BID
ZINE
BEHAVIOUR . IDENTITY . DESIRE
NEWSFLASH A 14 YEAR OLD GIRL IN MARYLAND has testified before the state senate which is considering whether to allow equal marriage. The young girl stated that it would be the best birthday present ever if lawmakers vote no to gay marriage. She said that she feels really bad for children with same sex parents and that “People have the choice to be gay, but I don’t want to be affected by their choice. People say they were just born that way, but I’ve met really nice adults who did change”. The girl, who is home-schooled, was accompanied by her mother who insisted that her daughter wrote the speech herself. A CASE HAS HIT THE HEADLINES IN GERMANY about an eleven year old girl who was born a boy who might be forcibly sent to a mental institution by her father who refuses to accept that his son identifies as a girl. The child, Alex, whose parents are separated and who lives with her mother says that her mother accepts her decision but her father does not. Alex also says she has identified as female for years and is registered as a girl at school. Her father apparently has support from the Berlin Youth Centre and a member of staff there is said to agree with the father that the correct response to the ‘problem’ as the father sees it is to confine Alex to an institution to try to ensure she returns to ‘normality’. Read more on this story at Pink News:http:// www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/01/31/german-trans-girl-to-beinstitutionalised/
WHEN CYNTHIA NIXON recently said that she has been gay and she has been straight and that gay is better her comments were quickly condemned by a number of LGBT campaign groups. Cynthia has since said that her comments were taken out of context and that although she hates the term bisexual that is what she is (she was married to Danny Mozes for 15 years until 2004) and although she is attracted to men and women she has chosen to be with a woman. Whether you are born gay or you make a decision to be with someone of the same sex, it shouldn’t matter. As hardcore gay activist actor Harvey Fierstein said “If Cynthia Nixon feels the best way to express her own journey — and it has to be your own personal journey — is to say, ‘I am a lesbian by choice,’ then God bless her. It takes nothing away from me.”
US CLOTHING GIANT JCPENNEY last week announced that its new spokesperson is none other than Ellen DeGeneres. Anti-gay group One Million Moms.com however has since launched a campaign that is calling upon the company to fire Ellen because of her sexuality. GLAAD has a counter campaign, Stand Up For Ellen, which thanks JCPenney for hiring DeGeneres. Sign the petition now and increase the number further: http://www.glaad.org/ standupforellen BUSK FILMS, the international lesbian online video-on-demand service founded by Vancouver born Andrea Wing, is celebrating one year since it first launched. Frustrated with not being able to find LGBT films which were worth watching on the internet Andrea decided to change things and launch a site where people could choose from popular but also rare and unusual titles from all over the world. On the website you can pay to view films, dramas and documentaries; find links to other queer websites and even watch a selection of short and long movies for free. The company is growing and going from strength to strength, check it at http://buskfilms. com/
THE BIG PICTURE
ANN WIDDECOMBE HAS THIS WEEK ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF ‘GAY CURE’ TREATMENT AND THERAPIES. THE FORMER MINISTER HAS SAID THAT, DESPITE A LACK OF EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS, IF A GAY PERSON IS NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR SEXUALITY AND WANTS PROFESSIONAL HELP IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
TREND ALERT: 90’s Grunge is Back! SO IT’S THAT TIME OF 2012 ALREADY, January sales have come to an end and high streets are pushing out the last of their winter stock to make room for the new spring collections. I won’t lie, I am more of an Autumn/Winter lass...it’s not that I don’t like the clothes that Spring time brings; it is literally that I can’t wear them. I can tell you this from experience; I have pale skin and naturally dark hair (I am talking Hale Berry not Kristen Stewart) and those combined just do not welcomingly accept the pastel pinks and eggshell blues we see year in and year out amongst spring collections. This year there are little surprises from the high street spring collections: the skater dress seems to still be hanging around, printed and patterned scarves, bright coloured sweat tops and cardigans and big bold prints are still all over skirts, trousers and tops. Nonetheless there does appear to be one look this season that is really catching my eye...one that has been dragged in and out of mainstream fashion trends for over a decade – That’s it folks, I’m talking 90’s Grunge! Acid wash denim, faded prints, oversized tops, sleeveless checked shirts and band t-shirts...to say the least: but one, per say, modern contribution to the grunge binge 2012 seems to be having, is that of the black ankle boot. I am not talking your average wellington either, designers are going all out at the moment: studs, buckles, elastic, leather, suede, heels, flats, wedges, peep toe, slip on, lace up . . .there couldn’t be anything missing. It is not just your regular competitors in on the trend either (this is what people mean when they say ‘shop around’) even Marks and Spencers have caved in on this one with a couple of grunge-tastic online exclusives. Okay so they are not perfect for running around search for those Easter eggs, your annual visit to a local farm feeding the new baby animals or even your spring picnics in the park, but to be fair I am not sure the weather is ready for that either (suck it up – wear plimsoles if you must). I am just going to state: no matter what anyone says...black will always be the new black!
BOOTS from left: Topshop.com, £90; Marks and Spencer, £49.50; River Island, £40.
By Sophie Cohen
How to be a better feminist? Act more like a Bond girl BOND MOVIES HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION for male fantasies since Sean Connery first appeared as the ultimate man of mystery in 1962. For most men, Dr No had it all; exotic cars, glorious locations and, most famously of all, that image of Ursula Andress emerging from tropical waters in a tiny white bikini, flicking her blonde hair and announcing herself as ‘Honey Ryder’ to a 007 who clearly couldn’t believe his luck. “What are you doing here?” she asks, “Looking for shells?” With a grin Bond replies “No, I’m just looking.” It is this kind of portrayal of female characters that, many will argue, has meant that cinema, and Bond movies in particular, have hindered the progress of feminism. THOUGH HONEY RYDER, VOTED TIME and time again the best Bond girl ever, is certainly not portrayed as a weak character, her suspicion towards Bond melts away after mere seconds, and by the end of the movie she proves her name true to him in the back of a boat. No woman can resist James Bond, and this has been a recurring theme of Bond movies throughout the decades. Even the strong, independent women who sometimes begin as opponents to Bond often melt into his arms after a few innuendos. Most famous of all for this is Pussy Galore (again, the name), who gives Bond hell throughout most of the movie Goldfinger before defecting to his side after he all but forces her into a literal roll in the hay. A kiss from a good-looking spy could melt not just a girl’s heart, but apparently her brain cells. When watching the earlier 007 films now, it is easy to be shocked by some of the remarks made by Bond about and towards women. Comments about what female characters are wearing, their figures, and, of course, their names turn female characters into objects, and they rarely bat an eyelash over it. And while male characters can range from the attractive to the outright undesirable, any actress who appears in a Bond movie has to be thin, fill out at least a C cup, and have perfect hair and make-up. They are there, above all else, to be looked at. ALL OF THIS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE BOND girls as feminist icons. Their appearance and sexuality are their most obvious features, and women who do not want to be seen as little more than sex objects may well argue that modelling themselves on these characters is the worst thing they could do. Is it possible, though, that even women have been so blinded by the good looks
and oozing sexuality of these characters that we have failed to see how much power, control and confidence that they have? If we take a closer look at the behaviour of these women and they way in which they interact with Bond, we find that in many cases, the characters are actually using their sexuality as a tool. Their femininity gives them leverage over men, if only because they are temporarily distracted by a decent cleavage, and quite often Bond women are smart enough to realise this and combine it with their intelligence (Bond girls are rarely fools) to exert themselves. BARBRA BROCCOLI, OWNER AND PRODUCER of the Bond franchise after inheriting it from her father Albert, has defended Bond girls by arguing that they are not just attractive and sexual, but independent and high-achievers as well. She told The Sunday Telegraph in 2008: “The women were unique for their time. Pussy Galore, for instance, was a female pilot. A lot of them were sexual predators who gave as good as they got. They had professional careers and did extraordinary things. I think the early women were very progressive.” According to Broccoli, then, using your sexuality to prey on men and get what you want is progressive for feminism. Importantly, there must be a distinction between ‘using your sexuality’ and simply having sex with a man. Being attractive and seductive does not mean that Bond women are giving men exactly what they want for free, because, in many cases, they are using this as a smokescreen for their intelligence and their true intentions, which are then revealed at the planned moment. If men are dumb enough to think a flirtatious woman will do anything for them, then why not take advantage? THIS IS PARTICULARLY A THEME OF THE MORE RECENT Bond movies; of the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig eras. Perhaps the strongest woman to ever appear in a Bond movie, and in fact one of the strongest characters overall, was Xenia Onatopp in 1995’s Goldeneye. A former Soviet fighter pilot and ex-KGB operative (roles typically associated with men), Onatopp appeared in the movie as an assassin working against MI6. Her modus operandi: to seduce men with pouting red lips and come hither gestures, before suffocating them to death by crushing them between her thighs. Bond himself appears twice to have met his match when Onatopp comes close to killing him off, and she is too strong and focused to ever fall for his charms. Similarly, Elektra King in The World is Not Enough is too pretty and acts too naive for Bond to see what she really is: a clever enemy, and in Casino Royale, Vesper Lynd is so strong and sceptical about 007 that he cannot help but admire her and fall in love with her so deeply that he chooses her over his profession. These women were far more than sex objects, even though they were beautiful and attractive. CERTAINLY, USING OUR BEAUTY TO GAIN POWER over men is still making use of the idea that women are sex objects, but it is reclaiming it, and it is just one method of many that can be used by women to exert ourselves over men. If anything, many Bond girls are symbols of the fact that women can be beautiful and glamorous and as intelligent as any man, and that you don’t have to hide your femininity to be a feminist. So if it’s okay for men to fantasise about being the next James Bond, we don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to be the new Xenia Onatopp. Just so long as it’s without all the homicide. Written by: Holly McCluskey Twitter @hollykmc Want to contribute? Drop us an email at magazine.bid@gmail.com
RATED: A WEEK OF MOVIES FOR LES/BI WOMEN THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO TRILOGY: The Swedish films based on the late Steig Larsson’s Millenium trilogy have all been completed and they’re excellent. They star Noomi Rapace as bisexual computer hacker Lisbeth Salander who has an on/off relationship with a woman named Miriam Wu while also having a complicated relationship with a journalist named Mikael Blomkvist. The story follows Lisbeth as she becomes a research assistant for Blomkvist as he investigates the 36 year old murder of a young girl named Harriet. The American adaptation of the first novel is in UK cinemas now and David Fincher has made a spectacular movie that is definitely worth a watch.
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK 2 (2000): Not one movie but three short films, each focusing on the different inhabitants of an American home at three intervals during the last century. The first film is set in 1961 and focuses on what happens to a lesbian named Edith after her long term partner Abby suddenly dies. The second film is set in 1972 and a group of young lesbian feminists live in the house. When Michelle William’s character falls for Chloe Sevigny’s Amy, a butch lesbian who wears mens clothes, her friends are less than accepting. Ellen De Generes and Sharon Stone play a couple trying to have a baby in the final film and provide a welcome dose of comedy.
CRACKS (2008): Not a movie about lesbians or bisexuals exactly but it does feature a woman who becomes obsessed with a female pupil at the boarding school where she works. A group of pupils idolise their teacher Miss G, played by Ava Green, but when a new student arrives from Spain and Miss G becomes fixated with her the girls take matters into their own hands. Gripping and also quite sad in parts, this movie is beautifully filmed and very well acted. Jordan Scott (Ridley’s daughter) doesn’t disappoint with her directorial debut based upon a novel by Sheila Kohler.
GIA (1998): One of Angelina Jolie’s earlier acting roles is in this movie based upon the real life of model Gia Marie Carangi. When Gia starts modelling she quickly finds herself in demand but when she begins experimenting with drugs everything changes. She is forced by her lover Linda to choose between her and the drugs. When she can’t quit Gia’s life comes to a tragic end at just 26 due to AIDS after she contracted HIV using a contaminated needle. IMAGINE ME AND YOU (2005): A classic rom-com, but a lesbian one. Rachel and her boyfriend Hector get married but instead of living in domestic bliss Rachel slowly falls head over heels for Luce, the woman who provided the flowers for her wedding. It features the beautiful Lena Headey, the hilarious Celia Imrie and Anthony Head of Buffy fame. You’ll always remember the line ‘You’re a wanker number nine!’ after watching this movie. SAVING FACE (2004): A quirky little movie which is set in Flushing, New York. Wil (Wilhemina) is gay but her Chinese-American family don’t know and they keep trying to set her up with men. When Wil meets dancer Vivian at the hospital that she works in everything changes. As she tries to break the news to her mother she discovers that her mother has her own surprise in store.
SILKWOOD (1983): Based upon actual events this movie stars Susan Sarandon as Karen Silkwood, a worker at a plutonium plant near Oklahoma who lives with her husband Drew and lesbian friend Dolly (played by Cher). When Karen discovers bosses at the plant are cutting corners with safety and that workers are being contaminated with radioactive material she decides to launch her own investigation into what’s going on.
By Holly Richardson
B.I.D ZINE Issue 7
With Thanks To: Holly Richardson Lotte Murphy-Johnson SOPHIE COHEN HOLLY McCLUSKEY