[-empyre-] the emperor's new clothes

[blakkbyrd <blakkbyrd@yahoo.com.au>]

"Or another example, we have been archiving the negative names for
women over several years (ranging from the virgin to the whore)  and
have turned them into a set of T-shirts sold in our webshop.  Our net
stats show us that people often come to our site because they are
searching for porn. (their keywords reveal them ;-)  And oddly
enough, they linger.  We actually get teenagers that email us because
they want to add to our list of words, or they want to buy a T-shirt.
(sorry this project is in Dutch but hopefully you get the idea:
http://www.geuzen.org/current/geuzennamen/ ) In a way, through mis-
recognition and the vernacular of the web, our work can move across
unfamiliar territories or finds itself viewed in unconventional
registers."

>what's the confirmation that you were seeking?

That the site fails in its objectives, that rather than empowering  
women, the site perpetuates the problem. I'm questioning whether the  
methods used are appropriate to the stated objectives.  I also asked  
for supporting feminist theory, only 10% of women are queer, but  
these insults apply to all women.


>what is your critique exactly?
It appears that the website generates revenue from vilifying women  
and disseminates information on how to abuse them. By examining the  
demographics we can determine whether of not this analysis is  
correct.  I'm asking for a measure of the project's effectiveness.

"Our net stats show us that people often come to our site because  
they are searching for porn. (their keywords reveal them ;-)  And  
oddly enough, they linger."

> what is there to "hide" as you put it?

Its dressed up in queer theory but its true agenda may be a marketing  
exercise.  I'm reviewing the site from within an Amsterdam cultural  
perspective.


 >who is the "us" you speak of that needs to be shown "results"?

The audience. The author is dead, remember. It doesn't matter what  
theory you wrap a project up in, the bottom line is how it is  
recevied by the audience.

The project is incomplete until it reports back on its effectiveness  
with factual evidence. If I were a grant supplier I would require this.

>let's be clear in the accusations we make (and how we make them),  
at least if we're interested in having a discussion

I'm waiting for someone to respond to my questions, but we are too  
late now, the end of month approaches.


>you have evaded the challenges to your questions far more than  
anyone has evaded your demands

You don't seriously expect me to respond to a thinly veiled  
accusation that I am   just copying something i saw on nettime?

You have raised an interesting point, thankyou. Why should my  
questions be challenged?  Shouldnt they be answered?  Are you  
questoining my right to question?

Still querying the legal aspects.


best,
ryan

ditto
blakkbyrd

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