This is not (usually) my convention. Maybe this is one of the reasons the Humanities are not being taken seriously ? I myself keep a distance from those perfume purveyors in department stores, but for the love of sanity, can pc really go this far and keep a straight face ? Will attendees' toiletry bags be vetted at the door ?
From the MLA Convention website:
The Committee on Disability Issues in the Profession (CDI) reminds attendees that refraining from using scented products will help ensure the comfort of everyone at the convention.
Aromatherapy is apparently
so over. Take a Benadryl and chillax.
I noticed that posting a few months ago, too, and thought it oddly charming, and then just odd. I understand the sentiment (I hate being stuck in an elevator, for example, with someone who od'd on perfume), but it makes me feel sort of imposed upon.
ReplyDeleteI was at a committee meeting a year ago, one of those committees when the supplicants (like myself) come to the committee to make a case, one that the committee must approve (ok, curriculum). While waiting my turn (not unlike waiting for an executioner: this particular committee was known for their harshness) a poor novice professor was stumbling through her presentation when one of the comm. members suddenly stormed up, opened a window, and cried, WHO'S WEARING PERFUME?? Of course it was the poor novice professor, who immediately lost her train of thought, and was basically unable to continue in a rational manner. In the meantime, the comm. member from hell stormed into the hallway, the open window alone not enough of an escape for her.
Now I was in the room, and I don't wear perfume, but I certainly couldn't smell it and I was sitting as far from the poor novice as this comm. member.
Well, the meeting ended abruptly so I had to attend 2 weeks later to make my case: believe me--I remembered NOT to wear anything with any odor whatsoever to that meeting (including deoderant!).
My immediate thought was that there had been an incident such as you describe, and that someone had threatened to sue. Maybe I am too kind. Maybe all of MLA is like your Comm. Member.
ReplyDeleteOh great, so it's going to be elitist AND smelly at MLA from now on? Sigh. ;)
ReplyDeleteActually, if I do stopp wearing deoderant, then maybe other attendees will stop moving close to me and squinting at my damned name tag (then quickly averting their eyes once they realized I was only Annie Em!).
ReplyDeleteNice, Annie Em! I think we may be starting a grassroots movement against conference eyes!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, Ink, I think it's going to be elitist and Ivory soapish. I mean, my body is a scented product. What kinds of scents are on the permitted list ? Does anyone dare me to write a straight-faced letter to the MLA asking this, very sincerely ? Fun, fun, fun. annieem notes a potential benefit, though !
ReplyDeleteOk, I dare you! :) Even if you don't actually do it, just imagining such a conversation is too funny.
ReplyDeleteWorking on it, Ink. First, the fake university stationary with the fake logo. Nah, I'll just e-mail it, but still... FUN.
ReplyDelete