There’s always something to complain about…
a few weeks ago I talked about Ursula K. Leguin, who is widely regarded a fairly fail-less writer, insofar as race goes what with Gerd being red skinned and all, but failed for me in her lack of female heroes.
So here’s a wonderful lesbian couple who have created a wonderful teeshirt;
And I am very happy about it, except that they stuck one of my primary identities, Atheism, on the bottom rung, grouped with racists and addicts.
These women are devout Christians, and it just goes to show that we all have our little blind spots.
Anti-atheist prejudice bothers me, and I consider myself to not be atheist, although there are so many definitions that by some I am.
As for the Earthsea books, I read them when I was rather young, but my reaction after reading the stuff about women’s magic being weak and tricky, etc, was to assume it was just the wizards being sexist pigs, and that being discriminated against and not allowed to go to the magic school, it was natural enough that they weren’t as powerful. I figured if I lived on Earthsea, I might be as good as Ged was at magic before going to school– and therefore as likely to do something stupid and get myself in deadly trouble. In fact, it helped me rein in my own 9 year old arrogance.
Anti-atheist prejudice bothers me, and I consider myself to not be atheist, although there are so many definitions that by some I am.
As for the Earthsea books, I read them when I was rather young, but my reaction after reading the stuff about women’s magic being weak and tricky, etc, was to assume it was just the wizards being sexist pigs, and that being discriminated against and not allowed to go to the magic school, it was natural enough that they weren’t as powerful. I figured if I lived on Earthsea, I might be as good as Ged was at magic before going to school– and therefore as likely to do something stupid and get myself in deadly trouble. In fact, it helped me rein in my own 9 year old arrogance.
Anti-atheist prejudice bothers me, and I consider myself to not be atheist, although there are so many definitions that by some I am.
As for the Earthsea books, I read them when I was rather young, but my reaction after reading the stuff about women’s magic being weak and tricky, etc, was to assume it was just the wizards being sexist pigs, and that being discriminated against and not allowed to go to the magic school, it was natural enough that they weren’t as powerful. I figured if I lived on Earthsea, I might be as good as Ged was at magic before going to school– and therefore as likely to do something stupid and get myself in deadly trouble. In fact, it helped me rein in my own 9 year old arrogance.
There’s a spectrum between Xenophobia to Xenophilia in H.Sap’s collective programmings.
Some of us may never be given “Clue Zero” about what you know so well. Then, there are the folks who cannot ever even dream of a world where some magic handwavium would make us all one kind. With a range of “Reasons” to fear such a change. Fears of it as either impossible to hope for? Or the fear of losing power over others? Either- or both may be what entangles many souls. But that’s hopefully not going to be forever.
The “Effective Dreamer” from The Lathe Of Heaven came up with one such dream. Mayhaps not the “best” solving of all, yet it’s one that could erase incalcuable suffering. I’ve never felt diversity of any non-destructive sort as a threat. Hatred and discrimination cannot be held as anything BUT destructive in my mind. Which sadly places me in an ethical conflict when confronted by repressive bigots. I want to heal them rather than hate them even though I’d flunk at the concept if telepathic honesty forced me to testify openly.
Re: There’s a spectrum between Xenophobia to Xenophilia in H.Sap’s collective programmings.
Then, there are the folks who cannot ever even dream of a world where some magic handwavium would make us all one kind
Is this something you would wish for? *curious*
I want to go further with this thought, but have no time… your previous comment as well, and I’d end up writing an essay. which I might do as new posts. Thanks a bunch… *_^