Watching Taylor Mac and cohort wield their erotic politics Erolitics? Ignore meβ¦. Additionally, I was inspired by two connected, very of-the-moment issues: gender and self-care. Body politics in the Body Politic. Get it? Like humans, each showed an ability to recognize their own reflections, indicating a level of self-awareness. It creates a charming image: a circle of white-coated scientists studying flamingoes, puppies, and panda bears as the animals explore their reflections for the first time.
This psychological quirk is rooted in that most omnipotent of human inventions, late-stage capitalism. Gwyneth Paltrow has built an empire by capitalizing on our inadequacies. One ounce of face cream infused with diamonds and butterfly tears? Sure, just hold the pearl-dusted kale salad. Make no mistake, I love a luxurious serum and green juice as much as the next millennial.
This routine was exactly as exhausting as it sounds. Despite being lightyears away from zen-like bliss, according to the goals laid out by society, my labor of self-love was moral and good. Much ink has been spilled on the dangers of self-optimization. When American materialism and age-aversion meet the puritanical values of self-improvement and self-examination, a perfect storm ensues. In the s and 80s, the gay community took up self-care in defiance against a society that rejected them.
Their generous love radiates from the screen, divergent and defiant. In the Holiday Sauce Indeed, most bodies on show are not the taut and optimized femme-bots of the Goop glitterati.
Liberation can be found by embracing figures that defy definition. Visual cues support this. The dense confections of makeup and costume throughout the show careen from glamorous to grotesque, again pushing the boundaries of conventional beauty.
