25/09 OPENSPACE: «Pidory Mechti \ Faggots of Dreams»: Strategies of Subverting Homophobic Insults (Nikolai Gorbachov, Belarus
- 19:00 / loft COM.NATA / Hall 2 / 136 Obvodnogo Kanala Embankment
The word «pidor» («fag») haunts LGBT+ people. Often we have to deal with it even as kids; the label «pidor» is stamped on us as a marker of otherness, even when we are far from comprehending it at all. Anyone who does not conform to heteronormativity can be called a pidor. For many this term has now become a symbol of personal insult, humiliation and harassment.
«I’m a gay person, not a pidor» — is a common reaction to the insult. We try to resist the word, avoid it, forbid its use. We teach «how to speak of LGBT+ people respectfully», yet they are not willing to listen. Our demands are a joke to them, our grievances only fortify their hatred.
We counter prohibition with prohibition, but the hostile forces exceed ours too far. We live in a homophobic country where the government doesn’t protect its LGBT+ citizens. We teach correct terminology to those who forbid «homosexual propaganda». Is it even worth it?
At this event, we’ll talk about the origin of the word «pidor»: its prison background, closely intertwined with the history of (post-)USSR homophobia. We will discuss strategies and creative practices of subverting homophobic insults, and even include specific examples. Becoming a pidor, transforming a slur into an identity — this is the way to get hold of the enemy’s weapon.
The training will be conducted by Nicolai Gorbachov, social researcher and founder of the
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