Watch, read, drink and buy: get ready for the weekend with these great entertainment.
Spotlight / Words on the street
In some creative circles, an age-old insult to misogyny is being rebranded.
The c-word is having a moment – and no, we’re not talking about climate change or cricket wrinkles. We mean a 13th-century word of Old Norse origin for, ahem, vulva. That’s right, c— – a term that holds such contempt for patriarchy but is so satisfying to utter (hello, short, grumbling vowel sandwiched between two sliced consonants) that it has been universally recognized as the culmination of insults for centuries.
And yet, thanks to a little bit of LGBTQ love and lots of social media affirmations, it’s getting feminist arousal. In April, at a party at MOMA in San Francisco, artist Marilyn Minter decorated the space with slogans that raised eyebrows in protest against the toppling of Roe v Wade (our favorite movie? “No Cuntry For Old Men,” above), while in London, Bella Freud’s eponymous, super-cool fashion label was doing a quick hello to C-t-shirts. In 2019, makeup queen Trinny Woodall stuns Project panel and viewers as she reveals that she calls her best friend (former What not to wear co-host) Susannah Constantine “C—” as a sign of her devotion. Meanwhile, the phrase “serve c—,” which first appeared in a Tumblr post in the 2010s and is now popular on Twitter, means reaching the pinnacle of female boss status.
“The c-word is being taken back,” said Stan Carey, editor of the blog strong languagetell Rolling Stone. “Since identity politics is now a pervasive part of public discourse, it makes sense that words seen as weapons… will be recaptured by their targets as a blunt way of speaking. [them].”
Co-opted by black transgender women and the NYC ballroom scene since the ’90s, the c-word has been renamed as drag culture has become more popular (think RuPaul’s Drag Race) – and a powerful mystic who has usurped the age-old aberration. More of a case of “Charism, Originality, Nervousness, and Talent,” as RuPaul sings in the 2017 song, than “CU Next Tuesday.” Sharon Bradley
Get cozy / live doll
The perfect slipper for walking around your Barbie dream house.
The Barbie doll The advertising machine is determined to turn women’s wardrobes pink, much to the displeasure of some feminist fashionistas. However, making resistance difficult is Emu Australia’s fluffy feathers slippers ($100), perfect for lining around your dream home this winter. The coveted collaboration with toy giant Mattel is encrusted with gems for added indulgence. The good news is, they can be worn with flat feet (warning in jest); The bad news is that they only come in size 11 for women. Sorry, Ken. Damien Woolnough
