#getting emotional over female empowerment and how beautiful women are

[clovesnz]

Not me developing a crush on my ONE straight friend like wth is wrong with meeee

[denimbex1986]

'Barbenheimer, the biggest double-bill of the year, has been a massive success. The box office, film circles, and the wild world of the internet have been buzzing about the unlikely pairing of two vastly different films made by two of the most renowned filmmakers of our time. Greta Gerwig's Barbie is a vibrant exploration of its titular character experiencing an existential crisis, one of the last thoughts that could pop into one's head when talking about the beloved doll. On the other hand, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer brings viewers right into the mind of the father of the atomic bomb. While both of them look to discuss certain political and social aspects of the world, only one of them succeeds in providing a nuanced exploration, and it's not even close.

'Barbie' Takes a Look at Feminism

In Gerwig's world, "Stereotypical" Barbie (Margot Robbie), in the middle of one of her routine night parties, abruptly experiences thoughts of death. This leads her perfect plastic figure to undergo several physical changes, such as having cellulite or getting flat-footedness. She discovers that all of this is caused by the state of mind of her owner in the real world, which she must change before she becomes fully human. Barbie, together with Ken (Ryan Gosling), travels to Venice Beach in search of her owner while discovering the imperfections of the mundane human world. It is during this trip, and the events leading after, that the film provides a commentary on femininity and what being a woman in the real world means.

Their arrival opens up a plethora of discourse regarding being a woman in the real world. One of the main tenets in Barbie's women empowerment manifesto is a tale as old as the movement itself. It offers the notion that stereotypical beauty standards are not the end-all and be-all. The movie hammers home this point when Stereotypical Barbie herself calls an elderly woman on the bus stop beautiful. Another point is when Barbie is taken aback by the self-awareness of her owner Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), calling her a fascist, among other hurtful things. Barbie isn't the role model she thinks she is, and she learns that the existence of Barbies may have caused more harm than good. Yes, this concept might be a bit on the nose, but it still works. However, it is just one of the many things in relation to the bigger picture of female representation and equality. There's more to it than just beauty standards, which Barbie attempts to tackle throughout the film.

Gloria's Monologue Gets at the Core of the Message

When Ken discovers that the patriarchy is the ruling system in the real world, he begins to carry that mentality. Acting as if he has just discovered the penultimate secret of the universe, Ken runs back to Barbieland alone and takes over with his new philosophy. When Barbie takes Sasha and her mother, Gloria (America Ferrera), back to Barbieland, they're shocked by the change and endeavor to save it. When Gloria inadvertently discovers that the key to saving everyone in Barbieland is an impassioned speech on what it takes to be a woman, the film's inner meaning becomes crystal clear.

Gloria espouses how it is so hard to be a woman because the system is rigged against their success, and that everyone blames them for what's wrong in the world. While inspirational in its own right, and embodies truthfulness to some degree, it is but a reductionist view on the problems that plague women. It is a futile attempt to encapsulate the bigger picture of the admirable movement of women's rights, and boils down to an emotional but simplistic rant on how women are oppressed. Generally speaking, it bears little depth in relation to the complexities of empowering women. It's like a person merely touching the surface of a lake, and immediately judging that it's safe to swim in. For some, it falls flat and was an underwhelming climax for a fairly enticing buildup.

However, there is an argument to be made. Isn't that exactly the point? It is a Barbie movie after all, and it makes no bones about its nature. It is a movie about a plastic doll that discovers its own sense of consciousness. Did we really expect it to delve deep into the roots of a deeply ingrained issue, and offer some form of emancipation? Absolutely not! If we want to be technical about it, Barbie belonged to a world where there were absolutely no problems. Her arrival in the real world was a culture shock, there's no way she could fully grasp everything about the complexities of gender politics in such a short amount of time. Yes, Barbie's critique of the patriarchy is surface-level at times, but as the ending shows, she still has more to discover about herself, and that's alright.

The Hypocrisy of Free Thinking in 'Oppenheimer'

On the other hand, Nolan's Oppenheimer, by its very subject, offers a lot more leeway in terms of discussing politics. It is a film about one of the most controversial subjects the world has ever seen, so it is at a distinct advantage. As the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory for the Manhattan Project, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) was at the receiving end of mudslinging efforts, among other things. The picture does a marvelous job of presenting Oppenheimer as both a pompous intellectual with no regard for boundaries and as a human being facing the immense consequences of his actions. Despite his polarizing personality, one of his most commendable traits is his penchant for standing up for what he believes in.

Oppenheimer, as depicted in the film, was a stand-up guy when it came to his science and an even prouder individual when it came to his own beliefs. The earliest form of conflict was his affinity with left-wing politics. While not strictly a communist per se, his loyalty was put into question, especially due to his fondness of socials hosted by members of the Communist Party USA. An affair with one of its most prominent members in Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) only made things worse. His sympathy for some of the party's ideas is where his troubles began, which eventually sealed his own fate. It is a common occurrence that still plagues the world today. Someone expressing approval for left-wing politics, can easily be branded a communist. During the height of McCarthyism, and the immense fear brought by the Cold War, paranoia against communists and spies in America hit an all-time high. Movements like these are often hijacked by those in power and can be wielded like a weapon against those they see as a threat.

'Oppenheimer's Commentary Exposes the Dark Complexity of Politics

With the success of the Trinity test, and the war-ending bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Oppenheimer vehemently denied support for its prospective use. He began to speak against the very thing he created, and while his philosophies were laudable, the US government's mentality went in the opposite direction. Seeing it as a race for global arms supremacy, President Harry S. Truman (Gary Oldman) insulted Oppenheimer for being resentful of his brainchild. For a man who contributed so much to ending the war, the president's dismissal of his concerns speaks volumes.

On the other hand, Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), who carried a personal grudge against Oppenheimer, used his alleged communist connections as fodder for his scheme to permanently revoke the physicist's security clearance. It is one of the most blatant displays of the hypocrisy of supposedly democratic governments. The proliferation of ideas, and the flourishing of free-thinking is only heralded when it plays into the government's interest. If your ideas are of no use to them anymore, or if you have already served your purpose, they will throw you out faster than a nuclear reaction. It is Oppenheimer's bread and butter: to expound on the dark inner workings of politics, and it succeeds in providing a more nuanced take compared to its fellow release-day movie.

Barbenheimer's Have Two Very Different Approaches to Politics

Rather than viewing Oppenheimer as a more politically conscious film, perhaps it would be best to discuss the different approaches of the two in terms of examining politics. Gerwig made a nostalgia piece, aiming for viewers to relive their childhoods. Politics is secondary when you are talking about dolls living in colorful and majestic houses. Nolan's character study was built for this argument, and he masterfully dissects the double-edged sword that is free speech, as well as questioning the ethics of nuclear warfare.

Yes, from an objective standpoint, Oppenheimer provides a better political cinematic undertaking, but it doesn't mean that Barbie had nothing to offer at all. Rather than favoring one or the other, it is best to critique the two blockbusters with the appropriate lens. At least the two blockbusters are sparking discussions on two very important issues, and that's all we can ask for as moviegoers.'

[redrascal1]

Disney, #metoo and its toxic partnership

Anyone remember the days when Disney and the Star Wars saga were about entertainment?

They made some of the best films on celluloid. The Skywalker Saga was a terrific space opera, and totally unique as it blended sci fi with epic fantasy. It featured refreshingly flawed but immensely likeable heroes and a tragic villain that is still memorable decades later.

Disney meanwhile, were responsible for some of the finest animated films ever made - the original Beauty and the Beast was Oscar nominated.

Far forward to the 21st century, and what have we got?

#metoo.

When they were created, the #metoo movement was admirable. They were there to protect vulnerable young women from reptiles like Harvey Weinstein, and I was 100% behind them.

Then I lost all my respect for them with a comment they made after Johnny Depp’s court victory against his sociopathic abusive ex wife.

‘This is a bad day for women.’

Excuse me? That was a bad day for abusers - not women. Men can, and often have been, abused by their female partners. In the news in the UK recently, there was a terrible story of a young man murdered by his partner because he was too ashamed of telling the police she was repeatedly assaulting him. I’ve read other stories, including one young man whose partner enjoyed pouring boiling water over him in the bath, and repeatedly beat him with a glass ashtray.  Depp’s victory has actually inspired other victims of female abusers to come forward. Women as well as men. 

But, back to DLF.

#metoo are having a strong influence on them. Apparently they were ‘consulted’ when making the live action The Little Mermaid. It seems Disney are now asking for #metoo’s approval when writing romantic scenes, hence the changed lyrics to Kiss the Girl - a sweet romantic song whose original lyrics #metoo apparently found ‘offensive’ to females. 

The problem with #metoo is they are fast ceasing to be a movement designed to protect women from sexual predators and abusers....and are unfortunately becoming an organisation which dislikes men.

Look no further than TROS.

When we first meet Rey in TFA, she was an immensely likeable person. And she was flawed. To a degree, yes she was overpowered...but back then, it could be explained. Her winning the mental duel with Kylo in the interrogation scene could easily have been explained by him being completely taken by surprise that she was Force sensitive. When they fought in the forest he was weakened both by the emotional blowback of killing his father and his serious wound at the hands of Chewie - and further weakened by blood loss during his brief fight with Finn. Rey’s skills as a mechanic were possibly the most credible part of her ‘talents’...she had spent fifteen years as a scavenger on Jakku and therefore had learned to know spaceships inside and out in order to survive.

Then we get TLJ, and the film which truly explores the ‘duality’ between Rey and Kylo.

Rian’s wonderful film  set up a fascinating relationship between them, but most of all, he showed them as equals. This is hammered home when the lightsabre split, torn in half by the power of two immensely strong Force sensitives. He also showed how Kylo had become weakened by killing his father and how it had caused him to lose, in that clever scene where Snoke berates him. And look what happened when Snoke, an ancient FS with decades of experience, tortured Rey - he broke her defences down in seconds. Even Kylo had to trick him to defeat him.

And then...we get TROS.

Rey was no longer ‘Rey’, she was Jedi dogma made flesh. Aloof, untouchable, god like - as emphasised by her virginal white costume based on the young, virginal Leia’s costume in ANH. No man could touch her, as apparently Rey having a boyfriend somehow ‘tainted’ her purity, her sanctity of female empowerment. Hence Ben dying, and Jannah and Zorri introduced as future love interests for Finn and Poe (don’t get me started on Rose, please, still fuming about that.)

And she was of course, to quote Wolverine, ‘the best there was at what she did.’

Difference is Wolverine was a professional soldier with decades of experience. Rey was a Jedi padawan who had had one year’s training at the hands of Leia, herself only half trained. Yet somehow she is a better pilot than Poe - who’d been flying since he was a kid - a better fighter than Finn, who’d been taught to fight from as soon as he could walk, and a Jedi not only superior to Ben but to Luke, Yoda - centuries of experience - and even Anakin, the Chosen One.

Because neither Luke, Anakin or even Yoda....could destroy Palpatine alone. Yet Rey did by simply crossing her two lightsabres. People argue that Rey actually ‘died’ then, but as fans rightly pointed out...she didn’t ‘fade into the Force’. So DLF ‘retconned’ this by pointing out she ‘wasn’t really dead’. Yeah, right.

And also...Force healing was never ‘canon’ in the SW cinematic universe and rightly so, because if it had Anakin could have saved Shmi and Padme, and never would have become Darth Vader. Adding Force healing threw the entire SWU ‘out of sync’ ....especially as the only person who could wield it without dying was a Palpatine.

Nope...Rey was so magnificent because she’s female. And this is the real tragedy of #metoo and its influence on DLF - they are no longer promoting an agenda that women are men’s equals but that we are their superiors. They even hammered this home with cutting Adam’s scenes in TROS and reducing Finn and Poe to little more than comic relief.

And I’m sorry, but that is poisonous. You don’t become what you hate or there’s little purpose in fighting hate in the first place. Not just Rey, but Daisy herself is a prime example of how #metoo has started having a negative influence on entertainment. She enthused over Rey’s relationship with Kylo during promotion for TLJ, admired reylo art post TROS - and then suddenly it’s ‘I can’t get behind the relationship’ and ‘Rey doesn’t need a boyfriend’ pre TROS.

And what happened pre TROS? #metoo happened.

I’m absolutely sure their influence is what caused Daisy to change her attitude to ‘reylo’ after discovering that they had a major influence on the making of TLM, live action. They have become a powerful movement in Hollywood. Their influence is popping up in popular entertainment everywhere, but it’s particularly strong with DLF. And I’m sorry, but I dislike hatred of men as much as I dislike hatred of women. People were meant to be equal. What #metoo is preaching is toxic, as is their relationship with DLF. It helped destroy the Skywalker Saga. I never thought I’d agree with a poster on the JCF, but one individual was spot on when he said it was ‘wrong to destroy story to promote an agenda.’

Because that is exactly what DLF’s partnership with the #metoo movement is doing - destroying everything they touch. The Little Mermaid has been a huge box office fail in the US. DLF need to seriously rethink their future projects. 

Most of all, they need to rethink how they are going to move forward with SW post TROS. And this new Rey movie. Because so far nothing they are hinting at with the latter seems to show any sign of them changing their tune.

Stick to entertaining people, Disney. Not promoting a radical movement’s agenda.

[taneshadeva]

My Final Manifesto!

Over the course of taking this class, I've done many post pertaining to art pieces, poems, music, and life. I've done posts on Women Empowerment, Abstract Art, Public Art, Love, Grief, Poetry, and Paintings. My women empowerment post represented natural beauty for black women , as the photo shows the natural hair embedded with powerful phrases and the beautiful skin. The details in the photo that are important are the words embedded in the woman's hair. The embedded words are to show that the women portrays those phrases and symbolizes meaning to them.The details that appeal to me is the natural beauty of a black from the fro to the fair skin tone and how the words embedded in her hair represents how she embodies herself to everyone around her, especially young black women/girls like myself. Abstract Art a painting created by Fernard Legar in the years 1918-1923 during his mechanical period. First look at this painting and you think its just a bunch of shapes put together and some color. It is much more than shapes and color, this painting reflects on Legar's mechanical period where he was obsessed with machines and modern technology.n Legar's painting he was trying to and I quote "bring to mind the urban architecture, new modes of transportation, and time-saving technologies that were transforming the modern world". Legar's aesthetic and fascination with modern technology and machinery has gained attention of alot of people and have called his work Tubism, as reference to the painter Pablo Picasso who was known for Cubism. Public Art a sculpture called the Cross Currents, sculptured by Albert Paley in 2001. It is currently located at Florida Gulf Coast University in the campus courtyard. Albert Paley is a world renowned metal sculptor artist and "In creating a work of art, besides my personal experience, my concern is how it emotionally and intellectually engages the viewer. A love poetry by Elizabeth Barrett Browning written in the 1850's. The love poems were written in dedication of her husband who was also a poet, Robert Browning. The meaning behind the "Love" poem is an expression of a female lover, one who is trying to demonstrate the intensity of feelings and emotions between two loved ones. I expressed my grief where I chose my theme to be Heart Broken because I recently suffered a heartbreak that I am still trying to cope with. Just recently (a little over 2 months ago) I lost my Grandfather on February 19, 2023 and it has been very hard as I am still grieving and learning to cope with his death. Ever since then I've gone down hill, with school and procrastination, hiding my feelings. Ive been throwing my self in work so I don't have to deal with it. But music has been a coping mechanism for me as it helps me calm down, and brings me hope and happiness. Although the music I chose are more based on relationship heartbreaks, I can feel there pain in there music, and I can relate to the pain. The painting to which i had to create a poem to go along with it. This painting is one of the most beautiful I've seen. The vibrant colors combine with a peaceful flow making it a strong centerpiece.Painting ''Expression'' is done by the Ukrainian artist Anastasia Kozorez. Painting with professional oil paints on canvas. The face woman is made in yellow, blue, violet and orange tones. A light color is associated with a light source or the light itself reflected in the composition. The bright colors describes the purity or strength of a colour. Bright colors are undiluted and are often associated with positive energy and intense emotions. My posts have portrayed, empowerment, love, excitement, vibrance and lose. With this course I've explored and learned many things and it has opened my perspectives on life. Although it has been a tough semester, I managed to try to get myself together with everything happening.

[akaraboonline]

9 Unrealistic Beauty Standards We Must Drop Right Now.

Beauty standards vary from country to country, but some unfair and unrealistic expectations persist even after centuries. In this day and age of female empowerment and body positivity, we must abandon the outdated beauty standards that are holding us back. Here are all 9 Unrealistic Beauty Standards We Must Drop Right Now in order to embrace the true spectrum of beauty that exists within all of us. 1.No stretch marks

What exactly are we, Barbie Dolls? Stretch marks are completely normal, whether you've had children or lost/gained weight in the past. These warrior marks are a sign of growth and strength for many women. Our bodies have changed so much over the years, allowing us to transform. These marks, whether from losing or gaining weight, pregnancy or simply growing, are a badge of honor that we should never be ashamed of. 2. Round hips

There are numerous workout videos claiming that you can eliminate hip dos and achieve perfectly round hips to achieve the coveted hourglass figure. Realistically, no exercise can close the gap caused by our build and genetics. Because we can't change these things, keep in mind that hips are always a sign of feminine sensuality, regardless of shape or size. Here's to focusing on our all-encompassing beauty rather than the minor details. 3. Manicured nails

Women are constantly under pressure to get their nails done, which takes time and money. Furthermore, some people dislike the feeling of anything on their nails. While prioritizing self-care is important, the most important thing is to feel comfortable in your own skin and express yourself freely. 4. Straight, perfect pearly whites

Having a gap or crooked teeth is completely normal. After all, not all human dental anatomy is the same, and there is no one-size-fits-all dental standard. A crooked or gapped smile can be lovely; never hide your smile or keep your mouth closed in photos because you don't think it's good enough. This only served to perpetuate these harmful societal beauty standards. 5. A sharp jawline

Another beauty standard that people are forced to conform to is facial features such as jawlines. While we believe that a baby face with softer features can be just as beautiful and charming, we believe that a strong jawline is often more coveted. Having surgery to change your chin or cheeks should not be used as a substitute for self-esteem. 6. Bounce-back culture

This harmful trend refers to the societal expectation that new mothers return to their pre-baby bodies and appearances as soon as possible. It's dangerous for new mothers to prioritize their appearance over their emotional and physical health, especially when their bodies are going through so much. Everyone is unique and heals in their own way. Instead, we should congratulate new mothers on their resilience and strength. That is a thing of beauty in and of itself. 7. No armpit fat

There are numerous articles and videos on how to get rid of "armpit puff," as it is also known. However, fat removal cannot be targeted, and a buildup in the area is frequently caused by genetics, hormones, or other conditions. Society places unrealistic expectations on women to have toned bodies, but keep in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there is no such thing as perfection. 8. Tamed hair

Although frizzy hair is inconvenient, we can't change it without a significant amount of styling and hair products. Unfortunately, over time, frequent straightening can result in even fluffier, frizzier hair. Rather than trying to make your hair into something it isn't, embrace its natural uniqueness and let it be a source of confidence for you. 9. Smooth skin

We all get acne and other skin problems from time to time, but women are expected to look flawless and blemish-free in public. However, there is no Photoshop, filters, or Facetune in real life. Instead, skin is riddled with flaws and textures. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; these are the characteristics that distinguish you. Rather than comparing yourself to overly-edited photos, accept your skin for what it is and ignore the critics! Read the full article

[aurora-daily]

AURORA Is Ready To Venture 'Into The Unknown' As She Says Hello To Australia's Food, Wine & Native Animals

Interview for Scenestr magazine by Daniele Foti-Cuzzola (November 7th, 2022).

The world was in a different place when Norwegian songstress AURORA began recording her third studio album, 'The Gods We Can Touch' (released January 2022). With the pandemic reaching its peak and the world shutting down around her, AURORA retreated into a new life and routine at home, one that she found somewhat comforting. "You got used to a world that fitted for people with anxiety more – which was kind of nice," she says over a Zoom chat, "but it did kind of enable this irrational fear of people, but also kind of helped me do small things like going to the store. "I was really scared before of going out of my apartment. That was a huge barrier. [Lockdown] helped me start doing that and get used to it, and I know the store now which helps in my head and small things are easier now. I've eased into it."

Fast forward to now and AURORA is set to venture to the other side of the world, touring Australia including a stop in Adelaide as part of the WOMADelaide 2023 line-up. "I've performed in Australia [several times before]. I adore it and I'm really ready to get back. I feel excited about everything. "It's exciting with the [Sydney] Opera House, I've seen it before in ['Finding] Nemo'. [Performing at WOMAdelaide] being outside with the wind – the wind adds drama, and it always seems to come out during the chorus which I love. It knows how to follow the music. "Also going to venues I've never seen before, and the element of surprise is so fun. I'm just excited in general." Set to take over Adelaide's Botanic Park 10-13 March, 2023 WOMADelaide offers a diverse selection of music and will see AUORA perform alongside a line-up that features the likes of Florence + The Machine and Bon Iver, the latter AURORA is hoping to see perform again. "I'm very excited to see both of them. I've seen Bon Iver in New York and that was gorgeous, but I want to see more this time as I was late." In addition to her hit songs 'Runaway' and 'Halfway Around the World', AURORA is most known by younger fans as the alluring, mystical siren voice (The North Wind) in Disney's blockbuster phenomenon 'Frozen II'.

AURORA's voice is what lures Queen Elsa to leave her kingdom of Arendelle and venture into the unknown. AURORA also lent her vocals to the film's soundtrack joining Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel on the Oscar-nominated track and film's anthem 'Into The Unknown'. When asked how she feels knowing children for generations to come will be imitating her voice as they belt out the film's main number in the same way adults today recall singing their favourite Disney ballads, Aurora looked in shock and in disbelief. "Holy sh.tting f... – I never thought about it like that! But that's so true. It's hard to think about that. "For the things I had in my childhood that I still remember, it's going to be like that for them?! That's so weird, but it's also cool." AURORA performed the song at the 2020 Oscars ceremony in a memorable performance alongside Idina Menzel and nine of Elsa's international singing voices including those from Thailand, Poland, Germany, and Japan. "It was really nice and really beautiful, and also the women standing there together in all the different languages, that from a movie about female empowerment is quite a special thing. "That movie also had a lot of indigenous culture within it and the indigenous people that come from the north of Norway and Scandinavia – the whole soul of that is beautiful. I have no comment about the Oscars, but the performance was really nice in itself."

And while it was "special" being part of such a cultural phenomenon, AURORA is most excited to be back on the road and performing her own original songs. "People can expect a lot of emotion. I try to create a very kind environment and through the people that come to my shows that environment is also automatically very kind and inclusive. There's a lot of freedom and feeling extremely free and dancing, and no barriers in my mind and in my body." In addition to performing, AURORA is excited to return down under in general. "[Australia] has such a beautiful combination of a lot of the things that I enjoy out in the world. It's very new and exotic, the animals, the nature within Australia is very varied, I find the Indigenous culture in Australia very fascinating. "I love the restaurants. There's so many I want to go back to. Food is the building brick of my happiness. The foundation. I love food so much and wine. I love going to parks, seeing the bats, saying hello to a few animals. So yeah, just saying hello to the food, the wine and the animals."

[strawberry1212]

Kdrama female leads eating a ton is not quirky or progressive?

Ah yes, the mysterious, bottomless, pit that is the Kdrama female lead’s gullet. Even from Kdramas dating back to the 2000s, female leads have had the superpower to eat inordinate amounts of food, usually shoveling it into their mouths before the male lead who shakes his head in wonder and teases her about it. And yet, despite this teasing, this scene is always used as a way to impress upon the viewer that this ability to eat tons of food distinguishes the female lead. She is Not Like Other Girls, who are dainty and stupid and care about how much they eat. No, our female lead is qUirKy. Somehow, eating a ton (usually chicken, beef, and other animal foods, which are tied to masculinity), is treated as a real personality trait that makes her more “real,” more boyishly cool, and unbothered. 

But what purpose does this truly serve?

Overvaluing Masculine Qualities over Feminine Qualities

One issue with this trope is that it falls into the category of women being simply cooler for doing traditionally male/masculine things. This is not real empowerment of women to make their own choices, or for an appreciation of all types of women (women who like pizza and beer AND women who like salads and cute cakes). Instead it puts down other women for being “too feminine,” and places women on a hierarchy, with the most man-like women being at the top.

“She’s like one of the boys, [and therefore worthy]” leaves many women behind, as well as resulting in an under-appreciation of typically feminine qualities. Although this is a simple case of eating choices, this type of pseudo-feminism is the same force that makes society look down on girls who wear “too much makeup,” do plastic surgery, wear girly clothes, like pink, and have traditional feminine interests.

Gillian Flynn in the famous Gone Girl monologue states it better than I ever could:

“Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want.”

Movies and tv shows only pretend to subvert societal expectations by having a girl that loves pizza, when in fact they are giving into the societal expectation/male fantasy of the cool girl that is worthy because she is like a guy.

Beauty Standards

This trope is more infuriating in the context of the harsh beauty standards towards women, especially in Asia. Perhaps if the female lead was constantly gulping down calorie dense foods, and then actually gained weight, I would find that relatable. That would make her more “real.” But because she does not eat to be more real, but to maintain a male (and societal) fantasy, she maintains her wasp waist and thigh gap while eating away without any care in the world. That is the opposite of relatable. It is downright harmful, because it perpetuates this expectation on women to both be beautiful, but to not care about being beautiful. To be gorgeous, but to be effortlessly gorgeous. If you care about being pretty you are shallow, but if you don’t put effort into being pretty you are worthless. There is no winning for the 99% of us that weren’t born with perfect genes.

I am continually shocked by how tiny these female leads are, and for a long time, I thought they were naturally that way. I assumed that they, just like their characters onscreen, were effortlessly beautiful. However, Youtube channels like my favorite one here, which documents various Korean celebrities’ journeys with eating disorders, shows that that is not the case. For example, IU, one of my favorite idols and actresses, was iconic in her Hotel Del Luna role; her enviable proportions and doll-like features and figure were a centerpiece of the drama’s aesthetics, and her costumes contributed to much of the drama’s buzz. But IU, while being naturally small, not only continuously talks of having to lose weight, but has been one of the few idols to honestly talk about her history with eating disorders. Most other actresses aren’t so honest, but I suspect many are not, in fact, effortlessly beautiful, and put immense work into, and undergo immense emotional duress and eating disorders, to maintain the figures that their characters then pretend to have so effortlessly.

So these actresses are forced, through extreme dieting, to present a perfect vessel of a beauty, that is then passed off in dramas as the result of no effort, and thus the cycle continues in society of women both being expected to be perfect, and also effortless. Kdramas are simply de-stigmatizing eating, when they should be de-stigmatizing having different body types. So women eating a ton is not quirky, it is not progressive, and it does nothing except reinforce impossible expectations upon women. I would prefer a female lead that is constantly worried about dieting and eats little--maybe then we could explore societal beauty standards on women. But as long as we pretend that the issue is not allowing women to eat, when the issue is actually not allowing women to be comfortable and confident in body types that are not stick thin with curves in all the perfect places, we will make no progress.

[dropintomanga]

Understanding Yumeko Jabami, Thanks to Mahjong

One of my latest hobbies is about to intersect with a very notable gambling anime/manga series starring a girl who just loves to risk it all.

So I found out that Mahjong Soul, the game/service I play online riichi mahjong on, is doing a collaboration with Kakegurui and my reaction to it is somewhat of a mixed one. 

That’s mostly due to what Kakegurui explores versus the ambiguity of mahjong as a gambling game.

For those who don’t know about Kakegurui, it’s a gambling anime/manga series about a young girl named Yumeko Jabami who attends a school, Hyakkaou Private Academy, where the social hierarchy is determined by gambling with your fellow students. The more you win, the more privileges you get in school. The more you lose, the worse your status is. There are multiple “loser” students that are labeled as “household pets” and have to wear a tag around their neck that labels them as such. Yumeko is noted to be a compulsive gambler. She doesn’t care if she wins or loses; she’s in it for the thrill. Yumeko’s behavior draws the attention of the whole school as she takes on various notable opponents in order to get an opportunity to take on the student council president, Kirari Momobami.

There’s a lot of commentary about Kakegurui with regards to Yumeko’s character. She does have a huge gambling addiction, but never truly pays for it in anyway. The series can be also be commentary about the nature of today’s world and how the nature of capitalism has destroyed important familial/peer bonds for the sake of status.

I find the MajSoul x Kakegurui collaboration fascinating because 

1.) Gambling is illegal in Japan. There’s literally no casinos there at all. You can beat on sports and horse racing, but if you want to play poker/blackjack, underground casinos are your best bet. And the ones who run them tend to be the yakuza. The Yakuza games highlight underground casinos to a huge degree.

2.) Mahjong has stigma from where the game originated - China. The Chinese government has frowned on people playing mahjong to gamble. While there are mahjong parlors in China, there are many stories of police raiding them and many parlors are run by gangsters. It also doesn’t help that some Chinese folks have had their lives ruined due to mahjong.

3.) Mahjong is very popular in Japan. It’s probably the most popular table game there. However, the game is in this in-between space of being a gambling game while also not being a gambling game. That’s probably a big reason why Japan hasn’t been too fussy about it.

So this collaboration has some kind of tension as many folks don’t know about the dark “gambling” side of mahjong. Kakegurui is a trip to that dark side. No real money is bet in MajSoul anyway, but I’ve been thinking about the series after getting caught up with the manga.

There’s a scene where Yumeko and one of her rivals-turned-ally, Mary Saotome, face off in a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors Poker. Mary was the 1st opponent Yumeko fought and she lost her place in the school. Over time, Mary built up the resolve to challenge Yumeko again while becoming more friendlier. During their game, Mary manages to win a hand against Yumeko. Yumeko admits that she was scared during the hand, but at the same time, she’s having A LOT of fun.

Mary remarks about her comments:

“Oh. The way Yumeko sees it...fear is part of the fun of gambling. This is so ridiculous. “Fear is part of the fun of gambling”? It makes no sense. And yet, I’m starting to feel it right now. 

Getting afraid, bluffing, going in fully confident...our feelings are exposed in every move we make, and we respond to them and then...the showdown! Our true emotions are revealed. 

We’re having the kind of conversation we can only enjoy when we’re gambling.

It’s like we’re in our own little world...sharing secrets with each other.”

Yumeko isn’t a hero. Gamblers usually aren’t noble characters, but they have this tendency to inspire other people to embrace their vulnerabilities and move forward while doing so. Fear is real, but it closes off the real you. Yumeko wants the people around her to truly be themselves and take the kinds of risks that can change their lives for the better in so many ways.

There was an article I once read about how most work is BS and one of the things that was mentioned was that what’s considered work today doesn’t solve social problems. For example, many people will argue that rampant consumerism has destroyed the world. The writer said something along the lines of that it’s not pleasure that’s a problem; it’s the view that people have to suffer in order to deserve pleasure. That view feels like Puritanism because it absolves those with power of their responsibility in letting social problems happen in the first place. 

Kakegurui is a celebration of that pleasure in a way that generates real change. The freedom to have whatever desire you want. And in turn, that freedom spreads to other people in good ways. In some ways, mahjong is about the right kind of pleasure and learning how to deal with it amongst other people. It’s competitive, sure, but you’re being intimate with 3 other people and are learning more about yourself and those around you.

I don’t really gamble much, but mahjong just grew on me. While I’ve managed to do well, I have lost many times and have deliberated on many in-game decisions. I realize that the game is a safe outlet in learning how to deal with life’s many decisions. You don’t win all the time. There’s also benefits in letting other people win as well. For example, if you’re in 1st place by a lot and the player in 2nd place is chasing you, you can help the 3rd and 4th place holders by discarding tiles that you don’t need and they need. Make them take on 2nd place or each other. Hell, you can even lose to them if you know you won’t lose 1st place at all and they don’t have super-strong hands. Mahjong is a game that connects everyone and really gets going when all the parts (i.e. the players) move together.

There’s a wonderful interview I read last year from a psychology journalist turned pro poker player, Maria Konnikova, about being unable to control things in life and how poker taught her how to stay calm despite bad luck. Maria talks about the beauty of not knowing and embracing that view.

“Look at how many things there are to amaze us, to fascinate us. Look at the power of wonder, embrace it, and don’t be afraid there are things we don’t know. Don’t be afraid of uncertainty, be grateful for it. Would you want to live in a world where you knew everything and where everything was determined? 

He (Carl Sagan) hated superstition, as do I. Don’t take the easy way out. Don’t give up agency. Don’t have these stupid rituals. Science is beautiful. Lack of knowing is beautiful. All of these things we can’t control are beautiful. They’re powerful. They make us human. They make life worth living.“

We all make kinds of gambles in life when it comes to choosing the right partner/school/job opportunity. There tends to be a lot of pain, but there’s almost always something good that comes out of taking the right kinds of risk. I’m learning more about that through mahjong. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever get super-competitive in mahjong because it’s a lifetime to master. But it’s a safe outlet to process my fears of uncertainty. My mom has been a big help in telling me that it’s okay to lose and give up when needed. There has to be rainy days as well as sunny days, right? The “win at all costs” mentality causes so much harm to people and those around them.

While I know Yumeko is criticized to be a sexualized female character, Yumeko isn’t afraid to display her lust for gambling with a sense of pride. In my opinion, she represents female empowerment. There’s so many women who are slut-shamed for being sexually expressive. What bigots fear are people unafraid to express themselves and won’t let themselves be shamed for it. Yumeko is the kind of heroine whose story needs to be out there - potentially destructive and able to harness it for self-empowerment without it getting out of hand.

So, I’ll go pseudo-Yumeko and say - Gamble away responsibly to your heart’s content~! Share your love with fellow gamblers! Have fun! Make that fun destroy those insecurities awful people have placed upon you! (insert wicked grin)

[alexandrasavior]

Queens of music - Alexandra Savior

Alexandra Savior - Singer, songwriter, artist, feminist, our Alice in Wonderland

How, when & why did you get into music, both writing & performing?

Well, I started performing in school plays as a child, and I always liked dancing, acting, choir, theater, etc. When I became a teenager I was interested in all things creative, I wasn’t great in school, the only classes I really excelled in were English class and French. I started singing when I was 14, playing the ukulele and writing little songs. I never considered it even writing songs, I never really considered I was even singing? I just loved writing and making anything I could. For some reason at age 15, I decided to try out for the school talent show, I got in and sang an Adele song, no one knew I could sing, I didn’t even know. But from then on it seemed like all of my interests in art, writing, and performing would be able to manifest together in this form, so I continued with it and made a career out of it.

What is a Queen in your eyes?

I think of the archetype of The Virgin Mary, of woman, or any femme or non binary humans who are able to hold dimensional and contradictory identities with beauty and power, people who are unforgiving.

You've stood your ground in your resurrection within the music industry in terms of concentrating on your art and not compromising when the industry wanted to mould you into something else, do you feel this still happens in the music industry and what steps should women wanting to break into music take to stay true to themselves?

I think manipulation is very present in the music industry, as well as this idea that artists need to be instantly successful financially in order to continue their careers, or they’ll be discarded immediately. Every woman is different, and every person wants different things so I can only really speak to my younger self, I wish I could tell her that she could have taken her time, and that she was the reason for her opportunities, and that she could say no.

Your sonic female empowerment inspires us here at QoA, who is the most inspirational Queen in your life and why?

Thank you! Probably my mom, she’s lead so many different lives, she’s always been good at moving forward and making the best of her life and her situation. She’s a very powerful force.

You have described your home town of Portland, Oregon  as a hub of creativity due to the bad weather which forces people indoors to stay in & create, Manchester has the same reputation, producing some of the best musicians in the world and holds a special place in our hearts here at QoA , do you think due to the pandemic, creatives will come out armed with a whole host of goodies for us all to enjoy?

Haha! Yes I think rain brings some great art. I wish I could say that creatives are going to come out of this pandemic with lots of new material, but most of my friends in the artistic and musical community are finding it difficult to stay inspired. I personally create from constant change and experience, the change we are experiencing, because we are so isolated, feels distant and difficult to comprehend. I don’t think this is a good time for art at all, but it will eventually move forward, I hope. I do think this has been a good time for artists to assess their own ego, and the meaning of their material, so hopefully moving forward we see some more honest and introspective work coming out.

You've described yourself, amazingly, as a feminist angst horror film and your music is filled with honest feminism, how important is feminism to you & what advice would you give to Queens out there who wish to do more?

Haha I hate myself for that quote! Feminism is important to me, but my stand point now that I’ve gotten over a lot of anger I experienced because of feeling I was treated differently due to my sex, has changed a lot. I try to feel the same way I did when I was a young girl, that I am the same as everyone else. My main advice would be to let go of that anger and create from a place of honesty, and understanding of your own privilege rather than your own disadvantages. But also I mean don’t take any shit ladies obviously.

We're big fans of your style at QOA, not just sartorially but your influences in vintage film ,& music which comes across in your art, we're very vintage inspired here at QOA from design to our brand aesthetic, how important is vintage influence to you?

Thank you! Vintage influences have always been big in my life, starting as a kid, I think I was always nostalgic for another time. When I was a child my family always listened to old music, we would rummage through garage sales and thrift stores to decorate our house, and I always loved things that were unique from what the kids at school had. Now, with instagram, I think everyone has just become Jane Birkin Barbie dolls basically haha so I am trying to go deeper into folklore and religious symbolism to feel inspired by the past, lots of old movies too!

Your dreamy desert psychedelic album The Archer was released during lockdown with one of your songs from it used in a major fashion labels ad, do you feel fashion and music go hand in hand. What iconic Queen in music do you love & why do you love their style?

I do! Fashion, costume, is a huge way to express yourself as a musician. I have been obsessed with Mary “Our Lady of Sorrows” . There are these insane headdresses of pure gold, and such great emotion shown in her face, the swords through her heart, I just love the idea of expressing women’s pain and the beauty of that sadness. I would do anything to go to a cathedral right now, even though I’m oblivious to organized religion. Also, always Frida Kahlo!

[be-lis-mamamoo]

International Women's Day: Mamamoo Edition

Just because I thought "Why not?" If you you're involved with Mamamoo, every single day feels like a Women's Day. And here are the reasons why 👇🏻

Kim Yongsun - Solar

When we're talking about women empowerment in K-Pop or the music industry in general, I hardly can think of a better role model than Kim Yongsun. She's not only Mamamoo's oldest member and their leader, she's also a very supportive and thoughtful person who always cares about everyone and everything around her.

Her YouTube channel Solarsido demonstrates her versatility as singer, entertainer, dancer, choreographer etc. and she pleases her fans with a lot of diverse content. Once in a while she shows her incredible dance skills, the other day she exposes her way of learning English. But what's really impressive about her YouTube channel is that she raises awareness about serious issues and social causes:

In honor of “Expectant Mother’s Day”, Solar volunteered to help watch her friend Eun Song’s newborn baby. Solar volunteered to help watch her friend Eun Song’s newborn baby. While she did struggle a bit, her sharing the experience was illuminating about what mothers go through on a daily basis! ©Koreaboo

Solar joined forces with Dongdaemun Senior Welfare Center and social worker Jung Soo Bin to donate roughly 2,200 lbs of kimchi to underprivileged elderly. She even delivered some of the boxes in person, making the gesture even more meaningful! ©Koreaboo

On the “International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation”, Solar used her large platform to raise awareness of the violence women around the world experience as victims of FGM. ©Koreaboo

Also, did I mention that Solar stands for gender neutrality? I think we all remember that time she ripped off her shirt during their 4seasons 4 colors concerts and when she was invited to perform live at KBS! She explained, “Afer seeing many male idols ripping their shirts on stage, I wondered, ‘Why can’t girls do that too?‘”

There's a lot more to say about her so if you don't know much about Solar or Mamamoo in general, make sure to check them out. You won't regret it.

Moon Byulyi - Moonbyul

One of the best examples for gender neutrality and music diversity in K-Pop might be Miss Moon Byulyi.

With her latest solo comeback "Dark side of the Moon", she wrote a new history in K-Pop. Bold in both sound and style, Moonbyul takes the stage with "Eclipse" and uses it to show off her duality as both a singer and rapper over its forceful melody and brash beats. Accompanied by the release of a captivating music video where the artist is seen both as a soldier and a queen, “Eclipse” revels in Moonbyul’s skills as a performer, and also continues Mamamoo’s legacy as an act that constantly relays different ideas of feminine strength through their music. ©Billboard

Moonbyul is successfully redefining fashion’s outdated gender norms by wearing suits and breaking the beauty standards of K-Pop PERFECTLY. But Byulyi also has her soft sides. Her sincere love for Mamamoo and Moomoos is just precious and she never misses a chance to show her support and love for her members and fans. On Fancafe, she helped Moos who went through hard times and in her private life, family and friends play a central role which she proudly shows by her many tattoos.

I personally love her for her way of spreading self-confidence and a strong self-esteem. Be it by her self-composed songs or by simply talking with fans during Fanmeetings and on Vlive, she always motivates us to love ourselves!

Make sure to follow her on Instagram!

Jung Wheein - Wheein

Wheein was born to shine. But she was also born to be a great role model and here is why.

Fronting Soar, Wheein's first-ever solo single album, “Good Bye,” or “Let’s Break Up” as it reads literally in Korean, is a poignant track that rises and falls with Wheein's dynamic delivery of the song, as soft rock instrumentals build the melody up around her powerful vocals. 

"Good Bye" was released through a heart-rendering music video that depicts a rare representation of same-sex love in K-pop. Featuring a woman entering the home of a couple, she treats it as if it’s her own and play-acts being in a relationship, while becoming enraged and destroying signs of the pair being together, seemingly out of jealousy. ©Billboard

In addition, Wheein explained that the shape of love doesn't matter to her, it's all the same. For me as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Wheein's statement means a lot and I'm so happy about her support and understanding!

During the "Secret Unnie" filming with SNSD's Hyoyeon, Wheein also talked about the pressure of Korean beauty standards and her struggles of feeling left behind, a feeling all of us can relate to.

Whenever Wheein shows her vulnerable sides, it always carries an important message to her fans. I love her because she's simply being herself without trying to be someone she isn't. Wheein is one of the most humble artists I've ever met, she's an inspiration and a great emotional supporter.

Ahn Hyejin - Hwasa

I guess since she became THE it-girl of 2018, 2019 and probably 2020 also, everyone should be aware of how much of an amazing person she is. Here are the reasons why she is my number one queen.

Everything started with twit, her first solo song which quickly became a very popular song in SK. Her prowess as one of K-pop’s most dynamic singers carries throughout the song, a true show of her impressive talent as she addresses, mocks really, a lover who is giving too much to someone who doesn’t deserve it. ©Billboard

"If I don't fit in this generation's standard of beauty, I will have to become a different standard"

Who doesn't remember her most famous quote? I think a lot of people appreciate her for her very strong self-esteem and just being the way she is. Just like Wheein and the rest of Mamamoo, she's very humble and down to earth.

What I love the most about her is her attitude. Hwasa called out her haters in their latest comeback album "reality in BLACK" and doesn't hesitate to tell the whole world how much she loves to be herself.

What can I say, there's so much more I want to tell about her but the best way to get to know her is to watch the whole Mamamoo related content and ofc her solo activities, for example her appearance in "I live alone"

All in all we have to admit that she's the most badass queen ever who deserves the whole world. And it's our obligation to protect her from all the unnecessary hate. She has just the sweetest personality and even though she acts like a tough person, she can get hurt just like every other human on this planet.

Mamamoo isn't only a group of talented singers. They're very unique and special women with big hearts and a lot of love and support for their family, friends and fans. K-Pop is a strict and sometimes scary music business but even so, Mamamoo manages to be such great role models and one of the most humble celebrities I ever got to know!

[qqueenofhades]

Thanks for writing DVLA, it was wonderful. I haven’t gotten that absorbed in something in a while, and I read it twice while on a camping trip this weekend. And then spent a lot of time just staring out the window being sad about the Crusades and just these two beautiful queer disasters in general. (A HUNDRED YEARS OF PINING. I LOVED IT). (1/6)

It was everything I wanted, so satisfying, and the thread of Crusades and faith conflicts and the stupid complicated ways humans find to hurt each other was really masterfully woven through. I learned so much; I had a basic idea of the Crusades but you filled everything in and made it come alive. And you got across so well that people across history are just people. (2/6) 

Maryam was my favourite, I would read anything with more of her in it as well. The Constantinople section and the way it ended just ripped my heart out. (PHIL.) I was so glad Hippolyta and Rebecca got out safe. But the end to such a lovely sunlit chapter of life was heartwrenching. (3/6) 

It means a lot to me, as someone trying to confront her own faith’s and her ancestors’awful actions in the past, to have someone present religious conflict the way you do. Part motivations like conquest and glory and riches, part motivated by faith, and very much something that I or anyone else could fall into just as easily as people in the past did. (4/6) 

I graduated three years ago with a minor in history and have done absolutely nothing with it - I was burned out for ages on even reading anything, and I haven’t read anything academically rigorous in so long. This felt like a perfect reintroduction to history, and it made me want to do research and read history again, for the first time in years. (5/6) 

I’m noting the resources you’ve recommended to some other folks about medieval queerness and the Crusades, but I was wondering if you also had any recommendations for reading about Julian of Norwich specifically, or queerness in female medieval religious spaces in general? Thank you so much, I’ve followed your blog for a long time and always love reading your posts. (6/6) 

Ahh, thanks so much. Once again, I must bow to someone’s superlative tumblr ninjitsu skills both in knowing the number of asks it will take ahead of time and preventing the blue hellsite from eating any of them.

I’ve had so many people say these absolutely lovely things to me about DVLA -- about the history, the religion, the journey, the story, the reactions they had to these themes, how they felt inspired by it -- and I really am truly humbled by it. I think it speaks to the way all of us felt some kind of ownership or reflection or empowerment in Joe and Nicky’s story and the way it unfolds both on screen in the TOG film and our own conceptions and reactions and engagement with it. It’s just one of the best ships I can think of in terms of that, and I’m worried that anything I say will end up sounding trite, but I really do mean that.

As a historian, I am obviously delighted to hear that it made you want to return to or re-engage with the subject in some way, as well as to use it to help think through the religious themes for yourself. Because as I said in my answer to how to deal with the history in a hypothetical Joe/Nicky prequel movie, we can’t just have the easy luxury of being like “oh all the crusaders were clearly religious zealots and we would never be like that and never do anything like that.” Because a) we already do that, and b) it prevents us from assessing ourselves and our own behaviour and our own troubling patterns and habits if we just arrogantly assume that all the people in the past were stupider and/or less enlightened than we were and clearly We Won’t Make Those Mistakes. So we have to see ourselves in them in some way, and to understand they still did those things, they still destroyed a lot of beautiful things in their world for ultimately no good reason at all. We’re doing the same thing, we justify it to ourselves in different ways, and the goals and the stakes are a lot larger in a globalized world, and anything that sets up medieval people (or really any people in the past, but the medieval era is the stick that gets used the most often) as so unlike us and so inferior to us is just genuinely dangerous. So yes. I’m sure you know my feelings on that topic.

Maryam, Rebecca, and Hippolyta have all gotten a lot of love, which I think is great, and it seems to be the consensus that chapter 4 ruined everyone’s lives. This is understandable, since I’ve mentioned the fact that despite the pain, I think it’s possibly my favourite, and I am glad that everyone had the totally normal emotions over the sack of Constantinople that I also had while writing it. Because yes! It is a tragedy the likes of which was still a Thing in the year 2004, the 800th anniversary, when the pope felt moved to apologize for it! The scale of what it destroyed and took away and the way it influenced history afterward (as Joe is thinking at the start of chapter 6) is just MASSIVE, and... yes.

As for reading recs (and again, it delights me that you want to dip your toe back into reading academic history), I don’t have anything about Julian of Norwich specifically (though there’s a LOT about her out there, especially right now, so I’m sure you can nose about and see what turns up). But as for queerness in female medieval religious spaces (with some bonus medieval queer ladies in general):

Sahar Amer, Crossing Borders: Love between Women in Medieval French and Arabic Literatures (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008)

Judith Bennett, ‘ “Lesbian-Like” and the Social History of Lesbianisms,’ Journal of the History of Sexuality, 9 (2000), 9–22.

Marie-Jo Bonnet, ‘Sappho: Or the Importance of Culture in the Language of Love: Tribade, Lesbienne, Homosexuelle’, in Queerly Phrased: Language, Gender, and Sexuality, ed. by Anna Livia and Kira Hall (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 147–66.

Bernadette Brooten, Love Between Women: Early Christian Responses to Female Homoeroticism (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996)

Mary Anne Campbell, ‘Redefining Holy Maidenhood: Virginity and Lesbianism in Late Medieval England’, Medieval Feminist Forum, 13 (1992) 14-15.

Carol Lansing, ‘Donna con donna? A 1295 Inquest into Female Sodomy’, Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History, 3 (2005) 109-122.

Kathy Lavezzo, ‘Sobs and Sighs Between Women: The Homoerotics of Compassion in The Book of Margery Kempe.’, in Premodern Sexualities, ed. by Louise Fradenburg and Carla Freccero (New York: Routledge, 1996), pp. 175-198.

E. Ann Matter, ‘My Sister, My Spouse: Woman-Identified Women in Medieval Christianity’, in Weaving the Visions, ed. by Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1989), pp. 51–62.

Jacqueline Murray, ‘Twice Marginal and Twice Invisible: Lesbians in the Middle Ages’, in Handbook of Medieval Sexuality, ed. by Vern L. Bullough and James A. Brundage (New York: Garland, 1996), pp. 191–222.

Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz, Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2002

Susan Schibanoff, ‘Hildegard of Bingen and Richardis of Stade: The Discourse of Desire’, in Same Sex: Love and Desire Among Women in the Middle Ages, ed. by Francesca Canadé Sautman and Pamela Sheingorn (New York: Palgrave, 2001), pp. 49-83.

Have fun!!

[gra-sonas]

RosweII, New Mexico star LiIy CowIes on lsobeI's self-empowerment and fangirling over Jason Behr

The actress takes us inside her character's heartbreaking grief and trauma on the CW extraterrestrial drama.

For a town inhabited by aliens, a whole bunch of very human, very real — and heartbreaking! — drama sure does go down in Roswell, New Mexico.

On Monday's episode of the CW series, we journeyed back in time to the scene of the 1947 saucer crash that brought Max (Nathan Dean Parsons), Isobel (Lily Cowles), and Michael (Michael Vlamis) to the New Mexico small town, and we got our first glimpse of Jason Behr (who played Max on the original Roswell series) as a zealous army officer intent on capturing the recently landed extraterrestrials. While we learned more about Michael's mother's arrival on Earth and the turbulent hours that followed, back in the present Isobel was having a rough time of it herself, having chosen to attempt to end her pregnancy alone and confront her grief over the loss of her brother and basically the whole life she'd known with Noah for so many years.

We caught up with Cowles about the emotional scenes with Parsons, the bold decision to bring an abortion story line to the forefront of the episode, and bumping into her teenage crush at craft services.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Isobel is obviously carrying a lot of grief and pain this season from the loss and violations she suffered last season. How did you approach the character coming into this second season?

LILY COWLES: Halfway through the hiatus, Carina [Adly MacKenzie, series creator] and I started talking about what Isobel had been through, where she was coming from, and what we could expect to see moving forward. I was really hoping when it started, we'd be six months down the line, but no — of course that doesn't make for good television, nor does it do justice to character. So we very quickly realized we were going to be heading right back into the moment straight after. I was like, "Ooh, boy." I got a lot to take on: losing her brother, her other half, the twin that she'd had since birth, and of course having to digest the fact that her entire life had been a sham. Her marriage was a lie, to a man who had been physically and emotionally using and abusing her without her knowing about it. She'd been married to this sort of psychopath, serial killer who used her body to commit murders. How do you even begin to digest it? We talked about how Isobel was a character who had built a tremendous facade, and she was living this perfect life that looked really good on paper. It was a very carefully constructed house of cards, but it was a prison because it was all based in lies. Carina and I were looking at it and thought, "Well, the one thing that can be said is that that house of cards now has been destroyed. It's been razed to the ground." So she actually, strangely, has been given an opportunity to start again. In many ways, we were both excited to see: Who is Isobel outside of the confines of how she's defined herself? It's so painful and scary, and yet it gives her a fresh start to say, "Who am I, deep down inside?" I think that's something that everyone can relate to on some level, finding your authentic self.

It seem like a big part of Isobel's journey this season is going to be finding her own autonomy, making her own decisions, and not relying on anyone else to look after her. Can you talk about her decision to abort the baby in this episode and how that plays into her overall story arc?

Isobel is, of course, a special case because she's an alien. Her story line is largely metaphorical for a lot of people, but it's nonetheless a story that so many women can relate to: We have these bodies that other people want to control, and we have a lot of restrictions placed on our own reproductive health. It's crazy that it's still such a huge issue that women have to battle so much to be able to have autonomy over their own systems. Isobel finds herself in a position where she learns that she's pregnant and there are a lot of things at play here. One of the biggest ones is, of course, that the man who fathered this child was not who she thought he was. So there's a question of consent. It's tricky because all of these things are so shades of gray. She learns after the fact that this man had been lying about who he was. He had been manipulating her, using her body, and infiltrating her mind. It's hard to draw comparisons to a human on human, but she definitely suffered emotional, psychological, physical abuse and manipulation. Now she's dealing with a pregnancy that's come out of an abusive and traumatic relationship, and she's looking at this pregnancy as representing the legacy of that abuse and trauma. Isobel's looking at a woman's right to have it on her own terms, and these are not the terms that she agreed to, and she's very much alone.

That's a very relatable story line if you remove the alien element and just focus on how many women are alone and dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and don't have access to help.

Yes. That's a really terrifying thing. I think that's a place that many women find themselves. While Isobel's in extreme extenuating circumstances, I think this is something that many women face, and whether it's because they're under age and their families won't understand, or because they're illegal citizens and they feel that going to a hospital will compromise them and they'll be deported, or maybe they live in a state where medical assistance just isn't offered for that. This is something many women have had to really face. I think in that sense, Carina wanted to do justice to that story so women who have gone through it can see that they're not alone. Often on TV, you get to this moment and then it's like, "Oh, there was a miscarriage," or they find some way to do it without compromising the character's likability. It's so sad to me that the character's likability would be in question for having to make this kind of decision, but it's the reality that we live in. There's such a stigma. Carina wanted to say, "This character is alone, and she's making a choice to save herself." It was very bold, and I'm really honored to be a part of it.

It's an emotionally draining episode for Isobel, for sure. The scene with Max on the couch where she talks about how much she misses him but seems to come to the realization that she is the only person she can truly rely is pretty heartbreaking. How was that to shoot?

It was very challenging. Carina called me and we started talking about it and she said, "Okay, I have an idea, but I don't want you to freak out." She proposed this whole thing. My initial reaction was like, "Oh God, please don't make me," because you go through it as an actor. You put your human body through it, and you don't want to hold back. Especially with this, I felt an enormous responsibility to do justice to this story because I know it's so important to so many people. But it was rough. Every morning going to work was like walking into a war zone. You know what's coming and you're like, "Please don't make me go!" But it's such a beautiful monologue. It's heartbreaking. I lost a parent a few years ago and when I read that monologue I was just like, "Oh God." It just hits. It just rings so true. To be dealing with grief is its own miracle and monster, and that was something that was really important for me to show up for as an artist. I know that part of the human condition, that inability to move forward beyond the loss of someone.

Wow, yeah, pretty heavy stuff. I guess one bright spark in all of this was that Liz [Jeanine Mason] and Isobel are back on better terms. Will we see them team up going forward?

Yeah, something that's really beautiful about what happens to Isobel is that in the dearth of all other supportive relationships, she's going to have to learn how to be friends with the girls. Men, God bless them, can't relate as well to what she is going through as other women can. I think Maria sees it. She's got her psychic abilities and she's like, "What's going on with you?" Liz, of course, when she finds out, is like, "Why didn't you tell me?! I would have been there for you." I'm really excited that this season Isobel is going to learn how to play nice with the girls. Female relationships can be complicated, and they can be so powerful.

I'm assuming you won't have any scenes with Jason Behr since he exists in flashbacks, but how was just having the O.G. Max on set?

Such a dream. First of all, I was a huge Roswell original fanatic. I was obsessed with it. The first time I saw him was at craft services. It was lunchtime and I'm like stuffing my pockets full of all my snacks and I like look up, and it was like an angel had fallen to the earth and there he was. I don't get star-struck, but I was so awkward. I was like, "It's you!" You could tell the poor man has had to deal with this like a lot. He's like, "Yes, it's me. I know that I'm the hero of your dreams." It was embarrassing, but having him around was amazing. He's been such a huge champion of the show. We have a tradition of going out for karaoke on Saturday nights, and he came out one time. I had just recently bought this totally absurd floor-length fur vest, and he put it on and looked like Jon Snow, but sleeker. I was just like, "Is this real life?" I just wanted to tell my 12-year-old self, "Girl, wait until I tell you what is going to happen!"

Amazing. I love that so much. We should talk about the ending too with Michael's mom and the other woman who may be Isobel and Max's mom. Can you tease anything to come there? Is Isobel going to throw herself into investigating her past?

Yeah, I think you can definitely get ready for some exciting investigation into the past. Isobel is trying to figure out who she is in a sense of where's she from too and what her roots are. That's definitely a question that she's got intensely on her mind. Part of the trajectory of the season is exploring the past and trying to get some information on what happened and what went down in 1947. So we'll definitely get to know some of those characters and get to fill in a little bit of the family gaps. It's beautifully written and beautifully acted, and I'm really excited for fans to see it. I think they're going to love it.

~ EW

[gracie-p8-officialblog]

Defending Christine Daae

I never thought I'd have to write a post with that title, let me tell you.

Because when I first heard of Phantom of the Opera, I was under the impression that everybody loved Christine just as much as I did. I mean, how could you help it? Well, I was wrong. It would seem that there are, in fact, people out there who don't share my exact opinion (shock of shocks) and who dislike Christine for various stupid reasons.

Now, I'm not here to point fingers at anyone or to belittle anyone's opinions in anyway, and blah-de-blah [fill in the rest of long boring disclaimer any way you wish]. But I AM here to defend one of my favourite female protagonists in a work of fiction! And defend her I WILL! IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!

Um, pardon me. Don't know how that last sentence got in there.

Now, on the internet, I've heard some flak about Christine, and though I'm not here to make anyone feel bad (see above) I do want to refute those points about her, point-by-point. (Hmm. Redundancy.) One of the biggest points against Christine is her choice to be with Raoul instead of the Phantom, who *ahem* TOTALLY needed her because he had a bad life and he taught her to sing! My opinion?

I don't think that means Christine owes him love. Appreciation and thanks, yes. But not love. The only thing he ever did that was worth any kind of love was letting Christine go. And she isn't some sort of consolation prize! It's NOT her job to fix the Phantom, only he could fix himself!

C'mon people! The two pretty much fit the qualities of an abusive relationship (emotional manipulation, throwing her around, restricting her from seeing other people etc.) And it’s kinda disturbing. “BUT!” You cry, “CHRISTINE REJECTED THE PHANTOM FOR A SHALLOW REASON! HE WAS UGLY!”

While I do understand what you’re coming from, I would like to inform you that it was actually his toxic behaviour towards her and murderous qualities that drove her away from him and made her choose Raoul. In “Final Lair”, she said one of the biggest burns in Gothic thriller history “It’s in your SOUL where the TRUE distortion lies...”  The Phantom's problem isn't with his disfigurement. No, the problem is with what he's allowed his disfigurement to make him. He's become so obsessed with the idea that no one loves him and no one will ever really care for him that he believes anyone who stands remotely in his way is just out to get him. So what does he do? He murders people whom he gets annoyed with. First Buquet, then Piangi, and finally (almost) Raoul. And that is DEFINITELY not okay! 

I think Christine saw him as more of a teacher, or a friend, or a... father figure, in a messed up way... which is more evident in the book on how she is both afraid and sympathetic for the Phantom. 

While not condoning his actions,  I do wish the Phantom could have found someone to love him. Good gracious, his final lines “IT’S OVER NOW THE MUSIC OF THE NIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” makes me tear up every time.  Gah. I'm in danger of sobbing, too, but I really want to get this post done, so I will conquer myself and think of something Funny instead. *thinks* I know! Gerard Butler’s version of the “All I Ask Of You (Reprise)”. That’ll cheer me up and make me laugh XD!

In all seriousness, I know that Erik is unstable and violent. But I also know that he really IS a gentle, misunderstood soul. You can be both, you know. The unstable and violent side of him, unfortunately, triumphed- and his dreams, his desires for love, his castle on a cloud came tumbling down because of it.

And so... onto the next point, another common argument used to bash Christine is that she’s considered to be flat, boring and goes through ZERO development! But in actual fact, there’s so much going on in her head and goes through quite an emotional travesty that it’s almost impossible to call her bland!

She is deeply wounded by the loss of her father, and has this incredible musical talent which stayed in a state of diamond in the rough before being discovered by her “Angel of Music”. He trains her, not realizing that she is becoming the center of an unhealthy obsession, genuinely believing in her naivety that he is some benevolent spirit sent by her father, therefore bringing her a sense of comfort. She is a pious girl, after all, and being religious myself, well, such a reaction from someone who believes like her is believable though naive. Can we blame Christine for that? NO. How is she supposed to guess?

And now, let's talk about "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", aka. The Christine Empowerment™ song! I feel like the difference between a good portrayal of Christine and a great portrayal of Christine, is based on how good their rendition of this song is. It is a crucial part of the plot. One of the reason The Phantom and Raoul appeal to Christine is because of the connection they represent to her dead father. Of course, Raoul actually knew her father and the Phantom uses his memory to manipulate her. At this point in the show, Christine has become disillusioned with Raoul and is afraid of the Phantom. She realizes through the song that the only way she can’t move forward is through letting go of the past, and getting over the death of her father. This fuels her actions through the rest of the show as it makes her realize that if she wants her happy ending, she must take charge of her destiny and earn her own agency! And the Phantom, trying to use her in the moment where she was probably at her most vulnerable since she is questioning herself about her entire life, only catalyses her decision. She performs in Don Juan Triumphant, because she knows that everything is up to her, and that she cannot let the Phantom keep on destroying her life.

As for her unmasking the Phantom in "Point of No Return", Christine did this in a way to show him that she refused to be controlled by him any longer. It is certainly not the most intelligent thing to do, nor the nicest, but again, her behaviour is explainable. But as said above for Erik, it doesn’t excuse her. And it shows how she was beginning to be able to resist his pull/spell/enchantment/whatever you like to call it on her!

I adore and admire Christine Daae as a character so much, and it was her actions and story arc that really started my love for this story. Christine's ability to love unconditionally and selflessly is so profound. Even though the Phantom put her and everyone else through lots of horrors, she still doesn't hesitate to show kindness towards him but makes sure that her abuser NEVER hurts anyone EVER again. She loves Raoul so much that she's pretty much willing to sacrifice her freedom and happiness so Raoul could be free. No matter what circumstances she is given, she will still put the ones she loves before herself no matter what, even if it means giving up a chance to save herself. I know most of us won’t ever be put in such an extreme scenario but Christine is such an inspiration of how to love others and believe in them despite flaws and bad sides. She inspires me to see the good in people. It’s so easy to be cynical and hardened in this world, and I think that Phantom of the Opera reminds us to have kindness and light in our hearts, even in challenging circumstances.

I would also like to add another moment of character. Think what it must have taken to prepare for the female lead role in a 3-act opera. Christine wasn’t even an understudy. In a matter of minutes, she went from member of the ballet corps to the lead role, and she had to rehearse and remember new music, character, blocking, and vocals. Not only did she prepare in time, she performed so well that she became a hit. This reveals, not only the skill and beauty of her voice, but also her concentration, diligence, and acting capability. Everyone hails the Phantom as the ultimate musical genius—and he is—but they overlook the implied extent of Christine’s skill.

She went through the loss of both parents, manipulation, being stalked, and knowing that the person she loves most has his life on the line - because of her. And then she literally gets off of her knees and shows her abuser the first form of kindness he has ever known. Not even the Phantom was strong enough for that; he gave up on the world far too early. Christine is the embodiment of courage and kindness; she teaches us to love and forgive those who have been awful to us, and to protect those we love even if it means our own suffering. But she no longer succumbs to the Phantom and makes sure her abuser never hurts anyone EVER again. Seriously, this girl is AWESOME! And this was in the 18th century! It's really sad that such a great character is overlooked by many...

It seems that Leroux really understood women... That we can be emotional, we are vulnerable but not weak... And emotion really helps us when we keep them in control!

Christine, in a nutshell, is a kind, observant, compassionate, trusting young woman–a too trusting at first–but with a spine of steel and determination once she’s drawn the line. She loves people deeply, but she picks up quickly on the realities of the situation. She has the strongest character arc in the story and makes the choices to grow and to move on. Yet she remains gentle and compassionate, uses her love to bless and not manipulate. She’s a layered character who grows. And there’s so much more to her than meets the eye.

[ctl-yuejie]

opinion on the term bl?

uhhhhhh…very complicated. I might have written a whole rant post before on the topic on this blog on an empty stomach so it was most likely not very nuanced (I think it was about people saying that The Untamed didn’t count as BL).

buckle in, this got suuuper long

tbh i first came into contact with the term in the early 2000s and since the internet didn’t play any role at my age then, the only context I had were magazines (here in Europe) and manga publications.

I knew that BL was a whole genre in Manga and that it featured gay romance and that fans / content creators would refer to themselves at fujoshi. Now, at that time I was only figuring out that I was bi, didn’t know any Japanese and didn’t have any friends with cultural ties to Japan.

So based on the magazines I read, I started to believe that “Fujoshi” literally meant “Rotten Girl” because of the taboo of same-sex relationships and the tantalizing sense of the forbidden that comes with it.

While I read some BL manga (couldn’t tell you the titles anymore), I never referred to myself as a Fujoshi or being into BL because both terms seemed to apply only to Japanese people and the sense of “the forbidden” in regards to same-sex relationships didn’t fit to my reality (having been to a same-sex marriage with my family at age 8 etc) and also felt demeaning to me.

After learning Japanese and living in Japan I didn’t really question my aversion to the terms, since I did have access to the internet now but didn’t think of fact-checking everything I had “learned” pre-internet (I think it is important to note here that the magazines weren’t the highest in quality in terms of journalistic prowess nor scientific in any way. They were just short entertaining articles, aimed at teenagers like me, trying to profit from the still ongoing wave of japanese pop culture in the west) and my only experience with both bl content and real life fujoshi wasn’t that positive:

My feelings on BL and fujoshi culture were heavily influenced by 

- the wave of very sad and traumatizing gay movies in Japan that most of the time ended in double suicides of the main characters

- rape storylines getting romanticized in manga

- pretty heavily stereotyped gay characters in main stream tv series that were only there for comedic relief

- the Fujoshi I knew back then being weirded out by the thought of same-sex relationships between women and basing their thought on gay men solely on the content they consumed 

- not finding the hailed “subversion of traditional gender roles” or discussion thereof in the BL my friends consumed. 

- my gay friends in japan having very frustrating encounters with fujoshi who started to treat them like an open air circus and not making them feel supported in real life 

- people around me making judgments based on attractiveness on whether gay people should get supported, while the hint of a celebrity being gay was weaponized  against them

now, this pretty much sums up, why I tended to have negative thoughts on the subject and felt more sympathetic to the push from some people in the queer community in japan to please retire terms like “uke” and “seme” when talking about real people.

since then, i didn’t intervene when other female friends in japan would use the term for themselves, because it still was a term coined in japan and those people were actually supportive of queer people so i didn’t see how me being preachy about it just because of my experience and not calling myself a fujoshi or fan of bl would be of any help and/or called for.

jump to 2018/2019 and i started to read more papers about it on a whim because i started to watch Crossing The Line and for the first time in a long while I was in a fandom again where people called the genre “BL” and themselves fujoshi/fudanshi.

I came to know that what I assumed the origin story of the term “Fujoshi” to be had been misreported (shocker) by the magazines back in my youth and that apparently the term was also widely used in Thailand, Taiwan and Mainland China. especially the knowledge that apparently TERFs were behind a pushback of the term made me reevaluate my opinion.

Since I have really no insight into Chinese or Thai culture it is not on me to judge whether it is appropriate for people there to use BL as a genre signifier etc and from all I have read, in some cases it is really about finding a way of creating and distributing queer content in a place that is not lgbtqi+ friendly or use it as means of finding expressions for one’s own sexuality etc.

Obv. there are genre conventions I will get annoyed about and criticize (all female characters are evil etc) but those things are also not BL exclusive so there’s not much sense in condemning a whole genre that at least tries to push some conventions.

With the Internet and a global push for more lgbtqi+ rights there is now definitely a strong symbiotic relationship between queer content and real life social changes. so being harder on queer content (in general) because it isn’t perfect doesn’t make anything better for queer people. 

nowadays there has been some wonderful content in japan with a push for real life legal changes as well, taiwan has the marriage for all and thailand is also pushing for a civil union for everyone.

especially in the case of mainland china with strict censorship rules i will congratulate anyone who tries to sneak some ambiguity in. it saddens me that the rules are as strict and that there are even more hardships for lgbtqi+ people in real life but i would never say that not creating any content that could be interpreted as queer should be favoured over trying to do something, regardless of how lacking the result might seem. 

The reason why I ranted about BL as a genre term recently was mostly directed at western fans with no cultural ties to any of the aforementioned cultures, but i definitely didn’t stress that enough in my previous post.

Since I still don’t call myself a fujoshi or being into the BL genre I am suspicious of western fans calling themselves as such. because i project my own experience and knowledge on them and there are people out there who definitely emphasize the cheeky “rotten” side of themselves while not knowing (like past me) where the term comes from and that it does’t have to do with any “forbidden fruit”. i assume a certain laziness when straight people will try and convince me that they are allies to me, because they consume BL series, but will still call me “the man” in the relationship etc.

There can definitely be a need for a similar outlet that allows people to write about gender roles, sexualities etc in a similar way but very often the argument of “it is female empowerment to be into BL” is just warping the origin story of the term into an excuse for homophobic statements. I see the term get applied to western shows as well (when there isn’t a need for using a Japanese term, especially not when there’s a missing understanding of its origin) and actual mlm shows in asia being dismissed just because it doesn’t fit the BL genre conventions (point and example: people in the west discounting The Untamed as mlm content because they weren’t explicit about it; What Did You Eat Yesterday getting dismissed because of similar reasons and the diversion from presumed age and beauty standards of BL as a genre). That way western fans made BL feel quite restrictive and not interchangeable with mlm anymore, which just confounds me.

in the end it also comes down to scope: someone writing fanfiction, producing small indie series cannot really be harmful even when they content might seem so. so regardless of what the genre entails it is important to put everything in perspective and whether this is the hill someone wants to die on, instead of leaving space for artistic expression, cultural differences and celebrating the steps into a more loving world for all.

tl;dr: I feel many emotions; there’s always space to learn more and I am grateful to everyone who made posts about the racism in criticizing the terms “Fujoshi” / “BL”; I don’t use the term myself, but only feel wary when westerners use it; personally I prefer to use mlm or wlw as content describers but I am also not 100% satisfied with that as well

ask me my opinion on ______

[kpoptimeout]

Top 10 Most Underrated K-pop Songs of 2019 (Artist Edition)

2019 has come and gone before we knew it.  

Continuing with the K-Pop Timeout Tradition (see 2018 Ver) of listing the Top 10 Most Underrated K-Pop Songs because all the other sites are just bothered with the Top 10 that pretty much everyone will have heard of/have fan wars over, below are our top 10 picks of songs that did not rank high (and with MVs just around or below 1 million views too) but deserves your attention! 

This is the list for artists’ tracks, so the Top 10 underrated non-idol tracks. Click here for the Top 10 underrated idol tracks of 2019. Unlike usual years where there is a separate post made for Top 10 underrated K-Drama OSTs, this year there is instead posts for the Top 20 most underrated K-Pop songs of the decade.

Some of the non-idol artists have escaped the list in recent years to stardom (for example DPR LIVE, CRUSH and MAD CLOWN) so hopefully, it happens again!

This is in alphabetic order NOT in the order of awesomeness because all of them are awesome. Also, all MVs are linked in the song titles because Tumblr won’t let me share that many videos in one post.

ADOY “Lemon”

It is strange that this song somehow did not make ADOY more well-known in South Korea and among K-Pop fans. They have such a laid-back and fresh sound perfect for CFs and fan edits but somehow this indie electronic rock band still only has 9609 likes on Facebook and their song “LEMON”, has less than 200K views at the point of writing this. “LEMON” is a refreshing and soothing indie rock track with an 80s synth melody loop. It is basically if ice lemon tea was a song and it was a great song. If you like chill 80s-inspired music, you would love ADOY’s “Lemon”!

Colde “Control Me”

One half of RnB duo offonoff and a member of DEAN, Crush and Punchnello and more’s artist collective Club Eskimo, Colde provides an amazing solo song in the form of “Control Me”. The song is a smooth RnB track that hits all the right spots - the somewhat conversational like singing building up to the chorus, and the chorus itself which is extremely catchy. Colde’s rapping is also just as fire as his singing. The MV only just surpassed 1 million views but it really deserves so much more since it complements the song so well, with everything filmed like it was done in one shot as different versions of Colde appear to serenade you on the screen. If you are already a fan of DEAN and Crush, you should also check out this amazing song by their friend Colde!

Crispy Chae “A letter from Wendy” ft. Gato Ray

With how popular lofi study playlists are, it is surprising how little love Crispy Chae’s “A letter from Wendy” received because it would fit perfectly in such a playlist. Maybe it is because this song does not even have a proper MV besides the video made by Mellowbeat Seeker. However, this does not stop this song from being an extremely underrated quality indie track. Crispy Chae has a beautiful voice that is both husky and child-like at the same time, making the transitions between skilled harmonies and the conversational chorus all the more memorable. Additionally, this song was sung predominantly in English and should really be making more rounds in the increasingly global K-Pop fanbase. If you love Suran’s music, you would really enjoy this song by Crispy Chae!

dosii “lovememore.”

City pop is definitely making its comeback in 2019, with Takeuchi Mariya’s “Plastic Love” finally getting its much deserved MV, western city pop acts like PREP gaining more popularity and veteran K-pop stars like Sunmi and Yubin trying out this sound. dosii, an R&B duo comprised of Choi Jonghyuk and Jeon Jihye, also dives into city pop in “lovememore.”, which is definitely one of the best and most underrated indie K-pop tracks of the year. The song sounded both like an authentic 80s city pop jam but also includes distortion effects and producing techniques used more often in current music. Honestly, it is an absolute masterpiece and the less than 800K views the MV has received since February is ridiculous.  If you loved Sunmi’s “Black Pearl”, you would fall in love with “lovememore.”!

ELO, PENOMECO “LOVE?” ft. GRAY

While this song did only come out in early November, I am still confused why such a great hip-hop collaboration has less than 500K views. Like all GRAY involved works, this is classy and catchy. What makes this song stand out from a lot of great K-Hip Hop collaborations is the way ELO, PENOMECO and GRAY’s voices work together. They have three very distinctive vocal colours - ELO has an extremely melodic voice, PENOMECO has a breathy and high-pitched way of singing and rapping while GRAY’s tone is deep and relaxed. This makes for a very colourful and fun song. If you like a strong K-Hip Hop collaboration, “LOVE?” by ELO, PENOMECO and GRAY is the song for you!

Jung Jinwoo “Nowhere”

Ever since K-Pop Star Season 5, Jung Jinwoo has proven to be a phenomenal RnB singer-songwriter and have continued to improve after his signing to Planetarium Records. It is shocking that he and the other PLT boys are still relatively unknown, even though they have only dropped bops. His newest song “Nowhere” is arguably one of the best Korean RnB tracks of 2019 and showcases his further honed production and singing skills - his voice is super light, clear and smooth with a mild tinge of huskiness. Just 71K views for such a superb song makes no sense. If you are a fan of DEAN and Crush, you would be obsessed with this song!

LEEBADA “ㅎㅇ (High)” ft. PENOMECO

This is another K-RnB masterpiece that seemed to have completely flew under the radar to K-Pop fans. Playing on the Korean internet abbreviation for Hi (ㅎㅇ) and High, this song has classy drinks lounge music vibes but is also playful at the same time, fully showcasing LEEBADA’s high-pitched and airy vocals. PENOMECO’s addition in the song is perfect, as his voice and LEEBADA’s work together so well, like the male and female counterparts of the same singing style. If you are a huge fan of HEIZE’s music, you would really enjoy LEEBADA’s “ㅎㅇ (High)”! 

LIM KIM “YELLOW”

Back in 2015, every K-Pop fan knew Lim Kim for her quirky electro-pop sound as she dominated charts and was Mystic Entertainment’s it girl. However, her return after 4 years received little to no attention for unknown reasons. Not only is Lim Kim back but she returned stronger than ever, taking on a much more aggressive and edgy persona while singing and rapping about female empowerment and fighting against the objectification of Asian women. “YELLOW” combines traditional East Asian orchestral instrumentals with electronic beats and Lim Kim’s unique mixture of chanting, singing and rapping, creating a powerful anthem in the process. If you are a fan of Lim Kim from before or is a fan of artsy and experimental music in general with a strong message, you would love Lim Kim’s “YELLOW”!

PRIMARY “Bad High” ft. Jade

PRIMARY is definitely one of the best producers in K-Pop, with ground-breaking and beautiful collaborations with Zion.T, Hyukoh, Beenzino etc., oftentimes before the acts are even known in the mainstream. PRIMARY continues this in “Bad High”, working with Jade, the main vocalist of virtual girl band XGirls. This song is phenomenal not only because it sounds good, but also because it goes in directions you never expect it to go. Starting off, the song sounds like the emotional and slow-paced folk-pop/rock works of Lucid Fall and Hyukoh, then it switches up to a satisfying drop in the chorus, where the aggressive use of hi-hat loops changes the slow-paced song to an exciting ethereal art-pop sound of the likes of Grimes. The MV is also beautiful and unsettling simultaneously. Why this masterpiece has only 97K views at the time of writing this is beyond me when PRIMARY has so clearly outdone himself yet again. If you enjoy PRIMARY’s past works and also experimental art-pop, you would love “Bad High”!

RAD MUSEUM “Dancing In The Rain” ft. Jusén

After Hyukoh and Jannabi’s rise to the mainstream, one would expect more attention to be given to indie artists with unique vocals. However, RAD MUSEUM seemed to have flown under the radar even though the vocalist is all sorts of unique with his piercing and emotional vocals which seems to combine soul, alternative RnB, and indie rock all in one. Maybe it is the lack of an MV and big label promotions but this live performance video would show you the charms of this phenomenal artist who is also a part of Club Eskimo and his amazing song “Dancing In The Rain”. This song is simply art - it feels pop-rock like Sting’s “Shape of My Heart” but the way it is delivered also feels like soul and RnB. If you want to be blown away by talent, you should check out RAD MUSEUM’s “Dancing In The Rain”!

Which non-idol songs do you think were underrated this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and let the song sharing begin!!!

[girlinparis]

Why is Peaky Blinders such a successful show…? 5 reasons why you should watch the BAFTA-awarded series with your man

… Because it’s a game changer in the gangster TV/movie scene

Most certainly is Peaky Blinders well-written, with good music, and picturesque characters (and an amazing casting) but above all it’s a story that can please both a male and female audience – and that is a novel and fresh approach to such shows, and an industry game changer. Making it completely relevant on Netflix platform, where couples binge-watch series together. The Peaky Blinders contains all the ingredients of a perfect gangster’s series’ recipe: ambition, illegal businesses (at first at least), guns, violence, sex, love, booze, drugs. Most of gangsters’ series and movies are usually written for a male audience, but Peaky blinders balances muscles and testosterone-y action scenes with the most romantic and tragic love story, while delivering insights into female empowerment in business and politics in early 20th century. To me, it’s a first to be inclusive of a female audience in the gangsters filming industry.

… Because violence is made bearable

Usually, in gangster movies, violent scenes can be quite dreadful to a female audience, the bleeding bodies and pieces of flesh being filmed with the utmost crudity and realism. But in Peaky Blinders, they are choreographed like music clips, supported by a great soundtrack, and filmed in slow motion, making the most violent head knockings, face cuttings and shootings completely bearable among women.

… Because the lead character – Tommy Shelby – is absolutely fascinating

Usually gangsters portraited in movies are strong, violent, raging characters, toughened up by large amount of booze, drugs and testosterone – mostly created to be thrilling among a male audience in fast-paced action movies. Think about the typical male archetype from Scarface, Goodfellas, The Godfather and the likes, either the brawn or the smart guys, they can kill in cold blood, their anger and violence towards either male or female know no limit, and they show no remorse or regrets. Most of the times, the lead character is not particularly handsome nor filmed in a way that would pay tribute to his most flattering features. To add credibility to the character, he usually has sharp face features, strong jaw lines, and thick eyebrows (and dark hair), all typical attributes of strength and power (clichés live long). Not the typical romantic and sensitive lover to please the ladies! We’ve seen many gangsters in the movies that we wouldn’t particularly have wanted to fall in love with, considering how they end up treating their wives.

But Tommy Shelby is a bad guy with an angel’s face – no doubt Cillian Murphy is perfectly casted for the role. His face features are so soft – they were even softer when he was younger, with his pale delicate face, high cheekbones, and sharp crystalline blue eyes, that us women immediately feel like sympathizing with him and loving him.

The whole filming crew had to sharpen his features to make him more credible as a gangster, though. In some movies, Cillian looks so feminine or the most unremarkable handsome man, that they had to give him an edge. That’s why the idea of the severe Peaky hair cut is so brilliant. Not only does it make him look more manly and tough (remember him walking up Small Heath’s central alleyway, with his long coat and cap pulled so deeply down just over his ears), but it gives him an attitude – framing his silhouette. Surely has the perfectly fitted, tailored suit also something to do with it – OMG, don’t start me on this…And when Tommy removes his cap, his smaller than average eye orbits and high cheekbones – typical female attributes, are much more visible making him even more lovable.

With this haircut, his face is a perfect mix of male and female attributes, which we consider the most remarkable beauty at an era where gender identity is blurred and redefined. The filming also has to do with it – when the camera does a close up on his upper face and eye area, where you see him absorbed in his thoughts or negotiating fiercely with an enemy. Although what he thinks or says is tough, cruel, unfair, inhumane in some cases (sending Grace or Lizzie off to a man), you cannot think of him as evil, or hate him because he is so handsome (ah, the magical power of blue eyes). Which truly questions our way of distinguishing the good from the bad…Those are definitely grey areas. What if Thomas Shelby had been ugly? Would we sympathize as much with his character? If he didn’t have Cillian’s angel face, how lovable would he be? Cillian’s face is instrumental to the credibility and success of Tommy Shelby’s character – so much that they have almost become as one (in our candid binge-watchers’ fantasy).

… Because this is the story of a redemption rather than a fall

Tommy Shelby is a complex character. He is a conflicted bad guy looking for redemption.In most gangsters’ movies, the bad guy comes from a poor and lower-class background, has strong ambitions, and reaches a summit before he falls back to his original condition. Because he is not able to change his morality, he remains fundamentally a bad guy.

On the contrary, Tommy Shelby is a bad guy who deeply wants to become a good guy, and although he has good moral intentions – see his determination to build a legit business, he always ends up doing bad things. So is Arthur Shelby. Very interesting to see how these heroes are tortured and self-conflicted. Once again, the voice of Cillian Murphy is marvellous at expressing this duality: he has a deep voice, confident and self-assured, that turns out to be broken or hoarse when he gets emotional (remember how he says “already broken” in S1E2, after Grace warns him about how she’s going to break his heart – OMG, my stomach is still shaking, just thinking about it). Acknowledging and shedding light on the emotions and frailty of his hero characters, Steven Knight depicts such modern male heroes. At the same time, redemption never comes. Tommy always fails to be good in the end, but there is hope in his journey because he is such a resilient character – also a modern-day value.

… Finally, because Peaky presents a modern and (relatively) progressive vision of male-female relationships

Not only is Tommy Shelby a war hero, a powerful and secretive businessman that never goes soft or shows his weaknesses to his many enemies, an ambitious breadwinner on whose shoulders rely the comfort and security of his whole family, but he is also a romantic, sensitive, and progressive male character. Making room for women in executive positions in his business, negotiating with female union leaders (Jessie Eden) or female Russian aristocrats (as they are the ones in charge), and even comforting his child at night to let his wife rest (talk about gender equality!) – certainly Steven Knight is taking liberties with early 20th century war heroes and businessmen, and extrapolates to make this show definitely 21st century. In a century where male and female archetypes are redefined, and male and female attributes are blurred and shuffled to forge new identities, it is very delighting to see these micro-changes in a gangsters’ TV series, giving us hope for tomorrow’s society. Unlike gangsters from the 20th century, Tommy Shelby would never beat up a woman, and considers the women he is dealing with on equal footing. At a subconscious level, and beyond the entertainment, there is an underlying message that could urge the typical male audience to change their behaviour towards women and start considering them equal in both life and business. 

Thank you Steven, Cillian, Helen, Paul, and all the Peaky Blinders’ crew that made this show possible!