“There’s Something About” is a series where writers chat about the type of babes that make them all hot and bothered by showing you fictional Pop Culture hotties that fit the bill.
One of my favorite things about writing for Autostraddle is sometimes we’re given a fun prompt like “describe your type with four examples” and I take that as “have an existential crisis.”
See, for years I could’ve easily answered this question. I sort of did with my top ten television characters list filled with lots of Mean Mommis™ both literal and spiritual. But in the year and a half since writing that I have… grown? Gotten… healthier? More… well-adjusted? I know. I can hardly believe it either.
I reflected on my longtime crushes that still make me swoon and came up with this very random list. I don’t know what unites them beyond good at banter and could probably beat me up (but also probably won’t). So consider this an interactive entry in this series — What’s my type? I dunno you tell me!
Various Characters as played by Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn is one of my earliest loves. Her characters in Bringing Up Baby, Adam’s Rib, The Philadelphia Story, and so many others taught me what kind of woman I want to be with and what kind of woman I want to be. She was confident and funny and extremely stubborn — a double Taurus after all — and I just love her so much. Also shoutout to how extremely gay and trans she is in Sylvia Scarlett.
Barbarella as played by Jane Fonda
I love IRL Jane Fonda. She’s one of the few celebrities I feel comfortable stanning. She’s always been political in a way that goes beyond the lip service of most famous actors and after so many decades she’s rarely let me down. So then why of all her roles have I chosen the one where she’s a horny space bimbo? I don’t know! This is an interactive experience remember?? I was obsessed with Jane as Barbarella as a teen and I still am. She’s curious and wears cool outfits and fights bad guys and has a wild sex drive. What’s not to love?
Legs Sadovsky as played by Angelina Jolie
At one point in my life, this list could have been comprised entirely of characters like Angelina Jolie in Foxfire. She’s edgy and dangerous and damaged and very very very gay. And while, as aforementioned, I’ve matured to a healthier place, there’s still something about Angelina’s violent soft butch that still extremely does it for me. She’s just so hot and cool and her chaos is directed in very understandable and admirable places! I would take a tattoo from her any day.
Monica Wright as played by Sanaa Lathan
Talent is hot. Working hard is hot. Sanaa Lathan in Love and Basketball is HOT. I’m a Capricorn who will always put my work and passions first and I want a partner who will do the same for themself. I love Monica’s drive and her temper and her unwillingness to compromise. And going back to my favorite thing banter, she and Quincy have banter that lasts them decades. Being serious about your path in life doesn’t mean being humorless and I love how Monica brings the same competitive spirit to a flirty battle of wits as she does a high-stakes game of one-on-one.
Okay so tell me… what’s my type??
Smart, sexy, flirty and determined women.
I almost included confident but Barbarella kind of throws that off. She’s not exactly confident but she is definitely determined.
And I think “good at banter” counts as a type. I have trouble with describing my type because my type is really just “someone that I have good chemistry with.”
banter has to do with engagement. it’s a sign that you and the other person are paying attention to each other. it also requires thought which shows that you both will put some effort in to the other. that willingness is all kinds of sexy.
um, hello Katherine Hepburn
Hard femme?
lol not to be cheeky but drew maybe your type is film stars
butt she only chose characters, so?
touché!
*tries to work in a finding nemo reference to “I touched the butt!,” can’t quite figure out how*
is it like you just can’t quite put a fin on it?
Give a comment award to yourself this is the winner.
swagger, 31 flavors
Amen to swagger
Yes Monica from Love and Basketball!! Such a good point that career-minded gals are usually also written as humorless, which can sometimes be true to life, but also ambitious people are usually also very smart and smart people are often very witty!
Smart definitely seems to be your type – I guess with the exception of Barbarella? (Haven’t seen it, but just going by my general knowledge / your description. But also it’s Jane Fonda so still smart by proxy!)
that picture of Katharine Hepburn, holy shit, thank you for that, Drew. ALMOST comes close to Annemarie Schwarzenbach in her ability to make me blush simply by existing on a photo
I finally saw Sylvia Scarlett and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would! I thought the queer energy would be very hush-hush but it was so there – and funny and warm, given its time at least.
Elise Bauman
Maybe Tanita Tikaram, Sylvia Scarlett..