parallel structure, typos, keeping the allies down

[kismet09]

This just in my mailbox: "This is a college conference for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Allie, and Fluid College Students..."

Good for you trying to be all inclusive and stuff, but really, Allie? Who's Allie?

A couple of years ago, I went to a conference called MBLGTACC (Midwest Bi Les Gay Trans Ally Collegiate Conference, I think). That was quite the acronym. We called it 'mumble-guh-tack'.

Edit: My next email is announcing a dissertation talk on a paper called "A Detailed Study of the Interaction Between the Phosphorylated Rhodopsin Cytoplasmic Tail and Both Arrestin and Its Splice Variant, p44." I couldn't even tell you if any of that is spelled oddly.

Anywho...

Comments

[purlewe.livejournal.com]

Ally? or perhaps plural Allies?? then it is only a one letter typo.

[kismet09.livejournal.com]

yeah, but none of the others are pluralized. It made me giggle, in any case. The poor, put upon allies who do not feel included don't even get their indentity spelled correctly.

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

My guess is "Allied", which parallels "Transgendered". Who knows, maybe they're big Allie McBeal fans and felt that she deserved a spot under the umbrella.

[kismet09.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Allied. Ally, Allies, Allied. In any case, I'm sure any people named Allie out there are feeling very welcomed (or targeted, depending on their point of view).

[strrretch.livejournal.com]

At my Office #2 in College Park, they announce seminars by having the non-technical secretary leave messages on everyone's voicemail announcing the titles of the talks. The way she butchers some of them is hilarious. She'd maim that one pretty badly. (As would I.)

[dreamattack329.livejournal.com]

I try to be up on these things, but "fluid" is a new term to me. Does that mean people who consider themselves to be in multiple of the above named categories?

[kismet09.livejournal.com]

'fluid' from what i can tell refers to the idea that sexual orientation and/or gender identity is an ever-changing variable for people. it seems to be a more recent way to define what used to be called 'pansexual.'