Meta Rec

I've been toying with another post about the flaws with "it's just a story", but I don't have to anymore! A post came up on metafandom I like better than anything I've gotten put to paper.

stellaluna_: Storytelling

As a reader, I have a right to consider how other people are using their words. I have a right to look at the deeper implications of a story and to consider what's going on there. I have a right to talk about, for example, how depictions of race in some television shows have been problematic, or about how depictions of gender in a book are equally unsettling. I also have a right to talk about TV shows and books who get it right, who strive for better depictions of people of color and women and GLBTQ people. I have a right to talk about the too-prevalent invisibility of GLBTQ people in primetime television.

I also have the right to talk about more general story-related issues, about character and theme and setting, about how a story deals with these things, about how its subtext and its symbols work (or fail to work), and how thematic throughlines strengthen a story when they're in place and when they're consistently developed.

I don't want to say it's every reader's responsibility, because some people just want to engage with a story for the exciting plot developments or for their favorite characters, and that's fine; we all seek out what we need from a story, and hopefully we find what we're looking for. However, for people who are interested in discussion of any of the issues I mentioned above, it is vitally important that we have these conversations, both because conversations about race and gender and sexual identity need to happen, and because conversations about theme, etc., need to.

Like Cats and Dogs

Tommie's mellowed out a little with the babies - she doesn't exactly love when we play with them, but she lets us. And then tries to find another good hiding place so we can't steal them again.

Her newest hiding place is...right next to my bed. Totally out in the open. My cat has no brains - but that's a good thing! 'Cause it means I've gotten exclusive kitten time for two days whenever I want it.

( Babies )