Betsy
01-08-03, 08:02 PM
oy...all those initials...
Today, myself, Janet, Nina, and Deb (all Bodies Like Ours founding boards members) did a panel discussion and then a long workshop at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School for their annual Sex Week. This was a our second year presenting. Last year it was the highest rated panel/workshop and I expect that year will be no different.
The good news...I did my best to convert all three hundred attendees (mostly 2nd year med students) to Ipsumians. I asked them to tithe 10% of their future earnings to our cause and start worshipping us instead of mutilating us and treating us like freaks. I think it worked.
LOL...joking...but I did manage to fit Ipsumians into my speech. I'll be writing up a full report soon about it...but while there, got to thinking some.
Last year, they had a poster of peoples genitals with the headline of "what is normal?" Problem is, there wasn't any pictures of intersex genitals. I noted that in my speech last year, and this year noted that the poster was no longer included. I was told it may have been because of my bringing attention to the omission last year. In noting it's absence, I also shared that I often receive unsolicited pictures of peoples genitals via email. Most of these come anonymously and often without a message. Once I got used to it, I started to keep them in my "friends file" (No...I will not share them, yet). The first couple of times it occurred, I deleted them thinking that if I ever got arrested, it would turn into a porn charge or something. LOL...now I know you are thinking, why would she get arrested? There's no reason I know of, but a decade of working in the news business has twisted my mind in many odd ways.
(I do have a point here)...
In the past, we have bandied about the creation of a calendar made up of photographs of intersex people. It would take us out of the realm of pathologizing us, and let people know that we are real people...not freaks.
But then...
There I was talking about that damn poster again and what a shame it was that it didn't include intersex people.
So, today's crazy thought...
A poster of intersexed genitals.
Good idea? Bad idea? To be honest, I am torn about it. On one hand, it seems exploitive and puts us back in the realm of getting pathologized. On the other hand, if they can do it with so-called "normal" genitals, why can't we?
It would be great tool to use for talks to medical schools and could even be a decent fundraiser for Bodies Like Ours.
if you think it would be a good idea, please share. Likewise, if you think it would be a horrible idea, let us know. If you think it is good, would you be willing to participate? I'm thinking along the lines of anonymous photos or full body photos---your choice.
One good thing I can think of is that would sink in our own small way the fake herm porn that is so prevelant on the net. This wouldn't be published on the net though. It would need to be purchased.
LOL...maybe we could turn it into a calendar...IS genitals of the month...
I do think in some ways it would be a very good thing in that it would show medical providers that we like our genitals just the way they are. But the bads keep creeping up too...
Betsy
Today, myself, Janet, Nina, and Deb (all Bodies Like Ours founding boards members) did a panel discussion and then a long workshop at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School for their annual Sex Week. This was a our second year presenting. Last year it was the highest rated panel/workshop and I expect that year will be no different.
The good news...I did my best to convert all three hundred attendees (mostly 2nd year med students) to Ipsumians. I asked them to tithe 10% of their future earnings to our cause and start worshipping us instead of mutilating us and treating us like freaks. I think it worked.
LOL...joking...but I did manage to fit Ipsumians into my speech. I'll be writing up a full report soon about it...but while there, got to thinking some.
Last year, they had a poster of peoples genitals with the headline of "what is normal?" Problem is, there wasn't any pictures of intersex genitals. I noted that in my speech last year, and this year noted that the poster was no longer included. I was told it may have been because of my bringing attention to the omission last year. In noting it's absence, I also shared that I often receive unsolicited pictures of peoples genitals via email. Most of these come anonymously and often without a message. Once I got used to it, I started to keep them in my "friends file" (No...I will not share them, yet). The first couple of times it occurred, I deleted them thinking that if I ever got arrested, it would turn into a porn charge or something. LOL...now I know you are thinking, why would she get arrested? There's no reason I know of, but a decade of working in the news business has twisted my mind in many odd ways.
(I do have a point here)...
In the past, we have bandied about the creation of a calendar made up of photographs of intersex people. It would take us out of the realm of pathologizing us, and let people know that we are real people...not freaks.
But then...
There I was talking about that damn poster again and what a shame it was that it didn't include intersex people.
So, today's crazy thought...
A poster of intersexed genitals.
Good idea? Bad idea? To be honest, I am torn about it. On one hand, it seems exploitive and puts us back in the realm of getting pathologized. On the other hand, if they can do it with so-called "normal" genitals, why can't we?
It would be great tool to use for talks to medical schools and could even be a decent fundraiser for Bodies Like Ours.
if you think it would be a good idea, please share. Likewise, if you think it would be a horrible idea, let us know. If you think it is good, would you be willing to participate? I'm thinking along the lines of anonymous photos or full body photos---your choice.
One good thing I can think of is that would sink in our own small way the fake herm porn that is so prevelant on the net. This wouldn't be published on the net though. It would need to be purchased.
LOL...maybe we could turn it into a calendar...IS genitals of the month...
I do think in some ways it would be a very good thing in that it would show medical providers that we like our genitals just the way they are. But the bads keep creeping up too...
Betsy