Future issues/topics to be discussed?

Date: Oct 20, 2004

Future issues/topics to be discussed?

Date: Oct 20, 2004

Hey Judy!

Totally coherent and a good call. Hope everyone responds and we see some suggestions, hopefully many and diverse suggestions on future topics. I have some thoughts but they need tidying up before I post. Your cross-cultural comparison on sexuality is a good topic, especially for those of us in cross-cultural or mixed race relationships (for example - was watching 'The Bill' on TV last night - two young gay men, one caucasian the other African. When the young men decide to out themselves to their families, the caucasian father bashes his son's boyfriend not because of his sexuality but because of his colour. Thought provoking scenario).

Maybe an information exchange invitation on good internet links for various topics and a central AGMC directory for the collective input and collective access (with AGMC moderation).

Now I am wondering if I am being coherent! But let's keep Judy's 'topic-suggestions' ball rolling and see if it snowballs (as opposed to gathering moss).

anyway, just some thoughts from Mimi.

Date: Oct 20, 2004

Congratulations to the organisers on a great conference.
Some quick responses to Judy's question about future issues:
1. A number of times (esp. in the Queer Arabs session) the idea of coming out not being a priority was mentioned. In one case the idea of coming home was used rather than coming out. I'd like to see more discussion on the future possibilities this idea has for our understanding of sexual identity, not just appearing as a tolerated exception from the coming out model. As some one who works with same-sex attracted and gender diverse young people I'd really like to hear how the idea of coming home can be embraced and worked with.
2. The very good point was made towards the end of the conference that the the title of the conference did not list every ethnicity or culture that might be attending, and yet listed the whole GLBTIQ. This is an area that the GLBTIQ can learn so much from multicultural communities - how to forge effective alliances while still respecting difference and different needs.
3. Maybe an early attempt should be made to invite Penny Wong (Fed Senate from SA) to the conference, espescially as there is talk of her moving to the opposition front bench on Friday.
4. Not a future discussion, just some feedback. I didn't present a paper at the conference, but I thoroughly enjoyed all those that were presented. Yet, twice I had to witness a presenter being dressed down and patronised by the technication. Eye rolling, condescension and berating are unacceptable from a conference organiser, especially when visible by conference participants.

Number 4. was my only negative experience of the conference. Thank you again for a wonderful weekend.
David Moutou

Date: Oct 30, 2004

I whole-heartedly agree with David's fourth point. Organising powerpoint presentations is NOT more stressful than GIVING a presentation, and there is no excuse for stressing presenters out.

Remembering that this was the first AGMC conference ever, though, the organisers did an amazing job even by the standards of established conferences. I'm sure this is one of many lessons learned for next time. Congratulations folks!!

Date: Jan 14, 2005

Best wishes for 2005 to all.

Seems rather quiet in the forum - to break the silence here is an article that raises some interesting points about forming 'communities' and its hazards.

Instant Community: No Assembly Required

By Mark Leibovich
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 29, 2004; Page C01

These are rough days for the "rat-terrier community," the "heavy-metal
community," the "porn community" and the "arms community," among other
communities in the world's expanding community of communities.

But these are bright days for "community" in general, the term if not
the concept.

There is a community for everyone -- canker sore sufferers, panty
lovers, Duran Duran fans, goat owners -- to a point they are
proliferating into a community of self-parody.

While "community" has been a hackneyed term for decades -- terms such as
"the black community," "the gay community" the "international disaster
relief community," and the "investor community" have long been
over-applied to diverse and often fractured realms -- the Internet has
provided a spaceless "place" for communities to convene. Indeed, there
you will find not only the ferret lover community but also the zit lover
community. (Don't believe? Google.)

The journalism community loves communities, or at least calling things
communities, no matter how tenuous or irrelevant these designations
might be.

"Speaking as a member of the journalism criticism community," says media
critic Bob Garfield, "I find that calling something a 'community' is yet
another journalistic crutch that leans heavily on a foundation that
doesn't really exist."

Garfield, who is a host of National Public Radio's "On the Media" and a
columnist for Advertising Age, also identifies himself as a member of
the "why-do-we-even-answer-phone-calls-from-annoying-reporters community."

Sociologists have been bemoaning the loss of community in America for
decades -- people becoming more isolated, partaking of more solitary
pursuits at the expense of "building community." That whole "Bowling
Alone" thing.

But by naming something a "community," we impose a faux-descriptive
category on what is generally a random phenomenon. For instance, this
month's slaying of Bobbie Jo Stinnett, the Missouri woman who was eight
months pregnant and whose fetus was cut from her body, would outrage
anyone with a shred of humanity (if not community). But because the
murder was allegedly perpetrated by a woman who learned about her online
"from the rat-terrier community" (according to CNN), the incident struck
that community particularly hard.

And the onstage slaying of Pantera founder "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott at
an Ohio nightclub this month devastated "the heavy-metal community,"
according to members of the aggrieved community -- or, more likely,
reporters who wrote about them.

But the promiscuity of community is more than purely a media phenomenon.
Groups of people often strain to identify themselves as a community.
This is particularly true when one of their own dies (say, a member of
"the NASCAR community" after a crash), or is inconvenienced (a member of
"the air travel community" during the holiday weekend) or has reason to
celebrate (the "Star Wars community" when a new movie is released).

We also hear a lot from the ham radio community, the Mac users
community, Irritable Bowel Syndrome community, the transgender
community, the swingers community, the peanut allergy community, the
vegan community and the stoner community. Even the anarchist community
-- which would seem to be a contradiction -- has chapters across the
country and is ubiquitous on the Web.

"Community evokes a sense of warm-fuzziness on a group of people who
have only the most superficial bonds," says Amitai Etzioni, a George
Washington University sociologist who has written extensively about the
"community of communities" around the world.

Etzioni says the term "community" has not been overused as much as
abused. He says an authentic community must include both genuine bonds
of affection and shared moral values.

"That should be the test of a community," says Etzioni, "not whether
someone simply calls them a community."

We celebrate this man as a pillar of the community-restraint community.

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32723-2004Dec28?language=printer

any comments??

Mimi (http://groups.msn.com/MimiVogue)