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Friday, March 29, 2024

Queeroes Flip the Script On Classic Hollywood Narratives

Credit: THEM
Duration: 08:31s 0 shares 1 views

Queeroes Flip the Script On Classic Hollywood Narratives
Queeroes Flip the Script On Classic Hollywood Narratives

For Pride this year, them.

Has collaborated with Jill Soloway on a short film series called “Queeroes,” where filmmakers create films that deliberately queer the Hollywood narrative.

“Queeroes” is also the name of our first-ever Awards portfolio celebrating the most influential LGBTQ+ People of the Year.

Kimberly Drew is one of the Queeroes them.

Is honoring.

She joins guest Tyler Ford, Grand Marshal of NYC Pride March, to discuss the event and NYC Pride.

In partnership with Google.

- Hello everyone andwelcome to The Library.The library is open which meansit's time to either read-- or be read.- I'm your host Phillip Picardi.- And I'm Meredith Talusan.- We have just launched at thema new series called Queeroeswhich rewards our modernday queer superheroesand today we are soexcited to be joined byone of the people from our package.One of our guests isthe lovely Kimberly Drewwho is an activist, curator,writer, and social mediamanager at the Met.- And one of the bestpeople to follow on Twitter.- And one of the best peoplein the world, fun fact.- Oh my god stop it,you guys are so sweet.We are also joined by thelovely and truly inimitableTyler Ford, who's on our teamat them as one of our editorsbut is joining us today becauseTyler is a grand marshalof New York City Pride,congratulations Tyler.We are so excited to have you guys.So for a part of ourbig Queeroes franchisewe actually worked withthe filmmaker Jill Solowayon a series of shortfilms that Lena Waitheand Tanya Saracho alsohelped us mentor theseyoung queer filmmakers to create filmsthat kinda subvertedthe Hollywood narrative.So the filmmakers were given differentHollywood tropes and thenwere asked to kind offlip the script and queer whatHollywood's narratives are.- Yes, exactly.- So we'll be debutingthose this week actuallyat New York City Pride, whichwe're super excited about,and then having our big Queeroes bash,of which Kimberly is a part.So Kimberly, you are obviously chosento be a part of this portfolio,it was like a unanimous staff thing,I think you were on everyone's list.You carry a lot of different titlesas Meredith already alludedto in your introduction,you're a multi-hyphenate.A lot of the work that youdo happens in the arts base,of course, you work at theMetropolitan Museum of Art,arguable one of the most importantart institutions in the world.What is it like to introduceand kind of expand uponqueer narratives,specifically in the art world?- For me, I try to do it programmatically,because I'm not a curatorin the traditional sense,I'm more of a digital curator,very much a person who's likelook at this person, look at this thing,look at this thing through social media.But one of the thingsthat I really enjoy to dois to be in conversation with artists,so last year during PrideI put together a panelwith Reina Gossett,Saeed Jones, and Koa Beckat the Met, which felt really significant,it's like four queer peopleof color are talking aboutissues that relate to our lives.So trying to just invitenew people into that spacefelt really significant.And then of course as I'm thinking aboutdifferent artists to highlightI try to think acrossdifferent verticals of identityand making sure thatI'm promoting a lot ofdifferent types of voices.You want to think about as many peopleas you can recommend to bring in.So if there's an opening in the office,if there's an internshipprogram that's coming up,I'm always thinking aboutokay who is that young personthat I met or what programcan I activate with.I'm gonna go and talk toas many 13-ish-year-oldsas I possibly can to letthem know that a careerin this field is possible.- Part of the thing thatI love about the Queeroesportfolio and I thinkthe list that largelyTyler and Meredith put together,is that it's celebrating themodern day queer superhero,and I have to say when Isaw New York City Prideannounce you as grand marshal,so many bells went offbecause obviously you are asuperhero to so many peoplein your own right, which is so important.But it's a major, I think, step forwardand a step in the rightdirection for New York City Prideand the institution of Pride, of course,to be recognizing and givinga spotlight to, of course,a community that largely has beenoverlooked and marginalizedby the Pride parade.Which of course is the trans community.Did you have any reservationsabout, like, taking the mantleand being grand marshal?There's gonna be cameras all around you.- The outfits are planned, I asked.- I did have reservations,especially because as one personI can never represent everyone.And I texted my friend Arabelle Sicardifor advice because I was like,you know this is a really big honorand part of me wants to acceptbut also I'm very nervous about thisand like what does it meanfor me to accept this.And basically they told me thatthey would support my decision either waybut that they know that thereare a lot of young peoplewho are looking to me andwho would be really happyand proud to see me and howthey would be inspired to see meand so really Arabelle'scomment is what pushed meto sort of like release my anxietyand be like okay well I'm inthis position for a reasonand like I should useit to help other people.- That's awesome.I'm wondering, from the both of you,how would either of you definewhat you think is the future of queerness?- I think to me the future of queernessis communication and is access,because there are so many queer peoplewho don't understand their queernessor understand that they arequeer or know what that meanseither for them or in the world generally,so I think the future really just dependson us to like keep being who we are,keep talking about who we are,and like pushing our ownlimits and boundariesas to how we understand ourselvesand how we want to, like,expand the definitionof queerness for future generationsand also for our own generation.- I think, especially in terms of,like I think aboutqueerness so much more aboutan individual identification processand I think we're seeing more examplesof different types of peoplewhich is really exciting,but I also think on an interpersonal levelit's about asking betterquestions of people.Listening when people announcetheir pronouns and following suit.So I think it's really really deeplyembedded in communication,so thank you for using that.- I'm curious Kimberly,can you give us a hintof what's coming down the road for you?What kind of projects you're working on?- Let's see.I am working on a book,Black Futures Projectis the title of the book andwhat we're interested in doingin this book is looking atBlack cultural productionover the last decade or so,time is weird and nonlinear.But really thinking aboutwho are some of the people,if we look back at this moment,that we need to remember,record, and hold in one space,because as we all knowwe're all internet kids,everything is kind of fleeting,it's like we'd behard-pressed to talk aboutwhat happened on theinternet two weeks ago.And so trying to build an anthologyof the things that feel likeimportant cultural momentsand trying to figureout who are the peoplewho can be these almostlighthouses for entire communitiesis what we're tryingto do through our book.- Awesome.- Amazing.- That is so exciting,well congratulations.Okay, now it's time for ourfavorite segment of the show,which is The Go Off.60 seconds of unadulteratedand uninterrupted timefor someone to go offabout whatever they chooseand this week we have the lovelyMeredith doing the honors.I'm gonna set your timer.Ready, hey Google, seta timer for 60 seconds.- [Google] Sure, one minute, starting now.- I discovered that in 2016 less than halfof eligible LGBTQ+ votersvoted in the 2016 electionand if those voters did voteit's distinctly possiblethat we would have adifferent president right now.And also, queer voters historicallyvote in even fewer numbersin the midterm electionas we think about Pride andas we think about Queeroas a concept right now, wecan be heroes to ourselvesas queer people by going to the polls,by showing our voices, because we can't bein a position of fighting for our rightswhen we don't elect theright people into office,when we don't vote forthe right initiatives,when we don't advocate forour liberties in the polling booths.And that is my Go Off.- Excellent, that is perfect timing.Thank you, I'm so excited to hear more.But yes, voting in themidterms is super important.- Absolutely.- We need to get out there,and all these queer peopleare running for officewhich is even better right?- Which is amazing, yes.- Cool.

Well thank you guys for watching.Thank you to our lovelyguests for joining us,except for Tyler.And I hope that everyonehas a safe and beautifuland fun Pride and thatyou've enjoyed watching.Please like below and follow@them on social media.I'll see you next time, bye.- Bye.(calm music)

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