do you even go to this school?

[coyotesuspect]

Because I don't feel like ranting about what I'm actually upset about, have two completely unrelated rants!

To start with! There's a new SPN female character centric comm! Hey, that's great. I mean, we already have kripkes_angels , but yeah, it can be kind of slow. Maybe a new comm will be just the kick in the pants this fandom needs to start writing and talking and iconing for all the awesome female characters show has killed off featured!

Except.

Except.

What is this new comm called?

spnpussypalace.

spn. pussy. palace.

I get it. Supernatural can be terribly misogynistic. Fandom is often even worse. And I hate-hate-hate that any time someone writes or runs an exchange or opens a comm or does an icon challenge or whatever focusing on the female characters, it's a protest. It's seen as a courageous act against a fandom and a show which so exclusively focuses on male characters and male relationships. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. In a fandom which is so predominantly female, being fannish about female characters is seen as deviant. How fucked up is that?

But this is not a rant about fandom's misogyny. That's been well covered.

This is a rant about how calling your women-centric, grrrl power comm "pussy palace" is not going to help anything.

Yes. "Pussy" does not have to be a negative word. We can reclaim it! We can attach power to it! By using the word, we're owning our sexuality! Hell yeah! Fuck yeah! Yay vaginas!

And I understand the impetus- that when disenfranchised groups reclaim a word that has historically been used to degrade and marginalize them, it is powerful. It's taking something which has so long been used to harm and dehumanize and turning it into a statement of both defiance and solidarity.

But guys, guys. That is not what is happening here. If women are being disenfranchised and marginalized in Supernatural fandom, it is because we ourselves- us as women- are doing it. We're not reclaiming anything. Calling something "pussy palace" is not a powerful statement, it is merely a vulgar one.

What we're doing here is looking at Supernatural's women- brave, smart, tough, vulnerable, compassionate, beautiful, inspiring, selfless, selfish, clever, funny, hurt, angry- and asking what's the most important thing about them?

And the answer is Oh! It's what's between their legs.

That is not progress.

That is demeaning.

I am not a pussy. I am not a cunt. I am not a slut or a bitch or a whore. And, unless you're one of my very, very close friends and I understand that it's meant affectionately (because I don't have a problem with reclaiming these words in the context of larger society), you're not allowed to call me any of these things.

Because my gender, because my genitalia, are such a small, insignificant part of who I am, of who any of us are. And it's not feminism and it's not progress and it's not a statement and it's not clever or brave or funny to suggest otherwise.

Onto rant number two, oh hey! It's a political one!

Oh look at that wacky Tea Party! What are they up to now? Aw, they're getting their prized son Rand Paul to be the Republican nominee for Kentucky senator.

Rand (his first name presumably from that loathsome person and poor writer, Ayn Rand) said in his victory speech last night, "I have a message from the Tea Party. Washington is horribly broken. The Tea Party movement is a message to Washington that we are angry and we want to do things differently."

Yes. The American Public (TM) is apparently very frustrated with Washington right now. Of course, the American Public (TM) is always very frustrated with Washington.

But people, my people, what are you so frustrated about?

It's the lack of jobs. It's health care. It's the continuing effects of this depression. It's the fear that we! WE ARE NOT BEING HEARD.

But who? Who is not being heard? Well, according to the NY Times poll, the Teat Party is majority white, middle class, and male. As I often remark, internet, it is is hard out there for a white male. Those poor under represented souls. And I get that. They're scared. The world is changing, and being white, male, and middle class no longer confers quite so many benefits as it once did. (For god's sake, you only have to be two of those things to be president now!) They're losing their privilege, and they're moving into a world they can no longer comprehend, so, like spoiled children, they lash out.

But this is a movement! This is an anger, this is a philosophy which is growing. People ARE worried about jobs and the economy. The government has not done enough! The government has done too much!

The Tea Party's philosophy (as near as I can tell that is has any philosophy that isn't OMG SCARY MUSLIM BLACK MAN IN OFFICE) is fundamentally economically libertarian. It's laizzes-fairre economics. They want a "small government" and "hands off approach to the economy."

Except. Except. Do they not understand? Do those now joining the movement, not realize? It is exactly those kind of policies- that dreadful, destructive thought meme of the market will work itself out- which led to the exact same predatory lending and sketchy business practices that led to the recession. They are trying to vote back in the same people who are responsible for this mess, except this time, they're crazier and angrier. 

The Tea Party movement is intellectually and morally bankrupt. It is a hyper-inflation of the worst aspects of contradictory Republican thinking- that desire for a government which is small enough to not care about your neighbor's health, but is large enough to care about his soul. They can talk all they like about building communities. Their economic policies will hurt any community that isn't already well off. Their idea of a community is one where you pray to the same God and you look the same way and you marry the opposite sex and you do with your body what you're told, girl. 

And maybe I'm being hyperbolic. God knows I often am. But the Tea Party is not just a goofy fringe movement anymore, they're gaining power, and that scares me.

I feel better now.

Comments

[familiardevil.livejournal.com]

be still my heart

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

*clings to*

Why does everything suck?

[familiardevil.livejournal.com]

You already know I agree with everything re: pussy palace. :*

(his first name presumably from that loathsome person and poor writer, Ayn Rand)
*gigglesnorting*

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

:*

I was staring at his first name for the longest time, all, "Rand. Rand. That's a strange name."

And then it hit me.

Why would you name your kid after her?

[cherie-morte.livejournal.com]

I AM SROYY.

YOU ARE NOT A PUSSY TOME.

TYOU ARE BEAURTIFIL TO ME.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

Aw. Well. I suppose now would be a bad time to tell you I'm only interested in you for your vagina.

It's spacious! Like a palace! :D

[familiardevil.livejournal.com]

Did the poem really drive you into the bottle? Or was it the sitting on your face part?
My apologies either way.

[yourkidney.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard of this comm but \0/!! You said that perfectly! Whereas I probably would have just raised an eyebrow and been all "bzuh?" you nailed what I would have been thinking. Thank you!

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have known about it either, but [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] was kind enough to rage at me about it. I appreciate the sentiment! It's just. How do they not understand how problematic the name is? D:

[scorpiod1.livejournal.com]

*hugs hugs hugs*

I am sorry you are having a bad day, boo! I LOVE YOU. YOU ARE BEST.

Also, EW RAND. TO BOTH THE WRITER (MASSIVE EW) AND POLITICIAN (MORE EW).

And I would use a hugging icon for you, but my account just expired and I'm all ;____: because almost all my icons are gone.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

*hugs back*

Thanks bb.

Aw, D: Were you forced to read Rand at some point? My poor bb.

And I'm sorry about your account expiring. That is Very Suck. But I do appreciate the icon you did choose to use!

[kitanabychoice.livejournal.com]

word to all of this. the state of things right now makes me want to find a nice, secluded island and stay there.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

Can I join you?

And can I bring Sam Winchester?

[cacklesthewitch.livejournal.com]

I saw that on the spnnewsletter yesterday and I thought, "WTF is that supposed to be?" all the while already getting that terrible feeling in my gut and sure enough, it was what I thought it was. Awesome idea for a comm but I think the mods/whoever named, frankly, has their head up their ass. I was offended on the part of the female actors and fandomn (which, lets be honest, is probably 90% female).

I understand the reclaiming argument (though I don't necessarily agree with it) but I agree with you - so not what's happening here. I suspect the name comes from good old-fashioned ignorance. They say it's bliss, you know ;)

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

I seriously don't understand what they were thinking. But ignorance seems as likely a reason as anything.

And it really is a great idea for a comm! I am just so mad I can't join because of that damn name.

[meiou-set.livejournal.com]

But guys, guys. That is not what is happening here. If women are being disenfranchised and marginalized in Supernatural fandom, it is because we ourselves- us as women- are doing it. We're not reclaiming anything. Calling something "pussy palace" is not a powerful statement, it is merely a vulgar one.

I'm not sure I'm following. Not that I have any investment in the name, because I don't at all, but I don't really see how the use for "pussypalace" is different from other efforts to reclaim.

I get what you're saying about women being defined by virtue of their sex, but the way I see it that ship has sailed. There's no way to ignore the fact that there is sexual difference and its baggage(even if it societally constructed, which is the camp I'm in)-- thus focusing on it to point out, what else is obscured by that difference (women as brave, smart, tough, vulnerable, compassionate, beautiful, inspiring, selfless, selfish, clever, funny, hurt, angry as you mention) seems to be another strategy.

Now it may not be a strategy that suits everyone. But, I don't see how it's rhetorically not reclaiming considering who is speaking (a woman). What I can see how doing something like this may be offensive in the vein of "you don't speak for me" and "you're not in my in-group." It's not black and white to me.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

My argument is, most efforts to reclaim a word take place within the context of society at large. Groups take the word in question and use that to define themselves in opposition to how the group-in-power uses that word. But this is a reclaiming that isn't happening as part of some larger social statement. It is specifically an in-fandom statement. So the group-in-power is the same as the group attempting the reclamation, so any argument that the use of the word "pussy" is an attempt to derive power from accessing a negative epithet is faulty.

And it just seems problematic to me to say what defines us as women is our genitalia. If it had been spnwomanpalace or whatever, we could have all the arguments we like about what constitutes women and gender, but there's a finality to bringing it down to gender which I don't like. And maybe that ship has sailed, societally speaking, but I still think it's something we can object to and examine.

The name itself just seems like an attempt to be shocking and edgy, without getting at the implications of using a term like "pussy" with all its entailing historical and emotional baggage. It is a divisive term, and if this is a community which has the purpose of celebrating women, it should probably not have a name which can be interpreted as degrading women. : /

[aldehyde.livejournal.com]

i think the concept of that pussy palace place is a good one - it's meant to be a space for women to fangirl about the female characters of the show without being dogpiled [which often does happen in other spaces]. but the profile info and the name of the comm are quite idiotic. i wish they'd change it up.

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way. I LOVE the idea. I think it's very necessary, but the name! Dear god, the name! *facepalms*

[meiou-set.livejournal.com]

I see. I think we'll have to agree to disagree then.

My sense is that the disconnect lies in that I don't see "in-fandom" as a space separate from "society at large" to the extent that I read you suggesting here. So to me the usage of the word is still framed within the larger body of ideas of women's invisibility by virtue of sex (because we are literally talking about genitalia in this situation) and to society as a whole.

I won't put myself in mod's place to speculate what she was going for, but I think that there is a possibility of a variety of readings, given what I mentioned above. I don't think I'd default on that another woman does not know the historical and emotional baggage of the word "pussy," though. Whether it transgresses comfort zones is a different matter.

[meiou-set.livejournal.com]

I was thinking--given the outcry wouldn't it be productive to mention these concerns to the mod then? If she's serious about her comm she'd change it.

Although to be honest, I've seen about three Spn women comms come and go T_T

[radiophile]

"spnpussypalace"?!




Ughhh my head hurts from all this idiocy. And re: politics... Yeah, idk. I'm an American citizen by birth but lived my entire life outside of the States, so I'll always feel like an outsider when it comes to political debate. I know in very broad terms what the political environment is like in the States right now, and when my friend explained to me what the Tea Party movement was, I think my reaction was along the lines of: "You're joking, right?"

The only thing that brings me comfort is the thought that times are changing, and for every step back we're taking two steps forward. There's still unspeakable hatred and ignorance, organizations with horrible goals and way too much power... But the younger generation, as a whole, seems to be changing their attitudes for the better. There's progress, however slow, and the fact that you are getting upset over things like this, that the hypocrisy of people in power does not escape your notice and you have the freedom to voice your concerns -- that's pretty uplifting.


... Then I watch a commercial for 16 and Pregnant and all my hopes for the ~*new generation are completely crushed.

[bloodnfire.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I'm not offended by the name, because I understand that it's not the intention of it to be insulting. But that's just me, I totally understand that a lot of women would find it offensive, and I can't stand any of the words you've referenced being used as insults.

However, I do think that the name is stupid, and damaging to the community as it will likely alienate and upset some potential members. I also think a lot of the stuff in the user info, although intentionally light hearted, I'm sure, is pretty moronic. But I did join out of interest, and from what I've seen the content is all fun and girl!loving. I will probably have a good time there, especially since the comms for the women are so dead.

I honestly have no idea what the mod was thinking when she named it, if she thought it was ~edgy and funny, or trying to be ironic or what, but no matter her intention people will interpret it in their own way and I doubt that she's taken that into consideration.

tl;dr I'm undecided about the place, but I'm sorry you're offended. <3

[lavendergaia]

That's the reason I didn't join that comm. The women are my faaavorites, but the name was such a turn off. It's like saying, "It's not exploitation if we're exploiting ourselves!" which...no, no, it still is. You can't "reclaim" shit like that, you don't beat the people who use it negatively by trying to use it in a positive way because people are still going to look at it as a bad word and it's not going to help.

So...yeah. I would love to have participated in that, but I can't be part of something that calls itself that.

[unavoidedcrisis.livejournal.com]

I must have been drunk when I saw it originally because all I thought was 'they made a whole comm for cat-chesters? Dude!' Evidently, I operate on a different system than most.

Naming stuff is hard, but I think they could have come up with something better. I am so tired of being shocked by this fandom though, really.

[psychedelicammo.livejournal.com]

Rand Paul makes me cry. He's like, "Hurr, I haven't read the entire Civil Rights Act, but I think it ALLOWS THE GOVERNMENT TOO MUCH POWER." And I'm like DDD:

You're right, the Tea Partiers are libertarians, just with a hipper name. They've swung so far to the right that now they're just falling off the map. They've always had power as voters because they're the vocal minority. My God Chuck, are they vocal. For months now, democratic and liberal politicians have been scared shitless of doing something to gain their attention and now that they've started voting their own ilk into office it's just going to get scarier and messier. -frets and clutches pearls- Can't we just all go back to blaming Bush for everything?

As for pussypalace? Edgy bullshit + fandom + pseudo-feminism = DNW. And I'm usually all for reclamation efforts, but fandom is so not the place.

TL;DR:

[auroraprimavera.livejournal.com]

Community = *gr* That's just - *GR*

Tea Party = Urgh, this makes me happy that I am no longer there /o\

[moodswingers.livejournal.com]

Oh, that name is unfortunate. Is it supposed to be edgy? IDK. I'm sure lots of people will refrain from joining on account of it.

[slartibartfast.livejournal.com]

I am fangirling you so hard for this post. Seriously. Everything in it. Especially about not being reduced to our genetalia - it's one of the things that makes me SO ANGRY. Like, HULK SMASH angry.

[cantarina]

I always worry, coming off of a federal or provincial Conservative regime with the Liberals back into power, that people will get impatient and demand that all their problems be solved NOW, when it took years and years from them to get this bad in the first place. I'd hate to see people jump on board with the Tea Party just because Obama can't insta-change everything. I don't know a lot about Rand Paul's politics, but what I've heard about his plans for health care are downright horrifying.

I have trouble with most Libetarians on principle though, since their attitude towards all minorities seems to be "WORK AS HARD AS WE SAY YOU SHOULD AND HOPE THAT SOMEONE IS NICE ENOUGH TO THINK OF OR ACCOMMODATE YOU", which, no. Just no.

[roque-clasique.livejournal.com]

What we're doing here is looking at Supernatural's women- brave, smart, tough, vulnerable, compassionate, beautiful, inspiring, selfless, selfish, clever, funny, hurt, angry- and asking what's the most important thing about them?

And the answer is Oh! It's what's between their legs.

*weeps*

[coyotesuspect.livejournal.com]

*comforts*

[lady-eilthana.livejournal.com]

Uhm... I think you pretty much said everything which is to say about that name. Eh.