Bell Hooks’ articles were not enjoyable to me because I believe she is racist and sometimes undermines the black community. She constantly criticizes “white supremacy” and portrays a fear of the black community rising up. Additionally, she argues that the drag queens in the film “worship at the throne of whiteness,” which undermines the film’s point. However, I believe that these individuals were simply aspiring to be successful models and admired famous white models who were renowned for their beauty.
Bell Hooks’ article angered me as I continued reading because she seemed to suggest that fame and wealth were only for white people, while black people were confined to family and community. This assumption deeply offended me. She also made the ignorant claim that white women were always adored and cared for, regardless of their individual circumstances. This generalization fails to acknowledge that it is not solely based on race. I found Bell Hooks’ remarks about deriving pleasure from the fantasy of Paris burning, as a representation of the white Western Civilization burning, highly unsettling.
I disagree with Bell Hooks’ criticism of the documentary and ball vogueing because I believe that by suggesting white people turned it into something humorous, she diminished the documentary’s value. Hooks also discusses the distinction between ritual and spectacle, asserting that individuals who grew up in segregated black communities and took part in various pageants and rituals understand that the empowering and subversive aspects of a ritual may not be apparent to outsiders. Consequently, white observers often portray black rituals as mere spectacles (220).
It is audacious of her to think that she knows the thoughts of every white viewer. I, for one, did not perceive it as a spectacle and am offended by her assumption. Until I watched the documentary, I was unaware of the drag queen culture and the film’s focus on it. My perspective on the film stemmed from structuralism and reader’s response criticism, rather than Bell Hooks’ post-colonial or distorted feminist criticism. I examined the contrasting identities of the individuals portrayed, their aspirations, and their journey towards achieving them. Additionally, I was also interested in understanding this new culture and the director’s intended message. I found this documentary to be captivating and motivating. The only time I remotely considered it as a spectacle was when Bell Hooks likened it to a sporting event.
Bell Hooks’ post-colonial and distorted feminist analysis is filled with a clear intention to highlight how black individuals are constantly victimized, placing the blame on white people for black drag queens’ aspirations to emulate them in this film. By portraying her own community as victims, she disappointingly demeans them, disregarding the fact that some of the drag queens from the movie, such as Labaige and Extravaganza mothers, would find this offensive. These individuals are content with their identities and accomplishments, whereas Bell Hooks implies that they can never find happiness as black, gay drag queens. Bell Hooks’ characterization of black and white individuals as completely separate entities strikes me as remarkably hypocritical. I am curious about the sources she relies on to gauge how white people perceive this documentary, as well as why she feels compelled to assume a victim mentality despite her remarkable success.
