hundun

I'm told I'm a mammal; a social one; part of a species that's like the other apes, but more messy.

I am a creature of skill and artifice. I am learning to stop dissasociating.

My favorite archetype is the trickster-hero; it has a lot of overlap with the fire-thief.

Things you need to know to distinguish the original model from knock-offs: can draw, sketch and cartoon; switch; ability to catch thrown objects is mediocre at best; high emotional intelligence; trans; can make funny-tasting curry and sushi; good singing voice; ignorant of the mysteries of baking; listens well; has a wicked scar on her head; distancing herself from classism; sometimes too polite; scary-smart; socially anxious; obsessive-compulsive; will define self as feminist to laypeople, but less often to academics; talks about nonexistant places and people like they're news items; light sleeper; eagerly awaits catastrophe; allergic to cats; good colour sense; would be bilingual if you combined all the French, Japanese, Spanish and Czech she spoke into one langauge; can plan small events; can fit my fist in mouth, feet behind my head, can touch my ankles with my wrists, does this thing this with my elbows that can't be put succinctly.


Here are some of my standard prayers:
- "Move with me"
- "Help me show them something to believe in"
- "Fortune favour me, and G-d keep the Wolf from my door."


At the end of September 2007, someone chose to take the entries I wrote on gender and politics, print them up, and pass them around a roomful of people as part of a larger attempt to put enough pressure on my that I would quit an elected position. It didn't work, but it hurt.

This prompted me to make the following clear:

This journal is not written in my capacity as a member of any official outside body. It is thus, part of my personal life. Much of it is not protected by a password. I see no contradiction in this.

I do this for several reasons:

o I think that people should be able to express their personal, and often intimately emotional, opinions publicly with the understanding that they will not be punished or attacked for their honesty. The alternative is to fear genuine communication.

o I think that relying on computers to screen people is a way of delegating the decision of whether or not to trust people away from humans and to machines. Since computers are devices designed to carry out our will, automated screening easily becomes a way of blaming an inert object for our own choices, while cultivating our own reluctance to honestly engage with others

o I think that people are smart enough to know when a comment is directed to everyone, and when it is directed to friends, acquaintances and not to the whole world. And I think that, by and large, most people are honourable enough to respect that.

o I don't think that people should have to subscribe to Livejournal to communicate with me.

It was very difficult for me to decide to make the Queer-related information public. I did so because I went through the coming out process without access to ideas by people in similar spaces to myself. So I want people to be able to access this without having to identify themselves, thus granting them a sense of privacy.The response I have received to date indicates that this has made a difference in peoples' lives.

Our society tends to believe that people are liable for whatever harm befalls them should they not go out of their way to protect themselves. I want to show to at least myself that this is a bad way to live. Not locking up your bike does not make it public property or justify its theft. Dressing in a low-cut shirt does not make your body public-access or justify getting groped. Leaving your door unlocked does not make your house public space and justify another's intrusion. Leaving my journal open does not give anyone in the public the right to do whatever they want with it.

While someone may exploit one person's honesty, I think that decent people see that this is abusing a system of trust. And it is the opinion of decent people that I care about.

In short, I think that society can function through trust, not restricted information. I believe in hospitality, personal discretion and politeness. I enjoy showing faith in people. This is not going to change.

If you wish to stay, I take it that you then shall abide by these principles and so will give me the space I need to feel safe.

If you can't stay, I thank you for being considerate, and would remind you that there's a whole Internet out there, and there should be something entertaining and/or useful on it. If you're curious about me, you can also ask me for information in person, and I will usually oblige. If it falls within my professional duty to tell you something, I will do so.

If you want to breach this, I can't stop you. I can only ask you not to... and introduce you to my bag of tricks.