hello, this is dorothy the wondergirl...i go to the university of
cincinnati (have my women's studies certificate), and i'm the president
of the queer group there. my purpose now is to find NON LINEAR
(lesbians, dyke, bisexual, multisexual...) women to talk to about ageism
for a paper/zine i am writing...below is a little introduction (i have a
complete draft of my whatever for those interested). what i want to do
is theorize from your interviews/dialogies/discussions
please reply to me personally because i am going in and out
lists([EMAIL PROTECTED])
***note, i have also worked on veganism and leather (supporting both, so
if you are interested in that discussion - let me know)
> AGEISM!
THE CHASE: My name is Dorothy Foley and I am working on a project
about ageism. I would like to create a theoretical piece using
interviews from lesbians (or other non-heterosexual identified women)
who have had major meetings with ageism in their own lives. From my
research so far, I think that the older and the younger - the better
for theory. After all, a 40-something generally sees a 60-something who
generally sees an 80- something as the older other. With young people
it�s a lot different because a year seems like a decade. . . a 20 year
old generally treats an 18 year old who in turn generally treats a 16
year old differently (and what about those 12 and 14 year olds - do they
exist?). However, your experience with ageism may not fit into the
generality - so don�t let that dissuade you from contacting me to set up
an interview. My number is 523-569-0326 and email address is
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
THE PROJECT: This is a paper for old and young people. This is a
paper for those who were ever young and/or will ever be old. This is a
paper about epistemic position, power, tokenism, and bullshit. This is
a paper about non-linear women. This is a paper about lesbians. This
is a paper about ageism.
Ageism is the institution by which people are discriminated
against, exploited, and/or oppressed by virtue of their age. Unlike
other -isms like racism, ageism is explicitly supported by law. For
example, when I was looking for an apartment in Cincinnati, I was turned
down for quite a few nice finds because I was too young. That is,
apartment owners can legally discriminate against young people, so long
as they are consistent (however, in this instance they cannot
discriminate against old people). Many would say that this type of
discrimination is understandable and should be permitted because young
people are irresponsible. Which came first - the reality or the idea
that young people are this way?
While the scope of my project does not include a thorough study of
child socialization, it does include the capacity to say fuck you to all
you who vehemently condemn -isms like racism and sexism but implicitly
and explicitly support ageism in your own lives, including ageist
assumptions about old people. To complicate matters even worse for
those of you I�vealready fucked off, I�m a queer girl, and I am going
to focus on other non- heterosexual identified women for my inquiry into
the institution ofageism.
THE CONCLUSION: As you may have noticed, I need young interviewees,
but I can write about �young� ageism from my own experience. Thus, I
am in dire need of speaking with women who are experiencing the
�old�ageism because my books can only give me a two dimensional
portrayal ofwhat life is like for you, and what it will be like for me
if we don�t startcommunicating and working on ageism as an institution
like sexism,racism, and heterosexismm. Thank you!
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Sep 4 19:55:29 1997
Thu, 4 Sep 1997 21:55:25 -0400 (EDT)
Thu, 4 Sep 1997 21:55:22 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 1997 21:55:39 -0500
From: wonder girl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: conference
the university of cincinnati (ohio) will be hosting WOmyn of Direct
Action National Grassroots COnference for WOmyn in Liberation Movements
the FIRST WEEKEND IN APRIL. we plan on combining animal liberation with
feminism and queer issues...(SETA, the feminist coalition, and the
presently named alliance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people will be
sponsoring this event)
since my character falls under all three i'll make sure it will be good
(smile)...(and it will be a vegan conference)
right now we are planning so if you have any ideas about what you would
like to see let me know (and mark it on your calendars)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Sep 4 22:59:11 1997
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 1997 21:59:00 -0700
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Christine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Acting up
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
At 03:44 PM 9/3/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>Where is Arcata at? ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Arcata is in Northern California, on the coast. We are about an hour south
of the Oregon border...home of the Ancient Ones....the Old Growth
Redwoods....beautiful, magical...home of Humboldt State University.
Christine
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Sep 4 23:07:58 1997
(Post.Office MTA v3.1 release PO203a ID# 0-37874U5000L500S0)
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 1997 22:06:57 -0700
From: keri <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Acting up
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Christine wrote:
>
> At 03:44 PM 9/3/97 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >Where is Arcata at? ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
>
> Arcata is in Northern California, on the coast. We are about an hour south
> of the Oregon border...home of the Ancient Ones....the Old Growth
> Redwoods....beautiful, magical...home of Humboldt State University.
>
> Christine
home of what was known in the 70's as the partying university.
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mon Sep 8 02:31:23 1997
for <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Mon, 8 Sep 1997 18:23:33 +1000 (EST)
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 22:42:44 +1000
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Peter Wright and Christine Laurence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Hello Will
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
<l03010d00b0283c03c4ab@[206.99.244.223]>
<l03010d00b0298c422ce8@[206.99.244.156]>
At 09:55 AM 28/08/97 +1000, you wrote:
>Will Bason wrote:
>> Lots of women who have never had children are wonderful, deep and mature
beings.
>
Lee (?) wrote:
>To be sure, but all the childless women I can think of that I know lack
>the maturity and selflessness of a mother. Some have cats as
>substitutes, but "mothering" a pet does not have the same effect. If a
>mother is selfish, her child will not let her rest, she has no choice
>but to fulfill their needs and to watch them tirelessly lest they injure
>themselves or be abducted or abused by some (usually male) fiend. And if
>her child is unhappy, she (typically) cannot let herself rest.
Lee, as a childless woman, who is assisting in raising three nephews, I
find it a little bit hard to take your assertion I lack maturity and
sefllessness.
By generalisaing that 'all' mothers are good and 'all' childless women are
immature and selfish you deny other people's experiences and ways of
living, and condemn them.
You try to say that your experience and ways of understanding are the only
*right* ways - ending up "playing at being the rulers of the universe"
Christine
