by Sean - 11 August 2009
I’ve never liked the word ‘apotemnophilia‘. It seems to me too negative, too *ugly*. The very word implies that the condition is something perverted, hence that those who have it are scum of the earth. Not to mention it’s just not accurately describing the vast majority of people who have BIID. Now, it looks like the word is making it into legislation, and not in a good way.
Apotemnophilia Making It To Legislation? continues »
by Cath - 3 May 2009
When I was growing up in the England of the late seventies I had some experiences which made me become sharply aware of the potency of names. First of all, I was a pupil at a rural school which was totally dominated by white, middle class children and I can remember clearly the single child of Afro-Caribbean descent who attended. She got bullied and called a ‘nigger’ and when this culminated in the word being sprayed on a classroom wall the culprits were summarily expelled, although I was never quite certain whether this was for the racism or the graffiti. The unfortunate victim left soon after and I don’t blame her.
Would BIID By Any Other Name Smell As Sweet? continues »