When we defend Valentine’s Day, what are we really defending? Love? I don’t think so. Capitalism? Maybe. The right to be obnoxious about your relationship decision? Absolutely. Valentine’s Day can only exist through the lens of a love-obsessed society. We are not allowed to forget this ever, but especially not on such a God-forsaken time…
Why Steven Universe’s “Garnet” is an unhealthy relationship
By Bridget Keenan “Steven Universe” is a show in which the main characters are a type of alien species called “Crystal Gems.” Gems get their life force from their gemstones, and are able to combine their bodies virtually at will. Sub-protagonist Garnet is not a single person, but the fusion of Ruby and Sapphire. She…
Dark, mysterious men in fiction
By Bridget Keenan Weird fiction tropes include, but are not limited to, dark and mysterious men. They are everywhere in teen and romantic fiction. These unconventional men are popular because they combine socially desirable aspects of a partner with socially undesirable ones. Some prominent examples of dark and mysterious men include Edward Cullen from “Twilight” and…
Genderflip Twilight raises eyebrows
By Bridget Keenan So, apparently Stephanie Meyers wrote fanfiction of her own franchise… Although the fact that it was written by the original author as a supplement to the original series disqualifies it from fan fiction, “Life and Death” has the exact same goals as most gender-swap fanfic. As far as I understand, Meyers wrote…
Monogamy: not for everyone
By Bridget Keenan The social construct of romantic love has proven itself to be a manipulative tool, especially towards women. Women, among other groups, are taught to center their lives around the attention of men under the deluded belief that monogamy will bring them fulfillment. This belief is not sanctioned by either experience or psychology, but…
Give punk music a try
By Bridget Keenan Sinfonia had a pretty good show this weekend, which consisted of four bands, all of the genre of either punk, indie or metal. All of the bands consisted of Lawrentians, and many students showed up to hear their original music. For the most part, their musicianship was good, and the song content…
Going beyond the issue of same-sex marriage
By Bridget Keenan It was quite an eventful summer in the realm of social justice. One of the news stories hardest to ignore was the judgement regarding same-sex marriage by the United States Supreme Court. As I am heavily involved in queer politics, many people were surprised to hear my general discontentment at this decision.…