NoNoPoMo (Nov 6, 2012)
So I've already failed NaJoPoMo, which is a touch dispiriting given that we're still in the first week of November. I meant to write something when I got home from the fireworks last night but I got in and fell straight asleep - didn't even make it to bed.

I'm hoping to be up all night, watching the election and reading commentary. It's utterly depressing that this race is even close, Mittens is a dangerous joke and should be a footnote in electoral history: it's a mark of how wretched the Republican field was this time around that he was the best and a mark of how disappointing Obama has been that he's in this fight.

The encouraging news is that it looks like all 4 states with gay marriage on the ballot paper (3 to legalise, one to prevent it being banned) will come out in favour of it. If this happens, it'll be a huge step forwards for gay marriage in the States. I've got my fingers crossed.
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(2 replies, Latest reply: Nov 9, 2012)

Iago NaJoPoMo 4 - doing it wrong (Nov 4, 2012)
It's occurred to me that I'm doing pretty much everything wrong this week: I'm supposed to be resting and yet I've taken the bike out every day, I'm supposed to be catching up on my sleep and I'm staying up late and I've bought a computer at the end of the hols rather than the start as would make sense.

Today's bike ride was a beaut, managed to injure myself the day before I return to work. Not badly, just came off and rolled. Ah well, explosion day tomorrow and hopefully it'll pass without the domestic that I had to watch last year.
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(4 replies, Latest reply: Nov 5, 2012)

Iago NaJoPoMo 3 - shiny! (Nov 3, 2012)
The Comet administration plus a surprisingly high bank statement caused me to go on a bit of a spending spree today: picked up a new TV and an XBox, both pretty cheaply. Didn't really need the new TV, since the one I currently own (and is older than me) works fine, but the new console works better with it so I thought why not.

I have a vague plan for bribing myself into skipping junk food, using new Xbox games as the lure. It's worked in the past (when I bought DVD boxsets) and usually ends up saving me money so I can justify it pretty easily. Remains to be seen whether I actually have the willpower for it though: if it works, the lack of junk food plus all the cycling should start having a very noticeable effect.
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(7 replies, Latest reply: Nov 3, 2012)

Iago NaJoPoMo 2 (Nov 2, 2012)
One of the nice things about this week is I'm getting a lot of reading done and some of it is really thought-provoking. Today I came across this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/02/gay-marry-man

Ignoring the click-bait title, it's about a guy who no longer feels being gay is an essential part of his identity: he's in a long-term, happy relationship with another bloke and he doesn't feel the need to be public in his sexuality. I don't agree with his sentiments but it's an interesting look at sexuality versus identity.

The history of gay activism is a fascinating one and particularly the schism between the assimilationists, who believed the route to equality was acting like straights, and the liberationists, who rejected the structures of straight society and believed equality would come via activism. One particularly interesting point is that assimilationists postulated an 'end of gay history' when equality and acceptance was achieved and people would become 'post-gay' - no longer needing to define themselves as gay, because being gay becomes an uncontroversial issue. People like the author of the article, and some of my RL friends, make me think we are rapidly approaching that point.

We're not there yet though, and this is where the authors point falls down. Gay people may want to describe themselves as post-gay, but the laws aren't there yet and opponents of gay equality still hold the power to define gay people legally. A post-gay can't fight this: only way to fight it is to accept the label the law gives us and fight on their turf, which is why being gay is an important part of my identity. We're not at the end of gay history yet.

Still, I think the assimilationists got it wrong: even when we reach the end of gay history (and I think with gay marriage we will pretty much be there) we will need gay folk, not just post-gay folk because it doesn't stop. People talk about coming out as if it's one event, whereas the truth is I've lost count of the number of times I'm come out: it's something you have to do time and time again. Same goes for gay history: people will keep on figuring they're gay and some of them will want/need a sense of what that means, a sense of who that makes them. Gay history is fascinating and that needs passing down lest we forget what we've learned and the struggle for gay rights can/will inform the next human rights battle. Gay history may be mostly written but I think bi and trans history is only just hitting its stride.

Although I consider myself an assimilationist and want nothing more than a 'normal' life, I don't think I'll ever be post-gay: I want to be one of those people who keeps gay history going because its lessons and battles need remembering and the kids (and adults - I know blokes who only figured their sexuality out in their thirties/forties) who are only just realising who they are need access to their heritage.
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(4 replies, Latest reply: Nov 3, 2012)

NaJoPoMo 1 (Nov 1, 2012)
I'm not off to the best start for the month: I'm really struggling for anything to say. Main reason for this is because I'm on half-term and I've spent the past week utterly devoted to relaxation: the final few weeks of term were horrific so I'm recharging my batteries before I go back on Monday.

This November is going to be interesting: I've got some cool work stuff coming up. Next Wednesday is going to be particularly interesting as I'll be trying a full day on no sleep - I'll be staying up all night for the US election.

So that's post no. 1: I'll try to make the next 29 more interesting/focused/coherent.
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(9 replies, Latest reply: Nov 2, 2012)


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