… have you noticed how Tom Cruise refers to the woman we all knew as KATIE Holmes, as “Kate”? (Well, besides his constant refrain of “magnificent woman”, “magnificent woman”, “magnificent woman”.) From the beginning, he re-christened her as “Kate”. It stood out for me, and always has (in the weeks and WEEKS of time that I have been obsessing about this): it seemed important to him that she was Kate and not Katie. I have spent way too much time wondering why this might be.<\/p>\n
My friend Mitchell is always annoyed when people shorten his name to “Mitch”, and they usually do it instantly upon meeting him. Nothing wrong with the name “Mitch”, but he doesn’t go by “Mitch”, he goes by “Mitchell”.<\/p>\n
“Hi, my name is Mitchell.” He holds out his hand.<\/p>\n
Person shakes hand, says, “Hi, Mitch, nice to meet you.”<\/p>\n
I’ve been there when this happens. It happens all the time. Mitchell doesn’t make a big deal out of it or anything … but it sure is an interesting phenomenon. Like: I have told you, in the way I introduce myself, how I refer to myself. I have called myself “Mitchell”. And immediately, you ignore that, and give me a nickname? Why??<\/p>\n
Mitchell believes (and I agree with him) that because he is gay – those who meet him sometimes have the desire to “butch him up” (Mitchell’s words). They are friendly, nice, they shake hands … it’s not a hostile moment or anything like that … but they do not call him “Mitchell”. They choose the “butcher” Mitch.<\/p>\n
I don’t really have a name that can be shortened, although Mitchell’s mother always did call me, with great affection, “She”. Mitchell’s entire family picked up on that, and I actually loved it. I’d see Mitchell’s brother after a long time of separation – we would hug – and he would say, “Hi, She!!”<\/p>\n
I would walk into Mitchell’s house, and be greeted with happy cries of, “It’s She!” “She’s here!” “Hi, She!”<\/p>\n
But sometimes … when people decide to shorten your name on their own … it’s a matter of aggression (in a very passive sense, of course) and control.<\/p>\n
“Hi, my name is David.”
\n“Hey, Dave, what’s up? Nice to meet you.”
\n“Uhm … I said my name was DAVID.”<\/p>\n
It’s a strange thing, and very common to those who have names that can be shortened.<\/p>\n
But here’s Tom Cruise, talking about Kate this, and Kate that … and it’s weird to me. So you not only indoctrinate her into your Xenu world, but you adjust her name as well? She’s KATIE, bub. I mean, I know she’s not a ginormous star (and thanks to you, perhaps now she never will be) … She’s not a household name like, say, Lindsay Lohan is (ahem.)… but still: she’s been “Katie” since The Ice Storm<\/i>, my friend. Why are you shortening her name? Are you trying to butch her up? haha No, but seriously: what’s up with that?<\/p>\n
I am glad I am not the only one who has noticed this. Because, frankly, this is one of the most important issues of our day.<\/p>\n
Check out this, from Fugging it up.<\/a><\/p>\n Favorite phrase? “spastic man-child fiance”<\/p>\n hahahahaha<\/p>\n This is She, signing off …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" … have you noticed how Tom Cruise refers to the woman we all knew as KATIE Holmes, as “Kate”? (Well, besides his constant refrain of “magnificent woman”, “magnificent woman”, “magnificent woman”.) From the beginning, he re-christened her as “Kate”. It … Continue reading