I got way out of control at College Bowl tonight. One of the other players had written the questions we were using, and one was about Jamie Lee Curtis. It said she was born with a syndrome (I think it actually said birth defect actually) that makes her a what? Well, of course I knew she was born with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, but what does that make her? I puzzled over it for a few seconds and then it hit me – an intersexual. The student who wrote the questions came around and looked at our answers, and told me mine was wrong. As he turned away to reveal the answer, I signed (to nobody in particular) “I am right, and if you said hermaphrodite I will kill you.” So he shows the answer, and it says “Hermaphrodite (do not accept transsexual, shemale, or transvestite)”. Everybody always contests answers, so everybody started protesting. I leapt out of my chair and started yelling, “I OBJECT! I OBJECT! I VERY STRONGLY OBJECT!” (This is all in sign, btw.). Everybody else settled down, and I kept demanding to file an objection. The guy who wrote the questions tried to shut me down, but the coach said “it looks like she knows what she’s talking about.” So the student let me stand up and explain my objection. I got up and ranted “that is an old greek word, of course. But it is NOT APPROPRIATE anymore! It is considered DISCRIMINATORY and derogatory! It is not accepted by the medical establishment or the people themselves!! It is not appropriate!!!”. The guy who wrote the questions said something to the effect of “yikes, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend” and apologized profusely. I said “okay, thank you” and sat down, saying “oh, but, I’m not one, though.” Which was kind of unnecessary to say and implies that there’s something wrong with being intersexual. I think I said it because I was overexcited. At the end of practice, I got the guy’s attention and apologized for getting so overexcited. He said “oh no, I’m sorry I offended.” I said “well, I really could have said it more calmly and nicely, so I’m sorry.”
And that was my little freakout for the evening.
You are right that was a freakout, don’t know whether I’d call it a small one or not. I bet one thing, no one that was at that College Bowl will ever bring up Jamie Lee Curtis having a syndrome or birth defect to you again.