To Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom:
First of all, it’s an honor to write to you. Can I call you Liz? Anyway, I wanted to ask you about the whole “queen” thing. See, this school near where I live, Fairfax High School, recently voted for their prom queen.
Now don’t have a heart attack or break your hip or anything, but a guy won the title. His name is Sergio Garcia, and he is fierce. Before you judge these crazy youngsters, I want you to think about what it means to be queen. As I’m sure you remind yourself in the mirror everyday, queens become queens by divine right. Just as you derive your right to rule directly from the will of God, so did Garcia. Come to think of it, any of his peers that didn’t vote for him should maybe be charged with heresy.
I think what the students at Fairfax High School did is great. Gender roles were tested, and Garcia was praised for his sexuality as an openly gay male. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Garcia said, “I see myself as a boy with a different personality. … I don’t wish to be a girl; I just wish to be myself.”
Liz, you should be proud to have a title in common with such a brave individual. He beat all the girls that ran for prom queen, and I imagine it worked out sort of like the prom scene in “Mean Girls” with the class cheering for the underdog in the end and the school realizing that when Lindsay Lohan’s character Cady won the crown, it was sort of like everyone won a piece of it.
Before you get all offended that your traditionally feminine title has been passed along to a man, I’d like you to remember for a second that Helen Mirren played you in Stephen Frears’ 2006 film “The Queen.”
That had to seriously bruise your ego. Not only were you made out to be heartless, but they also cast Mirren as you. If there were a movie made of my life, and the filmmakers decided that the person most fitting to portray me was Mirren, I would be embarrassed to tears.
At least Garcia carries himself with charisma, and even told the Los Angeles Times, “Deep down inside, I am a queen!” I’d want him on my team any day of the week.
The acceptance of his peers is truly something to be admired. Just last year 15-year-old Lawrence King was killed by another boy in his class because he was gay. Garcia is only three years older than King was, and the two lived relatively close to each other. For the Fairfax student body to stand up to discrimination and prejudice shows that future generations will be more accepting of a range of sexual orientations.
Actually, Liz, if you really want to create a legacy, you’ll crown the next Queen of England a gay man. I suggest Sir Elton John. Don’t worry about what people will think of your “Defender of the Faith” title because I’m pretty sure the Church has done enough to sully its name without your help. Also, although I’ve never attended one, I’ve heard that John can throw quite the jubilee.
Masculinity and femininity are learned characteristics. People only become gendered once society determines the traits that men and women are supposed to display.
When Hillary Clinton ran for president of the United States, she was entering herself in a race for a position that has only been held by males and therefore was caught between her sex and gender. As a female, Clinton was characterized as emotional, weak and out of place in a government traditionally run by men. When she showed her strength and determination, she was criticized for being too masculine. In this case, the gendered title worked against her.
Luckily for Garcia, the gendered title he won is now up for debate, and with the backing of his peers, he may now be crowned Queen of the Progressives.
If this column inspired you to play “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols, then e-mail Jagerman at njagerman@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.