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#do read the celluloid closet
celluloidbroomcloset · 5 months
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People in other fandom are criticising the 1st gentlebeard kiss again, and I think we need to discuss how this is the result of oversexualation in queer media
I’m assuming that other fandom refers to the Canyon? I’ve mostly either blocked or been blocked by them, it seems, which is perfectly fine by me. They don’t want to see me and I don’t want to see them.
I’ve written, as have others, about how there’s a clear progression to those kisses, from the very tentative sweetness of the first and the absolute confidence of the last. In that beach scene, Ed can barely get out what he wants to say, and Stede doesn't immediately clock what it means (because he's dealing with that initial emotion of "I make...you...happy?"). I’m not sure what was wanted with the first kiss? Like, full-on snog? How would that make sense to either of those characters at that point? It might even have looked like assault, since Stede is obviously surprised and not quite expecting it. The fact that it is gentle and unsure is part of their relationship - they’re figuring out who they are to each other, and Ed especially is being so careful about how he does it.
In terms of oversexualization generally...I'm not a queer media scholar or critic, though I've done work with queer theory and I know a lot of Hollywood history. So much of mainstream queer media was initially about subtext and suffering - characters that were typed as queer without being made explicitly so (because they literally couldn't), stories that treated queerness as a mental illness or that ended in death and destruction. So there's been a natural pushback against all that, often outside the mainstream and then more into the mainstream now. I think there was also a desire to shock the straight world, hence things like John Waters's films, Rocky Horror, etc. (not knocking these - I fuckin' love 'em), which are also in conversation with pornography.
With Our Flag Means Death and a handful of other shows and films (Good Omens, A League of Their Own, Heartstopper, etc.) there's been major movement forward, in part because there are more queer writers/artists/creators getting a say in mainstream texts. But there's still that fear of assimilation - because mainstream. So there's a cadre that will demand that if it's queer, it's gotta be explicit. It's gotta shock the straights. Which leads, eventually, to a sanding away of complicated emotions and nuance and not allowing characters or plots to progress in an organic way. There has to be space for sexualization if it's natural to the story, but it can't be forced.
I would absolutely have been upset if all we ever got was that beach kiss, and all we ever saw was Ed and Stede barely kissing each other. That wouldn't have made sense to the story that was being told. I even remember messaging my friend after "Curse of the Seafaring Life" that I was glad they "finally got a proper kiss." And looking back, even then, I was pretty much thinking that that's all we were gonna get, because I've been so conditioned to just expect crumbs in mainstream media. (Also, like, I remember very well how Ellen lost her sitcom when she came out, how people had an absolute fit about Will & Grace featuring a nonromantic same-sex kiss, and how all the interviews around Brokeback Mountain were along the lines of "how terribly uncomfortable was it to kiss a dude?!" So the idea of two straight actors maybe possibly not being grossed out by kissing each other is relatively new, in terms of media history.)
I think some of this is a desire for all queer media to be all things. That if any show doesn’t do ALL THE THINGS, then it is bad and problematic. And that’s just not the nature of art. It would be awful if they tried to do all the things. It wouldn’t work. But that's also a result of having so little explicitly queer stuff, especially from mainstream shows/films, that when something like OFMD or Good Omens comes along, it gets picked apart and people are upset that it didn't do all the things. The more queer stories there are, the less we'll have to depend on single works and the less infighting there will be.
Well, there, I wrote way too much. This is all very complicated and I'm not trying to pretend that it's easy to distill down or that I'm 100% right here. I'd be happy to hear other opinions or caveats (that are not "no, I love Izzy, therefore you're wrong").
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variousqueerthings · 2 years
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if I had a nickle for every time thomas c howell was in a movie that resonated heavily with queer audiences that he vehemently denies can have a queer read..
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renthony · 23 days
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A significant amount of my opinions about modern queer television are influenced by researching older queer media.
I see a lot of the same vitriol in modern queer fandom discourse that has been playing out in queer spaces since film and television were invented. Shows in the 70s started making steps toward sensitivity consulting in queer media, even as the networks fought them on it. Imperfect but earnest queer representation was met with aggressive protests by homophobes and queer people who thought it wasn't good enough. The argument over good representation vs no representation has been happening for decades and decades.
You spend enough time immersed in old queer media and you really start to vibe with Harvey Fierstein's words in The Celluloid Closet documentary. Or at least, I do.
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Harvey Fierstein: "I liked the sissy. Is it used in negative ways? Yeah, but, my view has always been visibility at any cost."
The way I see it, the way to genuine, loving queer representation that showcases a vast array of experiences is to stop demanding perfection. The fewer queer stories that are allowed to exist, the more of the heavy lifting those stories have to do in the representation department.
When we have numerous queer stories, it's suddenly much less important to argue over whether the queer characters in question are "good" or "positive." They can just be queer characters who exist in the same infinite variety as straight characters. They can be messy, they can be flawed, they can be honest portrayals of the complexity of human existence.
Queer representation will never be perfect, and striving for perfection is how we shoot ourselves in the foot.
Some starter reading for those interested:
Alternate Channels: Queer Images on 20th-Century TV (revised edition) - Steven Capsuto
Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture - Matt Baume
The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies - Vito Russo
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makingqueerhistory · 17 days
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Do you have any recommendations of books/ studies/ articles about the representation of queer people in media? Thank you for all the work you do!
Yes absolutely, I would be happy to share. Any discussion like this needs to mention The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies by Vito Russo. Making Queer History does have a set of articles about this as well, with Queen Christina, Queer Codes, and Queer Coding and Different from the Others.
Some more modern books that I can vouch for are:
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The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me about (Desiring) Men
Manuel Betancourt
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It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror
Joe Vallese
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Gays on Broadway
Ethan Mordden
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Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture
Matt Baume
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We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film
Tre'vell Anderson
(Affiliate links above)
This is just what I have read though, so other's are free to add on!
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gibbearish · 2 months
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btw i mentioned this in the long post but can i just say separately how fucked it is that james Literally Said part of the reason he felt like it was ok not to credit vito russo was Because he was dead. and then goes on to say he respects him. like i wont pretend to have read the celluloid closet or know anything about vito russo but i do have the ability to read a fucking room so the fact that he feels comfortable saying this mans name LITERALLY AT ALL is insane, MUCH LESS that he plans on MAKING A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HIM. literally right after repeating the same "i put his name in the opening credits" lie that hbomb already debunked. like on what fucking planet do you think thats ok
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wongyuseokie · 1 year
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The One in Red | k.m.g
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Summary: You had a plan for New Year, go out and find some hot guy, you found a hot guy, but he won't stop with his crappy puns and pick-up lines, but when he looks that good, you can ignore it. 
☆ 18+ minors dni |☀︎fluff |  ♕ smut |  ♥ completed works 
Word Count: 1530 words
Pairings: Kim Mingyu x Female Reader 
Genre/Trope(s)/AUs: PWP, Strangers to Lovers(?) 
Content Warnings: Alcohol consumption, bad puns, and terrible pickup lines. Mingyu is wearing THAT red suit. So that’s a warning. Kissing.
Smut Warnings: Public sex, sorta? They fuck in a closet. Unprotected sex (don’t do this in real life, this is fiction). Slightly rough sex, against a wall. Big Dick! Mingyu. 
Authors Note 1: Thank you to @here4btsfics for beta'ing this fic for me. I love you so dearly 💕 also thank you to @the-boy-meets-evil @love-strike and @seungkwansphd for reading this and then yelling at me. hehehehe I love the dynamic, but really thank you all so so much for all the support as always 🥺🥰 Authors Note 2: tagging @baljinciaga because she asked 🥰 Banner Credits: @classicscreations Cross Posted to AO3 © wongyuseokie 2022. All rights reserved.
“This is so dumb,” you muttered aloud.
“Excuse me?” You turned around to see a handsome man, a man you only thought existed in celluloid and the pages of romance–erotic–novels. 
“Eavesdrop much?” You shot back, making him grin. 
“You spoke out loud to yourself, plus you said dumb,” he answered. 
“I’m guessing you turned because it’s something you get called a lot?” You fired off, and he held his hands up in defence.  
“Oh, ouch.” 
“Fuck, I’m sorry, I just, ugh. I hate the forced merriment of New Year,” you admitted, and the stranger nodded. 
“Well, what if I got you a drink to help drown the sorrows?” The man asked, and you shrugged. 
“Or better, you got me one for calling me dumb?” He offered, and you pouted and nodded as he sat at the bar next to you. 
“So, what's your name?” He asked. 
“Y/N.” 
“Pretty name for a pretty lady,” he responded, and you simply rolled your eyes. 
“What about you?” 
“Kim. Kim Mingyu,” he said, offering his hand to you, and you took it, shaking it lightly. 
“You think you’re James Bond or something with that introduction?” You joked, and he shrugged. 
“Possibly.” 
“Well, like him, you have plenty of admirers,” you said, gesturing to a group of women and men who were ogling at him. 
“To be fair, I don’t blame them,” you mumbled, the alcohol loosening your lips. 
“Oh? I look good?” Mingyu asked. 
“Oh, you know you’re hot, with this stupid red suit, and your stupid tits on display, and being tall and handsome,” you complained, making him grin. 
“I heard stupid a lot,” Mingyu added. 
“You’re incredibly hot, and I’m sure it makes anyone feel stupid,” you elaborated, making him nod as he took a sip of his drink. 
“Well, you never told me why you’re here,” Mingyu said. 
“Ugh, my friend dragged me here, but she found her catch of the night and ditched me,” you answered, and Mingyu frowned. 
“That’s kind of shitty,” Mingyu noted, and you shrugged. 
“To be fair, that was our ambitious plan, to look hot and get laid,” you admitted taking another sip of your drink. 
“Well, the night is still young,” Mingyu observed. 
“What about you? You’re hot, and I’m sure you have no problem getting someone, so why are you here?” You asked. 
“Well. Honestly? I came here for a business thing, but then I saw you in this lovely dress, and I thought, ‘aww, we match,’ and I wanted to talk to you,” Mingyu replied, and you stared at him. 
“You wanted to talk to me because I wore a dress the same colour as your suit?” 
“Yep.” 
“What if I wore a different colour?” You challenged. 
“I’d still approach you. You’re beautiful,” Mingyu responded. 
“What?” Mingyu asked when you smiled at him. 
“You’re doing better than the other guy who hit on me,” you noted. 
“Oh?” 
“Yeah, he was giving me terrible pickup lines,” you explained. 
“Oh, but some can be decent,” Mingyu defended. 
“Try me.”
“Tell me, are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all night.” Mingyu said, making you groan. 
“Nope!” 
“Do you have a map? ‘Cause I got lost in your eyes.” 
“Hell, no. Mingyu, these are terrible,” you said, laughing as you swatted his arm, noting how buff he was and imagining what it’d feel like to hold those arms as he pounded into you. 
“Well, I’m usually a lot more direct. I don’t like to waste time.” 
“Oh? Do tell.” 
Mingyu finished his drink and inched closer to you, his lips ghosting your ears, his hand finding yours as he traced it. 
“Kitten, you told me about what your plan was for tonight. Want to make it come true?” Mingyu asked, and you bit your lip to bite back a moan. 
“Oh!” 
“Unless you prefer crappy pickup lines, in that case, hey girl, is that a phone in your back pocket? Because that ass is calling me,” Mingyu said, and you let out a deep sigh, grabbed your drink and finished it. 
“Fine.”
“Fine, what?” Mingyu asked. 
“You can help make my New Years' plan come true, and it’s only because you look sinfully good and not because any of your pickup lines worked,” you responded with a pout. 
“Come on. We’re finding a room in this fancy bar,” Mingyu said, taking your hand and guiding you along with him. He moved smoothly, manoeuvring you out of the crowds and into the nearest storage room. 
Mingyu locked the door behind you before turning to face you. Your back was pressed against a wall, and you were staring– well, undressing him with your eyes. 
“Like what you see?” Mingyu asked, smirking. 
“Shut up, you know you’re hot,” you muttered, making him laugh as he approached you. 
“As are you, kitten. Do you know all I could see was red when you walked into this place tonight?” Mingyu teased. 
“One more lame joke from you, and I’m leaving you with blue balls!” You threatened, making Mingyu grin. 
“So you’ve been thinking about my balls?” Mingyu joked, making you sputter. 
“Come here, kitten, let me taste how sweet that smart mouth is,” Mingyu said as his hands found your waist and pulled you in for a kiss. His soft lips met with yours and pulled you into a searing kiss. His lips moved against yours, and his grip around your waist tightened as his tongue swiped against your bottom lip, making you moan, allowing him to slip his tongue into your mouth.
You moaned further into the kiss, and Mingyu’s hands slid down to your hips, and he pulled away from your lips. 
“Can I?” Mingyu asked, and you nodded impatiently, making him grin. 
“Fuck, you didn’t wear panties?” Mingyu asked as he hiked up your red dress to your waist. 
“I can’t be having panty lines now, can I?” You teased. 
“Yeah, clearly,” Mingyu mumbled as he moved to kneel. 
“What are you doing?” You asked, making Mingyu stand up straight and stare at you. 
“I need to prep you.” 
“Don’t be cocky. I’ll be fine,” you argued, making him smirk. 
“Very apt choice of words, kitten,” Mingyu responded with a grin. 
“Can you just fuck me?” You whined, and Mingyu grinned as he quickly moved to push his trousers down, pulling his hard length out, hissing when the cool air hit his erect member. 
“Gladly, kitten,” Mingyu responded as his arms found your waist. He easily lifted you into his arms, pressed you into the wall, and guided his thick length into you. 
“Fuck,” you gasped. You whimpered in both pain and pleasure; he was so big. 
“Could have used prep, right?”
“Shut up and fuck me.”
“With pleasure.”
“Pun intended?” You asked, and Mingyu only grinned in response. 
“Of course, kitten,” Mingyu answered before thrusting into you. 
Mingyu’s movements were rough and quick, but his thrusts were precise, and you were falling apart on his cock, embarrassingly quickly. 
“You sound so fucking wet. Can you hear yourself?” Mingyu asked, his lips ghosting your ear, his hot breath fanning your neck. You could only whimper in response. 
“Imagine if you squirted on my cock. God, I’ll walk back in there with your cum all over my trousers,” Mingyu continued to spew absolute filth as he fucked you, making you moan at the possibility. 
“Inside,” you moaned, and Mingyu swore he could have cum right then and there. 
“Fuck, okay,” Mingyu breathed out as he took a second to collect himself and then continued to pound into your cunt. 
“So good,” you moaned as you held onto his neck, possibly scratching him, as he thrust into you. One particularly hard thrust sent you ever the edge, making you cum, whimpering, and clenching around him. Mingyu came a few seconds after you and held you in his arms.
The two of you just stayed that way for a few seconds, and you were about to speak when you heard muffled cheering from outside. You looked at Mingyu, confused, who simply smiled at you. 
“Happy New Year,” Mingyu said as he pressed a soft kiss against your lips, making you smile into the kiss.
“Well, I guess I started the year with a bang?” You joked, making Mingyu laugh.
“Who’s making the shitty jokes now?” Mingyu asked. 
“It’s the sex. Your crappy humour is contagious,” you defended, and Mingyu only smiled. 
“Uh, do you want to put me down?” You asked. 
“Oh fuck, sorry!” 
Mingyu gently placed you down on the floor, helping to pull your dress down as he pulled his trousers up. 
“Pity, I didn’t soak your trousers,” you mumbled as you patted out the creases in your dress. 
“I mean, there’s always a next time?” Mingyu said, his voice low and hopeful. You placed a hand on his toned bicep, making him turn to face you. 
“Next time?”
“Well, how about you spend the first day of the new year with me?” Mingyu asked. 
“Oh?” You teased. “What’s in it for me?” 
“More orgasms, shitty jokes, and you’ll not want to spend it with anyone else,” Mingyu responded. 
“Lead the way.”
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their-we-go · 18 days
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50+ Queer Movie Recommendations
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Hi! I'm Ray, and I love queer movies. Here are all of the ones that I've seen that I can think of, including some favourites and some not-so-favourites.
Please feel free to ask me about particular movies or to recommend new ones that aren't on here yet—I'd really love to hear your suggestions!
Comedies & Rom Coms
D.E.B.S (2004)
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Big Eden (2000)
The Birdcage (1996)
Happiest Season (2020)
Imagine Me & You (2005)
Latter Days (2003)
In & Out (1997)
Booksmart (2019)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Horror & Thrillers
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
What Keeps You Alive (2018)
Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
The Handmaiden (2016)
Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Rope (1948)
Arthouse Films
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Tropical Malady (2004)
The Duke of Burgundy (2014)
Documentaries & Based on True Events
The Celluloid Closet (1996)
Disclosure (2020)
A Secret Love (2020)
Pride (2014)
Historical
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Carol (2015)
The Favourite (2018)
Desert Hearts (1985)
Maurice (1987)
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Born in Flames (1983)
All of Us Strangers (2023)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Coming of Age
The Way He Looks (2014)
The Half of It (2020)
Bottoms (2023)
Edge of Seventeen (1998)
Shelter (2007)
Boys (2014)
Do Revenge (2022)
Summer Storm (2004)
Handsome Devil (2016)
Beautiful Thing (1996)
Get Real (1998)
North Sea Texas (2011)
Heartstone (2016)
Drama
Denied (2004)
Moonlight (2016)
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
You & I (2014)
God’s Own Country (2017)
The Boys in the Band (1970)
Weekend (2011)
Thanks for reading, and happy watching!
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voylitscope · 11 months
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Stucky Recs: Pride Edition
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So, the original plan was to do dystopias and apocalypses as the next theme. I actually started that post. It's sitting in my drafts. But then between work, moving, and other real-life stuff, I sort of ran out of days in May. Now it's mid-June. And since it is mid-June -- and since part of the whole point of these rec lists is the theming -- I thought I'd go for Pride recs instead.
We'll do dystopias in July.
I could have done a lot of different rules/qualifiers with this theming, but, for this time/post I went with, "actively has sexuality themes as a decently large plot point." I ended up with 12 fics.
Note: As part of my personal campaign to combat the persistent idea that every great fic in this fandom was written in 2015, I'm now marking recs of fics written post-2016 and recs of fics written post-Endgame.
Canon
🏳️‍🌈 Tin Soldiers | idrilka | Teen | 19,743 words
You know what's great? Fake pop culture, fake academia, and fake social media. This fic makes such good use of all of those things and is so smart about it. I love that this fic narratively sandwiches CA:TWS. So a large part of the point here is the public perception of Steve, and of SteveandBucky right before, during, and then after the events of CA:TWS, in a world where all of that is real. The way it's done is brilliant and feels so true and accurate to life. There is live tweeting and live reactions. There are news headlines. There's fandom culture and blogging. There are social media arguments. It's just so well done. There are a lot of fics that look, at least briefly, at the public perception/use of Steve's legend in some way, and a lot of them are fantastic. I'm just so especially of fond of this fic. There's a hyper-realism to it. Plus, it includes a scene of people live reacting to Steve spontaneously and bluntly coming out on CNN. It's some beautiful stuff.
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As Michelle Mbatha argues in The Anatomy of a Sidekick, “Barnes’ transition from a partner to a sidekick marks the point at which the relationship between Barnes and Rogers becomes that of a mentor and pupil, thus effectively prohibiting any potentially »unsavoury« readings of their partnership” (121). In this sort of dynamic, one which emphasizes the much more prominent age difference, there is, indeed, no place for any assumptions of queerness or any sort of code similar to that which permeated cinematographic works of the time, signifying penalizable, “forbidden” practices falling under the censorship guidelines (see also: The Celluloid Closet, 1995). Bucky, then, in taking his place as Captain America’s teenage sidekick, becomes figuratively castrated in order to appear effectively sexless and thus avoid any possibility of coding their relationship as queer.
Moreover, the insistence upon heteronormative and ultimately exclusionary interpretations of Rogers’ relationships with Barnes and Carter respectively, both in the comics and in biographical writings, comes from the need to reaffirm the image created by the American propaganda, which constructed Captain America to reflect the intrinsically jingoistic policies of the United States, to propagate the myth of American machismo and uphold the wholesome image of the American everyman at the same time.
🏳️‍🌈Let me be buried under your name | tempestaurora | Teen | 50,669 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**
Oh no. This one. So, sometimes, my notes on fics in my rec database have sensible things like comments about tropes or moments I definitely want to point out. Other times, well -- The notes on this one say, "DOG TAGS," and also, "OH GOD." Which is very helpful of me. To myself. But I will say more coherent words about it to all of you. I imagine that fics that have both wartime and post-TWS scenes are emotionally trying for us all, and this very painful, and very beautiful fic is certainly a good example of why. There is a heartbreaking quality to the wartime Bucky POV, the during Hydra captivity POV, and the post-TWS Bucky POV that has really stayed with me. Bucky's thought processes, and his descriptions of Steve at various points, especially, are so observant and vulnerable all at once. It's also all just -- Guttingly but wonderfully romantic.
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Maybe he’d read before the light died entirely. Steve had bought him a pulp novel at the market and Bucky had been working through it slowly, dragging out the story and making it last, to make the most of the pages. He’d likely read it three times over before trading it for something else, and even then he’d tell the story to himself – mythical, magical things he’d never even thought of existing; time travel and other worlds, aliens and laser guns and space ships, exploring the stars. His eyes fluttered shut, and he just listened to Steve’s breathing, to him drawing, to the birds outside the window. He’d more than once thought that he could live in this moment forever; that he’d be more than happy to live out the rest of his days just like this one, with Steve and a crummy apartment and a warm summer day. Screw marriage, kids, and a house in the suburbs – this was where Bucky pictured when he thought of home. This was what he’d be imagining on the cold nights in Europe. This was what he’d fight to come home to.
🏳️‍🌈We wear red so they don't see us bleed | unicornpoe | Teen | 2,161 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**
This is the most beautifully tense little fic. A canon-divergent-before-canon-starts fic (I never know how to classify those. If it's AU, but Steve and Bucky still move in together by like, 1939-ish... is it fully AU? Like, yes because them as childhood friends is important, obviously, but also -- in the grand scheme of overall canon -- sort of no?) that has Steve and Bucky sitting in jail cell doing this dance of little cues about each other. This is all little words and gazes and touches; there is a conversation under a conversation in this fic. They're having this casual chat as strangers in jail, except they're also having this whole second secret dialogue underneath it where they're trying to make sure they speak each other's language. Also? I adore this characterization. I love it.
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Bucky stands up and crosses the cell in two long strides, draping himself in clean lines along the section of free bench next to Steve; he pulls one leg up beneath him and stretches the other out, so that their ankles almost touch. Turned toward Steve as Bucky is, he can watch fully the sharp, barely-there movement of Steve’s eyes flickering down to their legs, and then back up to the wall across from them. He doesn’t turn to Bucky. It’s mostly silent in here. There’s a faint murmur of voices somewhere down the hallway, the quiet, steady tick of a clock hidden from view, the various noises of the men locked up with them—but other than that, nothing. “Where’d a guy like you learn to throw a punch like that?” Bucky asks finally, when he’s spent too long staring at the delicate, fucked-up line of this man’s profile, spent too long raking his eyes over and over again down the line of his feather-soft lashes. The corner of Steve’s mouth ticks up, just slightly, just a little bit.
Shrunkyclunks
💗I just met you (and this is crazy) | littlesystems | Explicit | 41,784 words | *Post-2016 Rec*
This is one of those fics that surprised me with just how much I liked it. I certainly wasn't expecting to dislike it, but I was not expecting to love it so much, either. It's a joy, though, just a total feel-good joy. It's a fic that has Steve and Bucky pretty instantly head-over-heals for each other, something I never ever object to, and the instant attraction works so well here. I think, too, so much of what I love about this one, is that they make each other so happy in it -- like the two of them truly just get dumber and happier and more in love with every 100 or so words of this fic. So then I get happier and happier as I continue to read it. Seriously, this fic is a joy in part because Steve's POV is so damn giddy and joyful about Bucky. I love that. It's good stuff.
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“You’re a person, Steve. And if people hurt you or take advantage of you, that’s not your fault, either. You should be able to go to a bar. You should be able to hook up with some guy. There’s nothing wrong with any of that. The fact that someone took pictures is the photographer’s fault. And the fact that newspapers decided to print it is the editors’ fault. And the fact that some fuckwad decided to lie for a quick buck is his fault. You may regret it, and that’s fine. But I don’t want to hear you blame yourself again. Got that?” Steve nods. His throat feels tight enough that he’s not sure he can speak. Bucky tips their foreheads together and they sit in silence, until Steve has naturally matched his breathing to Bucky’s - slow, deliberate, relaxed, and not geared up for a fight. Bucky kisses him softly, then.
💗The Voyager | notlucy | Explicit | 76,740 words | *Post-2016 Rec*
I am a sucker for the Steve and Bucky road trip fic. A very recently arrived in 21st century Steve on a road trip with a modern Bucky? All that time alone? In those motels? That might or might not have the right number of beds? This is a good trope that we should very much use forever. This fic is such a classic sort of road trip fic. Honestly, I've never been on any sort of proper, real road trip, but I'd like to think this fic feels like a road trip -- what they must feel like, anyway. There's such freedom in the storytelling here. There's a suspended sense of time in this fic. There's a way this fic rolls along with a pace that makes sense here, in this story -- it's a pace that definitely wouldn't work in all stories, which is exactly why it does, in this one. It's lovely, it's a little bit surreal, and it stays with you long after you finish it.
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“Wow,” Bucky managed. Words were difficult when faced with something so spectacular, the canyon spread out before them lit with the slow, smoldering burn of that deep, ancient glow. “Awesome,” Steve murmured, the word incongruous in his mouth. Bucky nearly poked fun, until he realized Steve meant it literally - what they were seeing was awesome. Smiling, he leaned his head against Steve’s shoulder before entwining their fingers, not caring a whit who might see them. Who might care. At that moment, Bucky wanted to tell the entire world, because he was in love. Except it wasn’t love. Strong like, maybe. Effortlessly increasing affection, sure. But not love. You couldn’t fall in love that fast. He’d only known Steve since May, after all. It was at most infatuation. Appreciation. Fascination. Bucky was a very level-headed person. It wasn’t love. But it was something.
Modern
🌈On The Back of a Raindrop | musette22 @musette22 | Explicit | 52,215 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**
Something I love to read in kid fics is any time that thing happens where it's not just Steve and Bucky acting like a couple without being together yet, but a group of people starting to act like a family unit in every single way -- except that no one has talked about that, or acknowledged it, and technically, someone is actually still the neighbor, or the babysitter, or, in this case, the gardener. I love that, and I love this fic, specifically. Featuring this sweetest and loveliest and healthiest family forming in a backyard garden over the months of a beautiful summer. It's so domestic, so intimate, and it happens so naturally over the course of this story. It makes everything feel so perfectly meant to be, so romantic, and so satisfying. Also! One of my database notes on this one is, "SARAH," because this is a fic with a very alive Sarah Rogers, and I love, love, love, Steve and Sarah's relationship in this fic.
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Now that he’s gotten to know him, seen him with the twins, has gradually watched Bucky’s tan deepening and bringing out the grey-blue of his eyes, Steve is so wildly attracted to him sometimes that it knocks the breath right out of him. It’s how he ends up sketching Bucky again on Wednesday, from his usual spot in the shade. He makes sure to make it a PG rendition this time, including Gracie and Miles as well, so that when later, Bucky asks him ‘Hey, whatcha drawin’?’, Steve can actually show him the sketch. Bucky is silent for the longest time when Steve hands over his sketchbook. For a moment, Steve almost panics, wondering if he accidentally forgot to draw Bucky’s jeans or something, but then Bucky looks up, a look in his eyes that Steve can’t quite pinpoint. “This is amazing, Steve. Could I… Would you mind if I hold on to it, maybe?” Steve blinks in surprise. “Of course, yeah. I mean, it’s not my best work. I could do you something better if you like.” “It’s perfect,” Bucky frowns, seeming almost offended Steve would suggest otherwise. “I love it.”
🌈One for Fiction | thepinupchemist | Explicit | 6,713 words |*Post-2016 Rec*
I very much enjoy a shrinkyclinky-ish modern fic where Bucky is a disaster about the fact that Steve, like, exists. I am just so here for this, and this very adorable fic is a top-tier demonstration of that. Featuring a Veteran-turned-librarian Bucky and a barista Steve, and a lot of awkward flirting. At a library! Also featuring a lot of Bucky being a disaster about Steve, but also a lot of Steve being like, "...have you? seen? or? met? yourself? You are definitely the catch here." It's cute. They're cute. This fic is cute.
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“Fun fact about the library,” Bucky went on, “As long as no one can see your computer screen, you’re allowed to look at porn. That’s protected under intellectual freedom.” Steve raised a brow. “Interesting.” They meandered back to Bucky’s display. The night, as far as nights went, was a quiet one for the library, and the cafe was a ghost town, but for the group of teenagers with bags of McDonald’s scattered across the table and AP History books open on their laps. “Where’d everyone get their pronoun pins?” asked Steve, as Bucky pushed his stepladder upright, collected his tape dispenser, and climbed back up to finish hanging the flag garland. “They make ‘em at one of our sister libraries,” Bucky said, “Have a pin press over there and everything. I’m picking up a couple of shifts for one of the ladies over there next week; you want me to grab you some?” See, Bucky used to be this smooth. He used to be this smooth all the time. Apparently, trauma and PTSD aside, he could still be smooth every once in a while. A pleased little smile tilted beautiful Steve’s beautiful lips. He said, “That would be awesome. Do they have pride ones, too? Like your rainbow?” Does Steve like men? Steve might like men. Be cool, Barnes. Don’t be weird.
🌈Wholesale Change | biblionerd07 | Mature | 83,320 words | *Post-2016 Rec*
You know how sometimes you're the captain of an NHL team, and you're very talented, but over the years you've gained a bad reputation? And so your people all but force you to do a The Bachelor-esq dating show? And you've been having a terrible few years and feel like your life is falling apart? And also you're bisexual and closeted because of the whole NHL thing? And also the camera guy on that dating show is your long-lost very attractive best friend? Who also used to play hockey? Look, this fic has a ridiculous premise. In the best possible way. It's a delightfully ridiculous premise. It's so much fun. There's literally a dating show. Steve gets mad about dating show manipulations and lies! And, you know, Steve definitely ends up selecting one of the dating show contestants. Steve definitely does not fall for Bucky instead! Steve definitely does not purposefully out himself on live TV. Steve absolutely follows the rules and sees the dating show contract through! Because as we all know, Steve Rogers follows rules and does what people with authority tell him to do. Always and at all times. So much fun. So delightful.
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“I’m so tired of lying,” Steve says. He almost sags with the weight of it all, now that’s admitted it. He was trying so hard to outrun it all. Outskate it all, maybe. But he’s been losing for a long time now. “I know,” Bucky murmurs. “I’m sorry. But I don’t think letting him tell the world is going to make you feel any better. You need to tell the truth on your own terms.” Steve sighs and leans his shoulder against Bucky’s. “I’ll talk to whoever I pick,” he says. They deserve that, at least. He doesn’t want to pick someone under false pretenses. Falser, anyway. “You won’t get much alone time,” Bucky warns. “But I’m sure you can find a way.” “Nothing gets in Captain America’s way when his mind’s made up,” Steve says in his cheesy commercial voice. It was a line from some ad campaign he did for a sports drink he didn’t even like. Bucky snorts. “I was thinking more about Steve Rogers,” Bucky says. “That asshole’s unstoppable.” And after a line like that? All Steve can do is kiss him.
🌈Songbird | chicklette | Explicit | 70,843 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**
I am very fond of this fic. It's music industry closeting -- but then planned sexuality revealing. Through lies. This is a fic that starts off with what should have been a one-night stand -- a great one, as one-night stands go, but a one-night stand. Except, pictures are taken of them very early the next morning, hugging, in front of Steve's apartment. And Bucky is very famous and very not out. Bucky's already got a damaged reputation and a host of other problems, and so his team decides that, actually, Bucky pretending to date some non-famous, pretty-faced, nice boy for a couple months might do his reputation some good. So, then, as you can imagine, being Steve and Bucky, the two of them spend the fic doing a very excellent, really great, just super good job, at sticking to having a formal arrangement. A no sex, no feelings, totally-just-a-business-deal-smile-for-the-camera-thing. They're total pros at it, okay? It goes so well for them. They definitely succeed. Just because, whatever, they quickly become friends and get close, it's totally still fine. They're definitely still doing really amazing at this, alright? They've got it under control. They're not going to crack on any of this. No sex. No not-for-the-cameras-kissing. No feelings. No one will cry at any point. Nope. They're So Good at this. Like I said, I'm super fond of this one.
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Steve smiles, his face going all soft and sweet, and it’s like a knife to Bucky’s heart. Ten more weeks, and someone else gets all those smiles. It’s a Goddamned shame, is what it is. His thoughts are uncomfortable enough that Bucky gets up and goes to the railing, looking back out over Manhattan. All the people there, living their lives, day in and day out. How many broken hearts is he looking at right now? How many people starry-eyed with new love? How many people, he wonders, comfortable in an old love, one that’s solid and still growing, deeply rooted, secure enough to be safe, but fresh enough to still bloom? “Penny for your thoughts,” Steve says, and Bucky tilts his head to look at him. “There’s a million love songs happening right now, just waiting for someone to write them.” “That’s awful hopeful, coming from you.” Bucky chuckles. “Nah, I was just wondering how many people we’re looking at right now with broken hearts.”
🌈Strong Saftey | queenmab_scherzo | Mature | 23,043 words
As a first note here, I will point out that this fic is a sequel to Targeting, and it is probably most satisfying when read with full context. But I really do think it can absolutely be read on its own. I really, really appreciate and love the way this fic handles Bucky and trauma. (the Targeting 'verse mirrors canon very closely, re: bad things happening to Bucky. Except that it's about college football.) Bucky's headspace here, and the way that then translates to his actual dialogue/actions is so, so well done. Plus, Steve and Bucky are preestablished in this fic, and it's healthy and lovely and romantic and makes me emotional-- Bucky is so hard on himself about everything, all the time, but he's got Steve, who is wonderfully loving and supportive. Also! Bucky befriends a cat. Also! Bucky legitimately has Steve saved in his phone like this: "Punk ❤️."
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"Vanilla latte, no whip?" the barista calls. Steve goes to the counter for his drink, but keeps his ears open. "I just wanted to tell you—I came out to my high school team last week. And, um. It's gone really well actually." "Wow," Bucky croaks. "Yeah, it just, I've been scared about it for a long time, but then you told the whole NFL, so I thought—yeah. I just wanted to say … thanks." From the corner of his eye, Steve can see them shake hands. "Wow," Bucky says again. He clears his throat a little. "Thank you. I mean, thanks for telling me." "I'm headed out to visit Oregon now, actually." "Football?" "Yeah." "Holy shit," Bucky says, candid as ever. "That's legit, man. Good luck." "Thank you." The kid starts to turn away, then adds: "For everything." When Steve goes back to Bucky's side, Bucky is staring into the paper bag at his donut. He sniffs, audibly.
"Are you crying?" Steve asks quietly. "No." Steve can't see his eyes through the sunglasses, but his nose is really red. It makes Steve smile. He doesn't press the issue.
🌈Rough Edges | sparkagrace @sparkagrace | Mature | 33,278 words | **Post-Endgame Rec**
Showmances and Rivals-to-Lovers on the Stars on Ice Tour! There's a lot to be excited about here. This fic is such a delight, truly. I love it. You know that post that goes, "What is a rival other than a crush you're mad about having?" Steve spends the first chunk of this fic so disproportionately angry at Bucky for incredibly minor things. Like standing in rooms or... skating. It's amazing. But then there is bonding and heart-to-hearts. Often on skating benches! And, as it turns out, those two being around each other a lot is, as always, a very, very good thing, in the long run. One that helps them both. Also! Becca texts Bucky lots of pictures of Alpine -- pictures from Alpine. Also! Bucky and Nat have a somewhat frighteningly intense friendship/skating partnership and it's all just so, so great.
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Bucky continues on the corner edges while Steve sorts through one of the color groups. He thinks he has enough to make up branches of the tree that was displayed on the front of the box. He likes it when he finds the pieces that fit together, it’s like his brain fires little electrons of glee when they slot into place perfectly. He tries not to think about the fact it’s the same feeling he gets sometimes when he and Bucky execute their twizzles in perfect synchronicity. The same way he likes the sound of their prop swords clashing when they’re choreographing their throne number. Everything seems to feel matched when he’s around Bucky lately, like they’re synced partners as much as he is with Maria or Bucky is with Natasha. Puzzle pieces. Bucky seems to be enjoying it too. The quiet as they work together to put together this puzzle that neither of them would have looked twice at if they weren’t desperate for a distraction. A distraction from his heartache, from Bucky’s boredom… from the way that Bucky keeps looking over at him, from how he wishes they were doing this under different circumstances.
🌈Right where we are | steveandbucky | Teen | 10,395 words
This is actually the first fic in a whole 'verse, and they're all super sweet and super lovely. I really enjoy the way this Steve and Bucky build their relationship. I love seeing them get to have happier lives where they just get to be good for each other and good to each other, and this 'verse's Steve and Bucky, who do their best to communicate and who are so so cutely smitten from the gate, are great for that.
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“Hi,” Bucky smiles again, wider this time and the effect it has on Steve is embarrassing, since he can barely get out a greeting in response. Bucky looks ten times better in person. His now longer hair parted in the middle, and he has a two-day-old stubble, looking gorgeous in a navy blue shirt and dark form-fitting jeans. “Fancy running into you here,” he says as he leans closer to be heard above the music. Steve gets a waft of cologne, a sharp and somewhat sweet scent that draws him in as he briefly leans in to speak close to Bucky’s ear. “I’m just here with some friends, I swear I’m not stalking you.” Bucky laughs heartily, ducking his head and crinkling his nose as he does. It’s the cutest thing Steve’s ever seen, and fuck if he wouldn’t spend every minute of every day trying to get Bucky to laugh like that again. “Didn’t think you were stalking me. But what a coincidence, huh?” Bucky says, still grinning. “Nice to finally meet you, Steve Rogers.”
Bonus:
So, this is WIP, and I haven't started reading it yet. But! From everything I know about it, it absolutely fits what I'm going for on this rec list. Also, I've loved every other fic by @zenaidamacrouras1 that I've read. So while I can't actually rec something without reading it, I did feel like this should be in this post somewhere:
Unpredictable Synchronicity | Zenaidamacrouras1 | Mature | 106,788 words (WIP)
Second bonus:
These are fics that 100 percent should/would be on this list, except that I literally just rec'd them in my Brooklyn stories post. They are wonderful for all reasons described in the Brooklyn post:
Three White Horses | magdaliny | Mature | 16,601 words
Not In The Answer But The Question |  aimmyarrowshigh @aimmyarrowshigh | Teen | 27,382 Words
Ill With Want | thedoubteriswise | Mature | 26,999 words
This turned into a very long post, but that feels fitting. Happy Pride! 🌈
Like I said, next up will be dystopias, apocalypses, etc.
More Recs
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ninjakittenarmy · 4 months
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Something’s been bugging me about Sommerton. And I don’t mean the… well, everything. Something minor that HBomberGuy mentioned.
See, when people realized his video Codebreakers was just The Celluloid Closet and a few other stolen sources, he took it down and reuploaded it as “Queering Cinema (By Any Means Necessary)”.
What the fuck does that mean? “By any means necessary”? It’s literary analysis from a queer perspective. That’s the means. What other means could you possibly use? By any means necessary implies that you may need to do something more drastic. You gonna like, force Hollywood to come up with more queer interpretations of movies via force of arms?
The title refers to queer readings of existing movies, so it’s not about pressuring them to make more queer coded movies. It’s literary analysis, that’s the means. That’s it.
The only thing I could think of that could be considered drastic is making massive leaps and pulling readings out of your ass which I mean, Todd in the Shadows proved he loves making shit up but something tells me this implication wasn’t his intention, and the bulk of the video is already established readings (because he stole them).
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katkit-42 · 5 months
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I haven't finished hbomb's video yet, so I know he mentions this but IDK if he expands upon it more later BUT
In the illuminaughtii bit, he points out how YouTube video essays are a very collaborative art form. People ask for tips about editing, people talk to each other, people work together--hell, even individual channels often have teams working together.
And that's what makes me so sad about the Internet Historian and James Somerton's plagiarism. Like, I loved the "Man in a Cave" video. The script was top notch. I'm so mad that IH stole the entire script wholesale because if he had reached out and asked, I feel like it would have been really cool. If he had said "hey, Mental Floss/Lucas Reilly, I would love to use this article as a script", he still would have gotten the views (as he did provide the narration, the other voice actors, and the animation), but so would the other creator! Without Reilly's writing, the video would not be (and is not) as good. I don't know what career Reilly wants, but no matter what it was, having a video that went that viral would have given it a huge boost. It's not just that IH stole the revenue, IH stole future career prospects that Reilly deserved.
And then going onto James Somerton's videos. We all know that every video is basically a "collaboration against people's wills". If you truly thought all these people had great, worthwhile ideas, why didn't you truly collaborate with them? Why not truly work with the writers? And it's not impossible to do so. Somerton [allegedly] read Tinkerbells and Evil Queens. He [allegedly] watched The Celluloid Closet. It's not unheard of to take a bunch of articles about the same subject and synthesize them together into a cohesive narrative--he's READ THE BOOKS THAT DONE THAT [allegedly].
But I know why. It's because these guys (and Blair and Filip and people who do this) want to be the ubermensch. They can't help but want to be the one-man team. They want to say "I did this and no one else" and bask in how amazing it is for one person to put out such high quality work at such a high quantity. They can't stand to share the spotlight.
And they make more bank this way.
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I finally watched the new Rock Hudson documentary All That Heaven Allowed on HBO Max. As a casual observer, I thought they handled the subject well. I'm not sure if Rock has a substantial lesbian fanbase or not, but my gay friends and I watched it together as a double feature with the Lucy and Desi documentary directed by Amy Poehler. Both films moved us to tears. The personal lives of the Stars do not interest us. Both films were a nice tribute to their craft. I appreciate those who can remember the legacy of these great Hollywood Icons.
Regarding the Rock Hudson film, I can't say what was embellished or not, as a casual observer. I’ve read most Rock Hudson bios out there so the film was nothing new for me but I appreciate that they made this anyway. It seemed to pull no punches. I'm sure those who were close and personal with Rock would be able to spot the inaccuracies, if any. But there was a tremendous amount of involvement from close friends and ex-lovers as well as the Rock Hudson estate, and none of them were trying to do him dirty. They all just wanted to remember him in the best way possible, as a great actor and a truly nice man.
My only complaint with the film is that I didn't care to know the intimate details of his personal affairs, but that was to be expected. I think the film could have easily omitted those segments and still driven home their message. Parts of it were  a tad gossip-y... I guess they thought it would sell better. But I don’t think the film meant any real harm. They did want to discuss the struggles of gay folks back then and it’s hard to talk about Rock without talking about the Celluloid Closet. It is most definitely un-apologetically gay and I have no qualms with that.
The film is still a nice tribute. 
I've read through press interviews with the director and he seems to have a true appreciation for Rock’s talent. There has been an overwhelming positive reception from the gay community who have viewed the film, so I think that's a good sign. The filmmakers properly spread awareness on the AIDS epidemic. I believe the intent was to memorialize a Star of a bygone era. 
I think the Lucy and Desi documentary was better but I would still recommend it.
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celluloidbroomcloset · 4 months
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I saw a few folks talking about how they can’t write meta/analyze media and I have a suggestion—read some film theory. Not criticism—theory. Consider angles, philosophies, contexts, ways of analyzing media that's not about whether the media is Good or Bad, but how it works.
(Please note: I'm not saying you have to do this in order to write meta or analysis, but theory is an excellent starting point for close reading texts and a lot of the writing within film and TV especially is very accessible.)
A few recs:
Film Theory and Criticism, eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. This collects a massive amount of work, important essays, and important perspectives on various aspects of theory and critique. Really a foundational text that keeps on being updated.
From Caligari to Hitler. I believe literally everyone should read this book (or even just the introduction) to understand how film reflects and affects national character. This is specifically about Germany between the wars, but it is frightening how applicable a lot of it is to our current moment.
The Celluloid Closet. One of the seminal texts in studying queerness in film. There's also an accompanying documentary that is excellent.
Monsters in the Closet. This is specifically about horror film, but is one of the first to explore how queerness in particular is typed and exploited in horror.
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Laura Mulvey defined the male gaze for an entire generation of feminist film scholars and critics. Her essay is slightly dated but still essential and applicable.
The Dread of Difference. Collects a group of important feminist essays specifically about horror films. Again, a lot of the work is quite applicable overall.
The Monstrous Feminine. Barbara Creed's work is essential feminist film theory.
The Women Who Knew Too Much. Modleski is a Hitchcock scholar and her work is expansive and entertaining.
From Reverence to Rape. Very much a companion to Mulvey, addressing the way that Hollywood itself distorts female roles. Again, some datedness, but important and easy to read.
Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies. bell hooks. Don't need to say more.
Any other film folks can add more, but these are the ones that I think are the most interesting and accessible as starting points.
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nerdgirlriot · 5 months
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The plagiarism video and my brain
I need to gather up my thoughts because my brain has done some really heavy lifting with some of my past experiences and it's a wild ride. Not sure how coherent this is going to be, but! I'm going to try and unpack some of it.
Hbomberguy, a video essayist on Youtube, recently released a hefty video (it's, like, 4 hours long) about plagiarism on the platform, focusing on a few other content creators before getting to the bulk of the video, which is about James Somerton, a commentator who does videos about LGBTQ+ representation in media. hbomberguy has come with ALL the RECEIPTS proving without a shadow of a doubt that Somerton stole most of his content from other writers, reading their words and claiming them as his own. It's shitty, but unfortunately not inherently illegal, particularly since Somerton almost always backtracks when accused and then reups those videos with the barest of efforts to credit the original writers.
So, I have no idea who Somerton is. I sort of(?) recall some sort of controversy about a Youtuber who stole from The Celluloid Closet (a famous documentary about homosexuality and Hollywood) but I do remember that the person apologized and pointed out that there was very little research in the way of queer people in American media so of course he HAD to borrow heavily from Celluloid Closet. I sort of shrugged at the time and moved on, never thinking about it again until I watched the hbomberguy video
And hoo boy it's a lot to pack. Somerton apparently never had an original idea in his head. All the great points he's made in his videos were made by other people whom he stole words from, and when he DID have original content in his videos, it was largely misogynist and...rather racist too? Ouch.
So in the middle of the video, hbomberguy points out that Somerton did a video about the fascist themes in the anime Attack on Titan.  And I started to freak out. I, myself, wrote an op-ed for syfy.com about fascism and anime, and I mentioned Attack on Titan. it was originally posted in October of 2018, a full 4 years before Somerton did his video, so i was rather worried that he'd also plagiarised ME (this is how my brain works, and considering the full extent of obscure sources Somerton used for his videos, I don't think my fear was unfounded). The original article doesn't exist on syfy.com anymore, as they decided that Fangrrls as a vertical just wasn't working for their brand and they stripped years of work from female writers from their site. I have a backup of the article here for reference. 
As for whether Somerton plagiarised me, I feel icky but I ended up downloading the transcript for the video in question and perused through it. I don't THINK he stole any of my words, because the bulk of the video is about the anti-semitic elements in Attack on Titan's later seasons. When I wrote my piece, the fascist elements were still fairly subtle and the big reveal about the Eldians being treated as second class citizens, a once great power (given holy gifts by "God" no less) reduced to living in ghettos and wearing armbands and definitely being coded as Jewish people, hadn't come in yet. My op-ed was about fascism in anime in general, and I mentioned more than just Attack on Titan. I imagine that if my article were still widely available, Somerton might've taken from it. But is that my ego talking? It's probably my ego talking. But I know for SURE that this particular piece still sent a ripple through the larger anime community.
I know this because I am a woman who dared share an opinion on the internet and suddenly anime weebs were spreading the article through twitter and facebook and calling me out for writing a shitty take. 
Was my take shitty? IDK, I still got paid for it and I actually wish I'd written more about it but my editor said that it was fine and the article's like 5 years old at this point and waaaaaaay out of date now since AoT's fascist themes have grown so much more blatant. I only scratched the surface, while newer takes on AoT have the benefit of more story to make their arguments more sound. Some of THESE articles, the more recent ones, Somerton definitely stole from because hbomberguy proved it in his video. I'm just watching from the sidelines right now, very bemused and my brain is coming up with what-if's by the truckload.
I'm just unpacking this now because I don't think I ever fully faced the criticisms I received because of my initial op-ed. My editor warned me that my work could be inflammatory and that I should brace myself. I locked down my Twitter account (as my editor suggested) and ignored any messages from people I didn't recognize for about 2 weeks after the article was posted. Sure enough, the article was spread tens of thousands of times on FB and Twitter. Some of the comments I'd seen called me "misinformed" (fair), "ethnocentric" (I suppose), a "dumb bitch," (possibly?), a "woke SJW" (thanks!), and, most horribly, "white", which for some reason offended me more than the ones calling me a dumb bitch.
One big argument against my op-ed boiled down to the fact that I, as an American, am not aware of the subtleties in Japanese media and I didn't understand Japan's own relationship with its past and I put a Western viewpoint on it (ethnocentrism at its finest). Me...a Filipino-American. Me, a descendent of people (Filipinos) who were subjected to Japan's imperialist expansion in Asia. The Philippines became a battleground between Japanese and Allied forces in WWII. Bataan Death March? Hello? I know my history, but I didn't place this in the article. I thought my mentions of Japan's occupation of China and Korea were enough to show that Japan definitely had imperialist and fascist tendencies in its history and MAYBE that might provide a throughline to why Japanese media is still fascinated with this stuff but it wasn't enough, I guess. It is...a puzzle.
Oh and the original idea for "srsly what's up with Nazis and anime?" came from J, my significant other, who is Japanese-American.
Where's my brain going this? I don't know, but I think I'm happy I'm getting this off my chest now?
I'm sorry and if you read this all the way through, I'm grateful to ya'll.
EDIT: and America is as guilty of burying the sins of the past as much as any other country. Think about the historical revisionist movements which claim that African slaves liked working in plantations because we need to tell American kids these lies to feel better about themselves and not hate their own country. When my views were called "ethnocentric", what POV did my critics think I SHOULD have used? Or are we looking at a case of me "interrogating the narrative from the wrong perspective"?
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renthony · 14 days
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I saw your post about queer representation with starter reading! I was just wondering, are any of those texts available in an audio/spoken format? Or maybe any audio resources you know or that cover similar ideas? Unfortunately I’ve struggled a lot more with visually *reading* and comprehending longer texts in the aftermath of Long COVID (which is so sad because I love to read!!!) But I’ve always been a strong auditory learner and I’ve found that listening to something read aloud, or a podcast, things like that, I have an easier time absorbing it. No worries if that’s not your thing. Looking forward to seeing your essays and have a good day!
Alternate Channels by Steven Capsuto has a revised text edition, but I didn't see an audiobook option when I did a quick search. I might have missed it, though, so if anyone reading this has further info, drop it in the comments.
I don't believe there's an audiobook of The Celluloid Closet, but there is a documentary based on it, also titled The Celluloid Closet. I have the DVD version, so I'm not sure off the top of my head where you might be able to watch it online, but it's a great resource to check out if you're able.
Matt Baume's Hi Honey, I'm Homo! has an audiobook version. It's listed via Audible on the author's website, but it may also be available through your local library or Libby. If you can't get your hands on it that way, the book is based on a series of excellent video essays that are free on the author's YouTube channel. I like to put them on in the background while I do things around the house, so they're pretty solid even if you just listen instead of watching. I know video's not accessible to everyone, but I wanted to mention it as an option just in case. :)
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TOMORROW. watch the rest of dragonfire + that fairytale monkees episode + either the celluloid closet or the hunger. read my book. paint. this is the stupidest to do list ever but whatever i need to forcily remind myself to do things i enjoy. also literature homework. goodnight for realsies now
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nedlittle · 1 year
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i read a total of 15 books in december (170% of my yearly goal) and 5179 pages (185% of my yearly goal). my favourite was the fitzosbornes at war by michelle cooper, and my least favourite was loch down abbey by beth cowan-erskine.
full breakdown of star ratings and reviews under the cut 🖊📚
loch down abbey by beth cowan-erskine 2⭐ [historical, mystery] [review]
don't look now and other stories by daphne du maurier 3.5⭐ [horror, classics] [review]
the celluloid closet: homosexuality in the movies by vito russo 4.5⭐ [film, queer] [review]
viviana valentine gets her man (viviana valentine #1) by emily j. edwards 3.25⭐ [history, mystery] [review]
bad kids by zijin chen (tr. michelle deeter) 4⭐ [crime, thriller] [review]
trick mirror: reflections on self-delusion by jia tolentino 3.75⭐ [essays] [review]
missing, presumed dead by emma berquist 3.5⭐ [queer, fantasy, ya] [review]
island queen by vanessa riley 3⭐ [historical, romance] [review]
little fish by casey plett 4⭐ [queer, contemporary] [review]
secrets typed in blood (pentecost & parker #3) by stephen spotswood 3.5⭐ [historical, mystery, queer] [review]
northanger abbey by jane austen 3.5⭐ [classics, romance] [review]
ghostland: an american history in haunted places by colin dickey 5⭐ [history, sociology] [review]
the fitzosbornes in exile (the montmaray journals #3) by michelle cooper 5⭐ [historical fiction, ya] [review]
the girls: sappho goes to hollywood by diana mclellan 3⭐ [nonfiction, film] [review]
what the living do: poems by marie howe 3.75⭐ [poetry] [review]
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