Saturday, April 7, 2007

The Time Draws Nigh

So I’m slowly but surely doing my research for the 10 page, 3,000 word paper I’m supposed to have polished and ready by Friday….procrastination is one of my best skills.

Since I have an extremely hard time writing about things in which I am not interested, I have tried to pick a topic that a) I am interested in or, barring that, b) I know nothing about. Might as well make the s*$t useful, you know? So, as I’ve mentioned before, the issue I chose to do the literature review on is LGBTQQ collection development…and again, for those hiding under a rock that’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning. It is something I know nothing about but feel a professional responsibility that I should know. Librarians are some of the most political/societal change-type people I know and I'm just not one of them at this point. I also don't know if I'll ever develop a political platform, but I will read about them as I have this particular issue.

I have encountered the term lesbigay time and time again in my reading. I’ve never heard it before and don’t know if I like it or not. It reminds me of those fake breeds of dogs like the labradoodle (that’s a mutt folks, capital M capital U capital T T mutt…learn to love it…..).

Anyway…all this reading has made me feel like a lumbering, no forehead Neanderthal. I like to think of myself as an educated, well-read, progressive person, not always an early adapter (just in case it’s a fad) but right there as close to the cutting edge as I can manage. Now I’m starting to think I’m not as far along in my progressive life as I had imagined, especially in my book selecting. I'm one to really err on the side of caution. I haven't had to deal with a book challenge yet and want to avoid it for as long as possible; consequently my purchase selection reflects that. So, according to all the research I'm doing, I have been practicing "inside censorship". Eeeeek! I don't agree with censorship! Eeeeek!(again!) Those good intentions pave a road I have no intention of traveling if I can help it....

Facing these hard truths will hopefully make me a better librarian, to think more often about what I’m saying before I talk and such. I love being a librarian and would hate to consider the possibility that by some word or gesture, I have alienated someone. I have spent most of my life being alienated and ridiculed because of my weight so I certainly don’t want to be guilty of doing that to someone else. I know I will be guilty of it at some point, but I would rather it be unintentional than common practice.

Alright people, go out there and be part of humanity, not Neanderthals!

Adiós!
htw

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