julianne ross

writer

[iamjulianneross]

“With so many demands dictating what and how they should be, women often don’t have enough space to be people — selfish, generous, complicated people — at all. This makes Ferrante’s refusal to market herself alongside her work — an intensely feminine masterpiece in a world where our literary titans are still almost all men — even more subversive, a rejection of the burden we place on female artists to give us more than whatever they create.”

For MTV, I wrote about Elena Ferrante and the burdens of female fame.

[heroinesinheels]

are y’all loving jessica jones as much as i am? totally passes the heroines in heels test – just look at those practical boots!

[iamjulianneross]

People have long pointed to things like saying “Happy Holidays” in lieu of “Merry Christmas” as evidence of a growing “pc” culture, while conveniently ignoring their own demand that society always reflect and reaffirm their personal beliefs.

Saying Starbucks’ move is discriminatory towards Christians is just another example of a dominant group cribbing the language of the oppressed in order to preserve the status quo. We’ve seen this before, and whether it’s cries of “reverse racism” or “what about the menz!”, the effect is the same: the undermining of legitimate efforts to end discrimination in favor of keeping the privileged comfortable.

Lol No, There Is No War On Christmas

[iamjulianneross]

Much of the coverage of Essena O’Neill’s story suggests a sense of vindication; finally, the immense virality of her actions imply, here’s a young person with some sense, who sees social media for the evil, life-ruining force it is. As is the case with so many things millennials enjoy, people take great satisfaction in “debunking” Instagram, in proving we’re all narcissistic liars and that our onscreen lives are a meaningless waste of time.

...

People seem to have confused signing up for an Instagram account with signing a contract to forever be completely candid with a bunch of strangers on the Internet. These “gotcha” moments resonate because we resent other people pretending their lives are perfect (read: better than our own).

[iamjulianneross]

It’s certainly worth considering how cell phones and social media divide our attention, and the viral success of these articles and photos and videos suggests they’re tapping into a common fear. The glaring problem with all this modern handwringing, however, is its presumption that the complex, wondrous worlds behind our screens aren’t real.

As a female journalist, I am tired of hearing this. The harassment I’ve been subject to online is all too real, but the prevalence of the idea that on-screen life is less authentic has meant that my experiences—and those of countless other women—aren’t taken seriously.

The Idea That Online Life Isn’t Real Is Trite—And Harmful 

[heroinesinheels]

we got a fun shoutout on MSNBC today! y’all rock.

[iamjulianneross]

When you're about to get eaten by a dinosaur, taking off your heels might help.

It’s no coincidence that strong female protagonists’ movie looks so often align with patriarchal standards, and this suggests that these characters are allowed to kick ass only when they comply with societal expectations of feminine beauty.

My lil blog got picked up by MTV Style! Check out my interview above about how Hollywood makes strong female characters conform to the male gaze.

[heroinesinheels]

jurassic world, in which the main female character refuses to remove her nude pumps while running from a genetically engineered dinosaur.

[iamjulianneross]

in honor of #jurassicworld, i have started a blog devoted to action heroines in wildly inappropriate shoes.

[iamjulianneross]

Furiosa has rightly been hailed as the one of the best action heroines since Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley in the Alien films. I’m going to go one step further and say she’s one of the best action heroes ever.

But I’m actually not here to talk about Furiosa.

I’m here to talk about the other, less obvious heroines of the film: Immortan Joe’s five wives.

I saw Mad Max: Fury Road. It was awesome, and offered a surprisingly nuanced take on the power of femininity. Here are my thoughts.

Beyond Furiosa: The Unsung Heroines of Mad Max: Fury Road

[iamjulianneross]

Sansa may not have Arya's blood-lust, Brienne's physical power, Cersei's political acumen or Daenarys' ambition (or, you know, dragons), but she's still one of the strongest characters in the series. It's just that we're not used to recognizing her strength for what it is.

The female characters we tend to applaud typically adhere to a particular formula for strength, one that breaks the patriarchal mold of how a woman should behave. This can be empowering, but the constant regurgitation of this one type of "strong female character" limits the kind of women we value on screen and dismisses the merits of those who prove themselves in a different way. Male characters aren't confined by the same standards, and more stereotypically "feminine" traits like patience, kindness and adaptability shouldn't be seen as inherently lesser than more "masculine" ones like physical strength or the ability to lead an army into battle.

Why Sansa Stark Is One of the Strongest Characters on ‘Game of Thrones’

(I GOT YOUR BACK, GIRL <3)

[micdotcom]

Last spring, more than a hundred teenagers gathered in the auditorium of a Brooklyn high school. This wasn’t your typical assembly. The teachers all left the room, so the kids could talk openly about something ostensibly on their minds most of the time: sex. 

A young woman stood in front of the group and began the meeting by posing a simple question: How many girls there had ever said yes to sexual activity — even though they didn’t want to?

Every girl in the room raised her hand.

“Yes means yes” is gaining ground — but we need to address the pressure young women still feel

[iamjulianneross]

“So long as society continues to peddle the idea that male pleasure is both easy and requisite while female pleasure is elusive and shameful, getting people to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is not enough. How can any young person enthusiastically consent when they're granted only an exceedingly narrow idea of what sex ‘should’ look like in the first place?” My latest on how rape culture affects consent.

What the Conversation Around "Yes Means Yes" Is Missing

[micdotcom]

Go see this great new movie, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

Yet just five minutes into the harrowing prologue of the critically acclaimed new horror flick It Follows and I was cowering in my seat, digging my nails into my date’s arm and wondering how, if ever, I would get this film out of my head. The second feature written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows is a terrifying riff on sex and growing up for the nostalgia-loving generation that makes The Conjuring look like a bedtime story.

[iamjulianneross]

“The entire film is awash with nostalgia. ... Nothing lasts forever, the movie seems to say, and the comforting distractions of youth — like lazy dips in a pool, sleepovers, childhood crushes and the sleepy haze of late summer in suburbia — can't protect the characters from the creeping end for long. The "It" of the film is a sort of nihilism on legs, given no motive nor origin story, no cliched violent trauma that explains its malevolent existence. It is, at its core, an urgent manifestation of the unbearable heaviness of growing up.”

I saw ‘It Follows’ on Friday and nothing will ever be ok again.

(But really, apart from being the scariest thing I’ve ever seen, it’s a pretty great existential riff on adolescent angst. Read my review here.) 

[iamjulianneross]

'Wild' Is the Feminist Film of the Year:

I wrote about Wild, harassment & getting toddler boogers on myself while hitchhiking in Namibia.

Highlighting these elements of women's travel experience is not discouragement from seeking out solo adventure — Wild is nothing if not a celebration of women's personal strength — but rather an acknowledgement of the way women are sometimes forced to navigate a world that continues to peg them as less capable, and less fully human, than men.

Rather than admonishing women to be careful, Wild simply presents a peek into the female psyche at a moment when empathy for such a viewpoint is sorely lacking. To quote Strayed's mother, it reminds audiences that women, too, deserve to move freely throughout the world and to put themselves "in the way of beauty" — without being made to fear for their safety.

[iamjulianneross]

These Are Real Tweets Sent By Real People To Real Women. WTF!?

Things that matter. Pass 'em on.

Some dudes tried to shut us up with harassment. Instead we're on Upworthy. Yes.

[micdotcom]

Watch: Feminists fight back by reading the real, nasty tweets they’ve received (Mic Exclusive)

Ever wonder what it’s really like to be a feminist? We’re here to help. 

Modeled after Jimmy Kimmel’s celebrities read angry tweets, this short video shows how women who challenge the status quo are treated online on a daily basis. If you’re not sure whether to laugh or cry, join the club. 

While many have tried to describe what it’s like to be the target of constant, horrible abuse online, sometimes it’s easier to just show, not tell.

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