When I read stuff like this, there is always a part of my brain thinking, "But...this is all just a game we made up, right? If everyone around the world is getting fubared by this game, let's stop playing it and make up a new game with better rules!"—because even though I know it's not that simple, it is nonetheless weird to me when people, even very smart people, talk about the international economy like it's something that just exists without identifiable genesis or discernible reason or any ability to change it, like air or David Hasselhoff.
Funny, Heartbreaking and Provocative
That's fat people for ya!
Funny? 99.99% of the world's would-be comics can't be wrong, can they?
And heartbreaking — well, what a waste of potential! Especially if the fatty is a teenage girl; I mean, she has such a pretty face, amirite? It's a shame, when you consider that there surely is, for every fat girl with a pretty face, some sad young thing who fails to meet the prevailing standard of prettiness in her locale despite being virtuously slender. That girl could have put this otherwise wasted pretty face to good use — heartbreaking!
As for provocative — some of these fat folk fail to be properly ashamed of themselves! Some might even reject the notion that practitioners of Bodily Correctness, both public and private, appoint themselves to the task out of concern for the health of others — now there's a provocative notion!
Funny, heartbreaking and provocative is also how the ABC Family channel describes their new show Huge, which is based on a book of the same name by Sasha Paley. The show, which premieres tonight at 9 p.m./8 p.m. Central, is about seven teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp called 'Victory'.
"The implication," says Ginia Bellafante, who reviewed the show for the NY Times, "is that no one has truly come here by choice — parents or the insidious culture of thinness at large have militaristically exerted their pressures." Although Bellafante maintains a careful tone throughout, one does detect the eye-rolling behind the I-don't-want-you-fat-people-emailing-me words.
Ms. Bellafante chooses to begin her review with several paragraphs on the subject of "gainer blogs", implying that people perversely directing their efforts to gaining rather than losing weight are the heart of the fat acceptance community, which she further mischaracterizes in order to bolster her dismissal of it as a "fringe movement", clearly unworthy of being part of the august social institution which is "hourlong dramatic television." Nevertheless, Ms. Bellafante believes, the show "stands in some sympathy with a rebellion mounted against so many hours of 'The Biggest Loser.' "
So here's your sympathy, fatties — now put down that snack and listen up! Yeah, we know you've got that hidden stash of candy, Will, why else would you be fat? And we know you're going to feed it to the other campers, the ones who are really trying, because you want them to stay fat, too!
"Will" is Willamina, played by Nikki Blonsky, whom Bellafante characterizes as "the apparent embodiment of the spirit of fat pride". Because that is what fat pride is about, campers! Sneaking candy! The show's website says that Will's "sardonic and rebellious nature make her a menace to some and revolutionary to others." Hey, one person fighting for the freedom to not hate her body is another person's candy-sneaking terrorist! Or something.
But as Ms. Bellafante points outin truth the series can go only so far because a real sanctioning of teenage obesity would feel like a renewed condoning of the subprime mortgage market.
Wow, that's deep.
So, supporting the idea that people should simply mind their own business about other people's bodies is equivalent to supporting elaborate financial schemes in which you induce people to invest every penny they can scrape together in the purchase of a home through an intricately structured contract which they don't understand but which you, as the professional, assure them they can afford, withholding from them the knowledge that once you have them roped in you will be bundling that mortgage with a bunch of others and selling it to some more suckers, while knowing that the basis for their accepting your counsel as to what they can afford is that they think you are the one they will owe their money to and that you will want it repaid and therefore would not mislead them about what they can afford.
My, yes, Ms. Bellafante, that is some deep shit, there.
Fortunately, the ABC Family Channel seems prepared to avoid this moral quagmire. A section of the show's website, under the heading "Live Huge" promises to provide "tips on how to eat nutritious snacks and meals, add exercise into your busy life, and build a stronger, more positive sense of self -- because living a healthy life means having healthy self-esteem too!"
Which could, wonderfully, be supportive of HAES, but sounds more like: Fattiez! We love you just the way you are! Come watch our show! Just as you are! Then we'll tell you how to not be that way! Or, we love you as you are because we know you can be different! Is there a more seductive message than that to a young person who does not love hirself as zie is?
In any case, one suspects Ms. Bellafante sees this as coddling, as well as something worse: The waste of an entire hour of her dramatic-television-watching time, which could otherwise be spent watching people Ms. Bellafante finds more attractive, and can watch without that painfully constricting girdle-of-verbal-repression she must don in fear of those prideful, vindictive fatties.
Forty-one years
This morning marks the forty-first anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.
I was hoping to do some sort of long-assed post about intersectionality, civil rights, and Sylvia Rivera. Instead, I just want to point out that Rivera (and Marsha P. Johnson, and others) are the reason for the season, as all the kids like to say these days. Rivera has my undying admiration for (among other things) publicly admitting to throwing the second* Molotov cocktail at the Stonewall.
Because I love violent metaphors like Godzilla hates mass transit**, I assume the War On Pride and Queer Assimilation will be won by fabulous floats in the shape of bricks.
--
* I do have a source for this. I apologize for not being able to get a transcript together, but Rivera did a 25-minute 2001 interview on GenderTalk, where she talked about murder, transphobia, Stonewall, and activism in general.
** A simile, I know.
NY Archbishop Undermines Message of Gay-Friendly Parish
Oh, Catholic Church—you never cease to amaze.
For 12 years, parishioners from the gay-friendly St. Francix Xavier Roman Catholic Church in NYC have marched in NYC's Gay Pride Parade with a banner and pamphlets advertising that their parish is welcoming of same-sex couples. But this year, they marched with a blank banner after Archbishop Timothy Dolan told the church's pastor, Reverend Joe Costantino, to keep the church's name out of it.
But it's not because the Catholic Church hates gay people! No, no no—it's because the good archbishop was merely "concerned the church might be seen as endorsing some elements of the gay pride march that may advocate a promiscuous lifestyle."
Parishioners decided to march with a blank banner and t-shirts bearing the church's name instead. The archbishop had no comment.
In all honesty, I don't understand being so culturally connected to Catholicism (or any religion, or any organization) that I would abide such contemptible treatment to stay affiliated with the agents of my marginalization. But I understand that there are people who are that connected, and I hope their admirably saucy insolence brings them some measure of satisfaction after what I imagine was another devastating blow in the fight against ostracization from one of the most intractably homophobic institutions on the planet.
Just like Jesus always wanted for Pride month.
Movies I Steadfastly Refuse to Netflix
I was desperately trying to find something to watch last night, and quite unexpectedly came across the least appealing opening clause of a film synopsis:
Jilted by his girlfriend....
Since I'm sure somewhere in the world, this is an actual Netflix category, permit me to break it down:
Jilted. Dumped?
By. Drat! A preposition. Moving on.....
His. Yay! Male perspective!
Girlfriend. Girlfriend? Maybe this guy's bi, but it's almost as if Hollywood is letting straight folks make movies about themselves. At least the jilted by their girlfriends segment. Yawn.
I swear on the "souls" of a thousand Seacrests that there's nothing the least bit unusual with the rest of the synopsis, either.
Hot Fun in the Summertime
[Image reads: Cornhole Tournament This Saturday 5:00 P.M.]
How's this work? Is it a round-robin type thing? Brackets? How is a winner determined? Are there different divisions for pitchers and catchers? Are you penalized for barebacking? And where do I sign up?
[Cross-posted.]
RIP Senator Robert Byrd
Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, the longest-serving member of the US Congress in history, who served 51 years in the Senate following 6 years in the House, has died at age 92.
Senator Byrd, who was known for his robust speech-making and vast institutional memory, leaves what I'll politely describe as a complicated legacy. He was essentially a Dixiecrat who never turned Republican; he was a member of the KKK when he started his political career in the 1940s, and he filibustered against the Civil Rights Act and other civil rights legislation, on the basis that such legislation infringed on States' Rights—the same bullshit that Democrats, Byrd himself among them, have used to justify failing to support LGBTQI rights in recent years. He supported the Vietnam War, and he was a fan of bipartisan compromise (i.e. acting like a Republican) literally before Barack Obama was even born.
In later years (which is still some 40 years ago—dude was around forever), he had a change of heart about civil rights legislation and began to throw his support behind it. He also changed his mind about interventionist warfare and was a critic of the Iraq War before it became fashionable in the Beltway.
I never got a good feel for Byrd; I can't say I ever really had a guess one way or another whether he was to be respected as a man who learned from his mistakes, or disdained as a man whose principles changed based on political expediency.
Maybe the truth is that there was a little bit of both the penitent and the opportunist to Senator Byrd.
West Virgina currently has a Democratic governor, but whether he appoints Byrd's replacement depends on when the seat vacancy is declared. If it before this Saturday, there will be a special election held to elect Byrd's replacement; if the declaration is made next week, Governor Joe Manchin will pick Byrd's successor. Reportedly, Manchin wants the seat himself, but will not appoint himself, so look for him to appoint a place-holder to keep the seat warm until the next election.
[Note: Please feel welcome to comment on the entirety of Senator Byrd's work and life in this thread.]
Open Thread
Hosted by rocket skates.
This week's open threads have been brought to you by cartoon props.
Make Way for Ducklings
In a scene right out of Robert McCloskey's classic children's story, look who showed up in the backyard this morning.
I'm sure these are Muscovy ducks since there's a large population of them that hang around along the canal and are frequent feeders in my yard.
Crossposted.
The Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
And yes, I see I added an extra "o" in saloon. LOL. Wevs.
I'm too lazy to fix it now, so enjoy my knuckleheadery!
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
Daily Dose o' Cute
A slideshow of some of my better photographs of the furry residents of Shakes Manor—Matilda, Olivia, Sophie, and Dudley—set to The Smiths' "Oscillate Wildly."
In case this one gets yanked, too, a couple of still shots from the video are below the fold...
Dudley
Sophie
Olivia
Matilda
Leave Jason Batman* Alone!
If I hadn't already posted a Quote of the Day, this would have been it. Tough luck, Gabe. Better luck next time!
I would like to offer a defense of Jason Bateman.* Deliberate. Save your emails!
...Let's say that you were a successful Hollywood actor and you wanted to buy an expensive new phone on the first day it came out, because you, like many other confused people in this upside-down world apparently, have a deep need for immediate gratification. But you're a decent enough guy/lady. You go to the store, and you stand in line with everyone else. All 2,000 of them. (Seriously, that is so many people to be standing in line for a fucking phone. Unacceptable. That is the thing that people should have been booing. "Booo! Get off the line!") And then someone from the store comes up to you and says "Hi, I recognize your face from the TV at my house. It would be my pleasure to allow to you come into the store now without standing outside for six hours, which is a CHOICE that everyone else in this line is making OF THEIR OWN VOLITION." What are you going to do? Say no? "No, sir, I'm right where I am supposed to be. With the people!" That's somehow EVEN WORSE.
Not to mention the fact that it was one Jason Bateman, not, like, 300 Jasons Bateman. In a line of 2,000 people (God damn it! Doesn't anyone in Hollywood WORK?) letting Jason Bateman cut has no appreciable effect on the speed or efficiency of the line. It's going to take you just as long (too long) to get a thing that you don't need, much less that you don't need TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY. "I was perfectly happy to spend the entire day in this awful line for a thing I could order from the comfort of my home and have within a week, but now that a single person has not had to suffer the same chosen fate, I am furious, but will definitely keep waiting in this line for sure. What am I going to do? NOT wait in this line? Don't be ridiculous."
Woot!
Today's strip was number 200. I can't believe it's run this long, since it was originally meant as a one-off riff on the long-running newspaper comic "Frank & Ernest"—the idea being that if its white, straight, male protagonists are "frank and earnest," then the biracial/gay and fat/female protagonists of my strip would be "conniving and sinister."
The Frank & Ernest strip that inspired C&S was this one. It ran in Aug. 09, right in the middle of the debates about healthcare reform, which left so much at stake particularly for the poor, for women, for people of color (especially poor women of color), and for gay men and lesbians, who largely can't get health insurance via partner benefits, and the dismissive "joke" about Congressional debates by two "frank and earnest" white guys, while I was spending my days plowing through Congressional testimony and sorting through details of complex reform proposals, just irked me to no end.
So I fired off a quick post about it, accompanied by a terribly, terribly drawn comic strip, lol. And then it just...stuck.
I've refined Deeky's and my avatars a bit over time, but it's still the same basic premise. And I guess I'll keep doing it until I run out of ideas.
Thanks to everyone who's been so supportive of the strip. And special thanks to Deeky, for being such a good sport.
Today's Edition of "Conniving and Sinister"
See Deeky's archive of all previous Conniving & Sinister strips here.
[In which Liss reimagines the long-running comic "Frank & Ernest," about two old straight white guys "telling it like it is," as a fat feminist white woman (Liss) and a biracial queerbait (Deeky) telling it like it actually is from their perspectives. Hilarity ensues.]
Quote of the Day
[Actual promotional image from film's official website.]
"I'm sure there are even worse Sandler movies to come for future generations to view as sociological curiosities. In the present moment, though, in the theater during Grown Ups, I felt a deep and abiding sadness every time the audience laughed and the sounds of their chuckles turned into the ringing of the cash register, and all I thought was a sad, simple truth: This, America, is why we can't have nice things."—Film critic James Rocchi, reviewing for MSN Movies the new Adam Sandler-penned masterpiece Grown Ups, a film he describes thus: "Imagine if The Big Chill were made today. And obsessed with flatulence, urine and breast milk. And every female character a hag, a harridan, a harpy or a hottie. And if none of the characters seemed to actually like each other."
[H/T to Iain.]
Speak for Yourself
Ugh, Roland Martin, please do shut up.
Anyone who says that "soccer will never be a dominant sport in America" without even a passing mention of the demographic shift currently taking place in the US, largely due to immigration from soccer-loving nations, is a bozo.
Especially someone who's a Texas native.
I thought I loved soccer when I was a teenager and regularly went with some soccer-loving friends to see Chicago Power games. And then I went to college in Chicago, and I worked as an instructor at an ESL (English as a Second Language) school for adult immigrants, and had students from all over the world, but mostly from Mexico and Central and South America, all of whom* loved soccer like whoa. And their kids loved soccer like whoa. And their kids will probably love soccer like whoa, too. Just like my immigrant husband does.
Personally, I suspect soccer will be "a dominant sport in America" just as soon as ESPN and its advertisers figure out how to make shitballs of money on a game that doesn't allow for regular commercial breaks.
[H/T to Iain.]
------------------------
* Not really "all." Just not like "all" USians dislike soccer.
Heard
I never listen to the radio except when I'm in the car. When I'm using my mom's car, as I was to run an errand awhile ago, I generally leave it on whatever station to which she's already got it tuned. And her favorite station always airs these obnoxious adverts for local casinos that boast "the loosest slots in Chicagoland."
1. It's impossible for every goddamn casino to have "the loosest slots in Chicagoland."
2. The "loosest slots"…?! Eww.
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by Shaxco, makers of Lissie Brand Adhesive Bandages, sold in convenient bulk size, for inveterate klutzes.
Recommended Reading:
Kizu: These Are My Colours
Angry Asian Man: Filipino Nurses Fired for Speaking Tagalog
Andy: HRC Calls on Michael Steele to Repudiate Texas GOP Platform
Restructure!: Scientists Are "Normal" People, Some Children Discover
Fiqah: Pasttime Paradise: Down-Home Racism In "Post-Racial" America
Atrios: Your Liberal Media
Dorothy: My Weekend Pride
Leave your links in comments...
