The Daily Campus

Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Focus

Media Credit: Matt Lin Womens' Studies professor Eve Shapiro speaks about sexual identity and gender fluidity at the first of the 'Out to Lunch' lectures held by the Rainbow Center. The series is currently in its ninth year at UConn.

"How do you know who you are? Are you kind, cruel or generous? Are you a man or woman?" These questions and many more were asked Wednesday afternoon by Dr. Eve Shapiro, UConn professor of women's studies, during the "Out to Lunch" series put on by the Rainbow Center.

The professor's lecture, titled "Tonight I'm a Gay Male Cheerleading Lesbian in a Biker Gang: Exploring Drag Performance and the Construction of Gender and Sexuality," was based on of a case study Shapiro had observed for four years. The study took place in Santa Barbara, Calif. where the professor took part in a performing troupe called The Disposable Boy Toys.

The troupe, according to Shapiro, was a political feminist collective who performed from May 2000 until September 2004. Consisting of 31 white, female born performers whose ages ranged from 18 to 42, the troupe performed 300 songs through out their 100-show run. Shapiro said, although she was part of the group, she also studied the players. She attended meetings and performances and conducted long interviews with most of the members.

After Shapiro described what she had done for those four years, the professor showed her audience a brief video that illustrated what kinds of performances the troupe had produced. This included short skits, lip-synching, singing original songs and dance routines.

After the groups' shows had come to an end, "Performing altered them as people," Shapiro explained. "What made this group so transformative was that they saw oneself as an activist. No member agreed with what sex they were born into. "The professor explained that the troupe acted as an "identity incubator."

The members adopted new identities and practiced new genders all in an environment that was safe and supportive." Participation allowed the members to feel empowered and radical.

Continued...

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