Performer Ponders “Queer Response to Climate Change”

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Peter Toscano spoke in ATS on Oct. 3.

A performance activist, Bible scholar and podcaster pondered the “queer response to climate change” as well as why homosexual men are often regarded as “feminized” men, instead of “real” ones, during a Clarke Forum performance at Dickinson.

Peter Toscano travels around the world to deliver one-person plays. He came to Dickinson on Tuesday, Oct. 3, for an event hosted by the Clarke Forum, titled, “Everything is Connected.” Around 70 people were in attendance. During his performance, Toscano connected contemporary issues to personal experiences, literature and Bible stories.

Specifically, in his self-proclaimed “Introduction,” Toscano explained his personal discovery of identifying as homosexual man. He said when he finally “came out,” people “did not see me as a real man, but a feminized man… and thus being blocked because of who I am was never a pleasant experience. It felt like my power and privilege dropped when I came up to a door that did not open for me.”

In what Toscano called his second act, titled “Transfiguration,” the performer shared with the crowd his insecurities in both Memphis, TN and Hartford, CT after spending time with other homosexual men. He noticed in both cities that there was a common discussion referring to women, lesbians and bisexuals in a negative way. Confused, he turned to the Bible in the late 1990’s, when he researched characters within this holy book who “transgress, break the rules, and rise above the rules of gender, and was shocked to see that most characters were not gender conforming.”

In “Act Three: Climate Change,” Toscano discussed with Dickinson attendees, “What is a queer response to climate change?” In this act, he stated he believes his response to the question to be different from the response of a heterosexual person.  He said that a queer person notices more details than a heterosexual person does, citing how every year, the pollen count is higher than the year before and queer people have been noticing these changes for years.

He finished with a question and answer session that allowed the crowd to engage and ask him questions regarding his struggles as a homosexual Catholic man and his interest in climate change. Toscano mentioned that his interest in climate change arose from his husband’s strong feelings on the subject, citing an occasion that left his husband in tears.

Donna Bickford, director of the Women’s and Gender Resource Center, said Toscano’s performance was a “unique way to think about human rights and social justice issues.”

Sam Weisman ’18, especially enjoyed theatrical aspects of Toscano’s performance.

“Toscano shapeshifted into eccentric but insightful characters, which had me laughing out loud.,” he said. “Toscano wove climate themes into poignant metaphors from the Bible, history, and social justice. I will be thinking about this event for weeks, at least.”

Linh Phuong Nguyen ’20, also appreciated the way Toscano used theatrics to highlight issues of climate change.

“I think his humorous instead of hopeless or depressing approach to climate is refreshing.”

Julia Mercer ’18 echoed Nguyne’s statements but added that for her, Toscano represented a “climate communicator.”

I would describe his work as “radical” in the way that he connects so many aspects of the human experience together,” she stated. “As we approach a future where climate change is the unfortunate reality, Toscano offers us a critical, yet also humorous and hopeful perspective. We don’t particularly need more climate science, as the science is there. We need climate communicators and Toscano is exactly that.”