[lit-ideas] Re: Restroom research
- From: Donal McEvoy <donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 15:14:34 +0100 (BST)
--- Paul Stone <pas@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > At 06:54 AM 5/25/2004, you wrote:
> >Just when I started to get my brain wrapped around Lacan's "Ladies" and
> >"Gentlemen" I see that the anglo's have now started labelling toilets
> >"Male" and "Female". Confused?
> >Breaking all the rules.
Of course, this is wrong. As only 21% of 'Anglos' (sic) can even fucking
*speak*, it would be criminally and tortiously irresponsible to use a word
where failing to heed it might lead either to a criminal or civil misdoing or
a very pleasant and surprising sexual act with one of the opposite sex on
their 'home turf' (female toilets in all-female territory ie. convent..well,
what male here does not know their appeal? RP and RH excepted. MG definitely
included).
As you note, swapping "Ladies" for "male" and "Gentlemen" for "female" adds
to the possible confusion. Anglos no-likey.*
So instead they have drawn on the rich vein of French semiotics and have a
couple of little Derridean signs - a stick man with his legs wide open
[presumably to encourage women in who want to kick a man in the balls] and a
stick woman in a skirt [presumably to stick two fingers up at trouser-wearing
feminists who might see here a negative gender stereoptype very publicly at
work and might prefer a stick women with a stick child hanging off her stick
nipple or a couple of stick lesbians, except that might turn the men on].
Of course, as a skirt-wearing Eddie Izzard type this semiological approach
works for me - since I read the signs not in sexist gender terms but in terms
of the non-gender-specific apparel in which I be clothed or skirted.
Unfortunately, when charged with either criminal or tortious conduct this
possible line of defence breaks down when cross-examination turns to 'But
didn't you notice anything different about the smell?'
Donal
*Will explain this later
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