Vacation Vixen: The Handmaid's Tale

So today “The Handmaid’s Tale” premieres on Hulu. And I highly, highly recommend you watch. But I will also freely admit that it is difficult to watch. Dystopia cuts the deepest when you can see, with terrifying clarity, exactly how we got there. And in these times, dystopian futures feel ever present.



One of the exciting things about the new series is how it has taken a classic feminist masterpiece and expanded it to be an intersectional work. It has centered characters of color and LGBTQ characters, and made their stories integral to the overall narrative. Much credit goes to Alexis Bledel as Ofglen and Samira Wiley as Moira for creating two of the most empathetic figures in the story so far. You will root and weep for them, in equal parts.



Unfortunately, Autostraddle has decided against doing weekly recaps of the series as previously planned. But, I did review the first three episodes, which were released to critics and now available streaming today. You can read it here now and I hope you join the conversation. Because this is a show that deserves conversation – and contemplation. I know I’ll be watching, and thinking, and hoping for a better future.

Dystopian Days

Remember when we used to watch dystopian fiction for fun and relaxation instead of as instruction manuals for the resistance? Yeah, so do I. But here we are and here is the latest trailer for “The Handmaid’s Tale.” I will be recapping this series for Autostraddle and am both excited and anxious about the task ahead. Excited because it looks excellent and anxious because in this political climate it’s possible to be almost a little too on the nose. Like when a roomful of white men sits around discussing whether health insurance should have to cover women’s maternity care and women’s preventative care or not. Yeah. Like I was saying, a little on the nose.

Handmaid's Rebellion

While crystal balls don’t actually work, it’s hard to believe the makers of “The Handmaid’s Tale” didn’t look into one and see a glimpse of our current, way too dystopian future when they decided to adapt Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” for television this year, of all years. Dystopian fiction has always had a place in our society. But how we view it often depends on our current political climate. “The Hunger Games” series were published first as novels and then produced as films entirely during the Obama presidency. So people saw them less as a glimpse of our near-to-not so distant future than as a cautionary tale and a critique of the vast wealth inequalities and what could happen if they remained unchecked. But now, in the looming age of Trump, Atwood’s imagined world of a totalitarian theocracy that strips women of rights seems almost too on the nose. But, hey, you can’t blame them for having excellent timing. But you can thank them for including lesbian characters in the series played by Alexis Bledel and Samira Wiley, joining our Offred played by Elisabeth Moss. My only complaint, we have to wait until April 26 to sign on to the feminist resistance.

p.s. With any luck, I will be recapping this show for you. So keep you fingers crossed and keep rubbing that crystal ball.

You May Now Hug the Bride

So I find myself in the strange position of not being all that excited about a lesbian film. Not that there appears to be anything on its surface terribly wrong with “Jenny’s Wedding.” Just that it looks a little dour. But, again, maybe that’s just me. Maybe the recent jubilation about marriage equality has me not feeling like returning to a state of closeted disapproval. Like calling your girlfriend your “roommate” in 2015 feels so…quaint.

Plus, man, there are an awful lot of hugs between Katherine Heigl and Alexis Bledel in the trailer. Hot, passionate, about-to-vow-their-undying-love…hugs. Yeah. But, who am I kidding, I’ll see this eventually because I see basically all lesbian movies eventually. And I will say I am happy to see that Izzie Stevens and Rory Gilmore end up getting hitched.

We will do it

Us ladies, we’ve had a rough go of it in the political arena of late. Men folk keep thinking they know what’s best for us. They want to tell us what we can and cannot do with our lady business. How we’re allowed to use it. (Not to decide for ourselves to when we can best start a family, that’s for sure!) How we aren’t not allowed to use it. (Not for recreational fun, that’s for sure!) And how our doctors should treat us. (Not based on their sound medical judgment alone, that’s for sure!) Those who dare to say otherwise are sluts or strumpets of so much worse. Of course, these same folks keep saying this War on Women is imaginary. We’re just being tricked by our little lady brains into thinking the Republicans want to tell us what to do with our little lady bits and pieces. But we, we know better. We know when we’re being bullied. We know when we’re being disrespected. We know when our rights are being trampled. For a party that prides itself on disavowing government intervention, they sure have a strange way of getting the government into the most personal nooks and crannies of us ladyfolk. So, for all those who think they can slip this year of lady hating by us, be warned. We are strong. We are angry. And we are paying attention. We can stop this War on Women with our votes. As Rosie told us all so many years ago, “We can do it!” As these modern-day Rosies would surely tell you now, you can stick your big government where the sun don’t shine on yourselves instead.

Alexis Bledel

You know Rory got all Occupy Yale this year.

Alison Brie

She won’t have Brita-ed women’s rights.

Christina Aguilera

I would like all the past Christina personas (Genie Xtina, Dirrty Xtina, Voice Xtina) to sing a rousing rendition of “Fighter” to congress.

Princess Leia

Alternately, I’d love for Leia to tell John Boehner he’s a little orange for a stormtrooper.

Kelly Rowland

Queen B isn’t the only one who can do it.

Beyoncé

But, of course, you never count out the queen.

Melanie Laurent

We can do it ingloriously.

Pink

Party to reclaim our rights, already started.

Amy Adams

Practicing BYOT – Bring Your Own Tools.

Amy Poehler

If that wasn’t one of the most perfect, Knope affirming, woman affirming, life affirming season finales, I’ll buy you a Sweetums bar. Today the city council, tomorrow the presidency. America, you beautiful tropical fish.

My Weekend Crush

Now, look, Alexis Bledel. I’m not trying to be inappropriate here. While I’m not old enough to be your Lorelai Gilmore-aged television mother, I know you primarily in the context of being an adorably precocious high school student. So this isn’t some sort of skeezy come on from an older lady. Granted, you’re actually 27 and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of acceptable possibilities – but still. What I want to say instead is that I know you’ve got a new movie opening today. Congrats on that, of course. But as much as I want to support your post-Rory days, I’m probably going to skip “Post Grad.” Not even the great Jane Lynch (and Carol freaking Burnett!) can get me there.

That’s not just because it looks blandly generic. I’m sure it’s perfectly serviceable and something I will eventually end up watching on cable while channel surfing some lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s because I know you can do better. You have that quality. It’s fresh, it’s – dare I say – dewy. You have an accessible sophistication. It’s innocence mixed with capability. And, well, you have those big, impossibly blue eyes. I guess what I’m trying to say is – not to get all maternal here – I’d like you to do well. Despite picking Yale over Harvard, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. So make me proud, Alexis. Happy weekend, all.