Skip to main content

Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL

So the Museum of Science and Industry, yes. Very nice, good exhibits, the Lego artist had an exhibition, very groovy. There's the stuff you would expect, maritime, land, air transportation exhibits (including an old electric Ford from the early 20th century. All very well. Until...

https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/colleen-moores-fairy-castle/ 

What is a fairy castle doing here?

Walked in, and there's all these fascinated, I mean totally rapt, women (2) and children (3, female from a cisgender phenotypical view; I did not speak with them, and even so, there would have been no way to ask, obviously. Not just because it is a random and invasive curiosity that I never had until I started writing these words here. Also, because this is the question—and the issue—of identification: I cannot ask, and no one else can, and no one else can tell, and neither will I). 

And there was a total antifeminist JOKE of a voiceover. I caught, "in the attic while she waits for the Prince." 

That was enough for me. I don't use foul language around my child, but I said, loudly, to the people there, "Ok, my child, so this is the place where you can see all the bullshit you don't need to have when you're a grown woman." 

It's such a ridiculously obvious trope to pick up: in the Museum of Science and Industry, there is a fairy castle donated by an actor. Sure, there is the advertising blurb, it is a marvel of designing big things at small scale, but please. It looks way too much like a place—so 1940s—telling women their place in a place that is all about phallocentric science and its use for applications that move human potential forward, AND make lots of Profit. Women, buy the stuff science and industry has made, while you wait for the prince in the attic. FFS.  

Comments

Favorites

Audio Road Tripping across the U.S.A.

Driving in a car too small to store much Is a good way to make sure your audio road trip does not land you in the poor house. Is there such a thing anymore? Poorhouse? I mean, I've read about this quaint English institution that condemned poverty in the strongest possible terms, but what, and how different was 1996 and PRWORA? That's the acronym for welfare reform, in case you pondering. And that was passed under Bill Clinton, as was some hardcore anti person-of-color-caught-up-in-crime legislation. And that is supposed to be the more socially concerned side of the political spectrum? Oof. Well, what's the difference between neoliberal Democrat and neoliberal neocon Republican anyway? Eh? Yes, at some point I really should start talking about traveling and checking out musical equipment. Hm.  So, it was winter of 2018, and after quite a few years in the wilderness of good audio equipment (Harman Kardon Soundsticks are ok, but come on), I was in the mood again. T...

“Ritual Sacrifice in an Unnamed Society ” Reading Medea's Human Sacrifice

“…regarding their kings as incarnate divinities on whom the welfare of men, of cattle and of the corn implicitly depends…” James Frazer, The Golden Bough Introduction At the outset, let me briefly outline the explanation I attempt here. This is a human sacrifice of substitution and fertility, the latter being most prominent, with aspects of expiation/propitiation/atonement. Agricultural fertility is being ensured since it is the lifeline for the survival of the community, and perhaps a wrong has been committed or being averted. I will draw on the work of Frazer and Smith, with additional references to readings as relevant . At the beginning we are shown the saplings planted in the fields. That and the several head of goat, coupled with the nature of dwellings (carved out of rock formations) indicate this is a subsistence community, based on agriculture and livestock. The young man in fine blue attire is waiting for the proceedings to commence, looking reflective and somewhat pensive. C...

Ex-Deputies, tubes, and valleys

Ex-Deputies, tubes, and valleys If you are approaching Lookout Pass at the beginning of an incipient snowstorm or bout of snow, and if you don't have the right tires, here's the right thing to do: slide into that sign that welcomes you to Idaho, gently, and wait for help. And definitely do this if you have Jersey plates.  So, mileage eh. City mileage, highway mileage, what kind of mileage do you get from your car? Is it a sedan, is it an SUV, is it a truck, is it a "big-ass" truck with those wheels that make you higher than everyone else on the road. Everyone else except for semis? More on semis in a minute.  In the mountain passes of this region, you will not get that cool 34mpg hwy. No no. You'll get (at least I got) something like a whopping 41-43mpg. Simply because you're a fool if you use the gas. Just put it in Sport, let the engine control the braking, and let gravity do it's job. 60-65 mph, easy. Don't worry, that's the speed li...