Tag: Body Politics
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In the Blog
The Invisible Bi Woman
You’ve probably heard that stereotype about bisexual people just being confused. Well I was confused for a long time. In high school it slowly began to dawn on me that I found certain women attractive, even though the heartthrob hall of fame on my bedroom wall told another story. It was filled with popular celebrities at the time like Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor and Toby Maguire. READ MORE
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In the Blog
MID-WEEK ROUND UP: SEPTEMBER 3
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Embrace the Fail
I’ve always had a thing about failure. Maybe it’s because of the standards imposed on me by years gone by of attending an old chartered school, or because of the general pressure stereotypical “Asian parents” supposedly exert on their kids. One of the prevailing stereotypes about Asian cultures is that parents stipulate high expectations for their children, and oftentimes this means that anything less than “absolute success” essentially equates to failure. Hence whenever my friends get a 98% on an exam, they’ll joke about what their parents will ask: “What happened to the other 2%?” READ MORE
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In the Blog
Denise’s Test, Part 2: More Positive Media Depictions of People of Size
As I continue to search for positive depictions of people of size on stage and screen, I’ve come up with several more examples. As a reminder, to pass Denise’s Test the character of size must be treated like any other person on the show. They might be villains or heroes and they might be loved or loathed by the audience, but they’re not there in the context of a stereotype or joke. They’re not a) a stock “villainous glutton” or a related trope; b) they’re not the token “funny fat guy” who exists only for comic relief, and c) their existence is neither defined nor dominated by obsession or contentious relationships with food. Part 2 continues to focus on people of size that appear as main or supporting characters. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Carless in North America: Ten examples of disadvantage in public transportation
A recent Buzzfeed quiz about privilege asked an interesting question: if the reader had to rely on public transportation. It’s an issue that doesn’t seem to be brought up very much, but perhaps it should be. While mass transit is fast and efficient in many parts of the world, if you don’t have your own vehicle you’re at an extreme disadvantage in many parts of North America. The challenges can be substantial, particularly for women, the disabled, and the elderly. READ MORE
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In the Blog
What’s in a Desi identity?
Desi people are those who are a part of the diaspora. The diaspora is made up of South-Asians who are living outside of South-Asia. I suppose you might have heard about Bobby Jindal, a prominent Republican politician, running for President of the United States in the primaries. Jindal, who is currently serving as governor of Louisiana, is an Indian-American – a Desi. In his announcement speech, Bobby said, “I’m done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. … READ MORE
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In the Blog
Purple Monsters on Parade: Five Things (this) Chronically Ill Person Would Like You to Know
Navigating life with a chronic or long-term condition can be challenging. Understanding how to relate to a friend or relative who is chronically ill can similarly be daunting. It’s not always easy to understand what your loved one is experiencing, no matter how well you know them. What would I like my friends and family to know? READ MORE
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: July 15
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Welcome to SuperMutant Magic Academy – Where You’re More Normal than Weird
SuperMutant Magic Academy, written by Jillian Tamaki and published by Drawn & Quarterly, is a charming look at the quirks and nuances of high-school life – without complicating the realistic portrayals of relationships and growing up by forcing them to fit into the constraint of an over-arching plot. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Denise’s Test: In search of fair media depictions of people of size
It’s not particularly common to find fat people depicted in a positive light in films and television shows. They’re far more likely to be cast as unpleasant characters, and in the instances where they’re actually given a lot of screen time, it’s often for comic relief. And of course, they’re frequently depicted eating a lot. Everyone knows about the Bechdel Test for depictions of women in media. I couldn’t find anything similar about fair depictions of people of size, so I developed my own test. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: June 11
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In the Blog
The Power of Dancing Man
Several months ago Sean O’Brien, a heavyset financier from Liverpool, England, was mocked while he was dancing at a club. To add insult to injury, the trolls snapped two photos of him –one where he was dancing, and a second where he was looking dejectedly at the ground after he’d stopped – and posted them online with derogatory commentary. In everyday circumstances, perhaps that’s where the story would have ended. Here’s where the story gets interesting: this time, it didn’t fly. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Farewell, Aunt Flo
I first got my period when I was 11 years old. It was a surprise to everyone, including me. I’d always been one of the shortest and smallest girls in my class; I hadn’t reached visible puberty early. Almost overnight, though, it seemed that I’d been visited by the Breast Fairy, and she’d dragged along my period as a little bit of extra pixie dust. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: May 21
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In the Blog
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Do-It-Yourself Smut: Writing the Erotic
A couple years ago, I ran a workshop called “Writing Our Desires: DIY Literotica.” I was thrilled and happily scandalized by the way folks threw themselves into the discussion and activities, calling out sexy words and body parts and constructing scenarios and storylines that made other participants go “Oooh.” The workshop confirmed my suspicion that lots of us want to write smut and will gladly do so when given the time and space. Erotic writing can take the form of fiction, journaling, songs, poems, love letters, sexts and more. If you can write simple sentences, you can write erotica. I dare you to try. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Four Things Never to Say to (this) Chronically Ill Friend
Since autumn, I’ve been home with a serious viral illness. There’s a lot I could write about my experience: the endless battles with my HMO for appropriate care; how much I’m really envying citizens of countries with universal health care; the indifferent doctors; my fears about my condition. Fortunately, many friends and family members have been very supportive of me. Unfortunately, not everyone has been helpful. It’s led me to compile this list of the top four things they’ve said to completely piss me off. READ MORE
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: February March 18
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: March 11
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Mid-Week Round Up: February 25
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In the Blog
Mid-Week Round Up: February 18
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