Comments on: Fairy Mary

By: Cas Kopacki

Cas Kopacki — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:28:35 +0000

Okay, I’ll admit it’s a pansy statue. It’s a nice and thoughtful gift, though. The issue Kim and I have been debating is whether or not what is depicted is a “move.” Kim, who is enamored by surfing and the coolness of surfers, thinks not. I, who am most certainly not enamored, have seen many a surfer look exactly like that out on these very waters! I’m just saying that if these surfers think the statue looks pansy, then they’d just better check themselves.

I stand corrected on the use of the word “homophobia.” Amongst surfers, I think it’s definitely an inflated masculinity intertwined with immaturity as opposed to an outright fear or hatred of homosexuals.

By: deeluxegal

deeluxegal — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:37:12 +0000

first, i have to admit that i think it is a pansy statue — that pretty boy is doing a timid ballet on the board instead of some fierce surfing. so i can understand that surfers might want a statue with more confident body language. however, lack of confidence does not equate to gay or ‘not masculine enough’ (read: feminine?). the attack on this statue is misguided and uncool in that it’s expressed through latent heterosexism and sexism.

(btw, let’s talk about “homophobia” vs. heterosexism. the real enemy is systematic and institutionalized elevation of heterosexuality and discrimination against queers, not some sort of ‘irrational fear’ of homos. we don’t call a racist’s irrational fear of blacks “negrophobia”, right? we call them an effing racist because we know they’re that way only because they were taught by society to be that way — it’s not a clinical and therefore legit or uncontrollable psychological condition. we would do well to similarly change the discourse and elminiate “homophobia” from our vocabulary. just a side-bar kind of thought.)

By: Cas Kopacki

Cas Kopacki — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:06:19 +0000

I’m not saying that San Diego as a whole is homophobic. North County seems to be more prone to homophobia because of the more conservative political climate here (especially as you move closer and closer to Oceanside…). My beef, plainly put, is that the surf culture seems to be juvenile (you know all about the Peter Pans here…) and, in turn, is juvenile in its view of homosexuality. If it isn’t outright homophobia, it certainly borders on it.

I don’t think that the statue looks ridiculous. If you think it does, then you think a lot of surfers look ridiculous.

By: kimberleigh

kimberleigh — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:25:44 +0000

i don’t really think it’s that homophobic here, or that surfing culture is in particular. i think this is just a very juvenile comment- like a middle school boy might say something is “gay” because it is (as the statue is- don’t lie, Cas) dorky. That statue is ridiculous looking.

If you check out the wikipedia entry for San Diego, this is a gay, gay, gay city- Gayer than LA! & apparently lots of gay jocks here as well- http://www.thecentersd.org/sports.php

By: Randy Bishop

Randy Bishop — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:28:15 +0000

This comes as a big surprise. Obviously, I’m not pals with any surfers (living in Detroit and all) but I would have never thought homophobia would run rampant in that clique. Learn something new everyday I guess.

One thing to mention. The term “Fairy Mary” seems a little, umm, “gay” to me. I mean, couldn’t they come up with a less rhym-ey softcore insult than “fairy mary?” What happen to the old meat head bashings of the past? Butt Jock? Fudge Packer? etc.. Are we sure whomever came up with that term isn’t himself a “fairy mary?”

By: lord eddard stark

lord eddard stark — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:23:01 +0000

you’d think hailing from a place that translated means “whale’s vagina” they’d not be so uptight. geez.

and i heard barack obama say something very true – the POV’s of most americans – be they in the reddest southern state or bluest northeastern state – or neither left or right, but moderate. personally i think that sucks b/c nothing will change, but it’s true. this state i’m living in, RI, is supposedly the “most liberal” state in the US. i don’t see it. most people are moderate. they just vote for democrats. and vice versa in the midwest and south. that really has nothing to do w/ your blog though :)

p.s. it must be better than iowa. talk about a state i have absolutely no interest in visiting. wow.