I think the remake of this poster is incredibly interesting, as is the intense response to it. Majestic had this poster on their door the whole time we lived together and it always gave me chills. It made me feel powerful and vindicated and righteous. I really like the original poster. I think it articulates very clearly the radical nature of queerness that the hetero world doesn’t really see. I never saw it as being a response to gay people who don’t identify as queer, and I find it really interesting that it has been utilized to make an entirely different point in its re-imagination.

On Tumblr and in queer communities I’ve been part of outside of the internet, there certainly is a trend of rejection of lesbian identity. In my experience, lesbians are often categorized as: “homonormative”, non-radical, apolitical, second-wave, oppressive, boring, and “vanilla.” In self-identified radical queer spaces, there is often a large-scale erasure of the extremely radical lesbian feminist history that allows us to have the language to critique anything in the first place, as well as a silencing of radical, living, breathing lesbian culture.

This is nothing other than misogyny. We are doused in a culture that thrives on the hatred of women. “Radical Queerness” isn’t immune from that, and in fact these communities are often responsible for perpetuating misogyny in many different ways. One of these ways is actually by discursively defining lesbianism as archaic, backwards, and inherently apolitical. I like using the word lesbian to describe myself. It’s not the only word I use, and often it is not all encompassing of my desires. But there are some spaces and some moments I experience with myself where queer just doesn’t cut it. When I claim the word, “Lesbian” to talk of my sexuality and my politics, I invoke a rich history of brave women who taught me everything I know about survival, and fuck, is that powerful.

I don’t believe this poster to be “queer-hating”, nor do I think it is setting up a dichotomous relationship between queers and lesbians. I think it is asking us to question a culture of radical queerness that elevates certain identities over others (ie: if you are queer, you are inherently more radical than if you are lesbian.) It is asking us to think hard about this tendency to silence and erase radical lesbian history and it is a reclamation of a perfectly valid and resistant sexual politic.

-Ashley

OOH!  Where were you? Did I have a grimace on my face ‘cus today annoyed the living crap out of me. Also, a word to the Vancouver babes: if you recognize me in public, indulge my fantasies of fame and chat me up!

I am so proud of you and your fierce little heart.  I know how hard it’s been to listen to lately.  But you are accustomed to its tune and you know how to move that body of yours to its rhythm.  Get reacquainted with it.  Your heart is ferocious and familiar, and it knows where you’re going.  You are making brave choices right now but I think they are the right ones.  I love you and am so grateful for you.

Love always,

Ashley

Hot Femme Slut Alert

I love to photograph Ashley, she is really fun to boss around. When I shoot her, I like to make her say scandalous things to illicit fierce looks. For example, I’ll make her say “I’m a filthy slut” or “I like to get humiliated in public” or everybody’s favorite classic  ”I wish this was a cumshot instead of a camera shot” (see last photo). LOLZ

- Majestic

tangledupinlace:

Jewesses out to infiltrate and soil your holiday cheer

moxxxieheart:

glitterpolitic:

TELL US TELL US TELL US

TW: Eating Disorder/Self Hate

In my experience, hungry virgin feels like the most authentic reclamation of a slur. I am wildly uncomfortable in the presence of these two words yet I feel a compulsion to use them. The syllables roll around in my mouth like waves of the furtive and secret early moments of masturbation. It is a phrase that grew in the musty lavender scented dresser drawer hidden amongst little girl panties gathering strength all these years. Hungry Virgin stayed trapped behind the pages of a pretty pink diary with a heart shaped lock and key. I tried to drown out the guttural moans with food journals and plans to be better. These plans would fail like all diets do and I would quarrel with my mind throwing out phrases I had learned from my mom, fat camp, and Oprah. “You have no will power.” Using the specific language of my oppressors was how I tried to kill the spirit of my hungry virgin. But she is a goddess of immense strength.

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jessica just read this to us while we all sat around, we thought it was beautiful and powerful, just like moxxxieheart. 

this year we (and our holiday baggage) came together with the shared desire to make this time of year hurt less. we didn’t buy presents but we shared intentional space with each other, we cried, we ate bbq, made latkes, hugged it out, laughed until it felt like it was taking over our bodies and made partly serious “jokes” about having a holigay orgy. (hey, the day isn’t over, amiright?)

in all seriousness we hope everyone is taking care of themselves and each other the best they can today. hang in there, sometimes all you can do is power through. 

so much love, and so many hugs

ash and majestic

TELL US TELL US TELL US

oh my good god.  somebody catch me.