Hey! So I wanted to tell you guys that we’re working on a serious redesign right now, and so a lot of the things that may seem clumsy or random at this point when it comes to presentation & content & layout will hopefully be remedied by next month! In the meantime, if there’s anything in particular you have a feeling about, email alex [at] autostraddle dot com.
Also: a spectacular Tuesday Televisionary and …. this just in! Stef stows away with theSTART: music from the future! and their side project Normandie.
+Arts & Culture
COME OUT COME OUT: Guess who has their finger on the pulse of the NYC lesbian party scene way better than we do? Queen Latifah. Apparently, the Queen “chilled [at Eden] for several hours, ordering bottle service for her friends and chatting up promoter Maggie Collier.” Also if anyone wants to start a rumble about her sexuality, Tinkerbell will demolish you. The lady is a gay, we promise, and it’s actually super-awesome that she feels comfortable going to Eden, maybe that means she’s more comfortable with being out, which is good for everyone, especially because “When You’re Good to Mama” is way sexier when you know who’s good to her. (@advocate)
BOOKS: Writer Nona Willis Aronowitz on lesbian classic Rubyfruit Jungle: I devoured the thing in two days. I was 14, newly sexual, newly independent, and growing a nose for gender awareness. In its 245 pages, there is not one mention of the word “feminism” in Rubyfruit Jungle. Yet, it is hands-down my favorite feminist book.” (@bitchblogs)
GAY TEEVEE: CBS News on Logo is set to air its final broadcast on Thursday,. (@advocate)
ROSIE: Ask Ro. (@ohnotheydidnt)
COCO PEREZ: Perez Hilton’s Lame Attempt at Legitimacy: his new site for the discerning 26-year-old woman is sponsored by the Gap. The funny thing is, this particular target market — young fashion-minded ladies with moneys — is totally taken care of online. What can he add to the conversation besides more douchebaggery, which we don’t need or want? God I hate this man. (@gawker)
FACEBOOK LITE: Facebook is launching a new stripped-down Twitteresque version called Facebook Lite. (@mashable)
OBAMA: Clears some things up. Just a few rumors:
KELLY CLARKSON:Self editor Lucy Danziger, defends photoshopping Kelly Clarkson to within an inch of her life. She writes: Did we alter her appearance? Only to make her look her personal best.” In Jezebel, the extent of the airbrushing is detailed, and their piece also includes the editor likening photoshopping Kelly to picking the best photos from your Christmas photos for the albums.
DEGRASSI:Paige (the bisexual one) and Marco (the gay one), aka Lauren Collins and Adamo Ruggiero, are on It’s On With Alexa Chung! Did you know that they’re roommates in real life?
TWITTER: 10 Levels of Communication Intimacy on Twitter. (@buzzfeed)
HOT LADIES: Dorothy Surrenders examines the difference between prefers British actresses in their 40s over Americans for not fucking with their faces. (@dorothysurrenders)
+ News & Politics
OBAMA:Is Obama really as unpopular as the media would make you believe? (@salon)
#SWINEFLU: The Malaysian government has figured it out! Homosexual sex as an activity causes people to contract swine flu, whereas “normal sexual union between members of the opposite sex was absolutely safe.” (@rawstory)
HEALTH CARE: “Democrats appear once again to have been surprised by the near-hysteria of the GOP’s lunatic fringe: Lunacy Goes Mainstream.“(@salon)
ALASKA: The Anchorage assembly passed an ordinance that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by a 7-4 vote. However, inability to reach the eight-vote supermajority means that Anchorage mayor Dan Sullivan, who has not yet revealed his intentions, will have seven days to decide whether or not to veto. (@anchoragedailynews)
PROP 8: Equality California announced it would wait until the next presidential election in 2012 to bring the issue of marriage equality back on the ballot.(@latimes)
Auto-Straddler of the Day
In 2002, blogger JD Salvatore of “The Smoking Cocktail” did a parody of John Hughes’ iconic 1985 film The Breakfast Club … yup, she made it gay. So in honor of one of our favorite filmmakers ever, who as you know died this week at the age of 59 after making all our favorite movies ever … feast your eyes on this:
from Intern Jess:
I often think we put too much faith in Facebook as the keeper of all our photos, contacts, etc. What happens if (god forbid) the apocalypse hits and Facebook loses all our stuff? It’s prob best to spend some time and back up your Facebook, Flickr, Gmail, Google Docs, not to mention your blog!
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from Alex:
There’s something about this “Dreaming of Flying” photo set that makes me feel like a kid (with an imagination) again. I have no clue who the photographer is, but I wish I did!
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from Stef:
Oh hey, it’s my new BFF Amanda Blank’s new video for “Might Like You Better.” It looks like a sexy dance party taking place inside a mylar balloon. Did I mention Amanda Blank is opening for Peaches this fall? Because she is.
