(no subject)

[owlectomy]

Work on the paper is proceeding apace--2000 words out of 2500, though I'll need to go back later to fix all my references and footnotes. It still hasn't entirely stopped bothering me that none of the experts can agree on anything. Was the Japanese view of homosexuality (a) a natural consequence of contempt for women's bodies (b) a sign of the corruption and decadence of medieval Buddhism (c) a consequence of the Tantric influences on Tendai and Shingon Buddhism (which another reference says were entirely nonexistent) or (d) all of the above? It would be a lot simpler if I could go back to the Japanese sources and get one clear, simple answer, but even when I go back to the Japanese sources no one can seem to agree. Oh well. You can get a lot of words out of putting all the experts in a room and letting them argue with each other, so to speak, although it's rather hard for me to form my own opinion on such a basis.

The last 500 words or so are where I need to figure out what my own opinion is. So I should get started as soon as possible.