Dispatches from the DOWN HOME DIVAS

 

#9 – Breaking News . . . GET IT TOGETHER!

Berea College Pinnacle, September 20, 2012

Friends and fellows, it’s a new day for the Divas. This Dispatch begins a series of upcoming educational articles which we’re calling Get It Together: Down Home Divas on Struggle, Success and the Sisterly Life. Think of them as master classes in Fabu-lachian Studies, taught by some of the region’s leading experts. We’re bringing you the true life stories of some of the most notorious “mouths of the South” to see if we can get in on a few hot tips and testimonies. A Down Home Diva is always ready for her close up, and this week we begin with our very own Perry County powerhouse Ethan Hamblin. Turn ‘er loose!

SISTER’S SERMON
Sam Gleaves talks with Ethan Hamblin.

Ethan – Is it on?

Sam – Yes.

S – Sister, when did you first know that you were a Down Home Diva?

E – I knew I was a Down Home Diva when . . . when I was five years old, instead of using my blankie for a cape, I used it as a Southern Belle gown.

S – Describe to me the structure of this gown, how did that work for you?

E – There were several different forms. There was this long, white blanket someone had made for me, with these jungle animals on it and I would tie that around my waist. We loved to play dress-up when we were younguns, me and all my friends and my cousins, we just loved it! So, we’d take old sheets that we had and just cut one hole in it, so you could either wear it as this big, massive cape or you could shimmy it down your body and wear it around your waist. One time I tried to put wiring in the bottom, so it would hoop out, you know, but it just didn’t work out. It was such a tragic mess. We also had wigs that we’d always wear around all the time. We would also play “school” and I always just knew I had to be in charge. To just be a student, that was not acceptable, I had to lead the discussion, I had to be the teacher and lead the classroom. I still feel that way most days. And, I never wanted to play with just imaginary friends, I wanted real people to boss around. It was always a controversy between me and my friends and the people we ran around with growing up!

S - Oh my word. So, you knew that you were a Down Home Diva long before we invented the term?

E - Oh, yes, yes. I can tell, looking back, that so many things were related to my being born a Down Home Diva. Now that we’ve come up with the term, I think about how the creation of the term really describes my lifestyle and everyday being, and of course when I mean lifestyle I mean my Diva status and not my queerness. Important distinction. But, when I say lifestyle, I mean storming into BC&T and walking up to the counter, dropping my card and ordering my hazelnut frappe with a shot of espresso to go and making the rounds and visiting with people until my drink is brought to me. It’s a little “frosty,” but it’s understood.

S - How do you define “frost” as a Down Home Diva?

E - Frost where I come from is of course frozen dew, technically, but what I would consider the social definition of frost is to not really directly tell someone that they’re stupid or wrong, but to be somewhat professional in telling them, but very direct, somewhat crude. This interaction might involve a sly look on the side, but not in an abrupt or abrasive way, just a calm, cool and collected, “Get your life together.”

S - In your everyday life as a Down Home Diva, what one thing in particular just infuriates you, just makes you completely livid?

E - When people ask me this, I usually say “stupid people” or “stupid actions,” so I guess I should define that. When people do things in a way that doesn’t benefit the group, that’s stupid. Sometimes I have to take charge and do things whether people ask me to or not, whether I ask their permission or not, things just need to be taken care of. So, I do things in the full benefit of the group and when people do things that don’t benefit the group I get upset. People who don’t have common sense or make goofy decisions, for example, some of the people who drive golf carts on this campus. Why would you not get out of my way, or at least try to wait for me to come on through? That is just disrespectful and rude! People who leave their messes for others to clean up, they just really get on my nerves and that builds up through the day, ‘cause there are just so many ignorant people in this lifetime. Also, these assignments that we have to do in school and these article deadlines, I just wish people would see that you can’t rush genius and quit trying.

S - Amen! So, when you’re feeling disconnected as a Down Home Diva, how do you get back in touch?

E - Last week I ran into Danforth Chapel crying and yelled out, very abrasively at the Lord and told Him that he needed to calm down for a few minutes and to shut up and let me do what I need to do. If that doesn’t work, I call my mother and have a good long conversation with her and she definitely helps me reconnect, or I stalk my grandmother on Facebook; it’s always fun to see what she’s doing and look at the pictures. Also, I will get on YouTube and pull up those hundred track compilations of Tammy Wynette or Loretta Lynn and listen to those and try to write, (yes I’ll take another Oreo) a paper. And every once and a while you just need to have a good glass of wine, which reminds me of my grandmother, who of course makes wine. Sometimes I get under the quilts on my bed and lay there and pretend that I’m at home and that I can hear the creek running, usually in my housecoat which my Granny made for me. My “housecoat of many colors!” Dolly ain’t got nothin’ on me, honey.

S - How do you plan to use your country queer heritage and your Down Home Diva status for the benefit of the world?

E - Well, I’m going to take over the world, first of all. I think the country queer community should just take over the world because we understand a few things that other people don’t yet. First of all, we understand what it means to be a minority, a lot of times our voice has not been heard, we’re a hidden culture within culture, to put it loosely. In addition to that perspective, we also have the raising to do what we need to do to survive, a skill that most people don’t even know we have. I think most people assume that gay men can’t work hard or split wood or pitch a tent or whatever, but we certainly can complete those tasks, in addition to many others, and pretty much blow everyone else out of the water. Because we’re a minority, we can boost those skills, join with other oppressed groups and take on all the injustice in the world. We can pretty much do anything. We’re a strong group of people. You see that in African Americans from the mountains too, like our good friend Bill Turner. We understand, we can survive. Myself, I use what my mother and daddy and grandparents taught me, how to build a community that relies on one another, and use that to build a larger community, where I can tell my fellow people where I come from and who I am, and hopefully inspire them to find out who they are, and just make little beautiful Bereas everywhere.

S - Closing comments?

E - Well, I’m so glad it’s Friday! Of course, I would encourage our readers to review our last Dispatch if they haven’t yet and go to Chapel and be with Gail, Loretta, Katie and Shalamar. And PLEASE take to heart our Commandment about coming to campus events, ‘cause we work our asses off and work damn hard for you to be there, so you better show up and appreciate what we do. That’s all.