Gender and BGSU

Critical of Gender Identity as Covered in Second Life: The Official Guide

This week I have done additional reading in Second Life: The Official Guide. Unfortunately I have come to be quite critical of the writers of this guide even though I recognize that because it is jointly written it may not be the shortcomings of all writers. In may cases, the writing is preachy. For example in Chapter 7, when speaking about managing ones inventory, it is stated, “Most newborn SL denizens don’t, and the SL forum features plenty of sob stories with this common denominator: my second life is screwed up because of inventory problems. You don’t want to go there, do you?” (p. 129). A more specific grievance that I that regarding an approximately 1-page discussion about Choosing Your Sex on page 86 and 87. With a benign start, the passage notes that most SL citizens choose their real-life gender. However, the discussion proceeds on to note that everyone is free to choose their sex. This seems self evident and is inoffensive, however when the author goes on to note that choosing a gender opposite of your RL gender is okay as long as you don’t want to form a virtual friendship with someone. In which case, it is stated that, “…it’s important that they [your virtual] friends] know who you really are.” (p. 87). To a member of the LGBT/Q community this could be extremely offensive, not to mention horribly naïve as it is perfectly possible that the gender with which you identify is not the gender displayed in your real life. In fact, it may even be that your “real life “ sex is not the gender with which you identify in real life. It seems to me that one of the beauties of Second Life should be the ability to be whomever and whatever you like. Virtual friends should understand this and be willing to accept that their new friend, although they identify in one way on SL may not look exactly like this in real life.

 

Additional opportunities on the BGSU Island

In addition to much reading, I have also spent time on BGSU Interaction Island. As Jamie had suggested the planetarium on this island, I began by visiting this. A truly phenomenal example of the teaching and learning opportunities of Second Life, this site allows one’s avatar to enter a planetarium of the solar system complete with educational statistics on each planet. However, unlike most planetariums, your avatar is literally surrounded by the sun and all of the planets nested within a blanket of stars. While walking by each planet one truly feels a part of the learning experience. Also while on the Bowling Green State University’s Interaction Island, I visited a beautiful butterfly garden as well as an Australian Herpetology Exhibit. After being introduced to everything from the thick tailed Gecko to the Green Tree Python, I was convinced that when I travel to Australia I will try to avoid the night hours as most of the snakes were nocturnal. After thoroughly enjoying this exhibit, I moved along to watch a video on computer technology as well as to visit a stunning virtual art show! And finally, upon thinking I had visited nearly everything, I began flying and realized that I had not yet scratched the surface. More art, presentations and even tutorials on managing one’s avatar in SL were abundant. What an amazing island truly showcasing educational possibilities in SL.