#liked that this book showcased different experiences of being bi

[libraryleopard]

YA coming-of-age/romance novel

At the start of her senior year of high school, a girl finds herself torn between the guy she's had a crush on for ages and the girl she had an unexpected summer fling with who turns up at school without a warning

Dual timeline split between the summer and the school year

Bisexual, Jewish main character; Syrian American, Jewish, bisexual love interest; F/F and F/M romances

[kikis-writing-world]

Flags and Labels

Part of Writer Wednesday by @flightlessangelwings​ & @autumnleaves1991-blog

Pairing: Modern AU, pan!Din Djarin x Bi!Reader (GN, no pronouns, no Y/N)

Word Count: >2k

Rating/Warnings: Mentions of a religious upbringing and trauma from that past. Essentially Din grew up in “The Children of the Watch” and was very sheltered, but is now exploring the real world. If I’m missing anything else I should tag in this vein, please let me know.

pride  /  “Kiss me again, like you mean it.”

You smiled brightly at Din as he gazed around, a look of wonder on his face. The street was alive with colour. Walls, windows, fences, parking meters: Everywhere you looked were multicoloured flags of every kind, representing the various people taking to the streets to celebrate their freedom to be who they are. The people themselves in the streets were just as colourful. They sported flags and bright colours and all kinds of eccentric accessories, showcasing who they’re proud to be. The joy in the air was palpable, contagious even.

You had been friends with Din for nearly two years now, the two of you having met at the local library. He always took out such interesting books on a variety of subjects, both fiction and non-fiction, and shortly after becoming acquainted with him you found out why. He had grown up in a very strict religious sect - some would go so far to describe them as a cult - and had been sheltered from many things until his early adulthood. When he became comfortable with you, he had just as many questions for you about the “real world” as you had about his past.

One topic that had come up as you two talked about Din’s past was his sexuality. He had known from a young age that something was different. His religion had been strict about heterosexual couples being the only way, shunning all other types of love. You happily helped him find books and resources he could look into, to further explore his feelings. You also opened up, sharing your own personal journey and experiences as you came to terms with your bisexuality.

When you suggested taking Din to this year’s pride, he was both nervous and excited. He still wasn’t a fan of large crowds, a side effect of his upbringing. He also didn’t know what to expect when he got there. With some research and reassurance from you that you wouldn’t leave his side, he agreed. You were so glad he did now that you were watching him take it all in. 

“All these people…” Din trailed off, losing his voice.

“They all support love.” You finished the thought. “Regardless of labels, they all just wanna be who they are, love who they want. There’s always some protesters, but whatever, don’t pay them any mind. We outnumber them.” You chuckled.

“I had no idea this was out here, all this time.” He breathed.

You had to bite your lip to keep your own emotions in check. The look of awe, the unshed tears in his eyes. You felt drawn to the sweet, quiet man like a moth to a flame. You’d been falling for him for months, the embers of your crush only stoked when he opened up about his sexuality and yes, you were in his spectrum. The glimmer of hope that he might be attracted to you dangled in front of you like a feathered cat toy… but you just couldn’t risk it. He had opened up to you, come to you for guidance and a shoulder to cry on. You felt guilty taking that away from him if you pushed that line too far. You’d crush on him silently while remaining a pillar of support.

“C’mon,” you wrapped your hand around his forearm - a safer place than taking his hand or feeling the enticing muscle hidden under the sleeve of his t-shirt - “let’s dive in.”

You watched Din carefully as you two walked the streets and took in all the sights. You wanted to know if he was getting overwhelmed or uncomfortable, but he took it all in stride. He had lots of questions about the performing drag queens, and not all that you could answer yourself. You laughed heartily at the look on his face when one queen draped her boa over his shoulders with a shimmy. 

There were people doing tarot readings, which while he seemed intrigued about, didn’t want to miss anything else by waiting in the long line. You shared a rainbow coloured ice cream sundae which turned your tongue different colours as you went, both of you laughing as you stuck your tongue out periodically - you forced yourself not to think about how the flavors would taste on his tongue every time it came out a different colour.

You made a point to stop at some information booths for local groups, picking up flyers for Din to look over later. Sports teams, choirs, friendship/support groups; Din was absolutely shocked to find there were arms of religion that not only accepted but supported LGBTQ+ rights. You knew he was struggling with reconciling his religious teachings with the “real world” and thought maybe these groups might be able to help navigate it more than you could with your limited experience.

A face painting booth caught your eye and you dragged Din over, not that he was putting up much of a fight. There were a few people doing the face painting, some clearly artists who would do a full-face of whatever you requested, but also there were some that were simply painting pride flags on cheeks for the price of a donation to a local queer youth shelter.

You and Din looked over the board they had set up of different flags, all that you had seen throughout the day as you explored.

Dropping some money into the bucket, you sat on the stool and asked for a bisexuality flag. Din stood by and watched as the artist painted. You kept quiet, not wanting to cause them to mess up.

“Well? What do you think?” You prompted when they were done.

“It looks nice.” Din nodded.

“Did you want one too?” The artist asked, looking Din’s way.

You looked over to Din, smiling as you waited for him to answer. As comfortable as he’d grown in your time walking around and meeting new people, you didn’t know if he was ready to wear anything pride related. It was his call, but you looked as encouraging as you could.

“Um, can I get this one?” He asked, pointing at the Pansexuality flag. Your heart soared for him. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of finding the right label, but feeling comfortable enough to display the flag on his cheek was definitely progress.

“Of course!” They answered, gesturing for Din to sit in the stool as they got the right colours ready. As he sat, you gave his shoulder a squeeze. He looked up at you with a soft smile, eyes shining with excitement.

“Have you ever had your face painted before?” You questioned, realizing that it probably wasn’t the kind of thing he’d grown up with.

“I don’t think so.” He shrugged.

“Oh, it’s been a while since I had a virgin.” The artist teased with a wink, making you laugh as Din blushed bright red. You ran your hand across his shoulders to soothe him through the embarrassment, although all it did was make your own face flush as you felt the firm muscles twitch under his shirt.

“All done!” It took the artist only a few moments to swipe the three colours evenly along his cheek. They lifted a handheld mirror so Din could see for himself. He nodded his approval with a quiet thanks, adding some more money into the collection bucket.

“C’mere, let’s get into the sun for a picture!” You suggested as you skipped ahead of him. He followed, grinning at your excitement as you found the perfect spot and opened up your camera.

He leaned over you, head nearly resting on your shoulder as you started snapping selfies. Happy ones, goofy ones, serious ones. Your thumb automatically tapped every few seconds as the two of you made different faces. When Din pressed his lips to your cheek, the picture captured every ounce of surprise you felt.

“Thanks for bringing me here.” Din smiled as you tucked your phone away, trying to hide your burning face.

“Y-yeah. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” You stuttered, picking at some non-existent lint on your shirt.

“Did I do something wrong?” The flatness in Din’s voice made your head shoot up. He was frowning, the excitement of the day all but vanished from his expression.

“No. W-W-Why… Why would you think that?” You shook your head, internally cursing yourself for the reaction you had to a simple, friendly kiss.

“I kissed you, and you…” He trailed off, gesturing at you in lieu of verbalizing his thoughts. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, Din. Don’t apologize-”

“I’ve been trying to tell you for a while now-”

The two of you began speaking at once, only to both pause when you realized the other was talking.

“Trying to tell me what?” You asked, feeling that familiar heat rising up your neck into your cheeks.

“I… I like you… more than just friends…” Din admitted, looking down and kicking at a rock on the ground. “I guess today just… made me feel… brave.”

“Really?” You squeaked, voice malfunctioning as you fought to keep your body under control. You wanted to jump, sing, cartwheel, hell you would fly if you had the ability.

“You don’t have to like me back. I don’t want it to change anything.” Din continued, still focussed on the rock.

You tucked your hand under his chin, forcing him to look up and see with his own eyes how you felt about his confession. His eyes widened a fraction when he took in the wide smile you wore ear to ear.

“I definitely like you back.” You confirmed. “And you are one of the bravest people I know.”

A sigh of relief gave way to a matching smile on Din’s face, the two of you smiling at each other widely, neither sure what to say next.

“Din?”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me again, like you mean it.”

The only regret the two of you held from your first real kiss was the smudged flags on your cheeks.

Tagging @wickedfrsgrl​ @din-damn-djarin​ @seasonschange-butpeopledont​ @kesskirata​ @phoenixhalliwell​ @vonschweetz​ @insideafictionaluniverse​ @driedgreentomatoes​ @computeringturtle​ @spideysimpossiblegirl​

[intergalactic-zoo]

I was almost ready to comment on how this series is using single-word episode titles, just like "Smallville" did, but now we've got this mouthful playing on a book that was roughly contemporary with that show. It's pretty clunky, but whatever. 

It's nice that this episode gave us a break from the Luthor story, choosing instead to focus on Lois's investigation and some good character moments for the Kents and Lana's family. The mantra that "life is simpler in Smallville" gets an explicit repudiation, some fences are mended, and some new mysterious antagonists are introduced.

Spoilers ahoy! 

If not for the enormous amount of COVID-imposed lead time this series had, and the amount of time it takes to write and record and add special effects to a live-action TV show, this episode would feel like a course correction for a lot of the problems I've had with the last couple of installments. 

I'm writing this a little longer after watching the episode than I typically have, so I'm going to go plot-by-plot rather than chronologically through the episode. 

Painting the House: a cute scene, and a good way to remind us that, even with all the drama and the teen angst, the Kents are a loving family. 

Jonathan & Jordan: Jordan joining the football team is a neat plot point that goes in unexpected directions, given how that kind of thing has typically played out in Superman stories. I like the way that it sets up conflict with Jonathan in the beginning, but eventually he realizes that Jordan's not trying to take away the thing that makes him feel special. Jonathan being the one to convince Clark to let Jordan play—and making the case that Jordan's abilities just even the playing field with respect to his size—is a good moment of solidarity and understanding for him. 

And Jordan, for his part, really does seem like he's found what he needed. Being able to take out some aggression on the football field—and having Clark's support—ends up being the key to getting a handle on his anger and being able to solve some problems with kindness rather than sulking and violence. I also appreciate that at least one of our initial antagonists—Sean—has moved out of that role, at least for now.

Coach Clark: There have been lots of attempts over the years to saddle Superman with various character flaws, but I think the one that fits best is being overprotective. On the macro scale, you get "Must There Be a Superman" and "King of the World," and on a micro scale you get stuff like this, being a bit of a helicopter parent and nearly losing Lois early in their relationship by eavesdropping. It rings true in a way that other attempted flaws—being dull-witted or indecisive—haven't. So it's nice here to see him realize it and acknowledge his mistakes, and to realize that he doesn't have to make the same choices his father did in order to keep his kids safe. After all, Jonathan Kent I didn't have superpowers. It'll also be nice for Clark to have a place to be earnest, mild-mannered Clark Kent, since he's outside the Daily Planet environment.

Lana and Sarah: Somewhere in my drafts I have a post about poor Lana Lang, a character made to fill a niche—the Lois Lane analogue for Superboy—and has never had much of a life outside of that niche. Every time Lana is introduced into adult Clark's life, she has a different deal. She's a TV reporter with a British accent, she's married to Pete Ross, she's a successful engineer, but she's almost always the girl whose life fell to pieces in one way or another after Clark Kent left. It's not fair to either character—Clark's presence in a person's life should elevate them, not devastate them—and while I understand the reason for giving her a failing marriage and conflicts with her children, I do want to see Lana have a happy ending in some adaptation or incarnation. 

Anyway, I like Sarah as a character, and it's interesting to see how her story parallel's Jordan's, with her mother's overbearing overprotectiveness leading to conflict. It creates a contrast between how Clark and Lana are handling their respective teenage offspring, and gives them a nice bonding moment. It's easy to see how these bonding moments could turn into Lana trying to rekindle the old flame with Clark, and I really hope that doesn't happen, but platonic male-female friendships are rare enough on TV that I can imagine it's hard to set one up without everyone seeing a ship setting sail. 

Speaking of ships, I know that Jordan and Sarah are an obvious pairing, but I hope Jordan is smart enough not to try to be her rebound relationship (and ruin his reconciliation with Sean). But honestly, I kind of hope Jordan is gay or bi, giving a way to tie his feelings of being different and search for identity to the struggles queer kids commonly face in an explicit way rather than an allegorical one. 

Seriously though, let Clark and Lois have a strong marriage that doesn't need to be threatened by the Other Woman for unnecessary drama. Let the drama build out of normal family conflicts, not tropes that were sexist and outdated when they were common in the Silver Age. 

Lois's Story: "The news comes to Lois Lane" seems to be an ongoing theme, as the next lead in her story just walks through the door of the Smallville Gazette. Unsurprisingly for a story involving Lois Lane, this leads to a conspiracy involving disappearing workers and super-powered enforcers. Lois explicitly makes the point I said earlier, that the stories in small towns do matter, and too often get overlooked because there aren't enough reporters covering them. 

The action scene where Lois is attacked by someone with Kryptonian-level abilities is pretty good. I always like when Superman enters a confrontation by trying to de-escalate before fighting, and I always like when Lois enters a confrontation by trying to fight before calling in the big guns. The fight between Superman and the assailant (who I think is credited as Subjekt 11, but I assumed that character was going to carry forward and, uh, doesn't look like he is) showcases both a nice escalation as Superman learns what the guy's strength is, and some nice uses of powers. The CW effects teams have gotten pretty creative over the years. The one issue I have is that Superman slams the guy through a cinderblock wall right at the start of the fight, before he's tested those abilities, and I feel like that would have done some real damage if he'd guessed wrong and the guy was a baseline human. The No-Prize Answer would be that either he scanned the guy before hitting him and knew, at baseline, that he was a meta, or that he knew Lois wouldn't call him unless she was dealing with a metahuman threat. Still, it bugs me. 

I do hope we learn more about what Subjekt-11 was. Metahuman? Kryptonian? Some kind of experiment? I'm frankly more interested in the Morgan Edge stuff than alt-universe Luthor. 

The woman who takes out Subjekt-11—who I guess was also with Edge at the meeting last episode—seems to be named Leslie Larr, no doubt a reference to Lesla-Lar, the Silver Age Kandorian villain who happened to be an exact double for Supergirl, because every major character had a double living in Kandor. Whether that means she's Kryptonian or some other swerve is something, I guess, we'll learn later.

Other: I noticed an Easter Egg that I haven't seen reported anywhere else: The Whitty Banter Show! For those who don't remember, Whitty Banter was the host of a Metropolis talk show in the 80s and 90s; there's ads for it all over the Death of Superman Newstime issue. In trying to remind myself what Easter Egg I remembered catching, I also learned that Kryptonsite still exists! What a blast from the past. There was a time, many moons ago, where that was a daily visit for me, along with the Superman Homepage. 

And Blogger.com, for that matter. But those days are clearly far behind us.

[hellomynameisbisexual]

How Do Bi Parents Come Out to Their Kids?

It’s not always straightforward.

By Lux Alptraum

As the author of multiple memoirs, psychotherapist Wendy C. Ortiz, M.F.T., is no stranger to personal disclosures. In her books, she’s told readers about her teenage sexual exploits and her struggles as a 20-something Angeleno, and she’s even provided lengthy descriptions of her dreams. But over the past few years, Ortiz has been navigating a different disclosure wholly unlike the ones that have shaped her literary career: coming out as bisexual to her young daughter.

“We’re still trying to find a way to explain it without opening a can of worms that we are not quite prepared for yet,” Ortiz tells SELF.

Ortiz’s nine-year-old daughter has always been aware that her parents are not straight—being raised in a household with two moms made that evident. But Ortiz’s bisexuality has been a more complicated identity to discuss, one that expands beyond her current relationship and encompasses a broader swath of who she is as a person. Over the past few years, she’s been experimenting with how to be open and honest with her daughter in an age-appropriate, accessible way that offers comfort and clarity rather than just creating more confusion. Though Ortiz and her family have started the conversation, it remains a work in progress.

She’s hardly the only parent to find herself in this situation.

There are a lot of reasons bi parents choose to come out. For many bi parents, sharing their identity can feel essential to providing their children with an open-minded understanding of the world around them. “I’ve always wanted to give my son what I didn’t have growing up,” Ellie W., 25, tells SELF. Her own religious upbringing didn’t include open conversations about sex and identity.

For others, being out about their identity can feel like a way of encouraging honest communication with their children. “I decided relatively early on in my then partner’s pregnancy that I wasn’t going to be secretive about stuff, because I had dealt with a lot of secretive approaches in my own family around all sorts of things. It was bad for me and also bad for the rest of the family,” Jerome C., 44, tells SELF.

And in a political environment that’s increasingly hostile to LGBTQ+ folk, some parents see informing their children about their bisexuality as an important part of preparing their kids for the future. “To be trans and bi is to be pretty visible,” Nola P., 36, tells SELF. “I wanted to make sure that they understood some of the things that might happen, and how it might affect our family directly.”

That sense of community, identity, and visibility is a big part of why some parents might feel driven to open up this discussion with their kids. Being open about your bi identity can help combat bisexual erasure and help kids understand bisexuality not just as an abstract concept but as the identity of someone they’re close to. It can also help create a sense of open dialogue that will serve kids later in life if they wind up identifying as queer.

“Parents might think in the back of their heads, Well, what if my child was bisexual? I would want them to feel like they could come out to me. So I should come out to them and be that role model that they deserve,” Dan Rice, M.Ed., executive director at the sex education organization Answer at Rutgers University, tells SELF.

Indeed, Mike F., 42, was prompted to come out to his teenage daughter after she came out to him first. “I don’t remember the exact conversation, but she made a joke about not being ‘exactly straight,’ and I said, ‘You and me both, baby girl.’ She paused, looked at me, and said, ‘Cool,’” he tells SELF.

Of course, there are a few reasons coming out as bisexual to your kids can be complicated. For one, bi parents who choose to broach this topic with their children run the risk of facing judgment from family members, friends, and community members who consider this disclosure to be TMI. On a popular podcast I listen to, a women’s health expert advised an audience member against coming out to her daughter as bi, saying that it was a discussion best reserved for older kids. The expert’s reasoning? The audience member’s young child wasn’t ready to hear about who her mommy liked to have sex with.

Um. While most of us would agree that frank discussions of adults’ sex lives aren’t an appropriate topic for children, coming out as bisexual to your kids in no way means giving them an extensive overview of everyone you’ve slept with (and how). “Being bi isn’t just about how you have sex and who you have sex with, it’s about how you understand desire and love and connection and community,” Cory Silverberg, an award-winning sex educator and author of Sex Is a Funny Word, tells SELF.

Though some parents might fret about the possibility of burdening their children with too much information at too young an age, Rice doesn’t think parents need to worry about having this conversation too soon. “It’s never too early,” he says. “What we’re explaining to children is love, and who we love and have a special love for. Children understand love.”

Then there’s the fact that starting the conversation can feel complicated and intimidating. A simple way in might be a casual disclosure during a discussion about different styles of relationships, something like, “Some people fall in love with people of a different gender, some people fall in love with people of their own gender, and some people, like me, can fall in love with people of any gender.”

It’s also key to keep in mind that your kid might not react with enthusiasm or even interest. “This could be a conversation that the parent might hope is longer, but maybe the kid isn’t interested, and it’s something to come back to,” says Ortiz, who in addition to navigating this on her own also works with many queer patients as a psychotherapist. Ortiz recommends mainly letting the child lead the discussion: Tie your disclosures to questions they’ve brought up about relationships or love or identity rather than forcing them to listen to a personal monologue that they’re not ready for or couldn’t care less about right now.

In Jerome’s case, he first discussed gender and sexuality with his son when the child was nine. “It was around that time that one of his cousins came out as transgender, so that gave me the opening,” he says. “I tried to make it ‘not a big deal,’ which meant that, in turn, he didn’t seem particularly fazed by anything I was saying or talking about.”

Above all, it’s important to remind your kid that having a bisexual parent doesn’t change things or mean that their life isn’t going to be the same. Even if this information is new to them, it doesn’t change who you are: a parent who loves them very much.

For many, this is bound to be an ongoing discussion, not a single conversation. The conversation you have with your kids about your sexual identity is likely to shift and expand over the years as your children get older and better able to understand more complex topics. Silverberg recommends using pop culture as an entry point to additional conversations. If you’re watching a Disney movie, for instance, you can remind your child that not all princesses marry princes: Some might marry other princesses, some might be happy with either option, and some might decide they’re not interested in marriage at all.

This can be especially useful for younger children. Ellie says her son is too young to understand sexual and romantic attraction, so she describes her own partners as “friends” but encourages him to observe diversity in the world around him. “He seems entirely [unbothered] by the idea that some children can have two mamas or two dadas or two mamas and one dada,” she says. “He found it quite amusing that there are infinite possibilities of how to make up a family.”

In Ortiz’s own home, the conversations about identity started around the time her daughter turned six. It was something, she tells me, that largely happened organically. When her daughter started talking about kids at school having crushes on each other, Ortiz and her partner gently brought up the idea that people can have crushes on someone the same gender as them as well as on people of different genders. Meanwhile, shows like the cartoon Steven Universe showcase queer relationships in a fun and casual way and have given the family an opportunity to talk about the wide variety of relationships humans might arrange ourselves in.

When Ortiz’s daughter stumbled on photos of Ortiz with an old boyfriend, Ortiz didn’t shy away from being honest about who that person was in her life. “In the last year we’ve approached the subject that I was once married to a man,” Ortiz says. “It’s like, ‘Oh, this is Mommy’s identity,’ versus her other mother who identifies as lesbian.”

As the years have passed, it’s become clear that the many conversations they’ve had about identity and relationships have had an impact on Ortiz’s daughter. When she talks about the future, Ortiz says, her daughter leaves the question of her own orientation open. “She will preface by saying, ‘And I might be with a girl or a boy.’” Thanks to her mothers’ openness about their own identities, she’s able to be confident that whomever her future relationships end up being with, she’ll have the support and love of her family. Which is, of course, what truly matters.

[lizzybeth1986]

#14 for all your fics! (or just your top three lolol 🤣)

Of course I'll do all my fics (except Keychains coz I already did this ask for that one haha) - I don't have that many 😅

14. Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from these fics?

With A Little Help From My Friends - I was fairly new to the fandom and most of my friends were Liam stans. I realized soon enough that not many of them knew much about Hana, so I wanted to change that with this fic.

Masks: I loved the whole history behind the Venetian masks, esp around them allowing anonymity not just in terms of identity but also class, and how that related to the Esther's first event in Cordonia being a masquerade. I really wanted to make the most of that symbolism while getting the readers curious about her relationship with her mother. It was an MC spotlight, really.

When the Sun Kisses the Sea: Pssh, no. I was in the mood for some Liam x Esther fluff, and mix it in with the delicious irony of them not completely understanding the depth of the other person's feelings 😁

Snowstorms (RCD Book 1 fanfic): I guess I wanted to talk about how coming out is a slow, gradual process, and how influential film/media could be in allowing a bi (but also many people who are LGBTQ+ experience this kind of journey in different ways) person like me, or my MC Sophie, to recognize that they are in fact normal and there's nothing wrong with them, no matter what the world might say. I was influenced by that scene they showed us of Victoria Fontaine's movie The Warmest Winter.

Nuestra Familia: Both this fic and the previous one were mostly MC spotlights, meant for MC Appreciation Week. One of the suggestions for fanfic was to do a crossover, so I tried out a crossover between RCD and The Freshman by making my other RCD MC Astrid a long lost cousin of Zig's 😄 It was fun!

Coffee and Cupcakes: So this was during a time in VoS when Naomi had just ONE diamond scene focused on her during a time that other LIs had quite a few. When she was taken off the case, I was kinda pissed off we didn't get even a single diamond scene to comfort her. So I wrote this fic in the format you would use for a diamond scene, and made it romantic.

That Old Grape Juice (Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay): Ah, I still have so much to write for this one! Two chapters, in fact. In Liam and Olivia's chapters I wanted to showcase a number of things:

- the depth of the Liam and Olivia dynamic, because most of the time within the fandom, it was simplified to just Olivia's unrequited love and there was hardly much of an effort to look at Liam's journey of it.

- how Olivia's emotions factored just as much into her actions at the Lythikos Ball, and how much that situation was weighing on her.

- how protective Liam was of Esther even in those early days (which is canon).

- that Liam could be calculating without causing harm (since that term is often used in just that context).

- I needed an excuse to write a dialogue about Luther Nevrakis turning in his grave at the sight of a Nevrakis and a Rys sharing wine, cmon. 🤣

With the Kiara and Hana sections that I hope to do later on, this is what I want to be exploring:

- Kiara's culture both from her mother's and father's side. So I'm hoping esp to feature cuisine and wines from Loire.

- I want her trauma to be noticed by someone, and acknowledged even in a small way

- To explore more of Hana's interests and things she likes.

- Basically Kiara and Hana if they're ever written as a couple, tend to be footnotes or sidelined. And they get some of the worst treatment you will find in TRR fanfic, so I'm seriously hoping to change that.

Fanfic asks here.

[thesaltminers]

The Curious Case of Megan Derr

Megan Derr is the co-owner of Less Than Three Press, an indie LGBTQ publishing house--and she’s also their most prolific author. Before LT3’s founding, Megan posted her slash fiction on LiveJournal and Fictionpress, epicenters of older wank that unfortunately went unrecorded.

Over the years, Megan has been embroiled in several dramas, none of which impeded LT3’s growth. When juxtaposed with similar controversies, this lack of fallout becomes curious.

Was she just Not That Bad, comparatively? Did people not care? Or had Megan's navigation of the drama de-escalate any chance at a larger blow up? We investigate.

Why does Megan matter?

As visible co-owner of a successful and award-winning LGBTQ press, Megan is officially a gatekeeper. Her personal opinions matter and her voice reflects on her business… theoretically. Of course, in the past Megan has implied she was a martyr for the community, working so hard for them, whilst neatly minimising that her profit also comes from that same community

Nonetheless, she has a direct hand in what gets published, which is her right as co-owner. LT3 proactively publishes trans, bi, ace, and other less-exposed areas of the queer spectrum.

While this is obviously wonderful in a lot of ways, LT3's prominence in this particular publishing sphere becomes concerning when you realize that Megan Derr's personal beliefs and ethics drive the majority of the publishing decisions, and thus, what representation is produced. Given her avowed dislike of #OwnVoices (which will be expanded upon further in this report) and her insistence that the subject of a genre is not the audience for that genre, the implications are troubling.

We posit that Megan skirts the line of actionable offences, but works to "poison the well" or create a toxic environment. This is more ephemeral than other infamous instances of wank, but it is a long-running pattern of behavior with real consequences for both individuals and the community as a whole.

Social Media Climate

Recently, we compiled reports on Santino Hassell and Riptide Press, the latter of whom is still attracting attention for bad decisions.

Social media is primed for another explosion. The match was lit when the Bi Book Award finalists were announced and several Twitter users took umbrage with the two competing publishers of the year: Riptide Publishing and Less Than Three Press.  

The current call out

Twitter user BrookieRayWrite reacted to the Bi Award announcement with a threaded post, which included screenshots of Megan's past behaviour. They referenced two incidents: Megan’s dislike of #OwnVoices—a movement in publishing to uplift authentic minority experiences so that people could find content they felt connected to—and her blog post declaring M/M is for women.

However, this was not the first time someone tried to call out Megan. Heidi Belleau, an author LGBTQ romance, posted a comprehensive thread in 2016.

The rest of which, can be found here.

Nothing came from this Twitter call out. But now Heidi has resurfaced with her complaints about Megan, and with her comes an old wank standby to defend Megan--Aleksandr Voinov.

Yep. He called her crazy. In case you missed it, Heidi Belleau takes on this moniker to analyze its silencing and delegitimizing function. In short, Voinov is not only being ableist, he is actively working to create a hostile landscape to voices critical of Megan Derr.

Moments of Note

“No Gay Aces”

In an incident that went unrecorded, but that we witnessed at the time, an author published a book with a character who identified as “gay ace.” Incensed, Megan declared that there was no such thing. This conflict is worthy of note because its exemplifies Megan’s confidence in her own rightness and her refusal to ever back down from a position, a character trait that shines through in following events.

However, perhaps it also showcases Megan’s reaction when she knows she’s incorrect—as of now, the conflict seems to have been scrubbed from GoodReads. We hesitate to include unsupported facts, but feel it is important in Megan Derr's case to establish her pattern of behavior, in order to examine her tactics and strategy.

“Rose Lemberg”

At the height of #OwnVoices, Megan was becoming increasingly irritated over what she interpreted as a movement to outlaw people writing outside of their identity. She replied to a Tweet by Rose Lemberg—

Apparently Megan needed a reaction, because she Tweeted at Rose twice.

Megan's interpretation of “you are not doing us a favor,” as “don’t do this,” has the unfortunate implication that she believes writing outside of her identity is doing someone a favor.

When Rose removed themself from the conversation, Megan reacted thusly:

She steamrolls over Rose's "no spoons" comment, a clear signal in the disabled community that further engagement would be literally damaging to the respondent. The fact that she ignores that signal is incredibly ableist—and if she's ignorant about that, it just shows how unprepared she is to write disabled characters, thus proving Rose's point.

After confronting Rose, and not getting the response she wanted, Megan unfollowed.

Megan apologized for misgendering Rose, and we do not believe she would intentionally misgender someone. However, it does illustrate her "shoot first" nature.

“M/M Is for Women”

Turnabout is fair play, in a sense, because Megan had her own opportunity to open a discussion and then immediately block responses to it.

Megan lobbed quite the cannonball across the community’s bow with this fascinating retort against white cis gay men, prompted by a gay man who had called out the M/M genre for its fetishism of its subjects. Out of all her altercations, this one may be the most ill-advised (in a PR sense). It is also one where she found her audience not only unreceptive, but actively accusatory.

Whatever her point may have been, Megan said M/M wasn’t for gay men. Yes, Yaoi, BL, and slash fic was, on the surface level, fueled initially by a female audience. Yes, they fall under different genre conventions than the works of EM Forster and other literary authors. But there’s something undeniably and offensively entitled about declaring ownership of a genre over the actual subject of that genre.

When Megan felt that people were ignoring her reasoning unfairly, she shut down comments.

Friend/Colleague Exodus

If one were to casually take note of the comings and goings of Megan’s friends and colleagues, they may notice a gradual change in the cast of characters. The common denominator of this situation, of course, is Megan. There is a track record of Megan and her sister, Sam, saying oddly misguided and downright offensive comments to their authors, usually trans authors, at which point the relationship is ended and the author quietly moves on.

Water off a duck’s back

People in Megan’s sphere have probably noted that, controversy after controversy, nothing sticks. Even after years of wanky drama all throughout M/M’s history, with the inevitable apologies and flounces from the authors and readers at the center of each crisis, Megan keeps on trucking. The question is, what makes her different?

Leaving the realm of screenshots and facts, there’s only theory to go on. For instance, maybe the conflicts Megan faces are small enough, and far enough apart, that no one can exactly put into words why they think she should be called out. Or perhaps the people who dislike her realize some hypocrisy would come with accusing her of something. (Those in glass houses, etc.)

From a more practical angle, she almost never apologizes. Typically, the subjects of wank quibble, apologize several times, and release statements. Megan usually just posts a few accusatory tweets and then moves on after blocking anyone who could possibly question her worldview.

As evidenced by the more recent wanks, there is generally tangible evidence of harm with multiple victims stepping forward to detail their abuse. However, this takes years and momentum for this to occur. We know that Megan has her share of victims as well, and we know that they have experienced mental and emotional harm that has had real impact on their ability to work. Yet if people were to inspect why they don’t like her, would they only find several blog posts and Tweets that are abrasive and tone-deaf?

Her Modus Operandi has always been to aggressively confront someone she disagrees with (ex. Rose Lemberg) and then flounce/block when she’s challenged. Mirroring that, when someone confronts or disagrees with her, she immediately shuts down discussion (ex. M/M is for Women blog post).

As the co-owner of LT3, she also partly controls the narrative of indie LGBTQ publishing. Her choices and attitude influence the community tone and acceptable in-group culture, and, arguably, add toxicity. However, to pin down specific instances (and therefore confront and address them), is incredibly difficult—which is possibly why every call out thus far has dwindled without fanfare.  

In Summation

The overarching, and fascinating, truth about Megan is sometimes she makes sense. Unfortunately, she also says a lot of bullshit. This may come from a lack of ability to grasp nuance.

Does #OwnVoices put pressure on people to out their life circumstances for the sake of credibility? Probably, yes. But others feel confident in self-reporting, wanting their voices out there for others to hear them. Do people mispronounce white people’s names? Yes. But that doesn’t negate the racist undertones and microaggressions minorities face when people mock their names. These, among other situations, are odd hills Megan chooses to die on seemingly because she doesn’t want to understand them.

The current call out is in reaction to the Bi Awards. Certain authors have stepped forward to Tweet their protest of LT3's nomination. They argue that Megan, as the owner of LT3, has promoted an environment that does harm to bi voices, and they feel it is inappropriate for her to be celebrated in this specific context.

The situation is still developing. From here, we can see only two branching paths. Either those running the Bi Awards rescind LT3's nomination, or they do not.

But this event is dredging up old salt. As with any wank, one is left wondering what the conclusion should be; Exile? Apology? Loss of sales? What does a successful call out look like? Megan is a real person with a wife and a business that she has worked hard to develop. She publishes minority representation because she believes in that effort.

But her belief does not exculpate her.

She has managed to repeatedly dodge accountability. Whether this is through calculated tactics or a magical formula she managed to stumble upon doesn't change the fact that she has actively contributed to making the community hostile to marginalized people. It doesn't change the fact that her status as a major publisher among LGBTQIA online presses shields her, especially as those who would ordinarily call her out for bad behavior must hesitate and consider the economic ramifications of doing so.

Now, to guess what Megan might pull from this to deflect responding to the salient points? Probably that we mentioned her mom voted for Trump.

Interesting links: 

Heidi

http://archive.is/Aio1f

http://archive.li/1IknD

http://archive.li/SsQ41

Maria_Reads

http://archive.li/zPqGa

http://archive.li/kCInK

[gaysianthirdspace]

Follower Friday: pabloplecosto

Follower Fridays is a series of profiles highlighting members of Gaysian Third Space to showcase the diversity of gaysians in the Community. This week’s featured member is @pabloplecosto.

Who are you?

Hey! I'm Jing Jing, a genderqueer, bi/pan, polyamorous, nerdy, sappy, and friendly Chinese American junior in high school. I try my best to find the good in life and I love a lot of things very deeply.

Where are you from?

I'm from Seattle! Technically, I was born in California, but we moved when I was a few months old so all I know is our cozy, rainy corner of the US. I've been spoiled by the mild weather and can't handle anything that's even a tiny bit too hot or cold haha

What do you do?

Well, school takes up most of my time, but I do a lot of other stuff too! I'm a visual artist, musician, actor, dancer, choreographer, and director. I'm involved in my school's drama program, as well as several other local ones, onstage and on the production teams. I occasionally run workshops on mental health and queerness for the local Chinese American community, which is incredibly rewarding. I have an article on the intersection of being Chinese American and queerness getting published in a Seattle paper soon which is super exciting! I recently got my first job at my favorite bookstore. I serve on the arts and culture commission of my city and have been trying to get more involved in the various events in the greater Seattle area and my own city. I consume a lot of media, from soundtracks to movies and books to podcasts. I also spend a good chunk of time being very, very gay, having existential crises about gender and the difference between romantic and platonic attraction, and gushing about my two lovely girlfriends.

What are you passionate about?

A lot of things!! For one, I believe storytelling in all of its forms, whether it's through theater, music, or visual art, is incredibly powerful as a way to connect people and explore the human experience. Also art as a whole is an important way for us to remember the beauty in life, relationships, and joy. Especially with our current political climate. Politics, mental health, intersectional feminism, Asian American history, immigrant issues, and the problems the queer community faces are all topics that I care about and strive to learn more about as well. Basically I care a lot about a lot of things, which comes as no surprise to anyone who has known me for more than five minutes.

What is your dream job (real or fantasy)?

Oh man, that's a tough one. I honestly don't know exactly what it'll look like, but I'm sure I'll get there someday in some strange way, as it tends to go. I just want something that incorporates everything I'm passionate about. So maybe working as a part of some sort of organization centered on supporting qpoc in various ways. I would probably be most involved in arts and psychology, however that would end up looking. There's a lot of different ways for me to be able to do what I'm passionate about and I'm excited for all the opportunities there are waiting for me!

If you could change the world with one idea, what would it be?

Love and everything that comes with it. Communication, empathy, patience, and care. We'd all be so much better. I know it isn't always easy, but I know it's worth it.

Any personal plugs?

I will be assistant directing a play this summer with a local and equally queer as hell artist and we need funding! If you could donate or share it would mean the world to us. :) https://www.gofundme.com/SAsummer2018

[nyfacurrent]

#NYFAPartner Spotlight | Artwork Archive

5 Reasons Why Getting Organized Can Grow Your Arts Business

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) works to help artists build sustainable careers in the arts. One essential quality of a viable arts business? Organization. For that reason, we’re pleased to share a guest essay from Justin Anthony, who cofounded Artwork Archive in 2010 with John Feustel. Artwork Archive is an online resource that gives artists, collectors, and organizations the tools to organize their artwork and manage their inventory. Below, Anthony spells out why an organized arts business is a successful arts business, and explains how Artwork Archive can help.

Ever waste time trying to find information or images for a potential buyer? Have you double-booked or double-sold an artwork to two different galleries? Do you put off invoicing customers or sending out price lists to galleries, and hate sitting down with spreadsheets?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you are not alone. Most artists find it difficult to stay organized with so many other obligations. But with a little daily maintenance, having an organized arts business can save you stress and elevate your career.

The hardest part of getting organized is the very first step of creating a detailed studio inventory. Without it, the foundation of your arts business will be shaky. There are many reasons to keep accurate inventory records of your art studio, such as for insurance purposes, taxes, and to keep your business running smoothly.

Here are five ways you can grow your art business by getting organized with tools like Artwork Archive.

1. Stress less and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Who wants to waste time rifling through notebooks, desktop folders, receipts, and emails to find critical information? It’s chaotic, takes away from your time in the studio, and keeps clients and galleries waiting. Artwork Archive helps you avoid this scenario and easily track your inventory, contacts, galleries, sales, and more.

“I knew I needed to get organized.” said artist Amy Ritter. “I think that’s the most important thing about being an artist, is that it is a business. The more organized you are, the less stressed out you are.”

Having everything that’s essential to your business in one place allows you more creative energy and mental space to innovate and enjoy your work. Focus on your next brilliant idea, not where your artwork is, who purchased it, or where it’s going next.

2. Spend more time doing what you love.

As a professional artist, you have to be your own marketing team, shipping department, administrative assistant, CEO, financial advisor, and more. It’s a lot to juggle.

“I’m a painter, not an administrator,” painter Terrill Welch told us. “Anything that successfully keeps my brushes in my hands and still allows me to run my business is essential.”

With an inventory management solution like Artwork Archive, you can free up hundreds of hours and create invoices, inventory lists, and labels with a click of a button.

3. Present yourself and your artwork professionally.

Ever invoiced someone on a scrap piece of paper or Post-It note? Avoid slapdash invoices and showcase your business in the best light. Professionalism is key to any flourishing arts business, and professional reports are a fantastic way to display yours.

Whether it’s an invoice, price list, consignment sheet, or gallery labels, professional reports are an easy and fast way to impress buyers, collectors, and galleries alike. When they see you as the efficient professional you are, they are more likely to treat you and your art business the way you both deserve. This greatly affects future business relationships.

And why wait to get organized? Inventory management systems like Artwork Archive help you stay on top of deadlines, follow-up with clients, and easily generate polished PDF reports. “I wish I would have known how important it is to have accurate archives and records when I was first starting out,” said artist Caitlin G McCollom. “Years later when I was established, I had to do months of data entry to get caught up. Artwork Archive was a life-saver for this process.”

4. Make more informed decisions.

Getting insights into your art business with Artwork Archive’s reports, charts, and maps helps you stay on track, put your efforts into what's working, and eliminate what isn't. Whether it’s knowing the value of your inventory versus your sales or understanding which galleries are pulling their weight, these numbers help you make informed decisions about growing your business.

5. Make better connections and share your art with the world.

Having a quality online presence builds a successful and compelling brand. It shows you’re active in your art practice and makes it easier to connect with collectors.

Leverage Artwork Archive’s platform to gain exposure and get your work in front of potential buyers. The Public Profile, Presentation Mode, and other share options on Artwork Archive provide easy-to-use ways to showcase your art.

Beyond a clean and easy way to highlight your artwork and career accomplishments, the online portfolio is linked straight to your inventory, so it’s updated automatically. Showcase your work and connect with collectors—no web design experience necessary.

Ready to streamline your arts business?

At the end of the day, being organized helps you get paid on time, streamline your sharing process, gain access to bigger opportunities, and present yourself professionally. Try Artwork Archive for free here, and build a strong foundation for your arts business.

- Guest Essay by Justin Anthony, Artwork Archive Co-Founder

This post is part of a regular blog series highlighting sponsor organizations on NYFA Current. Follow NYFA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see the latest news about each #NYFAPartner. Sign up for NYFA’s bi-weekly newsletter, NYFA News, to receive announcements about future NYFA events and programs. Images, from top: Courtesy of Artwork Archive; Courtesy Amy Ritter; Courtesy Caitlin G McCollom

[historyisgaypodcast]

Episode 5: Stars from a Bi-Gone Era

In this very special episode, hosts Leigh & Gretchen travel to the red carpet and the silver screen to hear stories about queer actors from the golden age of Hollywood. Along for the ride is a room full of queer women who came to listen to the podcast being recorded live at TGIFemslash, a convention dedicated to the queer ladies of media, the ladies who love them, and the fans who love them. Join us and a room full of big gay nerds as we discuss the early years of film and the sexploits of the rich and famous! Who was gay for pay? Who was Hollywood’s favorite lesbian? Who wore violets on the crotch of her dress to advertise her queerness? Tune in to find out, plus listen to our friends at TGIFemslash discuss their favorite queermos from history!

 Special Shoutout

Special thanks are due to Beth Hommel, our friend and fellow attendee of TGIFemslash. Beth generously offered to help us out by designing and ordering T-shirt samples that we both wore and sold at TGIFemslash. She's an amazing and gifted designer of nerdy queer swag, so check out her store on Etsy: Glorious Wierdo! 

And that means...we're going to have merch soon! Stay tuned for details about pins, magnets, shirts and more from your local big gay nerds at History is Gay podcast!

Our Cast of Stars for Silver Screen Sexploits

As people were coming into the room for our panel at TGIFemslash we had them play a game called "Silver Screen Sexploits." We had images of ten silver screen actors up on the wall; people were each given the same set of ten facts about these actors and asked to guess which fact went with which actor. Below are the actors, the facts, and some fun stats about the guesses people made!

Clark Gable

The Fact:

"Was allegedly “gay for pay” and for career advancement. Had a string of older clients who paid their bills and helped them get jobs, but cheated on them constantly. Had close, personal, possibly sexual relationships with several openly queer actors."

Number of correct guesses: 2

Fact most frequently assigned to them:

"A quintessential sex symbol, this actor had strong preferences for partners of the same gender and is rumored to have had affairs with two of the actors on this list. Claimed one of their partners “had a gigantic orgasm and shrieked like a maniac” but then turned spiteful when the actor turned them down after being asked for another round."---6 guesses

Cary Grant

The Fact: 

“Married 5 times and had 1 daughter. Lived with a fellow actor for 12 years and then with a different actor later in life. Prior to becoming famous, dated a fashion designer on and off for 9 years.”

Number of correct guesses: 1

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

“One lover described sex with them as ‘pleasant, unhurried, gentle. There was what I can only refer to as a kind of refinement about it. It was erotic, tantalizing, fulfilling. High class stuff all the way.’”---5 guesses

Marlene Dietrich

The Fact:

“Came of age in post-war Berlin where the LGBT culture thrived and came to the US with a more open view of sexuality. At the premiere of a film, this actor walked on stage with a bunch of violets pinned to their crotch, a symbol of homosexuality in Germany. Was married but had several passionate gay affairs, one with another actor on this list!”

Number of correct guesses: 17

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

The right one!  In fact, everyone who played got her right!

Greta Garbo

The Fact: 

“For a time in the 1920s, they lived openly with a partner of a different gender; later, they conducted their relationship with a playwright and poet of the same gender with similar directness and lack of pretense. The poet was a ‘best friend’ and lived with this actor for 30 years. Called their love affairs with same gender partners ‘exciting secrets.’”

Number of correct guesses: 6

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

The right one!

Katharine Hepburn

The Fact: 

“25 year relationship with differently gendered acting co-star was more about friendship than romance or sex, and their public relationship was likely a publicity stunt by studios as both of them were gay. Was allegedly set up by known Hollywood pimp Scotty Bowers with 150 sexual partners of the same gender. Had a particular attraction for one partner, whom they saw off and on for 49 years.”

Number of correct guesses: 8

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

The right one!

Marilyn Monroe

The Fact:

“A quintessential sex symbol, this actor had strong preferences for partners of the same gender and is rumored to have had affairs with two of the actors on this list. Claimed one of their partners “had a gigantic orgasm and shrieked like a maniac” but then turned spiteful when the actor turned them down after being asked for another round.”

Number of correct guesses: 7

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

The right one!

Marlon Brando

The Fact: 

“Had multiple affairs with famous actors in Hollywood and once told a French journalist, ‘Homosexuality is so much in fashion, it no longer makes news. Like a large number of [actors], I, too, have had homosexual experiences, and I am not ashamed. I have never paid much attention to what people think about me.”

Number of correct guesses: 3

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

"Was allegedly “gay for pay” and for career advancement. Had a string of older clients who paid their bills and helped them get jobs, but cheated on them constantly. Had close, personal, possibly sexual relationships with several openly queer actors."---8 guesses

Vincent Price

The Fact: 

“One lover described sex with them as ‘pleasant, unhurried, gentle. There was what I can only refer to as a kind of refinement about it. It was erotic, tantalizing, fulfilling. High class stuff all the way.’”

Number of correct guesses: 0

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

"Was allegedly “gay for pay” and for career advancement. Had a string of older clients who paid their bills and helped them get jobs, but cheated on them constantly. Had close, personal, possibly sexual relationships with several openly queer actors."---5 guesses

Raymond Burr

The Fact:

“Was married to an opposite gender partner once but it only lasted a couple months. Met a same gender actor on the set of an iconic TV show in 1960 and they remained together until 1993, when our famous queer actor died. The fellow actor is often named as a “business partner” and still owns and operates the joint vineyard they founded together in Sonoma.”

Number of correct guesses: 8

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

The right one!

Joan Crawford

The Fact: 

“Known for having an “insatiable appetite for sex with men and women,” who may even have slept their way into becoming a screen legend. Also linked with another actor on this list!”

Number of correct guesses: 0

Fact most frequently assigned to them: 

“Married 5 times and had 1 daughter. Lived with a fellow actor for 12 years and then with a different actor later in life. Prior to becoming famous, dated a fashion designer on and off for 9 years.”---8 times

 How do we know about these folks?

Most of the stories that we discussed came from one guy: Scotty Bowers, a Hollywood pimp of the queer silver screen actors of the 1940s and beyond. He was also associated with Alfred Kinsey in his famous study of human sexuality in the 1950s by providing many of the interview subjects.

A former marine, Bowers kept quiet for many years about these stories, as he did not want to adversely affect the lives of any of the actors who were still around. Many of the stories were actively hushed up using fixers paid by the studios at the time, and several of the actors were in "lavender marriages"---marriages arranged by the studio, frequently with another queer actor. At the time, studios especially would not have wanted the queer attractions of their headlining actors to be widely known, as that would have damaged the 'wholesome family image' of many of the films they wanted to market.

After all of the actors died, Bowers finally decided that his experiences and stories couldn't harm their image or beloved status---plus the world was a more open place to queer attraction---so he wrote about it. His memoir, Full Service, records many of the tidbits that we talked about. What makes his book so special is his refusal to be embarrassed by sex, meaning that he handles these stories with a distinct lack of judgment. Good job, dude! 

If you want to learn more about these folks, as well as other queer silver screen stars, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Online Articles:

22 Rumors, Orgies, And Relationships From The Golden Age Of Gay Hollywood

Clark Gable exposed in sex-obsessed biography

New Film Showcases Orry-Kelly, Fashion Master — and Cary Grant's Boyfriend

Secretly Gay, Bisexual, Or Queer Stars Of Golden Era Hollywood

Hollywood Fixer Opens His Little Black Book

Books:

Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Live of the Stars by Scotty Bowers

James Dean: Tomorrow Never Comes by Darwin Porter and Damforth Prince

Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood by William J. Mann

Clark Gable: Tormented Star by David Bret

Kate: The Woman Who Was Katharine Hepburn by William J. Mann

The Fixers: Eddie Mannix, Howard Strickling And The MGM Publicity Machine by EJ Flemming

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

[boatspeak]

Some of my favourite dramas from the past half a year, ranked: 

1. Because This is my First Life 

k-drama, 16 episodes, each 1 hour long

So sensitively and personally written. I was sucked into the storytelling and felt as though I was seeing these scenes through the eyes of the characters. Bravo to the scriptwriter; as I was watching it I felt, ah, she must have drawn from some intensely personal and important place. It was not a story anyone could have written. Because This is My First Life follows the stories of three BFFs as they experience, and grapple with, love and marriage. It does not shy away from the complicated sides of these issues - the societal, monetary and financial pressures that love and marriage cannot be separated from, the difficulties of communicating with others honestly yet sensitively. There are some frustratingly incorrigible people in the drama (like sexually harassing superiors), but most of the time the conflicts play out between good people who care for and support each other, yet inevitably butt heads because they have different - and equally valid - views of life. Is it wrong to want to marry and start a family? Is it wrong not to? It was painful at times, I think I cried for some of the characters. Not because they were pitiable, but because sometimes in life there is no right or wrong; you have to make tough choices and it hurts but you have to keep your eyes open and keep watching; keep walking. For the literature lovers out there, especially those who might be sick of gratuitous (often cheesy) quotes inserted randomly into dramas, well, good for you! Characters in Because This is My First Life read and are impacted by (real life) books, and you can see how the books they’ve read influence the way they think, act, and communicate with each other. It’s very realistic and mirrors the way you might consume and digest books in your own life outside of the drama. Oh, the PPL is also wonderfully done and actually contributes to character building.  8-9/10.

2. Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu (I’ll be serious in my next life)

j-drama, 12 episodes, each 1/2 an hour long

One woman, five sex friends. I know. I know it sounds messy and melodramatic and angsty. I hesitated for the same reasons as well. But when I finally got over it and watched the damn thing (very bingeable, totalling at only 6 hours), I regretted not watching it sooner. Raise wa Chanto Shimasu is a breath of fresh air. Most of the characters, whether hypersexual or asexual, are pretty unabashed about it, and I love their self-love. Want to have sex? Go for it, gurl. Don’t want to have sex? Also no problem. The title is an apt one and showcases this message of acceptance. We might have bones to pick with our current lifestyles, but welp, we’ll just be serious in our next lives. As one of the characters said at the end, “we all became independent, working adults, I think we should be proud of ourselves”.  Much needed affirmation in a world of moralising, slut-shaming, virgin-mocking, and expectations to get married and settle down.

Warning: one of the characters in a bi/gay relationship is pretty vocal in denying his sexuality even in front of his partner, and a trans woman was harrassed at one point. These were discomfiting for me. 

3. The Fiery Priest 

k-drama, 40 episodes, each 1/2 an hour long (or 20 hour-long episodes)

Action. Comedy. Kim Nam Gil, who won the Baeksang for this role. Honey Lee. Badass babe. Ahn Chang Hwan, who was so realistic at playing a Thai immigrant my friend who studied Korean for three years didn’t even realise he was Korean. Father Han. One reviewer said he was a literal angel, and I concur. Most dramas leave you with at most three or four characters you really like; this drama makes you fall in love with the whole gang. Everyone has a backstory, or some hidden side that you didn’t expect that just adds so much more dimension when revealed. Where some might find it hard to balance the weight of action and the levity of comedy, dipping too deeply into angst or farce at times, The Fiery Priest manages the tone really well even as the plot deepens and our characters have to deal with deep-seated traumas. I have nothing more to say to promote this drama except, how could you pass on Kim Nam Gil doing action plus comedy MINUS tragedy and the moustache? 

A final note: Technically, The Fiery Priest is a stronger drama than Raise and should deserve the no. 2 spot. The former deals with bigger issues like corruption, morality and forgiveness, while the latter is more light-hearted and deals almost entirely with personal choices. However, some issues Raise touched on were really important to me and came at a time when I really needed affirmation to believe in my beliefs, so it edged out The Fiery Priest in my heart. 

4. 传闻中的陈芊芊 (The Romance of Tiger and Rose) 

c-drama, 22 episodes, each about 45 minutes long

甜。This drama is just Sweet with a capital S. What a refreshing watch, especially for women. I loved not having tugging battles between two men. I loved the respect given to consent. I loved having so many smart and capable women who have conversations with each other that do not revolve around men. I love how the male lead wasn’t hung up on Male Ego and gave his wife space to be herself and make her own decisions and mistakes. A rare gem. I’m sure I will revisit this when I’m tired of the usual ドキドキ tactics involving possession and pulling around 

(If you can read Chinese, I suggest watching it on the 腾讯视频 app with 弹幕 on. I found it pretty hilarious, meaning I laugh-cried so hard in the middle of the night my neighbour knocked on my door to ask if I was ok.)   

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A quick rundown of the dramas and films I’ve watched so far in 2020 so you know the pool I picked these four from: 

Penguin Highway 

good watch. super cute. I cannot over-emphasise how cute the penguins were. It got me into a penguin phase and I’m not out of it even after 7 months...

ぼくは明日、昨日のきみとデートする (My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday) 

good watch. bittersweet.

わたしに××しなさい！(Watashi ni XX Shinasai/Missions of Love) movie and drama special

would pass on the movie (which cherry-picked from the manga but unfortunately left out a lot of important character developing scenes so the relationship didn’t make as much sense as it did in the manga)

but the drama special. Whew. I watched the drama special twice. It’s trashy good. Because it’s basically a spin-off to build hype for the movie, it doesn’t have to follow the plot of the manga, instead taking on the format of a (very cheesy) otome game. So you have all these ikemen saying clichéd toe-curling lines like “I am also a man you know” and getting stuck half-naked bReAthInG HeAviLy in cabinets together but instead of playing it seriously (as the movie would do because it’s supposed to make you feel like they are falling in love), the main character goes huh??? wtf are you saying?? at her otome game screen, which is so realistic and just cracks me up. definitely would rec. 

ごめんね青春！(Gomen ne Seishun/ Saving my Stupid Youth) 

hmmm. so-so? Leading lady Hikari Mitsushima is pretty, cool, and fits the bill of gap moe. Ryo Nishikido is also pretty believable (once you suspend your disbelief that somehow all his students think he looks dorky and are not gushing over his ikemen-ness). Unfortunately, relationship development between the otp happened too late and too suddenly. 

Он – драко́н (On Drakon/ He’s a Dragon/ I Am Dragon)

a pleasure to (re-)watch as always. Lovely visuals. 

Tokyo Ghoul: S

decent! Great performance from Shota Matsuda as the Gourmet. He’s definitely a draw-point for this movie - you can see him being featured heavily in the trailers. 

Strong Girl Do Bong Soon

great drama, would rec! 7-8/10. Points docked for all the digressing they did with monks and gangsters. I loved the otp’s dynamic, how healthy their relationship was. One line that struck me was, “Do you know how you’ve found the right person? When you see yourself in their eyes, you look happy”. It was a reminder that while these are obviously fictional characters, we can and should form relationships where our partners are as supportive of us (and us of them) as our dear otp, and not to settle for less. Also loved the fact that smol Bong Soon is so strong and no one can manhandle her >:-) 10/10 also to rookie actor Jang Mi Kwan, who was absolutely terrifying as the villain. How is he only a rookie??  

Because This is my First Life

see above

The Fiery Priest

see above

선덕여왕 (Great Queen Seon Deok)

hehe I watched it (again). As great as ever. Somehow cried more than I did the previous two times I watched it? Took me a week to get over one of the characters (even though I already went through all that heartbreak the first two times I watched this..) Sayang... Definitely has a special place in my heart. Available in full on youtube with subs. 

传闻中的陈芊芊 (Romance of Tiger and Rose)

see above

来世はちゃんとします (Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu) 

see above

覆面系ノイズ (Fukumenkei Noise/Anonymous Noise)

pretty good! Adapted from a manga but very film-like with its color-corrected shots, many cut-scenes to birds and crashing waves. Shison Jun was great in his intense scene, Ayami Nakajo has the most manga-looking face I’ve seen and Koseki Yuta is my bb as always hahaha he’s appeared in, like, four dramas on this list. 

博多弁の女の子はかわいいと思いませんか？(Don’t You Think Girls Who Talk in Hakata Dialect Are Cute?) 

YES!! I DO!! Wholesome drama packed to the brim with hometown (Hakata) pride). I also loved Okada Kenshi going around looking for Ramen shops hahaha. Now I want to see him host a food discovery show. 8/10. Would rec! 

帝一の國 (Teiichi no Kuni/Teiichi’s Country)

面白い 。Interesting watch! In which a bunch of high school boys in an elite school take their student council elections very seriously and attempts at political hijinks ensue. Suda Masaki and his pals somehow make over-the-top super seem natural. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s pretty good. Peppered with interesting reveals and counter-reveals along the way. 

男子高校生の日常 (Daily Lives of High School Boys)

I liked this! It delivers on what it’s supposed to. As a film, it is very film-like. The background is given a lot of weight in this film, and the director “shows, not tells”. The conversations of our characters are situated in the chatter of their schoolmates, you hear random snippets of conversations drift around, you see the school situated in the mountains, piles of decorations around the hall. This helps in conveying the “daily” nature of what happens in the film - not some life-changing adventure, but a warm high-school memory that is pretty like a paper star in a glass bottle. The boys are also very lovable and dorky in their high-school roles. 

ピーチガール (Peach Girl)

not bad. Typical shoujo manga adaptation storyline, even if the leading quartet do well in their roles. Nagano Mei was especially memorable for me out of the typical shoujo heroine roles I had previously seen her in. Inoo Kei also really looks like a boy from a manga. He has a lot of exaggerated actions, but he pulls them off really well. 

突然ですが明日結婚します (Totsuzen desu ga ashita kekkon shimasu/ It’s Sudden But Tomorrow We’re Getting Married/ Everyone’s Getting Married)

pretty decent. It’s not mind-blowing, but it’s definitely not bad. (Or you could flip it around and say it’s definitely not bad, but it’s not mind-blowing). 

ヲタクに恋は難しい  (Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku)

disappointing. I really wanted to like this film for Takahata Mitsuki and Yamazaki Kento, but there were too many useless musical scenes. 

同期の桜 (Doki no Sakura / Our Dearest Sakura)

Hmmmmmm. About colleagues who become inspired in their work and lives because of their colleague Sakura. I wanted more love but that’s not the main point of the drama so it’s not their fault. It got a bit repetitive towards the end, and I felt there wasn’t enough character development. Another drama I really wanted to like more than I did, because I was looking forward to seeing Takahata Mitsuki, Ryusei Ryo and Mackenyu work together. 

Tokyo Coin Laundry

A mishmash of lost souls meet at a coin laundry. A short drama about running away, making choices, and moving on. Katayose Ryota might have been cool in My Brother Loves Me Too Much, but this was where I first saw him and I prefer him in this. I enjoyed this a lot and even drew a postcard based on this. 7/10. 

兄に愛されすぎて困ってます (My Brother Loves Me Too Much) drama and movie

ok don’t judge; I watched this because my friend said it was pretty good. Katayose Ryota IS pretty cool in this, and Tsuchiya Tao brings to life the quintessential image of the Japanese girl, but if you’re watching this for “so cheesy it’s actually good” I would point you to the Watashi ni XX Shinasai drama special instead. If you do want to watch this though, you should watch the drama before the movie, because they are not standalone. 

Nodame Cantabile

What can I say? Classics are classics. 8/10, would rec. This is my first time seeing Ueno Juri acting, and she’s so believable as quirky Nodame I wondered if this was her actual personality. Straight out of a manga. There was potential for messy love-drama, but this drama took the high road and focused on proper character development instead. Thumbs up! They also did really well in “showing not telling” us the OTP’s relationship development. Rather than declarations of love, you can see it in the little caring gestures and almost subconscious smiles. I liked that too. Though maybe I’ll dock a point for how they treated gay expressions of love - “he’s a man you know” and icky faces - and how much casual manhandling there was against Nodame (exaggerated flying punches... maybe that’s how the manga wrote it?) 

[pixelproductions]

11 Marketing Strategies That Work For a Food Brand

Have a food business? Here are 11 marketing strategies designed specifically for a food brand based on my own experience.

My love for food enticed me to start a food business a few years back. Though my expertise was in Japanese cuisine, especially Sushi and Haka noodles, I faced a serious setback. Since the inception of my business, my prior focus was on the quality of food.

I never wondered about the marketing strategies that my food businesses needed. After consulting a few experts, I have learned that food businesses require some unique marketing strategies that boost the business from the beginning.

Today, I am going to share these food-related marketing strategies with you. These strategies are:

1. Creating A Distinctive Identity

If you are starting a fast-food restaurant, why people will invest in your new service when they have other reliable options in the area?

Answer to this question is vital to grab new clients. Let people know how you differ from others. The difference can be in pricing, quality, innovation, taste, etc. For instance, I have announced a flat 50% discount on the first sushi delivery.

This thing has let the potential clients take the risk of my trying out my sushi, and then the taste of the food keeps them coming back. I also announced further deals on family meals that were a price-friendly option. People tried out my food, and many of them are now my regular clients.

2. Focusing on Presentation

Just like a book is judged by its cover, a food-product is judged by its appearance. People look at the food before eating. This is where five-star restaurants keep their focus. They give utmost attention to the presentation. They make even simple ice cream looks tempting by drizzling delectable chocolate sauce and crushed nuts on top.

Similarly, if we look into the food-delivery options, packaging plays an imperative role. Every food can be delivered in a plastic wrap or simple foil boxes. Then why are brands focusing on the packaging?

From logo and design to food box and material, everything leaves an impact on your customer. So, try to impress your clients with a sophisticated packaging and inspiring design.

3. Maintaining a Food Blog

Whether you are a renowned food chain or a new startup, setting up a food blog is mandatory. Wrap your blog with an alluring design and fill it with tempting recipes, videos of your recent additions, and clips of customer reviews.

Since food looks best when it is fresh, you need to showcase your hot-piping dishes to the prospective clients. Not only is this, but people are also concerned about ambiance and customer service. Cover everything in your food blog and try maintaining a relationship with your viewers.

4. Engaging Clients Via E-mail

E-mail marketing is effective in 2020. The tradition of letting your clients know about the recent deals, discount coupons, events, and offers are still alive. However, do not bombard the inboxes with e-mails. Take a balanced approach and opt for a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly email to keep your brand stay alive in the minds of customers.

5. Being A Social Media King

Do you know the secret behind Hardy’s and Burger King’s success? It’s their smart social media tactics. They have been active on every social media platform since the beginning. Pinterest is full of mouth-watering food pictures, and so is Instagram. Facebook helps in getting reviews of your food, while Twitter is also essential for some official announcements. So make sure you have a strong social media presence.

6. Arrange Events

How is your food business celebrating the upcoming New Year? What are the plans for Valentine’s Day? Set up a theme and let couples have a good time at your restaurant on Valentine’s Day. Give special discounts and offers. This also helps in gaining the power of word of mouth.

7. Being Present on Food Websites

When your rivals are present on Food panda and Zoomato, what are you waiting for? Staying acting on all online directories and food website is a great marketing tactic. Get hang-on various smartphone apps through which you can directly sell your food items.

Example:

Let me share the example of Dominos, which is exclusively present on every food website and app. The brand captured different cultures, used the power of social media, discount offers, unique identity, and customization to become an ideal pizza brand.

8. Seasonal Offers

Restaurants often create a spike in demand by announcing seasonal offers. For instance, free soup with a family meal in winter is a great idea. Similarly, complimentary fresh lime with a deal in summers will surely attract potential clients.

9. Partnering With Other Brands

Partnerships and affiliations increase the trust of prospects in trying out your brand. The example of Coca-Cola can be seen globally. Tons of food brands associate themselves with the Coca-Cola drinks. McDonald’s often gives a free coke with several deals, and so is KFC. Apart from it, some restaurants associate themselves with a particular brand of spices or rice. Partnerships are usually a win-win strategy for both brands besides being beneficial for the consumers.

10. Sampling

Many restaurants, bars, and cafes give free samples of their products. A soft launch is also a wonderful idea to let people try out the taste of your food. In this competitive market, people cannot easily be convinced to try your food product until they get it for free. Give something to the clients to get something in return. A little investment, in the beginning, can let you make loyal clients in the long run.

11. Influencer Marketing

Getting the best chefs involved in your food campaigns can reap great benefits. Most chefs, food critics, or food bloggers have a considerable following on social media. You can ask these influencers to become part of your marketing campaign.

You may directly ask influencers to market your product, invite them to your events or use their reviews on your food website. Influencer marketing is excellent for food businesses. Clients rely on the food brands backed by the positive reviews of their favorite chefs, dietician, and nutritionists.

Conclusion

Just like me, you can also take your food business to the next level by implementing these marketing strategies. Just be sure to show consistency in your efforts. Within a few months, you will notice a positive change.

Let us know what difference have you observed in your food brand with these strategies. Do you have any other marketing tactics that worked well? Share with us!

[grokedougal]

22nd May - Evaluation

Original objectives

1) Create a 10 track album that conveys the story of Paradise Lost.

This goal appears to be met fairly successfully perhaps to a greater degree than was initially anticipated.

It was initially decided that leitmotivs would not be used as the combination of leitmotiv and characterised instrumentation may result in too much repetition throughout the album. However, a variety of production/compositional methods, including leitmotivs, instrumentation, textures and harmonies were used to represent the variety of components of the story, including, characters, events, environments and forces. Repetitiveness was reduced by using different methods for different components such as leitmotivs for The Son of God and judgement day, and instrumentation for Adam and Eve.

The use of instrumentation was good although the fact there was a lack of consistency in the source for each instrument. For example, almost all the cello parts were played by one cellist, however, there was less consistency in the sourcing of the flute parts. For example, in track 2, the flute is played with a flute sampler instrument, in tracks 3, 8 and 10 it was recorded by the flautist and in track 7 an old folk flute sample was chopped up. Although this provides variation, a lack of consistency with the themes takes away from the cohesiveness of the project.

2) Incorporate at least 5 pre-existing compositions into the album, the subject matter of which relates to the subject matter of the track it is incorporated into

As the project progressed, this objective seemed less relevant for reasons discussed in the 'Dies Irae' journal entry. There were some instances, such as with the Dies Irae, where referencing a religiously and culturally significant theme seemed very appropriate. However, the more trivial references which were originally going to be included, such as to Saint Seans aviary (1886) theme for the presence of birds in track six, were left out as they seemed unnecessary. Despite these omissions, this goal was still exceeded using the following compositions: 

Track 5: Included 8 religiously significant compositions by renaissance composers as discussed in the '14th February' entry. 

Track 6: Included one of the more trivial references which was the opening of Debussy's 'The Sea' (1905), heard in the chords at 3:00. Although this was a trivial reference, it was kept in the album purely because it sounded good.

Track 9: The whole piece is based around the Dies Irae theme as discussed in the '8th April' entry.

3) Develop knowledge of music theory and the compositional techniques used in European piano and orchestral music

Reading Persichetti's book Twentieth Century harmony (1978) led to a greater understanding of intervals, modes and overtones as well as inspiring many experiments in harmony, the products of which found their way into the album.

My dissertation, the topic of which was Debussy's harmony, also lead to many discoveries and experimentations that enhanced the music theory used on this album.

Towards the end of the album, the focus shifted more to developing an understanding of folk and country music by analysing the works of Joni Mitchell and Julie Fowlis. These influences are most clearly manifested towards the end of track 9 and throughout track 10. 

4) In each track, utilise at least one unconventional production/compositional technique that distinguishes the track in the album and possibly in the broader electronic music scene it falls into.

This was mostly successful. Here are the main novel features of each track:

Heavy use of found sound for percussion

Water was synthesised, the melody is entirely pentatonic.

The contrapuntal movement of two melodies in a variety of interesting ways.

Bird song physical modeling, ⅞ time signature, use of whole-tone scale (1:55) use of three modes (Phrygian 0:23-1:55, Dorian 2:08-221, Aeolian 2:21-end) 

Combination of many relevant choral samples

Combining ambience and percussion to create an ancient otherworldly sound (most clear at 3:07)

Using only a short flute phrase and chopping it up, using various delays to change the rhythm of a melody to represent Eve's changing emotional state in her monologue(1:54)

Percussion largely formed from apple crunching recordings (all the percussion in the intro)

Using a short seven-note motiv as the basis for a nine-minute track

There are not any particularly unconventional techniques in this track except for perhaps the lack of progression. Aside from the development that occurs in the first sixteen bars, the track lacks development which is fitting given the extensive grandiosity and thematic development of the preceding track.

Application of Feedback

Following the production showcase sessions, there were two main pieces of feedback which were applied to the compositions.

The first was in track 4 in which it was suggested that the sub-bass melody at the end should not follow the lead melody exactly, which was previously the case. The bass's melody was modified so that it followed the chords instead. This made it simpler which allowed for a greater focus on the appearance of the flute.

The second occurred in track two, in which it was suggested that the dark side of Eve's narcissism should be brought out more. This was done at 2:00-207 by using the ethereal breathy texture used to represent evil at many points throughout the album. This may not appear particularly evil upon one's first listen of the project, however, if the listener is able to associate these sounds with evil from a few full playthroughs then they will notice that it was this 'metaphorically drowning in her own reflection' that led to her fall in track seven, which also contains the ethereal breathing sounds (0:11-1:11, 1:17, 1:31). 

Criticisms of the album

There were several thematically similar events that occurred in the story which were represented very differently in the tracks. For example, Eve is lured into eating the forbidden fruit in track four and in track seven she actually eats it, yet there are no musical similarities between these sections. Similarly track three and track eight are based around Adam and Eve's love/lust and their engagement in conjugal acts, however there are not any musical parallels between these two tracks. Although attempts were made to create parallels between thematically similar tracks, these generally resulted in the tracks sounding unfavourably similar and often distanced them from the aesthetic of the rest of the track. 

Another criticism of the project in its current state is the lack of consistency in the quality. There are many passages which are intricately detailed and mixed to a high standard and there are other passages which are less well developed. This is perhaps an inevitable consequence of creating such an ambitious project in a limited timeframe.

Finally, it's possible that the aesthetic variations within the project are too diverse, particularly the contrast between the very modern sound of track five and the low-fidelity ambience of the following track.

Strengths of the album

This album showcases a variety of styles while generally maintaining a fairly distinct and cohesive aesthetic. In terms of the relevance to the story, a great variety of narrative elements were incorporated in a great variety of ways. Similarly, The depth of the representation of the story gives the album significant replay value. The incorporation of orchestral elements was effective and distinguishes the project from many more synthetic electronic music projects.

Evaluation of collaborations

Initially it was intended that there would be lots of room for interpretation for the musicians to provide their own variations. However, as experience with collaborators progressed and more parts were sent out to be played, more precise articulations and expression markings were added. This was a result of learning that, without sufficient musical direction, one can not expect someone with a very different musical background to interpret a piece of music as requiring the same types of expressions as the oneself. There were a few instances following the first distribution of parts to the musicians in which parts had to be re-recorded as they were not as expected. For example, initially the flautist played a section staccato rather than legato which, did not appear to be in keeping with the musical aesthetic and narrative subject of the track (both of which was disclosed to them). However, the flautist obviously felt that this was appropriate. For this reason, the addition of many articulation and expression markings is beneficial not only for the composer but it also saves the musician the stress of wondering if what they're doing will be rejected. 

Releasing the album

The label has decided that the release will likely commence at the start of August, with the tracks being released bi-weekly as was the case with 'The Dark Deep' EP. However this time, rather than one track being released every two weeks, tracks will be released in pairs in the order they appear on the album. The biweekly approach was effective for the previous EP and releasing the tracks in pairs is appropriate as they all work thematically in pairs. 

The phenomenal album art has been completed to a very high standard, and was the result of great deliberation by myself and the artist. Ultimately it was based on multiple depictions of Adam and Eve, and mystical gardens, particularly those by Cranach the Eldar, Hieronymus Bosch and Edward Hicks. However a pintrest board containing a wide range of images was also created for the album and singles artworks  https://www.pinterest.co.uk/tamsinabbott1/paradise-lost/ . Only three of the singles artworks have been completed so far but the rest will follow before the tracks are released. The tracklist descriptors remain unformatted in the attached PDF as they will only appear on platforms where formatting is unavailable (lyrics on itunes and spotify and descriptions on soundcloud). Finally, The tracks will be mastered by the head of the label: Mat Zo.

Reference List:

Debussy, C. (1905) The Sea. Paris: Durand.

Saint-Saëns, C. (1886) The Carnival of the Animals. Paris: Durand.

Persichetti, V. (1978). Twentieth Century Harmony: Creative Aspects and Practice. London: Faber

[postmodernmulticoloredcloak]

Witchcraft and bisexuality, what more can I ask for

First few words about the episode before opening my dash...

The promotional clips gave away a lot of the episode, which is something I always have a lowkey problem with because it happens so often that they spoil pretty much entire episodes with the promotional material (the first promo for 12x12 at least seems to be good on that front, it doesn’t really say much lol) because for good chunks of the episode I was like “yeah I know that, now make something happen I don’t know about” which is not a really cool feeling and kind of ruined the experience of watching the episode a little for me. But this is not the episode’s fault...

I must say, a lot of things didn’t happen as I expected, but mostly better tbh! I also spent the last week imagining which previous episodes this episode would reference, and definitely I didn’t expect to be smacked with glorious siren feels and a callback to the “did you service Oberon” moment in 6x09 just to name two because of reasons... In general the bisexuality vibes were so highkey lol. I expected that the episode would contain bits of bi Dean subtext, but I expected something more on the lines... “oh Dean happens to ride a bull *wink wink*”, not “Dean explicitly seduces a person by showcasing how awesome he is at riding Larry and that is also emphasized by the episode as much as it can possibly get by making it a major focus of the emotional narrative”. Or making it stand out in Dean’s attention that sirens can look like guys.

Rowena is also implied to be as straight as her hair. Speaking of which - Dean being nice to her destroyed my heart. You know, I expected the dynamic between Dean and Rowena to be slightly different - to fit more in the mother-child theme of the season, instead Rowena’s role in the episode was less about general themes and more about herself. The episode showcased that what she needs is a friend - all the relationships she’s had with people have been about power dynamics or about her using them or them using her. How many times do you think she was complimented on her hair or being told she’s cool by someone with zero ulterior motives? And she ends up being open and sincere with that Dean, knowing it won’t last and it’ll mean nothing.

Basically we got some Rowena backstory in relation to herself specifically, a lot of reveals of her feelings and personal struggles, and a huge banner “the witches-men of letters storyline you were expecting is here!” so I call it a win.

My Cuthbert Sinclair radar keeps beeping - last episode with Lily using soul magic (including not to age), now not just with explicit references to the MoL and witches, but with highkey general parallels to Blade Runners, in a way that contrasts Magnus with Rowena again after The Werther Project, and you might have noticed this is absolutely my jam.

In hindsight obviously an episode with Sam asking Rowena for help and a degenerative magical illness was going to parallel The Werther Project so strongly (other than the magic book paralleling Nadya’s codex, there were even Purgatory feels from Dean chasing the witch in the woods, and the broken glass shards were also a callback). And a parallel to The Werther Project obviously means a parallel to Blade Runners. For a person that seeks for Magnus hints everywhere, I am disappointed in myself XD

The reconstruction of Dean’s night in the bar and with the lady was very well done - I didn’t expect Dean to actually have fun with the lady but it turned out better, because it has multiple purposes for the narrative. First of all Dean is put in a “feminine” role: he seduces his partner with his Larry-riding skills (which we see a woman do in the scene when they question the bartender, and the bull being called Larry in general clearly showcases that it’s an activity that straight male patrons don’t do), and the cover story Sam uses is Dean having been roofied, which leads the lady to apologize for having taken advantage of him - of course that is a thing that can happen to everyone regardless of gender, but we know how “traditionally” it’s girls that get roofied and taken advantage of sexually. Furthermore, rarely in media you see an acknowledgement that that can happen to men too, and the episode not only doesn’t treat it like a joke (of course we know the events didn’t involve roofies or sexual assault, so the scene was light for us, but Sam’s cover story involving roofies was meant for the bartender to take them seriously) but it hints - again - to the fact that Dean has a history of that.

Also, the line first action in I don’t know how long and it’s like it never even happened is extremely significant - it’s another instance of the show taking something from subtext and giving us a textual confirmation. We suspected that Dean hadn’t been with someone sexually in a long time, but of course it could be argued that it had happened off screen - now the show spells it out for us. It’s also symbolically significant that the relation with the bartender “is like it never even happened” but I’m going to dedicate another post about that some other moment.

Anyway - Dean won’t let you give him any shit for loving Dory okay?

[soft922-blog]

Elephant

..and its variety.

Marc Valli, owner of the Magma design bookshops, has launch a new visual arts and culture magazine called Elephant. Why? The first issue of Elephant magazine, with design and art direction by Matt Willey of Studio8, has been published in October.

S: As the owner of Magma, you better than anyone know it’s a pretty tough time for magazines right now, so why launch a new one?

M: Yes, times are difficult. Sales of books, expensive showcase books in particular, have been hit by the credit crunch. Yet from where I’m standing (and that’s often behind a shop counter) the magazine market looks more alive than ever. The drop in advertising revenues is hurting a lot of people, I know, but again, maybe that will encourage some renewal. Hopefully some of the fat old magazine clichés will die out and some fresh new ideas will emerge. In fact, if I curse the credit crunch on a daily basis (every evening when I get the sales figures from our shops), I cannot help but think it’s a healthy and necessary process. At the same time, it’s very scary..

S: What’s the idea behind Elephant?

M: The visual art world seems to be sadly divided between, on one side, the world of contemporary art, with museums and galleries and collectors and, on the other, the applied arts, or commercial art. I feel these divisions do not reflect the reality, and the richness, and the complexity of the current visual arts scene. More seriously, I think this division has meant that some of the most interesting work went right under the radar. I want Elephant to sit squarely in the middle. I believe that by looking at different art forms from that position, you can create a whole new kind of discourse. I had this dream of doing the kind of magazine a group of beat friends would have done in the 50s, before the art world became the art world, and the creative industries took over, a time when artists didn’t measure the worth of their work according to auction prices, but by the opinion of their peers. I think the credit crunch may have taught us a few lessons… Maybe this is a time for less cynicism.

S: Who is the audience?

M: Difficult question. Some magazines have a very narrow target audience. I don’t think that’s really the case with us. We would like to reach as wide a market as possible. It’s a risk. I suppose in my mind, I see the audience as being made up of people who are enthusiastic and curious (I was going to say ‘young’, but you don’t need to be young to be that), not snobbish, but very ambitious about the quality of the art they look at, use, collect, think about, and produce.

S: How will it be structured? Will it be the same each time?

M: Yes, the basic structure will remain the same. I think that creating a structure that makes sense of a diverse range of material is the second most difficult thing when starting a magazine – the first being coming up with a name. We divided Elephant in 5 parts: Part 1 is called Meetings and consists of long interviews with people that I see as visual thinkers, people who have ‘thought up’ or changed our time up through the medium of visual arts.

Part 2 consists of a series of Research Subjects. We pick a few themes and explore those. For example, in issue one we looked at how artists and illustrators have started to use collage again. We also tried to revisit the idea of art in the internet. Visual artists seem to have fallen in and out of love with it rather quickly… We also looked at people who use text as the main subject of their artwork, and at the work Scandinavian fashion designers, and even bike polo and the culture of customisation that revolves around it!

Part 3 is called Studios. We visit the studios of a number of artists and showcase their work. Part 4 (Economies) looks at how artists are taking matters into their hands and starting businesses based on their own creative output. How are things made?

Finally, in part 5, we take a city and write a creative guide to that city, showcasing the work of artists from that place and asking them about their relationship to that city: how they feel about it, why they moved there, where they hang out, shop, eat, etc.

S: Do you have anyone backing Elephant or is it your own venture?

M: Originally, the magazine was backed by BIS publishers in the Netherlands. But BIS is a relatively small book publisher and we have now transferred the magazine to Frame, who already publish Frame and Mark magazines. They are a very dynamic magazine publisher and we should benefit from their network and experience.

S: Are you still publishing Graphic?

M: Elephant replaces Graphic. Graphic never found its feet as a magazine proper, and ended up as more of a book series, with every issue looking at one theme in particular. Making a whole magazine on just one theme can be tricky. Sometimes a theme works, and the issue sells, sometimes it doesn’t.

S: How about this issue?

M: The first copyright law, made in the eighteenth century, granted artists the exclusive right to control the copying of their original creations for 14 years. Too brief a period? Perhaps, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century, copyright’s term had grown to cover the life of the artist plus 70 years – which means that Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avigon will remain protected until 2043, 136 years after it was completed. Too long, surely?

In this issue we look at the twentieth-century phenomenon of “copyright creep” and its implications for artists working in the Digital Age. We talk to Christopher Clary about Sorry to Dump On You, a personal/collective project embedded in gay online culture, and to David Claerbout about his unauthorized collaborations with Elvis Presley and others; we look at Eleanor Macnair’s Play-Doh recreations of iconic photographs; and we interview Stephanie Syjuco about her “copies, homages and perversions”. We also go in search of Ozmo and discover that even (and perhaps even especially) street artists get “bitten”, and meet Thomas Sauvin, whose remarkable (and entirely borrowed) Beijing Silvermine project is writing an alternative history of modern China.For some artists death is the end, but for others it opens a new chapter in their career. In this issue we talk to Dr Loretta Würtenberger, founder of the Institute for Artists’ Estates, about ways to keep artists’ works fresh and visible after their deaths, and we look at the remarkable posthumous career of Philippe Vandenberg.

There’s also a Paper Gallery dedicated to the collaged “conversations” of Ruth van Beek, in addition to Encounters with US painter Joan Semmel, German artists Neo Rauch and Thomas Ruff, Dutch photographer Scarlett Hooft Graafland, Danish designer Henrik Vibskov, and Spanish painter Secundino Hernández.

[matchingvnecks]

Andrew Rannells: Girls’ Best Friend

As Girls enters its finale season, we visit its resident gay best friend Andrew Rannells for a look at how his career has evolved — along with his character on the hit series.

There’s no missing Andrew Rannells. From the instant he strides onstage in the current Broadway revival of Falsettos, you’ll notice that, at 6’1”, he towers over his costars. Put his bearded face on a product, and it would move a mountain of Brawny towels or sell enough cans of Manwich to feed an army. Clean-shaven — as Rannells is onstage tonight — he radiates a post-fratboy glow that still find him playing parts a decade younger than his 38 years. Rannells’ evolution from fresh to familiar face has been like watching an languid summer afternoon roll by. He’s gracefully lept from Promise Ring roles like Elder Price, which he originated in the hit musical The Book of Mormon, to more acerbic characters like Elijah, the one-man Greek chorus who appears to pamper (then puncture) the inflated egos of the galpals who populate the beloved HBO series, Girls. It’s not easy, he says, but “I know my skill set and my strengths. I just do what I do.” Stage vs. Screen In demand on two coasts, Rannells has a Red Bull-binge awareNess that this is his moment, and he’s determined to make the most of it. Much of the time, he ricochets from sitcom sets to the stages of Broadway stage. These days he’s wrapping up Girls’ sixth and final season. Between that and Falsettos, Rannells briefly stepped in to play King George in Hamilton when Jonathan Groff left to finish the Looking film finale. One can’t help but wonder how long Rannells thinks it’s possible to maintain this bustling bi-coastal, multi-media lifestyle — and whether one career path must ultimately win out. ”Well, theater will always be nearest and dearest,” Rannells muses. “It’s where I feel most comfortable and in control and happiest.” He knows it’s rare to be in such demand that he can pick and choose between theater and TV projects. But his coworkers and representation have long become accustomed to Rannell’s need to alternate between screen and stage: “They understand,” he says with certainty. “I need this to recharge.” Despite living in a maelstrom of activity, Rannells remains remarkably polite, grateful and calm. Why? “I’m fortunate to be a gay man at a time when there are great roles to play,” he explains. “I’ve been lucky that way, because I have no issue playing gay men — since I am one — as long as there’s a good script. You just have to find the right ones.” Finding His People Rannells attributes his breezy optimism to his Irish/Polish origins in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was born fourth of five children. Neither oldest nor youngest, Rannells had to distinguish himself somehow; theater quickly became his ticket out of obscurity. “I was not initially very outgoing,” he admits, “but through my involvement with theater, I gradually became more comfortable. “I do remember back in kindergarten I developed a strange little clique that lasted up through eighth grade,” he says, flashing that megawatt smile. “Three guys who eventually came out as gay. Obviously that was a godsend, because they were accepting of me and I of them — even though being gay was never openly spoken about. It was, somehow, something we understood between the three of us. I mean, I remember lip-syncing to Cher in my friend’s basement.” Rannells attended an all-boys Catholic high school where “it took me a second to find my people. But eventually I made a great group of friends, some of whom I’m still in touch with,” he recalls. “While it was all-male, it was also a Jesuit school, where the teachings are ones of acceptance and there’s a lot of room for interpretation of the scriptures.” As a teen, Rannells became a familiar fixture on local stages, and by 18 he’d landed a string of voice-over parts and a commercial spoofing Grease opposite a young Amy Adams. But New York was always tugging at his sleeve, and so — with little more than the zeal to perform — Rannells moved East and began parlaying his voiceover experience into directing cartoons for Fox and Warner Brothers. “I did Sonic the Hedgehog,” he laughs, “along with many others. I directed the voiceover portion. So there I was at 23, trying to get performances out of actors making these Saturday morning cartoons and trying to sync to the originals when we dubbed them over from Japanese.” At the same time, the sense of treading water gnawed at him, until finally something snapped, he says. “I was going deeper and deeper into debt; so I thought I’d see if could just get anywhere by auditioning.” Rannells quit school and began seeing casting agents.

Saying “Hello!” to Broadway In 2002, Rannells was cast to play the title role in an Austin, Texas production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The show was a runaway hit and quickly ballooned from a four-week to a four-month run. He walked away with the local scene’s award for best actor in a musical. That was heartening, but only a hint of things to come. “My big break,” Rannells always says, “came from Hairspray.” “I was an understudy for nine months — then to get to be a lead on Broadway was something amazing.” By then, Hairspray was already in its third year; so although he could finally call himself a Broadway song-and-dance man, Rannells wasn’t exactly hot on the radar of industry professionals who could put him in bigger parts. His whole universe shifted again when the actor learned about a hush-hush project being assembled by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park. Rannells says he landed the lead in The Book Of Mormon the old fashioned way: by auditioning. “The people behind the show were very secretive, and all we really knew was: that it was about the Mormon church, it was a musical, and that Trey Parker and Matt Stone were doing it.” He heard that the producers were replacing the actor who’d played the role of Elder Price at early readings. “It was really fast,” he says. “It was three auditions: … Something clicked, and I was cast.” Soon after opening, the show became the hottest ticket in town. “I had no idea that it would become what it has,” Rannells admits, “but it was so funny and so smart, I knew we were going to have a very solid audience. It was a surprise that it’s as universal a hit as it has become, that it’s still running and traveled to Salt Lake City.” The Book of Dunham Book of Mormon also allowed Rannells to look for TV roles filmed in NYC. So he took an initially-peripheral role in Girls as Elijah, ex-boyfriend to Hannah (played by series star and creator Lena Dunham). Elijah comes out to her as gay in the show’s third episode. Then, two years into the run of Mormon, Rannells took a vacation during TV pilot season and dashed to LA, where he threw himself into a series of meetings. One of them was with Ryan Murphy, the maestro behind Glee and American Horror Story. “I learned he was working on a show about gay parents [based on Murphy’s own life], and I asked him about it. I had this strange moment of confidence. I thought, ‘I don’t know much about this, but I want to be a part of it.’” A month later, he got the offer to play Murphy’s alter-ego in The New Normal. Rannells had two seasons under his belt playing bestie to the ladies of Girls; so he was understandably itchy to play a lead. He met with Dunham and series producer Judd Apatow. “They said of course I had to try this.” Despite the magic of the Murphy name, The New Normal struggled to find its audience. The challenge was evident: Shows like Modern Family and Will & Grace proved that America could embrace gay characters, but were network audiences ready for a show where gay people were central rather than showcased for spice or comic relief? Normal was cancelled at the end of its first season. When asked if the show was ahead of its time, Rannells is quick to respond: “That’s exactly what I think. Modern Family was very successful and Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet were hugely popular; so it seemed like a good time for a show like ours. But New Normal was principally about gay people trying to have a baby, and Justin Bartha and I were the focus. We had a great cast with Ellen Barkin, Bebe Wood and the rest, but — at its heart — it was the gay couple’s story. Maybe it was too soon for that.”

The show ended, but Rannells didn’t miss a beat. In no time, he says, “Lena offered me my job back on the third season of Girls and it’s been great to be back and see Elijah grow and evolve.” In fact, Elijah has since gone on to become one of the most multi-layered gay characters ever put on a television screen. He’s dealt with issues of sexual fluidity — sleeping with Allison Williams’ character Marnie, and when Hannah’s Dad came out as gay late in life, he turned to Elijah for comfort and counsel. Most recently, Elijah grappled with his desire for monogamy while dating a decidedly non-monagamous TV personality (played by House of Cards alum Corey Stoll). In a show that relies on irresponsible antics for its humor, Elijah often ends up the only adult in the room. “This season, I’m looking forward to showing even more different parts of Elijah. He’s no longer the messy friend, you know?” Rannells offers. “And there’s the storyline with Cory Stoll, where I get to continue to try to be more grown up and proud. Of course, Elijah still observes the girls just as the audience does, and I still get to call them out on their B.S. and being narcissistic.” Getting Bigger Dreams Rannells is now weighing his options for the future, since Girls will soon say goodbye and the lights of Falsettos won’t stay lit forever. “It’s like Oprah says, once you’ve achieved a dream, you’ve got to get bigger dreams,” he reasons. “That’s sort of been my approach. You get where you wanted to go, and move the line several steps.” It’s worth noting that Rannells’ star has risem parallel to the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the beginning of marriage equality. Unlike generations before him, he was not as seriously faced with the possibility that being openly gay and playing gay characters could threaten his career. But he’s wary that the incoming Trump administration may yet prove a danger to that kind of freedom. “What to do? “My plan is to stay vigilant,” he says.

Now when he’s asked if playing gay characters has limited him, Rannells sets the doubters straight: “I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone ask straight guys if it’s limiting playing a straight guy. I know a lot of gay roles are played by straight people, and if they’re the best people for the job — well, fine. But playing gay? I have a little insight into that.” The final season of Girls premieres Sunday, February 12 on HBO. Visit hbo.com for more details.

[sophygurl]

WisCon 43 panel Polyamory And Alternative Relationships In Fiction And In Real Life 

Science fiction is rife with examples of how to love outside the box. From Le Guin to Jemisin to Steven Universe, speculative fiction allows us to create and experience relationships often shunned by mainstream society. What fiction do we resonate with, or wish was reality? What offers food for thought, or has helped us with our own complicated relationship styles? Who gets it "right"? This panel will explore titles showcasing polyamory, asexual relationships, relationship anarchy, & more.

Moderator: Rebecca Mongeon. Panelists: Emily Luebke aka Julian Greystoke, Rose Hill, Samantha Manaktola, Nisi Shawl

Disclaimers: These are only the notes I was personally able to jot down on paper during the panel. I absolutely did not get everything, and may even have some things wrong. Corrections by panelists or other audience members always welcome. I name the mod and panelists because they are publicly listed, but will remove/change names if asked. I do not name audience members unless specifically asked by them to be named. If I mix up a pronoun or name spelling or anything else, please tell me and I’ll fix it!

Notes:

Samantha introduced herself as queer and non-monoagmous with found family and networks of people in her life.

Emily introduced herself as an author, actor, and asexual married to a pansexual man. 

Rose introduced herself as demi-pan and married to a straight man and dating an ace bi woman [I think I got that right but have a “?” in my notes so maybe I mixed something up]. She said she writes poly in her fiction.

Nisi said she was exposed to poly since when she was a hippie and then she later read a comic about it where it was named and realized “oh, that’s what I’m doing!” It features in her fiction and she is interested in non-romantic/non-sexual relationships as being the core of a story.

Rebecca started the discussion about found family.

Rose talked about intentional family and cited the Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce, which features a family of non-bio and non-romantic connections. They live together and begin to refer to one another as family over time. Those bonds last as they age. [I am currently reading this series and am enjoying this aspect of it.] Rose connects to created families.

Nisi said this is based on her lived experience in the black community. She views the entire black community as a found family and grew up calling neighbors aunts and uncles, etc. She talked about this being a silver lining of the results of the slave trade breaking families up. When people call one another brother and sister - it’s because they are. You don’t know if they are or aren’t, so you claim them. We decide that we are family. Nisi added that there is also the African idea of claiming your ancestors whether you know for sure if you’re related to them, for similar reasons.

Emily talked about being a theater kid and how the theater became her family.

Samantha talked about the shows Steven Universe and Leverage and how the message is that being the person you are makes the bonds with your people tighter, and the tighter those bonds are, the better you get at being yourself. 

An audience member brought up the issue of combined bio and found families. People tend to respect the closeness of non-romantic ties if you are siblings, but friends are “just friends.” 

Nisi told about how her mom adopted Eileen Gunn because she and Nisi became sisters, so her mom figured - that makes her my daughter, too.

Samantha talked about her mom and how she did not necessarily understand about ethical non-monogamy, but she tried. She tried to map it onto experiences of non-ethical non-monogamy, and ended up thinking she would still eventually choose one person. Her mom did understand the importance of her friendships, and said that her friends were therefore important to her, as well.

Emily talked about a friend that her dad decided was part of the family - whether her liked it or not.

An audience member asked the panelists to clarify their definitions of chosen vs. found family. 

Samantha said it’s mostly interchangeable but there is some nuance. Chosen can be intentional, found family maybe you just fell into. 

Rose agreed that it’s interchangeable. 

Rebecca brought up the issue of ace representation.

Nisi said she wants people to talk to her about this [I believe the context was for her to better understand for writing inclusion purposes?].

Samantha said the answer to this is not very satisfying. It’s a lot harder to find ace representation that any other kind of non-traditional relationship style. She mentioned that Seanan McGuire has done it, and that Anne Leckie’s Ancillary Justice has some in it but it’s questionable because it’s not a human character.

Emily said it’s mostly aliens and robots that she found, especially when younger. She includes at least one ace character in all of her works now. One example of rep is Let’s Talk About Love which is an ace love story. McGuire’s Wayward Children had rep but she didn’t love it. Radio Silence has a demi-sexual character.

Rose added that explicit ace rep is rare. Often it’s just not said and she’s left wondering if she is just headcanoning it. The Perfect Assassin has an ace romance sub-plot. She is wondering if there is any ace poly rep?

Nisi brought up The Bicycle Repairman by Bruce Sterling - not really ace rep because the character removes all sexual feeling.

Rose said that her ace groups tend to talk about poly a lot as something that makes sense, but her poly groups don’t tend to do the same - and in some cases seem to think it is antithetical. 

An audience member asked how an author can explicitly show that a character is ace without it being about their asexuality.

Rose said that romantic subplots are super common, so you could have one character flirting with another and the other character just says “oh sorry I’m not attracted to people in that way” and there you go - explicit ace rep.

Emily added that if you’re writing from the pov of an ace character, it can be very obvious that they’re just not interested.

Nisi talked about a character in three of her short stories and a novel [I think it was Brit Williams?] who likes the idea of having kids but is grossed out by what you have to do to make one. Also mentioned how in historical fiction it might be hard to talk about explicitly because there wouldn’t have been language for it - but a character can still be shown to be ace even if they aren’t using those words.

Emily added that when you’re ace, you just don’t think about that stuff much. The character might be surprised to find out how much other people are thinking about sex, for example.

An audience member asked if poly was on the same axis as queerness as an identity.

Rebecca said she wasn’t sure this was the right place for that discussion. [Fair. It’s a complex issue and not necessarily the scope of this particular panel imo.]

Another audience member asked about world building when things are assumed that are different from our world - such as everyone in that world is poly. 

Samantha answered that there are different ways to do poly as a social construct. Anne Leckie, for example, built a world without gender norms and everyone was “she.” [Didn’t catch the title] Another piece I didn’t catch was referenced in which two societies are put into contrast with one another where one has poly as the assumed family structure and one doesn’t. Basically, there are a lot of different ways to build this into a world.

Rose added that world building with poly and queerness tends to be static whereas in real life it can be very fluid or change over time. Societies built as commentary tend to be fixed systems.

Nisi had some recs along those lines - a short story, Otherwise; Candace Jane Dorsey’s Black Wine; The Devil in America. 

An audience member rec’d Shadows of Aggar by Chris Anne Wolfe, which has poly world building.

Another audience member suggests Nalo Hopkin’s work, which is often about liberating sex, love, and desire, especially from perspectives of people with disabilities and from marginalized races.

Samantha spoke about living with chronic pain and how it helps to have a strong network of people to help care for her. Additionally, overcoming trauma around sex has been helped by polyamorous relationships. It’s been empowering and healing. 

Samantha rec’d Ruthanna Emrys’ work - Winter Tide, Deep Roots, etc. about a group of researchers. One of them is Deaf and they all communicate in sign language. When they might have to disband, it’s difficult because they have become family but also they’re losing this capability of communication with one another and source of strength they’ve found with each other. 

Nisi mentioned Five Books About Loving Everybody, I believe this post she wrote about books with poly: on tor.com - out of those, the only one she thought was liberating was N. K. Jemisin’s The Obelisk Gate. But Octavia Butler’s Fledgling was about nurturing. 

An audience member suggested The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

Nisi commented “I keep naming all of these black authors... hmmm.... I wonder why.”

Rebecca asked the panelists about poly utopias.

Nisi said Samuel Delany’s Tales of Neveryon is a reverse anthropology - not utopian, but it seemed as if the society was polygamous with one male and multiple females who were closely bonded. It might have been a man owning several women, but it ended up being a bunch of strong women who bring in one man.

Samantha said the most true-to-life stories are not utopias. There are less stories about opening up a relationship that’s already there than stories about people finding one another in the third act.

An audience member suggested Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold - it resonated with them, but they know others who react to it very differently.

Another audience member talked about what makes the characters feel more real to them, what draws them in more is not the world building but the character building.

Last audience rec that I got down was Marge Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time. 

[This was a fascinating panel with moments that meant a lot to me emotionally and cool stuff I learned more about and lots of recs to check out - thanks panelists!]