Amanda Tyan-Whip
Email: Sr.amanda.tyanwhip@convivian.
Born the first time:
Born May 16th, 1978
Born again:
August, 2011
What does being a sister mean to you?
“Because they will try to convince us that we have arrived,
That we are already there, that it has happened.
Because we need to live in the place where we are truly alive,
Present, safe, and accounted for.
Because we refuse to allow our writing, songs, art, activism
And political histories to be suppressed or stolen.
Because we refuse to be embarassed about the mistakes
And faults and choose to move forward
With a political agenda bent on freedom of all.”
-Le Tigre “Tres Bien”
Firstly: A little bit of political success can be a dangerous thing. It breeds complacency and conformity: “Don’t rock the boat, don’t be too different, see how much we’ve already achieved?”
Sometimes it takes some crazy ass drag clown nuns to remind us to let our freak flags fly, that there’s still a lot of work yet to be done. That people should be accepted as they are – that there’s a place for every homo-faeboy-butchgirl-genderqueer-trans-leatherdyke-dragqueen-straightglammourboy-dancer-like-no-ones-watching at the table.
Secondly: Coming out to the bar and meeting people is a really hard hard thing. Breaking out of one’s shell, making lasting connections, or even just meeting a guy for a romp can be very intimidating. I have seen first hand a troupe of fabulous glitter clown nuns take over a bar, zoom in on the guy in the corner, talk to him, help him out his shell a bit. Make him laugh. Help him through the tough bit. This is good good work.
Lastly: Safer sex and risk-aware-acceptable kink. As long as it doesn’t harm you, and you’re having fun: DO IT! Do you know there are still men out there that still feel guilt about sex and kink? We need to get the message out! Expiate stigmatic guilt!
