Queer Keanu: Race, Sexuality and the Politics of - Whoa is (Not) Me

1
DeAngelis reports a similar quote from Michael Gregg Micaud who says, “I love his almond shaped
eyes, their vacant look…” (207).
2
The list of references would be too long to recount here. For particularly in­depth treatment see
Robert Lee’s Orientals, Darryl Hamamoto’s Monitored Peril, and David Eng’s Racial Castration.
3
The official policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass (more commonly termed
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell) was the result of the failed political agenda of then President Clinton. Clinton
promised during his 1992 campaign to end the ban against homosexuals in the military. However, once
elected, he face strong resistance from the military establishment, Congress, and members of his own
party. In a compromise measure, a policy was crafted to allow homosexuals to serve as long as they did
not declare themselves to be homosexual and, in turn, they would not be asked about their sexual
orientation or investigated unless there was “credible information from a reliable source.” The policy
has proven to be ineffective in protecting gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers and actually increased the
number of discharges from homosexuality immediately after taking effect.
4
The slogan “We’re queer and we’re here” is most closely associated with the gay activist groups
Queer Nation which rose to prominence in the 1980’s and played a major role in the shift in the
perception of coming out from a personal to a political act.