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breastphobia, homophobia, gorillaphobia?
Is Koko a bisexual female? Lesbian? Voyeur? Pervert?
Just misunderstood, marginalized, under-loved?
Just misunderstood, marginalized, under-loved?
Apparently Koko, the famous female gorilla who communicates in Ameslan (American English Sign Language), likes to look at the bare breasts of human females.
And at least three former employees are freaking out about this;
in lawsuits where lawyers exhibit
breastphobia, homophobia, and gorillaphobia.
It's unfortunate, in my queer opinion, that the Koko Foundation has hired, from time to time, unqualified employees who don't really appreciate how wonderful Koko is. It's even more unfortunate that such employees were ever introduced to Koko.
I would respectfully suggest that being introduced to Koko is a privilege, which thousands of her fans would cherish. This privilege shouldn't be squandered on persons who cannot accept Koko's personality, habits, et cetera -- even if such persons happen to be employees.
Of course, the foundation must introduce her, one time,
to visiting VIPs and major donors.
But for repeated visitors, criteria should include:
(1) ability to sign and read Ameslan;
(2) knowledge of gorilla behavior, and of Koko's unique behavior;
(3) [for females] a relaxed attitude about exposure of the female human breast; et cetera.
Culturally, Koko has spent her life relating mainly to humans, and not much to fellow gorillas.
She understands persons speaking English orally (at least if they use her basic vocabulary of around 1,000 words) and those who sign to her in Ameslan. She expresses herself by signing in Ameslan. So her personal culture is a mixture of gorilla and human. When she deals with human culture, she's somewhat like a small human child (imagine one who only knows 1,000 words); or like a developmentally challenged adult at the same vocabulary level.
Little kids often want to see the breasts, genitals, and
bare bodies of their playmates.
They often call this "playing doctor".
If some breastphobic and nudophobic persons are prudishly offended by her desires, they should never visit her.
Besides, Koko herself lives naked. (She hasn't had any practical need for clothing since she was a baby in diapers.) Her keepers never taught her to be ashamed of her own nudity
-- so why should humans be shocked if a naked gorilla
asks them to undress?
Physically, she's no longer a child. If her female handlers were willing, and if Americans were less sexphobic, she might ask for more intimacy than just looking at their bare breasts.
(We don't know what she may have asked of human men. At any rate, none has sued about any such requests. Our U.S. culture pressures girls to be more prudish than boys; and so, on average, with many individual exceptions, most adult women usually internalize a fear of nudity. Also, a straight man isn't likely to be offended by the erotic (or proto-erotic) desires of a female; more likely he's flattered, even when he signs No. However, we don't know the sexual orientations of the humans in Koko's circle of friends and acquaintances.)
Does Koko think of herself as a human or a gorilla?
Both? Neither?
Maybe she can't resolve the contradictions in her life,
being marginal in two worlds.
The Foundation has provided Koko with male gorillas as potential mates,
yet she has no babies. Maybe the problem is that she sees them as gorillas, not as humans?
Koko has a desire to mother an infant, as shown by her
tender care for her kittens (one at a time).
Her non-reproduction is unfortunate, since researchers want to see whether she will try to teach Ameslan to her gorilla baby;
and how well her effort might succeed, or not.
I wonder if they will eventually resort to artificial insemination?
Or is she already too old?
At any rate, Koko deserves loving friendship from those humans who really appreciate her. And she should be shielded from humans who don't feel comfortable around her --
who may despise her for having same-sex desires,
or for having different-species desires.
Her life is difficult, since she cannot fully participate in human culture, nor can she fully participate in gorilla culture.
She deserves our love and sympathy,
not our phobic scorn.
......
[ Caveat: The lawsuit(s) include other employment issues, about which I know nothing and have no opinion. My remarks above concern only the alegations about breast-baring. ]
........
Tortuga Bi LIBERTY,
one of Koko's fans,
San Francisco
....
[ for news report, see SF Chronicle --
http://www.sfgate.com ]
.......
And at least three former employees are freaking out about this;
in lawsuits where lawyers exhibit
breastphobia, homophobia, and gorillaphobia.
It's unfortunate, in my queer opinion, that the Koko Foundation has hired, from time to time, unqualified employees who don't really appreciate how wonderful Koko is. It's even more unfortunate that such employees were ever introduced to Koko.
I would respectfully suggest that being introduced to Koko is a privilege, which thousands of her fans would cherish. This privilege shouldn't be squandered on persons who cannot accept Koko's personality, habits, et cetera -- even if such persons happen to be employees.
Of course, the foundation must introduce her, one time,
to visiting VIPs and major donors.
But for repeated visitors, criteria should include:
(1) ability to sign and read Ameslan;
(2) knowledge of gorilla behavior, and of Koko's unique behavior;
(3) [for females] a relaxed attitude about exposure of the female human breast; et cetera.
Culturally, Koko has spent her life relating mainly to humans, and not much to fellow gorillas.
She understands persons speaking English orally (at least if they use her basic vocabulary of around 1,000 words) and those who sign to her in Ameslan. She expresses herself by signing in Ameslan. So her personal culture is a mixture of gorilla and human. When she deals with human culture, she's somewhat like a small human child (imagine one who only knows 1,000 words); or like a developmentally challenged adult at the same vocabulary level.
Little kids often want to see the breasts, genitals, and
bare bodies of their playmates.
They often call this "playing doctor".
If some breastphobic and nudophobic persons are prudishly offended by her desires, they should never visit her.
Besides, Koko herself lives naked. (She hasn't had any practical need for clothing since she was a baby in diapers.) Her keepers never taught her to be ashamed of her own nudity
-- so why should humans be shocked if a naked gorilla
asks them to undress?
Physically, she's no longer a child. If her female handlers were willing, and if Americans were less sexphobic, she might ask for more intimacy than just looking at their bare breasts.
(We don't know what she may have asked of human men. At any rate, none has sued about any such requests. Our U.S. culture pressures girls to be more prudish than boys; and so, on average, with many individual exceptions, most adult women usually internalize a fear of nudity. Also, a straight man isn't likely to be offended by the erotic (or proto-erotic) desires of a female; more likely he's flattered, even when he signs No. However, we don't know the sexual orientations of the humans in Koko's circle of friends and acquaintances.)
Does Koko think of herself as a human or a gorilla?
Both? Neither?
Maybe she can't resolve the contradictions in her life,
being marginal in two worlds.
The Foundation has provided Koko with male gorillas as potential mates,
yet she has no babies. Maybe the problem is that she sees them as gorillas, not as humans?
Koko has a desire to mother an infant, as shown by her
tender care for her kittens (one at a time).
Her non-reproduction is unfortunate, since researchers want to see whether she will try to teach Ameslan to her gorilla baby;
and how well her effort might succeed, or not.
I wonder if they will eventually resort to artificial insemination?
Or is she already too old?
At any rate, Koko deserves loving friendship from those humans who really appreciate her. And she should be shielded from humans who don't feel comfortable around her --
who may despise her for having same-sex desires,
or for having different-species desires.
Her life is difficult, since she cannot fully participate in human culture, nor can she fully participate in gorilla culture.
She deserves our love and sympathy,
not our phobic scorn.
......
[ Caveat: The lawsuit(s) include other employment issues, about which I know nothing and have no opinion. My remarks above concern only the alegations about breast-baring. ]
........
Tortuga Bi LIBERTY,
one of Koko's fans,
San Francisco
....
[ for news report, see SF Chronicle --
http://www.sfgate.com ]
.......
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Comments
(Hide Comments)
no one is scorning Koko, unless you count the refusal to expose one's self to Koko. the media reports all focus on the female supervisor at the facility and her demands on other employees
it is indeed sexual harrassment to demand that subordinate employees reveal their breasts to Koko, and that is rightfully scorned
now if the supervisor wants to expose her own breasts (and lord knows what else she has shared with Koko) that is another matter for her employer and the donors to the foundation to sort out
it seems crazy to make a request of future employees that they expose themselves as a requirement for the job. what's next, digital intercourse?? are we talking animal specialists or animal prostitutes here? and are we really even sure that that's what Koko actually requested, as an explanation there is lacking in all reports, or something the enmeshed supervisor really wanted?
it is indeed sexual harrassment to demand that subordinate employees reveal their breasts to Koko, and that is rightfully scorned
now if the supervisor wants to expose her own breasts (and lord knows what else she has shared with Koko) that is another matter for her employer and the donors to the foundation to sort out
it seems crazy to make a request of future employees that they expose themselves as a requirement for the job. what's next, digital intercourse?? are we talking animal specialists or animal prostitutes here? and are we really even sure that that's what Koko actually requested, as an explanation there is lacking in all reports, or something the enmeshed supervisor really wanted?
For more information:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/02/172285...
PS:
Here's part of the SF Chronicle report:
.........
PENINSULA
Ex-worker is third to sue over gorilla
Woman says she had to show her breasts to Koko
Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Another former employee of the Gorilla Foundation has filed a lawsuit
saying that she was repeatedly forced to partially disrobe
in front of Koko the "talking" ape.
Redwood City resident Iris Rivera, 39, revealed her breasts to Koko seven or eight times in a two-month period last summer, according to a suit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court this week -- seven days after a similar legal claim from two San Francisco women who also had worked for the internationally known Woodside nonprofit.
Unlike Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, who ignored foundation President
Francine Patterson's pressure to expose themselves, Rivera acquiesced.
"She took it as a disagreeable duty of her employment," said Rivera's lawyer,
Michael Adams, in a phone interview.
Redwood City attorney Todd Roberts, representing the Gorilla Foundation,
said, "We're confident there's no merit to either of these lawsuits.
We are not going to dignify the allegations with a response."
He said the foundation's position was exactly the same as
the statement posted on its Web site
in regard to last week's lawsuit.
"We unequivocally deny the hurtful allegations of the lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the case through trial, if necessary," the statement said in part.
Rivera was hired as an administrative assistant in February 2004 but wasn't introduced to Koko until June.
"To Rivera's shock and surprise, Patterson informed Rivera that Koko was communicating by sign language that 'she wants to see your nipples,' " the suit alleged. "When Rivera expressed her incredulity at the apparent request, Patterson pressured Rivera to comply, telling her, 'Everyone does it for her around here' and telling Koko to 'calm down' and 'just give her time.'
"Rivera then reluctantly raised her T-shirt briefly to reveal her bra, but Rivera admonished her that Koko 'wants to see the nipples (italicized in the suit).' Rivera grudgingly complied. Patterson then exclaimed, 'Oh look, Koko, she has big nipples.' "
The sessions ended in August, Adams said, after what he described as a particularly unsettling encounter.
One of Koko's handlers told Rivera that the loquacious primate -- best- known for her purported 1,000-word American Sign Language vocabulary -- indicated that she wanted to be alone with Rivera.
"My client was getting some rudimentary signing from Koko," he said by phone from his Redwood City office. " 'Let down your hair. Lie down on the floor. Show your breasts again. Close your eyes.' My client peeped out and saw Koko slowly kneel down and start squatting and breathing heavily. My client got spooked and ran out of the trailer."
Although Koko was confined to a wire cage, her behavior was suggestive to the point that Rivera didn't want to wait around and find out what might come next, Adams said.
And she refused to go near the 33-year-old lowland gorilla again, Adams added.
On previous occasions, Adams said, Patterson would watch Rivera expose herself to Koko. And the gorilla would take it all in, the lawyer said, "with wide-open, staring eyes."
Rivera quit on Jan. 13 and has found office work elsewhere, Adams said.
[........]
[ For more, please see:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/26/BAGIUBH8CM38.DTL ]
.....
Gorilla Foundation Statement
Responding to
Pending Litigation
Feb. 21, 2005
On February 15, 2005, Kendra Keller and Nancy Alperin filed a lawsuit against The Gorilla Foundation alleging an entitlement to damages in connection with the termination of their employment, but chose to
publicize the lawsuit by falsely claiming that they were wrongfully terminated.
In fact, as The Gorilla Foundation will prove, the termination of Ms. Keller's and Ms. Alperin's employment with The Gorilla Foundation was entirely lawful and unrelated to any of the matters raised in their lawsuit.
The manner in which their attorney chose to frame and publicize the lawsuit, in our opinion, is nothing more than a transparent attempt to call attention to himself and the suit in hopes of gaining an advantage
in the litigation.
Based on the advice of our attorneys, and our desire to conduct ourselves with the dignity and class befitting the noble efforts of The Gorilla Foundation, we are electing to defend the lawsuit in
court as opposed to litigating the case in the press.
To be clear, we unequivocally deny the hurtful allegations of the lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the case through trial, if necessary, in the San Mateo County Superior Court.
We have faith in our system of justice and are confident that the lawsuit completely lacks merit.
In the event you have any questions concerning the lawsuit or have information bearing on the issues raised in the suit, we ask that you contact our attorney, Todd A. Roberts, of Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley in Redwood City, at 650-364-8200 or
troberts [at] ropers.com
.......
Responding to
Pending Litigation
Feb. 21, 2005
On February 15, 2005, Kendra Keller and Nancy Alperin filed a lawsuit against The Gorilla Foundation alleging an entitlement to damages in connection with the termination of their employment, but chose to
publicize the lawsuit by falsely claiming that they were wrongfully terminated.
In fact, as The Gorilla Foundation will prove, the termination of Ms. Keller's and Ms. Alperin's employment with The Gorilla Foundation was entirely lawful and unrelated to any of the matters raised in their lawsuit.
The manner in which their attorney chose to frame and publicize the lawsuit, in our opinion, is nothing more than a transparent attempt to call attention to himself and the suit in hopes of gaining an advantage
in the litigation.
Based on the advice of our attorneys, and our desire to conduct ourselves with the dignity and class befitting the noble efforts of The Gorilla Foundation, we are electing to defend the lawsuit in
court as opposed to litigating the case in the press.
To be clear, we unequivocally deny the hurtful allegations of the lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the case through trial, if necessary, in the San Mateo County Superior Court.
We have faith in our system of justice and are confident that the lawsuit completely lacks merit.
In the event you have any questions concerning the lawsuit or have information bearing on the issues raised in the suit, we ask that you contact our attorney, Todd A. Roberts, of Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley in Redwood City, at 650-364-8200 or
troberts [at] ropers.com
.......
For more information:
http://www.gorilla.org
"fan of koko" said: "We don't know what she may have asked of human men". Well, take a look at the end of this interview: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/23/1042911490894.html
Robin Williams is GF's chosen gorilla defender (see http://www.koko.org/friends/press.html), but we'll have yet to see if his help is needed at court.
Koko has met also other celebrities in order to get their help, for example Leonardo DiCaprio. But for some reason, I cannot find information about the visit from Leo's own web sites anymore. From some other web sites yes, but not Leo's. I hope he hasn't gotten into any conflict with GF later on?
Robin Williams is GF's chosen gorilla defender (see http://www.koko.org/friends/press.html), but we'll have yet to see if his help is needed at court.
Koko has met also other celebrities in order to get their help, for example Leonardo DiCaprio. But for some reason, I cannot find information about the visit from Leo's own web sites anymore. From some other web sites yes, but not Leo's. I hope he hasn't gotten into any conflict with GF later on?
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