“Counterpublics are, by definition, formed by their conflict with the norms and contexts of their cultural environment, and this context of domination inevitably entails distortion. Mass publics and counterpublics, in other words, are both damaged forms of publicness, just as gender and sexuality are, in this culture, damaged forms of privacy.” (Publics and Counterpublics, p.63)

In “Pedro Zamora’s Real World of Counterpublicity: Performing an Ethics of the Self”, Esteban Munos uses Pedro Zamora from the Real World as an example of someone who defies white normativity, and heteronormativity in a majoritarian space. In a society where everything is written for us to perform whether it’s by our specific cultures, state/institutions, or popular culture, it is hard to defy the norm. One of the reasons it is hard to go against the grain is that we do not recognize that most of what we learn and adopt has been imposed on us. Marilyn Frye’s Birdcage of Sexism analogy can be used to discuss the issue of conforming. Being in a Bird cage means living by societies standards without question because it is the norm.

I grew up in Nigeria and the culture influenced everything I believed in. I had a very simplistic view of the world and never had proper discourse on the complexities of gender, race and sexuality. I came to Vancouver with the same views, and never even thought of sexism because I was taught essentialist views of gender and race.

I try to challenge myself and wonder what it means for me as a black African woman to counteract the norm which is even harder as a Christian. Our institutions and morals are mostly based on Christianity so does defying the norm and not conforming mean that I am going against my faith? And then there is the issue of colonialism and the imposition of Christianity by white missionaries but I digress.

References:

Frye, Marilyn. The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory. Trumansburg, NY: Crossing, 1983. Print.

Warner, Michael. Publics and Counterpublics. New York: Zone, 2002. Print.

Munoz, Esteban.  “Pedro Zamora’s Real World of Counterpublicity: Performing an Ethics of the Self”.  Disidentifications: Queers of Colour and the performance of politics. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota UP, 1999.