once upon a december
on R*s*r** D*ws*n (again), that rude (and racist) Spotfy music A.I. and more
You’re back! So am I!
I’m still figuring out what ac-ting out is all about, but now that I know that I can paste tweets and instagrams directly into my posts (imagine that!), this week I’m concentrating on curation which is another way to share more funny/brilliant things that other people make as opposed to trying to come up with it myself.
I also considered skipping this week, because of the signature blend of my perfectionism, anxiety, vacation-brain. But I’m here! (I’m queer!) Not to say that I won’t take a week or two off in the future because of #depressión, but tonight I’m really happy that I’m doing this and I’m really happy that you’re reading it.
And with that, let’s start ac-ting out this week!
not r*s*r** d*ws*n again…
Whenever Rosario Dawson’s name appears on my screen, it means it’s time to remind folks that she and her family are transphobic. I will not go into this further as you can find lots on google, but here’s a link to start. One day, I hope that this will be common knowledge, and I’ll never have to think of her again.
Unfortunately, today is not that day, because of the recent announcement of The Mandalorian spinoff, starring her. (Pretend I linked a link here.)
In the past year, I have tried my darndest to not give this cis woman any more of my attention, but it is Christmas after all. (What?) OK, just follow my brain thoughts: Christmas makes me think of RENT the musical. If you didn’t already know, the plot of RENT happens over the course of a year, and one of the greatest ensemble numbers of all time happens during the damn Christmas season itself (sorry “One Day More.”) Another if you didn’t know: RENT was unfortunately made into a movie in 2005 (but rightfully has a 46% Rotten Tomatoes score), with R*s*r** playing the leading role of Mimi.
While it’s not a main plot point in the stage show or the movie, it it clear in the text of RENT that Mimi is very close friends with the character of Angel, who is described in the show as a drag queen.
But remember (or if you didn’t know): RENT premiered back in 1996, and two decades plus later, modern readings of the character see Angel as One Of Us aka somewhere under the transgender umbrella) (I highly recommend “Angel’s Gender Identity Is RENT's Most Enduring Mystery” for Out Magazine by Charlene Incarnate for more on this.)
Perhaps the strongest affirmation of her gender identity we hear post-mortem from Mimi, who recounts a story during Angel’s funeral about a time she clapped back at a homophobe skinhead by saying she was “More of a man than you’ll ever be and more of a woman you’ll ever get.” - Charlene Incarnate
So all of that context now out of my brain, I give you my TL;DR:
Upside down smiley, indeed.
everyone else is doing it
Since everyone has already forgotten about their 2020 Spotify Wrapped (it’s been 84 years…), a new musical A.I. Spotify analyzer has been making its way around the ‘net and it was very mean to me.
This bot doesn’t get to spend any more rent free time in my mind because at the end of the day, it was made by a buncha white dudes who made some (now removed) racist jokes as part of the bot’s “analysis.”
The internet never forgets!
ch-ch-check these out
The Importance of Gender-Affirming Care for Closing the Gap on LGBTQ+ Health Disparities by my friend Elly for Well + Good
Kirby Conrad’s “pronouns 101: introduction to your loved one’s new pronouns”
This twitter thread by Daniel Johnson (@god_sgift_) of Black-owned online record shops!
These episodes of the Blessed Picture podcast: on The Holiday (feat. my frand Kevin) and Happiest Season (feat. my frand Chloe)
one final note
The following is Ava DuVernay’s response to a question about getting rejected at film festivals, but I think it applies much further than just for filmmakers. I certainly feel it apply to many parts of my life: work, creative endeavors, health, and much more. And now, I share with you:
It’s easy for me to tell you: “You’re not a reject,” but much harder for me to tell myself. In a way, I think, if I write it here on substack to you, then I will then, perhaps, take it more to heart, myself.
<3
And that’s all they wrote, folks!
Time for me to make the annual dad joke:
I will see you next year ;)
xx AC
And now for spon con time:
I sell genderfull merch on my Teepublic. I tweet things (request me!) on Twitter. I post things on Instagram as well as Facebook. And I have a website. I’m also on Letterboxd.
Secondly, this newsletter is totally free! But if you’re so inclined, I’m @callmethey on venmo, $mxacdumlao on cash app, and I’m also on paypal: paypal.me/mxacdumlao
Finally, if you’re reading this, I like you. Lots.