feminism Archives ⋆ Virginia Jones

OPEN GRAVES with VESTA VAINGLORIA

FROM JOSEPH SMITH TO ROBERT SMITH: Virginia Jones Talks Comedy, Mormonism, and Feminism on Open Graves

On the latest episode of Heather Noel and Vesta Vaingloria’s podcast, Open Graves, known goth Virginia Jones opens up about her life as a comedian, Mormon, and feminist.

Jones discusses about how her Mormon upbringing influenced her comedy. “I grew up in France, so Mormonism made me feel like an outcast on top of being an outcast-I moved to the States from France as a cult member who also talked funny.”

“I’m a feminist because I believe in equality for all people,” Jones said. “Although, as Animal Farm points out, some people are more equal than others.”

Jones is a talented comedian and a role model for young Goth women everywhere. Her appearance on Open Graves was a fun, but extremely dark and gothic, visit.

If you haven’t listened to Open Graves yet, I highly recommend it. It’s a great podcast with engaging hosts. You can find it on most major podcast platforms!

Listen To Me

Dear All;

This is a non-comedy topic. I’m sorry if that’s weird. I’m still thinking about the reverberations of #Yesallwomen, and still wondering why men got angry and defensive when women told their stories of being molested, threatened, and abused.

This topic hit close to home when a dear friend woke up to a strange man in her bed last month. She was confused and terrified. She screamed at him until he retreated, called the cops, is still scared to death, and is moving out of her apartment.

When I tell this story to men, men who I think are decent, men who are dear friends, men I have dated, their reaction is nauseatingly consistent. They have questions that sound a lot like blame.

Man 1 : Isn’t she on Xanax for anxiety?

A: What the fuck difference does that make?

Man 1: She might have heard him breaking in if she weren’t on medication.

Man 2: Well, hasn’t she worked as a dancer?

A: What the fuck difference does that make?

Man 2: Well, someone might have fantasies about her.

Man 3: That seems like a lie. Does she have a history of lying?

A: What the FUCK are you talking about? My friend is fucked up and scared. What the fuck benefit would she have from making this up?

The only thing I can think of is that men are so freaked out by the very real terror of being a woman, the very real fear that we carry walking around every day, that their only recourse is to deny it. Well, that doesn’t really happen. That wouldn’t happen to someone who didn’t “deserve” it. That it’s made up.

I don’t know, what other explanation is there?

Baby Wants Pole

It’s honest, is what it is. A cheerful, grinning pole dancer is the only female role model America really wants. That’s why Miley Cyrus got on on a pole at 16 at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, and why she was cheerfully twerking on Robin Thicke’s crotch at the VMA’s in 2013. (And don’t worry, everyone acted like they were outraged in 2009, and her Dad acted embarrassed and said “I don’t know where she learned that” and the answer was, then too, “from her choreographer that painstakingly created the routine.”)

That’s why Britney was on a pole when she was 18 and one second. We might be living through another Republican White House if Sarah Palin had just dropped the soundbites and climbed a pole. These things don’t come from nowhere and marketing doesn’t lie. Don’t pretend you’re shocked. Don’t pretend to be surprised when teen idols play strippers, again and again- Performers do what is asked of them. Feminism has fallen down gone boom and we all need to pick it the fuck up.

For one second, think about whether you, as a person with lady parts, have ever said “It’s fun to go to the strip club an’ get attention from the dancers!”, or said “Those Suicide Girls seem pretty self-actualized, because having tattoos means you’re your own person!” and realize that you might be part of the problem. Being comfortable with your own body and sexuality has gotten confused with being porn-positive and chauvinist-friendly to an uncomfortable degree. Moby tried to bring up how misogynist the Robin Thicke video for Blurred Lines was, and everyone shouted him down like he was an asshole. I’m not talking about suppressing freedom of expression, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t do exactly what pleases you- I’m just saying, if you don’t like the society we’re living in, own your part in creating it.

And girls, you don’t have to let boys grind on you at a club if you don’t want them to. You don’t have to send them nude pictures on your phone. And for chrissakes, don’t laugh at them if they aren’t funny.

Hey! Serious for a second! That was weird, huh.

Besides, the VMA’s are where fake scandals are made. Sacha Baron Cohen putting his balls in Eminem’s face. Kanye cockblocking Taylor Swift. Russell Brand joking about the Jonas Brothers. Diana Ross grabbing lil Kim’s boob. Madonna humping the floor. Courtney Love dissing Madonna. Madonna kissing Britney. Lady Gaga wearing a meat dress. What’s it gonna be next year? More importantly, how long are you rubes gonna keep walking down the midway?