A few articles...

[conuly]

One on the government's site on talking to kids about sex, which I'm not even getting into.

One about the blind student who just got his MD. This reminds me of a conversation I had with Mr. Bemrich (Bemrick?) (a family friend) I had a while back. He was going on and on about how under the ADA I'd have to accept a blind plumber, and I was sitting there trying to explain that you can't just start plumbing (plumbering?). You have to be certified, which means you have to pass a test. If you've passed this test, why should I care if you can see or not? Unless you cheated, you can no doubt fix my leaky pipe, and the sooner it's done, the better.

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

I'd probably prefer a blind plumber... it's silly, I know. But I really dislike having strangers in my home. And having the person be blind makes the person a) seem a little less threatening (not necessarily valid, but illusions can be nice) and b) they won't notice the mess as long as the pathway is clear and nothing smells. Unless, of course, the person isn't all-blind.

[conuly]

*snickers*

Ah, yes. The "my house is a mess" excuse for not getting plumbing done. Well now, fear no more! You can have a blind plumber, courtesy of the ADA!

(Thisoffervoidwhereprohibited.Maynotbeavailableinallareas.)

[leora.livejournal.com]

Even if the house isn't a mess, I just don't like having strangers in it. I'm not really sure blindness would make any difference to that, but who knows, it might. The not liking strangers in my home thing (especially if I'm the only one there and I have to interact with them) is one of my quirks that I suspect isn't really that uncommon.

[conuly]

That's a safety thing, I think. Strangers = bad, as we all learned in kindergarden.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yes, at least in part. But it's also a personal space thing. It's a - you're in my personal area... get out of my domain. ~My place~. And there may be other things tangled in there as well. I haven't analyzed it much.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

BBC has a great site for kids and bodies. My daughter, I thought she wouldnt want to see it or laugh or something and it actually worked out quite well.

[conuly]

Linky?

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/teens/girls/sexloveandlife/amiafreak/ep_funnyflaps/index.shtml

Approached her from a humor angle, turned out she was interested and then clinked on related links. She liked it. She's at that age, any day now...BAM, puberty. (Early in my family.)

[leora.livejournal.com]

*pouts* according to its definitions - I am a freak.

Which I kinda already knew, but I'm fairly sure I fall within the range of normal deviation. And certainly within the range of acceptable deviation in the sense that it's not a problem.

But I don't like that it says I am a freak. (or more specifically defines my bits as by definition not being the way that mine actually are)

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I don't see how it defines anyone as a freak but just that everyone is different.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It says, and I quote:
The vulva looks like a pair of fleshy lips between your legs. These are the labia majora and grow pubic hair after puberty.
Inside are a pair of smaller lips called the labia minora.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/teens/girls/sexloveandlife/atozofyou/sexandbodyfiles/vagina.shtml

And that's simply not true for me. Ergo, I'm a freak.

I do like the site on the whole though, even though it makes the common mistake so many sites do of breaking with extra-large fonts. I don't know why my customizations throw off so many web sites, but many web sites apparently have different bits of writing overlap when they encounter my modifications for blindness.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

There is only one mention of the word freak, and that is in the hyperlink to the video. Saying that because you don't meet their exact definition means you're a freak, in fact, is the opposite of what the video means, and that is everyone is different, being different does not make you a freak.

I am actually -- words fail me.

[conuly]

Haven't watched the video yet (listening to radio online), but (and leora can correct me if I'm wrong) it sounds to me like it gives one description about how your labia and vagina are supposed to be which, linked with the title, can create the impression that this is normal, and everything else isn't.

[conuly]

Okay. Seen video, read page.

The video covers two very common ideas - hair is abnormal, labia are supposed to be the same size. However, unless I'm missing something, more unusual differences aren't covered at all...?

[leora.livejournal.com]

They somewhat are elsewhere in a general sort of way of saying that people vary, but not explicitly. While I am completely fine with how I am - it does worry me that a child who actually is worried whether she is normal would go to this site, see all this nice, happy, you're not a freak stuff discussing all the sorts of healthy variations and be left going... but what about me? This is the site that says all the stuff that varies normally and is okay, but but... I'm still not there.

So, I would prefer a clearer, more explicit - there are many ways that people can vary, but it doesn't really matter. If you can go to the bathroom without problems and you can give yourself pleasure (not necessarily orgasms but some pleasure) then you've got functioning bits, so go forth and enjoy them and when in doubt, ask a doctor who can actually look at you.

[leora.livejournal.com]

I'd probably prefer a blind plumber... it's silly, I know. But I really dislike having strangers in my home. And having the person be blind makes the person a) seem a little less threatening (not necessarily valid, but illusions can be nice) and b) they won't notice the mess as long as the pathway is clear and nothing smells. Unless, of course, the person isn't all-blind.

[conuly]

*snickers*

Ah, yes. The "my house is a mess" excuse for not getting plumbing done. Well now, fear no more! You can have a blind plumber, courtesy of the ADA!

(Thisoffervoidwhereprohibited.Maynotbeavailableinallareas.)

[leora.livejournal.com]

Even if the house isn't a mess, I just don't like having strangers in it. I'm not really sure blindness would make any difference to that, but who knows, it might. The not liking strangers in my home thing (especially if I'm the only one there and I have to interact with them) is one of my quirks that I suspect isn't really that uncommon.

[conuly]

That's a safety thing, I think. Strangers = bad, as we all learned in kindergarden.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yes, at least in part. But it's also a personal space thing. It's a - you're in my personal area... get out of my domain. ~My place~. And there may be other things tangled in there as well. I haven't analyzed it much.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

BBC has a great site for kids and bodies. My daughter, I thought she wouldnt want to see it or laugh or something and it actually worked out quite well.

[conuly]

Linky?

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/teens/girls/sexloveandlife/amiafreak/ep_funnyflaps/index.shtml

Approached her from a humor angle, turned out she was interested and then clinked on related links. She liked it. She's at that age, any day now...BAM, puberty. (Early in my family.)

[leora.livejournal.com]

*pouts* according to its definitions - I am a freak.

Which I kinda already knew, but I'm fairly sure I fall within the range of normal deviation. And certainly within the range of acceptable deviation in the sense that it's not a problem.

But I don't like that it says I am a freak. (or more specifically defines my bits as by definition not being the way that mine actually are)

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I don't see how it defines anyone as a freak but just that everyone is different.

[leora.livejournal.com]

It says, and I quote:
The vulva looks like a pair of fleshy lips between your legs. These are the labia majora and grow pubic hair after puberty.
Inside are a pair of smaller lips called the labia minora.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/teens/girls/sexloveandlife/atozofyou/sexandbodyfiles/vagina.shtml

And that's simply not true for me. Ergo, I'm a freak.

I do like the site on the whole though, even though it makes the common mistake so many sites do of breaking with extra-large fonts. I don't know why my customizations throw off so many web sites, but many web sites apparently have different bits of writing overlap when they encounter my modifications for blindness.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

There is only one mention of the word freak, and that is in the hyperlink to the video. Saying that because you don't meet their exact definition means you're a freak, in fact, is the opposite of what the video means, and that is everyone is different, being different does not make you a freak.

I am actually -- words fail me.

[conuly]

Haven't watched the video yet (listening to radio online), but (and leora can correct me if I'm wrong) it sounds to me like it gives one description about how your labia and vagina are supposed to be which, linked with the title, can create the impression that this is normal, and everything else isn't.

[conuly]

Okay. Seen video, read page.

The video covers two very common ideas - hair is abnormal, labia are supposed to be the same size. However, unless I'm missing something, more unusual differences aren't covered at all...?

[leora.livejournal.com]

They somewhat are elsewhere in a general sort of way of saying that people vary, but not explicitly. While I am completely fine with how I am - it does worry me that a child who actually is worried whether she is normal would go to this site, see all this nice, happy, you're not a freak stuff discussing all the sorts of healthy variations and be left going... but what about me? This is the site that says all the stuff that varies normally and is okay, but but... I'm still not there.

So, I would prefer a clearer, more explicit - there are many ways that people can vary, but it doesn't really matter. If you can go to the bathroom without problems and you can give yourself pleasure (not necessarily orgasms but some pleasure) then you've got functioning bits, so go forth and enjoy them and when in doubt, ask a doctor who can actually look at you.