As I delved into the pages of Pedro Lemebel’s My Tender Matador, I was immediately drawn into a world of raw emotion and vivid imagery. Lemebel ingeniously weaved together a fictional (hi)story that not only tackled the issues of identity, politics, resistance, and social justice but also explored the complexities of gender and sexuality. It was a powerful and poignant read that left me with a new perspective on these topics.
Despite being set in 1980s Chile, Lemebel’s portrayal of the themes in the novel is still very relevant today, on a global scale, where issues of gender and identity continue to be at the forefront of social and political discourse. Throughout the novel, Lemebel painted a vivid portrait of a society that often fails to recognize the humanity of those who fall outside the narrow confines of societal norms of gender and sexuality aspects. This is perhaps most evident in the event where the Dictator and his soldiers overlooked Carlos’s planning of the ambush on their journey to the rural house.
I was also particularly struck by the language of destruction used in the novel, which portrayed masculinity and triumph in a way that was both intriguing and concerning. The character of the Queen of the Corner, in particular, stood out to me in her response to Carlos’s confession of his past amorous encounter with a male friend on the beach. I believe the way she spoke about the “brutal way they talk about the urgency of sex, like bullfighters‒Me first, I’ll stick it in you, I’ll split you in two, I’ll put it in, I’ll tear you to pieces‒with no tact or delicacy” (80) can be a powerful critique of the destructive language we often use in our daily conversations to describe triumphant achievements such as “You’re killin’ it”, and “Smashin’ the game”.
It is intriguing to consider the ways in which we use such language of destruction in our everyday lives. Whether it be in the context of sports, business, or personal relationships, the language of domination and victory is often used to describe our achievements. This begs the question: do we need to resort to destructive means in order to achieve success and triumph?
Perhaps we are living in a battleground of sorts, where the language of war and conflict permeates our daily lives. A prime example of this is the term “target” which is commonly used to describe audiences, and sales goals, in professional settings. It is worth considering whether this language is necessary for achieving our goals or if it perpetuates a culture of violence and domination.
Question: Can the pursuit of triumph and success be achieved without leaving a trail of destruction in its wake? Or is destruction an inevitable cost of achieving one’s goals? In a world where success is often equated with power and domination, is it possible to achieve greatness without sacrificing our humanity and the well-being of those around us?