March 02, 2005

Call Me Heteronormative, But...

Many of you have probably been following the brouhaha involving Harvard president Larry Summers, and his comments about women in the sciences. I happen to think he said the wrong thing, but he’s apologized, so let’s move on; especially since he’s been an excellent president, one somehow immune from the gutlessness normally indigenous to elite university administrators.

Reasonable people can certainly disagree on that, though I find it amusing to see how Summers- a liberal economist who was Secretary of the Treasury in the second Clinton administration- has as a result of this become a conservative hero. I guess this proves my theory that there’s a big difference between liberals and leftists- Summers is a liberal, while the people who want his head are leftists. And to paraphrase Chris Rock, “leftists have got to go!”

But the Summers kerfuffle is nothing compared to the latest bit of news from Cambridge. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith appeared at Harvard last weekend to accept an award from the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. But some on campus are taking issue with some of her remarks, which they criticized as “heteronormative.”

It’s hard to tell what the actual offending statements were, because the 23-paragraph Harvard Crimson story, strangely, includes not a word of them. But the school’s "gender activists" are angry with the actress for “remarks concerning appropriate gender roles were specific to heterosexual relationships.” Her crime, I’d imagine, is that she discussed her marriage to actor Will Smith who- in case you weren’t aware from following his rap, sitcom, and film careers- is a male. And we’ve now reached the point where speaking about one’s own heterosexuality is in itself somehow offensive- even at the world’s most prestigious university.

The controversy is doubly amusing, however, when we look at Pinkett Smith, and remember that the last time she said something controversial, it was this, in praise of her “Matrix Reloaded” co-director Larry Wachowski:

"Larry is one of the most intelligent people that I've ever had the pleasure sitting down and having a conversation with. You know, besides maybe Cornel West. Or even Sister Souljah."
The juxtaposition is hilarious for several reasons, not the least of which is that that co-director, Larry Wachowski, has since begun the process of gender-reassignment and is now known as Linda Wachowski (not so heteronormative, huh!). Not to mention that West was drummed out of Harvard after a highly publicized feud with Summers himself, and we all know what transpired between Souljah and Summers’ old boss, Bill Clinton.

But I guess someone who praises West (and Sister Souljah) is still too conservative for today’s Harvard.

UPDATE: Speaking of "heteronormative," this is hilarious. "No Republicans" appearing in apartment listings is nothing new, but this is way, way beyond.

Posted by Stephen Silver at March 2, 2005 06:04 PM
Comments

"Heteronormative"? That's a term I don't think I ever learned at Brandeis...

Posted by: jaws at March 2, 2005 11:49 PM

I am curious what you think was "wrong" in Larry Summers comments. He speculated about possible reasons for the underrepresentation of women in certain academic areas. Since when is it wrong to speculate about the causes behind a demonstrable fact? Particularly in academia. Anyone with a world view too fragile to entertain speculation contrary to that world view would have to be described as close-minded. If nothing else, one would hope that an esteemed University like Harvard would be a haven for debate, discussion, new ideas, and, yes, speculation. That it isn't is depressing.

Posted by: DBrooks at March 3, 2005 09:37 AM

"If nothing else, one would hope that an esteemed University like Harvard would be a haven for debate, discussion, new ideas, and, yes, speculation. That it isn't is depressing."

But hardly surprising. Who was it again who described most American university campuses as "islands of intolerance in a sea of freedom?"

Posted by: Dave J at March 3, 2005 11:28 AM

i'm surprised this whole flap didn't take place at the 'deis.

and that classified ad ... OH. MY. GOD.

Posted by: LilB at March 3, 2005 12:38 PM
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