I just wrote this letter to the Eugene Weekly, defending my friend and colleague Sally Sheklow's use of the word "faggoty" in her essay on seeing Joan Rivers. Someone wrote to question her non-PC usage, and I thought I'd come to her defense. I'll add some more commentary later, I'm sure.
Dear Editor,
I felt compelled to write regarding Jessica Zuckerman's Letter in the 2.3.11 issue, in which she called out Sally Sheklow for using the word "faggoty" in her piece on seeing Joan Rivers. I can't personally speak for Sheklow. I also can't speak for "the LGBT community," which is incredibly diverse and not in the habit of making unilaterally agreed upon recommendations on word usage.
To me, the use of "faggoty" in Sheklow's piece made perfect sense. She clearly uses it as a term of affection: "...we were loving the conductor," she writes. "Faggoty" in this context expresses inclusion and solidarity, not exclusion or derision--it says, "We have faced similar oppression, and though we may be strangers, we are members of the same queer family." "Faggoty" also makes sense in a piece on Joan Rivers--Sheklow is borrowing a page from Rivers' book, using brash "offensive" language to convey a campy appreciation. And, as Sheklow points out, Rivers is a gay icon...and they're playing the overture from Gypsy, for crissakes! The conductor, Joan, Sally herself--they're all taking the potentially hateful "faggot" stereotype and performing, reinventing, and celebrating it as the radical and delightful identity it really is.
To answer Zuckerman's question: yes, LGBT people get to say faggot out loud, hopefully as loudly and enthusiastically as possible. Like other reclaimed slurs against marginalized people, its history is ugly and its use controversial. I'm sure not everyone, gay or straight or what have you, would agree with me. But in my experience, the people who bigots call "faggot" are among the most resilient, self-aware, daring, admirable people I have known, and I am honored to claim them as my brothers, sisters and others in faggoty faggotry.
Russell Melia
Faggot
