Asynchronous Blog Post on Beauty Salon

16 thoughts on “Asynchronous Blog Post on Beauty Salon”

1. In her essay “Difference and Survival,” Audre Lorde explores into the idea of social norms and expectations and how they affect individuals who do not fit into the mold. Lorde debates that society facilities which differences are positive and which ones are negative, maintaining its own faults and virtues. Lorde’s quote, “Which differences are positive and which negative are determined for us by a society that has been already established, and so must seek to perpetuate itself, faults as well as virtues… and of course so long as the existence of human differences means one must be inferior, the recognition of those differences will be fraught with guilt and danger” (Lorde, 174), is mostly significant when analyzing the novella’s challenge of traditional notions of beauty and gender. It challenges traditional notions of gender by presenting characters who do not fit into the gender binary. One character, for example, is described as having a “feminine” appearance but identifies as non-binary. This challenges the idea that gender is a rigid binary and highlights the fluidity of gender expression. The novella’s challenge of traditional ideas of beauty and gender serves as an observation on societal norms and expectations. It exposes the damaging effects of societal pressure to obey to a narrow usual of beauty and gender, which often results in individuals feeling guilty or dangerous for simply being themselves. By giving characters who do not fit into these norms, the novella urges readers to question the societal expectations that have been deep-rooted in them since birth. In conclusion, as Lorde argues, the acknowledgement of human differences will always be filled with guilt and danger if society continues the idea that one must be inferior. It is only by embracing and celebrating differences that we can move towards a more inclusive and accepting society.

2. The narrator often uses his difference as a source of creativity, but he just as frequently uses that creativity to combat the vulnerabilities he faces because of said difference. Inspired by the golden carps he kept, for example, the narrator would add gold to the dresses he wore at night to better define himself, but at the same time, he hoped that this instance of creativity would prevent him from bumping into the Goat-Killer Gang, as that would certainly eradicate his future. This theme is repeated later on in the novella when the narrator recalls how he and his friends would head to the center of the city after closing time but couldn’t travel dressed up as women (they opted to pack and carry their dresses instead), because that had gotten them into trouble multiple times.

   The beauty salon is also used to convey how the narrator uses his difference as a source of creativity but that too is a reminder of how the narrator’s difference is the source of his vulnerability. The beauty salon, for one, represents the narrator’s literal house of difference as it’s a place he can decorate and where patrons, mostly women, seemingly don’t mind that the stylists are men dressed in women’s clothes. At the same time, however, it was a place that was quite far from public transportation and one that had to close at eight in the evening as clients preferred not to go to the area at that time, the implication being that it was dangerous at that time.

3. The novella challenges traditional notions of beauty and gender in many ways. The novella challenges gender norms just by the protagonist who was born male owning a beauty salon. This is a lot more common now, but a few years back it was a bit taboo to have male hairstylists for women. In addition the queer men who work at the salon would dress in feminine clothing, this goes against Mexican conservative standards. In Mexican culture, like in many Latin American cultures Catholicism influences the conservatism in terms of gender roles. The expectation for men is for them to be masculine, and for them to be attracted to women. The novella makes the social commentary that the reality of life isn’t as conservative as the government may want to portray. In fact people like the protagonist have always existed but have been marginalized. In terms of beauty, the beauty salon is a place where not only the customers can become beautified but also a safe haven for the queer employees to dress the way the please. For them to be comfortable in their own skin.

4. From Ethan Del Rosario De Regino:

   “To excel is considered a positive difference, and so you will be encouraged to think of yourselves as the elite. To be poor, or of Color, or female, or homosexual, or old is considered negative, and so these people are encouraged to think of themselves as surplus. Each of these imposed definitions has a place not in human growth and progress, but in human separation, for they represent the dehumanization of difference.” (Lorde, 174) I found this quote by Audre Lorde ironic leading to the narrator’s decision to turn the beauty salon into a mortuary. “To be poor, or of Color, or female, or homosexual, or old is considered negative, and so these people are encouraged to think of themselves as surplus.” I found this part in particular to hold the irony because in society people in the LGBTQ+ community often don’t see themselves as a “surplus.” Instead they see a lack of representation for themselves; it is only in situations such as the AIDS epidemic where they are forced to see themselves as a “surplus,” because they failed to be included in humanity thus the narrator had to turn the beauty salon into a mortuary because the community was separated and dehumanized for this disease because of their gender identities and sexualities.

5. Option Two

   Based on Audre Lorde’s quote, the narrator in “Beauty Salon” decides to convert his beauty salon into a mortuary for young men who were dying from an unnamed illness as a way to let these individuals have some dignity right before their deaths. The narrator realized that as he was beginning to succumb to the unnamed illness, that he would also become more ostracized and isolated from wider society than he already was prior to getting infected. Anyone who does not conform to what is considered normal is left out of society and is therefore seen as worthless and not worth protecting or caring for. The gay men who were dying from the disease had no where else to turn to for comfort because society saw them as being inherently disease ridden ridden, so the narrator decided to take those men into his salon to take care of them until they died.

6. Option 2
   From this quote what I believe the author is saying is that in society our differences are constantly used against us by those in power. This means that those who are in the standard will consider themselves elite even if they aren’t. An example of this is how poor white people still side with billionaires and republicans because they see themselves as temporary not millionaires instead of as working class. This therefore puts those who do not fit the standard to see themselves as not important because no one in the standard sides with them. Minorities becomes a surplus because their values goes to those in power and not to themselves. Their differences amongst them are also played into being more separate instead of unity.

7. In reference to the quote by Audre Lorde, specifically when Lorde mentioned “…Each of these imposed definitions has a place not in human growth and progress, but in human separation, for they represent the dehumanization of difference.” (Lorde,174) I feel like this definitely coincides with the reasonings why the narrator from Beauty Salon wanted to change his beauty salon into a mortuary. The transition from the beauty salon into a mortuary was for the narrator to create a safe space for the men who were feeling outcasted within society because of their infection as well as their sexuality. Not only were they suffering from the discrimination from the outside world because of their appearance and basically just being themselves, but they were suffering from an uncurable disease that was most prevalent during that time in the 90s. To imagine the sense of loneliness and the human separation that these men had to endure during this time, especially since people were so afraid of catching the disease that they would isolate themselves from those who did test positive from it. The narrator creating that sanctuary for these men was very heartwarming considering the fact that isolation was very common for individuals who had HIV during this time in the 90s.

8. Option Two
   The quote that Lorde used explains that those with different views or beliefs than others have caused so much separation rather than unity. The narrator’s decision to make the beauty salon into a mortuary is for those who are considered “surplus” due to their health conditions and their sexuality. If they didn’t meet the norms of the rest of society, they were considered as extra, instead of everyone trying to help each other. He decided to make this mortuary for those who felt they had no place else to go because, they felt discriminated against and hurt by everyone else. Those who were suffering and needed help weren’t heard by anyone, and were ignored. Therefore, the narrator created this mortuary for them where they would feel understood.

9. I believe a way this novella from Audre Lorde challenge traditional notions of beauty and gender is by exploring the individuals who “don’t” go with the social norms/expectations that society has. In the novella it talks about what it is considered to be beautiful and what consider to be acceptable. In other words, society judging gender roles. And what seems to be “masculine” and “feminine”. In the quote it states that “Which differences are positive and which negative are determined for us by a society that has been already established.” In other words, being different could be a good thing as long as society finds it okay, and it follows what society believes is okay to do/look/be. In the novella, it highlights the idea of not feeling safe for being who you truly are because you’re different from the others. Like I stated, the novella uses people as an example to show how it feels to be different and stand out to others who view it as a negative way instead of accepting it. The novella critiques these power dynamics and suggest that individuals should be celebrated for their uniqueness rather than conforming to societal norms. And to continue to be themselves.

10. “To excel is considered a positive difference, and so you will be encouraged to think of yourselves as the elite. To be poor, or of Color, or female, or homosexual, or old is considered negative, and so these people are encouraged to think of themselves as surplus. Each of these imposed definitions has a place not in human growth and progress, but in human separation, for they represent the dehumanization of difference.” (Lorde, 174)

    Thinking on this quote by Audre Lorde, elaborate on the narrator’s decision to transform his Beauty Salon into a mortuary. How does the narrator deal with the imposed idea of being a surplus?

    There are many signs that indicate the narrator’s belief that he is an excess in the society that they live in. One of the biggest indicators is that the narrator does not see the mortuary as a success, unlike the sister’s of charity. This is because there is a difference between fighting for a cause out of sympathy, and fighting for a cause because you live in it. For the sisters of charity, who fight with heart for this community , nut being outside of it, they cannot understand the toll it takes to be treated as a mistake. For the narrator, who constantly has to see cis individuals fighting over whether or not the people in their community deserve to even have a peaceful death in pain (which is the smallest of rights that a person should have regardless of who they want to be), it makes you feel as if your right to even exist is of question. When this many people die over and over, your life is treated as insignificant, and thus your own self worth is nonexistent. When Audre Lord states that there is a dehumanization of difference, it speaking on precisely this; the ways in which you express yourself through the deviance from the norm must be eradicated, and the encouragement of that eradication will happen within every social interaction that queer people have with all other oppositional diasporas.

11. Option 2
    The narrator decides to transform his beauty Salon into a mortuary for a large community that has been rejected by all society. Hospitals won’t accept these patents, they have been kicked out of their homes , or have simply no where else to go because of the fear and ignorance of the disease and its relation to homosexuality. By being a “surplus” resources have not been provided for these communities. Hospital beds are not opening up , medicines to treat the disease haven’t been created. The treatment of homosexuals with HIV in the book explains how these guests have really no other option but are fortunate enough to have The Mortuary. Surviving as a “surplus” isn’t guaranteed since you’ve been neglected by society for the duration of your life .The narrator deals with this by accepting people who have no where else to go. His first guest was taken in because they had no place to go and were going to spend their last days by a city bridge. The narrator takes these people in by having an understanding in society’s treatment during the HIV crisis in the 90s. By taking in these people he is providing help to those affected by the “societal norms”. The narrator has accepted the fact that everyone in the mortuary will eventually die but by admitting a guest in at least they have a safe haven in their last days.

12. The narrator’s decision to transform the beauty salon into a mortuary came from the original inspiration of the salon. When building the theme of the salon, the narrator chose the sea-like theme because the point was for them to feel “rejuvenated and beautiful” once they came out of the salon the same way one feels when they touch the surface of the water. So in comparison to the quote from Lorde’s article, the narrator gave the “majority-minority” somewhere to feel accepted, to not feel alone, to have at least the slightest chance to feel wanted even though they were dying of a disease they had no background on. The narrator created the salon with the intent to make a change regardless of the competition, but because over time the paint started to chip and business was slow and it wasn’t the same he rerouted his purpose into making these men feel heard and accepted and understood by creating a safe space and community for them. To highlight Lorde’s text when she mentions, “in human separation, for they represent the dehumanization of difference”, that represents exactly what society was doing to these men, they were outcasting and pushing them away because of their failure to conform to the norm.

13. Based on Audre Lorde quote the narrator decides to turn his beauty salon into a mortuary. The mortuary was for guys who were dying from an illness. The people didn’t know what they illness was they had no clue. Also the mortuary was to make them feel comfortable before their death. The narrator deals with the imposed idea of being a surplus because of health conditions and sexuality.. The narrator wanted to take care of the men who had the disease. If people had no where to go they could’ve went to the mortuary if people were hurt they could go there.

14. According to Audre Lorde’s statement, society has decided what variations in beauty and gender are considered “good” or “bad”. I put quotations around those adjectives because it’s completely subjective and up to perception what good or bad is. This social creation is further questioned in the novella, as characters refuse to adhere to conventional norms and expectations. The reflection on social standards and expectations is that they are built by those in power, resulting in the continuation of a faulty and unfair system. By breaking these standards, the novella demonstrates the intricacy and beauty of human variations. The passage ultimately questions the conventional binary grasp of attractiveness and gender, instead presenting a more fluid and inclusive understanding of these ideas.

15. The narrator’s decision to transform his Beauty Salon into a mortuary is significant because its a form of empowerment. It’s a way for him and many others in the LGBT+ community to maintain a sense of belonging. This is where the narrator’s idea of being a surplus comes from. He imposes the belief that he is extra, uncared for, and baggage on himself because that is the treatment he receives from society. Due to homophobia in many Latin American countries, people enduring STD’s like aids or HIV are ignored and rejected. There wasn’t a space for gay men so it was important that the narrator created one. The mortuary became a safe space for gay men to rest in peace. Lordes quote connects with the narrator’s decision because anyone that doesnt fit into society defined identity boxes are othered and dehumanized. She states, “…has a place not in human growth and progress,” referring to how the mistreatment marginalized people face does not lead to progress. Building safe environments such as the mortuary does lead to progress. While the narrator was dying from the illness, he was leaving a legacy that would outlive him and encourage others to fight for their community.

16. Option1We live in a society that constantly judges what is good and what is bad. However, the judgment criteria are always one-sided. Most people don’t have any particular doubts about that idea, and live their days without questioning the truthfulness of their judgment within the values created by someone else. Originally, it should be natural for each person to find value in something different depending on their sensibilities, perspectives, and circumstances, but the influence of various factors such as social norms (uncertainty created by someone) and traditions are added to it. The concept of “this is how it should be” is born. People tend to be passive, negative, or discriminatory towards things they don’t know or are unfamiliar with. For those who say so, it is unlikely that they will ever think of how arrogant their thoughts and actions are to not actively try to know what they do not know and to exclude them. People not only perceive “difference” literally, but also give it a different meaning (mostly negative) and perceive that being different is not good. A “difference” is simply a difference that occurs when you compare something, not something good or bad. It is questionable how much meaning and value there is in the act of comparing in the first place. In the text, he has different perspectives and values that can be obtained by being different from the people around him, and he is taking action according to his own thoughts and norms. It shows how much role it plays in promoting psychological and behavioral changes.

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