On Mon, June 4, 2007 9:13 am, Charlotte Webb wrote:
One of the most confusing paradoxes of NPOV is the
dubious concept
that norms exist for all personal attributes. There are no categories
or lists of "straight" people or "white" people because either of
these is actually perceived as the *absence" of a defining
characteristic, or in short, "the norm" (even in specialized contexts
where being "straight" or "white" would seem unusual to the
"average
reader").
Maybe something doesn't seem quite right about this? I'm not sure what
could reasonably be done, other than a general de-emphasis of people's
sexuality, race, religion, etc.
Well, except that it's society that's not NPOV in this direction. There's
"LBGT studies" and "African American studies" and "gay
cinema" and
whatever else, which is just as much a reaction to the POV way society
handled those groups previously.
To de-emphasize these things would probably be more POV than to note them
properly. Do we overdo it sometimes? Probably. But is there no place
for it?
-Jeff
--
If you can read this, I'm not at home.