this week's fail round up!

[such_heights]

Wtf is with people these past few days, I don't even know. D:

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First, via sheafrotherdon, yet more reasons why I won't be watching Stargate: Universe when it airs!

This started when the following casting call went out:

[ELEANOR PERRY] (35-40) and quite attractive. A brilliant scientist who happens to be a quadriplegic. Affected since childhood, her disability has rendered her body physically useless. However, after being brought on board the Destiny as the only person who may be able to save the ship and her crew from certain annihilation, she is given temporary powers that enable her to walk again and to finally experience intimacy. Strong guest lead. NAMES PREFERRED. ACTRESS MUST BE PHYSICALLY THIN. (THINK CALISTA FLOCKHART).

Which, wtf. The standard crap re. actress's appearances, with added madness! Because disabled people are, of course 'physically useless' (it's not like their bodies keep them alive or anything), and can never experience intimacy just fine by themselves, and are in need of MAGICAL HEALING COCK, oh god.

Then it turns out part of the premise of SGU is some kind of bodyswap machine - and I love bodyswap as much as the next person, but there are serious issues in some contexts that I do not expect the writers to handle even a little.

SGU has a lesbian character (I'm mostly just taking bets on how badly they're going to screw that up at this point, which is really sad). Guess who Eleanor's bodyswapping with so she can have this magical healing able-bodied heterosexual sex? Oh yeah.

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Next, karnythia talks about racefail from a panelist at WorldCon. Same shit, different day, etc. *facepalm*

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Then sci-fi and fantasy writer (and husband of above panelist) John C. Wright starts shooting his mouth off about the evils of homosexuality (warning: that post and its first page or so of comments may make your head explode).

On the plus side on that one, I am thinking of getting 'homosex activist' on a t-shirt because it's kinda catchy.

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Also, wtf with the anti-NHS lies coming out of the US at the moment? I am deeply baffled. calapine says it much better than me, but seriously. Our health service has its flaws, undoubtedly, but the principles it was founded on are what allow me to be here ranting today.

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And lastly, heather11483 drew my attention to this story where the Stamford Marriot blames a woman for being raped in their carpark. I don't have the words at the present time.

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Wow. So. Anyone got some pictures of kittens or something?

Comments

[faeriemaiden.livejournal.com]

So, it is now three in the morning, and I have been reading about RaceFail all day. And now I mostly feel tired and sad and confused and brain-hurty and angry and chastised and am already questioning my own instinctual reactions to things. (Not that I wasn't vaguely aware of the brouhaha going on in fandom, I've just... been busy this summer. And had only read a little bit when it showed up in my f-list. Plus, um, my subconscious is clearly aware that this always leads to being still awake and reading at three in the morning, I guess? :/) So, wow. I should also go to bed, but wow. I feel so... indescribable, but also responsible for what happens next in the world, and kind of simultaneously empowered and sobered by the reality that Story has that much power, for positive or otherwise. And it's my responsibility to be aware of that power. As a Christian who grew up half in Christian Culture but also in a family who's frequently eyebrow-raised at by Christian Culture for extremely stupid reasons (we're not Americentric! we listen to weird music! we think a lot of Christian-centric media is stupid and/or wrong and/or offensive to Christians and non-Christians alike!), I know a little bit about situationally-charged words and stereotypes and things... but hadn't used that perspective nearly enough to examine my own cultural conditionings towards people whose worlds I am not part of. (Also, not saying that being a Christian in America is really comparable to racial tension, or that I have OOOH SUFFERED (which I really haven't -- I've never even been personally singled out or picked on for my religious beliefs and/or upbringing, which I recognise makes me very blessed, because some people have, and have gone through far worse things than bad media portrayals or classroom teasing for their religious beliefs) but that it gives me a window into understanding how other people feel about being Othered and misrepresented, and what kind of actions lead to such misrepresentation, which helps me to make sure my own actions aren't perpetuating that.)

Sorry to dump my barely coherent three-in-the-morning thought process on your poor journal, Amy dear, but there it is... and I should go to bed... sometime... ever. :/

[such_heights]

Late-night thought processes are always welcome here! *squish*

I'm glad you've been reading - it's such a long, hard, uncomfortable process, but it's good, too.