WOC PhD

Ok everybody, the recent conversations about Seal Press and Intellectual Property (and especially a comment by Sudy) made me think it was time for a Meme. A few months ago, a meme circulated the academic blogosphere about why people teach what they teach. As many women of color bloggers consider whether or not feminism is a label they can continue to use, yet again, why not make it into a positive and proactive question?

Anita Allen Eden Torres Inderpal Grewal

The Meme

If you are a person of color who teaches Women, Gender, or Women and Gender Studies please write a blog post about why you teach in that inter/discipline. Please also address how or why you stick with it when issues of racism, homophobia or heterosexism, classism, or other issues arise. You can give as many reasons as you want and be as elaborate or succinct as you want. Tag at least 5 people and make sure that they know they have been tagged so we reach as many people as possible. You may participate even if you are just considering teaching in the interdiscipline or if your classes are cross-listed. (White allies, you are welcome to participate too, as long as you center the issue of how you support women of color as a central question in your answer.)

Please link back here so we can read your posts. If you don’t have a blog but want to participate, put your answers in the comments section and don’t worry about length.

As if I could not be more disappointed lately, major shake ups are rumored at both Dr. Who and Torchwood according to SciFi Pulse. This is like cheap icing on a dry cake. The cake: the first episode of Dr. Who and Sarah Jane Chronicles that both contained questionable racial and body image narratives that with regards to the former, left me wondering if this would be the first season of Dr. Who I would not see all the way through (having seen the entire run of Dr. Who in my ninez). The second episode of the season, in Rome, is much more in keeping with what fans expect from the show: a bad CGI monster or two, Dr. Who saving the world while making quirky comments, and a few well placed comments/helpers from Tate and others. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite episode but it was good.

That being said here is the scoop:

• Barrowman is rumored to be complaining there are too many episodes in a Torchwood season for him to do his other projects . . . so the rumor goes, he will be leaving next season early on and guesting once and a while
• As I hinted at before, rumors have it that Freema will join the cast next season and she and Gwen will become the corner stones of the new “family friendly” version of Torchwood (bye Ianto)
• Tennant will also be leaving the world of Who at season’s end being replaced by fellow Scott Robert Carlyle

Here’s the thing, Torchwood is built around Jack though it is an ensemble the folklore does not seem to stand up without either him or the Doctor present. It is also best when it is melancholy and dramatic, this is when the actors give their best performances, when the writers give us food for thought and snark to quote, and when the concept of the show itself shines as both implicated in the Dr. Who world but also a stand alone. A newer, tweenie, Torchwood where Gwen’s marital woes take center stage, Ianto puts the tea down and disappears without nary a snark nor a romp or turns into gun toting Ianto, and little kids suddenly live next door or worse are invisible sprites popping forth from the now evolved weevils sounds about as fun as as watching those insipid teletubbies. I love Freema, but I will not watch to see her and Gwen play tiddly winks for the tweens on Torchtubbies. What exactly is Marsters supposed to do in this world? Oh . . . steal Jack’s heart and take him away on wristband related adventures . . .  I am suddenly getting worried by this rumor . . . worried.

I also happen to be a rather big fan of Robert Carlyle but as someone who has watched many an incarnation of the Doctor in my lifetime, and seen every episode of the entire show, much of it multiple times, all I can say is “I don’t think so.” I won’t watch. I won’t. It isn’t just that for me Tennant is like a mix of all of the best  Doctor’s past, Carlyle just doesn’t fit the Converse.

I watch three shows for escapism: BSG (canceled & so far really bad this season), Dr. Who (soon to be canceled due to poor casting choices), and Torchwood (soon to be starring Tinky Winky cooing lovingly at Gwen) . . .

All I can say is: You are a mean one Mr. Grench! Bring the presents back to Whoville so we can all join hands and sing . . . or I may have to show you why you never ever piss off a celt. Let alone a feminist on the edge.