The Customizable Body: The Present Future of Radical Identity

With its rich history of counterculture movements and California abundance, the Bay Area is a lifestyle laboratory for people and communities seeking to de-center the center and un-normalize the norms. Whether in the form of radical gender and sexual identity, political inclination, body modification, or technological utopianism, we are what the rest of the country fears and/or hopes to be. What is it about the local water that attracts the Black Panthers, the weed-farming millionaires, the decompressing Burners? Given the rapid succession of social and identity-based movements here, what does the future hold for new, even radical, expressions of self?

The best way to frame this conversation is to weave together the influential voices—and avatars—of thought leaders working at the nexus of personal identity and cultural anthropology. Beginning at 1pm PDT, Part I explores technology and the virtually human: Tom Boellstorff, Professor of Anthropology at UC-Irvine, and author of Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human, will be in dialogue with Philip Rosedale, creator of the paradigm-shifting virtual world Second Life. Part II explores gender and sexuality featuring Michelle Tea, Valencia author and founder of RADAR Productions and Sister Spit, interviewing Amos Mac, founder and editor of Original Plumbing, the SF-based magazine dedicated to exploring the sexuality and culture of FTM transgendered men. Finally, we will open up the discussion to the group at large where your perspective will be an essential element of an enriching discussion.

Tom Boellstorff will be logged into Second life and able to take questions from the Studio audience. You can join us in Second life for this event or watch it on our web site:www.Metanomics.net where it will be streamed live from the Studio. SLurl: Metanomics Studio in Second Life

Special thanks to Chris Collins, Tipodean.com, for serving today as cameraman on-site at the event.

Resources:
Previously on Metanomics: Tom Boellstorff on Metanomics
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts