CIA combine ill-treatment and pimping

There is a fascinating history of mad, bad and deeply unethical medical and scientific research. From experiments in Nazi Germany to the Tuskegee study in the USA where African American men were left untreated for syphilis so that the progression of the disease could be monitored. The study was only halted in 1972.

I just came across Operation Midnight Climax, which back in the 1950s used prostitutes on the CIA's payroll to lure 'clients' back to a location where they were covertly given a range of substances including LSD so that the effects could be studied on non-consenting subjects. This was part of Project MKULTRA, the CIA's mind control and chemical interrogation research programme.

Unfortunately, this kind of stuff does fuel the (more loony) conspiracy theorists and prove many of their theories right. Its also important to question the ethics of the individuals involved in this including the scientists and medical doctors. It being a State-run programme should not absolve them of their responsibilities. Of course this isn't a thing of the past as doctors and scientists have been involved in the torture or ill-treatment of 'enemy combatants' in Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.

But also, what of the women? Where are their voices in this? Their sexual exploitation was being done by the US Government. Just as 'Comfort Women' were being shipped to 'service' soldiers by the Japanese Government during WWII and countless other examples of State sanctioned sexual exploitation of women.

The disclosures have rightly exposed this deeply unethical covert research. But how about some justice for the women used in this way by the CIA. I'm a little concerned that they'll just get glamourised for TV....

Female geeks and nerds of the world UNITE!

[I like your sleeves. They're real big]

This post is inspired by a really really good thread on the often fabulous MetaFilter about geek feminism. Its not often that you get intelligent, articulate and thoughtful threads on gender issues. They very quickly descend into aggressive defensiveness and apoplectic rage. A bit like….

Person M: oh here we go – playing the gender card. when u chicks gonna to get over it??? we re all equal now!!!! Stop MOANING.

Person F: Great, out come the MISOGINISTS! Yeah, try being a woman in AFGANISTAN – women r made to where burkas!!!!!!! and they cant even go out of their home!!!!

You also by and large get 3 Person Ms to every 1 Person F. You get the picture...

Can I first draw your attention to some fascinating links from the MeFi thread:
Nerds and Geeks – book reviews on Pandagon
Feminist Geeks
How People Explain Female Geeks – Geek Studies
Cerise - Female Gamers website

I don’t want to reiterate all that was said on the thread – it really is worth reading – but I just thought I’d show my solidarity with the female geeks and nerds out there (for I acknowledge the difference betwixt nerd and geek) and echo their frustrations with geek/nerd men. It boils down to this: we expect more from you.

Yes we live in a sexist world, a society that objectifies women and where the pay gap hangs on stubbornly. But sexism, as with racism, homophobia etc, is borne out of ignorance if not a concerted effort to maintain supremacy.

Nerds and geeks should therefore understand power dynamics and – after years of having your head shoved down toilets – you should understand bullying and marginalisation. You are intelligent, often leaders in your obscure nerdy field, you should be able to comprehend the concept that equality does not mean ‘the same’ and that there may be a theory that draws together gender stereotyping, the pay gap, the lack of rape convictions, the glass ceiling, and the way that what women wear has almost become an international crisis.

You are scientists (or at least you look like one) so you should be able to interrogate evidence rather than fall back on lazy stereotypes. There are women involved in opensource software, that know their Petri dish from their agar plate, know the difference between mode, mean and median, and watch songs about PCR on YouTube. AND IT DOESN’T MEAN THEY HAVE A ‘MALE BRAIN’.

But most of all, you must not believe that your special exclusive little subculture, which skilfully excludes all the jocks, the stupids, the popular kids and quacks, is immune from the machismo that excludes women and turns them off even more than your lack of personal hygiene.

As mentioned in the MeFi thread – rape jokes in WoW, soft porn images in software presentations and sexually violent anime are the same as titty calendars, sexually violent porn and rape jokes in the locker room. What makes it worse is that female geeks and nerds expect more from you.

This guy has the right idea…
*Disclaimer: contains massive geekiness and schmaltz. Apologies*

More reasons not to be a Goddess

I got a response from Mark! (background to this here) Unfortunately, it has simply added to the barriers I have in being a Goddess. We can now add "I smoke cigars" to my list of unGoddesslike behaviours.

Hi Mark

I'm not sure that I meet your Goddess requirements by any measure, however, I am intrigued as to why you are doing this. Why are you being so specific about the kind of woman you are looking for and do you think having a 'shopping list' is the best way to go about it? These are genuine questions.

The main thing that I find troubling is your definition of 'surrender' and 'control'. Taking surrender to mean "give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another" - doesn't mean your control over a woman? If you have zero interest in wanting to control a woman then why have you defined the necessary length of her hair and size of her waist (no exceptions)? It is certain that you do not want an equal relationship but very much want to be the "powerful" one. There just seems to be a tiny bit of cognitive dissonance going on here.

Thanks for your time.

Naomi

**************************************************

Hi Naomi,

Thank you for your response. I doubt if I can resolve to your satisfaction the "congnitive dissonance" you perceived, but I will make a brief attempt.

Your quoted definition of "surrender" is from the dictionary, and is NOT what I mean by that word... I am talking about spiritual "surrender," which is the most EMPOWERING thing in the world. It means surrendering the ego and dissolving into God. Numerous women who have responded to my web site KNOW this and it is what they WANT in a relationship. See, e.g., the writings and videos of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar... he talks about this extensively.

As for my "shopping list" why do you narrowly point to the "hair" and "waistline" items on my list? Why not take issue with the fact that I seek a woman who is "believes in God"? Or that I seek a woman who "is extremely intelligent and creative"? Or that I seek a woman who is "tobacco free and drug free"? What if she chooses to become an atheist, or she chooses to smoke cigars? Am I "controlling" her by stating otherwise in my profile?

I dislike it when women smoke, and I have no interest in a relationship with an atheist. Likewise, I dislike it when women have short hair or are overweight. I am seeking a woman to whom I will be attracted on all levels, and if she chooses to do dumb things (rather than being "intelligent" per my profile), then that will be a huge disappointment to me. And I will WEEP if she chooses to cut her hair short or she chooses to start eating junk food and gets fat.

Furthermore, if you look at most women's profiles, they have THEIR "shopping lists" and I often see things like "clean shaven" or "toned" or "athletic". What if the man choses to grow a beard, or become a couch potato?

God bless you.

Mark

************************************************

Yes, I did quote the dictionary definition of 'surrender' - my bad. I'm replying now, will keep you updated....

Made Up Science

The fab Rebecca from Skepchick.

See my earlier blog on L'Oreal's use of SCIENCE to sell colourful fat to rub on your face. Oh, and how supportive of women is L'Oreal? Very. As long as you're not black.

Am I the Goddess you're looking for?

[Kali, Hindu Goddess of Death]

I was obviously deeply excited to see this website where a hunk of a man was looking for a ‘Goddess’. I was obviously fantastically keen to apply, but there were a couple of things that I thought would get in the way for eternal happiness with ‘Mark’. What do you think?

• I don’t believe in God.
• I don’t really believe that Mark is on the brink of a large-scale financial success
• I don’t believe he does speak DIRECTLY to God.
• I don’t like people who CAPS words unnecessarily or over-use exclamation marks!
• I don’t really think he is looking for a woman with a razor-sharp intellect or at least the other few of thousand words kinda undermine that desire.
• I find pre-nuptial agreements offensive.
• I don’t mediate every day, unless you count sitting on the bus on the way to work, staring zombie-like out of the window.
• I don’t chant, unless you count shouting catchphrases like “Oh for fuck’s sake” or “he is such a fuckwit”.
• My mind is rarely peaceful.
• I have frequent “unwelcome thoughts” and constant “mental chatter”. Some unwelcome thoughts include the idea of bald, middle-aged fuckwits filled with sexual intensity *shudder*
• When I get hurt or upset I stew on it for weeks, sometimes years.
• I frequently feel hatred and the desire to hurt people, but then I probably spend too much time on the internet.
• I don’t unconditionally love many people. In fact I don’t much like most people. I even hate some of my closest friends.
• I don’t think I ever had childlike innocence and I have a particular suspicion of middle-aged men who want a woman to be childlike.
• I have bad posture.
• I have a fairly trim waistline – which I think gives me extra points. But I wouldn’t be willing to keep it trim for a man because I have self-respect and prioritise my relationship with pies and cakes over any man. No exceptions.
• My hair has grown recently, mostly due to my laziness but I have spent many years with a crop and if there is any thing that would make me cut it all off again it would be a man wanting me to grow it for them. No exceptions.
• I have a fairly low voice for a woman.
• I’m not fantastically healthy (see relationship with pies and cake).
• I am mostly tobacco free, but then do often have a fag when I’m pissed and high.
• I’m not a vegetarian and would rather die than never eat sausages again.
• My room (as I don’t own a house) is dirty, chaotic and full of crap
• My main mental health issue is the frequent desire to kick men in the balls. But I am trying to deal with it.
• Saying “outside the box” makes me want to kick Mark in the balls.
• I’m pretty unreliable which I, but no one else, find endearing and lovable.
• I’m not an actress and feel no desire to become one.
• I wouldn’t be willing to travel the world with Mark or appear on TV with him because its crass, cloying and the heteronormativity of it makes a little bit of sick appear in my mouth.
• I don’t really think that a sacred sexual union with Mark is crucial for manifesting his Global Vision. But would ostensively be to get his rocks off.
• I haven’t been a prostitute and think that if men want their ‘Goddess’ to be one its because they wish to dehumanise, purchase and own a woman for her sexual services
• I don’t long to be worshiped as a Goddess by a man. Its creepy.
• I don’t want to be controlled by someone and believe submission, surrender and the looking a particular way for someone else are fundamental to control
• I don’t really like 100% straight people, they are massively dull.
• I don’t respond to anything as a LADY and I’m not a GIRL. I’m an adult and condescension makes me want to kick men in the balls.
• I like walking on the street side of the pavement as it allows me to run away faster.
• I like to make choices and exercise my free will.
• I don’t own any vases.
• I like music.
• I watch downloaded telly.
• Mark doesn’t seem funny – apart from in a funny-weird way.
• I don’t want to live in Los Angeles.
• I find the top Mark is wearing in the ‘August 2004’ pic offensive.
• I think he does want to control his Goddess. Otherwise he wouldn’t have written 6000 words on exactly what he wants from a woman right down to the length of her hair and how long she mediates for each day. And that creeps me out.
• I do indeed have a tendency to accuse men of being controlling when they try to control things.
  

But, but I am NOT a Scientologist!!

I’ll email him and see how I get on – fingers crossed!!!!