thoughts on how the state creates, disrupts, regulates and mediates identity
Star Trek is one of the best sci-fi universes to engage with if you're after a show with a greater philosophical bent. To back me up, I have not only numerous discussions of the philosophical nature of Trek-dom (here and here), multiple discussions of the series in my philosophy classes (an awesome subject that forms part of my GSDS major), I also have this: you can enrol in an entire subject devoted to Star Trek and Philosophy. Don't worry, I'm getting to the relevant part soon.
Last night I was watching Author, Author episode 20 in season 7 of Star Trek: Voyager, in which the Doctor (an emergency medical hologram) fights to be recognised as a legitimate entity, a person, with the full rights and responsibilities afforded to other sentient beings. It's ontologically focused plot is similar to The Measure of a Man from The Next Generation series with Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander Data (an android). Which brings me to my point: the state, particularly it's juridical and legislative powers, is a huge defining force in how identities are created, given legitimacy, regulated and understood, and also how they are transformed and mediated.
Author, Author shows how much power is invested in the way governments categorise and judge people, social groups and legitimacy, and many parallel narratives can be seen in human history (e.g. the 1967 referendum to to amend the constitution to count the Indigenous people of Australia in the national census, as well as giving the Commonwealth Government the power to create special laws for Aboriginal people; the campaign for gay marriage; civil rights movement). To the left is a YouTube clip from CA915 on the parity between Author, Author and the fight for gay marriage*.
Author, Author shows how much power is invested in the way governments categorise and judge people, social groups and legitimacy, and many parallel narratives can be seen in human history (e.g. the 1967 referendum to to amend the constitution to count the Indigenous people of Australia in the national census, as well as giving the Commonwealth Government the power to create special laws for Aboriginal people; the campaign for gay marriage; civil rights movement). To the left is a YouTube clip from CA915 on the parity between Author, Author and the fight for gay marriage*.
While I was searching the web for an article I wanted to write about, I found this absolute puke-inducing gem on comments made by writer Masha Gessen during last years Sydney Writers Festival regarding gay marriage. Aha, scream the angry Christian freedom-mongers, we were right! And then proceed to make outlandish claims about The Gays, stealing children and outlawing religion. You can read about it here, and check out the comments because they're more funny than stomach turning.
Other issues touched on in this last weeks reading were racialised, gendered regulation of sexual orientation in reviewing refugee claims in Australia; the submissions made by the OII to the senate relating to intersex rights and anti-discrimination; and the Northern Territory intervention.
That's all I've got for now, it's a busy time of the semester.
Peace out,
SJ
*I prefer gay marriage to equal marriage, because I don't see many activists giving two shits about the right of trans*, poly and queer people to get married in a way that reflects the reality of their relationships. I'm anti-marriage, but I should be able to marry my multiple partners if I damn well feel.
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