Rather than a traditional horoscope, which consults astrology and star-charts, this is a ‘Tarotscope’. In essence, a combined Tarot-reading and horoscope, in which I draw one Tarot card for each star-sign, for the period of one calendar month. Aries (March … Continue reading TN2 Tarotscopes for September 2018 What’s in the cards for the beginning of the school year?
“Who cares about a piece of jewelry? The dress you wear to a wedding? In his trilogy of novels about contemporary Asians, which began with 2013’s Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan makes these small things matter, not for their glitz … Continue reading Read the book first: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan An old-fashioned comedy of manners, set in glittering Singapore, with the heart of Gossip Girl. You know you love it. xoxo
“It’s not a fucking woman’s job to be consumed and invaded and spat out so that some fucking man can evolve.” – The much-hated Jenny Schecter from The L Word had a good point, just this once. I’ve been thinking … Continue reading ‘Women in Refrigerators’ Welcome to the ugly intersection of sexism and lazy writing.
TW: rape, sexual assault
Because Ireland can’t have nice things, we’ve reached the inevitable ‘two steps back’ following the ‘one step forward’ of passing the referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment. Most of us thought that it would have to do with the Iona Institute’s attempting to appeal the result. However, since an achievement in bodily autonomy apparently needs to be balanced with an offence to it, this week the Law Reform Commission has issued a report that recommends we respond to rape culture — by further muddying the legal definitions of rape.
●●●○○ ‘Babe’ is a four-letter word for a reason. It’s loaded with the baggage of Wayne’s World-esque exclamations and evokes Amy Dunne’s scathing take-down of the misogynistic fantasy of ‘the cool girl.’ It makes me cringe and initially set me up … Continue reading Bad Title, Badass Content: Badass Babe Workbook Review An artbook centered around creativity and feminist confidence.
●●●●○ It’s a rare ‘About the Author’ that begins “Stoya has been a pornographer since 2006 and a writer since 2012,” but Philosophy, Pussycats and Porn is a rare volume. It’s an unconventional collection of essay and remembrances from a … Continue reading Philosophy, Pussycats and Porn // review Stoya’s first book is part memoir, part essay collection and all smut.
●●●●○ Hotel Artemis, a dystopian science fiction/neo-noir crime film, follows the Nurse (Jodie Foster, in her first acting role since 2013), who runs a secret hotel/hospital for criminals in a war-torn future Los Angeles, on what she thinks is ‘just … Continue reading Hotel Artemis (Not such a lovely place) The best not-actually-a-comic-book comic book movie of the year
●●●●○ Editor Enid Conway has brought together an impressive collection of talent in the first issue of her new journal Bloomers: Emerging Female Artists In Ireland. Structured around three longform illustrated essays, Bloomers dives deep into the insights that the … Continue reading New Irish Art Magazine, ‘Bloomers’, Highlights Female Artists Issue one focuses its lens on illustrations and the interpretation of the artists’ internal worlds
●●●●● Before I even get to the “emotion picture”, I want to start by saying that Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer album is the sound of the summer, 2018. Sorry, Florence: no matter how high your hopes were, Ms. Monáe had … Continue reading Take a Byte of Janelle Monáe’s Masterpiece Dirty Computer The ArchAndroid’s new album and ‘emotion picture’ cement her place as Prince’s true heir
●●●●● There are two types of people who will go to see Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! Both were in evidence at the press screening. On the steps of the Lighthouse Cinema, I overheard one critic confide, “I’m quite … Continue reading ‘Knowing me, knowing you,’ you’ll love Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! too My, my, how can I resist you?
The T. O. R. C. H. Collective is a Dublin-based nonprofit, founded this year, whose stated goal is to “engage the DIY music & art community in workshops and projects that promote healthy relationships, consent, sexual health, & accountability.” TORCH, … Continue reading Collective-Consciousness with TORCH Confronting rape culture in the Dublin DIY scene one zine and workshop at a time
Spanish clothing brand Zara has once again caused a stir, and not due to their avant-garde, high street style. Last week, American First Lady (and fellow immigrant) Melania Trump made a rare public appearance to visit child detainees at one … Continue reading The Devil Wears Zara Melania’s jacket isn’t even the worst of the Spanish fashion brand.