L’identité

I envy Tulane faculty because they have one interesting symposium after another, but Jazzfest is for middle-aged tourists. This year, allons à Lafayette where the cool kids go. I will present a total of nine bands, in French. I will be broadcast on the radio with Mariachi Las Alteñas and Oliver M’Tukudzi & The Black Spirits.

I woke up this morning thinking about identity struggles and culture shock. All my culture shock has to do with gender roles, arguing with authorities about who I must be. Reeducation has several elements, as we know, it is not just one thing, but it, too, is all about gender roles.

“You must be a certain way because only that is healthy — appropriate — safe.”

“You must become a certain kind of person or you will be out on the street.”

“You need me because you are incompetent to live on your own, so you must become the person I want you to be.”

That is the formula. To use an old fashioned notion, the deep structure of all patriarchal sentences can be found in one of these sentences.

Axé.


2 thoughts on “L’identité

  1. Sorry to miss Lafayette this year. I am jonesing for a sabbatical and all the joyful things one can do.

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