21/8/14-27/8/14
Notices
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
General Fandom
Empathy is for white men: sugarfey (tumblr) - "Fandom is far more inclined to empathise with white male characters, I think this is fairly common knowledge. I'm interested in discussing how this comes about."
topic:race, topic:gender
How the growing generation gap is changing the face of fandom: Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (blog) - "Earlier this month, two fan conventions came to London: Nine Worlds and the World Science Fiction Convention, commonly know as Worldcon."
topic:conventions, topic:fandom
Has the tide turned for fan writers at the Hugos?: Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (blog) - "But this year's Fan Writer shortlist was interesting in itself, showing a drastic change from the category's five-decade love affair with a predominantly male demographic of fanzine writers."
topic:fandom, topic:hugoawards
Conventions, hierarchies and forced diversity: Bertha Chin (blog) - "But what follows is a personal experience of Worldcon, and I think it prudent that I should reflect on what some of the exchanges made me feel. As an academic, as a fan, and as someone who is obviously non-white."
topic:conventions, topic:race
Magical Mondays: Magic Is Illegal: Lady Saika (blog) - "However, this concept is often used as an allegorical stand-in for other minorities who have historically been denied human rights, which doesn't always work out narratively."
topic:magic
Oh, My Pop Culture Religion: The Old Gods and the New: pantydragon (blog) - "Differences in religious belief have caused some of the more dramatic incidents of division and discrimination throughout the course of civilization-I'm looking at you, Crusades-but separating religions themselves into categories can have more subtle and long-term effects on culture."
topic:religion
The Answer to My Teenage Prayers: Why Cry-Baby Should De-Throne Grease: Tsunderin (blog) - "Grease's sexism is inexcusable and, though Rizzo is still my girl, the worst thing I could do would be to write off these problems simply because of a catchy tune. Yet in cutting this musical out of my life, where am I going to get my fill of light-hearted 50's style Americana? Enter John Waters with his musical Cry-Baby."
fandom:grease, fandom:cry-baby
Absurdity… But With a Purpose!: brothadom (blog) - "The other day I was catching up on episodes of Regular Show and reruns of Kill la Kill and began to wonder to myself: what exactly is the appeal of these shows?"
fandom:theregularshow, fandom:anime
Theatre Thursdays: Diversity, Obligation, and Storytelling: Lady Saika (blog) - "Creators should want to include diverse characters in their creations, not out of some obligation to some imaginary race/gender/sexuality quota, but because seeing characters who look and act like them is important to marginalized communities, and because it makes the story more realistic: after all, white men are not the majority on our planet."
topic:diversity
Women as Background Decoration (part 2): Anita Sarkeesian - "This is the second episode exploring the Women as Background Decoration trope in video games. In this installment we expand our discussion to examine how sexualized female bodies often occupy a dual role as both sexual playthings and the perpetual victims of male violence." (includes transcript)
topic:feminism, topic:objectification, topic:videogames
Tropes vs. Women in Video Games: Women as Background Decoration - Part 2: Kristin Bezio (blog) - "In short, Sarkeesian has done what many academics and critics hope to do: she's managed to start a conversation - in which I am now participating - where she isn't all right, but she definitely isn't all wrong."
topic:femalecharacter, topic:feminism, topic:objectification, topic:videogames
When is a Grid Not Just a Grid? (Groensteen and Page Layout Roundtable): Qiana Whitted (blog) - "Roy's post really got me thinking about the way Groensteen privileges the layout pattern of the "waffle-iron" by identifying stability, simplicity, and transparency as fundamental attributes of the orthogonal shapes. Groensteen further conceptualizes the grid in the narrative rhythm of comics as the "basic beat" against which the visual and verbal elements of comics can improvise. From this perspective, it's not difficult to see how one might characterize the grid as "regular" or "neutral" or "invisible," but I remain troubled by the relative nature of these terms, who defines them and in what context."
topic:comics
The Most Interesting Flawed Female Characters: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "Flawed female characters tend to come up in discussions in regard to some canons failing to make sure they have a wide variety of flawed characters."
topic:femalecharacter, topic:canon
Specific Fandoms
A Song of Ice and Fire
Untitled: donewithwoodenteeth (tumblr) - "As a book reader, I more or less loathed [the scenes between Arya and Tywin at Harrenhal]."
fandom:asoiaf
A Laboratory of Politics Part III: Steven Attewell (blog) - "In this part of the Laboratory of Politics, I'm going to be tackling the history and politics of the Essosi city-state we have the most information about - Braavos."
fandom:asoiaf
A Church in Croatia May Keep Lena Headey From Baring Her Breasts on Game of Thrones: Jill Pantozzi (blog) - "We're told the local film commission will not give producers a permit to shoot the scene because they take their cue from the church - in this case the Church of St. Nicholas. Sources tell TMZ … they can't cut the scene because it's crucial to the story line and it's an iconic moment from the book."
fandom:asoiaf, topic:censorship, topic:sexuality, warning:spoilers
lordbryndenrivers' ASOIAF theories masterpost: lordbryndenrivers (tumblr) - "I every much enjoy ASOIAF theories, so I decided to make myself a master post of various theories and share it with you!"
fandom:asoiaf
Character Analysis: Joffrey, First of His Name: supernatasha (tumblr) - "I know it really is easier to dismiss Joffrey as being pure evil and a horrible human, etc, but I really REALLY think Joffrey was 80% a product of his upbringing and maybe 20% of his inbred Lannister genes. "
fandom:asoiaf
Untitled: supernatasha (tumblr) - "Tbh, this quote kinda worries me too. But I don't think it'll mean that she's headed toward a bad fate (as likely as that is)."
fandom:asoiaf
Babylon 5
Untitled: azurelunatic (tumblr) - "Oh man. MAN. Man. Lemme tell you about Susan Ivanova."
fandom:babylon5
The Blacklist
[Meta] Red, Liz and Beauty and the Beast Myths, an Essay: Figure_of_Dismay(AO3) - "A while back I remember saying that I was going to be writing a little bit about Beauty and the Beast stories and Red and Liz and the Lizzington ship."
fandom:theblacklist
Breaking Bad
Close Reading: Lydia in Dead Freight's Basement Scene: breathe in breathe out (tumblr) - "Season 5A's "Dead Freight" (directed by George Mastras) is best known for its outstanding (and ultimately horrifying) climactic sequence."
fandom:breakingbad, topic:canon
Elementary
The Amazing Joan Watson: Discovering Her Vocation: cloudnoodle (blog) - "I want to talk about one such aspect of her character which is particularly important to me-what Joan Watson can teach us about looking for and finding what one is meant to do in life."
fandom:elementary
High School Musical
Sexualized Saturdays: Heteronormativity and High School Musical: porluciernagas (blog) - "For a franchise about breaking free of socialized norms and clichés, High School Musical is absurdly heteronormative."
fandom:disney
The Hunger games
On Annie Cresta: Liffis (AO3) - "¨The poor mad girl back home¨ - a widely used description of Annie Cresta. Three words that encompass her character. - Three words that are problematic and damn her character at the same time."
fandom:thehungergames
Legend of Korra
Untitled: agentsokka (tumblr) - "Legit though. Everyone in ATLA/TLOK is Asian. There is no disputing this."
fandom:legendofkorra
Korra doesn't need to be humbled, she needs to love herself, and I hope that's the direction the show takes: ladyloveandjustice (tumblr) - "Obviously, I believe the idea Korra needs to be humbled is completely ridiculous.."
fandom:legendofkorra
Les Miserables
Untitled: astoryinred (tumblr) - "What Disney princess would each of the Les Mis girls be?"
fandom:lesmiserables
MCU
Untitled: historicalagentcarter (Tumblr) - "So as a first post, I thought I'd start with a baseline of what we know about Peggy based on her SSR file since this will form the basis of some of the things posted here."
fandom:mcu
Merlin
BBC Merlin Characters + Hogwarts House Sorting: Aeroway (AO3) - "Exactly what the title says. The following is my opinion only. If you'd like to lodge any complaints, responses, questions, or whatnot, feel free! There are spoilers for the entire show."
fandom:merlin
Outlander
"Outlander" Is The Feminist Answer To "Game Of Thrones" - And Men Should Be Watching It: Anne Helen Petersen (blog) - "The new Starz series, based on Diana Gabaldon's hit novels, offers one of the most committed, complicated portrayals of women on television - and there's no reason men shouldn't be watching too."
fandom:outlander
Sherlock BBC
Johnlock 101 - An Introduction to The Johnlock Conspiracy: JayEz (AO3) - "While researching #tjlc for my Sherlock essay, I discovered that no one had written something like "Johnlock 101" yet - so I did!"
fandom:bbcsherlock
Star Wars
Path Dependence in Star Wars Storytelling: Lex (blog) - "Although the specific implications of the term vary by discipline, the key idea is the same: sometimes when a fork in the road occurs and one path is traveled, it can be nearly impossible to revisit that decision-point even if subsequent events reveal that the other path would be superior."
fandom:starwars
Ridley Roundup: August 2014: Fangirl (blog) - "Despite the fact Episode VII production took its two-week hiatus, more indications arose this month that Daisy Ridley is portraying the central hero for the Sequel Trilogy."
fandom:starwars
Teen Wolf
Deputies, we hardly knew ye: agentotter, swingsetindecember (tumblr) - "But both of Parrish's predecessors - by which I mean the most visible recurring deputy characters - were black women. So the difference between their presence on the show and his presence on the show is like… REALLY obvious. And depressing."
fandom:teenwolf
Untitled:pickasalvatore (tumblr) - "i feel like you shouldn't be able to become an alpha by killing a true alpha."
fandom:teenwolf
True Blood
Fans respond to 'True Blood' finale with true hate: Michelle Jaworski (blog) - "True Blood finally received True Death after seven long and crazy seasons, but it left fans less than satisfied."
fandom:trueblood
X-Files
You're On The Wrong Floor: Special Agent John Doggett's Serious Genre Trouble (X-Files Season 8): PlaidAdder (AO3) - "John Doggett is a decent character. He's just on the wrong show."
fandom:x-files
Requiem for a Show I Loved: The End of X-Files' Season Seven: PlaidAdder (AO3) - "Pity the man who only ever had that one really good idea."
fandom:x-files
The Case For Finding Samantha (X-Files seasons 7-9): PlaidAdder (AO3) - "I was thinking to myself, well, obviously giving these guys a pregnancy storyline was a really bad idea. And I've always hated the "Biogenesis" crap. But really, after the conspiracy is wiped out in "One Son," what else was there to do? Could there have been ANY way to string this show along for another few years that wouldn't have ended in the same misery? And I thought: I know what I would have done. I would have brought back Samantha."
fandom:x-files
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
General Fandom
Empathy is for white men: sugarfey (tumblr) - "Fandom is far more inclined to empathise with white male characters, I think this is fairly common knowledge. I'm interested in discussing how this comes about."
topic:race, topic:gender
How the growing generation gap is changing the face of fandom: Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (blog) - "Earlier this month, two fan conventions came to London: Nine Worlds and the World Science Fiction Convention, commonly know as Worldcon."
topic:conventions, topic:fandom
Has the tide turned for fan writers at the Hugos?: Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (blog) - "But this year's Fan Writer shortlist was interesting in itself, showing a drastic change from the category's five-decade love affair with a predominantly male demographic of fanzine writers."
topic:fandom, topic:hugoawards
Conventions, hierarchies and forced diversity: Bertha Chin (blog) - "But what follows is a personal experience of Worldcon, and I think it prudent that I should reflect on what some of the exchanges made me feel. As an academic, as a fan, and as someone who is obviously non-white."
topic:conventions, topic:race
Magical Mondays: Magic Is Illegal: Lady Saika (blog) - "However, this concept is often used as an allegorical stand-in for other minorities who have historically been denied human rights, which doesn't always work out narratively."
topic:magic
Oh, My Pop Culture Religion: The Old Gods and the New: pantydragon (blog) - "Differences in religious belief have caused some of the more dramatic incidents of division and discrimination throughout the course of civilization-I'm looking at you, Crusades-but separating religions themselves into categories can have more subtle and long-term effects on culture."
topic:religion
The Answer to My Teenage Prayers: Why Cry-Baby Should De-Throne Grease: Tsunderin (blog) - "Grease's sexism is inexcusable and, though Rizzo is still my girl, the worst thing I could do would be to write off these problems simply because of a catchy tune. Yet in cutting this musical out of my life, where am I going to get my fill of light-hearted 50's style Americana? Enter John Waters with his musical Cry-Baby."
fandom:grease, fandom:cry-baby
Absurdity… But With a Purpose!: brothadom (blog) - "The other day I was catching up on episodes of Regular Show and reruns of Kill la Kill and began to wonder to myself: what exactly is the appeal of these shows?"
fandom:theregularshow, fandom:anime
Theatre Thursdays: Diversity, Obligation, and Storytelling: Lady Saika (blog) - "Creators should want to include diverse characters in their creations, not out of some obligation to some imaginary race/gender/sexuality quota, but because seeing characters who look and act like them is important to marginalized communities, and because it makes the story more realistic: after all, white men are not the majority on our planet."
topic:diversity
Women as Background Decoration (part 2): Anita Sarkeesian - "This is the second episode exploring the Women as Background Decoration trope in video games. In this installment we expand our discussion to examine how sexualized female bodies often occupy a dual role as both sexual playthings and the perpetual victims of male violence." (includes transcript)
topic:feminism, topic:objectification, topic:videogames
Tropes vs. Women in Video Games: Women as Background Decoration - Part 2: Kristin Bezio (blog) - "In short, Sarkeesian has done what many academics and critics hope to do: she's managed to start a conversation - in which I am now participating - where she isn't all right, but she definitely isn't all wrong."
topic:femalecharacter, topic:feminism, topic:objectification, topic:videogames
When is a Grid Not Just a Grid? (Groensteen and Page Layout Roundtable): Qiana Whitted (blog) - "Roy's post really got me thinking about the way Groensteen privileges the layout pattern of the "waffle-iron" by identifying stability, simplicity, and transparency as fundamental attributes of the orthogonal shapes. Groensteen further conceptualizes the grid in the narrative rhythm of comics as the "basic beat" against which the visual and verbal elements of comics can improvise. From this perspective, it's not difficult to see how one might characterize the grid as "regular" or "neutral" or "invisible," but I remain troubled by the relative nature of these terms, who defines them and in what context."
topic:comics
The Most Interesting Flawed Female Characters: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "Flawed female characters tend to come up in discussions in regard to some canons failing to make sure they have a wide variety of flawed characters."
topic:femalecharacter, topic:canon
Specific Fandoms
A Song of Ice and Fire
Untitled: donewithwoodenteeth (tumblr) - "As a book reader, I more or less loathed [the scenes between Arya and Tywin at Harrenhal]."
fandom:asoiaf
A Laboratory of Politics Part III: Steven Attewell (blog) - "In this part of the Laboratory of Politics, I'm going to be tackling the history and politics of the Essosi city-state we have the most information about - Braavos."
fandom:asoiaf
A Church in Croatia May Keep Lena Headey From Baring Her Breasts on Game of Thrones: Jill Pantozzi (blog) - "We're told the local film commission will not give producers a permit to shoot the scene because they take their cue from the church - in this case the Church of St. Nicholas. Sources tell TMZ … they can't cut the scene because it's crucial to the story line and it's an iconic moment from the book."
fandom:asoiaf, topic:censorship, topic:sexuality, warning:spoilers
lordbryndenrivers' ASOIAF theories masterpost: lordbryndenrivers (tumblr) - "I every much enjoy ASOIAF theories, so I decided to make myself a master post of various theories and share it with you!"
fandom:asoiaf
Character Analysis: Joffrey, First of His Name: supernatasha (tumblr) - "I know it really is easier to dismiss Joffrey as being pure evil and a horrible human, etc, but I really REALLY think Joffrey was 80% a product of his upbringing and maybe 20% of his inbred Lannister genes. "
fandom:asoiaf
Untitled: supernatasha (tumblr) - "Tbh, this quote kinda worries me too. But I don't think it'll mean that she's headed toward a bad fate (as likely as that is)."
fandom:asoiaf
Babylon 5
Untitled: azurelunatic (tumblr) - "Oh man. MAN. Man. Lemme tell you about Susan Ivanova."
fandom:babylon5
The Blacklist
[Meta] Red, Liz and Beauty and the Beast Myths, an Essay: Figure_of_Dismay(AO3) - "A while back I remember saying that I was going to be writing a little bit about Beauty and the Beast stories and Red and Liz and the Lizzington ship."
fandom:theblacklist
Breaking Bad
Close Reading: Lydia in Dead Freight's Basement Scene: breathe in breathe out (tumblr) - "Season 5A's "Dead Freight" (directed by George Mastras) is best known for its outstanding (and ultimately horrifying) climactic sequence."
fandom:breakingbad, topic:canon
Elementary
The Amazing Joan Watson: Discovering Her Vocation: cloudnoodle (blog) - "I want to talk about one such aspect of her character which is particularly important to me-what Joan Watson can teach us about looking for and finding what one is meant to do in life."
fandom:elementary
High School Musical
Sexualized Saturdays: Heteronormativity and High School Musical: porluciernagas (blog) - "For a franchise about breaking free of socialized norms and clichés, High School Musical is absurdly heteronormative."
fandom:disney
The Hunger games
On Annie Cresta: Liffis (AO3) - "¨The poor mad girl back home¨ - a widely used description of Annie Cresta. Three words that encompass her character. - Three words that are problematic and damn her character at the same time."
fandom:thehungergames
Legend of Korra
Untitled: agentsokka (tumblr) - "Legit though. Everyone in ATLA/TLOK is Asian. There is no disputing this."
fandom:legendofkorra
Korra doesn't need to be humbled, she needs to love herself, and I hope that's the direction the show takes: ladyloveandjustice (tumblr) - "Obviously, I believe the idea Korra needs to be humbled is completely ridiculous.."
fandom:legendofkorra
Les Miserables
Untitled: astoryinred (tumblr) - "What Disney princess would each of the Les Mis girls be?"
fandom:lesmiserables
MCU
Untitled: historicalagentcarter (Tumblr) - "So as a first post, I thought I'd start with a baseline of what we know about Peggy based on her SSR file since this will form the basis of some of the things posted here."
fandom:mcu
Merlin
BBC Merlin Characters + Hogwarts House Sorting: Aeroway (AO3) - "Exactly what the title says. The following is my opinion only. If you'd like to lodge any complaints, responses, questions, or whatnot, feel free! There are spoilers for the entire show."
fandom:merlin
Outlander
"Outlander" Is The Feminist Answer To "Game Of Thrones" - And Men Should Be Watching It: Anne Helen Petersen (blog) - "The new Starz series, based on Diana Gabaldon's hit novels, offers one of the most committed, complicated portrayals of women on television - and there's no reason men shouldn't be watching too."
fandom:outlander
Sherlock BBC
Johnlock 101 - An Introduction to The Johnlock Conspiracy: JayEz (AO3) - "While researching #tjlc for my Sherlock essay, I discovered that no one had written something like "Johnlock 101" yet - so I did!"
fandom:bbcsherlock
Star Wars
Path Dependence in Star Wars Storytelling: Lex (blog) - "Although the specific implications of the term vary by discipline, the key idea is the same: sometimes when a fork in the road occurs and one path is traveled, it can be nearly impossible to revisit that decision-point even if subsequent events reveal that the other path would be superior."
fandom:starwars
Ridley Roundup: August 2014: Fangirl (blog) - "Despite the fact Episode VII production took its two-week hiatus, more indications arose this month that Daisy Ridley is portraying the central hero for the Sequel Trilogy."
fandom:starwars
Teen Wolf
Deputies, we hardly knew ye: agentotter, swingsetindecember (tumblr) - "But both of Parrish's predecessors - by which I mean the most visible recurring deputy characters - were black women. So the difference between their presence on the show and his presence on the show is like… REALLY obvious. And depressing."
fandom:teenwolf
Untitled:pickasalvatore (tumblr) - "i feel like you shouldn't be able to become an alpha by killing a true alpha."
fandom:teenwolf
True Blood
Fans respond to 'True Blood' finale with true hate: Michelle Jaworski (blog) - "True Blood finally received True Death after seven long and crazy seasons, but it left fans less than satisfied."
fandom:trueblood
X-Files
You're On The Wrong Floor: Special Agent John Doggett's Serious Genre Trouble (X-Files Season 8): PlaidAdder (AO3) - "John Doggett is a decent character. He's just on the wrong show."
fandom:x-files
Requiem for a Show I Loved: The End of X-Files' Season Seven: PlaidAdder (AO3) - "Pity the man who only ever had that one really good idea."
fandom:x-files
The Case For Finding Samantha (X-Files seasons 7-9): PlaidAdder (AO3) - "I was thinking to myself, well, obviously giving these guys a pregnancy storyline was a really bad idea. And I've always hated the "Biogenesis" crap. But really, after the conspiracy is wiped out in "One Son," what else was there to do? Could there have been ANY way to string this show along for another few years that wouldn't have ended in the same misery? And I thought: I know what I would have done. I would have brought back Samantha."
fandom:x-files