“ A Seattle Times review of a recent Madonna tour stop praises the artist for “rocking us as a feminist icon” and applauds the singer for her brazen sexuality: “stripping down to a bra, then pulling her pants down below a thong and baring her cheeks to the Key [Arena].” Even the Guardian’s Freeman, in an ode to Like a Prayer, the writer’s favorite album, speaks longingly about Madonna’s midriff-baring ’80s fashion and the video to the title track, which “featured a woman named Madonna apparently giving a blow job to a black Jesus.” Through a career that has included crotch-grabbing, nudity, BDSM, Marilyn Monroe fetishizing, and a 1992 book devoted to sex, Madonna has been viewed as a feminist provocateur, pushing the boundaries of acceptable femininity. But Beyoncé’s use of her body is criticized as thoughtless and without value beyond male titillation, providing a modern example of the age-old racist juxtaposition of animalistic black sexuality vs. controlled, intentional, and civilized white sexuality. ”All Hail the Queen? | Bitch Media (via npr) |
“ We have shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation struggling to stay on every season, and shows like Two and a Half Men and Big Bang Theory having no trouble at all. Shows like the latter two, which capitalize on trivializing women and their roles or attempting to put them in “their place,” become the most popular and successful shows on TV. So this poses a grander question: Why does our society enjoy sexism so much? Or, more importantly, why is our supposedly progressing world so opposed to breaking this sexist quo? You might say that it doesn’t matter – it’s just a TV show. But it’s not “just” anything. Everything matters, especially television. Everyone enjoys television, and until that arena of entertainment can employ more ladies and create shows that demonstrate the depths of different types of characters – women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community – our society that is so incredibly susceptible to what’s on that silver screen is going to continue to inherently absorb sexism. So when shows like 30 Rock go off the air, that precious air time is replaced by shows that still present women as sex objects, dumb blondes, nagging wives, emotional coworkers, or ugly neighbors. We, unfortunately, still live in a world where a show run by women is a landmark, but we have to hold tight to those landmarks and make sure they keep breaking down those discriminatory norms. ”Anisha Ahuja, I’m Sad 30 Rock Ended (And Why You Should Be Too) on Feminspire.com (via 30rockasaurus) |
“That great age, you know, nine and three-quarters, where you’re not boy-crazy and you’re not mean to other girls. You really believe you can be an astronaut, a physicist, a waitress, a singer, a dancer. The world is your oyster. So that enthusiasm I find fascinating. I just wish you could bottle it and take it like a pill. When no one’s told you no yet. No one’s told you you’re not good enough, or no boy has broken your heart yet.” Amy Poehler (via bipoehler-disorder) |
“Your favorite public broadcasting network, NPR, is looking for someone to record their “this… is NPR” voiceover show closers, “support for this program comes from…” ramblings, and more. You could be that person! Although, come to think of it, the following people have voices made of gold and silver and other precious things, so they might deserve the job. Because, really, you don’t really want the job anyway. Hearing yourself after Ira Glass or Terry Gross might send you into a state of anxious paralysis.” Who Should Be the New Voice of ‘This Is NPR’? - Connor Simpson - The Atlantic Wire The job application involves recording two scripts so we can assess your skills. Bring it. — tanya b. (via npr) |
“Women who are too sexual aren’t taken seriously, and women who aren’t sexual enough aren’t taken seriously. Women who are conventionally attractive get valued solely for their sexual appeal; women who aren’t conventionally attractive get dismissed for their lack of it. Women who are conventionally attractive are assumed to be dumb bimbos; women who aren’t conventionally attractive are assumed to be either bitter or desperate. Women who are conventionally attractive get trivialized; women who aren’t conventionally attractive get treated with pity and contempt. We can’t win.” (via ceedling) If you’re pretty, you’re an object. If you’re ugly, you’re a worthless object. We really really really can’t win. (via thedollydamnllama) (Source: zesticola) |
