Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Looking very, oh, you know

You know who I miss? I miss Shane. I know, I know. This is not an original thought. Almost every gay lady has at some point in her life thought, “Jesus, I need a Shane.” But my desire for someone who looks very Shane today has less to do with the physical attributes and mad skills (though, don’t get me wrong – come to mama, honey), but the concept of Shane. The lothario isn’t a role women get to play on screen often. Sure, we get slut shamed. We get branded with the big scarlet letter. But the loveable lothario is something different, something reserved for men and the boys-will-be-boys mindset which deems conquests as laudable achievements. We remain mired in the societal gender constructs which make girl sexuality bad and boy sexuality good. But a character like Shane makes things more interesting, turning those stereotypes on their head and celebrating what once was scorned. Someone who is unapologetic about desire? I like it, I like it a lot. Since then she has been often imitated, seldom replicated. Also, you know, fucking-A Shane was hot. Yeah, sometimes it is what it is.


25 comments:

;) babs said...

so funny that your post does come now, I rewatched some season 1 + 2 episodes of "the L word" yesterday, as I realised that it was the last real good and reasonably authentic show with lesbian content.
and I do miss our Shane (and alphaBette)!

it is even worse with movies nowadays, sometimes I feel like the only real good lez movie was "desert hearts" and all the others afterwards were either too vanilla or boring.

no-one said...

I never actually got the appeal of Shane, and couldn't see why so many chicks would just throw themselves at her. But that's probably because I had a thing for Carmen, and they're very different types.

Voo said...

I am so sharing this :)

Anonymous said...

Shane didn't do it for me but Marina did. She was incredible. In fact that was the only person on the show I found hot.
The Shane-Carmen and Shane-Jenny storylines made my stomach turn, not to mention the L-word fashions.

Solo said...

thanks god its not a Glee post :))) cause im so so disappointed from last ep...
plus when i saw Erin Daniels on Rizzoli thought of L Word gang myself... she was so so very different...nd not what she use to be...
what a beautiful time it was when L Word was happening... they were so different...so similar..so close.. had so many different crushes...from Marina...to Shane..Carmen...Dana nd Helena...eeeehhhh....

Florence said...

I feel relieved to see several posts commenting on their non attraction to Shane because I've always felt like a bad lesbian for not liking her.
I mean I liked a character (well at least season 1-2), I just NEVER got the appeal. Well not so much the appeal (she definitely has style), more the craziness around Shane, like everybody wants her, even straight people. I. Don't. Get. It.

Anonymous said...

My grandmother ensured that until my early 20s I honestly never once thought, “Jesus, I need a Shane”. (Damn you granny!) Don’t get me wrong; I loved my grandmother dearly, I am only glad I knew her long after she had to worry about rampaging husbands! ‘Lesbian lothario’? Good Lord, the term might as well have originated with her! To this day, the family name remains steadfastly in the gutter in many circles!

No, I never was one to go for the female gigolo types. Of course all that changed the day I met you Snarks darling! Oh how it changed!
And oh how that slightly loud and ever so slightly moist Hawaiian shirt would cling to your body in all the right places as you swaggered your way about Saigon on those hot and sweaty rainy season nights! (Best I don’t even broach the topic of that famous tank top of yours, less I inadvertently cause a spate of planet wide computer/liquid beverage calamities!)

*Sigh*

PD

PS As for the scruffy hairdresser? Did nothing for me I’m afraid. How could she?! The words ‘pale’ and ‘imitation’ spring readily to mind! As I and many other lucky girls know only too well, there is only *one* (living) lesbian lothario worth talking about!

egghead said...

I would rather dip my eyes in battery acid then fall for a Shane ever again, or ever pretend I am a Shane to get back at the Shane types!

(have I revealed something about myself?) whatever I DON'T CARE.

I rather enjoyed the many ethical struggles of Bette. One has to at least struggle at "keeping it zipped" don't they? One cannot just go all willy-nilly with desire, does one? :)

I do not feel that women need to follow in the male footstep, humping and dumping, strapping on and other such utterly male hungups, er um, hang ups.

egghead said...

Addendum:

". . . there is only *one* (living) lesbian lothario worth talking about!"

the Jaime. swoooon. she is my ideal woman.

Yet I don't perceive the *one* in question as a deceptive, lying good for nothing lothario (following the strictest sense of the word of course). She HAS scruples and is a dream of perfection in both acting skills and presentation.

Anonymous said...

I miss Shane too! She was such a wreck!! But she did have an eye for the ladies. She wasn't my type either, but she was always entertaining.

I really miss Alice though!! She was the best!! Funny, smart, loyal, and followed her beliefs!!

Anonymous said...

". . . there is only *one* (living) lesbian lothario worth talking about!"

the Jaime. swoooon.”

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! :D

Meanwhile… at the less fluffier end of the newz spectrum. (The end of the spectrum Maddow et al. stubbornly refuse to cover! Now, why could that be...?) The once great American Republic continues to FALL…

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/12/the-indefinite-detention-bill-does-apply-to-american-citizens-on-u-s-soil.html

I guess the poor US Truthers (and others) had better start accessorising *now* for those Guantanamo (gads!) orange jumpsuits! I suppose aesthetics will be the least of their worries should the SHTF. Still, even in the worst of times one must *try* and look one’s best, eh darlings?

PD

PS Quite frankly, I think gay marriage is the least of our worries!

Anonymous said...

Oh Shane, how I miss her too. =( The carbon-copy on a certain other show just doesn't have the same appeal.

Beebee said...

Shane is a totally unique character and snarker you said it! Sexual without the shame. So happy about sex. Such a dyke! Loved her.

She was incredibly hot too.

I still mourn how are favorite ladies were contorted and mangled by IC but I still remember the very great days of getting to know them and loving them and having them on TV every week. Life changing. Culture changing.

egghead said...

"I guess the poor US Truthers (and others) had better start accessorising *now* for those Guantanamo (gads!) orange jumpsuits!"

Sobering thoughts.

But there is the fabulous zombie line dancing to look forward to!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o

Said inmates are due for some tips from Highland Dancers, eh? (sad face)

L said...

OH God I love me some Shane!!!!

Anonymous said...

God, I miss Shane.

Anonymous said...

ABSOLUTELY. Where's the role for women who are proud of their conquests? It seems to be all or nothing on TV - a woman's either a slag and will sleep with whoever will take her, or she's sweet and monogamous. There IS such a thing as a woman who makes her own choices and sleeps with who she wants and is proud of (responsibly) sleeping with so many hot folks ;)

dc said...

Sheesh...Shane as played by Kate Moennig is impossible to duplicate. I know Kate has never really come out, but however good an actress she is, I don't think she'd have produced such an iconic Shane if she isn't a lesbian.

That was one hot video!

Very sad. If only Chaiken hadn't fucked it up, we might have had Shane for many more seasons.

maya said...

Oh, Snarker, even when you're sick you know how to get us all hot and bothered...in a very erudite, queer studies kinda way. ;)

Anonymous said...

Missing Bette

Anonymous said...

god that makes me want to re-watch the entire l-word series all over again...

palink said...

Finally got me my Shane! Fixed my video watching capabilities. IMO it was the character that we loved! YES the LOTHARIO! But also the YODA! She was just always the cool chick behind the shades! Not to mention, EVERYONE'S confidant! Miss the show - not what it became - but what is was! What it STOOD for! Thank the great Goddess for the L word Fan Fiction authors who keep them alive and re-create their persona's in to more realistic images of the beauties that we fell for from the start! Thanx to Dorothy for EVERYTHING else!

Anonymous said...

who is jaime?
where can i find her?
i feel so left out
help!

Anonymous said...

who is jaime?
where can i find her?
i feel so left out
help!

Jeannie said...

Amen. Need more Shane!