Hi All
In my own sort of post-modern way In would say there are many
readings here all legitimate interpretations- I read the comment as
being PC and showing an awareness of the legitimacy of same
gender marriage. Reflexively, I would say that happened becasue,
having worked with people at the DRU, in a merleu-ponty way I
already was predisposed to an interpretation.
I would add that an important lesson I have learnt on this mailbase
to ask people what they mean by things they write and ask myself
why, other than the effect of the content of an email, I'm
predisposed that day to being tetchy.
I often appoligise to people for things I do and say even though
when I said and did them they were not meant to be offensive - I
especially do this when I realise that my impairment, my inability to
put what I mean down in text in a grammatically acceptable way has
lead to missunderstandings but I also expect that once people know
of my difficulties with the written word they spend more time
checking what I mean with me. This process has led to some
heated exchanges but also fantastically understanding working
relationships (e.g. I'm deeply indebted to people like Nick Watson
and Mairian Corker for the support they have given me)
I have also learnt that people have multiple identites and some days
they are willing to check meanings and other days they are not.
Finally this process has taught me that when people try to stigmatise
other people in disability studies (Is this what you've been trying to
do Shelly? with the DRU and in other emails about Tom
Shakseare? - I'm very unsure of your motives) they are very often
reproducing the oppression which they themselves have
experienced elsewhere in their lives.
We will only stop this process of injuring each other through
language (as Mairian's work demonstrates) when we show each
other a bit more understanding/togeatherness and stop attempting
to humiliate each other,creating winners and loosers
John
Dr John M Davis
Research Unit in Health and Behavioural Change
The University of Edinburgh
Medical School
Teviot Place
Edinburgh
EH8 9AG
tele 0131 651 1206
fax 0131 650 6902
email [log in to unmask]
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