I think one of the aspects of many indigenous cultures---and I would guess also in the lands where the Israelites took occupancy---was the figure of the trickster: one of the drammatis personnae in the shamanic troupe. Cross dressing is really a subset of those licenses that belong to cultures in which folly is an important leven to law. And clearly Purim is our gesture towards that license.
This is a terrific post. The confusion, craziness and loss of dignity and life attributed to following the words of this text are insidious. Things are changing on the high school and college campuses where I work. Does lead to terrific fashion statements. This is so personal to me. My son Raphael, in middle school and high school, had gorgeous long dark hair with silky auburn highlights. He wore it in a long ponytail. The grief it caused him and myself and school officials ( some pro and supportive and some “concerned” for him) was endless. The bullying ended when we enrolled him in a Quaker school. Now he is middle aged and bald… so great he had that brief time of crowning hair glory.
I think one of the aspects of many indigenous cultures---and I would guess also in the lands where the Israelites took occupancy---was the figure of the trickster: one of the drammatis personnae in the shamanic troupe. Cross dressing is really a subset of those licenses that belong to cultures in which folly is an important leven to law. And clearly Purim is our gesture towards that license.
This is a terrific post. The confusion, craziness and loss of dignity and life attributed to following the words of this text are insidious. Things are changing on the high school and college campuses where I work. Does lead to terrific fashion statements. This is so personal to me. My son Raphael, in middle school and high school, had gorgeous long dark hair with silky auburn highlights. He wore it in a long ponytail. The grief it caused him and myself and school officials ( some pro and supportive and some “concerned” for him) was endless. The bullying ended when we enrolled him in a Quaker school. Now he is middle aged and bald… so great he had that brief time of crowning hair glory.
And that was just a simple hair style choice.