Tag / opinion

by Lexine

A Real Gentleman

A vintage pic of the late, great Robert Redford.

The passing of Robert Redford had me thinking a few things. One: I really, really need to go watch some of his movies (TCM better get a marathon ready). Two: he’s someone who deserves all the memorials–the moments of silence in workplaces, sporting events, and even international parliaments, the tears and heartfelt words from “liberal allies” on social media, the references on how to better troubled young men, etc. And three: I’ve become so cynical over celebrities/public figures (especially the men!) these days that I have almost forgotten that there are/were some true real ones out there.

I don’t need my celebrity faves to me “good” or “nice”; I’d rather have them be real, genuine, even if they’re a little messy or known to be a “diva”. If they’re also nice, great. (I’ve followed celeb news long enough to know who the real nice ones are, and who’s got excellent PR.) Celebs, underneath it all, are humans, and I’m aware they’re gonna fuck up one way or another. And nothing amplifies a celeb fuckup than a celeb existing in the social media era. The bulk of Redford’s career happened way before social media, but there could’ve been some revealing tea spilled by someone who worked with him or knew him in the past. But from all the tributes I’ve read about him (so far), it’s surprisingly drama-free. And I’ve yet to see a single moment of dubiousness from him. No offensive comments in interviews. No pics of him hanging out with MAGA clowns or vile beings. No faking the philanthropy. No abusive behavior (so throw those Brad Pitt comparisons out the damn door; did y’all forget he abused Angelina and her son?!). No spoiled brats for offspring. No moves that got me facepalming. No need for a public image rehab because he’s always been cool. I’ve seen some “nice” celebs that have done one of those things and while I still like them, I’m not foolish to think they’re saints, let alone nice. But Redford? Talk about a real diamond in the rough. He’s seemed like Mr. Rogers, but more gritty and sultry. And here’s one fun tidbit: in Jackie Collins’ Lucky (one of my all-time favorite books), the male lead Lennie Golden is inspired by the looks and attitude of Redford, and he gets the girl (the badass Lucky Santangelo) in the end.

There’s the cliched saying, in regards to celebrity, “they don’t make ’em like they used to”. But it’s true in Redford’s case. He was of that era when celebs had not just talent, charm, and looks, but were not afraid to stand up for what they believed in, regardless of the outcome. Jane Fonda and her politics. Elizabeth Taylor being an activist for HIV/AIDS awareness and supporting the gay community during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. For Redford, he once opposed the development of a coal-fired power plant in a Utah town in the 70s, and the locals there burned an effigy of him, with one calling him “skunkman”. He was also openly critical over Nixon and a guy most definitely on the Epstein list. He was trying to do good and speak truth and some smooth brains still gave him shit. Simply put, he was a real one, and you don’t see many real ones out there in La La Land these days. 

Rest peacefully, Robert. You’ll be remembered well. And at least none of us will get fired for quoting you in remembrance. 🕯️🌹

by Lexine

Stuck In My Bad Girl Era

I’ll never be a good girl and I’m fine with that.

There’s something about the term “good girl” that never sat right with me. It’s what old male geezers say to young women in the workplace when the woman does something good at her job. It’s so 1950s, when Stepford wives and Doris Day-esque nice girls defined femininity while men got to be rebels without a cause with their leather jackets and cigarettes. It’s smack of submissiveness to the patriarchy and reeks of gender stereotypes; boys get to be “bad” and be rulers, fighters, and bed-hoppers, while girls can only be “good” and be rescued by the man for the sake of love and happiness. It’s something I wouldn’t say to my female pet if I had one. And it’s definitely why you’ll never catch me going near that Good Girl perfume. (I’m that petty to where I don’t even touch their sample vials in my Sephora perfume sets.)

It was not Marilyn Monroe or Eleanor Roosevelt, but a University of New Hampshire student named Laurel Thatcher Ulrich who, in 1976, said “well-behaved women seldom make history…” And in the early 1980s, then-Cosmopolitan Editor-In-Chief Helen Gurley Brown was attributed with that quote in the header pic (though she actually never said those words). Over four decades later after those quotes were made and I still see some women who’d rather “go to heaven” and be “well-behaved”. They’re now the Trad Wives, the ones who smile to look pretty for the guys, and the ones who vote like their man even if their vote takes away their rights. To be a “good girl” these days, in a landscape that witnessed a male convicted felon/rapist/all-around POS steal take the highest office in the country (again) and her abortion rights gutted, is to blindly dance in a field of landmines.  Meanwhile, the “bad boys” have morphed into Douche Bro Incels, with control over women being their modus operandi. They’re no longer the good-looking rebel smelling nice and charming the skirts off the nice girls; they’re now the ugly try-hard looking older than his age who reeks of Sauvage and wants to rape the skirts off the nice girls. Why should women still play nice with the “your body my choice” assholes? And even when women do good, there’s always going to be a guy or ten thinking she’s “bad” because she supported Kamala and pro-abortion rights.

And it’s why I have no problem being a Bad Girl. If being strong, assertive, and doing things your way makes me “bad” to some “men,” so be it. Guess you can say I’ve been in my Bad Girl era for a while now. I haven’t nor will I do actual bad things like rob or murder anyone or support Nazis. But I’ll go against stupid patriarchal values, vote to support women’s rights, and enjoy consensual sex for fun when I want to. I’ll never smile to look pretty for the guys and I’m definitely not a man’s incubator. I don’t need men for love, sex, and money as I’m also attracted to other genders and I make good money on my own. I don’t want to get married and not only am I childfree, but childfree AND sterilized. Some vile conservatives took my reproductive rights away, and my Bisalp from last year is my lick back. (I also don’t want kids in this life, so suck on that, Elon!) So call me a Bad Girl. Besides, it’s more fun to go everywhere instead of just heaven.

And to the White Broligarchy that wants us women to play nice and make babies for them, this Bad Girl dedicates these songs to you!

(Yes, I’m aware I posted the last song in my last entry. Works for this entry, too!)

by Lexine

A Joyless Aftermath

This was part of the soundtrack of my recent road trip (which I’ll get to posting about soon), and, as a forever fan of Riot Grrl rock, that song will go multi-platinum in my house by next year.  

If I lived in a sane country that had some awareness of what was at stake in this year’s election, I wouldn’t be writing what I’m about to write. I wouldn’t even have time to write something here, for I would’ve been tired from all the partying I did in the wake of Kamala Harris winning the election on the night of November 5th. Instead, I woke up on November 6th and found out that many Americans chose hate, prejudice, ignorance, and a Emeril-style BAM! of fascism, over joy, optimism, and a bright future for all Americans regardless of political affiliation.  

I’d ask why, but I already knew the answers in case I had to face the harsh reality of a Harris loss. Shameful, vile traits such as sexism, racism, and ignorance that had been ingrained in others had become accepted and even normalized ever since *that guy* first came into office eight years ago. And in those eight years came the rise of inceldom, (thanks to figures like Andrew Tate, Joe Rogan, and Jordan Peterson influencing young men), growing police brutality against innocent black people, misinformation on social media, and distrust in women who also were victims of abuse. Then there’s also the racism Obama had to put up with during his presidency, once denounced during his years, but normalized when *that guy* and his racism happened. It all equaled to a demented country that did not want to see a woman–let alone a woman of color–in place of power such as the presidency. It didn’t matter how qualified she was, or who her opponent was. A smart, strong, confident woman (and more so if she’s a woman of color) is now seen as a threat to modern America, not just by the ass-backwards males, but by the pick-me women clouded with jealousy as well. If Hillary and Kamala couldn’t win (even though Hillary should’ve won–stupid-ass outdated Electoral College), then likely neither can Taylor Swift or Beyonce if they ran for president against, say, Kid Rock. 

I had hopes Harris would win; I didn’t expect a landslide, but that the race would be called for her on Election night. A few red states would flip for her. I also toyed with the possibility of the election going on for days, given all the people that voted. I knew the opposition against Harris was there but thought she would defeat it (not easily, but defeat it one way or another). I was shocked on how large that opposition was. It’s like many people really haven’t learned from 2016 and chose to return to that godawful chaos.

By the way, I can never be gracious and classy to a rapist/convicted felon, not even in defeat. Why be nice with someone who clearly wants to ruin your life and those who you support? One thing I wished for Harris to have done was demand a recount of all votes in the country instead of conceding to *that guy* (who, as of 11/8/24, 4:50PM PST, is still crickets, as his MAGA cronies…🤔) the day after. 

It’s returned: America is, once again, a joke. And a far bigger and unfunnier one this time than in 2016. Other nations–with their universal health care, six-plus months paid parental leave, and low/free costs to higher education–are back to laughing their asses off at us. The American optimism that sparked when Harris entered the presidential race and carried on into the Summer Olympics, the Democratic National Convention, and in the many Harris rallies that saw hopefuls flaunting the red, white, and blue like it’s the Clinton 90s all over again, is now a bittersweet memory. Sweet in that there looked to be promises of a new golden era for this country, and bitter in that we were also blind to the many people who would assassinate that optimism on Election Day because “she’s a woman!” and “eggs are too expensive these days!” 

To all those who backstabbed Joe Biden (including those who vote Democratic), mainstream media that showed their biases against Biden and Harris in favor of ratings, the “both sides are the same” crowd, the ones who chose not to vote because “genocide”, those who thought Harris was “not black” or wouldn’t support black men, those who don’t even live in the US that groaned about how they “don’t care” about our election thinking it doesn’t matter in their country (bless their hearts), and those who believe “he will not affect ME because I voted for him!!”, you all gleefully Fucked Around and now welcome to the Find Out stage. I hope you are all happy. 

Those saying *that guy* “beat” two women, I raise you two women that DID beat him: 

May they have all the security and protection (and maybe a way out of the US) because they will need it more than ever now. 

Is there a silver lining in this election? Just one, but only for SF Giants fans and it’s petty: the World Series champs Dodgers get to meet *that guy* in their White House visit next year. 🤭 Hope it was worth going over the luxury tax for all those free agents, Bums! 

I recently said on my socials that I’m both childfree and sterilized, in response to an incel scumbag trying to claim what will never be his. I may not want kids, but I still voted for, among other things, the kids who are unable to vote this year in hopes for a better future for them. To see this polarizing sociopolitical environment the children are growing up in is scary, from them worrying about getting a proper education to them worrying about being the next victim of cyberbullying or, worse, a school shooting. This wasn’t my childhood, and I thank those who voted Democratic during my childhood/teen years in the late 80s to when I finally reached voting age in 2002. I didn’t want this generation of children to worry no longer. I tried. But tell me again how childfree women are sociopaths and selfish, JD Vance. 

 Some positives on my part: I understood the assignment since the start of this Election year. I was aware of who the GOP candidate would be. I voted for Biden in the Primaries, looked forward to voting for him on Nov. 5th, then supported and voted for Harris, and even attended two of her rallies during my Vegas trip. I may be in California where the election would’ve been called Harris at exactly 8:01PM Election night (and did), but my vote was also for those whose blue vote would be drowned out in their red state. Not once did I believe Biden was “too old” for the presidency and I didn’t want him to drop out, despite the heinous opposition against him. And not once did I tell everyone to “not vote” and that “both sides are bad”. I’m proud to have supported and voted for Biden and Harris, and I will forever believe that THEY DESERVED BETTER. 

Now, back to soothing my nerves by bingeing on pork rinds and TCM movies.