Newsletter Week of 13 November 2020
Chessiecon is coming up! This year, our favorite convention will be online-only. If you're not already registered, there's a token charge of $10 for the weekend of panels, discussion groups, and a virtual masquerade. More information here.
Don's preliminary schedule is:
Friday 27 November:
- 1:30 pm Book Covers: The Gioid, the Bad, and the Ugly
- 4:00 pm Turkey Awards Judging Panel
- 7:00 pm Reading by Don Sakers
- 8:30 pm Humor in SF/F Writing
Saturday 28 November:
- 4:00 pm Guided Interactive Storytelling
- 8:30 pm How to Ruin a Revolution
Sunday 29 November:
- 2:30 pm The Effect of Catastrophic Events on Literature
- 4:00 pm Star Treek: Picard: What It Adderd or Changed About the Star Trek Canon
- Ripped 7 more DVDs to mp4
- Scanned 18 books
- Legion of Super-Heroes site: cataloging April 1999 comics
- Finished up Rule of Five Quarterly #16
- 3000 worcs on memoir
Social distancing with some former colleagues from the Library.
Gender terminology is a hot topic nowadays. Recently I've been on a quest for new terms for myself. I'm increasingly uncomfortable with the terms "male" and "man," connected as they are with the toxic masculinity that is at the root of so many of our social problems. I simply don't fit that mold, nor do I want to condone it.
In my best of all possible worlds, there would be no gender terms. Instead of separate checkboxes for male and female—or, as many today seem to prefer, checkboxes for a plethora of chocies—I'd prefer to have no checkbox. We have a long way to go.
I don't intend to insist that anyone else use whatever terminology I settle on. I refuse to be limited by particular identities; I seek to transcend themn.
"Gay man" says part of what I want to say, but only part. After a long career in public libraries—a traditionally female field—I find many things to admire about that world, especially in contrast to the mainstream male-dominated culture. (Ask me about the differences sometime.)
Long story short, right now I'm trying on the terms "casually male" anfd "culturally female." Pronous are more difficult. "They/their/them" disturbs me—not for the usual reasons, but because "they" is an impersonal pronoun; it seems disrespectful to use it on an individual, person. None of the various proposed genderless pronouns appeal to me (although I have some affection for "tey/ter/tem" or the simple "yo.") For now, I'm going with "they/their/them" as a compromise.
Once again, I don't insist that others use these terms. My purpose here is to spur thought and discussion. Your turn.