nego Crosson & Isabell Moore)
> www.redclayproductions.org
>
> On March 19th, 2005 close to 5,000 people from North Carolina and around
> the country demonstrated against the Iraq War in Fayetteville, NC, the
> home of Ft. Bragg. This protest dwarfed the famous 1971 Fayetteville
> anti-Vietnam march featuring Jane Fonda.
>
> The upcoming Red Clay Productions documentary shows a “behind the
> scenes” look at these people and others involved in the anti-war
> movement and the 2005 Fayetteville march and rally. Through their
> stories in the months before the demonstration, we tell a story of “the
> making of” the Fayetteville March 2005 events.


I've been to The Scene for a MoveOn meeting. It would be the type of place you would go to for a movie preview or something political. I think this is on the up and up.