Thursday, December 17, 2009
In discussing racism and the swastika with The Lizardman, the wise reptile said that if we wanted to take back the original meaning of the symbol -- one used for luck & well being -- from hate groups, black Jewish gays should tattoo it on their bodies en mass. Ru Paul could work it on the runway as NeoNazis line-up at laser centers worldwide. Dare to dream.
And while there are just not enough drag queens sporting the swastika, yet, the ancient symbol is indeed tattooed on many today who are trying to remove its Nazi cloud. You can see it often in the portfolios of Xed Lehead, Daniel DiMattia, Swastika Freakshop, and Jondix (whose work is shown above), among any others.
These artists are all part of my upcoming book Black Tattoo Art (to be released in a week or so), and their work depicting the ancient swastika raised some issues for my German publisher. The symbol is banned in Germany, so would this mean the book would be banned as well? Well, we took a chance and did not censor ourselves, and hopefully the distinction between the real and hateful swastikas will be made.
I do hope that people go back to viewing it in its original light. Blogs like Svasticross do a great job in promoting it. My friend Kor posts pics daily on the blog of the symbol in everything from products, art and sexual positions.
Personally, however, it's hard for me to let go of its hateful history. Growing up with a Jewish grandmother and living in a Jewish hood in Brooklyn, hearing stories of Holocaust survivors -- it carries too much baggage. This makes me a hypocrite, sure, but the idea of walking down the street and having my tattoo spark a nightmare remembrance in another is a burden I can't bare. So, I'll leave it to the beautiful freaks, artists and drag queens.
For more on the symbol, read Manwoman's Gentle Swastika.
And while there are just not enough drag queens sporting the swastika, yet, the ancient symbol is indeed tattooed on many today who are trying to remove its Nazi cloud. You can see it often in the portfolios of Xed Lehead, Daniel DiMattia, Swastika Freakshop, and Jondix (whose work is shown above), among any others.
These artists are all part of my upcoming book Black Tattoo Art (to be released in a week or so), and their work depicting the ancient swastika raised some issues for my German publisher. The symbol is banned in Germany, so would this mean the book would be banned as well? Well, we took a chance and did not censor ourselves, and hopefully the distinction between the real and hateful swastikas will be made.
I do hope that people go back to viewing it in its original light. Blogs like Svasticross do a great job in promoting it. My friend Kor posts pics daily on the blog of the symbol in everything from products, art and sexual positions.
Personally, however, it's hard for me to let go of its hateful history. Growing up with a Jewish grandmother and living in a Jewish hood in Brooklyn, hearing stories of Holocaust survivors -- it carries too much baggage. This makes me a hypocrite, sure, but the idea of walking down the street and having my tattoo spark a nightmare remembrance in another is a burden I can't bare. So, I'll leave it to the beautiful freaks, artists and drag queens.
For more on the symbol, read Manwoman's Gentle Swastika.
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