Jennifer Thorne

Myth, magic, and song

This is a topic which has been bothering me for quite a few months now. Many of my already-published author friends are suffering at the hands of some unethical individuals (remaining polite is best, perhaps, despite my strong desire not to) who think it is their right to steal my friend’s works. It adversely affects their lives, and incomes. And I’m getting to the point where I wish there was something I could do about it, personally.

But, I can’t.

Loreena McKennitt addressed the Canadian government as part of a discussion surrounding copyright, piracy, and digital ‘rights’. She came to the table with the effect it has on her, directly.
Short version.
Long version.

I hope her concerns were well-received. And properly understood.

Homosexuality in the Classical Age

Homosexuality and lesbianism in the Classical Age will be explored with the help of author Jennifer Thorne, identifying themes of transgression and desire through the works of Homer, Plato, Sappho and Aristophanes. Information will be culled from normal, everyday life as well as the Gods and heroes themselves.

Topics include:

1. a) Defining our terms and frames of reference – who, what, when, where, and why
b) Define ‘Normal’ – Home life, society’s expectations, stages of life (with a look at the Odyssey – who’da thunk that Odysseus and Penelope were the template for ‘normal’?).

2. What was ‘Greek love’, really? (Defining homosexuality/lesbianism in the classical Greek period).
a) Plato and ‘Platonic love’ – the golden ideal.
b) Sappho and ‘Sapphic love’ – what girls did, and why no one cared (as long as it was with each other).

3. Sex and the Body Politic- what happens when the boundaries are broken- the law, medicine, and corporal punishment (Be prepared to push your ’squick factor button’ on this one).

4. Beauty (Or, size does matter, but not in the way you think) – with lots of pictures and poetry, and a ‘create your own caption’ contest for the artwork. Much hilarity (and ogling) is promised. But, it’s all in the name of art. Really.

5. Double-Standards – Gods and heroes, Satyrs, Amazons, and Maenads (The liminal, the bestial, and the war on society – with special emphasis on amazons and maenads just ’cause they’re fun, and it makes a nice change from getting all depressed about how girls were treated).

6. Aristophanes’ Thesmophoriazusae – a quick explanation of the plot, and why it was so funny and outrageous (You have to love Aristophanes – he was such a curmudgeon).

Date: March 1^st – March 15^th

Location: Rainbow Romance Writers Yahoo! Workshop Group. You will receive an invite to join the group before the workshop begins.

Price: $10 for Rainbow Romance Writers members, $15 for non-members

Instructor: Jennifer Thorne has a B.A. in Classics from Wilfrid Laurier University, and had a lot of fun finding the interesting bits in history in between the lists of Roman Emperors and who smucked whom in which battle. But please don’t ask her about pots. She has worked very hard to forget about those.

http://alexbeecroft.com/2009/09/i-do-two/

Alex Beecroft, et al., are doing up another charity anthology in support of the Lambda Legal Fund.

Through education, litigation and public policy work, Lambda Legal works to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people, and persons with HIV. Since their founding in 1973, Lambda Legal has become an active and vital part of the GLBT civil rights movement instrumental in the fight for same-sex marriage rights both nationally and, most notably, in the fight to strike down California’s Proposition 8.