This Magical Photo Series Of Black Girls Made My Week 1000% Better

Remember Creative Soul Photography's Black Princess Series from last year? Dang, was that amazing. Go click over if you missed it.

Kahran & Regis Bethencourt are the visionaries behind Creative Soul, and this month the Atlanta-based duo is back with more from their new series, "Afro Art." Seeking to "empower children of color to embrace their natural curls and the skin that they’re in," Kahran & Regis transform young girls into warriors, fae creatures, royalty, and more, and I dare you to pick less than half a dozen favorites:

Seriously, hold on to your hearts. This is gonna be gooood.

::swoon::

I love that they don't have the girls smile. You get hints of a softness or amusement here and there, but mostly there are just steady, powerful gazes.

Or this!

WE WANTS THE REDHEAD... Turned Into A Pirate?

Warning: this won't interest you AT ALL unless you're a Dizgeek, peeps. More specifically, a Disney theme park geek.

If you are of the House of Mouse, then you already know about the big change coming to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride Disney announced yesterday.

Well, I SAY "big change," but it's really just to one iconic scene: the one with the redhead.

Go read about it here on Inside the Magic if you need to catch up, but in a nutshell, next year they'll be changing the infamous "Bride Auction" scene in both Disneyland and WDW...

...into a more generic "Loot Auction," with the iconic Redhead turned into a pirate herself:

"We wants the redhead!" is arguably the most famous line in the entire ride, so I'm guessing (but just guessing) Disney will keep that audio in - only now in the context that she *isn't* for sale, and that's why the bidders want her.

The original PotC ride over in Disneyland has had this painting in it since the beginning, so I could totally see a fun back story coming together to explain the new lady pirate:

However, this is change. At Disney. Not only that, it's change to one of their most beloved and iconic rides ever.

So people. Are losing. THEIR MINDS.

I'll be honest, my first reaction was dismay, too. Nobody likes having their favorite childhood things messed with. Then I read the articles, looked at the ride pictures with fresh eyes, and (oh yes) I read the comments.

And WOWIE.

The arguments against this change are already so vitriolic, so "THE END IS NIGH," that I have to say something positive. HAVE TO. So let's break down the most common arguments I'm seeing, and I'll tell you why I don't think it's all quite so bad, k?

Argument #1: "Stop re-writing history!"

Ok, but PotC isn't a history lesson. This isn't Epcot, it isn't trying to be educational; it's a silly pirates-themed ride to make you smile, not an exposé on the horrors of real-life piracy.

What's more, do we really think pirates bothered with "brides?" Let's face it, that's sugar-coating what they really did to women, so how is it historically accurate now?

Argument #2: "Our children will be pansies! STOP BEING A BUNCH OF PC SNOWFLAKES."

Again, theme park ride. I understand that uncomfortable things can provide "teachable moments," but is that really a conversation you want to have with your kids at Disney?

Argument #3: "But there are also guns! And torture! Why not take THOSE out?"

That's a fair point - especially the well scene - but here's what I've got: Everything in PotC is portrayed as upbeat and cartoonish - no one is screaming in agony or bleeding out on the street. HOWEVER, at the "Bride Auction" the women are sobbing into their handkerchiefs. Doesn't that tone strike you as off? A little too real?

The red head is NOT crying, presumably because she knows she's the best looking and will fetch the most money? Honestly, that part's never made much sense to me.

Argument #4: "But it's a classic!"

So were a lot of things in the 60s. Times change.

Argument #5: "This is how Walt wanted it!"

Maybe back then, sure, but what Disney wanted more than anything was progress. He famously said the park would never be finished, but would continue to grow. Today that growth means promoting stronger female role models for kids.

In fact, that's going to be my final counterpoint to all the rending-of-robes and gnashing-of-teeth going on over the coming change: this is good news for girls. Disney's "Pirates League" already gives makeovers to boys *and* girls now, and there are female pirates in the PotC movies, but the ride only shows pirate men. So how cool will it be to have at least one awesome lady pirate in there?

Fellow Dizgeeks, I understand that initial disappointment, I do. It took me a little reading and considering to come around myself. (Shout out to my friend & Epbot reader Traci for being the first to help me see this in a positive light, btw.)

So if you're still upset, maybe try to see that Bride Auction through the fresh eyes of a child - through the eyes of your daughters and sisters and nieces. Or just imagine if Disney unveiled a brand new ride that only showed women as victims and property. Wouldn't you rather have little girls leave a ride excited to dress up and go on swashbuckling, make-believe adventures? Because that's what this is about, after all: feeding kids' imaginations, and having fun.

Just some food for thought, the next time you see your friends (or my friends, for that matter) saying how awful and pandering Disney is for being "too PC" with this change. Maybe it is too PC. Maybe it's even unnecessary. But you know what? At the end of the day we're swapping a "Bride Auction" for a sassy, strong lady pirate - and I'm good with that.

*****

Now let's announce some art winners!

The winner of the Avengers poster is SilverIvy

The winner of Alien vs Predator is Annette (the one who said she wants that print) 

And the Wildcard winner is Emily Robin

But wait, there's more! 

My new winners for LAST month are:

C (of the blog Autistic in Alabama) gets the original Robot

and Lewis B gets the Wildcard!

Congrats, everyone, and please e-mail me your mailing addresses!

Sure, Wonder Woman Is Good... But Let's Talk About Those STUPID HEELS

 
I did it again, peeps: I let the hype get to me.

With all the rave reviews flooding social media, the smashing of box office records, and friends telling me to get ready to cheer, cry, and generally lose my mind, I went to see Wonder Woman last night with my spirits high, and my expectations higher.

To be fair, maybe nothing could live up to all that.

And also to be fair, Wonder Woman is a good movie - no question. But to someone coming in with no real history with Diana Prince, someone who hasn't seen all the previous stinkers DC's been making (Bats vs Supes? Nuh-uh.) for comparison, Wonder Woman falls just shy of "great."

It has moments of greatness, though: a few scenes that punch through into the movie I hoped for, the movie I desperately wanted. We get to see Diana and the other Amazons kicking butt, and looking gorgeous and fierce while doing it. We get a little laughter and color, a nice change from all the "dark and gritty" that superhero flicks seem to choke on today. We get gods and World War 1 and a ragtag group of misfits taking on the world - only this time, a woman's in charge. HELLZ YES AND THANK YOU PLEASE.

But for all that, the movie drags. There's too much talking, too much flirting with the predictable - albeit adorable - love interest. There's not enough fighting. The Big Bad Guy at the end is kinda laughable. And the worst part - the WORST part - is that our Amazonian warrior goddess, the one raised in a society with no men, the one who spends an entire (hilarious) scene protesting when they put her in a dress, because "how do you fight in this?" - this confident, self-sufficient, powerful role model for girls and women everywhere - spends the entire movie in 4-inch heels.

WHUT.

Not gonna lie: those needless, hypocritical, impractical high heels - featured prominently in every fight scene, but surprisingly hard to find in promo photos for reasons that will soon be made clear - kinda broke the movie for me.

BONUS SIDE NOTE OF FORTUITOUS COINCIDENCE: 

 Preach, Mac Dictionary.

 

Now I'mma rant a bit. Buckle up.

Look, there's no denying Wonder Woman was made by men, for men. (Her own creator once wrote, "the secret of woman’s allure,” is that “women enjoy submission—being bound.” Um. EW.) But today we're told she is something different. Today she's been re-branded, reclaimed. Today Wonder Woman is supposed to stand for feminism and empowerment, not bondage and submission. We girl geeks rally behind her as the champion for our sex, the chief example in the comics universe we can point to and say, "See? Women can be superheroes, too." 

And hey, I'm not saying Wonder Woman can't be sexy. HECK YEAH SHE CAN BE SEXY. The rest of Diana's outfit makes sense for battle, and is totally smokin'.

I'm also not saying wearing heels is bad, because rock what makes you happy, peeps. But let's not delude ourselves: heels are for looks, not comfort or practicality. Which of you straps on stilettos before going for a run? Maybe a kicky pair of pumps for Taekwondo? It's beyond laughable. Add to that Diana is a warrior who's never even SEEN a man, much less cares about attracting one during battle. Putting her in heels is practically character assassination; it literally goes against everything she stands for.

Besides, I defy you to put Gal Godot in flats and tell me she's one IOTA less attractive. So why do it? WHY?

And lest you think this was a height thing: Godot is 5'10. Chris Pine is 6 feet tall. Godot didn't need to be taller. In fact, she wore flats while filming, so she wouldn't be taller than Pine.

Because heaven forbid a leading lady ever be taller than her leading man, right, Hollywood?

 

 Almost done, I promise.

Of course, Godot also had to wear flats while filming because even pretending to be Wonder Woman was impossible in those shoes. Gal Godot was a combat trainer in the Israeli army, you guys. If anyone could do it, it would be her. But she couldn't. That's how ridiculous Wonder Woman's shoes are.

So get this: they CGI'd them in.

That's right, they went back and digitally added in the high heels; in reality, Godot was wearing sneakers under gladiator spats the whole time. So instead of giving her flat sandals that make sense and look almost exactly the same, the producers spent extra money, time, and who-knows-how-much effort to make the pointed statement that Wonder Woman must wear impossibly high heels while fighting. (I guess we should add that to her list of super powers?)

And here I am, feeling like a traitor, because every review I've seen by other ladies is going on about how different Wonder Woman is, because it was directed by a woman. That it doesn't "serve the male gaze," and that the Amazon's outfits are so refreshingly unsexualized, and I'm like

HAVE YOU SEEN THE SHOES

and

HOW COULD ANOTHER WOMAN MAKE THIS DECISION

but of course I can't say that because the movie is rocking my fellow geeks' universe, and I DO want them to have nice things, and I DON'T want to be the one tinkling in the Wonder Woman Wheaties, so to speak.

[plops back down, pats hair into place]

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Jen, CHILL. They're just shoes."

But are they? 

When Gal Godot showed up to the Wonder Woman premier in flats, the internet lost its mind.

Everyone applauded this bold statement for comfort and feminism, apparently oblivious to the fact that the actress was now better equipped to go sprinting through a battle field than her character was. Think about that. Think about the enormous opportunity lost here. About what a coup it would have been for women everywhere if "our" superhero - the one I hope will help usher in a new age of female leads - didn't have to sacrifice her own character integrity for the sake of sex appeal. Think about what an example that could be to kids, to geeks, heck, to cosplayers. (WILL NO ONE THINK OF THE COSPLAYERS??)



Wonder Woman was a good step forward, it was. I love it for every battle scene, for every roundhouse kick, for every time Diana led the charge. I love how many of you were deeply moved and inspired, and I'm beyond thrilled reading all the stories of little girls putting on capes and practicing their punches, and of grown geeks rediscovering their love for a childhood icon. I want more of that, and I know Wonder Woman will help pave the way.

But dangit, they really screwed up with those shoes.


Ok, sound off: who didn't even notice she was wearing heels? Who doesn't care? Who's had their entire feminist perspective shifted by my oh-so-convincing diatribe? [elbow nudge] Eh? EH??

Too Far? DIY Wonder Woman Plush Uterus

Hang on. 

I CAN EXPLAIN.

You know those times when you're sitting around, brainstorming craft ideas for Mother's day, and nothing's happening so you're exasperated and a little punchy and you start complaining to your hubby, who is NO help at all, and then you both try to outdo each other with increasingly ridiculous ideas?

That's how this happened.

So without further ado...

I give you...

WONDER WOMB.

Now, I realize Mother's Day is still a ways off (at least here in the U.S.), but I figure you need time to make a cool dozen each of these, because CLEARLY every mom  - heck, every woman - you know will appreciate a plush uterine superhero. In fact, motherhood and/or lady bits aren't even required: superhero uteri for everybody! 

Now, I'll be honest: I vetoed this idea for a solid 15 minutes because I couldn't think up a decent pun for the name. The best I could come up with was Super Ova - which I love - but technically ovum are eggs, so it doesn't quite work?

Then I realized the whole thing was too funny to NOT do, and here we are.

And THEN a reader named Ellie suggested "Wonder Womb" in the very first comment and I was like "YES HOW DID I MISS THAT??" and was equal parts delighted and ashamed. So thank you, Ellie. You've done the world and uteri everywhere a great service. :D

Also, at the risk of erring on the schmaltzy side, I have to say that after the initial giggles I started to see this as a kind of kickass statement piece. I mean, my uterus is definitely a jerk sometimes, but it's also part of who I am and does incredibly powerful things. So, yeah. Whether you see this as pure silliness or a tribute to someone great or a general feminist statement -  or a little of all three - LET'S MAKE ONE.

First I'mma show you my initial sketch, 'cuz I think it's adorable:

The end result is pretty close, right?

So.

You Will Need: 

- Felt, 1 sheet of pink and 1 sheet of blue

- pink thread

- Star Sequins (I found these at JoAnn's for $1 per pack)

- Gold Liquid Lame Fabric (that's 1/8 of a yard, which they WILL cut for you, yay!)

- Black Fabric Paint (not shown)

- Tacky Glue (not shown) 

- Fiber Fill (not shown)

Everything in that photo up there cost me a total of $6, so this is another cheap craft!

First, download & print this template:

You Don't Have To Be Pretty

I was trolling through my old Pinterest boards last night looking for Valentines craft inspiration (one of these years I'll come up with something, right?) when I came across this Pin:

It jumped out because it was on my "Girly Grins" board - a place I normally reserve for funny cat pictures and watercolor tattoos.

So I clicked through to the article, and wow. I was unprepared. It was written over ten years ago by Erin McKean of A Dress A Day, and I recommend reading the whole thing (it's not long), but here's the bit that packed the biggest sucker punch for me:

You Don’t Have to Be Pretty.

You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general.

Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked “female”.

McKean goes on to say there's nothing wrong with "pretty", of course, but how our emphasis should be on health and happiness. Click on over, give it a read. I'll wait.

Back? Cool.

Some thoughts:

In a world where every "empowering" pop song assures us that we're beautiful, and where expressing any dissatisfaction with our looks is seen as a cry for help or attention, I actually find it comforting to be told it's ok to NOT be pretty. That maybe looks can just be looks sometimes; a thing we have little control over, and that ultimately have no bearing on our true value.

I'll go even further, and say maybe it's ok if I don't think *I'm* pretty. And that maybe rushing to assure our friends and humanity in general that we're all beautiful is a bit, well, stupid. Insulting, even. How can we say a person we've never seen is beautiful? How can everyone be beautiful? And be warned: if you give me the "beautiful on the inside" speech, I WILL roll my eyes at you.

You know what's beautiful on the inside? Kindness. Courage. Empathy. Loyalty. Self-sacrifice. If those are the things we see in a person, if those are the things we mean, then shouldn't we use those words? Call out some specifics? Instead of reducing so many amazing qualities to something as trivial and fleeting as "beauty"?

Hey, I get it. This is one of those areas where we mean well, but we've been preconditioned to A) contradict anyone who says they're less-than-gorgeous, because B) we associate beauty with goodness. So she may not be beautiful, but she's a beautiful person. (I know, I know; I've said it, too!)

I would posit that in the process of trying to make people feel better like this, though, we're really enforcing the societal mandate that unattractiveness will not be tolerated. That of course you're pretty, because you have to be pretty.

But you guys, we don't have to be pretty. As McKean said, we don't owe prettiness to anyone. Not even ourselves.


I don't have any answers here, but I like these thoughts. I like being reminded that I don't owe chasing some impossible standard to the world. And I need reminding, because that's not how it feels, right? Right now I think I owe prettiness - or my best attempts at it - to every person who has to look at me. I feel like I should apologize for my face if I'm not wearing makeup, or for my clothes if I'm wearing something comfortable, or for my figure and weight, period.

Sometimes it's fun, the makeup and the clothes and the sparkly nail polish. But like everything, the fun fades when you have to.

So I don't know about you, but I get tired and resentful of the effort. Then I get tired and resentful of being told I'm beautiful just the way I am by commercials and songs and even my overly enthusiastic hubby, who has a knack for picking the worst possible times. If John would save it for when I'm tucked and plucked and actually feeling pretty, it'd be different. But noo-ooo. It's when my unibrow is coming in nicely and I'm propped up on my triple chins in a heap of frizz wearing cat-hair-covered yoga pants that John decides I need to be told I'm gorgeous. Which is sweet, but c'mon. If that's gorgeous, then somebody better bust out the heavenly chorus line when I brush my teeth and put on a bra, is all I'm saying.

 via

Again, no answers here, just thoughts. And I'm curious what you guys think. Do you struggle with "owing" prettiness to anyone, or do you enjoy the effort? Do you care what your favorite people look like? Where's the line between being true to ourselves and presenting a well-groomed, self-respecting image to the outside world? And most importantly, do you ever fantasize about a society where everyone wears pretty masks in public, or are turned into giant cats with lustrous fur coats that hide all their zits? (Asking for a friend.) (Who is me.)

Let's chat. Let's think some new thoughts.

And hey, for what it's worth, I don't care if you're pretty, because I know you're already something so much better: you're you. You are what matters, you are what lasts, and twenty or fifty or a hundred years from now, your impact on the people and world around you is what will be remembered. Not your good hair days, not your pore size or your waist size or your fashion sense. Just you. 

And you know what? That's pretty darn cool.

Take Your Daughters To See Hidden Figures This Weekend

And while you're at it, take your sons, too. Take your friends and your family and your co-workers and friendly-looking passers-by, but especially - especially - take all the young women in your life, because wow, you guys. WOW.

I knew from the reviews this was going to be a great film, but Hidden Figures still knocked me back in my seat. Watching how these three women - and more like them - contributed to NASA and the space race of the 1960s was eye-opening to say the least, but done with so much heart and humor and in-your-face bravery that you WILL leave the theater ready to take on the world.

Hidden Figures shows the racism of the 60s at every turn, and those images and attitudes cut deep. They'll make you mad, because they should make you mad. But through every injustice, Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary prove themselves to be mighty warriors. They don't quit, they take the future into their own hands and work harder. They speak up. They educate themselves. They're brilliant and  strong. They show a dignity and a professionalism and an ethic we ALL need, perhaps more than ever today.

I love that each woman has a different path and a different set of obstacles, and overcomes them all completely on her own. There is no rescuing in this movie. No lucky breaks or the hand of fate. It's hard work and gritted teeth and more self-control then I *know* I'll ever have. Plus actors Taraji Henson (Katherine), Octavia Spencer (Dorothy), and Janelle Monae (Mary) bring these women to life with grace and steel; you couldn't ask for a better casting.

 

As for the other characters, it's odd seeing Sheldon from Big Bang Theory (aka Jim Parson) not wearing a geek shirt, but beyond that, he's essentially Sheldon minus the charm: arrogant and irritating. Kevin Costner shines as Director Al Harrison, though. You're gonna love him. And young John Glenn.

That's another thing: I like that Hidden Figures gives us light and love and humor among the struggle. We get to laugh and cry a few happy tears. We get to leave inspired to do more, and to do it better.

It's rated PG for "thematic elements" (?) and a little language, so this is a safe one for kids. No sex, and the only violence are brief news clips of protests.

So please, take your daughters, your granddaughters, your nieces and their friends, take them all to see Hidden Figures this weekend. Don't wait for the DVD. If for no other reason than to tell Hollywood: YES, THIS. We want more of this!

 And if I still haven't convinced you, then watch this trailer:

Now I'm off to Universal for their annual Harry Potter Celebration this weekend - stay tuned for pics!

Amazing Mom Gives Her Son The Princess Party He Wants, I Cheer, Maybe Cry A Little

It doesn't always feel like it, peeps, but we ARE lucky to be alive right now. Here's proof:

Stephanie V. writes:

I have a 5 year-old son who loves hockey, soccer, The Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, and Ariel. Yes, Ariel – The Little Mermaid. Like, LOVES her. I have bought him Ariel socks, an Ariel doll, and for his birthday this month, an Ariel blanket for his bed. He drags it all over the house and it’s his new lovey. I’ve let him pick out Disney Princess toothpaste at the grocery store as that’s what he wanted.

  When I asked Brodie a few months ago what he wanted his birthday party theme to be, he said “Ariel!” And he wanted Ariel to come to his party.  For a little bit, I pondered all that and thought I could do an “Under the Sea” type theme with a little bit of Ariel mixed in, so it’s not quite so obvious.  

Fast-forward to more party planning and I’ve decided we’re not going to scrimp on the Ariel decorations. He LOVES her and this is what he wants! So we are sending out invitations with pictures of Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, and King Triton on them, and we are having an Ariel party for my 5 year-old son. Ariel will deliver his cake to him personally toward the end of the party. And he will be the HAPPIEST little boy on the planet on that day. To me, that’s what counts.

By the time I replied to Stephanie's e-mail the party had already happened, so of COURSE I begged for pics. Then, after a little more begging,  I got permission to share them with all of you. 

PREPARE FOR HAPPY FEELZ.

 

 First, here's Brodie with his older brother in their Little Mermaid t-shirts:

Here's Ariel leading the kids in a little dance party:

(Look at Brodie's face. LOOK AT IT. That is all. [sniffle])

 

Story time:

 And my favorite: Brodie's one-on-one with his favorite princess:

 MY HEART.

Thank you, Stephanie, for being one of the good ones. Thank you for reminding us it's not only OK to love what you love, it's OK for everyone else to, too. Thank you for spreading hope and joy and love and pixie dust, just when some of us need it most.

And Brodie, I think I speak for everyone here when I say HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, little man! Please don't ever stop being you!

You Need These Happy Feelz: Princess Hot Dog & The Best Doll Ever

Two stories went viral over the weekend that we all NEED to see to be better, happier humans.

First, a local dance class held a "Princess Day," and one little trailblazer came dressed as a hot dog:

Here's my favorite quote from her dance teacher, Sarah Nativi:

She's a princess on the inside, you guys. Also I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING.

Happily Ainsley and her parents are delighted by the attention this story is getting, and she was even invited to open their recital on Saturday in her hot dog costume!

Here's a better pic of Ainsley (on the far left) with her teacher after the recital:

Be sure to head over to BuzzFeed News for the whole account, and lots more awesome pics.


But before you go, here's one more story you're going to want to watch alone, and with a Kleenex handy. It's the story of Emma, just as she receives an American Girl doll with a prosthetic leg that matches her own:

 

(You can see the mom's original FB post here)

I legit ugly-sobbed for like 5 minutes, you guys.  I can't remember the last time I was this inspired to put more goodness like this into the world.

What's more, Emma's doll was modified - FOR FREE - by an actual prosthetics company, A Step Ahead.

 From the A Step Ahead website:  

Anyone with a child who has had or is facing an amputation is welcome to send us an American Girl doll which we will happily modify with a prosthetic limb (or limbs) to match the child. The prosthetics themselves are entirely designed and fabricated in our prosthetics shop alongside the “real” prosthetics, and are painted by hand in a variety of colors.

And since not everyone can afford an American Girl doll, the company has even set up a foundation to accept donations exclusively for purchasing dolls for children with limb loss.

I don't know about you, but I'm about ready to hug the whole planet now. Even that FB friend who won't stop posting political memes. Even the chair-kicker at the movie theater. Even my whole state of Florida. That's right, bring it in, world. Let's hug this out.

In all seriousness, though, let's carry the spirit of Ainsley and Emma with us this week, you guys. Let's work harder and love more. Let's bring more goodness to the world. In a world full of princesses, let's be the hot dog. 

[obligatory Hot Dog Princess reference]

This Is For Posterity: The Moobly Movement

I love posting "quick" snippets on Facebook sometimes because I feel like they're less commitment and you guys are more forgiving if my thoughts come off kinda silly over there, but then the FB machine gobbles them up and a lot of you don't get to see *any* of my posts there so I feel bad for excluding anyone from random silliness they maybe want to see. 

Which is my long-winded way of saying here's a post I put on Facebook last night. It turned into a pretty cool round table discussion in the comments, and you guys made me LOL a lot, so I want to remember it.

*****

Here's an interesting contrast between Life Online & Reality: Yesterday I got some (loving) flak from a few commenters for referring to myself as "chunky," saying I was most definitely NOT overweight.

Today I had my cardiologist take both my hands, and (again, very kindly) tell me I'm not overweight, I am, in fact, OBESE.

I think there's an interesting discussion to be had here. I mean, I can still like my body and admit I'm overweight - a lot of us can. But well-meaning friends and loved ones are always horrified - HORRIFIED - if we use the dreaded F word (fat), or any variation thereof. 

If the Body Positive movement is teaching us anything, though, it's that beauty comes in every shape, every size, every color and configuration. Fat can be just as beautiful as skinny. Chunky can be, too. You know this. I know this. It's just going to take a little while 'til we figure out how to talk openly and honestly without all this stigma and shame attached to every single word that means "overweight."

Hey, maybe we should just invent a NEW word for it. Like moobly. Moobly sounds fun. No one could be mad if you called yourself moobly. Or dimplish. Or hugtastic. Which is kind of already a word, but whatevs.

Great. Now I'm just going to be brainstorming new words all night. GAH.


Like I said, sooo many great comments (you can see them all on the original post), but here's a  sampling of the top-rated ones:

Somehow you guys always know just when I need an infusion of level-headed positivity from the internet. You're like my Book Club on life. I like it.

Also, related update: after 4 rounds of doctor visits & exhaustive testing I can finally say my heart is perfectly healthy, and I am cleared for cardio! Which would be a lot more exciting if I didn't, you know, hate cardio. (Does Tsum Tsums count?) o.O

Things I Learned Today: Barbie Is Based On A Bachelor Party Gag Gift?!

If you haven't seen this all over yet, you will soon: Barbie has a new body. 

Yep, following in the steps of Lammily, the "realistic" fashion doll:

Remember her?

... Mattel is introducing three new body types for Barbie: "Tall", "Petite", and "Curvy".

They're still keeping Barbie's original mutant body, too, though, about which Time had THIS fascinating factoid:

Um. Say WHAT?!

This is apparently old news, but it's the first I've heard of it - so off to Google I went.

I quickly found one of the original Bild Lillis, shown here in her see-through negligee:

Super(Girl) News!

You guys, how did I not know there was a new Supergirl series coming out until CBS released the trailer yesterday?? I have failed as a geek girl.

Anyhoo, if you haven't seen it yet, check it out:

Yep, color me excited.

Even better than watching the trailer for myself was seeing John's reactions as he watched it for the first time. I think there was an actual cheer at one point.

In a way I'm glad we saw this in a vacuum, with no fan critiques to color our first impressions. Because, yes, now that I've read some reviews, I guess there are some areas for concern. The bumbling assistant to the Devil Wears Prada-esque boss is pretty cliché - and it *does* smack uncomfortably close to the recent SNL Black Widow sketch. 

But I'm only gonna let the fan communities rain on this parade so far, you guys, 'cuz let's face it: more female supers on the screen is an amazing thing.

I like to focus on the positive over here, so let's just take a moment to bask in the hope that this will be an amazing show, shall we? One that will inspire and empower a new generation of geek girls, and remind parents that superheroes aren't just "for boys." And hey, maybe it'll even convince toy manufacturers that female supers should get their own actions figures, dangit. (Harumph.)

I did notice a lot of folks calling out the "girly power ballad," which, ok, I actually liked. (WHAT.)  However, John found a fan's re-cut version scored with "real superhero music," and I gotta admit: VERY cool. Take a look - since you know you wanna watch those action sequences again anyway - and see what you think:

1:20 is where the chills start. AW YISS.

Plus, c'mon:

It's not a plane.

It's not a man.

It's Supergirl.

= ALL THE CHEERS.

The Best Response to the Ghostbusters Controversy Yet

I generally stay far, far away from geek fights online, but I love that when I DO bring up a hot topic, you guys bring your A game in the comments. Lotta good points raised last post, and I like that we can debate here without bashing.

Anyway, over on the Epbot Facebook page, I was delighted to see the top-rated response to my GB post was from one of my favorite artists, Karen Hallion:

Karen does all those amazing Doctor Who/Disney Princess mash-up t-shirts you've seen, plus about a billion other fabulous prints and shirts. (She's also SUPER nice IRL.)

Anyway, a few hours later on Twitter:

And THEN Karen posted this:

[Kermit flail] AAAAAA!!

Yep, I think I see another t-shirt purchase in my future.

Oh, and Karen? If you can work a little StayPuft magic in there I will love you forever.

 ;)

Happy weekend, guys!

Ghostbusters Is For Girls!

As I'm sure you guys have picked up over the years, I am a HUGE Ghostbusters fan.

So to get my daily dose of 'bustin' I follow a popular GB fan page over on Facebook.

Let me show you the top-rated comments on that page's last 2 posts regarding the all-female cast announced for the new movie:

Let me clarify that the facebook page itself said nothing negative. These are all just the fans' reactions. And count the upvotes on that jaw-droppingly sexist top meme, guys. COUNT 'EM.

This next post was only an hour old when I took the screenshot:

It's not just the top-voted comments that are awful, either; all of them are. I couldn't find a single positive remark about the cast or the movie. NOT ONE.

Over at The Replica Prop Forum, another great geek page I follow, things aren't much better. All they did was link the same Esquire article the GB page did:

And here are their top-rated comments:

Now, I get it: geeks are, by very definition, passionate people. Every new reboot of a beloved franchise is going to cause a firestorm of controversy, no matter what. This one is just especially heated because it brought all the sexist knuckle-draggers out of their caves.

Personally, I am beyond thrilled at the thought of some ass-kicking lady Ghostbusters hitting the big screen. Brainy, everyday women who fight their own battles in outfits NOT painted on with liquid latex? YES, PLEASE.

At the same time, I worry they'll go too heavy on the slap-stick, neglecting the heart and heroics for easy laughs at stereotypically "girl" things. And I'm a little heartbroken that Tina Fey isn't involved.

But hey, that's a writing thing, and I admit I have no real basis for those fears. It's just a worst-case scenario, running through my head.

So really, the only thing *I* see to be upset about here is that they're making the movie a reboot. Blurrrg. Why, Hollywood, why? I SO want to see women 'busting, but why does it have to be at the price of eradicating the original lore? No more Spengler and Stanz? No more Winston and Venkman? Really? Give us that history, so we can have homages and references to the original films, cameos from the surviving cast, and a sense of legacy. Then you're only adding to something great, instead of trying to replace it all together. I mean, COME. ONNNN!

[patting down hair]

Sorry; may have got a little nerd rage on ya there.

Reboot disappointments aside, though, I really want this movie to work. Because if these jerks online have shown us anything, it's that we NEED female Ghostbusters, just to show 'em how it's done.

 (Epbot reader Joanna's daughter Fya, from my post here)

Am I right, ladies?

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