Chappelle's Closer Is About Who Is Hurting More And Has Power

 I will start off by saying Dave Chappelle is a funny smart comic. Okay so I am bias with respect to how I view him.  Dave Chappelle performed a Netflix comedy called the Closer. In Chappelle style, it was smart, fast, contentious and hilarious. With Chappelle style it is not just about the subject matter and the punchlines, but the education and the message needed but not necessarily appreciated. The Closer show has stirred up a lot of angry emotions. The Trans-community was discussed in the Closer comedy special. The Trans-community has taken offence to the Chappelle's jokes and voiced, quite loudly the disapproval of the comedy special. 

I know exactly why they are upset. They are upset someone is attacking their community, attacking them, making fun of them. I know exactly why they are upset. It is universal, we don't like "others" making fun of us. This is true for every community, every race, every demographic, every group. This is the reason, simple as that. There are folks out there saying "too sensitive," "too touchy" but it's not that. Sure the Trans-community, the Black community, the Indian community can take a joke, but only when it is coming from them. You see our communities know what it is like to be hurt, to be attacked so we have our radar on, when we hear our names. You can bet we are going to growl when someone says something we think is against our respective community. 

There is a comedic group called the 1491's. The 1491's are Indigenous (Indian) comedy group, who not only make fun of the stereotypical Indian, they use their comedy to promote discussion and educate. Their comedy makes fun of Indians in different situations. If non-Indian made these types of observations, I think it would be offensive.  We, the Indigenous community would be upset. We don't like others making fun of us. Deceased comic Ralphie May was attacked by Native comedian Tito Ybarra. Tito took offense to Ralphie May's joke about Native Americans. Tito made enough noise to get May's concert in Bemidji  cancelled. If you heard the Ralphie May joke, you would think it was funny, even for a White Guy telling the joke. I challenged Tito on social media about taking food from May's table. Tito got mad and responded with "well go screw him then" and "you probably hit your kids." Tito went on to block me on social media. The remarks made to him, in my opinion were not disrespectful. It's not like I made fun of his face or anything. Still Tito's actions seemed cowardly and a hypocritical.  Tito did to deceased comic Ralphie May what the Trans community is currently doing to Chappelle; trying to mute their voice. Meanwhile, the 1491's have been doing much harder comedy lines on Indian people than May could ever do. The thing is Tito Ybarra was even in some of those comedy sketches. We laugh and appreciate the humor of the 1491's because their stuff is fucking funny. 

So what I saw with the Chappelle show was a series of jokes about the Trans community but not truly at the expense of the Trans community. Rather it was a message. The message was "you have power and we (the Black population) don't have your power. So don't use your power to smash our people." This was the point of the Netflix Closer. This point was ignored by the Trans community. They had tunnel vision. Just like Tito Ybarra with Ralphie May, they didn't see, didn't hear, they shut their eyes, their ears and only heard one part of the message. The Trans community heard the only message in Chappelle's show, as "Dave hates us" and we need to make sure he doesn't do it anymore. For me I am not in the Trans community nor the Black community. But I listened and I did hear what I thought I heard, you hear me? 

The Truth is we take offense to anyone speaking about our community when it is not in a good light. Everyone feels that way. It is simple as that, regardless of the context, and the intent of the message. We take offense because we are part of specific group. Chappelle may love the Trans community but he loves the Black community more. This is where the context is coming from; the Black community has been hurt more so don't be adding more hurt to our community. Your community the Trans community has more power. Even though the Trans community may not see it this way. Thing is we see the Black community and our community, the Indigenous community being hurt as much and perhaps more than the Trans community. The Closer slit open the notion, like a sharp knife into a warm belly,  of who is hurting more, who is getting attacked more and the Closer unpacked who has more power in the marginalized community arena. 

Oh yeah, it is easy to jump on a Gazelle when a Cheetah already has its claws and teeth on it. 

The "celebrity community" taking bites out of Chappelle, because they see a feast starting. 

Oh one last thing to think about. You and your spouse have been in love since you were childhood sweethearts. You have been a couple for years now, have a good life, a beautiful family. One day your spouse says "I love you more than all the candy in Candy Land, but I have to tell you, I have been living a lie, I am not this gender. I will be moving towards my real gender. I hope you can still love me and be with me." So you do love them. You will stay with them because you love them. This is so cool and good for the both of you. Now tell me will you perform fellatio, or cunnilingus on your lover, since they have moved - transitioned? 

"...you know people that I love tell me I go too far sometimes, maybe I went to far but I did it, you know and plus, the only way you know where the line is, is to cross it, and I think what is life if nobody is crossing the line . You just want to be on the right side of history and sometimes what's going on in the immediate present is not as important as the long term. The Truths is permanent and then everything else falls by the way side." Dave Chappelle

Steph Stigma

"I'm a trans comedian. I laughed my ass off, was moved to tears by his message, and after applauding (too loudly for 4am) at my TV, I became very pissed off; because, Dave very obviously extended an olive branch and so many of my alphabet brothers, sisters, and inbetweeners missed the fucking point! I mean, shit, I must not be as autistic as my therapist thinks because even I could recognize the satire when he claimed to be transphobic and a TERF. He very clearly drew parallels between the struggles of the black and LGBTQ communities in an attempt at unity over division. I'm trans and even I wanna be a TERF after this whole infantile backlash. It's not like I don't understand what it feels like to be constantly misgendered, called slurs, get side-eyed when using the bathroom, etc...it can get exhausting and make one emotionally sore and raw, but by becoming so triggered by every perceived slight that you can't see the forest for the trees you are just othering yourself and essentially locking yourself into a cage away from society. I mean, I love a good circle jerk just as much as the next girl but these social media echo chambers are fucking up our civilization."