For the first time ever, I was just now asked as an ID question on the
phone (by a fed. gov agency) what my father's first name was.  Is
someone leading the way (or, more likely, did someone just figure
"mother's maiden name" doesn't give any security anyway these days)?
Ann Garry

-----Original Message-----
From: Feminist ethics and social theory
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gaile Pohlhaus
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 12:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: APA Login Screen

It seems to me that only when people get down to the "invisible" levels
will all traces of sexism, racism, homophobia, etc. be eliminated.
Gaile, Sr.
Gaile M. Pohlhaus, PhD.
Practical Theologian

"Set love as your criterion..."  Augustine of Hippo
________________________________________
From: Feminist ethics and social theory [[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Emanuela Bianchi [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 3:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: APA Login Screen

Azzurra,

I don't think you're being pedantic in the least.  I'm in the same
situation, but I've never objected to it, relying on the fact that
heteronormative assumptions run so deep that it seems to me it would
never actually occur to anyone that the names might be the same.  I've
actually been thinking about the idea of "bastard politics" for some
time.  And perhaps this is oddly quietist, for the ways that we get
erased in corporate and institutional structures can of course be
"oppressive" but also strikes me sometimes as granting us some sort of
wiggle room - unseen by the panopticon, who knows what might take place?
 However, I also completely agree that these assumptions have no place
in an institution that prides itself on the task of thinking well.

Best,
Emma


--
  Emanuela Bianchi
  Visiting Assistant Professor
  Department of Philosophy
  Haverford College


----- Original message -----
From: "Azzurra Crispino" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 18:50:59 -0500
Subject: APA Login Screen

Hi,

I just noticed that the default security question for the APA website
is "what is your mother's maiden name?"  I've repeatedly requested
that banks require a password for me and not that information, since
(a) my mother's maiden name is my last name, (b) this is really easy
information to find out about someone and (c) I detest the
patriarchal and heterocentrist notion that a woman gets married,
takes on her husband's last name, and then has children.  I know in
the past FEAST has contacted the APA and had good success in getting
these sorts of things changed.  Does anyone have any suggestions as
to where I go from here, or am I just being pedantic?

Azzurra