I'm en route from Toronto (more bootleg wireless!) to Michigan at the moment, in case you're keeping score. Coming to you with two topics I've been meaning to write about, putting off writing about, feeling like I *should* write about, yet not dying to say a whole lot about. [Gay Marriage, F 9/11...]

Herein lie my thoughts about Spike Lee's new film She Hate Me, which I saw recently at the New York premiere (it's opening everywhere shortly). The film features a narrative about lesbians, and from what I've heard, the response from the gay community at preview screenings has ranged from lukewarm to outraged. As a lesbian who actually adored it, I feel it's important to put my perspective out there (for other perspectives consult Rachel Kramer Bussel's excellent article and list of links). Be forewarned that there are extensive spoilers within for the entire plot of the movie. If you're going to see it and want to be surprised about what happens, I recommend postponing reading my rant until afterwards. If you're not scared of spoilers, read on...

When I gush to people about my new favorite TV lesbian (Olivia on SVU), a common response is the amused question 'Is she really, or only in your little world?' Given that "canonically" gay characters are becoming more common, this is perhaps not an illegitimate inquiry, but I am never satisfied with the answer that I must necessarily give: that Olivia is of course not *really* sleeping with foxy ADA Alexandra Cabot. I haven't had the language to explain why Olivia is a compelling lesbian erotic object, in ways I am convinced are not all in my head. This theoretical conundrum is prominent, not just in my personal relationship with Olivia, but in all of slash culture. Much of slash (gay fan fiction) revolves around couples that viewers claim display a high degree of on-screen "subtext" (which is sometimes called by other names -- I am thinking of fellow grad student Melanie and her "HoYay" Smallville movement). Some even do close textual readings where they identify and catalog specific instances of such gay subtext -- and the largest multi-fandom girlslash archive is even called the Subtext Zone. But I haven't come across any coherent general theory of what subtext really is, and how you can tell if it's there (except, perhaps, for Doty's book "Making Things Perfectly Queer," which I'll admit I haven't read much of). I won't deny that my own desire plays a large part in fashioning Olivia into a lesbian for me (and likewise for sundry others), but it does so in communication with elements of the TV show itself that I haven't been sure how to conceptualize. I had an epiphany about this question through one of the readings for TV class last week, and I thought I'd share...

by Julie Levin Russo

Exit polls and my informal polls agree: Kerry's supporters overwhelmingly give "electability" as the reason they favor him. Kerry has the best chance of beating Bush, says the prevailing opinion, and beating Bush is what's really important. The tragically misguided naivet?� of this belief is making me crazy (and I don't normally get so riled up about US politics). Because it's my people, from my party, with my values who are supporting a position that is strategically suicidal not only for this election but for the direction of the Democratic party. My indignation is shaped by what I hope is a reasonably astute critical perspective on how media influence on politics operates (as a grad student in Modern Culture and Media). So, from this perspective, let me tell you why there is NO WAY Kerry can beat Bush: