Ask Ann Thropology

[Trechter, Sara]

The "Dame Edna" discussion immediately brought to mind for me the most recent _Anthropology Newsletter_. This last issue introduces an advice column on the back page (56) called "Ask Ann Thropology." The column was proposed by the AN editors, and the Committee on the Status of Women in Anthropology supported it as a way to promote discussion of professional issues and also to offer mentoring advice. There a number of good questions and answers on the back page, but the one that is drawing a lot of attention (and some complaints about sexism) is the one accompanied by a large cartoon of a woman sitting at a computer, typing. I won't describe it; you must look.  The text and answer are as follows:

Dear Ms. Thropology,
	I'm a graduate student, and when I wear my bare midriff outfits,the professor drool fills the lab.  It's just the fashion.  What should I do?
	Fashion-Conscious in the MIdwest

Dear Fash,
	Please don't call me Ms. Thropology, it sounds like misanthrope.  I'm not; I think men are OK, and it sounds like you do too.  Dr is okay, or Professor, if you need to call me by a title, but in my department all the students first-name the profs, so "Dear Ann" is acceptable, too. To answer your question, I don't like to blame the victim, as they say,but if you don't like the drool (or were you just bragging?) you could cover up.  Doesn't it get cold in the Midwest?

I don't mean to make this list itself into an advice column, but it would be very helpful to hear what other linguistic anthropologists think before COSWA discusses it.

best,

Dr. Sara Trechter, Assoc Professor (and a coswa member)
English/Linguistics, CSU, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0830
(530) 898-5447 (office)
(530) 898-4450 (fax)
strechter at csuchico.edu