my first public “bitch”-out.

“Mike,

While looking through the entries just now I came upon one from http://www.maxwellander.ca that needless to say is VERY offensive (not the photo but the foul language in their description).

Aren’t there ANY rules about what kind of language we use when posting our photos for the contest? I mean, come on now… it might not offend everyone but it SURE does this woman. And I’m hoping that onOne is WAY classier than to allow that!

It would be great if you’d ask the person entering the photo to clean up their act.

Thanks,
Joanne”

isn’t that awesome?!?!?! i’m pretty sure it is this photo, and the use of the word “bitches”. i don’t know if my response will be approved or not, but just in case, this is it:

“hi joanne,

i don’t even remember which photo i entered… but i’m http://www.maxwellander.ca
if it’s the tractor photo, which is the only one with the correct tag, it’s offensive how? is it cause i used a curse word? i come from a female queer community that does a lot of activist as well as academic (you know, like people getting their phds) work around reclaiming language. beyond that, i’m pretty sure that language should have nothing to do with how we judge photographs. i would prefer to judge them based on, say, te photograph.

my work has been published, written about, awarded and last year was the runner-up in the emerging talent category of the Nikon International Photo Competition which has 55,000 entries worldwide. I’m willing to bet that onOne is happy to have an internationally recognized up and coming artist interested in and using their products.

also, i love that you felt the need to publicly announce the offensiveness of my work without ever even asking me what it was about.

my email is max@maxwellander.ca should you feel like actually engaging in an intelligent conversation about this.”

i’m actually really enjoying this.

also, totally childishly, i googled her and she shares a name with a playboy playmate….