"Claire Donato's We Discuss Disgust: Patafeminism Rides The Digital Abject: Cixous, Kristeva, Lispector, Jackson, Hayles, Damon, Lorde, and Others" was initially presented at ELO14 as a rhetorical front to conceal Special America Holds the Light. The front was employed prior to Special America's surprise appearance and announcement that it had absorbed the ELO and rebranded the Hold the Light conference as Special America Holds the Light. "We Discuss Disgust" was then folded into Special America's performance. In particular, we incorporated the following description, which had been provided to ELO for the program:
How can we negotiate post-post-gender identity in the slipstream of our digitally mediated selves? How can we commit to a feminist position when we see through our hands on the keys? Can we have a body without organs if there is no body? How do we register disgust in the digital sublime? Does the virtual city have a dump, or is it just a bunch of circuits and towers? Now that our mother was a computer, what is the future of futurity? Jackson’s notions of phlegmatics and humour(s) will be cross-stitched with Damon’s warm code as we gag on Kristeva and Lispector, read the scraps of Cixous’ devoured liver & consider Lorde’s new-media outlook: Maybe the Internet raised us / And maybe people are jerks. Q&A to follow.
Special America's use of "We Discuss Disgust" as a front was inspired by marketing and branding tactics employed by celebrities, corporations and academies including Beyoncé, James Franco, Lululemon, The New School, and The Cooper Union.
