Orange Is The New Black

[candy_coated_bitch]

Interesting. I don't find the show to be anti-feminist, anti-lesbian, or anti-woman at ALL. As a matter of fact, it feels very REAL to me. I'm not sure it glorifies prison at ALL. Maybe if you watched more than one episode, you might realize issues like rape, transphobia, lesbian phobia, misogyny, racism, classism, drug abuse, and much more are dealt with.

I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about how good someone's pussy tastes, or about how to have sex, or anything along that matter. It seems sex positive to me rather than portraying lesbians in a bad light. I don't see where saying those things is misogynistic in and of themselves. Also--the stuff about having a prison wife? I'm pretty sure that's based in the realities of being in prison.

I also don't see where prison life is glorified. From what I've seen--prison is the LAST fucking place I'd want to be!!!!! However, I also think that women in a situation like that are of course going to form relationships and alliances and have successes and failures. I think their humanity is what is being shown.

I dunno, it's hard to analyze when you have only seen part of an episode, but I'm interested in what others think?

[candy_coated_bitch]

PS: And yes--to agree with Apocalipstic, it's also fucking HYSTERICAL!!! It somehow manages to be all those things at once.

[Hollylane]

I would challenge anyone (as I challenged myself, after I made assumptions about what this show was about) to at least watch 4 episodes (give it a chance), and get to know a few characters before making a decision. Maybe it won't change your mind, maybe it will.

Personally, I can assure you, that after watching the entire season, I am still a proud, strong, stone-femme, feminist woman. And frankly, I do not feel like enjoying this show should leave us open to being questioned about which direction our moral compasses point, as members of this amazingly diverse and welcoming community.

For me, I found the characters to be wonderful examples of utterly and entirely fallible human beings. I love that they have flaws and strengths. The characters are raw, vulnerable, sexy, loving, kind, mean, fat, skinny, old, young, gay, lesbian, straight, bi-sexual, MTF, butch, femme, confused, uncertain, religious, not religious, have mental health issues, disabilities, drug problems, successes, failures...etc...etc...I love that so many of them are owning their shit, and growing, despite being incarcerated. I love that this show brings up every ism on every spectrum imaginable, and throws these isms in the viewers' face, so they can see exactly how ugly and stupid isms really are.

I would be insulted if the characters back stories and current experiences were less fucked up, or less heartbreaking, or if the primary characters were weak, pretty (average 20-30 year old straight male viewers' version of pretty), straight women who were LWIP (lesbians while in prison), who were prayed upon by the scary godless lesbians. Luckily, that is not what is happening on this program.

[Dykea]

The show is about a HUGE VARIETY of women... I don't know a SINGLE other show anywhere that has this much visibility??!!?? WOC, age, class, background, size, health, butch, lesbian... the list can seriously go ON. There are THAT many. It's cool!

I'll take OISTNB visibility of lesbians over the bubblegum BS the "L Word" was promoting ANY DAY!

The million dollar lesbians of Southern California? Paaahleeze.... and the "L word" was NEVER FUNNY.

So some of the lesbian characters on the show talk about pussy? So what? Lots of lesbians talk about pussy, fucking and enjoy it.
What's completely different about OISTNB is that it is not being **wrapped up w/a bow** for the male gaze and heterocentric consumerism.

GOOD! I'm glad. Lesbian visibility is important AND lesbian sex is AWESOME!!

lol!!

Lesbian Pride is important and sex is part of being a lesbian.

[Dykea]

If anyone does the Big Boo Helicopter Dance at the BF Reunion... I expect to see a video of it HERE!

[candy_coated_bitch]

LMFAO!!! Someone NEEDS to do it now!!!

[not2shygrrl]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

PS: And yes--to agree with Apocalipstic, it's also fucking HYSTERICAL!!! It somehow manages to be all those things at once.

AGREED!!! I laughed watching each episode!

[Parker]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

Interesting. I don't find the show to be anti-feminist, anti-lesbian, or anti-woman at ALL. As a matter of fact, it feels very REAL to me. I'm not sure it glorifies prison at ALL. Maybe if you watched more than one episode, you might realize issues like rape, transphobia, lesbian phobia, misogyny, racism, classism, drug abuse, and much more are dealt with.

I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about how good someone's pussy tastes, or about how to have sex, or anything along that matter. It seems sex positive to me rather than portraying lesbians in a bad light. I don't see where saying those things is misogynistic in and of themselves. Also--the stuff about having a prison wife? I'm pretty sure that's based in the realities of being in prison.

I also don't see where prison life is glorified. From what I've seen--prison is the LAST fucking place I'd want to be!!!!! However, I also think that women in a situation like that are of course going to form relationships and alliances and have successes and failures. I think their humanity is what is being shown.

I dunno, it's hard to analyze when you have only seen part of an episode, but I'm interested in what others think?

I agree with you here and want to add that we also dont often see shows with (a) this many women in strong female leading roles and (b) this many women of color in ensembles such as this.

But to be honest, I dont think women loving this show about other women in very real roles handling very real topics in sometimes serious, sometimes funny ways *needs* to be defended. To anyone.