---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: The Angry Black Woman <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 1:03 PM Subject: Today's Angry Black Woman Blog Posts To: [email protected]
Today's Angry Black Woman Blog Posts <http://theangryblackwoman.com/> <http://fusion.google.com/add?source=atgs&feedurl=http://feeds.feedburner.com/abwblog> ------------------------------ The Bechdel Test and Race in Popular Fiction<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/abwblog/~3/4vcwoz7laDA/> Posted: 01 Sep 2009 07:11 AM PDT [image: the-bechdel-test-and-race-in-popular-fiction] It occurred to me, after reading this excellent post on women in fiction and the Bechdel Test <http://sarahtales.livejournal.com/151335.html>, that perhaps you could construct one to address issues of POC and race. The analog seemed obvious, so I just wrote it out. *1. It has to have two POC in it.* *2. Who talk to each other.* *3. About something other than a white person.* Now, you see the obvious issue there, right? Yeah, it has to do with number one. Even in stories that feature prominent POC characters, it is so rare to find more than one present, let alone who know each other well enough to talk to each other, that I came up short on television shows or popular novels that even come close to meeting it. Obviously, “urban lit” and other books that feature a mostly POC cast will pass this easily. But these books are so well segregated from the rest of mainstream fiction (see: the African American section of your local bookstore) that I wonder how best to include them in the discussion. So, to make this easier to discuss, I’m going to limit myself to works of fiction or visual media in the science fiction/fantasy genres, since that’s what I read. So, back to the POC!Bechdel test. I’m going to list the television shows I can think that pass this test. – *Battlestar Galactica* : Dee and Geta had a great friendship that lasted pretty much the whole show. Also, there was the priestess from the planet of black fundamentalists, but I’m pretty sure she was only around to lead the dying white woman to her destiny. – *True Blood*: I’m not sure that Lafayette and Tara have a conversation that isn’t about Sookie or Jason, but Tara does argue a lot with her mother. And also with the witch woman about the “devils” inside her. … Okay, sorry, drawing a blank here. No Joss Whedon show passes (ha!). * Supernatural* doesn’t (unless you count “Route 666” a/k/a the racist monster truck episode…which I don’t). *Being Human*: nope. None of the Star Treks I’m familiar with do, though I’m not close to enough of a Trekkie to be sure of this. Other shows that do, though they’re not in the SF/F genres (that experiment sure ended quickly!) – *Grey’s Anatomy*: frankly, the ease with which this show passes both the Bechdel test and my POC version of it makes me wish that it were, well, a better show. Which is not to say that the first few seasons didn’t have their charms and some snappy writing, but these days it’s just so…lugubrious and self-absorbed. – *Veronica Mars*. This show had Wallace, one of the most awesome black characters on TV (until the third season ruined him, at least). It also has Weevil, who was Hispanic, and they definitely had conversations. Unfortunately, they were all about Veronica. However, it passes because Wallace has conversations with both his mom and dad (and, later, with Jackie). Weirdly enough, *Veronica Mars* has a way harder time passing the actual Bechdel test. I don’t think an honest f/f conversation (not about men) occurs until Mac becomes a recurring character in the second season. I’m sure there are others. You should let me know about them in the comments! As for fiction, there must be significantly more in the genre that passes this test. All of Octavia Butler’s work easily passes it. *Liar* by Justine Larbalestier (now with a much better cover!) passes it a dozen times over (along with every other novel she’s published). However, I’ll say that when a novel is written in close third or first from the POV of someone who is not a person of color, that makes it extremely difficult to fulfill the second and third criteria of the test, since by necessity the main character will need to be present in all conversations (or, at least, overhearing them). So, the Bechdel test (either version) is hardly a failsafe arbiter of works that are sexist or racist. It’s just a baseline, and something that can reveal problematic trends. Like the fact that I can only think of two genre television shows that meet this incredibly low bar. So, something to think about. And in the meantime, Bechdel test (either version) your favorite creative works and see how they fare. And now a word from our sponsor... Your ad could be here, right now.<http://www.projectwonderful.com/advertisehere.php?id=38358&type=1> The Bechdel Test and Race in Popular Fiction<http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/09/01/the-bechdel-test-and-race-in-popular-fiction/> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=4vcwoz7laDA:ntmJOLMRp60:D7DqB2pKExk> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=4vcwoz7laDA:ntmJOLMRp60:qj6IDK7rITs> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=4vcwoz7laDA:ntmJOLMRp60:gIN9vFwOqvQ> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=4vcwoz7laDA:ntmJOLMRp60:F7zBnMyn0Lo> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=4vcwoz7laDA:ntmJOLMRp60:yIl2AUoC8zA> Government Run Healthcare….A Scary Story<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/abwblog/~3/8i_6oRc2pSc/> Posted: 31 Aug 2009 02:48 PM PDT [image: government-run-healthcare-a-scary-story] So I went to VA1 this morning. Now I had no appointment (my pain only became unmanageable in the last week) so I had to go through the walk-in clinic. My preferred clinic is Women Health and their walk in hours are only on Mondays and Thursdays so when I got there at 11:20 today I was totally prepared to wait. And I did. For about 25 minutes. I spent the time explaining computers to a very nice fellow vet with a brand new Gateway and no clue how to use it. Eventually a nurse came to get me. She checked my vitals, asked for my primary complaint, and asked all the standard questions about the rest of my health. I explained my problem and she got me set up with the Nurse Practitioner. She kept me waiting for a few more minutes while she read through my electronic medical records and familiarized herself with my case. There was some more discussion of my complaint and an exam and then the NP set me up with a laundry list of appointments (a full physical, my next mammogram, physical therapy, podiatry, and an orthopedic consult) and I did spend some time in there getting a lecture on my lifestyle and my arthritis. Because she wanted to impress upon me that my condition is progressive and my tendency to overwork myself is a bad idea. Those of you picturing a frustrated medical professional contemplating hitting me with a hammer? That picture is pretty close to correct. Bonus points if you imagined me edging toward the door blathering about the errands I needed to run. She finished her lecture and prescribed me a drug with a name like a Transformer before sending me downstairs to make sure that my prescription coverage eligibility was in the system. I stopped at the pharmacy to get a number before I went to the eligibility desk. That took longer than expected (20 minutes) so by the time I got back to the pharmacy I had to get a new number. There was some more waiting to get my med consult (they explain the dosage instructions and all the possible side effects to you) and get my actual meds. At 1:30 I was on my way. My appointment list is pretty long because I haven’t been seen in over a year, but that’s my fault since I generally don’t go to the doctor unless I’m sick. Now I’m home again, I’ve taken the medication and for the first time in several days I am feeling no pain. Total cost? 0 dollars. That was government run healthcare from start to finish. If I wasn’t eligible for the prescription coverage? My medication would have been $8 for a 90 day supply. If you’re thinking that I earned this because I was in the Army? Nice sentiment, but completely and totally ridiculous. I paid taxes before I was ever in the Army, and really no one should have to spend days in pain with no hope of affording treatment. Now, near as I can tell the medicine I was prescribed runs right around $1 per pill for a 90 day supply. Not insanely expensive, but not cheap either. And I’m sure there are people out there with osteoarthritis that are struggling to afford the pills, never mind trips to a podiatrist, physical therapy, or consulting with a orthopedic specialist. I want people in pain to have access to the exact same treatment I enjoyed today. My tax dollars are in the same pool as everyone else’s and if I can benefit from yours? I want you to benefit from mine. And now a word from our sponsor... Your ad could be here, right now.<http://www.projectwonderful.com/advertisehere.php?id=38358&type=1> Government Run Healthcare….A Scary Story<http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/08/31/government-run-healthcare-a-scary-story/> Footnotes 1. Veterans Affairs Hospital. I am a service connected disabled veteran of the US Army and as such I am entitled to healthcare through this government agency. This is a good thing because most private insurance won’t touch me. I have the dreaded pre-existing condition of osteoarthritis along with some other chronic health issues <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=8i_6oRc2pSc:cNAA14qgxts:D7DqB2pKExk> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=8i_6oRc2pSc:cNAA14qgxts:qj6IDK7rITs> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=8i_6oRc2pSc:cNAA14qgxts:gIN9vFwOqvQ> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=8i_6oRc2pSc:cNAA14qgxts:F7zBnMyn0Lo> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/abwblog?a=8i_6oRc2pSc:cNAA14qgxts:yIl2AUoC8zA> You are subscribed to email updates from The Angry Black Woman<http://theangryblackwoman.com/> To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now<http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=wNFIFggD41hvDALWk2Lhs8Qkw3s> . Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Black Focus Inc." group. 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