Category: LGBT

Indifferent Ignorance Awards 2016

I’ve been coming up with the annual Indifferent Ignorance awards for long enough that I know to keep ’em cute and to the point. But there’s something about 2016 that’s been so thoroughly appalling that I couldn’t just list a few bits and pieces. So here is the best and absolute worst of 2016.

Book of the Year

The Raven King, because of cars and kissing, or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, because of cars and kissing. Mostly. Just read them.

Album of the Year

Troye Sivan’s Blue Neighbourhood, or the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack. Neither of them were released this year that’s further proof of 2016’s shittiness. (Actually Frank Iero’s Parachutes came out this year and it’s a gem. Whatever.)

The ‘I Can’t Believe I’m Living Through This Shit, Although it Will Probably Kill Me So At Least There’s That’ Story of the Year

A parent had To Kill a Mockingbird banned from a high school in Virginia, US, for its racist language.

Please kill me soon.

The ‘I Witnessed this Shit Live and Wish It Had Killed Me’ News Story of the Year

Tough one. Brexit? US election? The return of Poldark to our screens? Nah man. The only moment my stomach really dropped at the news this year was at maybe 6:15 on a January morning when Nick Robinson interrupted my dozing to inform me, with audible shock, that David Bowie had died. I did not think anything could shock a Today programme presenter, let alone audibly. The return of Jesus couldn’t have redeemed 2016 from that moment on.

Outstanding Achievement for Distracting Me from the Horror of the Year for Five Minutes

Or an hour, depending on the broadcast.

Nominees:

  • Ed Balls’ Gagnam Style on Strictly Come Dancing It aired the week Trump was elected. Coincidence? Or does a benevolent god exist?
  • When Newsnight listened to their critics and played God Save the Queen Stand up, please.
  • The Twitter users who liveblogged the Rio Olympics and came up with 40 different jokes about green swimming pools
  • The Rio Olympics themselves
  • Whoever started those Joe Biden memes
  • American Idiot (the song, not the people)
  • Planet Earth II

Winner: this song, which someone shared the morning Trump was elected. I really, really felt better and so will you:

Outstanding Social Media Moment

This is another new prize, and the competition was tough.

We have Gary.

(In case you were wondering, Gary came back for more.)

We have when James Blunt dropped some news.

We have Joe Biden existing on camera. (I am genuinely not sure what he did in the Obama administration. I don’t care.)

We have when Sam Smith thought he was the first gay person to win an Oscar and, um, wasn’t.

Coincidentally this is the year I learnt what ‘throwing shade’ means. Oh, I didn’t pick a winner. You guys choose (I assume I can trust you with this more than I did Brexit).

Indifferent Ignorance Homophobic Dick Award

Donald Trump’s voters. All of them.

Indifferent Ignorance Ignorant Fuck Award

Donald Trump’s voters. All of them.

I thought I’d put a line there as a metaphor. Because a line is like a wall, right… seriously though I nearly wrote an essay about how the name I gave my blog aged 14 is coincidentally a term that sums up this year’s election results, but I held off because everyone else was writing the same essay and I am so tired of being tired of all the bullshit I’ve lived through recently. I think in 2017 I might use my outraged liberal millennial viewpoint to make art instead of complaining. And by art I mean small stories and postcards about people who are full of shit.

Anyway that is me done for the year. I wish you all health and happiness in 2017, although at this point it’s probably enough that I wish you make it there. Happy new year!

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Here’s a List of LGBTQ+ Art. Help Me Add To It.

I can’t believe I actually did go running from a Trump presidency. Actually yes, I can – but I’m going to write about that another day, because I am weary both of the topic and of knee-jerk reactions to it. I have many things to say, and I want to say them with more maturity than some of the people I’ve experienced recently. In the mean time I want to do something constructive, so I decided to start something I’ve been thinking about for a while. It’s not, in the grand scheme of things, a huge gesture – but it’s something I’ve wanted for a few years… and god knows we’re going to need some escapism.

Here is a list, which I will add to as I go (and I would like you to add to as well), of LGBTQ+ art. A master list. Books, film, music, anything that other people have made. So far everything on the list is something I’ve seen or read, but if you have any suggestions (I expect you do), please let me know in a comment. You can also see the link in the dropdown at Transmissions in the menu (this post will definitely be swallowed up soon). I’m not expecting this to change the world, but queer people need – and have always needed and are definitely going to need – to see things that aren’t hateful. So this is my contribution. It’s tiny. It’s not setting things on fire (tempting), trolling Republicans (tempting) or moving to Australia (tempting). But it’s not adding to any of the hatred and division already out there, so let’s do it.

aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe-from-wikipedia-org
from-bttm-co-ujk
troye-sivan-alessia-cara-wild-compressed
simon-schuster-uk

Saturday Papers: It’s Not Completely Shite Edition

I will be at work when you guys read this, so leave me a comment for me to read on my phone on my lunch break. It’s been a shit week, generally speaking – and specifically speaking now I come to think about it – so I thought I’d collate some of the good things I’ve seen recently in the hope it reminds us all that we aren’t all just heading into a justified apocalypse.

Straight guy worries he’s being homophobic to gay roommate, realises he’s fallen in love with him

Please somebody write a sitcom or film about this. I might write a sitcom or short film about this.

OITNB is back

And I’m only one episode in but holy shit.

Somebody collated ’31 Jokes That Are Way Too Real For Anyone Who’s Had A Period’

And y’all need to read all the way to 31 I’m almost looking forward to making a couple of these.

This exists:

I hope you all have safe and happy Saturdays in your favourite clubs.

Indifferent Ignorance Awards 2015

Here we go again…

Record of the Year

My stereo has been home to two CDs more than any others this year: Chantal Claret’s Battles of a Heavy Heart, which if God existed would be available in all good music shops with a world tour. As it is you can buy it directly from Chantal’s site and follow her on social media to pretend she’s on a world tour.

The second CD actually came out last year, but I am always late to the music party, so I would like to highly recommend this Hozier chap. I think he may go on to big things. Remember when I lost my shit over the Take Me to Church video? Make a sequel.

I’ve also recently fallen back in love with Fall Out Boy (thank you to whoever made a Tumblr edit to The Kids Aren’t Alright and The Raven Cycle). FOB are a band I forget I love until I’m listening to them, then I can’t remember why I don’t listen more often. I got American Beauty/American Psycho a few weeks ago and my ears are so happy they want to set something on fire.

Video of the Year

I forgive you for Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen. I’ve also come to really love Call Me Maybe.

Book of the Year

This is hard. There’s The Raven Cycle, which has stolen my heart (and will break my heart when it concludes in April), When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit… but because I didn’t do book reviews when I read them, and because I went to a talk with the authors who were lovely:

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

I wish this had existed five or ten years ago. Basic summary: there is a kid who is transgender. I can’t tell you any more than that because there are twists (don’t worry, she doesn’t ‘go back to normal’), but I finished it in an afternoon and it’s amazing.

Trouble by Non Pratt

A girl called Hannah gets in trouble. Some random guy offers to help her out. ‘In trouble’ means pregnant, by the way.

The ‘I Saw This Shit Live’ News Story

Once upon a time there was a Liberal Democrat named Paddy Ashdown. As it became apparent that his party lost a general election more severely than Sepp Blatter lost his morals, he refused to believe the exit poll and threatened to eat his hat if the poll turned out to be correct.

Then, like all good politicians, he did a U turn. The end.

The ‘My Twitter Timeline United Like It Never Has Before’ News Story: Equal Marriage

I’ve never seen so many people so happy as when Ireland held its referendum and when the US Supreme Court sorted their shit. I do have quite a selective timeline, apart from that one day I accidentally followed the Westboro Baptists, but it’s not usually entirely focussed on one thing. So I think everyone should be allowed to get married, all the time, because it makes everyone stupidly happy.

Equal Marriage Celebration.png
Even lawyers win when love wins

The Homophobic Dick Award: Kim Davis

So it turns out not everyone was stupidly happy about letting the queers get married. Some were stupidly stupid. I will devote no more of my time to her than this paragraph.

The Indifferent Ignorance Ignorance Fuck Award: Donald Trump and Daesh

I am upset that this year, like most others, one winner of this particular category is American. Come on, rest of the world, raise your game. Although reluctant to pay either of them any more attention, I felt that both Trump and Daesh deserve the award for similar reasons: they are both ignorant of human empathy, dangerous when armed and an embarrassment to their respective cultural and racial groups. I actually chose Trump before Muslim Visa Gate, but that clinched it. America, if you’re reading, kindly do not allow this gentleman to run your country. Sincerely, everyone. I was going to ignore Daesh as one does an attention-seeking child and Katie Hopkins, but if they are reading this then they’ve sat through Tom Hanks lipsyncing, a video of two men kissing and Paddy Ashdown, so they’ve got a good idea of what hell will look like when they get there.

 

All right, that’s it for 2015. I think next year I will keep track of people who are doing their bit to eradicate ignorance of the likes of Trump and co. Doctors, artists, civil rights activists, etc. Balance the decent person:motherfucker ratio. My instinct tells me we’ll need them when the US election heats up if not before.

Happy new year to everyone!

So is it too early for me to start making divorce jokes? 

I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Mostly. 

I found it quite disconcerting to watch yesterday’s news – at lunch there was news of France’s terrorist attack, then mid-afternoon brought rainbow flags and the happiest my Twitter timeline has ever been, then by dinner there was two more terror attacks and some plonkers against equal marriage tried to tell everyone that their country was in a bad state.

Hmm. Good thing we’re capable of multiple emotions in one go, eh. I keep smiling stupidly at all the rainbow sparkle vibes I’m feeling while listening to a conversation about Tunisia, so strange. 

Something funny happened to me this afternoon: I was at a vintage fair in my town and there was a box of records at a stall. I’ve no idea why I flipped through – I don’t own a record player – but halfway through there was a 1965 record by a lady named Antia Bryant, whose album consisted entirely of faith songs and hymns. The producer had written some lovely information on the back, about Ms Bryant’s genuine and heart warming faith in the Lord. It would have been completely heartwarming as well, had she not gone on to the anti-gay movement and help pass laws banning LGBT people from doing weird shit like keep jobs. 

We’ve come a long way, huh. Not all the way, not by a long shot, and I really wish more people were around to see it… But for now I’m content that something completely wonderful is happening alongside all the terror.

I have no idea if Anita Bryant is still around, but with the timing of finding her record I did find myself wondering if God exists. She might be too, come to that.
Happy wedding day to a lot of people!

Moving Image Appreciation Post #8

Last night’s MCR binge reminded me of how much I love love a) MCR and b) music videos. Let’s watch some together.

The Axis of Awesome The Holy Trinity

“What’s his job?”

This song discusses everything I ever wondered mid-RS lesson and wasn’t brave enough to ask. Kudos for the Converse-tapping.

Mindless Self Indulgence Fuck Machine AMV Cartoon

I was telling a friend about MSI yesterday and rediscovered this. I want to be a cartoon please.

The Axis of Awesome In the Club Tonight

I think we know whose CD I want for Christmas. (Also: Lorde, Lily Allen and Minchin if you’re making a list.)

If I ever have a lot of money to invest and I’ve already bought a house, remind me that I’d love to have a bar where you can dance and hang out and actually hear each other.

Join Tom Daley and Lance Black for a double date in London

I am aware this isn’t a music video, but I stumbled across it on my travels – aka saw it on Instagram – and it’s funny and for a great cause if it’s your gig but more importantly…

They were giving out trips to the Star Wars set. You could also hang with the Breaking Bad dudes. If I’d known about that, I’d have had my brother’s birthday present sorted just by entering.

Instead I think I bought him a book.

Omaze is my new career aspiration, ie if I’m ever a successful writer, I’ll put up a chance to have coffee and have an excuse to get a picture as good as this:

Ian Somerhalder Turns You into a Vampire (legit opportunity) from Omaze.com
Ian Somerhalder Turns You into a Vampire (legit opportunity) from Omaze.com

There is really nothing to add. Except that I don’t know what show Ian Somerhalder is in. I think Vampire Diaries?

This has fallen apart somewhat. I’m going to do some paperwork now.

In Which I Have a Crisis of Conduct

One thing I missed a lot while I was at school in the last couple of years was the ability to blog more than twice a week. I used to be able to spend two-plus hours on a post almost every other day, find any old shit on Google for a picture then start a comment thread about MCR fanfiction… those were simpler times indeed.

On the plus side, having very little time to post made me quite good at saving links and images for later use, which makes the whole posting shenanigans a lot easier and prevents last-minute flustering.

From cantseemtofind.tumblr.com
From cantseemtofind.tumblr.com

Fun fact: I haven’t actually finished reading The Hobbit. So far I’ve seen both film adaptations before reading the book and I must say it was quite nice not finding fault with every deviance from the original. I felt like a lay reader, for once, and not an invested fan. It was quite relaxing.

I’m starting to remember why I haven’t delved back into thrice-a-week posting sooner.

What did I talk about back in the day?!

Maybe I should do what Krista over at Effing Dykes did quite a bit, which was have reoccurring, specific posts like how to spot a certain ‘type’ of lesbian or Kelly Has a Question, which was basically Educating Straight People 101.

I just read through a couple of posts there and thought “shit I’m going to have to mention that there’s some pretty NSFW stuff over there”. Then I thought “who cares there aren’t any six-year-olds here.”

Then I thought “what if there are?”

What if there are? I could be ruining childhoods simply by swearing! Or what if I get back into journalism and decide to discuss serious topics more often than the Six O’Clock News? Or with more grim detail than usual? What if the internal battle between Stiff Upper Lipped and Quite British Francesca and Feminist Writer Francesca is won by the latter and I start discussing PMS? Or, worse, what if I start using this place as a diary and divulging the people whom I find attractive?

Actually that’s gross because while people may need to know the specifics of gang rape – or PMS – in order to function in society, no one needs to know who I do or don’t find attractive.

But still. What if there are young-ish people here? Should I curb my language or something?! I probably won’t, but still.

Show yourselves.