Monday 20 April 2015

Critisizing Plain Jane. Part 2: Description and Intro


Following with my MTV Plain Jane feminist criticism (and snarky attack) (Part 1: Introduction here), let’s take a look at the great description and intro of this show:


You can watch the intro here

"PLAIN JANE" is a new summer reality series that transforms one woman from the inside out to reveal a brand new woman. Each of the eight episodes will feature a new "Jane" searching for the change of a lifetime. With the help of British fashion expert Louise Roe ("Fashion Police: The 2009 Grammy Awards"), each "Plain Jane" will receive a head-to-toe style transformation, including new wardrobe and confidence-building exercises. Once the transformation is complete, the formerly "Plain Jane" will surprise her unsuspecting crush with the new look and reveal her true feelings to him. A love connection is - or isn't - made.

Charming description, isn’t it? Just like a fairytale!

And the intro is even better! (I have omitted the ‘Hello, I am Louise Roe, the world's best stylist with a frightening sexist mindset’ line - which didn't run like that of course - because it didn't add much to the criticism and I'm not wasting typing time on her, thanks).

 "Meet Plain Jane. She's ordinary, awkward and forgettable. Every Plain Jane has a secret crush, but she can't imagine telling him how she feels. And that's where I come in (…) My job is to help every Plain Jane come out of her shell by facing her biggest fear head on and being transformed into a new woman with style and confidence to surprise the man of her dreams on a romantic date. Will it be true love? Find out in Plain Jane!”

Just the title is so freaking offensive. 'Plain Jane' - Let's turn a "plain girl" ('plain' according to your narrow-minded standards, of course) into a sexy princess so that she gets her prince. Nice, respectful.

 "Meet Plain Jane. She's ordinary, awkward and forgettable - So everyone who doesn't conform to your sexist and very limited rules based on patriarchal gender roles and the beauty and fashion industries is 'not special', unattractive,, forgettable, and awkward. Wow. So respectful. I'm digging this attitude.

Every Plain Jane has a secret crush - Yes, because the major problem of any girl is to find a man - heteronormativity is also the norm here, remember - who will find her acceptable and sufficiently attractive!! And this guy comes into the intro with self-confident manly swag and bravado included, because he’s perfect already.

But she can't imagine telling him how she feels - Because she is oh-so-awkward and because apparently all girls who don't wear heels and/or make-up on a daily basis can't be confident and direct enough to ask someone out. Suuuuure.

And that's where I come in (…) My job is to help every Plain Jane come out of her shell... - Because if she's different in some way from your COMPULSORY flirty/sexy/feminine/cute patriarchal af mold she must be in a shell and in need of some change and a sexist fairy godmother to give her a dress and a pair of heels, OBVIOUSLY.

...by facing her biggest fear head on... - You think? That's a woman's biggest fear?? Asking a guy out? Oh, do educate yourself and respect women's lives and goals a little bit more! My biggest fear here would be that I would be forced to endure this kind of makeover, to be honest xD

...and being transformed into a new woman - Transformed. They don't even try to lie about this -  with style and confidence... Again, to these people confidence means altering someone's style and personality so that she fits in with society's limited ideas, right? I guess her original syle wasn't her true inner style, she just needed someone to change her, lucky her for finding you!

...to surprise the man of her dreams -  all for him, folks, never forget that!-  on a romantic date. 

Will it be true love? - True love? Seriously? You make a girl think that she can only go out with someone by dressing and behaving in a certain way, to please her crush so that he finds her desirable enough, and you call that love?  ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?? That kind of relationship-wannabe doesn’t even deserve to be called legit ‘attraction’!!)'

This series sucks.so.much!
I can't wait to rip it apart here *muahaha*

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Tolkien essays - Las Traducciones de Rivendell

This below is an essay I wrote in 2011 for the seasonal magazine of the Spanish Tolkien Society, Estel (No. 72, pdf included below as well). I tackled the Spanish translation of 'Rivendell', a place name that, contrary to pretty much the rest of toponyms in Tolkien's world, keeps being wrongly translated - in my opinion - in most of the Spanish Tolkien material, books and film dubbing alike. 

In the 6-page essay, I talk about Tolkien's own translating advice and guidelines, describe the way that 'Rivendell' has been translated into a number of languages, focus on the Spanish translation choices and give my opinion on the matter and my personal choices in order to translate the name of the Elven settlement in Eriador.

This essay is, for the moment being, in Spanish only, but I am open to translate it into English in the future if someone expresses that interest :).

'The Hidden Valley' by ArwendeLuhtiene (me) on DeviantArt

-Estel No. 72. My essay is on the pages 2-5:


And a pdf version of the essay (once again, in Spanish):