Tuesday, June 09, 2009
I'm looking forward to the new run of Detective Comics, in which Batwoman takes over while Batman deals with a case of being dead (this being comics he'll get better in a few months time). I plan to actually buy the comics, as opposed to downloading them as I do with most of what else I read (although with Jeph Loeb, which I read just for his Ed Wood quality, I still feel that I should receive an apology afterwards for wasting my time, if not my cash). I'm a little concerned with this article, in which writer Greg Rucka claims that when the character was announced several years ago then pretty much didn't show up in comics that was all because of naughty newspapers misinterpreting press releases, leaving DC high and dry (not mentioning the cancelled Devin Grayson series). Not so much for that but for a couple of quotes that caught my eye.
Batwoman is the highest profile queer character in mainstream, genre fiction ever. As a lesbian, she’s possibly an easier sell to the still mainly straight, white, male comic readers. "If I have to PT Barnum you a bit to get you into the tent then it might be worth it. But then the flip side is if somebody is going to open up these pages hoping for some hot girl-on-girl action then they will be sorely disappointed."
which seems mostly positive, and
"Batman is a demon, he’s a gargoyle. And I wanted Kate to be more seductive and consequently I would think more likely to take people by surprise... Their reaction to Kate is, yes, surprise and alarm, fear. But the way I see it is she’s more like a succubus when she wants information. She will coax it out of you, tease it out of you...."
which seems less so. Those ole' feminine wiles again. I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
Batwoman is the highest profile queer character in mainstream, genre fiction ever. As a lesbian, she’s possibly an easier sell to the still mainly straight, white, male comic readers. "If I have to PT Barnum you a bit to get you into the tent then it might be worth it. But then the flip side is if somebody is going to open up these pages hoping for some hot girl-on-girl action then they will be sorely disappointed."
which seems mostly positive, and
"Batman is a demon, he’s a gargoyle. And I wanted Kate to be more seductive and consequently I would think more likely to take people by surprise... Their reaction to Kate is, yes, surprise and alarm, fear. But the way I see it is she’s more like a succubus when she wants information. She will coax it out of you, tease it out of you...."
which seems less so. Those ole' feminine wiles again. I guess the proof will be in the pudding.
Labels: Batman, Batwoman, comics, DC comics, lesbians, queer
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Your Master's Voice
Ben Summerskill in the Guardian today:
The world of campaigning has changed massively over the last 20 years. Waving banners can be therapeutic, but it doesn't necessarily get you anywhere. But there are gay campaigners in 2009 who would love to be back marching in the streets, instead of having to negotiate with Whitehall officials about drafting tough bits of legislation.
Pffft! Silly poofs! When has demonstrating in the streets (or outside the V&A) achieved anything for anyone?
[Harvey] Milk himself was very determined. He was someone who was prepared to campaign hard but also to sit down and bash out compromises. He also had the ability to attract really quite dishy men - not unlike at least one gay politician I can think of today.
Reminds me of at least one student union president I knew who professed to find Tony Blair attractive.
The world of campaigning has changed massively over the last 20 years. Waving banners can be therapeutic, but it doesn't necessarily get you anywhere. But there are gay campaigners in 2009 who would love to be back marching in the streets, instead of having to negotiate with Whitehall officials about drafting tough bits of legislation.
Pffft! Silly poofs! When has demonstrating in the streets (or outside the V&A) achieved anything for anyone?
[Harvey] Milk himself was very determined. He was someone who was prepared to campaign hard but also to sit down and bash out compromises. He also had the ability to attract really quite dishy men - not unlike at least one gay politician I can think of today.
Reminds me of at least one student union president I knew who professed to find Tony Blair attractive.
Labels: demonstrations, gay, Government, lesbians, politics, Stonewall
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The White House's official site has been updated with what, sadly, in 2009 we still have to call a brave list of commitments to equality for LGBT citizens of the United States. It will be truly inspirational if it passes. The thing that this doesn't make clear is that while Obama supports civil unions and opposes same-sex marriage ban legislation, there's nothing about what's going to happen to the POTSS that have actually got married, as opposed to unioned. Will they get legally recognised as married again or will they be downgraded to just being in a civil union?
Labels: American Presidency, Barack Obama, Civil Partnership/Gay Marriage, gay, lesbian, lesbians, United States
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Doing the Rounds
Monday, October 13, 2008
Stonewall, the organisation that does so much for gays and lesbians but not so much for bisexuals, is having a party, complete with trinkets. At the moment, up for 'journalist of the year' is Julie Bindel. Yes, that Julie Bindel. She's not won anything, yet, she's just up for the award. The fact that Stonewall, who let's not forget, even if they pointedly don't campaign for transsexuals rights must by the law of averages have transsexuals amongst their gay, lesbian and bisexual community, are willing to offer the possibility of a nod towards La Bindel has annoyed people. People with blogs and emails.
At the moment, emailing Stonewall at info@stonewall.org.uk just gets you something that they've been cut'n'pasting a lot over the last few days:
Thank you for your email.
Julie Bindel was shortlisted for a Stonewall award in recognition of her journalism during the last 12 months which often brings a lesbian perspective into the mainstream press.
The awards nominating panel are not endorsing everything she has ever written. A nomination in any category does not mean that the awards panel agree with all of someone’s opinions. Stonewall recognises that some people may disagree with shortlisted nominees.
Boy, does that make me feel included. I've just emailed them back to see if they know any other songs. To be honest, I'm not expecting anything here, they don't include trannies and they've pretty much whitewashed them from their version of history and they do pretty much nothing for bisexuals, who they do claim to be a voice for, but as the prospect of a Tory Government returning comes ever closer it might be nice if we can kick Stonewall into some sort of shape before we get there.
At the moment, emailing Stonewall at info@stonewall.org.uk just gets you something that they've been cut'n'pasting a lot over the last few days:
Thank you for your email.
Julie Bindel was shortlisted for a Stonewall award in recognition of her journalism during the last 12 months which often brings a lesbian perspective into the mainstream press.
The awards nominating panel are not endorsing everything she has ever written. A nomination in any category does not mean that the awards panel agree with all of someone’s opinions. Stonewall recognises that some people may disagree with shortlisted nominees.
Boy, does that make me feel included. I've just emailed them back to see if they know any other songs. To be honest, I'm not expecting anything here, they don't include trannies and they've pretty much whitewashed them from their version of history and they do pretty much nothing for bisexuals, who they do claim to be a voice for, but as the prospect of a Tory Government returning comes ever closer it might be nice if we can kick Stonewall into some sort of shape before we get there.
Labels: bisexual, gay, Julie Bindel, lesbians, Stonewall, transgenderism, transphobia
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It turns out that God hates the UK. Who knew? Yes, Fred Phelps's tech-savy grandson has helped him create a definitive list of why God hates the UK and, wouldn't you know it, it's all about the bumming. What seems odd in all this is that God has been half-hearted in expressing his dislike of the United Kingdom's supposed relaxed attitude toward the gays, or perhaps he's been so angry that his punishments have actually travelled back in time to affect the UK before homosexuality was decriminalised.
If you want to find out why God hates your country (hint: It may have something to do with man-on-man action) check out http://www.godhatestheworld.com/">God Hates The World, although you might have to wait until Fred works out how to spell most of the countries.
If you want to find out why God hates your country (hint: It may have something to do with man-on-man action) check out http://www.godhatestheworld.com/">God Hates The World, although you might have to wait until Fred works out how to spell most of the countries.
Labels: Fundamentalists- Christian, gay, homophobia, humour, lesbian, lesbians, queer
Monday, August 11, 2008
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to urgently review the way LGBT asylum seekers are treated.
Labels: asylum seekers, bisexual, gay, Government, homophobia, immigration, lesbians, LGBT, petitions, transgenderism, transphobia
Thursday, May 08, 2008
I notice that, in public, I seem to have an automatic timer that warns me not to gaze at [my girlfriend] as long as I might at the privacy of our dining room table, a subtle mask that shifts the set of my smile when I respond to hearing her laugh, and an inner language editor that reflexively erases "honey", "my love" and "darling" from my lexicon as I'm calling to her across a parking lot...
I don't edit myself this way because I am ashamed of being a lesbian. I do it because I'm afraid that someone else, who thinks I ought to be ashamed of being a lesbian, might hurt me -- or worse, hurt my beloved.
I don't edit myself this way because I am ashamed of being a lesbian. I do it because I'm afraid that someone else, who thinks I ought to be ashamed of being a lesbian, might hurt me -- or worse, hurt my beloved.
Labels: homophobia, lesbian, lesbians
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Lesbians go to the courts for the right to be the only ones that are called Lesbians saying that lesbians don't have the right to be lesbians, unless they are a lesbian by birth presumably, though of course, most lesbians would argue they are lesbians by birth. Lesbian lesbian lesbian.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Replace the current national anthem with "The National Anthem" by Radiohead.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop deporting gays and lesbians to countries where they may be imprisoned, tortured or executed because of their sexuality.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop deporting gays and lesbians to countries where they may be imprisoned, tortured or executed because of their sexuality.
Labels: gay, homophobia, immigration, lesbians, music, petitions, Radiohead, United Kingdom
