A couple of thoughts on language; one thought about casting and "Glee"

[sasha_feather]

"pimping" a show, book, or fandom

I suppose an argument could be made that we're reclaiming this word, (I have changed my mind on this point) but it still seems suspect to me. Thoughts? Is there another word we could use instead? "Tipping" someone into a fandom?

Using "teenage girl" as an insult

There are two elements to this, one is ageism (young people are undeserving of respect), the other is misogyny (young women are *especially*) undeserving of respect.

The moment that sealed it for me was a couple of lines from a fanfic called Ordinary Life by Cesperanza and shalott:



"Oh, shut up," Rodney said, panting, when he climbed out after five laps and dropped back into his chair. "We don't have much of a swimming season in Edmonton. I bet I could kick your ass ice skating."

"Sure, and if that were a real sport instead of something teenage girls do, maybe I'd care," John said, tipping the bag back for the last crumbs.

"A man who uses as much hair gel as you do should not be casting aspersions on teenage girls," Rodney said.

I laughed aloud, because this is it exactly; and later thought: it doesn't matter if you use hair gel or not-- no one should be casting aspersions against teenage girls.



-----

In linkspamming "The Special Disability (Fail) Episode" of Glee, I saw several people say, "I wonder if any people in wheelchairs tried out for the role of Artie?"

The producers claim that they did have wheelchair users audition, but that none were as talented as the able-bodied actor who was cast.

I'd like to point out that there is a different way to frame the question. Did the producers actively recruit wheelchair users for this role? Did they go out of their way to create an accessible and welcoming environment? Is there a reason that a wheelchair using actor might stay away from such an audition? Oh, like maybe discrimination and oppression?

Comments

[eruthros]

re: pimping, I have become uncomfortable with that word, too. Lately I've seen "signal boost" as an alternative, but that seems like it's more appropriate to meta or commentary or *fail than to, like "signal boost your small fandom here!" -- perhaps that's because I never see it used that way, and it could change if people used it more. I like your "tipped," and "recced" fits some uses of pimp. I'd like a better synonym, though.

[sasha_feather]

Handyhunter on LJ suggested "plugging", which I like, and then there's pushing, like being a book pusher, but again that brings to mind drug pushers to me, or being a bully about it. What I like about "tipping" is that there is a tipping point, that point where you feel, oh yes, I'm in this fandom now, I'm over the edge.

[eruthros]

I've been batting this around with thingswithwings, and we concluded that part of the problem is an active/passive problem. Like, all the words I can come up with (lure and seduce, for example, though both are sexually charged) are about pulling, cajoling, and take "into" -- luring you into my fandom.

Pimping, otoh, is about pushing and forcing upon, and doesn't take a preposition. It's a manly active verb! So, like, my synonyms keep having this problem of being in the wrong register. Possibly in the right register: things like "advertise" and, pretty high on the scale of very masculinist verbs, brandishing. (If I were filmed brandishing my fandom, the camera would travel up it slowly to the very tip, where there would be a bit of "glint!")

[jesse_the_k]

Ah! Passive/active is the issue.

How about "dazzling" or "entrancing" or "sweeping" someone into a fandom?

[meloukhia]

I'd like to put in a vote for "dazzling," myself.

[sasha_feather]

Oh this is lovely, and I am grinning! "Brandishing" has connotations of performance and showing off, a young knight twirling his sword to impress a lady or other young knight. I am thinking, images of tale-spinners, performers, magicians, singers, carnivals-- what are the verbs that go with these occupations that aren't overused sterile capitalist verbs like "advertise" and "promote"?