Welcome! Introduction to some of the creative and rebellious roots of queer culture in America. And, how to calm, art, and transcend--tools for anxiety in apocalypse. (Not to be dramatic or anything.)
My Camp Rule is: "CAMP is first of all a second childhood". I believe this means that discovering an identity for oneself is tantamount to experiencing a second childhood. Breaking free from the norms of society and developing an identity original to you alone can resemble the first childhood that was used to explore the world and one's role within it at a younger impressionable age.
I agree! I think it's a second childhood in the way that you get to explore your new identity. You're still learning about yourself like a child would be. You are exploring the world in this newfound identity, and that world might look different to you now than it did before. I love that CAMP rule!
The prompt I wrote about was “Camp is anti-art in the same way physical desire is anti-creative”. I interpreted this as physical desire is something that inherently everyone feels and to not feel it is to be outside the norm, to not be creative. It can be creative if looked at in a different light or angle but it is anti-creative at face value. Camp can be viewed in the same way. At face value, it is not seen as art and even anti-art but art is something that has a norm that is perceived and camp is its own form of art that is outside the norm. I do not have much experience with the art of camp and I have conflicted feelings about physical desire so this prompt was challenging but it still spoke to me like a puzzle wanting to be solved. Both physical desire and camp are confusing categories that span a multitude of options. They can mean different things depending on many factors and can be misconstrued easily. This does not mean they are impossible to decipher, it just means it takes longer to get to the end goal and often the product is worth the effort.
"CAMP is a lifeboat for men at sea" is a quote that I feel makes fun of how many a sea would fall for each other. A poke a t the joke of what CAMP can mean in different context to help out the lonely people on the sea. Again this joke on CAMP is an example of also how much is covered by CAMP in different context of life and representing it's value in different situations.
One quote that stood out to me was “CAMP is an art without artists.” This was the quote that I was given to analyze in class and I think it is really interesting. CAMP is a means of expression. It isn’t something that is made in the same way typical art is, instead, it is something that is done. It is a way of being. It is aesthetics and actions and everything coalescing into one. CAMP is not done deliberately in the same way that artists make their art. The quote is very specific that it isn’t art. It is an art. There is no one way to properly do or be CAMP. It is something to be admired and it is something to be seen. There is an art to the art of CAMP. It is a community and a safe haven. It is what CAMP represents more than anything that makes it an art. It is an art which brings people together, particularly after being torn away from something else. It is not something you make but something that is done. For someone to try to engineer CAMP is to lose what CAMP is altogether. There is no one that can orchestrate what CAMP is. There is no artist pulling the strings. CAMP is whatever people need it to be. It is silly and garish and fun. It is not something meant for the general public’s enjoyment and if anyone tried to market it as such then it would be met only with failure. CAMP is an art appreciated primarily by those who need it, and that is exactly what it was meant to be.
Something that had really struck me from the reading was the rethinking of the definition of queer. I have always heard it as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ+ community—which it is, but it is also more than that. Delving into the roots of what it means to be queer and the focus on rebellion that it has was really interesting for me. The idea of going against the prescribed norm being what makes something or someone queer was fascinating because, especially in our nation today, the norm is so distinctive and exclusive that it feels like a lot of the population ends up falling under the label of queerness. With much of the norm having its roots in the quintessential idyllic post-World War Two American societal ideas of family, race, and gender, the norm becomes more and more exclusive in who falls under it. A large amount of the population ends up falling outside of this norm, creating an interesting conundrum. If there are more people outside of the norm than within it, what is it that dictates it as the ‘norm’? The answer lies in power. If people within the norm are the ones most prominent in the government, in television and media, and are in possession of the most wealth, then it doesn’t matter if more people fall outside of the norm than within it. The norm doesn’t change because most of what is seen is the norm. It is what gets put on display for the world to see. The norm isn’t dictated by the public, it is dictated by those in power (often with the power given to them by being within the norm) and it is perpetuated by a lot of the media consumed by the general public. To be queer, however, is to rebel against not only the norm, but specifically against the power that it gives. To be queer is to ignore the status quo that is presented to us and to demand representation. The most important thing is to find power in being queer and to rebel against those that try to hide it behind the fogginess of the norm.
I like how you described the term queer and delved into the rebellion behind the term. I have always used queer as a self expression because it fit the best and was easiest to explain. I used it for its umbrella status and didn't think too much into it until doing the readings and I agree with you. How well you defined the norm but also who put it in place and what makes it the norm. What is making it so we have to follow this strict lines and if we step out, we are shunned. To be queer is to be different inherently but different is good. It is needed. Queer helps push back against the norm and break out of those lines that are set by people in power.
My camp rule was “CAMP is cross-dressing in a Freudian slip.” Since a Freudian slip is a mistake that is caused by unconscious desire or thought, cross dressing is not intentionally done in camp. For example, a man may not purposefully be trying to dress as a woman, but it is his unconscious desire that can reveal itself. There are some who are offended by cross-dressing, viewing it as an attack on their gender but what they fail to realize is that it can be making someone feel truer to themselves and more comfortable. Cross dressing is not done out of spite or malice but for self-expression and/or entertainment.
One of my favorite bands, The All-American Rejects did a music video for their song “Sweat” where Tyson Ritter, the lead singer is dressed as a female sex worker named Betsy. It is later revealed in the video that Betsy was a man’s alter ego.
“I think we all have the balance within us of femininity and masculinity, and every morning I had to wake up, got completely naked and put on 6-inch stiletto heels… and found my demeanor of Betsy.”
The music video was shot in Skid Row from 1-6am and Ritter received just a small piece of what women experience daily. He said “In putting on Betsy, I was treated differently. I was treated like I kinda know a little bit what it feels like to be objectified, in a completely different way, and it was kind of dehumanizing. And it really made me have a lot of respect for not only the dancers that I worked with, who were getting the same sort of just ridiculous harassment, but I think it just made me sort of respect women in a completely different way. Which I think is kind of a beautiful result.”
My rule is "Camp is the lie that tells the truth." Which I believe is references a quote from Pablo Picasso where he said in an interview with a New York art periodical "We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand." And I believe that is what is meant that it is a lie that reveals to us the truth.
Loved your interpretation of the rule! I would like to point out how it looks like the quote could also mean how the lie itself being show's what deep down what one can feel like. I'm not saying every lie says something deep, but it does mean something obviously. Lying about oneself to hide who they really are is also a common thing for queer people.
I'll be honest, CAMP was a little difficult for me to understand. I have difficulty understanding things that don't have exact definitions, which is a little funny. "Exact definitions" is contradictory to my own queer experience. As I was reading, I kept thinking... okay, but what does CAMP actually mean. It's not a term I am familiar with.
When I related it to my own experience, I realized that it doesn't need to have a strict definition. One can only attempt to define CAMP within a box, because it is outside of a box. CAMP isn't something that should be confined. "CAMP was a prison for an illegal minority; now it is a holiday for consenting adults" represents empowerment in something that was once used as an insult. It's similar to the reclaiming of the word queer. Growing up, I always heard queer as a negative thing. People were calling things that were "weird" queer. Now, it's a term I use freely without negative association. I still see some people get uncomfortable when I use the word.
It is also a difficult concept for me to also wrap my head. I think, at least for me, CAMP isn't something that should easily be defined. It is challenging the norms and is a form of self expression. No one should ever be told they aren't doing CAMP correctly because I think CAMP is different to each individual.
I think it is awesome that you have grown up to view 'queer' as a positive word despite what you had heard in your childhood.
It's hard for me to recognize camp as it is a bit before my time. And also I think the authority of those who do "know it when they see it" is one I have always been shy to take on. But I love the article and the whole rebellious sensibility.
my rule for camp was that CAMP is a form of historicism viewed histrionically! I had to look up these words (which is always good for the brain).
Historicism- a method of understanding the world through the study and understanding of history itself through cultures and social norms
Histrionically- a way that is overly theatrical, dramatic, and emotional but is not sincere or genuine.
CAMP is looking at history, discussing history, describing the nuances of history, and deliberating the black, grey, and white tones of history with passion, however there is not much genuine feeling behind it. There is a lack of sincerity, and you are barely just passing along information because you feel it is important, but you don’t really know why its important.
You see this a lot with younger generations now, which, no disrespect, do not fully understand queer history; they are incredibly excited to be queer and be part of communities (sin elders) but do not fully understand the nuances of what it means to be queer, and how hard people had to fight for teens these days to even be able to wear pride flag pins. I was fortunate enough to be "adopted" by a Transsexual (the term she prefers) Woman (who wrote her masters thesis on how Frankenstein can be a story about transsexuals and being queer), and I was educated through her and can understand the story of CAMP, Stonewall, and the story of Queer itself as a word and a social movement!
Well done! I like how you recognize generational differences. Yes, histrionic made A lot of sense back then! And It makes sense if you understand the history. As you do! Lucky to have been adopted by her!!
I was very interested in this reading as a whole, as before this lesson I have never even heard of the activity of being camp, as it is something which is never talked about within the classroom, and my small bubble of childhood did not allow me the opportunity to learn about important movements such as these. However, I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community and some of the methods which they have used to help fight back against traditional society, and work to create the world a place which is more knowledgeable and accepting of the community as a whole, rather than in specific groups. However, due to camps origins within the LGBTQ+ community, I think it has received a large amount of stigma which has been attached to the idea, which causes people to think anyone who is being camp to being part of this community. However, If people where better educated about the community and what the movement is as a whole, they would be able to realize that this movement is all about creating a better community and humanity, rather than fighting exclusively for Gay rights. I think that fighting to bring camp back into the broader mainstream consciousness once again could be very beneficial to everyone, as there is a large amount of strife and disagreement within the United States currently, and giving anyone the opportunity to fight back against this injustice using camp is in my opinion not only important, but necessary.
The quote which I received from this weeks reading was “camp is a disguise that fails.” this was very interesting to me as it took me a little while to determine what I wanted to say about this idea, as I was originally confused to what it meant. However, after taking some time to think about this idea, I believe that camp is a disguise as it is a movement which is playful and exaggerated aesthetic which can be worn by anyone who is attempting to fight against the traditional norms within society. This disguise can be worn by anyone for any amount of time to help in fight against specific problems which they have within society, and can be taken off or stopped whenever necessary. However, the important part of this quote, is that it is a disguise that fails. In my opinion, this means that while camp can be used to fight against specific injustices which they have problems with, but this disguise can fail and can lead to no major change within society. Just because camp can be worn by anyone to help fight against injustice does not mean that change will actually happen to society, which is why it is important to continue the fight when camp does not work, as well as continuing to use camp to show the dedication and priority towards making a long term change in the world, rather than superficial changes which do not address the actual problems which they are trying to solve.
I think the quote you chose is very interesting and I’ve needed to think a lot about what I think it primarily refers to. The point could be that it is a disguise or costume meant to fail in the literal sense, like Dr. Martel mentioned, or something else. I feel like most of these rules are intended to be taken most ways, especially the ones like this one that work in both a literal and figurative sense. Thought about figuratively, we must figure out what Camp is seeking to disguise to figure out its failure. Perhaps Camp is a disguise of silliness. It is a safe haven from the judgement and scorn of most of society, creating fun and happiness in a scary situation. It creates something enjoyable within something horrible. However, it does not eliminate the bad situation that causes its creation. This disguise of happiness, though effective at times, will ultimately always fail. Even if it is silly and happy, there always comes a time in which the outside world comes crashing in. That doesn’t mean that the disguise was pointless, but rather that it can never be permanent. A temporary reprieve is still a reprieve. Camp is meant to help lighten the situation that people are in by making fun, and it accomplishes its goal. This is a bit different than the interpretation you gave, but I think that’s some of the fun of Camp. No one actually knows what it is and it serves a different purpose for every person, so there is no one way to interpret anything about it.
Interesting. I think of camp as a kind of bad drag, where the point is not to pass. The point might be something else: like calling attention to gender as a performance, to make light of it, to get a laugh. This is powerful in the way you describe because it does something with the fear of NOT passing and the danger that might come from getting caught in drag. Sometimes to laugh is to express relief. Camp has a dark humor. Glad you value the introduction to camp!!
The rule I received was “CAMP is a biography written by the subject as if it were about another person”. The first thing that came to mind is the word “perspectives” and seeing different Points of views. ITs a story written about you from another person's perspective and points out new elements that you didn't know about yourself. This can create a sense of distance and objectivity, allowing the subject to reflect on their life from a different perspective. It can also add an element of creativity and storytelling, making the biography more engaging for readers.
I love the way Queerness was defined here. I found it empowering how it is similar to how it was originally intended like strange or outside the norm. I love how our community has turned hateful words (like how queer was originally intended towards the LGBTQIA community) and turned it into a term of empowerment
Camp is fluid. Camp is this place not bound to a physical space but instead to the thoughts, passions, and ideals of its individuals. CAMP in itself is the embodiment of the queer identity, and as such, it doesn’t make sense for it to be pinned down and constrained but instead breaks the norm of what camp should be and instead moves freely with its ideals.
Yea I agree with that. To me the first thing that came to mind was that you have a choice to throw "pick" whatever you want. The first idea that comes to mind is picking your own future. When I comes to pitching, you can pitch as much as you can and its ok if some are way off or some are just slightly off the mark. You can choose and keep going until you hit the mark.
In our readings on Camp within history is said to be the “most obvious to me in a homosexual context, but I perceive it in heterosexuals as well…” This being taken into consideration “queerness” does not particularly have a sexuality or gender is must connect with. Similar to the definition given by Doctor the meaning of camp and queerness does not only apply to those in the LGBTQ+ community. The context in which it speaks of the process of isolation. Not reaching the binary of society is the perfect fluidity within the definition of this term. The rule “ CAMP is character limited to context” reaches great bonds to represent not only one specific group but a large majority of the communities.
I like that you went to the reading to make sense of your rule! And I like the idea of expanding the context in which camp is recognized as character that you express here.
Carson, I definitely agree with your idea that camp is very broad and fluid. I believe that camp is a movement which can be used by almost anyone who is going against the norm, which so happened to be the LGBTQ+ community which first began to use this movement to fight for change. However, any marginalized or nonmarginalized person can fall under the umbrella of being camp, as long as what they are doing is going against what is traditionally accepted by society. I believe that as more people who begin to use camp for different reasons lets camp become more common within society, it will allow for a bigger movement to be formed as more and more attention is placed on the specific issues which they are trying to combat, which is why I think Camp is one of the most interesting and potentially useful movement towards creating real change in the world. However, as you have stated, due to the misconceptions about camp, it can be quite hard for people outside of the LGBTQ+ community to get involved within camp, due to the reputation which has been created by the people who are fighting against camp. By spreading camp and knowledge about what it can be to anyone, I believe that camp can be a more widely used and accepted form of revolution within the world, and this potential revolution begins by teaching people outside of this circle the truth about the struggles that come with the traditional system, and how that system can be changed for the better for everyone.
I love this. A community gets built through the recognition of our fellows. Camp as a performance, as art, as a sensibility that is attention seeking needs recognition. And the brutal critic is an important part of camp for sure.
My Camp Rule is: "CAMP is first of all a second childhood". I believe this means that discovering an identity for oneself is tantamount to experiencing a second childhood. Breaking free from the norms of society and developing an identity original to you alone can resemble the first childhood that was used to explore the world and one's role within it at a younger impressionable age.
I agree! I think it's a second childhood in the way that you get to explore your new identity. You're still learning about yourself like a child would be. You are exploring the world in this newfound identity, and that world might look different to you now than it did before. I love that CAMP rule!
yes!! and all the joy and silliness and vulnerability of childhood too.
The prompt I wrote about was “Camp is anti-art in the same way physical desire is anti-creative”. I interpreted this as physical desire is something that inherently everyone feels and to not feel it is to be outside the norm, to not be creative. It can be creative if looked at in a different light or angle but it is anti-creative at face value. Camp can be viewed in the same way. At face value, it is not seen as art and even anti-art but art is something that has a norm that is perceived and camp is its own form of art that is outside the norm. I do not have much experience with the art of camp and I have conflicted feelings about physical desire so this prompt was challenging but it still spoke to me like a puzzle wanting to be solved. Both physical desire and camp are confusing categories that span a multitude of options. They can mean different things depending on many factors and can be misconstrued easily. This does not mean they are impossible to decipher, it just means it takes longer to get to the end goal and often the product is worth the effort.
"CAMP is a lifeboat for men at sea" is a quote that I feel makes fun of how many a sea would fall for each other. A poke a t the joke of what CAMP can mean in different context to help out the lonely people on the sea. Again this joke on CAMP is an example of also how much is covered by CAMP in different context of life and representing it's value in different situations.
One quote that stood out to me was “CAMP is an art without artists.” This was the quote that I was given to analyze in class and I think it is really interesting. CAMP is a means of expression. It isn’t something that is made in the same way typical art is, instead, it is something that is done. It is a way of being. It is aesthetics and actions and everything coalescing into one. CAMP is not done deliberately in the same way that artists make their art. The quote is very specific that it isn’t art. It is an art. There is no one way to properly do or be CAMP. It is something to be admired and it is something to be seen. There is an art to the art of CAMP. It is a community and a safe haven. It is what CAMP represents more than anything that makes it an art. It is an art which brings people together, particularly after being torn away from something else. It is not something you make but something that is done. For someone to try to engineer CAMP is to lose what CAMP is altogether. There is no one that can orchestrate what CAMP is. There is no artist pulling the strings. CAMP is whatever people need it to be. It is silly and garish and fun. It is not something meant for the general public’s enjoyment and if anyone tried to market it as such then it would be met only with failure. CAMP is an art appreciated primarily by those who need it, and that is exactly what it was meant to be.
Something that had really struck me from the reading was the rethinking of the definition of queer. I have always heard it as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ+ community—which it is, but it is also more than that. Delving into the roots of what it means to be queer and the focus on rebellion that it has was really interesting for me. The idea of going against the prescribed norm being what makes something or someone queer was fascinating because, especially in our nation today, the norm is so distinctive and exclusive that it feels like a lot of the population ends up falling under the label of queerness. With much of the norm having its roots in the quintessential idyllic post-World War Two American societal ideas of family, race, and gender, the norm becomes more and more exclusive in who falls under it. A large amount of the population ends up falling outside of this norm, creating an interesting conundrum. If there are more people outside of the norm than within it, what is it that dictates it as the ‘norm’? The answer lies in power. If people within the norm are the ones most prominent in the government, in television and media, and are in possession of the most wealth, then it doesn’t matter if more people fall outside of the norm than within it. The norm doesn’t change because most of what is seen is the norm. It is what gets put on display for the world to see. The norm isn’t dictated by the public, it is dictated by those in power (often with the power given to them by being within the norm) and it is perpetuated by a lot of the media consumed by the general public. To be queer, however, is to rebel against not only the norm, but specifically against the power that it gives. To be queer is to ignore the status quo that is presented to us and to demand representation. The most important thing is to find power in being queer and to rebel against those that try to hide it behind the fogginess of the norm.
I like how you described the term queer and delved into the rebellion behind the term. I have always used queer as a self expression because it fit the best and was easiest to explain. I used it for its umbrella status and didn't think too much into it until doing the readings and I agree with you. How well you defined the norm but also who put it in place and what makes it the norm. What is making it so we have to follow this strict lines and if we step out, we are shunned. To be queer is to be different inherently but different is good. It is needed. Queer helps push back against the norm and break out of those lines that are set by people in power.
My camp rule was “CAMP is cross-dressing in a Freudian slip.” Since a Freudian slip is a mistake that is caused by unconscious desire or thought, cross dressing is not intentionally done in camp. For example, a man may not purposefully be trying to dress as a woman, but it is his unconscious desire that can reveal itself. There are some who are offended by cross-dressing, viewing it as an attack on their gender but what they fail to realize is that it can be making someone feel truer to themselves and more comfortable. Cross dressing is not done out of spite or malice but for self-expression and/or entertainment.
One of my favorite bands, The All-American Rejects did a music video for their song “Sweat” where Tyson Ritter, the lead singer is dressed as a female sex worker named Betsy. It is later revealed in the video that Betsy was a man’s alter ego.
“I think we all have the balance within us of femininity and masculinity, and every morning I had to wake up, got completely naked and put on 6-inch stiletto heels… and found my demeanor of Betsy.”
The music video was shot in Skid Row from 1-6am and Ritter received just a small piece of what women experience daily. He said “In putting on Betsy, I was treated differently. I was treated like I kinda know a little bit what it feels like to be objectified, in a completely different way, and it was kind of dehumanizing. And it really made me have a lot of respect for not only the dancers that I worked with, who were getting the same sort of just ridiculous harassment, but I think it just made me sort of respect women in a completely different way. Which I think is kind of a beautiful result.”
My rule is "Camp is the lie that tells the truth." Which I believe is references a quote from Pablo Picasso where he said in an interview with a New York art periodical "We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand." And I believe that is what is meant that it is a lie that reveals to us the truth.
Loved your interpretation of the rule! I would like to point out how it looks like the quote could also mean how the lie itself being show's what deep down what one can feel like. I'm not saying every lie says something deep, but it does mean something obviously. Lying about oneself to hide who they really are is also a common thing for queer people.
I'll be honest, CAMP was a little difficult for me to understand. I have difficulty understanding things that don't have exact definitions, which is a little funny. "Exact definitions" is contradictory to my own queer experience. As I was reading, I kept thinking... okay, but what does CAMP actually mean. It's not a term I am familiar with.
When I related it to my own experience, I realized that it doesn't need to have a strict definition. One can only attempt to define CAMP within a box, because it is outside of a box. CAMP isn't something that should be confined. "CAMP was a prison for an illegal minority; now it is a holiday for consenting adults" represents empowerment in something that was once used as an insult. It's similar to the reclaiming of the word queer. Growing up, I always heard queer as a negative thing. People were calling things that were "weird" queer. Now, it's a term I use freely without negative association. I still see some people get uncomfortable when I use the word.
It is also a difficult concept for me to also wrap my head. I think, at least for me, CAMP isn't something that should easily be defined. It is challenging the norms and is a form of self expression. No one should ever be told they aren't doing CAMP correctly because I think CAMP is different to each individual.
I think it is awesome that you have grown up to view 'queer' as a positive word despite what you had heard in your childhood.
It's hard for me to recognize camp as it is a bit before my time. And also I think the authority of those who do "know it when they see it" is one I have always been shy to take on. But I love the article and the whole rebellious sensibility.
my rule for camp was that CAMP is a form of historicism viewed histrionically! I had to look up these words (which is always good for the brain).
Historicism- a method of understanding the world through the study and understanding of history itself through cultures and social norms
Histrionically- a way that is overly theatrical, dramatic, and emotional but is not sincere or genuine.
CAMP is looking at history, discussing history, describing the nuances of history, and deliberating the black, grey, and white tones of history with passion, however there is not much genuine feeling behind it. There is a lack of sincerity, and you are barely just passing along information because you feel it is important, but you don’t really know why its important.
You see this a lot with younger generations now, which, no disrespect, do not fully understand queer history; they are incredibly excited to be queer and be part of communities (sin elders) but do not fully understand the nuances of what it means to be queer, and how hard people had to fight for teens these days to even be able to wear pride flag pins. I was fortunate enough to be "adopted" by a Transsexual (the term she prefers) Woman (who wrote her masters thesis on how Frankenstein can be a story about transsexuals and being queer), and I was educated through her and can understand the story of CAMP, Stonewall, and the story of Queer itself as a word and a social movement!
Well done! I like how you recognize generational differences. Yes, histrionic made A lot of sense back then! And It makes sense if you understand the history. As you do! Lucky to have been adopted by her!!
I was very interested in this reading as a whole, as before this lesson I have never even heard of the activity of being camp, as it is something which is never talked about within the classroom, and my small bubble of childhood did not allow me the opportunity to learn about important movements such as these. However, I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community and some of the methods which they have used to help fight back against traditional society, and work to create the world a place which is more knowledgeable and accepting of the community as a whole, rather than in specific groups. However, due to camps origins within the LGBTQ+ community, I think it has received a large amount of stigma which has been attached to the idea, which causes people to think anyone who is being camp to being part of this community. However, If people where better educated about the community and what the movement is as a whole, they would be able to realize that this movement is all about creating a better community and humanity, rather than fighting exclusively for Gay rights. I think that fighting to bring camp back into the broader mainstream consciousness once again could be very beneficial to everyone, as there is a large amount of strife and disagreement within the United States currently, and giving anyone the opportunity to fight back against this injustice using camp is in my opinion not only important, but necessary.
The quote which I received from this weeks reading was “camp is a disguise that fails.” this was very interesting to me as it took me a little while to determine what I wanted to say about this idea, as I was originally confused to what it meant. However, after taking some time to think about this idea, I believe that camp is a disguise as it is a movement which is playful and exaggerated aesthetic which can be worn by anyone who is attempting to fight against the traditional norms within society. This disguise can be worn by anyone for any amount of time to help in fight against specific problems which they have within society, and can be taken off or stopped whenever necessary. However, the important part of this quote, is that it is a disguise that fails. In my opinion, this means that while camp can be used to fight against specific injustices which they have problems with, but this disguise can fail and can lead to no major change within society. Just because camp can be worn by anyone to help fight against injustice does not mean that change will actually happen to society, which is why it is important to continue the fight when camp does not work, as well as continuing to use camp to show the dedication and priority towards making a long term change in the world, rather than superficial changes which do not address the actual problems which they are trying to solve.
I think the quote you chose is very interesting and I’ve needed to think a lot about what I think it primarily refers to. The point could be that it is a disguise or costume meant to fail in the literal sense, like Dr. Martel mentioned, or something else. I feel like most of these rules are intended to be taken most ways, especially the ones like this one that work in both a literal and figurative sense. Thought about figuratively, we must figure out what Camp is seeking to disguise to figure out its failure. Perhaps Camp is a disguise of silliness. It is a safe haven from the judgement and scorn of most of society, creating fun and happiness in a scary situation. It creates something enjoyable within something horrible. However, it does not eliminate the bad situation that causes its creation. This disguise of happiness, though effective at times, will ultimately always fail. Even if it is silly and happy, there always comes a time in which the outside world comes crashing in. That doesn’t mean that the disguise was pointless, but rather that it can never be permanent. A temporary reprieve is still a reprieve. Camp is meant to help lighten the situation that people are in by making fun, and it accomplishes its goal. This is a bit different than the interpretation you gave, but I think that’s some of the fun of Camp. No one actually knows what it is and it serves a different purpose for every person, so there is no one way to interpret anything about it.
Interesting. I think of camp as a kind of bad drag, where the point is not to pass. The point might be something else: like calling attention to gender as a performance, to make light of it, to get a laugh. This is powerful in the way you describe because it does something with the fear of NOT passing and the danger that might come from getting caught in drag. Sometimes to laugh is to express relief. Camp has a dark humor. Glad you value the introduction to camp!!
The rule I received was “CAMP is a biography written by the subject as if it were about another person”. The first thing that came to mind is the word “perspectives” and seeing different Points of views. ITs a story written about you from another person's perspective and points out new elements that you didn't know about yourself. This can create a sense of distance and objectivity, allowing the subject to reflect on their life from a different perspective. It can also add an element of creativity and storytelling, making the biography more engaging for readers.
excellent! yes the distance of objectivity and of self-objectification. Also as in self-deprecating humor that many queer folk have used.
I love the way Queerness was defined here. I found it empowering how it is similar to how it was originally intended like strange or outside the norm. I love how our community has turned hateful words (like how queer was originally intended towards the LGBTQIA community) and turned it into a term of empowerment
CAMP depends on where you pitch it.
Camp is fluid. Camp is this place not bound to a physical space but instead to the thoughts, passions, and ideals of its individuals. CAMP in itself is the embodiment of the queer identity, and as such, it doesn’t make sense for it to be pinned down and constrained but instead breaks the norm of what camp should be and instead moves freely with its ideals.
great! This rule gets at the relational in queer theory. That recognition is different depending on where you are and who you are with.
Yea I agree with that. To me the first thing that came to mind was that you have a choice to throw "pick" whatever you want. The first idea that comes to mind is picking your own future. When I comes to pitching, you can pitch as much as you can and its ok if some are way off or some are just slightly off the mark. You can choose and keep going until you hit the mark.
me too!
In our readings on Camp within history is said to be the “most obvious to me in a homosexual context, but I perceive it in heterosexuals as well…” This being taken into consideration “queerness” does not particularly have a sexuality or gender is must connect with. Similar to the definition given by Doctor the meaning of camp and queerness does not only apply to those in the LGBTQ+ community. The context in which it speaks of the process of isolation. Not reaching the binary of society is the perfect fluidity within the definition of this term. The rule “ CAMP is character limited to context” reaches great bonds to represent not only one specific group but a large majority of the communities.
I like that you went to the reading to make sense of your rule! And I like the idea of expanding the context in which camp is recognized as character that you express here.
Carson, I definitely agree with your idea that camp is very broad and fluid. I believe that camp is a movement which can be used by almost anyone who is going against the norm, which so happened to be the LGBTQ+ community which first began to use this movement to fight for change. However, any marginalized or nonmarginalized person can fall under the umbrella of being camp, as long as what they are doing is going against what is traditionally accepted by society. I believe that as more people who begin to use camp for different reasons lets camp become more common within society, it will allow for a bigger movement to be formed as more and more attention is placed on the specific issues which they are trying to combat, which is why I think Camp is one of the most interesting and potentially useful movement towards creating real change in the world. However, as you have stated, due to the misconceptions about camp, it can be quite hard for people outside of the LGBTQ+ community to get involved within camp, due to the reputation which has been created by the people who are fighting against camp. By spreading camp and knowledge about what it can be to anyone, I believe that camp can be a more widely used and accepted form of revolution within the world, and this potential revolution begins by teaching people outside of this circle the truth about the struggles that come with the traditional system, and how that system can be changed for the better for everyone.
great! knowing someone who shares your secret, who gets you!
I love this. A community gets built through the recognition of our fellows. Camp as a performance, as art, as a sensibility that is attention seeking needs recognition. And the brutal critic is an important part of camp for sure.