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UCSD pays for trans-species project.
Fred says- "Notice that I even use my entire real name here...unlike you." Thanks for proving out my point about my reasoning behind keeping identity out of this discussion as much as possible when I said- "...it also helps to keep those who would use the messenger to vilify the message from being able to do so without the faulty logic of this tactic being evident." Faced with a message that he can't refute using logic, Fred decides to change tack by imposing a new standard where the validity of the message is somehow critically dependent on the use of full names...an ad hominem attack that is nothing but diversionary innuendo that has nothing to do with the matter at hand. I've managed to respond to people on this board by addressing their words and actions directly, and haven't made any distinctions or inferences whatsoever based on the screen name they used...who they are (or claim to be, as there is no verification required to choose a screen name here) has absolutely ZERO to do with the ideas expressed...pretty simple, really, but evidently a concept beyond comprehension for some. And for the record, I NEVER called Fred a name; I never called anyone a name here besides calling Ernie Grimm a "cowardly, mean spirited jackass", which I stand by- "cowardly implies a weak or ignoble lack of courage <a cowardly failure to stand up for principle>..." the only reasonable explanation for denying Micha's wishes re: pronouns is one of standing on some principle, but the author coyly chose to not openly commit to one, which is cowardly. Mean spirited- "Having or characterized by a malicious or petty spirit." Disrespecting Michas' wished re: pronouns served no real purpose; it's not as if her gender identity and transition history weren't front and center in the article, so anyone reading it could make up their own mind whether 'he' or 'she' was more accurate; no one would be misled...so the choice certainly qualifies as petty. Jackass- "a contemptibly foolish or stupid person"... the author says without a hint of embarrassment- "I had expected to see someone more, well, drag queenish..." "the hormones don’t seem to have raised his voice yet..." "Body hacking,” I ask, “as in hacking with a hatchet?..." "Author’s note: Micha Cárdenas asked that feminine pronouns be used in this story. With respect, the author declined." These statements along with the general tone of ignorance and incredulity in his writing point to someone wholly unqualified to report on the subject, who is either not smart enough to do the basic research and self-editing necessary to keep from making himself look ridiculous, or too egotistical to think that his credibility depended on it. Either way, it's foolish, and the added combination of cowardice and pettiness raises it to the level of being contemptible.— April 1, 2009 11:30 p.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
Sorry Fred, but the fact that you insist or referring to ANY mention of gender identity as a "diatribe" and a "distraction" as well as "blather", "annoying drivel", etc. and call Micha Cardenas a "poser" for choosing to use art to explore something you don't want to hear about just proves that you don't "get it" at all. If you don't want to be exposed to ART that explores gender or fosters a discussion of it, fine...but rather than just exercise your right to avoid it, you go out of your way to attack it and cast aspersions on anyone who doesn't agree with you. You say- "The Press release says: "Becoming Dragon questions the one year requirement of Real Life Experience that transgender people must fulfill in order to receive Gender Confirmation Surgery (Sexual Reassignment Surgery), and asks if this could be replaced by one year of Second Life Experience to lead to Species Reassignment Surgery." That's four references to gender in the first sentence." You'd think that someone as perceptive as you claim to be would have understood from reading that that GENDER and associated beliefs, constructs and perceptions is THE MAIN FOCUS of the work in question...did you ever stop to consider that the four references in the first sentence alone could be used by people with an aversion to this focus on gender as a sign that they should look elsewhere, as the work was probably not for them? I'm not particularly interested in immersing myself in a detailed discussion about the human excretory apparatus either, but I'm not silly and boorish enough to willingly read about a study by a proctologist and then complain that he used the word "rectum" too many times for my taste and presume to tell him how to address the subject. So stop beating us all over the head with your asinine demands that your personal take on how gender should be discussed should be adopted as a universal truth, and that everyone else should shut up just because you aren't smart enough to avoid things you don't want to be involved in, or to filter out the parts that aren't relevant to you and focus on the parts that are. You don't like material that freely discusses gender and/or transition, so please spare those of us without a similar aversion YOUR relentless diatribes and just assume we get it, alright?— April 1, 2009 7:25 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
-continued from above- So to answer your questions: I've never met Micha Cardenas and have zero connection with her on any level. I absolutely advocate for anyone bullied by sanctimonious nitwits who would use mob rule to punish people for not bowing to their self-appointed authority in matters of dress and self expression that are none of their business and harm no one, but not in any official capacity or in affiliation with any group. "Media watchdog"? I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't act as their own media watchdog and do their part to expose bias and propaganda masquerading as balanced news...if consumers don't act to keep reporters and media outlets honest, who will?...the parent companies that get into the media business for the express purpose of manipulating coverage of their other business ventures? Publishers who use their newspapers to create a veneer of legitimacy for their religious agendas by calling it news? The government? Please. "Or just some lone, caped, Transgender Avenger?" I'm hardly alone and there's more people of a like mind every day, which is why LGBT-phobic bigots and those who wish to impose fundamentalist theocracy on other citizens who don't think like them are ramping up their rhetoric to almost unimaginable levels of disingenuousness and stupidity, which only serves to show just how little they care for the "truth" they claim to want to expose. With that in mind I have very carefully avoided identifying myself in any way with any group... it avoids wasting time with those who would use the disclosure of personal information against someone the way Ms. Cardenas has been attacked here, where even the most innocuous self reference is characterized as "whining" about a "personal agenda"... it also helps to keep those who would use the messenger to vilify the message from being able to do so without the faulty logic of this tactic being evident...Micha Cardenas is at a disadvantage here because to those whose minds are satisfied by prejudice and bigotry, anything she says is already unworthy of objective consideration because she's one of *them*... but I haven't identified myself as one of *them* or 'us' or anything else, nor will I...which forces those who can only think in those terms to do what they do best, which is to make foolish assumptions and attempt to discredit me for simply having a differing opinion...by implying that I *must* be transgendered and therefore unworthy of objective consideration...it exposes the extent of their intellect for what it is far more effectively than I could.— March 31, 2009 6:26 p.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
My only stake in all of this is in challenging mindless bigotry towards people whose only "crime" is being unapologetic about who they are. If I'm passionate about it, it's because I've witnessed the needless suffering caused by slavish adherence to antiquated cultural norms whether they be the systematic subjugation of women, ethnic and religious minorities, homosexuals, or those intersexed and transgendered people who are to this day blamed, legally harassed and punished for a condition not of their choosing...all based on sheer ignorance and superstition masquerading as "truth" and "common knowledge", the same way that conditions like epilepsy, schizophrenia and even left handedness used to be considered a sure sign of innate character flaws and/or moral failings that invited demonic possession. Sadly the current general state of "common knowledge" about sexual differentiation and gender identity is not much more advanced.— March 31, 2009 6:21 p.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
-continued from above- Finally and most importantly, you characterize me as "a fierce apologist for Miss Cardenas"... the crux of the issue is this: there's NOTHING Ms. Cardenas needs to apologize for in either the facts of her personal life or her work at UCSD. She has been more open than most about how her personal views and experience inform her work, and despite Ernie Grimm's heavy handed attempts to characterize them as something else, her actions in securing funding for her medical expenses through her health insurance and for developing her project were perfectly honest and legal and done through standard channels...if this were not true, that would certainly be a story worth reporting- but in the absence of any hard evidence, any complaints about this legal allocation of funds is just so much "whining", as you put it. Ms. Cardenas has been approached by media outlets and asked to speak about and explain a work that is intrinsically and inextricably tied to her personal gender identity and transition experiences, and when she graciously tries to accommodate them and makes ANY mention of those experiences or how they inform her work, she is then accused of pushing an agenda and being narcissistic...again, when her response isn't to the liking of someone who freely chose to read about her or invite her to speak, they whine about it. I seriously doubt that any of your plays are completely devoid of subtext that could be described by some hack "journalist" as an "agenda", or that you could field a request to describe your life background and views without ever talking about yourself..but this is exactly the standard that Ms. Cardenas is being held to...and if Ernie Grimm or anyone else used their position to impose this double standard or grossly distort the facts about you under the guise of "journalism", I'd be just as quick to hold their feet to the fire. There is an element of art to journalism, but in comparing visual/conceptual art and performance vs. journalism, the obvious difference is that agendas and personal opinions don't belong in what is ostensibly fair and balanced reporting, while agendas and personal opinions are critical to art that has anything to say. But in the comments here, the tables are reversed- the "journalists" are given carte blanche to promote a personal agenda while the artist is excoriated for doing the same and anyone who questions this is called an "apologist" for Ms. Cardenas even though there's nothing to apologize for, while those who apologize for Ernie Grimm's and KUSI's prejudice and disrespect and contempt for basic journalistic standards profess to be seekers of "truth" and "civility"... it's bizarro world.— March 31, 2009 11:54 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
violadace- I am both a visual artist and a musical performer so I don't totally disagree with your opinion about the nature of art and reactions to it...however I do respectfully take issue with a couple of points: 1. A feature article that purports to enlighten people about an artist and that artist's art is not a "review" or should strive to separate any element that does review the work from the parts that ostensibly report facts about the individual presenting it. At the very least, there should be some clear distinction between what is presented as fact and what is the reviewer's personal opinion...to twist any presentation of facts in such a way as to cast aspersions on the subject is propagandizing. 2. An interview of an artist is also not a "review"...you say, "If you choose to speak up, you learn very quickly that you must live with what's said about you." Except that in her experience with KUSI, Micha never got the chance to "speak up" and was replaced by Ernie Grimm speaking FOR her. Gender variant people have a vested interest in not allowing this to go unchallenged, as a major source of the societal friction they face results from having been historically pushed aside and marginalized by clergy, doctors/medical researchers and "journalists" who appoint themselves as authorities on their lives and motivations, and presume to speak for them and often paint a wholly distorted picture. On top of that, where is it written that the accuracy and motivations behind any bias or spin in a particular writer's coverage are sacrosanct and not up for review? Why should Ernie Grimm's artistic license be immune from critique and the "If you choose to speak up, you learn very quickly that you must live with what's said about you" standard not be applied to him?— March 31, 2009 11:43 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
Fred, Micha did not choose the title "My Gender Is Bunny", and she didn't force Ernie Grimm to focus on her gender ID or transition while glossing over most of the technical aspects of her work. As was pointed out, links to the technical details of the project and photographs were provided, all of which were ignored in an attempt to discredit her in the service of the Reader's well known LGBT-phobic religionist agenda. She has no power to force anyone to report anything according to her wishes- she couldn't even get Ernie Grimm to respect her request to be addressed in accordance with the Associated Press Stylebook which instructs journalists to- "Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex and present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly." The AP stylebook is widely acknowledged to be the industry standard usage guide, but Ernie Grimm, his editor and KUSI News all chose to ignore it and disregarded the go-to authority for news reporting commonly known as the "journalist's bible", but you pretend that Ms. Cardenas could steer their reporting if only she gave them a properly worded press release- which totally contradicts your earlier statement that "journalists aren't there to tell the story you want", but that's no surprise. Your posts have focused FAR more on Micha's personal "gender issues" than she has here or in the various discussions of her work that can be found online and elsewhere, and one has to wonder what drives such a singular obsession and urgent need to focus on that one aspect of her life and work and completely ignore everything else. The open discussion of sex/gender being anything but rigidly defined and immutable from birth clearly bothers you to a degree that borders on the pathological, and your overly zealous efforts to discredit and malign Ms. Cardenas for her thoughtful attempts to foster such a discussion reek of desperation and panic. What drives this panic is no doubt the creeping realization that try as you might, your pronouncements about how others should live and think and act have lost any power they might have once had, and people like Micha Cardenas cannot be easily shamed into hiding and self loathing any longer...your attempts to belittle and mock her and others like her for standing up to discrimination and speaking for themselves and challenging bigotry lack any real power to deter anyone, and it scares you... no doubt you are also secretly a bit jealous of someone who would enter into the public arena and willingly face the kind of contempt you and others have heaped on Micha Cardenas for simply being open and honest about her life, work and thoughts....that kind of courage is REAL power, and any weight your pathetic insults might carry is puny and laughable in comparison.— March 31, 2009 4:56 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
fred willaims says- "I, for one, would really appreciate some technical information about what you've learned and how it could be applied to other areas...but I have not the slightest interest in your personal story." Then blame the Reader and Ernie Grimm, who chose to focus on Micha Cardenas' personal story and gender identity over the many technical aspects of the project and their applications/implications in areas like the remote piloting of terrestrial, aerial and space vehicles in peaceful and wartime roles, remote surgery and abatement of dangerous situations like nuclear catastrophes, as well as the psychological and social implications of virtual realities and total immersion in them. All of this has been discussed elsewhere, and Ernie Grimm could have accessed and reported on this information without having to rely on any input from Micha Cardenas at all...so again, blame *him* and his editors for shoddy, incomplete reporting and focusing on one sensational aspect of the story to the almost complete exclusion of any others.— March 30, 2009 10:57 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
reddragonfly - "retrack" my nails....? I'd be rethinking my self-appointment as an authority on accuracy in writing if I were you. And your truculent aside about said nails being "fake", with its obvious insinuations about the validity of others' gender ID fits in with YOUR admonition to "grow up" and engage others "with civility"...how? You accuse Micha Cardenas of "taking grant money for the pretense of a computer science project and using it for a personal/political agenda", but have you actually gotten any information about the project from anywhere but Ernie Grimm's hopelessly biased screed in the Reader? The project/performance/experiment in question is one developed by a postgraduate student seeking an MFA in visual arts, as part of that study- if ART is supposed to be completely free of any "personal/political agenda", what pray tell would you have it explore? Cute animals and children with gigantic eyes? Sad clowns? An endless series of cozy cottages with warmly glowing windows and wisps of smoke coming out of their chimneys, painted as if seen through a layer of gauze? Had you actually taken the time to learn about the project from more than a single dubious source- there's PLENTY of them out there besides any already mentioned- you would have learned that in spite of the fact the it was primarily an ART project, it involved heretofore untested forays into the extended use of motion capture and voice modulation technology and immersion in a virtual space (which all have implications FAR beyond art and "personal agendas", including medical ones monitored by a UCSD affiliated psychiatrist during the duration of project), and that Ms. Cardenas worked closely with other computer programmers in developing and implementing the software and other computer systems used in the project, that have many uses beyond this project alone... yet Grimm only fleetingly mentions her computer science credentials as a grudging acknowledgment of her having been "stable enough" to get them. Also, had you done more than accept Ernie Grimm's "reporting" as fact, you would also know that the project you erroneously describe here as "still an ongoing project" ended on December 17 of last year...which is why the fact that the Reader now reports it many months later as if it is a current story is perfectly germane to a discussion of the Reader's overall accuracy and timeliness.— March 30, 2009 10:39 a.m.
UCSD pays for trans-species project.
"Discrimination" does not have to meet any particular legal standard or be associated with any particular situation like employment or housing to qualify as discrimination. In this context, "discriminate" simply means "to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit" If other women wearing similar clothing are allowed to appear on KUSI news(which they are, daily) and Micha Cardenas was not allowed to do the same based on nothing more than having been legally categorized as male at birth, or because she lacks standard female genitalia, then that is absolutely a case of discrimination based on sex...it may not break any specific anti-discrimination *laws*, but that is not necessary for an act to qualify as being discriminatory in nature. Like other private entities such as private clubs that have the right to discriminate in granting membership, KUSI has the legal right to discriminate in choosing who is interviewed on their station...but in the case of a club that excludes women or homosexuals, that is discrimination- legal discrimination, but discrimination nonetheless. Same goes for KUSI's choice to revoke Micha's invitation to be interviewed on the basis of her manner of dress...a manner of dress that is perfectly acceptable for other women who are KUSI's interview subjects, news anchors, field reporters, etc.- just not transsexual women.— March 29, 2009 9:22 p.m.