Cutting Corners

Yippee-Kay-Yay Motherf@*ker!

[d1noli @ Monday, August 30, 2004]

Windy City Rodeo 2004

(Okay. I know the title is a line from Die Hard and as nothing to do with being in a rodeo but, heck, I wanted to use it anyways! It just seemed sooooo appropriate for this week's entry! Heh!)

So, what have I learned from going to my first (gay) rodeo ever? Well, for starters, be prepared for a lot of mud and flies. Oh, and get used to the stench of horse crap. Yes, I know what you're thinking. The pictures don't show it. But then again, PICTURES LIE! =)

It wasn't all that bad though. I did manage to have fun at the event. And to think, all it took was four beers! I did, however, have to chug them really fast so I could feel the full effects. After that, everything was good. I could have been wallowing waist-deep in the mud by then and still be happy.

Oh, speaking of mud, be sure not to wear your designer threads when you head on over to one of these things. I made the mistake of wearing my trendy faded jeans and fine Prada knock-off shoes. Needless to say, it'll take more than a little to soap and water to clean my stuff. Ugh!

Now, as much as I whine about this whole thing, the gay rodeo was actually quite an experience. It's so amazing to see how diverse the gay culture really is amidst the pervasive stereotype that exists in mainstream thought. There are those who love to box this culture in, saying that gay people are nothing but a bunch of sissy hairdressers. Yes, I know the image is a little extreme these days, but I still know individuals who actually think that. (What's more tragic is the fact that some of them are my own relatives.) Well, this event just goes to show you that they're wrong. There are gay people in every walk of life just as there are for any other group --- straight or otherwise.

This rodeo proved to be more than just a fun time for me. It served the more important role of reaffirming my individuality. Too often I get lost in the everyday noise of life, even more so because I am a minority in a foreign land. Conforming becomes second nature becuase all I want to do is to fit in. No, that's not quite right. The reality is that I make myself believe that I want to fit in. But how do you fit the cowboy into an environment he is not from? It's like trying to fit a 300 lb man in size 32 jeans.

The plain fact of it all is that this will never be. Why you ask? Well, simply because it is never meant to be. Sure, one will have to adapt to the environment he/she is placed in, but this in no way means that they will ever blend in. There will always exist a "mis-fit". Yet, it is precisely in these differences that one gains true strength and identity. That is what I came to realize as I watched all these "misfits" at the gay rodeo that Saturday.

As the day wore on, my awe for these cowboys and cowgirls grew. Whether they knew it or not, they had overcome adversity to stand out, to be an individual amidst the status quo. Each event lay testament to this. From the calf wrangling contest to the line dancing, here were individuals that took pride on who they are. No mud, no flies and no horse crap was going to stop them from having a good time. And that takes true courage.

So I guess it's time for me to buy myself a pair of cowboy boots and a ten-gallon hat.