#let's take look at the hate and misogyny women receive for liking a certain genre of books

[rainingmbappe]

The rise of "let people enjoy things" is single handedly the backbone of the rise of anti intellectualism

[cacaitos]

rape tw

the readmore is mostly because it's long.

like all that '''rape fantasies''' debacle of the other day was really odd, but in the wording they use really got me to think about the actual ubiquitousness of them in media, more so than what you may think. now, rape culture is everywhere obviously, but in the recalling of may tropes and the meaning they hold to certain demographic-related genres i've personally found that its use becomes quite, helpful??? so to speak, not because it's good but because who writes it and who they write them to *finds* it so, at least to an extent. clarifying, I'm talking about traditional romances for women, by women, bodice rippers for example. i don't doubt a single gram that all the culture of cohersion and misogyny were much more worse so it is confusing why would it be such a recurrent behavior in what's supposed to be an escapist fantasy, but at least as far as the analysis' I've seen it comes from the desire to be sexual, to want sex, but by relinquishing all power they avoid the stain on their virginal, if not dignity, at least pride (or something like that? i don't think I have the best explanation). and like you can say it belongs to certain strain of romance, but it's in cutesy shoujo and other teen romances, it on kidnapping romances/erotica, on chickflick romcoms, even in stories about not leaving someone alone to fix their detachment issues (not precisely as equals let's say), not so much in the explicitly sexual way but this fantasies that necessitate the erasure of someone's ability to defend themselves in order to allow them to externalize x or y desire, if not honestly at least vicariously. i still don't like those stories but it's a more factual statement of why they're appealing societally.

now what does this have to do with kakihara or more to say about the masochism (let's use this word for now) in (the two I've read at least) yamamoto works. noting that im using them as illustrative examples not necessarily that I think he's right. yeah i was joking precisely about kakihara as a shoujo mc because what he wants, from ichi, is functionally what the fantasies above exist to achieve. i dont agree with the rape=threat-of-death as despair inducers thing phonegirl's monologue seemed to imply, but it's quite present in your mind as she uses almost word for word kakihara's stance on his own masochism. so in that scene where they're running, through suggestion and i would argue even plain dialogue, both the image of predation (fantasy of the threat of death) and predation (fantasy of rape), by implication, overlap. it's 'romantic' not as adjective but as a genre element.

furthermore, if phonegirl didn’t exist in the story the first place, kakihara’s dialogue/arc could’ve just be read through the more common villain that only finds an equal through the hero/through antagonism hate as a connection blahblah. like of course it depends on the type of character, that taking them out their comfort zone even beyond their protest so that they can truly feel liberated is appropiate even if i’m not necessarily a fan of them depending on the case.

now, kakihara isn't a poor innocent schoolgirl or a very unfortunate civilian woman, he's a middle aged, unattractive, shitty-moraled, cruel criminal man in a male-oriented work. unlike those above, unfortunately :/, he, or his pleasure or his body or his pain or 'rape' does not exist bc it's particularly visually or erotically tantalizing for the male seinen reader, probably, most likely. he's awfully strong willed, violent, can hold his own physically in a fight, and as a self-titled avid proponent of S&M what he looks in his life is his hyperbolic sense of partner equality through someone wholeheartedly giving all he can wholeheartedly receive, and then there's that bit more. he's been killing people left and right, he couldn't want to meet ichi an inch more. we don't even know why he's Like That, since it doesn't seem to be for a reason similar to phonegirl, for all we know he's just weird. so then, he's partially free of the (at least sexual) voyeurism these scenes usually are framed around (unless hordes want to come out and tell me they wanna fuck the old man), and by the way his character is constructed (violently unsympathetic, no particular trauma, enthusiastic), he's even basically castrated so he can't find physical pleasure, he's sort of free of the.. leering? and leaves the trope naked and bare: in the end it's just violence.

in theory, even the mortal chase I feel is still inside of 'the fantasy', even if in one part it's supposed to drop the safe part, but by its (and adjacent fantasies) logical conclusion it topples over the estimated danger expectations. he did get his thrill to want to live, but by conditions that killed him, and phonegirl imaginary as she is, all this grandiose prose about the therapeutic (basically what's implied) effects of rape or whatever or about 'playing' getting spliced would've not ended cathartically in reality, she would've just been raped beyond her 'fantasy' and she would've died from the cut. overall i think it's just the naked version of the first paragraph, if you get what i mean?

ack i do want to say smth abt the kakihara deal before i forget but i really gotta keep working -.-'

[thegroovethief]

#TGTfeature 008: Lea Luna [Magik Muzik; Dim Mak; Raid Recordings: Denver, Colorado, USA] Fresh off my interview with world champion turntablist DJ Shiftee, #TGTfeature 008 is with the skilled Lea Luna, who kills it on the decks whether bass, house, or beyond! She took the time out for a chat just before headlining a hometown show at The Black Box. This and forthcoming #TGTfeature articles will highlight dedicated musical talents by featuring their recent work as well as an in-depth interview. Known for her passion and dedication to dance music as well as the art of DJing, Lea Luna is also a chart-topping singer and a respected music journalist. She kindly shared her thoughts on bass music, repping Denver, dealing with online trolls, and more. A bit about Lea Luna: - With nearly 20 years behind the decks, she’s played numerous noteworthy clubs: NYC's Limelight, LA's Avalon, and Denver's own Beta - Frequently called on for vocal collaborations, she’s recently worked with the likes of Sydney Blu, Manufactured Superstars, and Quivver - Also known for her production work, she regularly releases her own music, including “Rock Show” out via RAID Recordings

TGT: You’re leading an excellent lineup of bass talent at The Black Box, all representing Denver. What styles will you be bringing for this set, and how do you determine ‘tough bass’ in 2018? LL: I’m definitely planning on keeping it bass-driven, much like my last Black Box set was. Bass house, maybe a few breaks, maybe a few trap drops to break it up. I’ve always said this as my overarching quote: “Genres don’t define artists, artists define genres.” I pretty much live by that ideology. I’ve been DJing for nearly two decades now and have seen many music fads come and go (fidget, for instance, was one such fad genre in the bass category I used to like that died). Everything all stems from two main influence points- the first influence is the roots of the underground— the old history behind the emergence of the new sound. People like classic vocal hooks in newer remixes if they were a part of the scene back in the day, and bass house wouldn’t be where it is now without the original house music and garage innovators. The second influence is technology. Bass music sounded way different before the VST (virtual instrument) plugin Serum was invented because producers had different tools. I remember when the VST called Massive first came out and dubstep as a genre resulted. Electronic music is largely affected by these nerds who make virtual instruments and how artists interpret that technology as tools for creative flow. While everyone as listeners are pulling apart which bass music artists are making new genres, most real artists are at home dorking around with compression ratios and wave tables trying to invent an actual noise. So it’s hard for me as an artist to talk about bass music as an evolving fad because I sit here with the tools all day looking at the other perspective of what’s really evolving. TGT: Denver is certainly a unique place! How would you describe the realities and complexities of the scene here as a local artist with a global following? Any advice for up-and-coming DJs/producers on navigating our “island?” LL: I could not be more proud of Denver, and even electronic music as a scene in general. This city used to only offer these (beloved) secret warehouse-type hideout parties with a bunch of obscure DJs, vinyl collectors, and underground ravers interested in coming, and now every large venue in the city is wall-to-wall packed with dance music fans on any given night. There’s a lot to be accredited to the increase in our culture, but also a lot that has been bastardized. What I will say to the new kids is if you’re out here letting a controller do all the work for you onstage, playing the top 40 dance chart releases in order so you can be popular, you are sh*tting all over my craft and culture. It’s not a popularity contest and the DJ booth is not a bottle service area. The best way to become a DJ is to care about actually DJing. Be authentic, know your roots, respect your predecessors, respect women, respect other subgenres, and don’t spend your life savings on social media likes. Inspire people, ask for help, collaborate, offer something OF yourself before asking about something FOR yourself. Create. Learn. Be humble (but please stop humble-bragging). Start a crew. Give a damn, you know? We’ve all had our bouts with fame and drama as artists, but if you’re not creative at all and you’re not keeping it real, you shouldn’t be doing this.

TGT: There’s a lot of debate about whether certain strains of electronic music have reached full saturation, or have become so derived they’ve practically lost relevance. What are your thoughts on the current electronic dance scene, particularly within house music, and what’s your approach to keep your own productions sounding fresh? LL: People of the underground like to worry I’m too commercial, people of the commercial world like to worry I’m too underground. Some people want to hear music everyone understands, some people act rude when something becomes popular because they want to be viewed as purists. Like I said before, know your roots, know the trends, give a damn, create something original, and keep it moving. That’s the motto. If I claimed to be a purist 10 years ago and stuck to it, I’d be in hot water right now trying to play washed up music that pales in comparison to new mastering and technology on those fresh new funktion-ones (the incredible speakers they have at Black Box). If you stay current in your arena and true to your roots, genre and saturation thereof can be left to the listeners to decide. Ain’t nobody got time for that in my world. Artists. Define. Genres. I play what I think is ahead of the curve, and what I think is classic, all in one set. There’s no genre about it, but I will say that my tempo lately in clubs is 122-128, with an occasional drop to 100 just to grab people’s attention. All things house, garage, and breaks fall into that first category, and trap/twerk drops (second category) make life fun.

TGT: You’ve recently posted about receiving online threats from a random stranger. This is, sadly, nothing new for female public figures. How can readers (particularly men) succeed in eradicating this all-too-common misogyny within our music community? And offline, what should promoters and venues be doing to keep their dance-floors safe? LL: As for keeping clubs safe - I truly believe in strength in numbers. I have a strong, supportive, loving crew of friends and fans, as well as professionals and security guards. I take threats very seriously and file reports and blacklists when they happen to protect myself and other women. I have very strong security measures held at all of my shows, including this one. But in the big picture, the biggest thing that is going to make any club a safe environment is a positive example of the members of any audience at any show ACTING RIGHT TOWARDS WOMEN. If you see someone put something in someone's drink, report them. If you see someone abusing a woman either verbally or physically any way whatsoever, DO SOMETHING. Inaction is still an action. I come with a large group of friends that I deeply trust to every event and there is no way in hell someone is going to act in public like they do on the internet towards me or any woman in my presence and get away with it. One time someone lifted my skirt up and hit me on the ass at a show and although they were "only joking," they were being held by the neck of their shirt over the patio rail and reprimanded by my friends a split second later until security came and got them. These types of people will always be outnumbered and will never get away with what they think they can. They try it on the internet because they can troll and hide. [As for online threats:] Here’s the deal. People are jealous. It happens to both sexes, but primarily females because sexual iconography or lack thereof triggers people who writhe in unnecessary hatred from the comfort of their hate-hobbit computer den. Being attractive does not make me stupid or talentless. There is no such thing as “using” your looks. I look this way. That’s a fact, maybe a hobby, not a tactic. I also write music consistently and contribute a lot to this scene. Do all girl DJs do that? Likely not, but many do. The problem lies in the prejudice, pegging all women as having a backhanded agenda or a lack of intelligence or avoiding authenticity. This claim emerges from the hearts of people whose mothers didn’t hug them, whose girlfriends cheated on them, whatever. Hurt people hurt people. Do I care what these specific people think? No. I care if I screw up publicly and true fans lose interest in me. I care about staying true to myself and my brand, and I care about doing what I say I’m going to do for my shows, my opening DJs, the promoters who believe in me, my agent and manager, my crew, my friends, and my fans. Anyone who is so clearly coming from a place of jealous bigotry who tries to threaten me, embarrass me, or thwart my success always fails. Because they aren’t battling me, they’re battling something very dark and unhappy inside themselves. TGT: And, to end on a lighter topic – what’s your favorite spot in town for a post-gig meal? LL: Post gig? I’m always exhausted around then, but definitely just as junk food hungry as anyone at 2am leaving a bar. I rarely go out after bar hours to eat though. I’m more likely to hit a grocery store for a pizza to pop in the oven at home or if I’m feeling extra self-loathing I’ll get cheesy popcorn and pop tarts from a gas station [laughs].