Please do not sexualize the Cameron’s sexual assault in episode 3. Please regard it with the same disgust and distain you would have for the rape scene in episode five. Many fans are eager to comment on how sexy they think David is in that moment. That’s is not only disrespectful to Cameron’s character, but disrespectful also to all black women who are victims of groping and sexual coercion—real or fictional. Especially because sexual assault goes disproportionately unpunished when it happens to us.
And for those who would like to argue it wasn’t sexual assault:
Carmon clearly said no once Tony started touching her.
Tony used coercion to get her to “consent” by promising a promotion for “sexual favors”
It would be negligible if i didn’t mention to power dynamics of age, race, and gender that already disadvantage Cameron. I am not, in any way, saying she’s a perfect character. Her blackness doesn’t grant her sainthood, but she, and all black women, are people deserving of autonomy and respect. Let’s keep this in mind while we fawn over David, please and thank you 🙂↕️
P.S. I’m interested in writing a more thorough (MUCH MORE LIGHT HEARTED) review of the show as whole, if anyone would be interested!! I did think it was mostly campy and fun!! And i have Thoughts™ about how much more i liked the show than the book!! Let me know if yall would be down to read something like det!!
Please do not sexualize the Cameron’s s*xual assault in episode 3. Please regard it with the same disgust and distain you would have for the r*pe scene in episode five. Many fans are eager to comment on how s*xy they think David is in that moment. That’s is not only disrespectful to Cameron’s character, but disrespectful also to all black women who are victims of groping and s*xual coercion—real or fictional. Especially because s*xual assault goes disproportionately unpunished when it happens to us.
And for those who would like to argue it wasn’t s*xual assault:
Carmon clearly said no once Tony started touching her.
Tony used coercion to get her to “consent” by promising a promotion for “s*xual favors”
It would be negligible if i didn’t mention to power dynamics of age, race, and gender that already disadvantage Cameron. I am not, in any way, saying she’s a perfect character. Her blackness doesn’t grant her sainthood, but she, and all black women, are people deserving of autonomy and respect. Let’s keep this in mind while we fawn over David, please and thank you 🙂↕️
P.S. I’m interested in writing a more thorough (MUCH MORE LIGHT HEARTED) review of the show as whole, if anyone would be interested!! I did think it was mostly campy and fun!! And i have Thoughts™ about how much more i liked the show than the book!! Let me know if yall would be down to read something like det!!
Franz Kafka, Letters to Milena // Alain de Botton, Essays in Love // Eden Robinson, "Writing Prompts for the Broken-Hearted" // Chloe Liese, Always Only You // Anne Carson and Euripides, An Oresteia // Two—Sleeping At Last // Studio Bones, SK8 the Infinity // Trista Mateer, "is it okay to say this?" // @moodylilac // D. H. Lawrence, "The Rainbow"
Gather ‘round children its been 10 years since I watched Doctor Who, and I’m doing a rewatch. To preface this I am a black woman lol. Now that I’m an adult—I can finally articulate my feelings about how Ten treated Martha. When I was a teen watching it, I just felt vaguely…icky. And now I know why
I don’t know if y’all know about the concept of The Disposable Black Girlfriend, but I’m happy to introduce you. Shows in the early 2000s knew they needed to inject diversity into their predominately white casts, and many of them (Doctor Who included) went about this the same way. They would introduce the shiny new black woman. She would be stunningly gorgeous, incredibly capable, boundlessly intelligent, and reasonably (if not substantially) well off. While, in theory, this addition seemed like the “breath of fresh air” a show needed, in practice it became one of the most insidiously racist tropes in recent memory. The root of the issue is how obvious it was to black viewers that black women were NOT in those writers rooms, and it was even MORE obvious these white writers did not engage with black women in any substantial capacity. Therefore, the Disposable Black Girlfriend was never like “those black women” or “other black women”. She was inaccessible to all audience members regardless of race or gender.
You may be thinking “being inaccessible doesn’t make her disposable though” and I would thank you for your astute observation. The issue lies in the timing of her character’s introduction. She would always come in after the Main White Male Lead (or fan favorite) had a break up with The Ultimate White Woman. Fans are already primed to be against whomever is interrupting the True Love of these two characters. The Disposable Black Girlfriend was written to be perfect. She’s better in every way, but all the viewers know is she’s still Not Right. She is a roadblock, a plot device. The Disposable Black Girlfriend was written in to be written off. Again you may think “this happens to white characters all the time!”, perhaps but fandoms are infinitely more compassionate to white roadblocks. Hell, they even become dearly beloved characters. White viewers feel wildly comfortable typing, writing, saying, shouting horrid abuses towards black characters. Being a black viewer in this time was AWFUL.
I specifically was affected by the ease with which white viewers justified their racism by saying “oh I’m not racist, I just hate this character.” But even more so, as a young viewer it reenforced the rhetoric that black women can be twice as good but still not be enough. While young white girls got to see that, in time, love will always come (or comeback) to them. Black girls got to see that love doesn’t stay in our lives, only passes through. We are the motel someone stops through on their way home to love. We are the vacation someone takes to realize how good home is. We are lovely but unlovable. Black girls got to see that our endings are lonely. Because The Disposable Black Girlfriend always choses herself over being just another option.
Rewatching season three now hurts in such a poignant place, deep within myself. Every time I find myself saying “Martha deserved better”, it feels as if I’m speaking to my younger self. We deserved better. Martha is the ultimate personification of black womanhood. We are taught to be our very best selves, but to also accept the bare minimum from others. Time and time again we are told to do all we can for others—to care deeply and love freely, and we are expected to be humble and understanding when someone cannot reciprocate. We are, after all, hard to love. If someone looks upon us with affection, even for a moment, we should be abundantly grateful. We should take these mere morsels and pretend our bellies are full. All the while, steeling ourselves. Turning militant. Hardening ourselves to the world.
It’s so clear to me now, and it breaks my heart. Black womanhood is strong because we have had to fortify ourselves for our inevitable disposal. We make ourselves an asset, so when you toss us aside, you feel our absence. But never enough to care in the right ways. And, inevitably, Martha, I, all black women are called to choose ourselves to feel any value. I can chose myself many times over, that doesn’t make a loveless home any less lonely.
Gather ‘round children its been 10 years since I watched Doctor Who, and I’m doing a rewatch. To preface this I am a black woman lol. Now that I’m an adult—I can finally articulate my feelings about how Ten treated Martha. When I was a teen watching it, I just felt vaguely…icky. And now I know why
I don’t know if y’all know about the concept of The Disposable Black Girlfriend, but I’m happy to introduce you. Shows in the early 2000s knew they needed to inject diversity into their predominately white casts, and many of them (Doctor Who included) went about this the same way. They would introduce the shiny new black woman. She would be stunningly gorgeous, incredibly capable, boundlessly intelligent, and reasonably (if not substantially) well off. While, in theory, this addition seemed like the “breath of fresh air” a show needed, in practice it became one of the most insidiously racist tropes in recent memory. The root of the issue is how obvious it was to black viewers that black women were NOT in those writers rooms, and it was even MORE obvious these white writers did not engage with black women in any substantial capacity. Therefore, the Disposable Black Girlfriend was never like “those black women” or “other black women”. She was inaccessible to all audience members regardless of race or gender.
You may be thinking “being inaccessible doesn’t make her disposable though” and I would thank you for your astute observation. The issue lies in the timing of her character’s introduction. She would always come in after the Main White Male Lead (or fan favorite) had a break up with The Ultimate White Woman. Fans are already primed to be against whomever is interrupting the True Love of these two characters. The Disposable Black Girlfriend was written to be perfect. She’s better in every way, but all the viewers know is she’s still Not Right. She is a roadblock, a plot device. The Disposable Black Girlfriend was written in to be written off. Again you may think “this happens to white characters all the time!”, perhaps but fandoms are infinitely more compassionate to white roadblocks. Hell, they even become dearly beloved characters. White viewers feel wildly comfortable typing, writing, saying, shouting horrid abuses towards black characters. Being a black viewer in this time was AWFUL.
I specifically was affected by the ease with which white viewers justified their racism by saying “oh I’m not racist, I just hate this character.” But even more so, as a young viewer it reenforced the rhetoric that black women can be twice as good but still not be enough. While young white girls got to see that, in time, love will always come (or comeback) to them. Black girls got to see that love doesn’t stay in our lives, only passes through. We are the motel someone stops through on their way home to love. We are the vacation someone takes to realize how good home is. We are lovely but unlovable. Black girls got to see that our endings are lonely. Because The Disposable Black Girlfriend always choses herself over being just another option.
Rewatching season three now hurts in such a poignant place, deep within myself. Every time I find myself saying “Martha deserved better”, it feels as if I’m speaking to my younger self. We deserved better. Martha is the ultimate personification of black womanhood. We are taught to be our very best selves, but to also accept the bare minimum from others. Time and time again we are told to do all we can for others—to care deeply and love freely, and we are expected to be humble and understanding when someone cannot reciprocate. We are, after all, hard to love. If someone looks upon us with affection, even for a moment, we should be abundantly grateful. We should take these mere morsels and pretend our bellies are full. All the while, steeling ourselves. Turning militant. Hardening ourselves to the world.
It’s so clear to me now, and it breaks my heart. Black womanhood is strong because we have had to fortify ourselves for our inevitable disposal. We make ourselves an asset, so when you toss us aside, you feel our absence. But never enough to care in the right ways. And, inevitably, Martha, I, all black women are called to choose ourselves to feel any value. I can chose myself many times over, that doesn’t make a loveless home any less lonely.
What's better than watching a demon and an angel interact?
Watching them interact when they're drunk.
The way they struggle to say « Bouillabaisse » it’s so funny.
And without the text, it’s seem like they are sending each other kisses : 👇🏻
Happy Birthday, Jared ♥ July 19th, 1982
↳A very happy 35th birthday to this big ray of sunshine! A man of many talents, aspirations, and achievements. A role model, an inspiration, and a hero. A beautiful, intelligent, and sensitive man who gives the best hugs :’) He’s chosen to dedicate a very large part of himself to us as a fandom and as a family, and has created something impactful with a positive and priceless message. You’re worth more than you’ll ever realize, Jared. You are loved, you are enough, and you are a fucking fighter. Hope your day is as bright and beautiful as you! Lots of love to you, always xo
J2 | Chicon 17
Jared: How did I miss that the first time around?!
Jensen: It was the first thing that came to my head, I was like ‘ugh he’s gonna do the 3.1415 blah blah blah’ but instead you came up with some weird pronunciation of pecan.
