In Defense of Bitching
HOLY CRAP BREAKING NEWS!!!!!! Justin Plank (ie. HOTTIE CHAPATI) has been selected by vita.mn as the “Male Hotness” winner of 2010. Dude, they have a whole article about him and everything! And plenty of photos, of course. (For the non-Northfielders: Justin Plank used to work at Chapati, an Indian restaurant in Northfield. And he’s the bassist for Northfield band Gospel Gossip. He is also hot. One time I made a Barbie doll of him for my sister for Christmas.)
Okay now it’s time for feminism:
* A NY Times article called “She Works. They’re happy.” about how changing economic roles are, holy cow, actually not destroying marriages.
* A Jezebel article pondering what would be different in America if there were some female executives. Opening line: “If women ran Apple, would they have unveiled a product called the iPad?”
* Another Jezebel article: “So, Why Are Plus-Sized Models So Often Naked, Anyway?” I can’t help but post this entire paragraph in, because it’s just so true, and something I thought about often while working on “Slut”:
Because as a culture we associate larger women’s bodies with different meanings than smaller women’s bodies, photographing a plus-size model naked can have very different connotations. Eroticizing a plus-size model is a pretty easy, and in some ways predictable, choice. Do the images rely on the old trope of the voluptuous woman as sexually salacious? Is it just that the stylist couldn’t (or couldn’t be bothered to) pull clothes in the right sizes?
* And finally, Samantha Bee investigates the whole deal with “Male Inequality.” And it is fuckin hilarious.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:02 am
You must submit to this:
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February 12th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Great comic, Athena.
Personally, I think there is a substantial difference between significant annoyance and actual hatred, hopefully leading to a decision between being satisfied with merely venting and recognizing a need for action.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
So…maybe it’s time to talk to Mattel and see if they’re interested in carrying the Hottie Chapati doll. Do you what photos?
February 12th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
I love this comic. I feel like it belongs somewhere in print, for a special occasion (like a ghost or a birthday!)
But seriously, well done.
February 12th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
I’m sure if a lot of people come onto you loading compliments on top of compliments, as you pointed out in panel 24, they end up seeming fake and flaky. When you hear/share something that they despise, then they tend to seem a bit more grounded in reality and a bit more believable/acceptable.
So very true that we need this as a release valve to take the pressure off a bad day! Sometimes I can’t believe my wife puts up with some of my “bitching” (or as I like to call it “venting” or “ranting”) when I go off on a tear. I’m sure the ’08 election just about put her over the edge.
February 13th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Kill-errr comic.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
And highly analytical! A fabulous result of you bitching about how your committee bitched you out.
No really – this is excellent. Thank you.
daK
February 14th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
When I went back and looked at my notebook of lists I keep of what different people love and hate I see that your’e right…the hates are much more interesting. Cases in point:
Tom K’s loves: Music, wearing suits, the concept of +/- lists, turning knobs, do-it-yourself projcts.
Tom K’s hates: when people juggle fruit, long toenails, finding quotes, and my favorite, “When you call customer support and you get a guy in India named Dale. I mean Dale…really?”
My loves: getting in a hot car on a hot day, tables, tools, Roman Numerals, Barbie, Gay men, storage systems, black licorice, Bob Dylna, bridges, triangles, lavender, fixing things, Martha Stewart, Ben Franklin (the person and the store), globes.
My hates: Australian accents, ATVs Snowmobiles, anything low-fat, Neopolitan ice cream, lawn chemicals, sloth, pierced tongues, incorrect grammar, bras, angelfood cake, being cold, meat, incorrec spelling (like Kwik Kopy or womyn)
Virginia’s loves: coffee, chickens (a lot), unique evergreens, smoking (at night) linens, Goon’n'Plenty, lemon drops, peanut brittle, TV, Bananagrams.
Virginia’s hates: partially eating what’s on a spoon, circuses, dreadlocks on White people, indecisiveness
Do you see what I mean? The hates are much more telling and much more interesting. I love my notebook of lists.
February 15th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Hear motherfuckin’ hear!
This is how I made a fair amount of friends, by finding somebody that everybody knew and hated and instantly, we would have something we were passionate about. Nobody talks nearly as passionately about things they love as they do about things they hate.
February 15th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
And this is why we are friends.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:12 am
i wish we lived in the same city
February 20th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
I saw Moshe today. He liked the comic, but didn’t comment. And he still doesn’t like grapefruit, poodles, etc. Oh, and he really hates it when people throw colored powder on his clothes. (This having to do with some Indian traditional activity coming up next week.)
February 23rd, 2010 at 3:23 am
Danno: Duuuude thanks for the idea! I emailed them oh-so-casually, but I haven’t heard anything back. Making comics for Bitch would be like the PERFECT job. I should keep pestering them.
Dad: Yeah, a lot of people seem intent on clarifying the difference between hatred and anger. I sometimes use the words interchangeably, but I get the difference. Hatred is something that eats you up; anger can be used more productively. Sometimes it’s hard not to hate, though! You would know…
Goldfeather: “I must admit that I feel something like surprise!” Hee hee. Thanks for the compliments.
Jon: I’m glad you agree! Yeah, “niceness” can be overrated, especially when it’s superficial/phony. But ranting is sincere! So keep at it!
Phoebe: Thanks, dork. Love you.
daK: Ha, they didn’t really bitch me out. Though I do think that my intense aversion to all things “intellectual” or “academic” is going to be a major point in my retrospective essay. Also my love of anger, and its huge place in ALL of my work.
Mom: Aha! Your lists come in handy once again! You’re right, the dislikes are far more interesting and telling. And funny. (Oh and I can’t believe you showed this to Moshe! Ha.)
Wootsface: Yeah! You know what I’m talking about. I feel a little guilty by how completely I identify with the scenario of making friends through that one person you all trashtalk. It’s such a significant part of bonding with people! I feel like people instantly become more comfortable if you let them know they’re allowed to bitch about certain people in front of you. “It’s okay, I hate them too.” “Oh thank GOD!”
Hannah: YES. Plus so many reasons. I. Love. Living with you.
Maria: Me too! I kept thinking of all the ladies I enjoy bitching with as I made this comic. You were so one of them. I hope there are a few good people to bitch with (and about!) in Copenhagen.