h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm really new to h2g2 (yesterday), but one of the things that got me involved was your project. If you want to bounce ideas off someone, I'd be happy to help. I'm a bisexual woman, too, so probably we won't have terribly different points of view, but I have a access to a number of interesting BGLT resources.

Plus, I'm not sure what else I want to tackle right now. So, if you have your project well in hand, but can suggest something that could use some work, feel free to let me know! (Are you likely to include a section on polyamory?)

Cheers!

Oh yes, please. A hand would be faboo. It's nice to meet you, Daroo. Why is it a sad day in the pond?

Here is a list of topics that might be added to the project:

Transsexuality
Understanding Gender
Monogamy
Polygamy/Polyamory
How to Determine Your Own Sexual Orientation
Rude Questions Not to Ask about Someone Else's Sexual Orientation, and The Answers

If you would like to take any of these topics, I would be most obliged. I'll just add it in to my topic list. I'll add you on as a helper now, and you can give me your 2 cents as these entries become a little more complete. With any luck, you'll think of something to add or will otherwise have a different opinion I need to include.

I thought I'd start by taking on Polygamy etc., since I did bring it up. Though being new, I'm not sure what to do... do I just add an entry and then you'd link to it from the project page, or is there some complicated system (like regular university projects)?

Also, how long are you planning for each entry to be? I don't want to turn in a paragraph and a half if the others are all essays.

P.S. The pond's sad because I only found out on Monday that DNA died.

Well, that's a very good reason to be sad. I'm sad too, but I try not to show it too much.

You've got the right idea on the entry. Just add an entry and start writing. Let me know when you've got it started, and I'll link to it from the project page.

I'd like the entry to have a little meat in it (more than a couple of paragraphs), but a whole essay would be too long. Think short but snappy. A few things that could be included:

1) How does modern polyamory differ from traditional notions of polygamists?
2) How do proponents of polyamory find each other? Is there anything like the gay community?
3) How do polyamorist relationships work? Isn't jealousy a problem?
4) Are wives/husbands fooling around technically polygamists? What about people who engage in threesomes?
5) Has some form of polygamy/polyamory always been around? In what form?

For that last, we could include some information about:
harems and other accepted forms of multiple marriage amongst nobility
Mormon polygamy
the absurd number of movies about men with multiple wives who are unaware of each other
polyamory/polygamy by men and women as a common practice today in many parts of Africa
anything else you can think of

Just FYI, I have put a first draft online of my Sexual Orientation article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A543818

Wow. What an auspicious beginning. You weren't kidding when you said you wanted a sort of in-depth look at things.

There are a couple of points I would clarify, though. First, not all Muslim women wear the full hijab - very few do in North America, and in a lot of non-Western countries (ie Turkey & Egypt), Muslim women are wearing more revealing clothes. In the USA and Canada at least, lots of Muslim women don't even wear a head scarf, and I personally know some Muslim women who are active in sports. Maybe be more specific in terms of a country, or just use the general disclaimer that "many Muslim women" etc.

Also, I'd be careful with the final paragraph where you refer to orientation as something a person can decide. I'd argue that I can choose my behaviour, I can choose what I call myself (if I choose a label at all) and I can choose to make my orienation public knowledge or not. However, I don't think a person chooses his or her sexual orientation. I agree that there certainly is a degree of malleability inherent in sexual orientation, but it is not my experience (nor that of most of the gay, lesbian and straight folks I know) that it is a choice. I don't think that's what you meant to imply, but it's there.

All in all, it is a great start

PS. I'm hoping to post my first draft of the polyamory section in the next few days.

Those are both very excellent points. I really think I was envisioning the women in Afghanistan under Taliban control. And of course, I do not mean to make it sound as if sexual orientation is malleable when for most people (if not all) it is not. I will definitely include these changes in my next draft, which should be ready sometimes later this week.

Reading over the draft, it also seems to me that the material on the Kinsey scale is poorly placed. It should either go into another section of the entry, or it should be a different entry altogether. I'll work on that for the next draft also.

Thanks for the feedback, Daroo. I do appreciate it.

Just so you know, I posted draft #1 of the polyamory entry at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A565535

Let me know what you think.

Awesome! The way you have written this, it seems to me that polyamory and polygamy are quite distinct. So perhaps polygamy should be a completely different article, eh?

I don't want to change anything written. There are a few things to consider adding.

1) Is polyamory technically illegal? Does anyone ever get prosecuted for it?
2) Where are these web sites and other resources online for polys? We can include links!
3) Is it more or less difficult to juggle poly relationships compared to monogamous ones?

Thanks!

I'll incorporate some of your suggestions into the entry (I was planning to include links, I just forgot to mention it in my last post), but since you asked:

I don't think most poly folks actually try to legally marry more than one spouse at a time, so there's no illegality there. And I don't know about other counties, but as far as I'm aware the US and Canada don't have any statutes regarding having multiple non-married relationships. I don't think adultery is illegal here, either.

As for juggling relationships, I guess it depends on the people. For me, neither I nor my partner have the energy for other complete relationships, but that could change and isn't necessarily out of the question. We don't live together, so things are actually pretty simple. I know another couple who do live together and just make sure to tell each other where they will be in advance. Another couple I know don't invite a third party into the relationship unless all three are going to be together. So, like I said, everyone has to figure out what works for them (& their partners).

If a couple is monogamous, there's nothing to juggle, so I'd wager it's a lot easier. But if the relationship is supposedly monogamous but one party is cheating, I'd guess it's way more difficult because of all the deception. But, thankfully, I don't actually know anything about that.

Anyway, I'll let you know when the next revision is up. Thanks again for the vote of confidence!

Just FYI, I've lifted out the information on the Kinsey Scale because it was getting out of hand. I'm *fairly*
certain that that section is finished now. Do let me know what you think.

The draft is at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A570098

About half of the Secual Orientation entry is in its second draft. The latter half still needs work.

Doing a whole entry on Kinsey makes a lot of sense. I also checked out the new and improved Sexual Orientation entry, which looks fantabulous!

Also, I've updated the Poly entry (made some minor changes and added links).

Woohoo! The new version of the Polyamory article is awesome. I'll add a link to it from the Sexual Orientation article tomorrow. I'll also link to the article on Dominance and Submission that is working its way through Peer Review now.

I thought of another good section to add! I need a section on "Games People Play" regarding orientation. I need to include annoying phenomenon like queer people who consign themselves to longterm closets and/or double lives, baldfaced lies made by people of all orientations for selfish reasons, the gender pronoun game, and so forth.

I have finished editing the Sexual Orientation article. I am thinking it may remain in its current long form.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A543818

I have also complete a first draft of the entry on Heterosexuality. What do you think?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A543845

I've added another entry (comparatively frivolous) on the Gender Pronoun Game:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A576173

Sorry to post again right away. I've also finished the entry on Homosexuality:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A543836

Wow! I've been elsewhere for the past little while, but you've sure been busy here. I'm very impressed.

I really like the way you've structured the Homosexuality and Heterosexuality entries the same way. You've done a very good job of pointing out that the major differences are social rather than inherent in the orientations. Kudoes!

I also am glad to see an entry about coming out, which wil hopefully help folks going through that process. I did notice that you used the word "awful" an... awful lot. All it needs is a quick edit, though.

The gender pronoun game was pretty amusing. Seems like you really don't like it. I'll admit that I play it occasionally myself, generally quite obviously, to get people actively wondering what the gender of my partner is. I find it helps them to not assume that I'm straight. But you're right that playing it to conceal can be annoying (not to mention duplicitous).

Anyway, all in all, I think this is taking great shape! Yay.

Thanks for the comments, Daroo. I got frustrated with the 'Coming Out' entry because it was getting too difficult to write without the audience being defined as queer or straight. I've decided to restructure it into different parts so I can correct this problem. I'll have a general introduction, then address the different sections as appropriate.

I guess I *was* negative about the Gender Pronoun Game. To an extent, I should be. But perhaps I should include a bit about the relatively harmless uses of the game. I'll think about that.

I think I'll stop once I've finished the Coming Out and Bisexuality sections. The only one I might conceivably do is one on Stupid Questions Not to Ask, and Their Answers. But I'm not sure whether I really want to do that or not.

Hey, Daroo. The Coming Out entry is done and I've decided to go ahead with the Questions and Answers entry. Just FYI, Wonko the Sane has dropped by and commented on a few entries -- including yours! Do pop by and see what he had to say at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F69102?thread=125944 Also, he told me to give you a hug. So here it is.

Hey Fraggie!

FC here. DD and I were wandering through m2m2 and found you were doing a project, and still needed a sub-ed. If you still are looking for one, I'd be more than happy to help. Drop by my page or whatever, and tell me what I can do for you!

Fashion Cat