”The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye. The more light you shine on it, the more it will contract.” –Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
”Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology.” –Rebecca West
”Get the facts, or the facts will get you. And when you get them, get them right, or they will get you wrong.” –Dr. Thomas Fuller
Alright, since I’m tired as hell (insomnia sucks), I’m just gonna drop a bunch of links off right now. I might add some commentary later.
Link #1: Recursive Paradox’s latest post. The gist: Trans women are affected by the media’s presentation of what is beautiful. Being trans =/= being ugly.
The media lies when they present only certain images of certain women. The media lies when they claim anyone who doesn’t fit these models is unattractive. The media lies when they construct an able bodied, white, thin, cissexual, north western European descent American woman who is within a certain height as the end all be all for what woman are and should be.
Link #2: “Is an apology enough?” The gist: A teacher asks his classes, “‘How would you feel about your tax dollars going to pay some black fag in New York to take pictures of other black fags?’” Not just one class- all of them. His lawyer offered an apology, saying that the teacher didn’t mean to offend anyone.
Link #3: Victim of false prostitution charges sues police. The gist: Last year, Manhattan cops falsely arrested at least 30 gay men on prostitution charges, then used the arrests as an excuse to close down porn shops. One of the victims is suing the cops, the mayor, and anyone else who can be connected to this bullshittery.
My take: Hell, even if he had agreed to take the $50 bucks (offered by the cop) for giving a blowjob, how the fuck is it anyone else’s business? Those who argue against legalization of prostitution often claim “victimization” as the reason, but it wasn’t the offer of money that made the dude a victim- it was the actions of the cops who used “prostitution” as a way to target gay men.
Link #4: I’ve been reading the H/D career fair. Yeah, yeah, I know. Just to point out (before someone comes in screaming “but itz all wrong and unrealistic and wrong!!! And yaoi fans suck!!!”) I don’t read slash because I think it’s realistic, I read slash because I think that the individuals involved would be hot together. End of story. Plus, reading about lady bits squicks me, especially when I don’t have an *ahem* external point of reference. Visuals are one thing- if it’s visibly attached to someone else, I tend not to connect it to my own troublesome bits. On the other hand, I tend to connect literature to myself, which makes depictions of feminine bits… problematic.
“Does it ever amaze anyone else how little faith some heterosexuals have in heterosexuality? It’s supposed to be this god-given human instinct that only the warped and perverted ever stray from; But, it seems, if we once tell our straight children a message even as mild as “some people are gay, and that’s all right,” that’ll be enough to send lil’ Suzy into the arms of women forever. It’s a wonder the race has survived this long, really…”
– ENNEAD@deimos.ucs.umass.edu Charles M Seaton (21 Dec 1994)
Thanks Dionisio
