sundries

[rm]

From the Department of Know Thy Enemy: Extremely triggering stuff about Pastor Jeff Owens who preaches that "we should stop burning flags and start burning fags."

Every time I see a casting notice for background players for a scene in a gay club that goes on and on about how actors must be comfortable with the scene and being perceived as gay in the role and must say so to be considered, I just want to weep. It's background work, and isn't it our job to pretend, and aren't we in New York City?

Votes on DADT repeal too close to call.

The two cadets receiving the highest honors in this year's graduating class at West Point are both women. (Scroll to the bottom, it's the last story).

Appearance-based discrimination. In the past, I've been told I'm not a team player for refusals to wear makeup in the workplace. These were jobs that involved sitting at a desk and writing and in no way required feminine performance. You know, except for the part where they did, because they people I worked with, whether they wanted to admit it or not, wanted something something pretty to look at. Every time I've been out of an office job and needed one, I have worried that I wouldn't be able to get one because I am not attractive enough in traditionally gendered ways, and am not capable of being such on a day in and day out basis - the disconnect, it shows. And the thing is, I'm pretty much way above average in looks, and yet, this type of shit terrifies me, and I don't think that's just because I'm neurotic. Telling, isn't it?

Harlem churches fight for survival.

In the wake of Diana Gabaldon's need to say something about fanfiction in the least informed or appropriate way possible, lots of other people have been weighing in on the subject of fanfiction, and I find most of the discussion annoys me: not just the fear, self-importance and people who aren't lawyers playing lawyer; but also, conversely, lots of people who support it or are neutral on it or squicked by it but get that it's an unavoidable part of cultural discourse going on in its defense. Like a lot of things that are up for discussion, I find myself less irritated by the content of the discussion than that the discussion is even happening. Not that it shouldn't be. It's just -- does anyone think this is a manner of discourse that is ever going to go away? Because it's always been here. If we say it's bad, will people stop dialoguing with narratives and artifices this way? Not gonna happen folks.

Does anyone have budget hotel recs in London? I could stay where Patty and I stayed, but it's, despite being a budget hotel, running at over 80 quid a night for when I'm there, and that's ABSURD (although, I may stay there anyway, as I loved the location). Zone 1 or Zone 2, clean, safe, no shared bathrooms.

Similarly, anyone have hotel recs for Bristol? I've a list of places from the Uni, but it's not helping me make decisions at all.

Last night on Buffy and Angel:

The Willow magic addiction plotline continues to blow and is stupid. The idea of the problem with magic being that it's bad or the easy way out, contradicts the rest of the show's mythology. The problem isn't magic; it's Willow.

Meanwhile, invisible Buffy for the win. Also, poor James Marsters. That's what we call a bad actor day.

And on Angel we have an episode that exists merely to get the cast into nice clothes. It's overwraught, and ridiculous and at times sort of moving. The facial expressions of the tragic ballerina as she danced were great. And every single moment of Wesley's life from here on out is going to be a misery, isn't it? I can't tell you how glad I'm watching this show now as opposed to at other points in my life.

So the dude with the watch and the nest of vampires and all that shit? It's like there was a storyline there and no one told us what the fuck it was. Dead boyfriend? Something that gets explained later? Really confusing and upsetting, actually, because of my suspicions of what it was and the total execution fail.

Comments

[mobobocita.livejournal.com]

Did you just watch Waiting in the Wings? If so, that tragic ballerina is Summer Glau, it's where Joss picked her up and later uses her as River in Firefly.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Oh! Oh! Her face is much rounder there.

[mobobocita.livejournal.com]

It was her very first role. She is actually a professionally trained ballerina but stopped dancing due to injury.

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

My main problem with the whole Gabaldon mess is that the more people wring their hands about it, the more power they give her.

So she doesn't like fanfic. So what? What can she do about it? Practically nothing, other than flail about as she has.

I guess my thing is that if people want to write fanfic, there's NOTHING she can do to stop it. So go write fanfic and ignore the flaily woman in the corner.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I learned about appearance discrimination the hard way when I kept getting passed over for promotion to management at Now Defunct Department Store. Had nothing to do with my looks as the fact that, at the time, I was probably 25-30 lbs. overweight. Someone in upper management told me this, adding that the store "had an image to maintain" and that, physically, I "didn't fit the image". I was a shoo-in for the position in every other way, though.

I should have quit the job right then and there, but I didn't.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I watch that video and my jaw drops... such terrifying hatred

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Dear god that Preacher. That is too fucking scary for words.

It was too ironic that yesterday I overheard some geeks talk about how much they disliked fanfic because it changed canon.

I had just printed out my paper and really wanted to hit them over the head with my manilla folder.

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

Huh. I went to high school with one of those two West Point cadets - she's the younger sister of a close friend. Small world.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Additionally impressive: the salutatorian survived West Point with the last name of "Betterbed." I quail to think of the harassment.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I had the same thought.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

That's what you might call hardcore.

In other news: doink doink.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

"My main problem with the whole Gabaldon mess is that the more people wring their hands about it, the more power they give her."

This! Some of the counterarguments are so full of epic fury and defensiveness I just end up thinking, "Wow, you really, really care what a random assortment of professional genre writers think of you for reasons that escape me."

[nicoli-dominn.livejournal.com]

Finally, someone talks about appearance discrimination. That's one of those topics that seems to be scoffed at as soon as it's mentioned - most people don't want to admit that they judge people's performance based on their looks, but god, is it EVER so true. As an overweight and unattractive non-cisgendered female, I have often attended job interviews where I felt completely out of place and knew that I was being judged based on something other than my solid resume.

Then there's just the uncomfortable experience of standing around with your male coworkers while they sigh over the merits of Halle Berry's tiny waist and perfect stretch-mark-free skin and symmetrical features and complete lack of belly pudge...and while you think about the fact that none of those features apply to you.

OT

[magicwoman.livejournal.com]

Could have sworn I saw a "younger" you on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent over the weekend - episode title - Graansha. I thought you might have been the younger daughter. But I checked your movie/tv credit page and no mention...

Re: OT

[rm.livejournal.com]

Nope, I've never been on CI. And I've only done background work on the other L&O properties.

[juniperus.livejournal.com]

Fat (and without a classic female build, no less), rarely wear make-up and yeah... appearance discrimination. Former Director? No issue. Current? He's a marathon runner and I think it's pretty clear he formed An Opinion of me based on my weight that no amount of reality (damn, that reality) will alter.

[elisi]

The problem isn't magic; it's Willow.
Well the whole season is about people running away from problems instead of facing them, so if you can cope with the current stupidity, it pays off.

And on Angel we have an episode that exists merely to get the cast into nice clothes. It's overwraught, and ridiculous and at times sort of moving.
Also, we get lines like this: "Oh, yeah. Yeah. I saw their production of Giselle in eighteen-ninety. I cried like a baby. And I was evil!"

So the dude with the watch and the nest of vampires and all that shit?
??? 'Couplet'?

Votes on DADT repeal too close to call.
*crosses fingers* (Did you see this story back in '08? It still gives me hope, even though that particular battle was lost.)

[rm.livejournal.com]

So the dude with the watch and the nest of vampires and all that shit?
??? 'Couplet'?

I don't remember the episode name. It's when everyone decides they have to make money for Connor and Fred has to solve that puzzle and almost loses her head and there's some random subplot with this dude Angel is helping?

[elisi]

Ah yes, now I remember. S3 is... uneven. When it's good it's fantastic, and when it's not - it's not. Thank you.

Oh and I'm another person who rather dislikes wearing makeup. I'm quite pretty, I suppose, but unless there's a party or something I just feel... uncomfortable being made up. It's not currently a problem, since I'm at home with the kids, but once the youngest starts school and I've got to start looking for a job... yeah. :(

[ljgeoff.livejournal.com]

re: In the wake of Diana Gabaldon's need to say something about fanfiction

I've been amused by it in a train-wreck kind of way; as I read the original post, I would move from *wince* to LOL. Ditto for the GRRM post. What is Songs of the Dying Earth if not fanfic? What are the gazillions of Star Wars and Star Trek books that line the shelves of every big box book store, if not fanfic?

You know why this is a big deal? BECAUSE FANFIC WRITERS ARE INCREDIBLE. For the last two years, I've been getting most of my fiction fix through fanfic. For free. And you have to admit that for a person who makes their living on writing, that little data point must be a bit scary.

[graene.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I fit the mold, but don't often bother wearing make-up (Sat was first time in well over a year) and that's definitely a possible factor in my current job weirdness. Chair of Ed Committee started selling Avon last year. I don't wear make-up. No one can tel me if I'm teaching next year because of 'politics'.

[rhiannonstone.livejournal.com]

"Waiting in the Wings" ends up having a significance beyond getting the cast all spiffy and intensifying Wesley's angst. (And I don't just mean it's where the Whedonverse gets Summer Glau.)

[maudelynn.livejournal.com]

The whole judging people on looks is so hurtful to everyone involved. The people who are judged because they aren't given the same chances and the people who judge because they miss out on great people.
I cannot tell you how upset I used to get when people would say "Wow, you are surprisingly well educated." or "I didn't think you would have a brain like that." Sigh. Now I just think of it as my secret weapon :P

[weirdodragoncat.livejournal.com]

I've often wondered if my appearance is part of why I've had such a hard time getting a permanent job over the last 2 years. I've had a handful of interviews for positions I was very well qualified for but I suspect that my being fat and not conventionally attractive (and also not wearing makeup with any level of regularity) has something to do with it. That and the fact that I'm approaching 40 and (even though I try to not mention it as much as possible) have a child.

oh..and yeah...that sound bite of that sermon was...frightening.

[firefly124.livejournal.com]

That video is appalling. The letter from that pastor towards the end at least suggests he's woken up slighly, but I don't think it's enough to counter the damage. He really riled people up in that sermon, and I rather doubt he did a similar job whipping up a frenzy over, "Well, no, violence isn't the answer."