*yells in church nerd*: understanding/reading Lena Waithe’s rainbow garment as a cope and not a cape is essential to the entire outfit and what’s being signified by it
-
Show this thread
-
I keep seeing people say that she didn’t tie it at all to the theme and that’s a COMPLETE misunderstanding. SHE’S WEARING A VESTMENT USED BY THE HIGHEST ORDERS OF CLERGY BUT IT’S MADE OUT OF A RAINBOW FLAG
4 replies 158 retweets 852 likesShow this thread -
Before someone jumps in and points out copes can be worn by pretty much anyone helping in certain liturgies (true), copes with long trains, like Lena’s are reserved for popes and cardinals
2 replies 45 retweets 405 likesShow this thread -
See for comparison the papal mantum- the cope reserved for the pope. (Image from Wikipedia)pic.twitter.com/s6DzrjuDs6
4 replies 39 retweets 289 likesShow this thread -
Or the cappa magna, which has an excessively long train and is usually worn by cardinalspic.twitter.com/flpNkvdN6V
3 replies 27 retweets 262 likesShow this thread -
Sara Misgen Retweeted Lena Waithe
Here’s Lena, for comparison:https://twitter.com/lenawaithe/status/993709559050129408?s=21 …
Sara Misgen added,
1 reply 25 retweets 246 likesShow this thread -
Sara Misgen Retweeted The Met
And another shot, so you can see the trainhttps://twitter.com/metmuseum/status/993629843030990855?s=21 …
Sara Misgen added,
1 reply 28 retweets 263 likesShow this thread -
It would be significant if a queer black woman chose to wrap herself in a garment reserved for a church that is antithetical to those things (on racism in the US Catholic church, see https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/where-are-african-american-cardinals …), but instead she chooses the rainbow flag
1 reply 49 retweets 361 likesShow this thread -
The color of some copes is determined by liturgical season, but others by status (bishops wear purple ones, cardinals red ones, etc.). I'm choosing to read her selection of the rainbow as her status - it's her queerness and her blackness that gives her her authority
2 replies 82 retweets 585 likesShow this thread -
(Including her blackness because her rainbow had the black and brown stripes - see here: http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/why-phillys-new-pride-flag-has-black-and-brown-stripes-2017062a7 …). Y'all, that's some powerful symbolism she's baked into her outfit. There's a lot more to be said, but that's my cursory interpretation!
10 replies 57 retweets 578 likesShow this thread
Olivia Guest | Ολίβια Γκεστ Retweeted V Magazine
Great thread! Thank you. 


More here for those like me outside the USA, to get even more context:https://twitter.com/vmagazine/status/993974686781329409?s=19 …
Olivia Guest | Ολίβια Γκεστ added,
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.
