jacktellslies: (jeanne mammen)
[personal profile] jacktellslies
A picture of me was recently featured on Genderfork, a blog that focuses on androgyny in photography and includes remarks about gender submitted by viewers. I took the picture in question while perched on a branch in a tree in the centre of a hedge maze in a garden in Brussels. Far too many of my self-portraits feature that absurd facial expression. My camera is obviously rarely chastened by it.

The site is entirely worthwhile simply as a convenient collection of pictures of people who are often quite attractive (please see here and here), but some of the images are more nuanced. Golf Suits would not be seen as playing with gender were it not for the positions of the models. Back and Forth and Clothesline both work because the subjects toy with and take command of the idea of the male gaze. The images that interest me most are consistently the ones in which attitude and posture are wielded as dangerously as an excellent suit and a flamboyant haircut.

I'm not impressed by most of the text, however. Perhaps I'm being unrealistic or unfair, but while I encourage and enjoy honest discussion of the ways in which living in a binary gendered society is painful for most humans, I am opposed to whining. I want more subversion, more laughing it off, more fighting back, and more people who are too smart and too gorgeous to bother worrying about the kids who don't get it. Throw your heels at the rude bastards. Respond to their braying by telling them that every cock you own is bigger than theirs while you adjust your pack and swagger off. Do both in the same evening. And then call me, because I'd like to buy you a drink. Or simply have nothing to do with the commentary of idiots, because you're honest and you're brave, and their rules do not concern you.

This isn't the fault of the creator of the blog, Sarah Dopp, who has a delightful name and compiles a fascinating collection of images I'll continue to follow. It's the tearful conversation that happens every time two or more trans or genderqueer folk stumble into a room together, and I'm bored with it.

By the by. Have you heard that Blur is getting back together?

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 06:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] transversecity.livejournal.com
I fear I can't call you, but will you buy me a drink anyway?

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 06:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] earlofgrey.livejournal.com
If I weren't dead skint I'd buy you two.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 06:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] transversecity.livejournal.com
I'll buy you two just for using the phrase "dead skint".

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 08:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilacfaeryboy.livejournal.com
I love the title of this entry...gotta be one of my favourite Pulp songs!

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 01:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] earlofgrey.livejournal.com
Me too! Thanks for the good news about Blur.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-11 08:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilacfaeryboy.livejournal.com
No problem, news as good as that must be shared. I am counting the seconds til I can buy NME today!

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 02:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] paisleycat.livejournal.com
Dear silly one. The internet is very very full of broken puppies. Some are brain broken when they leave commentary (youtube, IMDB, etc), and some are heart broken (fansites, LJ), commenters can even be super-ego broken(newsite commentary and SG messageboards) and it sounds like this site has commenters who are spine broken, at least temporarily. Thusly you must enjoy genderfork like a tasty yet illiterate peasant mongrel.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 03:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] earlofgrey.livejournal.com
You are perfect. And I miss you terribly.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 04:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jezebellydancer.livejournal.com
My Main Muse has temporarily taken leave of me (he needed a vacation after nanowrimo) to be replaced by Puck while I work on another story.

When I saw the picture of you, there was Puck captured on film. Although I had imagined Puck in leather pants.

Puck has jumped plays and traveled from Midsummer Night's Dream to Twelfth Night and demanded a re-write.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 06:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] earlofgrey.livejournal.com
I am all the daughters of my father's house,
And all the brothers too.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-12-10 07:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jezebellydancer.livejournal.com
I wanted to play Viola/Casario so much when I was younger. I did look dashing in velvet and tights back in the day. I still have my size 5 suede boots that go over the knee--they need to find a good home. I haven't fit in them in years.

I'm finding I have to re-read Twelfth Night, Midsummer's Night's Dream and the Tempest so I know what plots I'm breaking.

As an aside, our Holiday pageant this year is about democracy (only in a UU church LOL), and the only adult part is Thomas Paine, being played by a woman. I have to go home tonight and see if I have any suitable costuming for her.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-09-02 03:23 am (UTC)
marnanel: (Default)
From: [personal profile] marnanel
Hurrah! You are on genderfork too!

Profile

jacktellslies: (Default)
jacktellslies

August 2009

S M T W T F S
      1
23456 78
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags