People like me didn’t feature in the stories I was told growing up. Felt as if I didn’t exist. Even if there were characters like me, they were Hall of Mirrors distortions that made me feel like I didn’t want to exist. I had a go at ending my existence back then. But I was as good at suicide as I was at physics, so I lived and learnt. It’s painful to be invisible in other people’s stories, but there is a sliver of liberation. You can tell your own story. You can author your own life. There’s no script to stick to, which is fucking terrifying. And quite exciting. And fucking terrifying.
BBC AMERICA is co-producing Queers, an eight-part short film series in which eight established writers respond to the 50th anniversary of The Sexual Offences Act which partially decriminalized homosexual acts between men in the UK. Curated and directed by Mark Gatiss, the films star Alan Cumming (Something Borrowed), Ben Whishaw (The Man on the Platform) and Russell Tovey (More Anger), among others.
Taking in 1957’s Wolfenden Report, the HIV crisis and the 1967 Sexual Offence Act itself, the eight monologues will explore some of the most poignant, funny, tragic and riotous moments of British gay history and the very personal rites-of-passage of British gay men through the last one hundred years.
The series will premiere on October 14th at 10/9c.
Everyone has a perspective on bullying. Hear from Alan Cumming, then take Alan’s #MonthOfAction challenge & share an experience or story to inspire hope and show those being bullied they’re not alone. bystanderrevolution.org/monthofaction
Today = Alan Cumming’s challenge, Share Your Story! If you’ve been bullied or picked on in the past, share how you made it through with #MonthOfAction to bring hope to others. If you can’t think of a story from your own experience to share, try to find a video that inspires you at http://bystanderrevolution.org/browse! ____ #MonthOfAction is a 31 day challenge throughout October, to spread compassion and build habits that help defuse bullying. Learn more here: [LINK]
Day 1: Monica Lewinsky’s Challenge: Make ‘em Laugh Day 2: Olivia Wilde’s Challenge: Share Your Smile Day 3: Salma Hayek’s Challenge: End Negativity Day 4: Spread Positivity w/ Tyler Clementi Foundation Day 5: Rep Your Teacher w/ The Bully Project Day 6: Lily Collins’ Challenge: Say Hey Day 7: Michael J. Fox’s Challenge: Show You Care Day 8: Print and Post Day 9: Jamie Lee Curtis’ Challenge: Sit with Someone New Day 10: Open Your Mind w/ MTV’s Look Different Day 11:Unplug w/ Common Sense Media Day 12: Rashida Jones’ Challenge: Word Up Day 13: Shonda Rhimes’ Challenge: Say Yes Day 14: Drew Lynch’s Challenge: Find the Funny Day 15: Be An Ally w/ GLAAD Day 16: Bradley Cooper’s Challenge: Give Thanks Day 17: Alan Cumming’s Challenge: Share Your Story Day 18: TBA Day 19: TBA Day 20: TBA Day 21: TBA Day 22: TBA Day 23: TBA Day 24: TBA Day 25: TBA Day 26: TBA Day 27: TBA Day 28: TBA Day 29: TBA Day 30: TBA Day 31: TBA
You may have seen Alan Cumming having a whale of a time as King James I on this week’s Doctor Who. We certainly won’t be forgetting that performance in a hurry.
Particularly perceptive or knowledgable visitors to the Bodleian Libraries perhaps recognised the the monarch from this sculpture in our Old Schools Quad.
The inscriptions on the books read HAEC HABEO QVAE SCRIPSI or these things I have written and HAEC HABEO QVAE DEDI or these things I have given.
The inscription below the sculpture translates to:
In the reign of our godlike James, the most learned generous and excellent of kings, these buildings were constructed for the service of the Muses, the library was assembled, and all that was still needed for the splendour of the university was happily planned, taken in hand, and completed. To God alone the glory.
You can read more about King James I, including his relationships with both sexes, on the Out in Oxford website.
spooky tuesday is a (now not so new!) podcast where we’re breaking down all of our favorite slashers, thrillers, monster movies and black comedies on the new scariest day of the week.
it’s no secret that josie and the pussycats (2001) is The Best Movie Ever (join the army!), so it was only a matter of time before we covered it here on spooky tuesday. it may not technically be a horror movie, but it is in its own way a murder mystery — and given that it’s been just about a year since we first came up with the concept of fifth tuesday, we knew its day had finally come. a musical comedy with a banger soundtrack and a killer cast, this flick didn’t get the appreciation and critical acclaim it deserved twenty years ago, but we’re doing our part to make up for that now as we talk about the romantic tension between josie and valerie, how absolutely iconic fiona is, and everything that dujour means (friendship, crash positions, etc).
❝ I had to be a grown-up when I should have been a little boy, and now that I’m a grown-up my little-boyness has exploded out of me. I’ve lived my life backwards.
