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One of the things that JK Rowling wrote that a lot of people think is:
“We’re living through the most misogynistic period I’ve experienced”
And I don’t think this can exist without the fact that so many feminists are working with conservatives.
“We’re living through the most misogynistic period I’ve experienced”
And I don’t think this can exist without the fact that so many feminists are working with conservatives.
Conservatives are rallying around “Make America Great Again” and liberals scoff. Great for whom?!
But so many liberals have kind of the same “it is worse now than ever” attitude. With the exception of environmental issues, it almost never is.
But so many liberals have kind of the same “it is worse now than ever” attitude. With the exception of environmental issues, it almost never is.
What is different, is that we have a fractured media platform and can confirm our biases more than ever.
If you want to believe that homophobia is worse now than ever, you can joint a Facebook group that streams 24 hours of homophobia. That didn’t exist before.
If you want to believe that homophobia is worse now than ever, you can joint a Facebook group that streams 24 hours of homophobia. That didn’t exist before.
But thinking things were better in the past or we will lose everything and be replaced in the future is the root of conservatism.
It’s how people turn to ideology. It’s why people want Jesus to come back and save this terrible world.
It’s how people turn to ideology. It’s why people want Jesus to come back and save this terrible world.
As a trans person I can’t think anything was better in the past cause pre-2015 everything was pure shit for us. You can trace incrementalism back in a direct line to imprisonment.
I know living people who were arrested dozens of times for cross-dressing.
I know living people who were arrested dozens of times for cross-dressing.
I know people arrested for cross dressing and I know people arrested for “manifesting prostitution” but somehow the past is less binary?
It comes up a lot with children’s toys. In the 80s we saw a massive rise in children’s programming and toy marketing.
It comes up a lot with children’s toys. In the 80s we saw a massive rise in children’s programming and toy marketing.
People will talk about how gendered toys are today but not remember how gendered play ALWAYS was. Toys and play has never not been gendered. Ever.
It’s frustrating because it’s not getting much better but it’s misremembering to think it’s worse.
It’s frustrating because it’s not getting much better but it’s misremembering to think it’s worse.
Our perceptions change. Our bar changes. Folks constantly use LEGO as an example. Their famous 1981 ad for their universal building sets makes it seem like LEGOs were gender free.
People will contrast that LEGOs were gender free in the 80s with the purple v blue lines that exist now.
LEGO is WAY bigger now and the gender free universal building sets still exist and are top sellers — they’re just called “creator” now.
LEGO is WAY bigger now and the gender free universal building sets still exist and are top sellers — they’re just called “creator” now.
Meanwhile what was really going on with LEGO in the lates 70s and 80s. A crapload of gendered boxes and play.
In the 1980s catalogs girls and families were mostly featured in the pre-school/Duplo sets.
LEGO TV ads were dominated by Zack the Lego Maniac.
LEGO TV ads were dominated by Zack the Lego Maniac.
LEGO sets were almost entirely masculine and the figures were white males. (LEGO says LEGO yellow isn’t racial but — yeah it is)
By contrast, the current Creator Line and figures have a far greater gender variance than at any point in history.
By contrast, the current Creator Line and figures have a far greater gender variance than at any point in history.
LEGO is everything it ever was and more and still has work to do. It’s not “worse.”
Incrementalism sucks. Progress is not what it should be — but it does exist. By no measure except memory were things “better in the 80s”
Incrementalism sucks. Progress is not what it should be — but it does exist. By no measure except memory were things “better in the 80s”
Another measure often cited to show that gender was free is men wearing makeup. Middle age folks will be nostalgic about the 80s as if everyone was androgynous. We’re middle aged people? No. Reagan was President.
Youth Culture was full of androgyny and still is. The platforms are fractured so there aren’t huge pop star campaigns and trends but all the fashion that ever existed still does. And now you can be a celeb and openly queer — RIP George Michael)
And the openly queerness and gender non confirmity in modern pop lyrics is like nothing that came before. The 80s walked so the 2020s could zip across the world at 100 gbs per second.
The idea that things were better before is appealing. Complaint is a way to bond where positivity can feel toxic and gaslighty. If you are progressive it is easier to dream of revolution than to accept incrementalism.
But saying things were better before is inherently conservative/based in fear. It’s no wonder it often comes from middle aged folks. Because while youth are at worst cynically curious about the future - age can make the best feel like the past and we project that onto the world
JK loves to talk about protecting lesbians but as gay and lesbians are more accepted and thriving, why are there also more trans people? It seems like the opposite would be true.
Because there are more of every kind of LEGOs than ever before.
Because there are more of every kind of LEGOs than ever before.
