In which it is all about cyber and vampires

 

I just finished reading Laurie Penny's Cybersexism, a published essay that gave me a well needed kick up the ass.

If you're not spending your time under the thrall of Twitter or reading the leftie British comment pieces or worshipping Molly Crabapple, she may have slipped you by. Laurie Penny is a UK political and popular culture journalist. She's also about my age, interested in Internet rights, looks like an extra from a My Chemical Romance video, and writes in a tone that is both confident and confessional.

Cybersexism is the second of her essay-style published works I've bought. The first one was Discordia: Six Nights in Crisis Athens which was a fascinating piece of modern journalism accompanied by Molly Crabapplie's ever fantastic art. It's why I really love it when Laurie Penny does write about politics, rather than feminism because I think she has a really great skill for highlighting unseen stories. However, sexism clearly pisses her off. And of course, editors do like getting women to write about being women, rather than about the rise of European Fascism.

All that being said, I really got a lot out of Cybersexism. She covers a whole load of topics around the Internet. Why the cyberpunk writing vision of a place where gender is irrelevant became a place became a place where a woman blogging about comics has to worry about her physical safety.

But Laurie Penny's piece is not just a theorum or a nostalgic musing on the early days of the web. It's inspiring and friendly.

It told me not to wilt under the cry of attention seeking.

It told me that just because I can write doesn't mean I can't code. That I shouldn't hold onto this idea that maths is not for me. and I can learn anything I want to.

It reminded that I don't have to be a coder or hacker-nerd to be fighting for Internet rights.

It reminded me that I wrote a second dissertation just for fun on Harraway and cyborgs in The Wolves in the Walls. How I loved that line about existing in the in-between spaces. That I too would rather be a cyborg than a goddess.

I grew up on Sheroes, a feminist forum for teenagers, where I learnt about the evils of slut shaming from a cheerleader turned professional boxing teacher. Where the writer I admired most responded to the trigger warninged rants of teenager girls on the busiest section of the forum. So, the Internet has always been about feminism and justice for me, but it's also been about community. It's why I love blogging, and why I found the essay very close to home. And why I have hope that the Internet still can be for everyone.

Funnily enough she also has a new book out just now called Unspeakable Things which also includes a fair chunk of Cybersexism I've heard. That's why I just got round to reading the book before that... You should see my to read list.

Angry faces

Happy Faces

Obviously the proper use of Edgar Allan Poe is modelling your collection of Lego monsters.

I also love my Lego monsters. I used my 2 latest figures, my gorgeous vampire couple to illustrate this piece. I built them out of the jumble of body part boxes at the Lego Store where you can make your own people. They are also almost nothing to do with my review of the essay, I just really liked the pictures.

In which I talk about the Edinburgh Fringe

I had a beautiful four day holiday with my boyfriend. It was perfect in so many ways and only slightly tainted by the knowledge that I won’t see him again for about a month, maybe more. I experienced so many things that I don’t really know what to blog about. I thought I could talk about the outfits I wore as I did get him to take a few photos of me. However the last thing I did was an outfit post and I don’t believe that my clothes were anywhere near the most interesting thing in Edinburgh. I considered talking about the city itself, the strange point architecture of Edinburgh. The most obvious thing to talk about is of course the theatre. I was there for the fringe: to see a multitude of amazing theatre and comedy. It certainly provided that. Instead I’m going to mingle it all up and talk about some of the things I thought about and throw some awesome buildings in at the end.

I also thought a great deal about the world. I saw some of the best theatre of my life: a performance of three of stories by Edgar Allan Poe (suitably called Tales from Edgar Allan Poe).

It was beautiful and blood curdling and so so impressive. They did The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Tell-Tale Heart. They are all told in the first person and so they maintained the story, it wasn’t turned into a play but rather into a dramatic monologue with parts of it acted out but keeping the original words. The Fall of the House of Usher off by heart! And it felt so real. I was truly blown away. I wanted to shake the performers hand and hug them all when it had finished. There was also a trapeze and puppets but done in a way that fluidly melted into the storyline rather than being jarring and confusing.

My boy and I came out of that well and truly impressed and more than a little terrified. Poe really is scary when you hear every word felt.

During all that I was thinking. I had a revelation: This is what life is about.

For me all the rest of it, the jobs and the stress are about those moments. About watching perfect art with the man I love.

Then I thought -this is what humanity is about: Our ability to create great art. In that moment I felt perfectly content.

It all sounds a bit grand and pretentious perhaps. Yet I really believe that things like the fringe are the key to being human.

I also went to see Amanda Palmer and heard Neil Gaiman on stage. They were as fantastic as ever. I thought about them too. About how strange it is to see your heroes, to have them walk right past you and I just stood there. What was I going to say? When the gig was finished they stood in a line to sign things and this time we didn’t bother. Not because I don’t want to but because I find it all a bit awkward. I could say ‘Hey Neil! I wrote my dissertation on you! And maybe a piece in a book! I have everything you have written nearly!’ but what would that get in response? I doubt that he would have a lot to say. Standing in a queue with 10 seconds to talk is not how they will get to know you. I used to think that what I want out of life is to be the kind of person that these two heroes of mine would want to hang out with. I have come to a certain realisation that it is hardly likely that they will ever invite me to a crazy art party where we all dress up as mermaids and play the lute. I’m not even musical. However I do want a life which is filled with creativity and art. I want friends who are as cool as those two (and I think I have that). I want to throw awesome parties (and when I have my own house I will). I can be inspired by my heroes but although I quote Neil Gaiman once a day I want to live my own life that isn’t standing in a queue and hoping they will like my dress. I want to be inspiring not just inspired. I want to be magical

There we go! Some musings on hero worship!

To finish it off I will give you some photos of the amazing architecture of Edinburgh.

I took these pictures as evidence that Edinburgh is the pointiest place around! So many spires and gothic architecture. I love it.