Going into the visual project having chosen a subject that I wasn’t particularly comfortable with initially was intimidating. I had always been very conscious of the importance of space in the construction of an identity. Growing up as a Middle Eastern, it was always hard to not have to pick a side or have some kind of knowledge of the struggle for land between Palestinians and Israelis. I not only learned about it in school but I experienced it firsthand upon traveling to the Gaza strip. Similarly, the more and more I learned about the LGBTQ community, the more I realized that their story functions similarly to the Israeli- Palestinian one that I am all too familiar with. The most interesting part of the project however was when I was researching the notion of inclusion vs. exclusion. When the flag about city hall was removed, there was a lot of backlash from the gay community because they felt like they were being pushed back into the dark again. At first, I sympathized with their pain but soon after I was left wondering who gets to determine whether a location belongs to a group of people or not? Is it in terms of size? In terms of strength and power? Or is it based on the way institutions assign certain groups of people to certain locations? The truth of the matter is, I don’t think West Hollywood belongs to the gay community; yes, they’ve established themselves there and they have made a very profound impact on the area but to say that it belongs to them or that they should have the flag up is a bit ludicrous. Beverly Hills is known for being home to mostly Persians, but there aren’t flags of Iran up all around the city. Similarly, there are areas in Los Angeles that are racially centered and while we feel their presence through the restaurants and shopping areas that are located there, there is never a formal recognition by the city. I think the backlash is ultimately unnecessary
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2015
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