Give Me All Your Lovin’

This postcard was sent to PostSecret, and posted on the site October 3, 2010 (I think, I’m pretty sure it was last week).  (An unofficial archive of the submitted secrets is hosted on Tumblr here).  As soon as I saw it, it reminded me of Adrienne Rich’s concept of compulsory heterosexuality.  And since today is National Coming Out Day, I thought it would be appropriate material for a blog post.  I have to wonder, are there lesbian and homosexual versions of Cosmopolitan magazine?  I honestly don’t know.

[click for a larger image]

On a slightly related note, check out this short film by Don Hertzfeldt of Bitter Films, titled “Ah, L’Amour.”

Crazy, right?  This film is begging to be examined through the lens of the female grotesque.  The women literally turn into absurd, caricaturized monsters that violently kill, dismember, stab, rip off skin, set on fire, and eat the man.  Their replies are composed of stereotypical feminist / male-hating rhetoric: “stop smothering me,” “I need my space,” “I just want to be friends,” “—“ (no verbal response, just a gunshot, and “no means no, you bastard.”  The fat woman is passed over and ignored, because she is fat, ugly and therefore not sexually appealing.  The last woman, upon hearing that the man has money, simply replies with “I love you!” insinuating that women are motivated by money, which implies prostitution.

That being said, I laughed my ass off the first time I saw this cartoon, probably at the Enzian’s Florida Film Festival back in high school.  They used to present Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival at midnight showings.  Anyways, as I watched “Ah, L’Amour” before putting it on this page, I laughed again.  Does it make me a bad feminist that I laughed?  I personally don’t think so.  I just think of this cartoon as another text to be explored, examined, and cataloged.  For those not familiar with Hertzfeldt’s work, check out his other films on YouTube and provide yourself with some context - "Rejected" and "Billy's Balloon" are my favorites.  No subject matter is safe from ridicule and absurdity, and they’re all hysterically funny.  At least, in my opinion.