the other thing about tokenism....

yes, i understand that the title of my paper at this graduate student conference is "provocative" and is is about intimacy and sex, but, hello, i'm describing the united states and how they maintained a foothold in their overseas empire. yes, i am talking about "inappropriate" things, but imperialism is inappropriate, period. you white guys don't need to go around the conference dinner looking for the girl who is giving the "nasty" talk and congratulating her for having the "nasty" title, and telling her how you are all looking so much forward to it. this shouldn't make me rethink my entire paper presentation because i don't want to "perform" for your lusty desires and whatever it is you think my paper is going to be about, but as a woman of color presenting on the subject of imperialism in a developing nation, this is what i am now thinking about. and i am also now thinking about not going to my panel, so you don't have the opportunity to hear the "nasty" girl give her "sexy" talk. but instead, i think i will change my paper a little, and preface it by calling you assholes out, and relating how people like you are the continuing legacy of empire and sexual exploitation that continue to plague my motherland. really, what it comes down to is that i have a smarter title than you, and that you are acting like you are 12. and you are racist. and sexist.
assholes better recognize.
desertDIVA