Building off of last week’s topic, identity, we discuss similar issues regarding language. Language is something that we utilize everyday to communicate, to identify others, to identify ourselves, to categorize, and to play with power dynamics. In the same way that identity categories can be simultaneously liberating and limiting, so can our choice of words. We will discuss words like “queer” and “cunt” to explore reclamation of words and talk about our personal experiences and feelings regarding the issue. Is reclamation of words useful? What is its purpose? Does it serve its purpose? We will also talk about expanding our definitions of things and complicating language as it relates to identity and what we have come to know about others’ identities from external factors like families, religion, the media, etc. Finally, we will begin to discuss how these topics relate to our next section on privilege.

Some readings for you (these are not mandatory, but they can help enrich the workshop!):

How to Make Love to a Trans Person by Gabe Moses

Trans Basics: Glossary of Terms

Preface to Cunt by Inga Muscio

Must Identity Movements Self Destruct? A Queer Dilemma by Joshua Gamson

Please enjoy the materials and write down your thoughts, responses, what you find problematic, etc. and we can talk about them on Monday night (if you choose to read them)!

We will be meeting at Libertalia, located at 280 Broadway #200  Providence, RI 02903, from 6-8 PM on Monday, March 19th, 2012.

If you are new to the space, please check out Libertalia’s website at http://www.libertaliapvd.org/ when you have free time.