#vivian sex education

[filmmarvel]

Sex Education Season 4 Review

Unfortunately it wasn’t as good as the others. It’s less that it was bad or that I didn’t enjoy it, and more that it sort of failed in its duties as a finale. I really liked the finale, it wasn’t until I finished it that I was left like… that’s it?

Starting with the Pros: I’m glad they had the sense to end it here. This season has gotten hated on pretty hard so far, which makes sense, but isn’t quite deserved. Even though it wasn’t as good as it COULD’VE been, it was still good! In particular, Aimee, Eric, and Adam had wonderful and satisfying arcs which I found quite compelling and felt like a lovely send off to each of their characters. Maeve’s ending, despite being a point of controversy, was fitting. She had a difficult but moving season, and her destiny was always to be a writer. As disappointing as it is that she doesn’t end up with Otis, I thought the writers justified it quite well. It would’ve simply felt wrong for her to stay back in Moordale just for Otis. She was always going to get out.

This brings me to the Cons. I have to say, my biggest disappointment with this season has to be Otis himself. Being the lead character, I really wish they would’ve chosen a more personal storyline with more depth to it to send off his character. Instead, they had him acting like a child the whole season. He’s the primary character and yet he has the least interesting, least sympathetic, least moving storyline. It was all about his relationships with Maeve, Ruby, and Eric, and his competition with O. Nothing really about him. They didn’t give enough closure as to how his future looks- he’s no longer the school sex therapist, which is disappointing. He agreed to think about working with O, but that’s all, and that isn’t the most satisfying conclusion. They left him in a very nondescript place. Additionally, many former cast members weren’t in this season. As a result, I felt that there were a number of missed opportunities. My other big complaint is, predictably, the change in setting and new cast of characters. I really didn’t love the new school. I don’t think I need to elaborate on that too much, it was just kind of over the top in a way that felt misplaced and unrealistic. As for the new characters, most of them weren’t bad, they were just unnecessary. The one character I did have an issue with was O, who was a rather grating presence. Which I don’t think was something all that good for a finale. I didn’t find her character at all interesting or sympathetic. She was really annoying, and didn’t grow on me at all over the course of the season.

To sum things up, I wish the writers had just focused on the characters they had already. The new characters weren’t as interesting (naturally), and I thought the season could’ve benefitted from more of a personal journey for the characters we already know and love- such as Otis, Jackson, Ruby, or Viv. When a show ends, I always really like to have some closure on where each of the characters are headed in the future, such as new passions, future relationships, careers, etc. While again, they did a lovely job with this with a few characters, there were a lot of characters who just left me unsatisfied (namely the aforementioned 4). I enjoyed the ending, but it left me feeling like a lot of precious time was wasted with new characters and misplaced storylines. It didn’t feel as though the writers quite understood how important this season was, and failed to treat certain characters with the care they deserved.

[farsight-the-char]

Weird Food Trivia in my settings:

Grey-Rose: When a vampire drinks Life-Blood, what the Vampire tastes varies, and they often compare it to food, with flavoring depending on the person slurped.

Vivian finds life-blood tastes like Soup, ones with beef-stock as a base specifically. Esther compares life-blood to the apples, and finds other fruits mixed in depending on the drained.

Vampires do need to eat regular food, along with life-blood. Vivian prefers Spicy food, and during her time in cities will make it a point to visit as many different resturants as long as she stays. Ether has autistic sensory issues and prefers her own cooking, where she has absolute control, though most prepackaged stuff is fine (Esther is a rare type who does not mind the military rations).

...

My SiFi setting:

Every system settlement has bio-domes and green houses that can grow the food required to feed the population that lives there, and expansion of diversity of food-stuff grown is often a priority once the initial settlement is completed.

The Gourmet Guild (a multi-system union of food scientists and workers) governs import/export of specialized foods, ensuring all systems have access to the Joy Of Diverse Food, and helps promote food education.

The Gourmet Guild is also in charge of official experimenting of Combining different foods from across the Galaxy (testing safety and Taste), as well as sharing duties maintaining bio-domes, seed vaults, and more, from plant speacies from across the galaxy. with Alliance scientists.

(Guilds are basically multi-system worker’s unions given official recognition by Galactic Alliance, and include stuff like Writers/Artist Guild, Sex Workers Guild, Recreational Drugs Guild, Cybernetics Guild, and more)

Cultures have moved past the work culture reliance on Caffeine. While some do still drink Coffee and Tea for flavor and the like, no longer do people “Need Caffine” to work (Galactic Socialism, My Dudes)

[lovepoemsforpace]

Love Poems for Pace 2024

Get a custom love poem for yourself, your sweetie, a friend, or a pet!

Make a donation to PACE (minimum $15.00 CAD).

Send proof of donation and your answers to our prompts (see below) to lovepoemsforpace@gmail.com.

Receive a poem written by one of our very talented poets!

About PACE Society:

PACE operates in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and “seeks to reduce the harm and isolation associated with Sex Work through education, support, and advocacy.”

Prompts:

Is this poem for yourself or someone else? If it’s for someone else, what is your relationship to this person?

When thinking of the person this poem is for, what do the following words evoke for you? Please respond to at least five so our poets have enough material to work with.

A memory

An image

A sound

A smell

A texture

I am reminded of

I am thinking of

Photo by Melanie Evelyn

Adrian Matias Bell is a queer and trans writer and musician currently working on unceded Musqueam territory. Originally from California, he is now an MFA candidate in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia, where he also edits PRISM international. His writing has appeared in Winter Tangerine, Qwerty, Qu, and Dialogist. He also makes music as Nightjars.

Dani Rodríguez Chevalier (she/ella) is passionate about analogue & lo-fi practices, poetry & hybrid forms, art making in community, and independent radio. She is a co-facilitator + co-creator of writing and experimental film programs for youth: “el mash up” and “filmfood”. Dani lives on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations with one of her four siblings and her two wiener dogs. This is her second year writing Love Poems for PACE and she is ready to be your cupid!

Clara Otto is a queer writer living on the ancestral and unceded lands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples. Her work has been published in CRAFT, The Ex-Puritan, just femme and dandy and elsewhere. When not writing, you can find her scouring thrift stores for pottery and drinking bubble tea.

Dora Prieto (she/ella) is an emerging poet and comics-maker, cat mami to Benito, and the poetry editor of PRISM international. Her poem “the withholding map” won the 2022 Room Magazine Poetry Contest and she was shortlisted for the 2023 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Dora lives on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations where’s she’s also completing her MFA in creative writing at the University of British Columbia. You can expect griefy yet desire-filled love poems from her in her third year writing for Love Poems 4 PACE!

Melanie Evelyn is an interdisciplinary artist and educator residing on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səl̓ílwətaʔɬ and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people. Their educational work takes up themes of performance, identity and environmental stewardship and prioritizes collaborative and community-based projects. In their personal practice, Evelyn draws inspiration from artists such as Nan Goldin and Tracy Emin, as well as the rituals and mythologies of her own childhood. Evelyn enjoys working collaboratively, and has most recently completed a residency at VIVO Media Arts and co-created performance lead by Ghinwa Yassine at SFU's SCA and Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies.

Vivian (Xiao Wen) Li is a queer and neurodivergent Chinese-Canadian writer, musician, and interdisciplinary artist. Her creative works have been published in The Fiddlehead, QWERTY, The Massachusetts Review,Uncanny, and The New Quarterly, among others. Most recently, she was Shortlisted for the Peter Hinchcliffe Short Fiction Award, Shortlisted for the Vancouver City Poems Contest, and Shortlisted for The Kenyon Review Short Nonfiction Contest Contest. She is the author of Someday I Promise, I'll Love You (845 Press), and the writer/ director of three short films that have premiered across Canada as well as internationally in festivals such as Reel Asian Film Festival, Bali International Short Film Festival, and Whistler Film Festival. She is a 2024 ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition Semifinalist. An editor for Augur, she can be reached @vivianlicreates. Her writing often engages with in-between identity, mental health, and music.

Lauren Gehlen is a writer and lifelong learner residing on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. A graduate of UBC’s Allard School of Law, she recently returned to study in the undergraduate Creative Writing program. In 2022, her poetry collection, “A Mother’s Secrets” was longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize. This is her first time taking part in Love Poems for PACE – she hopes to write something beautiful for you or your beloved.  

Sam Mari (she/they) is a queer, disabled artist/creator, residing on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səl̓ílwətaʔɬ and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people. They are passionate about fostering inclusive, accessible spaces for people to learn and be creative within community. Sam makes clay jewelry. Currently, she is in school learning ASL to further her work as an educator. Sam is excited to be working with the team to help fundraise for the PACE society. They have volunteered at PACE and are passionate about destigmatizing sex work.

[violasghost]

​Thoughts on Sex Education S4: Highlights were Adam and his dad, and Eric’s journey of self discovery. Otherwise kind of wish they would have ended the series in S3 for everyone else. It was hard to try to get to know so many new characters in a new setting. Didn’t really love the Abbi/Roman plot. Otis and Maeve were depressing. Don’t think Otis learned much of anything. Ruby was pretty lackluster as well. Would not have minded a romance between Jackson and Vivian but instead they had their own distractions. Anyhow, glad it’s over. Actors are starting to look more like 30 y/o now anyway. Haha.

[fiction-bks]

𝕋ℍ𝔼𝕄𝔼𝕊: ℍ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕃. 𝔻ℝ𝔸𝕄𝔸. 𝔸ℂ𝕋ℝ𝔼𝕊𝕊/ℂ𝔼𝕃𝔼𝔹ℝ𝕀𝕋𝕐. 𝔻𝔸ℝ𝕂 "The dark side of Hollywood" is what I choose to title this book 😩😩😩 Because my women suffered like there was no God to save them or hear their prayers. 😩𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: 𝙰𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚖, 𝙳𝚛𝚞𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚎, 𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚎, 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜.😩 Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘; The main plot is really good. Celebrity romance can be very intriguing. It is like reading this gossip tabloids but written by the celebrity themselves, so no stalking agenda. It was really sad what happened to the love between Kathryn and Alice. 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒; The only two characters I liked were Robin and Jack. Robin was Alice's "could've been" gf and Jack was Alice's son. Alice was ok too but her timid traits got annoying after a while. And Kathryn, I don't hate her but I don't like her either. I hate it when someone knows they're doing something wrong and still do it... like really, why? And I don't know if she had a lot of flows. She needed a therapist and a real friend. A lot of things happened to Alice and Kathryn, they had flaws and issues and mental illnesses. Alice had anxiety and eating disorder plus a co-dependence trait. And then Kathryn, the alcohol, the drugs, the smoking, the unsafe sex.. very self destructive. like I said, she needed therapy and a real friend. The hetero sex was disgusting and most of it was non-consensual, with Alice saying no and Frank still forcing himself on her without a condom, many times. And don't get me started with Charles, that monster. The things he did to Kathryn. The endless abortions and then Vivian. And the mothers to Kathryn and Alice, such traumatizing figures. Good riddance. The book is good, kind of educative. Life is not easy. But I didn't feel good reading it or finishing it. No HEA. 😩😞 After all that suffering. 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩. #wlw #wlwbooks #sapphic #queer #historical #noncontemporary #bisexual https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjbky6ZDdxl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[imaginary-ghoulfriend]

I Love a boy/girl friendship with no second intentions BUT Jackson and Viv should be more than that and here is why....

From all the friendships that took place in this season, for me, Jackson and Viv’s is the most underrated and at the same time one of the most complex relationship till now. And even tho I love the way they are now, from all the possible couples this series could give us, they are the one that I’m cheering the most to happen (even more than Otis and Maeve tbh).

Since the start, this series has broken so many taboos related to sexuality and the dinâmicas between man and woman and the society judgment that comes within it, and here is one more taboo that should and I hope that will be broken in the next season : that a plus size woman can be attractive to anyone as much as a shinny woman, even if this anyone is the most popular and handsome jockey of the school.

But that isn’t at all the only reason why this couple should be together.

When they first introduced Viv’s character in the series I didn’t put much thought into it, I actually was expecting something else. I thoughts that maybe she was just one more of those extra characters that every show has, the kind of character that are just there for the sake of the main ones, but god wasn’t I wrong? And once again in this show, I was happily surprised to see a turn of events, and have Viv show us that she is so much more than just that.

Through out the hole season we were able to presenciate one of the most beatiful friendships developments, and we were able to see how much both of this characters grew because of each other. We saw Jackson doing things that he never thought of doing before because of Viv. We saw Viv do something that she never done before that is open up to people. And most important, we saw both of them being able to be vulnerable around each other.

They not only push one another forward, but they also inspire each other. They want the other to be happy and they get proud when the other is able to conquer something, even if this something is being Romeo in a school play that has cock hands and vagina head aliens.

The thing is that Viv and Jackson have a lot in common, but they are not the same, and that’s perfect because it means that they can learn with one another.

What I’m trying to say here is that they obviously have a crazy amount of chemistry and much space for development. Putting this two together is not only a taboo breaker, but also the right choice to do. The show producers don’t have nothing to lose by making them a thing, and not putting this two together would actually just be a big coward move, and that’s a fact.

That’s it. Thanks for coming to my teddy talk, it was a pleasure.

[scre6m]

Don't cook a roast chicken. Cooking a roast chicken is not chill. SEX EDUCATION Season 2, Episode 6

[delphineera]

okay so I've been asking myself if I want Jackson and Viv to be best friends or to date, because both options are amazing??? But I think I've decided I like them as BFFs more, and then I figured out who I might want Jackson to be romantically linked to in season 3...

Guys, I think it would be super cool to have a Jackson and Florence relationship??? Like think about it:

Jackson is known to "fuck everyone", and Florence is asexual. That's like, a decent sized conflict that can make for a very interesting dynamic

Florence is the best actress in the school (at least she claims she is), so if Jackson is starting to be interested in acting, he will definitely look to Florence for pointers?

Like... During the Masquerade scene of the musical, they gave each other a LOOK and idk I see some sparks flyin

They have a few bickering scenes and honestly that's my favourite couple dynamic

Let's be real, Jackson likes girls who are big meanies to him

So now where do I go to submit my suggestion for season 3

[maybe-i-will-fandom]

When Viv put Dex in his place while also defending Jackson ..,.,....

Poetry

[dykeindigo]

🗣🗣 VIV FROM SEX EDUCATION IS AUTISTIC

[walrusmagazine]

Teaching Teens How to Have Good Sex

Many young adults accept pain as a normal part of intercourse. Why doesn’t sex ed value pleasure?

We generally know what not to do, and we know what we think sex should look like. But many young people (and often adults too) have no idea how to start, or why to start, or what to do once they’ve started. O’Sullivan’s research is likely showing us the results of that reality for the first time: burdened by a fear of speaking about sexual pleasure with young people—and by an occasional inability to understand or even explain it—society may have set them up for a lifetime of unsatisfying or even painful sex.

Read more at thewalrus.ca.

Photography by Natalie Vineberg.

[astrognossienne]

tragic beauty: dorothy dandridge - an analysis

“If one person in a thousand criticized me while all the others cheered, I didn't hear the cheers.” -  Dorothy Dandridge

Called the "most beautiful Negro singer since Lena Horne" and the “black Marilyn Monroe”, the life of Dorothy Dandridge was a true watery and melodramatic experience, full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. A true Scorpio, she came across as passionate, emotional, bold, sexy, and confident, yet she was remarkably insecure, some say even fragile. She accomplished many things in her short life; she was the first Black woman nominated for the Best Actress Oscar and the first Black woman on the cover of Life magazine. But she also seemed to be plagued by ghosts, many of which were her own making, but some of which were outside of her control. She and her sister and mother didn’t get along. Her love life was a mess. She had a disabled daughter. And not even her famed beauty could save her from the racism she faced. Nonetheless, she remains an inspiration to African-American actresses who vie to be Hollywood sex symbols.

Dorothy Dandridge, according to astrotheme, was a Scorpio sun and Cancer moon. Born in Cleveland in 1922, to Ruby and Cyril Dandridge, Dorothy was the youngest of two daughters. Her mother worked as an entertainer and a cook (who would later have a successful acting career on shows like The Amos ’n Andy Show), while her father was a cabinetmaker and Baptist minister. Her parents would separate before her birth. Her mother was eager to establish Dorothy and her older sister Vivian as musical performers, and the girls were known as “The Wonder Children” and, later, “The Dandridge Sisters.” The family traveled throughout the South. The sisters received a very limited education on the road. As the girls matured into women, the act soon broke up and Dorothy struck out on her own as a solo entertainer, going into bit parts in films and TV and establishing herself as a hot nightclub act. Though her film appearances would continue, she continued to truly connect with audiences while performing live as part of the nightclub scene. Her nightclub acts propelled her to international fame and eventually made her more competitive as a player in the film industry. While performing at the Cotton Club in 1940, Dandridge crossed paths with Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers. They married and in 1943 had a daughter named Harolyn, known as “Lynn”. She was born with severe and permanent brain damage that required daily care. Dandridge found herself with a permanently disabled daughter and a husband who cheated on her before abandoning them both. With no way to care for her daughter herself while still earning an income, Dandridge was forced to make the incredibly difficult decision to admit her daughter to a state-run asylum. 

By 1953, she would star in Bright Road (1953) as a nightclub singer. In addition to working in nightclubs and in film, Dandridge would also appear on various television variety shows as a guest and performer. One of the great moments of Dandridge’s career was her being cast in Carmen Jones (1943). Her performance in the leading role secured her status as one of Hollywood’s first African-American sex symbols, in addition to earning her a great deal of critical praise. Dandridge received her Academy Award nomination for this film. Though she did not come home with the award, her performance was an international success. During the course of Carmen Jones (1954), Dandridge and director Otto Preminger began a four-year affair. Though she became pregnant during their relationship, the studio forced her to have an abortion. The affair ended when it became apparent that Preminger would not marry her. A bitter divorce from Harold Nicholas as well another divorce from physically abusive Las Vegas maitre d’ Jack Denison and the gross ineptitude and theft of her financial managers left Dandridge in dire emotional and financial ruin. Over time, Dandridge’s popularity decreased and she turned to nightclubs once again to pay her mounting financial debts. She developed a Las Vegas lounge act to reignite her acting career. Only hours after phone calls to friends in which she stated, ominously, “Whatever happens, I know you will understand,” Dorothy Dandridge was found dead in her apartment from an overdose and complications from a fractured foot at age 42.

Next, I’ll talk about a much happier and inspiring subject; a man whose principles were as monumental as his talent: Aries Paul Robeson.

Stats

birthdate: November 9, 1922

major planets:

Sun: Scorpio

Moon: Cancer

Rising: Leo

Mercury: Scorpio

Venus: Sagittarius

Mars: Aquarius

Midheaven: Aries

Jupiter: Scorpio

Saturn: Libra

Uranus: Pisces

Neptune: Leo

Pluto: Cancer

Overall personality snapshot: Her personality was a magnetic blend of passion and impressionability, and of nostalgia and powerful desires. She could be all kindness, sweetness and light until someone tried to take advantage of her or those she loved, and then, suddenly and mysteriously, she was in exterminator mode and a quiet (or not so quiet) fury broke out. She was a person of very strong feelings, and she needed to make sure her feelings were for the right beliefs because feelings were what guided her to her destiny. Although she felt the needs of others intensely and wanted to care for them, her own survival needs came first. She was also an instinctual being, capable of acting on irrational notions and gut reactions to people and events. And she was often right, although she did not go in for explaining herself logically – her mind worked a bit like a detective’s, down nooks and crannies and the byways of human weaknesses. She tended to be suspicious and protective, taking her insights and storing them in a safe place. Feelings literally flowed through her, enabling her to see and sense much about people and the world. A certain self-sufficiency and serenity made her a person others feel they could lean on. She did not have to lord it over people in a flashy way, but her weight and power were keenly felt nevertheless.

Her profound perceptiveness and deep empathy for suffering souls could make her an understanding psychologist or a capable doctor or nurse. Her love of probing could be used to find out what made people tick, or in an attraction to science where she could dissect and analyze the very pulse of life. Although she had a deep fondness for the ‘good old days’, a desire to take control of her life and an ambition to make her own mark on the world kept her very much in the present. Both highly sensitive and self-assertive, she had a natural flair for tapping the public pulse and taking appropriate actions to give people what they want. There may have been a quality of quiet concern and compassion within her which impelled her to work for the improvement of the lot of the underdog. This same quality made her look after herself well, and helped her become a devoted parent or a committed business person. Indeed, her cunning savvy, probable physical strength, and silent stamina served her well if she entered the shark-infested waters of the business world. Her success came from being able to combine self-interest and ruthless decision-making with traditional family values.

She had great presence with a strong-featured face and a sunny glow of inner self-confidence and displayed a regal quality in her posture and carriage; was definitely well-built. She often expressed himself through dramatic outbursts, many times in anger or even other forms of self-destructive behaviour. She held a lot of hidden rage and passion within her, which had to be released. She followed her instincts and beliefs with great dedication, but few people really knew what she was up to until after her demise. This is because she liked to keep her motivations a secret. She could be an intensely emotional person with extremely strong physical desires. She tended to see herself as a desirable person to the opposite sex. She needed to be loved, but she could also be extremely suspicious of other people and their motives. Her perseverance was strong, but she also needed to learn moderation and not to over-rate her abilities or capacity for doing things. She believed that fair play, justice, tact and diplomacy were all extremely important. Her reasonable outlook and kind and pleasant character endeared her to others. She liked to encourage social contacts that enhanced her image. She was meant to learn a lot from relationships in her life through the way she handled them, and through issues of compromise. As long as she felt secure within herself, a partnership brought her much  happiness, stability and contentment.

She belonged to a determined, practical and stubborn generation that was interested in finding out new and different ways to organize things. In general, new or unusual possessions may have strongly attracted her. As a member of this generation, she found it difficult to accept change and disruptions in her life, unless she fully understood and agreed with the reasons why. When she did take the plunge, she tended to do so in an all or nothing way. She belonged to a generation with a practical and materialistic frame of mind, and which was critical of standards of religion and government. As a member of this generation, she tried to restore order where chaos and injustice ruled, although sometimes her aims and objectives were misunderstood. Changes were also experienced in the relationships between parents and children, with the ties becoming looser. Was part of a generation known for its devastating social upheavals concerning home and family. The whole general pattern of family life experiences enormous changes and upheavals; as a Cancer Plutonian, this aspect is highlighted by her estranged relationship with her mother and sister; by 1956, friends and family members were concerned for the welfare of Vivian, as after a fight with Dorothy about money, she moved away and went into seclusion. Dorothy hired a private detective to find her missing sister, but to no avail; Dorothy later found out that Vivian was in the south of France trying to find work. Later, she found out that Vivian was residing in New York City. At this point, Dorothy and Vivian did not remain in contact, though Dorothy sometimes provided financial assistance to Vivian and her son Michael Wallace. Other than the occasional telegram, Dorothy and Vivian remained estranged. Upon Dorothy's death in 1965, Vivian could not bear to attend the funeral. Instead, she disappeared from the public eye.

Love/sex life: She was probably the least physical and most idealistic of all the lovers. Most of the time, she tried to keep the bodily realities of sex at a safe distance and approach it in an abstract, intellectual fashion. This didn’t mean she was not capable of the occasional lighting raid into the erotic jungle. Actually, she could be a very adventurous and daring lover, eager for the thrill of the chase, just as long as the chase didn’t lead to anything that might restrict her independence. Commitment was never an easy choice for her. This is not to say that she had no desire to settle down. The ideal of a singular, transcendent love was quite appealing to her. However, her own sexual passions are so quickly spent and so easily diverted both by new loves and new ideas, that getting her to focus on one relationship was very difficult. She needed a partner who could  love you for your independence, someone who saw how refreshing and thrilling a lover she was and understood that she was well worth the effort it took to hold her attention.

minor asteroids and points:

North Node: Virgo

Lilith: Aries

Vertex: Sagittarius

Fortune: Sagittarius

East Point: Cancer

Her North Node in Virgo dictated that her tendency to dream and be disorganized needed to be tempered by developing more practical and down-to-earth attitudes. Her Lilith in Aries ensured that she was a woman who used sex as a weapon in her arsenal and wasn’t too subtle about it. Circumstances forced her into confrontation and having to wave her “freak flag” early on in life. She pioneered frank treatment of sexual desire and took it on and copped the criticism for it. His Vertex in Sagittarius, 5th house dictated that she dreamed of the pinnacle of adventure when it came to mating. The yearning was strong and really deep when it came to rarefied experiences of any sort. Creative partners, lovers, givers of enjoyment, playmates who share hobbies or other recreational interests had an unhealthily high appeal for Dandridge.

Her Part of Fortune in Sagittarius and Part of Spirit in Gemini dictated that her destiny lay in seeking truth, justice and fairness in any given situation. Fortune came through higher education, travel and philosophy. She found her greatest fortune in places far from her home. Happiness and success came from looking outside herself. Her soul’s purpose asked her to communicate fully and explore all forms of learning and knowledge. She felt spiritual connections and the spark of the divine through words and writing. East Point in Cancer dictated that the identification was more with the unconditional love parent (her father). However, parental role models can be positive or negative. In her case, it was apparently negative; she had a perverse desire to please her indifferent stage mother and always seek her approval. Also, she had daddy issues, and looked for her father in every man she met.

elemental dominance:

water

fire

She had high sensitivity and elevation through feelings. Her heart and her emotions were her driving forces, and she couldn’t do anything on earth if she didn’t feel a strong effective charge. She needed to love in order to understand, and to feel in order to take action, which caused  a certain vulnerability which she should (and often did) fight against. She was dynamic and passionate, with strong leadership ability. She generated enormous warmth and vibrancy. She was exciting to be around, because she was genuinely enthusiastic and usually friendly. However, she could either be harnessed into helpful energy or flame up and cause destruction. Ultimately, she chose the latter. Confident and opinionated, she was fond of declarative statements such as “I will do this” or “It’s this way.” When out of control—usually because she was bored, or hadn’t been acknowledged—she was be bossy, demanding, and even tyrannical. But at her best, her confidence and vision inspired others to conquer new territory in the world, in society, and in themselves.

modality dominance:

fixed

She liked the challenge of managing existing routines with ever more efficiency, rather than starting new enterprises or finding new ways of doing things. She likely had trouble delegating duties and had a very hard time seeing other points of view; she tried to implement the human need to create stability and order in the wake of change.                

house dominants:

4th

12th

7th

The domestic arena and the home were emphasized in her life. By extension, the influence of the family she was born into, and the parents that raised her, in particular her father, as well as her personal and private life was of paramount importance to her. She had great interest in the unconscious, and indulged in a lot of hidden and secret affairs. Her life was defined by seclusion and escapism. She had a certain mysticism and hidden sensitivity, as well as an intense need for privacy. Her attitude towards partnerships with other people was emphasized in her life, whether on a personal or on a business level. It also revealed her marriage partner. It indicated how she dealt with other people and how her relationships with others affected her. Also had the propensity to attract enemies, and the effect that they had on her life was an issue.    

planet dominants:

Mars

Sun

Saturn

She was aggressive, individualistic and had a high sexual drive. She believed in action and took action. Her survival instinct was strong. She wanted to take herself to the limit—and then surpass that limit, which she often did. She ultimately refused to compromise his integrity by following another’s agenda. She likely didn’t compare herself to other  people and didn’t want to dominate or be dominated. She simply wanted to be free to follow her own path, whatever it was. She had vitality and creativity, as well as a strong ego and was   authoritarian and powerful. She likely had strong leadership qualities, she definitely knew who she was, and she had tremendous will. She met challenges and believed in expanding her life. She believed and practiced dynamic expression. She believed in the fact that lessons in life were sometimes harsh, that structure and foundation was a great issue in her life, and she had to be taught through through experience what she needed in order to grow. She paid attention to limitations she had and had to learn the rules of the game in this physical reality. She tended to have a practical, prudent outlook. She also likely held rigid beliefs.

sign dominants:

Scorpio

Leo

Cancer

She was an intense, passionate, and strong-willed person. She was not above imposing her will on others. This could manifest in her as cruelty, sadism, and enmity, which had the possibility to make her supremely disliked. She needed to explore her world through her emotions. She loved being the center of attention and often surrounded herself with admirers. She had an innate dramatic sense, and life was definitely her stage. Her flamboyance and personal magnetism extended to every facet of her life. She wanted to succeed and make an impact in every situation. As a Leo dominant, she was, at her best, optimistic, honorable, loyal, and ambitious. At first meeting, she seemed enigmatic, elusive. She needed roots, a place or even a state of  mind that she could call her own. She needed a safe harbor, a refuge in which to retreat for solitude. She was generally gentle and kind, unless he was hurt. Then she could become vindictive  and sharp-spoken. She was affectionate, passionate, and even possessive at times. She was intuitive and was perhaps even psychic. Experience flowed through her emotionally. She was often moody and always   changeable; her interests and social circles shifted constantly. She was emotion distilled into its purest form.

Read more about her under the cut.

Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Ruby Dandridge (née Ruby Jean Butler), an entertainer, and Cyril H. Dandridge, a cabinet maker and minister. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister Vivian Dandridge began performing publicly, usually in black Baptist churches throughout the country. Her mother would often join her daughters on stage. As the depression worsened, Dorothy and her family picked up and moved to Los Angeles where they had hopes of finding better work, perhaps in film. Her first film was in the Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). It was only a bit part but Dandridge hoped it would blossom into something better. She did not appear in another film until 1940 in Four Shall Die (1940). Instead, she dropped out of high school and became part of a musical trio which performed with the orchestra of Jimmie Lunceford. During the late 30s, she established herself as a nightclub singer and big band vocalist before her movie career got off the ground. Her next few screen roles in the early 1940s tended to be small. They included films such as Bahama Passage (1941), Drums of the Congo (1942) and Hit Parade of 1943 (1943). There were others in between, the usual black stereotypical films. Not only was she a talented actress but could also sing, which was evident in films such as Atlantic City (1944) and Pillow to Post (1945). This helped to showcase her talents as a singer and brought her headline acts in the nation's finest hotel nightclubs in New York, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas. She may have been allowed to sing in these fine hotels but, because of racism, she couldn't have a room in any of them. It was reported that one hotel drained its swimming pool to keep her from enjoying that amenity. In 1954, she appeared in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role. She was so superb in that picture that she garnered an Academy Award nomination but lost to Grace Kelly (The Country Girl (1954)). Despite the nomination, she did not get another movie role until Tamango (1958), an Italian film. She would make six more films, including, most notably, Island in the Sun (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959) were worthy of mention. The last movie in which she would ever appear was The Murder Men (1961) (1961). Dandridge faded quickly after that, due to an ill-considered marriage to Jack Denison (her first husband was Harold Nicholas), poor investments, financial woes, and alcoholism. She was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment on September 8, 1965, aged 42, from barbiturate poisoning. (x)

[beautifull-photos]

the scene of the Moordale girls smashing shit up and being angry and having a really fucking good time together?

Hell yea.

[the-al-chemist]

FFWFFFFFFF!

You said in one of the last ask games that one thing you particularly enjoy writing is female friendships - and you do so amazingly, if I may say so.

What are your favourite female friendships in your own writing (and why) and what are some of the female friendships either in literature, theatre, films or life that have inspired you most?

Happy FFWF, and thank you for such a wonderful ask 💛

Okay, from my own writing… how could I not pick Ethel’s friendship with Selene Fraser, Saffron’s with the breakfast club, Zadie’s with the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor sQuad, Artemis and the Hufflegals, or even Artemis and Merula?! I could bore you for ages about the nuances of each of these, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll bore you with the female friendships that have inspired me the most…

Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe - Friends

It’s obvious. Maybe it’s too obvious. But then, I am a basic bitch, and I grew up watching these three. The OG girl gang for me.

The Ace Gang - The Diaries of Georgia Nicholson by Louise Rennison

No book has ever managed to capture the reality of teenage girlhood in Britain the way Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging did. Every now and then I remember scenes from these books and giggle to myself. It’s enough to almost make you miss being a teen. Almost, but not quite.

Elle and Vivienne - Legally Blonde

Elle and Vivian are your classic rivals to friends trope, and honestly, I love it. They start the movie fighting over a boy, by the end they’re besties. An iconic move. Ovaries before brovaries, always.

Maryam and Laila - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Another rivals to friends with a man involved, but this time, the stakes are far higher. This book is one of my favourites, and one everyone should read, so I won’t give away more than that.

Buffy and Willow - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy and Willow are the ultimate female BFF duo and I’ll take no comments on this. Every time they share a glance that only they understand or big each other up or have a hug, a fairy comes back from the dead. I’m not joking.

The Moordale Breakfast Club - Sex Education

I was just going to put Aimee and Maeve, but the detention scene/bus ride with the entire group was the one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever seen on a tv show, especially one aimed at teens. I’d recommend watching this moment 100%.

Fleabag and Claire - Fleabag

It’s a cheat because they’re sisters and not friends, but this line is everything.

Bonus - My Own Friends

They’re all amazing, every single one of them, and they’re the people who inspire me the most.

[imaginary-ghoulfriend]

The Platonic Man and Woman Frindships on Sex Education:

In my last post, somebody asked about a men and a woman platonic friendship representation (since I talked about how Jackson and Viv relationship shouldn't just remain as platonic), and as I was about to respond their reply I decided it would be nice doing a post about it.

Sooooo.... Let's Star!!

It's true that there's an issue in society nowadays with men and women platonic relationships not being well represented in media. Maybe this happens because we are so used to see and portrait romance everywhere, that sometimes we kinda ignore the possibility of two people just being friends. But, this also happens because since we were born people have shove down our throats that men and women can't be just friends without a second intention behind it.

In a show where most things are about intimacy between people, is obvious that it'll have a bigger focus on couples. However, we shouldn't leave this issue behind us.

Adam and Ola

Let's start with the obvious one before going to the more complex discussions.

In the end of season 2, we were surprised with such an unconventional pair. Even tho we don't see much of their development during the season, this two gave us alot of good moments with their small conversations at work space.

The one thing that I like the most about this two is that they spontaneously became friends. No one forced them to be friends, or they were presented to one another by a third character, they just bounded together while working at the same place.

Another good part of them is that they somehow are so different from eachother, but at the same time really similar in some aspects. They are both learning and discovering who they are, and getting confused with their feelings along the way. And as one is learning what being a pansexual is, and the other is discovering what is like being bisexual, they kinda end up meeting eachother in the middle of the way.

Adam and Ola friendship is a good representation of platonic man and woman friendship, because there is zero to none romantic interest between the two of them- as we already know what are their pairs in the show. I really hope that in season 3 we are able to see more of their interactions, and maybe even more platonic intimacy coming from them. This friends have a lot of development to come, and I'm 100% here for it.

Maeve and Jackson

Ok, here me out first.

I know they are ex boyfriend and ex girlfriend, BUT that's perfect for another reason.

There is this thing in society where is absurd for somebody to keep being friends with their ex, even if they end up in good terms. Where I live there is even this quote that goes "A good Ex boy/girlfriend, is a dead Ex boy/girlfriend".

I know, Jackson and Maeve didn't end up well, and it was a hard time for sure. But the two of them are very mature, so much that I'm sure they will come around eventually.

This two developing a platonic relationship after a bad break up would actually be really flash forward for this serie. It would show that it's okay to keep in touch with someone you used to like romantically, and it's also okay to be mad at someone and talk it out.

Feelings change, the way we love people changes, and it's okay. If people can go from platonic to romantic than why can't someone go from romantic to platonic?

I really hope this show will not put this friendship in waste, because this pair have a bunch of platonic chemistry to give.

Otis and Ola

Same thing with this two, Exs that became friends. The difference is that this two actually ended in much better terms than the previous one. However, there is still a lot of field to cross till they arrive in friendship land.

Since they are not as mature and experienced in the romantic area as the other two were- or at least Otis isn't- there is still much awkwardness in their after break up interaction. But I'm sure that eventually they will learn to pass over it and come through with their feelings -principally with their parents being kinda of a thing, and this hole plot twist of Jean being pregnant.

As what I'm able to see, Otis is a character that needs much more development, in terms of being a better man, and I thing that for him having Ola around as a female friend would actually be really good for that. They can learn alot from eachother's experiences, and maybe grow even closer as friends than how they were as a couple. I'm exicited to see what the future will give to us in therms of this pair, but for now what is left for us to do is wait.

Some final thoughts:

This show is something that can be really amazing in therms of representation, and even tho I just pointed out three platonic friendships, I'm sure there is much more to come. I put in here the three that I thing right now is important for us to keep an eye on, but we so also have other relationships that deserve a little mentioning: Maeves and Eric, Otis and Ruby.

I'm happy that we are able to have a show that can make us debate about all the issues that we constantly pass through in our lifes and we don't even notice. It's important for us to have those representations, as much as it's important to have this discussions.

When I said Jackson and Viv should be together, I said it because there is so many more issues to be discussed in their relationship than just a boy and girl friendship. I pretend to eventually make a post about the issues with how woman is often being portrait in romance so you guys can also understand why Viv and Jackson developing a romance is so important. For now I hope I have helped you guys to at least understanded that we are not being left out in representation.

So even tho Jackson and Viv end up together, there is still other people to cover that spot for them of having a boy and girl platonic relationship, you don't need to worry about that.

Thanks for reading, I'm done for today.

[vivelatimoss]

Typical high school Sex Ed: A Summary

Hoe don’t do it