Last weekend it was a visit to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, for their first full-scale 1940's event. Sadly, for those fetishists among the readers, it was another scorching day, so far too hot for stockings. Booo! But at least the weather was simply gorgeous. This was also my first visit to the Museum, and I have to say that I was totally bowled over by the event and the museum itself.
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
Further on from the village I found an old funfair, again with period rides, and a lovely old petrol station, complete with old petrol pumps and cars.
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Black Country Museum 1940's Weekend |
Well, that was the good bit. Now onto Red and Black. Needing an evening to rest, I decided to watch the recent film 'Les Miserables', starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway. Now I've never been a huge fan of Ms. Hathaway, although she did a pretty good job in the last Batman film. However, after watching the film and reading a few pieces online, I have to say she's got under my skin a little. The reason? In the film, she plays poor destitute Fantine who has to - *shock! horror!* turn to prostitution in order to survive and provide for her daughter.
In researching the role of Fantine, Ms. Hathaway did some 'investigation' into prostitution and the sex trade and trafficking of girls, because, as we know, all girls are in this game against their own wishes, and so has now come out with some very helpful comments regarding her new knowledge. Comments like, well, "I'm so happy, it was hard to play a miserable whore," because there aren't, of course, any happy ones. Heaven forbid! She is now so upset that she has joined the One Billion Rising campaign - the global movement against violence against women.
Now, as with all of these 'campaigns', the principle is wonderful. Yes, there are some truly shocking stories out there regarding the treatment of women (and men, of course, but that doesn't quite stir the same emotions, does it?) and I am thankful that I do not have such a story to tell, but again this movement seems to make the same standpoint that all women are in prostitution against their will. It does become tiresome to be labelled as such a sad stereotype, and sad that I can't even be more open about what I do in a so-called progressive society, but it seems that everyday our society loses more of it's sexual liberties, rather than moving forwards.
Anyway (and just to show how low the opinion of prostitution is), Fantine only resorts to selling her body after selling her hair and some of her teeth, which is a fairly worrying order to choose, if I'm honest. I'd rather keep my hair and teeth, thanks, and choose an hour's entertainment with a gentleman first. But that's me, I make my own choices, I'm independent, and a little bit, well, badass. Unlike Fantine, but, strangely, very much like another Hollywood heroine. But which one? Oh yes, Ms. Hathaway knows. Catwoman. "I loved Catwoman’s sense of humour. I love how sly she is. I love how she, to use a cat metaphor, walks the fence and you don’t know which side she’s going to come down on. She’s totally independent. And let’s face it, she’s badass." Odd. Both characters end up turning to *the dark side* (not my opinion, of course) in order to survive in their respective environments, but one she admires, the other is a "miserable whore." Strange, too, that the one she admires dresses in a skin-tight outfit, complete with steel-heeled leather thigh boots, promising excitement, BDSM, and evil sexuality, and who has also turned to breaking into people's houses and stealing - but that's still obviously preferable to the utter degradation of the selling sex between consenting adults. Ah, but maybe that's the issue - Catwoman only promises these things, and never delivers on that sexuality - because bad girls, even in Hollywood, need to keep some decency. Much easier just to stereotype the girls who do play the game, then. As always. So why can't One Billion Rising take this double-standard mindset on, too - some real education regarding all women's rights, including the real badass girls, might actually do some good.
Sorry? What was that? What did I think of the film itself? Well, it's a bit of a cultural phenomenon, with great costumes and sets and has been a massive stage success. But... well, it was shite, really. 'Songs' like Red and Black (I know, the link was a long time coming!), etc, aren't really songs with melodies, if you know what I mean. Give me a musical, even an opera, with some real melodies in it, anytime.
Thinking of Catwoman and musicals means I can sign off this post with rude thoughts of two of my favourite crushes over the years...
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Dexi - Independent Escort - Oooh lala! |
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