PLATFORM : Art for Artists

When Franklin D. Murphy called for artists to self-censor controversial content from their work, he sent a very frightening signal to freedom of expression in this country. He directs his critique particularly to lesbian and gay artists and seems to side with extreme right-wing groups in blacklisting “queer” artists as not suitable for funding.

As a gay performance artist who has come under the gun of state censorship when my unanimously recommended NEA fellowship was overturned for political reasons, I have to say to Mr. Murphy that 25 million lesbians and gay men pay their taxes and will not silenced. We will continue to represent our lives in our work and to ask that we be judged only on the standard of artistic merit and not by the yardstick of bigoted politicians trying to make us disappear.