Dolly Parton & Tim Curry, allies

 I am in little doubt that the world of entertainment can write better tributes than I can - presentation is their job, after all - but I confess to being very sad that two great performers, Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, both passed away yesterday. They were both steadfast and ferocious allies to the trans and gay communities, despite neither being LGBT+ themselves, and their advocacy was special and precious. Heck, Dolly was even a Christian, which in the USA seems to mean you are required to hate trans and gay people with pathological ferocity. But it was the opposite with her.

My condolences to their families and close friends.

Obviously, Tim Curry's best known performance was as Dr Frank N Furter from Transsexual Transylvania in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, which for decades now has had cult following, and then some. My trans life was already established by the time I first saw it, yet it has always been firmly among my favourite movies for its refreshing zaniness and the unequivocal message of "Don't dream it, be it." I took that to heart and it helped me push myself to get out in the world as myself. Not your words, Tim, I know, but it was your delivery that helped me. As well as your constant advocacy and support for trans people in so many subsequent interviews, even when you were disabled in a wheelchair after your stroke. Thank you. Rest in peace, you old devil.

I confess I know less of the flamboyant yet evidently honest Dolly Parton but I was certainly well aware of her uncompromising support for LGBT+ people. Years ago I heard of how, for fun, she entered a Dolly Parton lookalike contest and only came runner-up to the drag queen who won. Far from being offended, this only seemed to cement her connection with our whole vast community. 

We lost two formidable allies yesterday, ones so much in the public eye that I worry how such people can be replaced. Then I remember that a new generation of cis / straight performers is growing up who are open allies, too. Just a few evenings ago in my new location in Italy, pop singer Dittonellapiaga, who won the Queer Prize at this year's massive national Sanremo Music Festival, was back performing outdoors to the public for free. 

Queer people have always existed and always will. I'm sorry, though, that we still need the support of cis/straight people to speak to other cis/straight people about us, but we do have them.

Rest in peace, both. 

(I'd like to put their photos up but they're all ferociously protected by copyright. This is the trouble with celebrities. They're image is public, but not once printed! So here instead is the trans flag that they helped us fly, with thanks.)

 

Sue x