SHARON NEEDLES MUST BE STOPPED



An article by a concerned citizen





There have been many accusations and rumours concerning the so-called drag queen known as Sharon Needles as of late. But as a concerned citizen and a professional activist I will refrain from petty personal attacks and trite gossip. Let us start with cold. Hard. Facts.



SOME FACTS ABOUT SHARON NEEDLES



Sharon Needles has worn a swastika t-shirt.

Sharon Needles has worn an upside-down cross.

Sharon Needles has worn a Confederate flag one-piece swimsuit.

Sharon Needles has used the N-WORD onstage.



In case it is not painfully obvious already, I will explicate, point for point, the numerous reasons why Sharon Needles must be stopped.



1. SHARON NEEDLES IS NOT ART



While some people may have used hateful imagery and hateful speech under the guise of art, Sharon Needles cannot use this convenient excuse, simply because Sharon Needles is not art. Their use of hateful speech and imagery has been lazy, haphazard, and uninspired. A swastika t-shirt, appearing to be made in someone’s basement using a laser printer and an iron-on transfer? NOT ART. A one-piece Confederate flag swimsuit, seemingly picked up for $2.99 at the Salvation Army, or perhaps from an old racist’s yard sale? NOT ART. Casually uttering the N-WORD for no apparent reason on the microphone at the notoriously controversial Blue Moon Lounge? DEFINITELY NOT ART. Art should always be polished, rehearsed, scripted, and expensive. The art world simply does not have room for cheap improvisations and spur-of-the-moment reactions in the present moment. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” on Broadway? Art. Sharon Needles’ bargain bin burlesque? NOT ART.



2. SHARON NEEDLES IS A WHITE MALE FROM IOWA



While their name might be misleading, Sharon Needles is not, in fact a woman. Public records indicate that Sharon Needles is a man. And while their hit single and Youtube viral video “412-724-WHORE” may be a crass, uninspired roll call of Pittsburgh’s many diverse neighborhoods and cultural landmarks and Sharon’s stomach-turning sexual exploits therein, Sharon Needles is in fact not from Pittsburgh at all. Birth certificates and arrest warrants alike indicate that Sharon Needles is from IOWA. These are just a few examples of Sharon’s shameless appropriation of cultures to which they have no claim whatsoever. Sharon parades around in women’s clothing and uses a woman’s moniker, stuffing and cinching their biologically male body into exaggeratedly feminine proportions– simultaneously mocking true womanhood while reaping the benefits of femininity, to which they have no claim WHATSOEVER. Sharon refers to themself as the “Pittsburgh Prostitute” and “Pittsburgh’s Premiere Transsexual Impersonator” but is neither a true Pittsburgher nor a transsexual at all! I think it goes without saying that these appropriations cannot be tolerated. It’s really quite simple: Pittsburghers should stay in Pittsburgh. Iowans should stay in Iowa. Men should be men. Women should be women. PERIOD.



3. SHARON NEEDLES IS A HIPSTER RACIST



Hipster racism refers to the use of racially inflammatory language in order to seem edgy, while under the guise of satire. Refer to the FACTS listed above– SHARON NEEDLES IS A HIPSTER RACIST. Hipster racism also refers to the appropriation of the cultures of other races without giving due credit. Sharon Needles, while not so friendly, ironically resides in the neighborhood known as Friendship– a section of town which in recent years has been subjected to hipster gentrification. While Sharon throws lavish costume parties and sips champagne with her star friends, they have driven out lower income people and people of colour without any due credit. Eyewitnesses have also reported seeing Sharon visiting Princess Beauty Supply in East Liberty, purchasing items like weave bond, oil sheen, and even shake-and-wear wigs– once again up to their old tricks of appropriating female African American hair culture into their twisted web of gender dysphoria. But worst of all is Sharon’s brash and blatant use of hate speech and hateful imagery while calling it “post-racial” or “art” or “drag” or “freedom of speech.” Smells like hipster racism to me.



4. SHARON NEEDLES HURTS PEOPLE’S FEELINGS



Sharon’s use of swastikas, Confederate flags, upside down crosses, and the N-WORD brings up unpleasant feelings and memories in the hearts and minds of those people unlucky enough to find themselves in the audience of a Sharon Needles drag show. The Smithsonian removed David Wojnarowicz’s disgustingly offensive “A Fire In My Belly” – perhaps it’s time we remove Sharon Needles. There are simply certain words and images which must never– EVER– be uttered, spoken of, or even thought of, under any circumstances or in any context. It’s common sense, people. Words and images that hurt people’s feelings need to be hidden away and banished forever, never to be heard from again. For example, here are some words which should be never spoken, uttered, or thought of ever again: (I will only provide partial spellings because the full arrangement of their letters is RACIST and will unduly hurt people’s feelings) ni–er; fa–ot; f-g; f-gs; q-eer; b-tch; sh-t; d-ke; c-nt; c-ck; bl-ck; an-s; p-ssy; v-gina; v-ginal; v-ginoplasty; v-ldemort; just to name a few. If you have ever used these words, or thought of doing so, you are no better than Sharon Needles, and I urge you to suppress these thoughts, words, and images firmly into the darkest recesses of your spirit immediately.



5. SHARON NEEDLES SILENCES AND EXCLUDES PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS



Sharon’s use of hate speech and hate imagery has succeeded in silencing many of those who have viewpoints and opinions which differ from Sharon’s. If Sharon weren’t so busy with their lavish extravagances and lace-front wigs, they would most likely go so far as to go to their victims’ places of employment, littering these unfortunate individuals’ establishments with handbills spraying filth and hate and threatening legal action against whomsoever might differ from Sharon’s twisted, beer-induced beliefs. Or if Sharon possessed the patience and intelligence to use a computer, they would likely spread vile hatred via social networking sites like Myspace and Friendster. Luckily Sharon has not resorted to these tactics, but nevertheless, myself and some other brave activists have stood up and must speak on behalf of Sharon’s many victims. Our message is clear and will not be silenced: Sharon must be silenced.



SHARON NEEDLES MUST BE STOPPED



Sharon’s fame and notoriety has been growing exponentially, as their seedy, underground, gender-bending performances pander shamelessly to sold out venues, filled to the brim with hate mongers and racists who line up around the block, cash in hand, to turn the cogs of Sharon’s twisted and evil machine of hate and greed. Little does Sharon’s adoring public know that this demagogue diva is using their profits to commission sequined swastika evening gowns and to pump countless CCs of restalyne into their already surgically mangled face. I shudder to think about the irreparable damage that could be done to our nation and to future generations should Sharon Needles continue on this glitter and gin-soaked path of false eyelashes and false promises. Please sign my petition to have Sharon sent back to Iowa on veganboohoo.com, and may God be with you.



Sincerely,



A Concerned Citizen

http://www.alaskathunderfuck.com/sharonneedles.html