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Monica Barbovski

Mobile social researcher

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Breaking:

De ce dick pics trebuie să se întâmple? (colaborare cu Kitty Rea)

Începem și noi să vorbim adolescenților despre safe(r) sexting?

Notes of Pandemia #1

Update pentru prieteni și amici #1 Norsk dagbog

Am un iubit cu 14 ani mai tânăr. Probleme?

Discuții despre non-monogamie (I): tema/ teama responsabilității pentru celălalt

Jurnal de vară 2017 – Grecia (I)

Diário de viagem – Ilhabela

Diário brasileiro – third encounter with ayahuasca – The Lady and the avocado

Diário de viagem – Belo Horizonte and Pulsar Festival

Diário de viagem – from Guarapari to Belo Horizonte

Diário de viagem – from rainy Rio to Guarapari

Diário de viagem – from Ilha Grande to Rio

Diário de viagem – from Sao Paulo to Paraty

Diário brasileiro – living with type 1 diabetes in the land of sugar

A mobile researcher’s manifesto: do not hide who you are

Today, I am starting to publicise bits of my personal manifesto as a mobile social researcher; the values at the core of my ethos are radical self-expression and visibility, integration of work with other aspects of life in a sensitive and harmonious way, mindful approach to research and the status of a social researcher, accountability, de-centralisation and autonomy of research process and production, engagement with larger audiences, meaningful collaborations.

Today it’s about visibility and radical self-expression:

Do not hide who you are

Those of us working in academia, we live double lives, maybe triple, that is if we stubbornly insist on having some other life outside our work. We hide, we obscure, we conceal. We hide our gender identities and sexual orientations (we’re not supposed to be thought of as sexual beings, unless it’s briefly in the context of marriage or reproduction) and – Heaven forbids! – we’d rather have our left hand chopped off than admit to any paraphilia or any approach to relationship styles outside the society-approved statistical norm [read hetero- and mono- normativity, preferably long-term coupling, or celibacy – which is still acceptable for the romanticised idea of the ivory-tower scientist]. We hide our struggles with mental illnesses, in spite of growing evidence that afflictions like depression run deep among academics. We are ashamed of openly admitting to resonating with something beyond scientifically sanctioned knowledge [read spiritual if you wish, I’m not a fan of the term]. And while it’s OK to be leftist, proclaiming radical anarchist views is most likely to elicit superior smiles.

Gender divisions are not uncommon here. If you are a female academic, you are supposed to render yourself even more invisible, especially after age 30. Women are more likely to be discriminated against based on what they wear (note: I like to wear veils and be a desert queen), on grounds of being “too sexual” or not professional enough. In response to this article, one of my colleagues recalled her experience at Trinity College Dublin as a visiting research fellow, with the facilitator of a discussion group she attended – a grey haired black suited man – shaming her for what he obviously considered unprofessional attire (she was wearing jeans, hiking shoes and a simple, black cotton blouse) with the words: “You certainly don’t look like a fellow!” As an imaginary restorative and cathartic act of justice, in my head, I am marching into the room with two of my Burner friends, both research fellows – a German dominatrix in her shiny red catsuit serving glittered bloody maries, the “I was once kicked out of an orgy because I was talking too much” kind of gal, and another shibari aficionado Italian chef, in his regular faux-fur on skin, kilt plus military boots – and I am asking my German friend to give one of her rope strap-ons to that facilitator, and then demurely invite him to shove it up his arse, together with his sexist opinion nobody asked him for.

It is so scary to show up and be seen, as Brené Brown would say, but it’s not the critics who matter most. The alternative would be to orphan the parts of ourselves others might disapprove of, and that is a much more terrifying thought. For me being visible is part of the radical self-expression principle of Burning Man, which holds a tremendous therapeutic power.

I am a feminist.

I am an anarchist.

I am bi-sexual/ heteroflexible.

I am kink-friendly, sex-positive, and polyamorous. I practise relationship anarchy.

I do tantra, shamanic stuff and shadow work.

I occasionally do drugs (or more precise entheogens), which I use to expand my awareness, sensory field and consciousness, and to connect with loved ones.

I am a European Burner. I attend festivals and parties with people who feel free to be themselves, including naked, silly, playful or any other way childish, sensual and sexual. Free.

les fleurs du mal_munchen 2011

Les Fleurs du mal, spotted in Munich, 2011

 

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monibarbovski

Digital nomad/ mobile social researcher/ blogger/ writer/ traveller

#community #sarma #sarmale #community #sarma #sarmale
#iseedragons #dragonsinthesky #iseedragons #dragonsinthesky
Colțișor series #2 #catsofinstagram Colțișor series #2 #catsofinstagram
Colțișor series #catsofinstagram Colțișor series #catsofinstagram
#nofilter #nofilter
#arnold #catsofinstagram #arnold #catsofinstagram
Quince season. Quince season.
Arnold sau Văcuța, cum îl alint eu, motan luat Arnold sau Văcuța, cum îl alint eu, motan luat în foster de la Asociația NUCA.
#pawsies #pawsies
#nofilter #sunsetphotography #sunset #nofilter #sunsetphotography #sunset
#vaducrisului #ciucea #roadtrip #vaducrisului #ciucea #roadtrip
I am my own cartoon character. I am my own cartoon character.
#ceaun #ceaun
#midsummer #solstice #community #drummingcircle #midsummer #solstice #community #drummingcircle
Am scris o reacție la postarea video apărută zi Am scris o reacție la postarea video apărută zilele trecute pe Clujul Pentru Viață (despre cum ar trebui să nu se pozeze fetele dezbrăcate, dacă nu vor sa fie victime ale abuzurilor online). Am explicat pe larg de ce genul acesta de discurs este nu doar dăunător, cât și complet ineficient. Haștag #teachsafersexting #safersexting. http://www.monibarbovski.net/incepem-si-noi-sa-vorbim-adolescentilor-despre-safer-sexting/
Edit: Este un text reactiv, care ar beneficia de multe nuanțări și detalii (dar nu am vrut să îl fac prea lung).
#wisteria #tulips #notesofpandemia Spring nearby # #wisteria #tulips #notesofpandemia Spring nearby #cluj
Slo-mo life #spring2020 #notesofpandemia Slo-mo life #spring2020 #notesofpandemia
Edward Hopper-ing these days Edward Hopper-ing these days
These days, I am staring at my own handwriting fro These days, I am staring at my own handwriting from a week ago, trying to pick up the thread of work notes from where I left it before its meaning was lost to the new reality we all woke up to. #notesofpandemia #day4
Oslo Public Library Oslo Public Library
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