|
|
Go to page [Previous] 1~2 | ||||||||||
petemccabe New user Woodland Hills, CA 9 Posts |
I'm not sure what CardSurfer means by
"validating" homophobic tendencies. What I'm suggesting is that you be aware that they exist, and if you have an effect where you need to touch the spectator (i.e. ashes on the palm, sponge balls, etc.) and if you are performing this effect for a man, you keep in mind that the spectator may find _any_ contact makes them uncomfortable. This is especially true of a trick like ashes or the watch steal, where you don't want the spectator to remember that you touched them at all. If it makes them uncomfortable to be touched, they'll ***ed well remember. John Carney has some interesting words on this subject in "A Polite Penetration" from Carneycopia, a routine specifically designed to incorporate the maximum physical involvement on the spectator (four coins pass through the spectator's hand) while minimizing the physical contact required to achieve the effect. On the subject of approaching a woman, I do think that if you treat the woman with respect, her spouse/date will not feel threatened. I realize it is a challenge for some magicians to treat any of their audience members with respect. Pete |
|||||||||
Quest New user 56 Posts |
I'd like to raise a question from another point of view. We have been discussing the gender aspect of magic from a spectators point of view...what if we switched it around and made it the magician? How do male/female magicians interact with magic differently, or is it different in any way? Their styles, effects used, etc. What have you observed in watching magical members of the opposite sex? Or in yourself? Do you think your gender influences your magic?
Quest
"Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not." --Einstein |
|||||||||
card surfer New user 6 Posts |
Hey Pete,
Good post, What I meant by validating homophobia is that by saying, "well, it exists so be aware of it", keeps it around, rather than knowing it exists but ignoring it and forcing pwople to have a more open mind. I know racism exists too, but I don't let that interfere with my performance. Good arguement again Pete, you are getting less vague and to what you really mean here. Sure, you don't want the spectator knowing the moment the magic happened, if the method envolves you having to touch them. A POLITE PENETRATION, in Carneycopia, is a great example of how to avoid the method being tipped by the social awkwardness many cultures may feel when being touched. Everyone can read this case in point on page 206-207. However Pete, it is not mentioned in your example that it is between two men that this awkwardness occurs, rather between any two "strangers or new acquaintances". Which makes me again curious on what you founded your statement, "For many obvious reasons, for a male magician to make physical contact with another man can be more challenging than to do so with a woman". This is a sexist and homophobic statement that I am sure many think, I am not picking on you Pete, just the line of thinking. Bottom line, if you can touch a woman that way, you can touch a man the same way. Your new arguement is good Pete, but you still have not answered what these "obvious reasons are" or why it is okay to touch a man and not a woman. I think this is because there is no proper answer, and it is through that prior line of thinking that needs to help to socially construct and validate ideas like homophobia. As for Quest post, I couldn't say, I am not a woman. I think magic is much more difficult for woman though, because it is a male dominated "culture" (if you want to call it such). Pocket management is easier because of what is acceptable for males than females for dress, and generally (as in stand-up comedy) we are treated with more respect. Ask yourself, Who are your favourite magicians? Then count how many are females. How many female magicians can you name? Is it because woman don't want to do magic? If they like it so much, it would seem the logical step for at least more than are representative. Why is magic a male dominated field? Good guestions, by members. Enjoying the posts, keep 'em coming. |
|||||||||
Stuart Hooper Special user Mithrandir 759 Posts |
I'm trying to post this more in reaction the original post than the issues that have been opened, but anyways here I go. As a teenage male performer, I find that attracting good looking women of all ages is critical to my show. As I generally work private parties or public parties, I am not just a magician, but an entertainer.
If I can attract several women to my show with pure force of will, men will follow. When working with teeneagers of my own age, I find that the girls are quite nice, but the guys can get hostile as they see me as a threat. The smarter ones however are friendly. With older people, like college kids, I still attract girls, but the guys don't see me as a threat. This makes an awesome show as everyone one is chilling and partying, drunk or sober, but I'm adding the magic. With older people, both genders react favorably to most the stuff I do. Girls react better to things like sponge rabbits and other "cute" tricks, but otherwise I think the differences between the Genders are too small to pay a whole lot of attention too. If you do good magic, you needn't worry about the gender of the audience. |
|||||||||
Joshua Lozoff Inner circle Chapel Hill, NC 1332 Posts |
Boy, great comments everyone.
I genuinely appreciate card surfers comments, and insistance to challenge the status quo. However, I feel it's a bit silly to insist that all differences are social, and not genuine gender differences. Researchers all roll their eyes at people who insist that boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls only because of social influences. Every parent and most socialogists will tell you in a heartbeat there are true differences (in general.) As performers I think it's responsible to be honest and aware of those differences so we can entertain and inspire. I'm not working as a magician to challenge anyones comfort zone. I'll let Dr. Phil do that. By the way, different races and cultures ABSOLUTELY enjoy different types of magic. I'm sorry to hear you think that would be a taboo topic, because it would be as interesting to me as this one. Pointing out differences is not bias, it's fearless honesty. |
|||||||||
Aaron B Fisher V.I.P. Hollywood, California 143 Posts |
Wow. I'd say there's nothing more for me to add here. From a standpoint of technique, I think it should be noted that men and women both react to essentially the same thing -- a honestly presented, clear effect. Therefore, the same technique can be used for both.
Cardsurfer's points are well takenm, but I think it should be made clear that McCabe is obviously not homophobic, and TCR clearly has an understanding of body language. For the record, body language DOES, I repeat, DOES exist. Cardsurfer, rock on, but ignore people's body language, and what it can tell you, at your peril...... Best, Aaron |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The October 2002 entrée: Aaron Fisher » » Men and women » » TOPIC IS LOCKED (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page [Previous] 1~2 |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |