You know, the first time I watched this whole scene, and the preceding one where Kaylee gets shamed by a bunch of rich ladies for not having the ‘right kind of dress’, I thought it was GREAT!
It’s FEMINIST, right? It’s about a girl who can DO THINGS, LIKE ENGINES, YEAH! Except it’s not about that.
It’s about myth of the girl, who is not like other girls.
She’s better than them.
She’s allowed to like pink dresses, okay, but she’s not allowed to *really* care about fashion. She likes dresses, sure, she’s enough of a girl to be attractive, but she likes MAN THINGS, too! If she really just cared about fashion, she’d be vapid, and also totally deserving of being slut-shamed. This isn’t subtext, the guy she’s talking to literally shuts down the woman bullying her by making a crack about how the other woman has too much sex.
Kaylee has to be the one who leaves the other women to go join the guy’s club, where they RESPECT her, and treat her like a REAL person, and value her opinions!
(Which, honestly, if you believe that’s how large groups of men react to a woman with more knowledge than them, in a ‘traditionally male’ field, try talking to literally any woman in STEM)
There can’t be a single other one of the pretty, fashion-conscious woman, (who, by the way, literally have to maintain that standard because of their social class & situation), who comes over and joins the conversation about ships, or expressed any kind of solidarity with her.
Because that’s not the point of the scene.
It’s not about proving women can do things, it’s about proving that One Exceptional Woman, Who Is Cooler Than All the Other Vapid Women Who Enjoy Sex and Clothing, Ew™, can do those things.
And honestly the harder I look at any of Joss Whedon’s so-called ‘feminist moments’, the quicker they tend to fall apart like a wet napkin under a pressure washer.
Those other girls are literally slave-owners, though. The only reason they’re in those pretty dresses is because their slaves made them for them. “What a vision you are in your fine dress. It must have taken a dozen slaves a dozen days to get you into that getup.”
(I just feel like that should get a mention. Their ‘social class and situation which they have to maintain’ is keeping slaves.)
Pluto’s big moon may host Doctor Who names in space!
This month’s New Horizons flyby of dwarf planet Pluto and its biggest moon Charon left a wealth of incredible data in its wake, with unforgettable pictures of geographic features such as the now famous giant “heart” on Pluto.
But the highly detailed pictures gave the New Horizons team a welcome problem: What do they call all those craters, plains and mountain ranges?
Now, thanks to maps the New Horizons team plans to submit to the International Astronomical Union (the official governing body for names of celestial objects), we know the answer.
Their names are drawn from movies, TV shows and books sure to gladden every geek’s heart — including Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Firefly, Alien, Lord of the Rings and the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
Spock, Kirk, Sulu and Uhura craters dot the Vulcan plane. Spock, Kirk, Sulu and Uhura craters dot the Vulcan plane. The Tardis chasma crosses the Gallifrey macula — named for the Doctor’s vessel and home planet respectively. Which could make for an awkward moment if the Time Lord ever lands there.
Hey, everyone. I just realised I haven’t updated this journal in a week. Well, nearly. Unfortunately, the only thing I have to offer is a meme. And some brief rambling…I had my eighteenth birthday party and it was fantastic, then the very next day I woke up and had a cold. I still have the cold, and so was prevented from going to see V for Vendetta today. Bugger. I did, however, recieve the graphic novel for my birthday. Along with Firefly: the complete series, an iPod nano, a MP3 player, and many other things. It was the rockin’est birthday ever.
And here’s the meme, done because I hate having a cold and was bored:
List twelve characters from any fandoms you like:
1. Sora Takenouchi (Digimon)
2. Gene Hunt (Life On Mars)
3. Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)
4. Kaylee Frye (Firefly)
5. Mickey Smith (Doctor Who)
6. Sirius Black (Harry Potter)
7. Eowyn (LOTR)
8. The Emperor (Star Wars)
9. Kate Barlow (Holes)
10. Edmund Blackadder (Blackadder)
11. Jackie Tyler (Doctor Who)
12. Harry Osborn (Spider-Man)
Answer the following questions:
1. Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11 (Sirius or Jackie)? What subjects would they teach?
I could totally see Sirius teaching at Hogwarts up until OOTP. *glum* He wouldn’t be too bad, I think, as long as he didn’t have to deal with Snape.
Jackie…what would she teach? Hairdressing? I quite like that idea, actually.
2. Do you think 4 (Kaylee) is hot? How hot?
Well, I’m not really sure- ask a guy. ;) She is pretty, but I always thought she was the most ordinary-looking out of the Firefly women.
3. 12 (Harry) sends 8 (The Emperor) on a mission. What is it, and does 8 succeed?
Ooh, this one’s easy. Harry’s still out for vengence on Peter, so he hires the most evil man in the galaxy to kill him. The Emperor brings Peter back, is about to kill him, then Harry changes his mind and throws the Emperor out of the window.
Sounds familiar…
4. What is or would be 9’s (Kate’s) favorite book?
Erm, good question. She can read, being a schoolteacher and all…I’m guessing it would be that book of poetry she and Sam read in the movie.
5. Would it make more sense for 2 (Gene) to swear fealty to 6 (Sirius), or the other way around?
I don’t care. I just want to see what would happen if those two got together.
6. For some reason, 5 (Mickey) is looking for a roommate. Should he share a studio apartment with 9 (Kate) or with 10 (Blackadder)?
Hey, I can see Mickey and Kate getting along quite well, assuming one of them them was transported to the other person’s time. Luckily, one of them knows someone with a time machine, so…oh man, I want to write a DW/Holes crossover now.
Edmund Blackadder would probably take Mickey in as a roomate because then he could throw Baldrick and Percy out. XD
7. 2 (Gene), 7 (Eowyn) and 12 (Harry) have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?
Gene wants to go to some random Manchester restaurant, Harry insists he pays for them all to eat at some upstate New York place, Gene agrees with this, and Eowyn…doesn’t care.
They don’t discuss anything of much importance, but Gene does flirt with Eowyn.
8. 3 (Luke) challenges 10 (Blackadder) to a duel. What happens?
Luke is obviously going to win, so Blackadder fakes his death, runs away and leaves Baldrick to fight the duel for him. Baldrick can’t be bothered. Luke gives up and goes home.
9. If 1 (Sora) stole 8 (The Emperor)’s most precious possession, how would he get it back?
Hmmmm. What is the Emperor’s most precious possession? The Death Star? It’d be hard to steal that. Maybe she stole his lightsabre. Anyway, he’d follow her to Earth, go to force-choke her and instantly be set upon by a ton of fluffy monsters.
10. Suggest a title for a story in which 7 (Eowyn) and 12 (Harry) both attain what they most desire.
I can’t think of anything angsty enough…
11. What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 4 (Kaylee) and 1 (Sora) to work together?
I have no idea, but I want to have them work together, because they’re incredibly similiar…
12. If 7 (Eowyn) visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?
I don’t know, but I’d make her teach me how to sword-fight.
13. If you could command 3 (Luke) to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?
…I’ll leave that to your imaginations.
14. Does anyone on your friends list write or draw 11 (Jackie)?
She gets written about, but not often. :(
15. If 2 (Gene) had to choose sides between 4 (Kaylee) and 5 (Mickey), which would it be?
Kaylee, of course, ‘cos she’s a girl. Or ‘bird’ as Gene would probably put it.
16. What might 10 (Blackadder) shout while charging into battle?
Aw, don’t. You’re making me think about Goodbyeeeee. :(
17. If you chose a song to represent 8 (The Emperor), which song would you choose?
Something that had the word ‘evil’ in it.
18. 1 (Sora), 6 (Sirius) and 12 (Harry) are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?
Harry buys it from whoever reaches it first. ;)
19. What might be a good pick-up line for 2 (Gene) to use on 10 (Blackadder)?
No! Stop with the crack!
20. What would 5 (Mickey) most likely be arrested for?
Ooh, the possibilities are endless. Possibly the Doctor takes him to a completely alien place, and he doesn’t know how to act, and prompty gets arrested.
21. What is 6’s (Sirius’s) secret?
…apart from the fact he can turn into a dog…I dunno. Maybe he writes sensitive poetry. (To Snape)
22. If 11 (Jackie) and 9 (Kate) were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
Kate has a horse! But Jackie could ask for a lift in the TARDIS.
24. “1 (Sora) and 9 (Kate) reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4 (Kaylee)’s sinister secret organization. 11 (Jackie) volunteers to help them, but it is later discovered that she/he is actually a spy for 4 (Kaylee). Meanwhile, 4 (Kaylee) has kidnapped 12 (Harry) in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5 (Mickey), they seek out 3 (Luke), who gives them what they need to complete their quest.” What title would you give this fic? Name three people on your friends list who might read it. Name one person who should write it.
Whoa. I would never inflict that on anyone, so I woul write it myself. In a notebook. And then hide the notebook. And never speak of it again.
25. If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 (Eowyn) or 8 (The Emperor)?
I think I’d go for the chick with a sword.
Second, a meme. Which you’ve all seen by now, but one more can’t hurt.
List 6 tv shows:
1. Doctor Who
2. Life on Mars
3. The Office (UK version)
4. Firefly
5. My Name Is Earl
6. Lost
1. Who is your favorite character from #2?
Sam. Gene is awesome too, of course, but Sam’s just so…I dunno, sweet and perplexed that you can’t help but like him. For me, anyway.
2. Who is your least favorite character from #4?
Out of the regulars?…can’t think of anyone, I’m afraid.
3. What would a crossover between #1 and #5 include?
Earl reads his list: ‘Number 12393: Vandalised a blue phone box.’
4. Who is your favorite ship from #6?
Ooh…um…Boone/Claire would be my slightly cracked ‘ship, but Charlie/Claire is what I’d eventually go for.
5. If you were to set one person from #3 and one person from #6 on a blind date, who would they be?
David Brent and John Locke. This surely requires no elaboration beyond ‘It’d be very funny.’
6. If you could meet one person from #4 and spend the day with them, who would it be, and what would you do?
I think I’d go shopping with Kaylee…
7. If you could change one thing about #2’s plotline, what would you change?
I’d just have there be more episodes. ;)
8. Explain a relationship between two people (not necessarily romantic) from show #5, and why you like the relationship between them.
Earl and Randy. Just…because. It’s sweet and funny, is all. ;)
9. If the lead title characters (first name in the credits) from #1 and #3 were both drowning, and you could only save one, who would it be?
Did The Office have opening credits? Either way…The Doctor, hands down.
10. If you could change the title characters’ order in the credits for #4, what order would you choose?
It’s fine the way it is. ;)
11. If you were able to add a new character, any kind of character you wanted, to the storyline for #6, what would the character be like and what would their role be?
Ooh. Hmmm…is there any way to do this without creating a Mary-Sue? Hmm…I’d have maybe someone on the island who was disabled/in a wheelchair at the time of the crash and didn’t get better. (If such a character has shown up in season 2, ignore this)
12. What happens in your favorite episode of show #2?
Episode six, in which Sam and Gene and Annie get their we’re-going-to-die-so-we-must-have-a-character-moment thing. And Sam doesn’t die. And Gene nearly does, but in a hilarious way. And Sam and Gene get chained to a radiator.
13. If you could kill off one of the characters of #1, who would it be and how would you do it?
No! They must all live!
14. If you got the chance to visit the set for either show #3 or show #5, which would you choose?
Well, since the set for #3 is a office in Slough…
15. If you could date anyone from any of these shows, which show and which person?
Mickey from Doctor Who, thanks. ;)
I watched some more of Firefly today- I’ve seen seven episodes so far, but I dunno if I’ll be able to get any more discs (eleven episodes were made, right? Or was it fourteen? Can’t remember…) and I want the boxset. Dude. I have to admit, I like the series more than Serenity…it just has a different feel to it…but I’d probably like the movie more if I saw it again.
The best thing is that my brothers like it too. They like the theme song as much as I do, and while re-watching Safe my brother said that Simon and River remind him of that ‘She’s my sister- she’s a little bit crazy…she thinks the monkey is the Sultan.’ bit in Aladdin. Heh.
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I can’t decide whether I want to stay in and write and do coursework today, or go and see V for Vendetta. Probably I won’t be able to get anyone to go with me at such short notice, but…I want to seeeeee it. It looks good.
On the other hand, I’m anxiously awaiting answers to my party invitations. Yesterday I sent invites via email to a bunch of people, some of whom I only know a little bit, and no-one’s answered and I’m worried they got them, and looked at them and thought ‘Well, what the hell’s she inviting me for? I don’t even know her…and HOW DID SHE GET MY EMAIL ADDRESS? O.o’
Meep.
I just remembered I actually have a ton of coursework to do. Guess that’s that, then.
Oh, and I got disc two of Firefly yesterday…I really like this series, everybody. Every episode I see I think is the best, and then I watch the next one and think ‘no, that one’s the best.’ I’m up to Safe, and I’m in love with Simon. I want to make a Simon icon.
Speaking of icons, there’ll be some X-men icons along later. Assuming I stay in, of course.
All of you who suggested I watch Firefly? I’ve seen the first three episodes and I’m hooked. I utterly love the opening theme song, and I’m going to make myself a Kaylee icon.
Also: the pilot episode was one of the best I’d ever seen, I thought, in setting up all the characters and conflicts, and then I found via the internet that that episode didn’t even get shown first. Well, bugger.
Now to get ahold of the other episodes. Luckily, they have the box set in Tescos…
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