Monday, July 10, 2006
The Blues
I came to Uzbekistan not knowing the languages at all. And I knew that the country was not tolerant of homosexuality. I never saw any gay people. I never asked about them either as I never talked with anyone about being gay. But clearly people were talking about them. Somehow early on in my experience there, I found out that Uzbeks called gay people “golubiye” or blues. Blue was a gay color.
What a coincidence. Blue is my favorite color. Blue was how I would feel during those long stretches of loneliness and isolation and homesickness. I was singing the blues to myself, listening to the blues. I knew the meaning of the blues. ¶ 6:22 PM
I came to Uzbekistan not knowing the languages at all. And I knew that the country was not tolerant of homosexuality. I never saw any gay people. I never asked about them either as I never talked with anyone about being gay. But clearly people were talking about them. Somehow early on in my experience there, I found out that Uzbeks called gay people “golubiye” or blues. Blue was a gay color.
What a coincidence. Blue is my favorite color. Blue was how I would feel during those long stretches of loneliness and isolation and homesickness. I was singing the blues to myself, listening to the blues. I knew the meaning of the blues. ¶ 6:22 PM
