![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
featherynscaleConversation of the day at the office:
EVIL VP (to Friendly Sales Guy): I'll just have [Shortened form of my name] take care of that for you.
EVIL VP shuts his door.
FSG (to me): You know, I think, until you tell me otherwise, I think I'll stick with [Full version of my name, which I, of course, prefer].
ME: I appreciate that. I really prefer [Full version]. At least, until I have my operations. Then, I'll thank you to call me Mike.
FSG stares.
ME: Or, you know, until I change my last name to something with more than one syllable. Then you can call me [Short Form]. Or Mike. Either one.
FSG stares.
ME: I just need to decide on the new last name. I've been thinking about Von Doom. But I think that's taken already.
And then, more staring. It must be Monday, because the sense of humor has gone steadily downhill since about 1:00.
Anyway, I also need an etiquette check, if you all would be so kind. I've been thinking about what to do for my birthday party, which is coming up here. Masked orgies were suggested, but I really think that's impractical until we finish remodeling the basement. Last year, I had a Boys in Eyeliner party, but that's sort of discriminatory, which is not cool. I still want boys in eyeliner though, I just want everybody to have a chance to dress up. So I was thinking about having some sort of gender-bending costume party, and ask everyone to come as some gender orientation other than the one they usually project. Could be drag, could be androgyne, could be just a different take on things, girls who are normally butch coming in frilly prom dresses, that sort of thing. I think this would be fun. However, I am aware that most people in the world probably don't think of gender as something you play with (either because That Sort Of Thing Is Unnatural or because Gender Struggles Are Serious Business And Don't You Dare Mock My Pain). So, do you think this would be offensive?
EVIL VP (to Friendly Sales Guy): I'll just have [Shortened form of my name] take care of that for you.
EVIL VP shuts his door.
FSG (to me): You know, I think, until you tell me otherwise, I think I'll stick with [Full version of my name, which I, of course, prefer].
ME: I appreciate that. I really prefer [Full version]. At least, until I have my operations. Then, I'll thank you to call me Mike.
FSG stares.
ME: Or, you know, until I change my last name to something with more than one syllable. Then you can call me [Short Form]. Or Mike. Either one.
FSG stares.
ME: I just need to decide on the new last name. I've been thinking about Von Doom. But I think that's taken already.
And then, more staring. It must be Monday, because the sense of humor has gone steadily downhill since about 1:00.
Anyway, I also need an etiquette check, if you all would be so kind. I've been thinking about what to do for my birthday party, which is coming up here. Masked orgies were suggested, but I really think that's impractical until we finish remodeling the basement. Last year, I had a Boys in Eyeliner party, but that's sort of discriminatory, which is not cool. I still want boys in eyeliner though, I just want everybody to have a chance to dress up. So I was thinking about having some sort of gender-bending costume party, and ask everyone to come as some gender orientation other than the one they usually project. Could be drag, could be androgyne, could be just a different take on things, girls who are normally butch coming in frilly prom dresses, that sort of thing. I think this would be fun. However, I am aware that most people in the world probably don't think of gender as something you play with (either because That Sort Of Thing Is Unnatural or because Gender Struggles Are Serious Business And Don't You Dare Mock My Pain). So, do you think this would be offensive?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
at the risk of you not actually seeing this
Date: 2005-07-26 04:08 pm (UTC)Also, there's a difference between things not being okay, and people who aren't okay with things. Cause and effect variances, you know.
Re: at the risk of you not actually seeing this
Date: 2005-07-26 05:57 pm (UTC)I understand the difference between those things. I was initially envisioning the party as a public event, or at least having a public component. It may do better as a house party.
Also, yes, there is a difference between things not being okay and people not being okay with things, but I find that people who are not okay with things have a way of converting things from okay to not-okay, at least in the manifestation of the thing (which is to say that somebody's issues aren't going to corrupt my basic views on gender, but they can certainly make the party go awry).
Re: public vs. private
Date: 2005-07-26 07:55 pm (UTC)Re: public vs. private
Date: 2005-07-26 08:01 pm (UTC)