My implicit bias tilted more towards having a preference towards straight people, with a total percentage of 68% (project implicit) towards a preference to straight people. An implicit bias takes out attitudes and stereotypes that effect our action towards, understanding and decision towards a group unconsciously. (Kirwan Institute) as to where an explicit bias are conscious reactions to past experience. I was surprised when | looked at of the test that I had taken and saw that according to the IAT results that I was more uncomfortable with homosexual people, I kind of disagreed with it.
Thad always thought myself open to the idea and thought of people with varied preferences to my own and I still maintain that claim. Upon further examination, I thought that it could be possible that I just simply don’t know enough gay people. As tried to list the gay people that I knew well. I quickly concluded that my test results had to be based from the fact that I just didn’t know a substantial amount of gay people to logically dispute the test results. To challenge myself, I thought of some places that I could go that I would find a place that I would hopefully be able to interact with homosexual people without going into a club or bar.
I didn’t want to a bar or club because with the volume of music and sheer number of people in either of those places tests to overwhelm me and I shut down. I did remember though that shortly after my ex-wife and I split up that her new girlfriend went to a Drag queen Bingo in Toledo. I thought this ideal because even if I didn’t directly interact with anybody it would allow me to observe at least the caller and the group of people assembled. I also took my girlfriend for two reasons. First that| would have too much attention drawn to the table with one erson and so she could also observe what was going on. Jamie and I opted to go the brunch of drag queen bingo. Getting there about 10:30 on a Sunday, we were greeted at the door but somebody who worked there. He directed us to our table, pointed out were we should check in and pay and were the food line was. 5 fifteen is mostly wide open with a coffee bar in the back left corner, and a small stage towards the front on the right. The decor is distinctively 1950s. Pink, turquoise, yellow and green are all over the place, it reminded me of the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign.
They sell trinkets like refrigerator magnets, Zippos, wallets, hand bags, flasks, some t-shirts and coffee mugs both with vulgar but hilarious sayings on them. The food was a decent spread of brunch stuff. Fruit, croissant, cold cuts, cheese, little pinwheel sandwiches, pasta or potato salad, little quiches and sausage dipped in blueberry pancake batter and served like a corn dog! As Trixie Deluxe stands about 6 feet tall, average build for a guy wearing a red cocktail dress and wig that reminded me of Hillary Clinton. She introduced herself and started asking around the room where they were from and what brought them there.
If they would answer someplace like Taylor or Wixom she would congratulate them on having most of their teeth or if they were from some of the more affluent areas she would ask if they used Groupon and when they said “yes” she would make a comment about them being cheep. She commented on Monroe’s nun population when she got to us. She said she would get back to me later… As the bingo started she would stop and ask people more questions, how old are you? “hope we don’t keep you awake”, where did you get those shoes? “you should get your money back”.
Do you spray tan? i’m sure they could use you on 94 as a construction barrel. ” She went up and down the room hitting every group for something. She took no prisoners and didn’t spare anybody. She was really funny, a few of the ladies didn’t care for it. She was vulgar and quiet crude but had they read the reviews before they made reservations they would have know it was coming. Being a fan of improve and crowd participation events I welcomed it. Being there was just like going to a comedy club except the food was better and we were drinking a not shabby cup of coffee.
Its not like I felt the need to take a shower or anything, for the most part the people attending were middle aged ladies looking to kill some time and have fun. The gentlemen working there were all gay. I know because when Trixie was doing happy and you know it clap your hands, she called “if your gay and you know it clap your hands. ” The staff clapped. There were just a few guys at work. They verified the cards when someone called bingo, clearing tables and getting ready for the next show. How did I feel? I felt fine.
When I was called up on stage to be poked a little fun at I was uneasy about being on display in front of every body. I should note though that when I was very close to Trixi I was more concerned with the idea that her makeup was kind of clumpy and the wig could have been a better quality, not that it was a guy fully decked out in a dress and heels. To reduce prejudice I fell that a non-competitive contact between in and out groups is the best way to reduce prejudice. it has to be don’t in mutable steps. the first being brief and simple, like meeting at a party that a common friend has hosted.
After that the friend may invite both people to a relaxed evening at a fire in there back year were they get to know each other a bit more, they may decide that that person isn’t to bad is they would hang out with them more. my informal research as turned up now that a lot of the stereotypes are starting to fall away and the homosexual community appears not to be as heavily under assault as they have in the past are looking to find there place in society. As with any emerging culture, they want to get on with and live there lives.
Pay bills, the occasional vacation, the choice to raise a family or marry. A peaceful life without being penalized for doing what comes naturally to them. in the future, I will challenge my bias the same way I did for this, ease into it a bit a time, life in general is best handled in steps, acclimate as you go. I’m not to sure if there is anything similar to drag queen bingo. But, sure I would. It depends on the situation. Treally think the key to eliminating biases is to ease yourself into it so you avoid the culture shock and get discouraged from pursuing the elimination of the bias
