https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/2...iellMSFF2VXJ0UQ Mistress Snow Letters of Recommendation

I feel like a lot of people, even very smart ones misunderstand prejudice.

They see it as a particular group getting targeted, rather than as the mental (faulty) process that targets groups of people.

I've heard these gems all of my life

"I can't be prejudiced. I'm black!"

"I can't be sexist. I'm a woman!"


Sadly, academics are not immune from this cognitive cog skipping.

The set of people who truly understand prejudice is small. Even smaller is the set of people who have that understanding and who have the courage to change their behavior on that understanding before societal support catches up with them.


People who will take a look outside of prescribed boundaries are rare. People who can see between the lines are rarer still. People who have the courage to live by what they see are even rarer.

How sad for her advisor being an academic and failing to be in any of those sets.

Her thinking only walks on paved, well lit paths.

Until very recently, it was socially and academically acceptable to condemn us as hopeless perverts.

Many psychologists are now coming around to the undeniable FACT that BDSM in and of itself is not a pathology. This is due to the DSM-V, which came out a couple of years ago. Outside of psychology, I don't think that these changes are generally known by people in other fields. Even the medical field (my field), as I have learned. That, and many people in academia are fucking snobs-- it is an ugly, competitive world in which they live.

It's ironic that her mentor comes from a world in which free thinking and inquiry are supposedly exalted, but the fact is that many of them are clamoring toward mediocrity. It's all just so hypocritical.

You're welcome for the uplifting post


xoxo.


V

Ha ha ha.

I agree with you about academia. I consider it a blessing I didn't end up there.


Nobody cares what I think and it is a tremendous freedom.

This has been true for other "disorders". Over time, society comes to realize that what was once thought a disorder, is uptight christian values guiding what is considered illness. I'm not blanket criticizing christians, but there are some that do like to cast stones.

Homosexuality was categorized as a disorder up until the release of the DSM-III I believe. Gender Identity Disorder was in the DSM-IV, but has been removed from the DSM-V. There was a time (and for some backward thinking it's still acceptable) when it was socially acceptable to condemn homosexuality. Although there is movement, there is still a large group fighting vehemently against accepting transgender.

This is where I believe mainstream media and Hollywood play a vital role. Think back to when Ellen came out. I know there were famous gay people before this, but, she was very popular and well liked. She went so far as to make her TV character gay. There was backlash, but it opened a door for others to eventually feel like they could come out.

Now we are in the midst of the battle of acceptance over transgender. Chaz Bono came out followed by Caitlyn Jenner. I would like to think eventually this won't be so taboo and the transgender community will no longer be labeled perverts.

Which brings me to BDSM and Fifty Shades of Grey. I know many in the BDSM community roll their eyes at the mention of fifty shades of anything, BUT, you have to admit it has on a very small scale made acceptance of kink a little more acceptable. I know many women who admit (while blushing) they read the books or saw the movies. I think we need more movies and books.




Unfortunate truth. What that mentor did was disgraceful for someone who is educated and should embrace differing thoughts and opinions.

HA!

I believe that the DSM-V made a few breakthroughs: 1) In asserting that transgenderism is not a pathology, and 2) "Paraphilias" are now understood as not being inherently fucked up, but cause for concern only in certain cases where it gets in the way of living one's daily existence. Or if it is nonconsensual.

I have said for many years that kinky people need to have their own parade in order to assert our own pride. The gay pride parade includes us, but the visibility is very low. Fifty Shades of Grey could have been a huge moment for us but the stars of the movie pathologized us, so that was a wash.

I agree that celebrities talking about their sexuality helps a movement immensely.


xoxo.


V