interesting vid link

[rushthatspeaks]

I recently stumbled across this:

a fan-transformation of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance, both song and video, into a history of women's suffrage in the United States.

Which is not what I usually expect of my internets, but, uh. It has made me cry. Five times now.

(It will probably be more interesting to those of you familiar with the original Bad Romance video, from which it is riffing a ridiculous number of shot setups.)

Because to me this gets very nicely at the way that being a woman* and being engaged in politics in the U.S. can mean you're in an abusive relationship with your own country, and how there's this flawed (this video is very white) and sometimes terrifyingly conciliatory movement that has done amazing things. I mean it hits the nuances, for me, the bits where I'm like, I have had my issues with the Second Wave and also with the Third (and some of those can be extrapolated by comparing this vid to its source, which I'm sure is intentional), but also, it's worth it, rock on.

Persons who are scheduling vid-party at Wiscon, this is absolutely up your alley and if I had any hope of going to the con whatsoever I might suggest it get a panel.

* My current gender identification is somewhere between 'it's complicated' and 'fuck everything', with a very large dose of 'I have no idea' and some 'we don't want to get into that mess'. I have, however, definitely felt serious gender-based political frustration on numerous occasions.

Comments

[kore]

LOVE that vid. Love.

[ookpik.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I saw the video last week and could tell it was riffing off something but didn't know what. (Yes, I am old. Well, middle-aged, and definitely out of touch with mainstream culture.) But yes, exactly "abusive relationship with your own country."

One of these years I'll get to Wiscon...

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

This is where people saying more than "watch this!" with their links does some good. Because mostly the people I saw linking it awhile ago only said that, and the heading said "Lady Gaga Bad Romance Women's Suffrage," which didn't tell me the extent of the transformation or my likely interest. Thank you.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Hurrah and vote suffrage... for all the good it'll do us. (I saw this yesterday via S. and haven't been able to revisit it. It is too topical.)

[tilivenn.livejournal.com]

Wow, yeah, I'd seen more detailed descriptions of this video than mrissa had, but nobody was saying "this video has something to say", my understanding was just "oh, it's two things lots of people like, suffrage and Lady Gaga, mashed up, but I don't like the latter much, so I probably won't enjoy it".

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I was frustrated with the video, because it's so close to being brilliant but doesn't quite make it. (I had an emotional response anyway, of course.)

[tiamat360.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is pretty much my reaction too. (The singing, message, and visuals are so good! but honestly the lyrics are so not)

[sovay]

Which is not what I usually expect of my internets, but, uh. It has made me cry. Five times now.

I had a similar reaction, which is not usual for me with music videos. And then I spammed people with it, which is not usual either.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Wow.

And absolutely "an abusive relationship with your own country."

Thank you.

Nine

[q10.livejournal.com]

‘My current gender identification is somewhere between 'it's complicated' and 'fuck everything', with a very large dose of 'I have no idea' and some 'we don't want to get into that mess'.’

this is one of the most beautiful footnotes i have ever read.

[khava.livejournal.com]

I have something to say about this, but I have absolutely no idea what it is.