Call for essays for Trapped! When Language Fails to Fit.
by Jessica Pettitt
genre:
Gay & Lesbian
description:
Current work in progress...
chapters
chapter 1:
Call for submissions
Call for submissions
chapter 1
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updated 03/31/08
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Call for essays for Trapped! When Language Fails to Fit.
Please submit in Word format, essays, poetry, pictures (as jpgs) to be included in an upcoming anthology.
As discussed at Gender Odyssey and on a number of Trans partner listervs, there is a need to get the word out about the limitations of language in sharing our experiences and identities with others. Please forward this call for essays to anyone interested. Trans and queer partners, families, individuals, organizations, etc., are encouraged to participate. We are looking for 1500 word (or less) original pieces representing a self expression, lived experience, and/or identity(ies) for an individual or that person in relation to another or others. It is our intention to include more than just Trans people and partners in the text so please spread the word about this opportunity far and wide.
Below is more information about the book itself, suggested ideas or topics for submissions, and a tentative outline for the manuscript.
Multiple submissions are welcome! Please email submissions to contactme@jessicapettitt.com with all contact information of author, or images in any pictures before May 1, 2008. No hard copies will be accepted or returned.
All submissions may be edited for space constraints. It don’t this would cover our asses, though. I’d like to send people a release in the event we choose to use their piece(s). Full credit will be given for all submissions in the text. Submitters of essays, pictures, etc., that are used for the book will receive one free copy of the text upon publication.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Word documents for text, JPG for pictures
1500 words or less
Include all contact information for author
If sending a picture, please identify all people in the image and supply their contact information
Email to contactme@jessicapettitt.com
No hard copies accepted or returned
Deadline May 1, 2008
All submissions used will receive a free copy of the book upon publication
PURPOSE
People are often not able to fully express themselves or their relations with others due to a limitation of language. Words are created within sub-cultures and communities to accurately describe realities. Until new language and broader more inclusive definitions of current words become mainstream, laws, policies, interactions, and self-identities will trap, oppress, and undermine our sense of community as well as our senses of ourselves.
This book explores the lived experiences of folks and their relationship to others currently indescribable by our language. In addition, the work will be grounded in the scholarly literature further demonstrating the pervasiveness of the limitations in our shared understanding of identity. With this as a basis, we can begin to understand the importance of shared meanings of common language and the impacts these meanings have in current services, policies, and ideals involving self expression and relationships.
FRESH IDEA
Language consists of sounds, movements, and lines called letters that vary by culture, time, place, and context. The social construction of language evolves over time to describe new things, communities, and other representative forms that are in need of a descriptor or a label. These labels can be seen not only in the colloquial discourse between individuals, but also in the scholarly work related to the particular cultural context.
Until entities are labeled with language there is little social recognition for the existence of the entity largely because there is no way to describe it to others or to the self. If language must be created for "things" to exist, what happens in the meantime as words, labels, describing language evolve and spread into popular use? Unlike a "hard drive," or "light bulb," or "zipper," some entities existed before we took notice to assign a label or could hold the "thing" in our hands. In particular, complications related to describing social interactions, relationships, partners, friendship, and family connections have existed, and words to not yet allow us to convey understandings of these intimate social circumstances. The words we know do not describe the complexities available in regards to sexual attraction, mutual respect, and chosen families.
Trapped by language will give voice to the human side of these limitations. We offer a collection of personal stories from folks that are actively part of a relational and emotional connection language currently does not or cannot explain . The stories of male bodied women identified lesbian mothers, multiple partners parenting children where "mom" and "dad" roles are not limited to two people, committed dedicated polyamorous monogamous legally recognized marriages between lesbian identified women and transmen assigned male at birth, or heterosexual identified women falling in love with another that is part of the "queer" community, etc.
Using a number of electronic communities, listservs, chat rooms, and conferences, first person stories will be written and collected from folks of diverse ages, nationalities, religions, identities, and class backgrounds. With introductions and transitional passages drawn from the existing empirical literature, it will be themed into an accessible reader. The book will shed light on the elusive ideas we do have language for, like biphobia, transphobia, violence, love, romance, commitment, etc. These stories will also shed light on the complicated realities of human relationships, the significance of these realities regardless of the lack of language, the need for and validation within a patriarchal, sexist, and heterosexist society, and the fluidity of one's own self perception or identity in contrast to the perceptions of others. Moreover, these stories will explore the difficulties resulting from the lack of recognition or language in addition to the more violating exotification or fetishization path that unidentified relationships and personal identities must transverse prior to being recognized as legitimate by both smaller subordinated group memberships and society as a whole.
TARGET USE
1. Psych/Soc (Behavioral Science)
Relationships, Therapy
Individual (identity?) Focus
2. Gender Studies, Philosophy
Theory, epistemology, Language
Theory Focus
3. Biological Perspective
Intersexuality
Group focus (descriptive)
4. Housing Folks and other Social Justice Advocates
5. Many others yet to be determined
AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Dr. Melinda Myers, PsyD
Dr. Myers works from the intersections of sexuality, gender, class and race in a broad spectrum of work. In addition to teaching Psychology and Women’s Studies courses at Humboldt State University, she is also the owner of a feminist oriented sex store in Eureka, California, and a Clinical Psychologist in private practice. Her dynamic, articulate teaching style brings accessibility and life to the sometimes schizophrenic body of empirical work related the understanding of identity.
Jessica Pettitt, MEd.
Referred to as the "Margaret Cho" of Diversity Trainers, Jessica Pettitt blends politics, humor, identity, and local flair with big city passion and energy through direct, individualized, and interactive conversations. Her workshops, seminars, and keynotes don't just leave participants invigorated but inspired and motivated to follow through with action to create change. Having traveled and lived in a variety of communities and environments all over the world, while also engaging with education as student, teacher, administrator, and active community member, Jessica uses her take on life to lead participants through a safe but confrontational process of examination, self reflection, and open dialog that is as challenging as it is rewarding.
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Please submit in Word format, essays, poetry, pictures (as jpgs) to be included in an upcoming anthology.
As discussed at Gender Odyssey and on a number of Trans partner listervs, there is a need to get the word out about the limitations of language in sharing our experiences and identities with others. Please forward this call for essays to anyone interested. Trans and queer partners, families, individuals, organizations, etc., are encouraged to participate. We are looking for 1500 word (or less) original pieces representing a self expression, lived experience, and/or identity(ies) for an individual or that person in relation to another or others. It is our intention to include more than just Trans people and partners in the text so please spread the word about this opportunity far and wide.
Below is more information about the book itself, suggested ideas or topics for submissions, and a tentative outline for the manuscript.
Multiple submissions are welcome! Please email submissions to contactme@jessicapettitt.com with all contact information of author, or images in any pictures before May 1, 2008. No hard copies will be accepted or returned.
All submissions may be edited for space constraints. It don’t this would cover our asses, though. I’d like to send people a release in the event we choose to use their piece(s). Full credit will be given for all submissions in the text. Submitters of essays, pictures, etc., that are used for the book will receive one free copy of the text upon publication.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Word documents for text, JPG for pictures
1500 words or less
Include all contact information for author
If sending a picture, please identify all people in the image and supply their contact information
Email to contactme@jessicapettitt.com
No hard copies accepted or returned
Deadline May 1, 2008
All submissions used will receive a free copy of the book upon publication
PURPOSE
People are often not able to fully express themselves or their relations with others due to a limitation of language. Words are created within sub-cultures and communities to accurately describe realities. Until new language and broader more inclusive definitions of current words become mainstream, laws, policies, interactions, and self-identities will trap, oppress, and undermine our sense of community as well as our senses of ourselves.
This book explores the lived experiences of folks and their relationship to others currently indescribable by our language. In addition, the work will be grounded in the scholarly literature further demonstrating the pervasiveness of the limitations in our shared understanding of identity. With this as a basis, we can begin to understand the importance of shared meanings of common language and the impacts these meanings have in current services, policies, and ideals involving self expression and relationships.
FRESH IDEA
Language consists of sounds, movements, and lines called letters that vary by culture, time, place, and context. The social construction of language evolves over time to describe new things, communities, and other representative forms that are in need of a descriptor or a label. These labels can be seen not only in the colloquial discourse between individuals, but also in the scholarly work related to the particular cultural context.
Until entities are labeled with language there is little social recognition for the existence of the entity largely because there is no way to describe it to others or to the self. If language must be created for "things" to exist, what happens in the meantime as words, labels, describing language evolve and spread into popular use? Unlike a "hard drive," or "light bulb," or "zipper," some entities existed before we took notice to assign a label or could hold the "thing" in our hands. In particular, complications related to describing social interactions, relationships, partners, friendship, and family connections have existed, and words to not yet allow us to convey understandings of these intimate social circumstances. The words we know do not describe the complexities available in regards to sexual attraction, mutual respect, and chosen families.
Trapped by language will give voice to the human side of these limitations. We offer a collection of personal stories from folks that are actively part of a relational and emotional connection language currently does not or cannot explain . The stories of male bodied women identified lesbian mothers, multiple partners parenting children where "mom" and "dad" roles are not limited to two people, committed dedicated polyamorous monogamous legally recognized marriages between lesbian identified women and transmen assigned male at birth, or heterosexual identified women falling in love with another that is part of the "queer" community, etc.
Using a number of electronic communities, listservs, chat rooms, and conferences, first person stories will be written and collected from folks of diverse ages, nationalities, religions, identities, and class backgrounds. With introductions and transitional passages drawn from the existing empirical literature, it will be themed into an accessible reader. The book will shed light on the elusive ideas we do have language for, like biphobia, transphobia, violence, love, romance, commitment, etc. These stories will also shed light on the complicated realities of human relationships, the significance of these realities regardless of the lack of language, the need for and validation within a patriarchal, sexist, and heterosexist society, and the fluidity of one's own self perception or identity in contrast to the perceptions of others. Moreover, these stories will explore the difficulties resulting from the lack of recognition or language in addition to the more violating exotification or fetishization path that unidentified relationships and personal identities must transverse prior to being recognized as legitimate by both smaller subordinated group memberships and society as a whole.
TARGET USE
1. Psych/Soc (Behavioral Science)
Relationships, Therapy
Individual (identity?) Focus
2. Gender Studies, Philosophy
Theory, epistemology, Language
Theory Focus
3. Biological Perspective
Intersexuality
Group focus (descriptive)
4. Housing Folks and other Social Justice Advocates
5. Many others yet to be determined
AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Dr. Melinda Myers, PsyD
Dr. Myers works from the intersections of sexuality, gender, class and race in a broad spectrum of work. In addition to teaching Psychology and Women’s Studies courses at Humboldt State University, she is also the owner of a feminist oriented sex store in Eureka, California, and a Clinical Psychologist in private practice. Her dynamic, articulate teaching style brings accessibility and life to the sometimes schizophrenic body of empirical work related the understanding of identity.
Jessica Pettitt, MEd.
Referred to as the "Margaret Cho" of Diversity Trainers, Jessica Pettitt blends politics, humor, identity, and local flair with big city passion and energy through direct, individualized, and interactive conversations. Her workshops, seminars, and keynotes don't just leave participants invigorated but inspired and motivated to follow through with action to create change. Having traveled and lived in a variety of communities and environments all over the world, while also engaging with education as student, teacher, administrator, and active community member, Jessica uses her take on life to lead participants through a safe but confrontational process of examination, self reflection, and open dialog that is as challenging as it is rewarding.
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