Three years ago the Queer Office of the National Union of Students (NUS) introduced the Genderf*#k concept from the United Kingdom and United States. Thanks to Kitty Hawkins and Shane Cucow, the current NUS West Queer Officers, Genderf*#k Day was celebrated in Perth this year on May 18.
According to Kitty, Genderf*#k Day ‘is a day to give conventional gender-roles and expectations the finger – to experiment and have fun without having to fit into any categories. It’s a day for wearing a moustache and high-heels, for creativity and self-expression.’
When I asked Ms Hawkins why discussion and awareness surrounding gender, trans and intersex issues was important, she replied, ‘The first and most simple reason is that the less ignorance there is about these issues – the easier it will be for gender and sexually diverse people to express themselves as they wish, without fear of discrimination or abuse.’ She continued, ‘oppressive gender roles and binaries are always present in our society – but so few people actually challenge them, or even realise that they are there.’
Edith Cowan’s and Curtin University’s queer departments staged separate events to mark Genderf*#k Day with drag shows as well as guest speakers. The official Genderf*#k ball began at 8pm at Connections Nightclub, with DJ Courtney Barnes, pole-dancing, a genderfuck strip by Belinda Cooper and a moving performance of ‘Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better’ by the NUS West Queer Officers dressed as each other.
