This piece speaks to so many of the subjects that you have spoken out about. How much of this story correlates to your personal journey?
Honestly, it’s really hard to tell. There is a certain point where you are in the midst of a performance, it’s hard to separate how much is on the page and how much comes from you. Reading George’s words, there were many things that are familiar to me. I could relate to the title, “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” I think that title speaks volumes. It speaks to this whole movement that identity is not cookie-cutter. We teach children that they are supposed to like certain things or gravitate to certain things because of the genitalia between their legs, but we are all individuals and it doesn’t work that way.
This project seems closely connected with the discussions you have shared with the media and on social platforms. Would you agree?
Absolutely. This piece is an extension of the conversation that I’m always having. It’s an extension of my everyday conversation, the conversation I have with my therapist, the conversation I have in my work. My life’s mission statement is to expand the boundaries of what it means to be a man, what it means to be Black and what it means to be queer. When you hear those words, there are images that we conjure up, and I am here to say I can be all of those things yet not ascribe to the stereotypes assigned to them.
You can view George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue” at: https://www.youtube.com/iNHaleMEGAVEE throughout the month of February. You can also find Dyllon Burnside’s latest single, “Silence” on all streaming platforms.
