Hey Ladies!
January 19, 2010 4:51 AM   Subscribe

Meet The Lady : A tumblr blog of ladies you may want to meet. No captions. No explanations. Possibly NSFW..[via mefi projects]
posted by The Whelk (31 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Seen better tumblr blogs.

And too many youtube videos.
posted by the cuban at 5:00 AM on January 19, 2010


It's got this though, so it ain't all bad.


Nina Simone singing and taking apart 'Feelings'. It's good.
posted by From Bklyn at 5:15 AM on January 19, 2010


Ahhh, and I just realized this was mentioned on the podcast - so it might be a double - so feel free to deleted away.
posted by The Whelk at 5:42 AM on January 19, 2010


The "no captions, no explanations" is a big part of why I avoid Tumblr at all costs.

I clicked this link, thinking it must be 'the best of the internet' if it is on Metafilter.

Ugh, it totally reaffirmed my opinion that Tumblr blogs are worthless. The difference between a Tumblr blog and something cool like Lileks is that Lileks is able to muster up 50 words to describe his thoughts. Unlimited YouTube clips of women -- ooh, and the Ladyhawke movie poster! -- without context or commentary, isn't much of a website.
posted by AzraelBrown at 5:47 AM on January 19, 2010


Finally, a place on the internet to find images and video of women presented without comment!
posted by DU at 5:51 AM on January 19, 2010 [2 favorites]


Finally, a place on the internet to find images and video of women presented without comment!

I know! Right? It's like the internet is totally, like crawling with, like, so much talking talking talking about women and pictures of them. Man, it's exhausting some time. Just, so much pictures of women and then talking.
posted by From Bklyn at 6:26 AM on January 19, 2010


Wow, all men in this thread so far. Not to surprising, I guess. As the inaugural lady, I have something to say.

I've been looking at this site for a couple weeks, and I have to say, it puts me in this weird empty mind set. We can rush from a video of a woman kicking some serious ass dancing, to a shot of an 80's mom, to a picture of a beauty queen eating scorpions. And you know what? It inspires me to try an be a lady in a way I didn't think to before. I think of it as not only a loveletter to the concept of there being a million paths in life, but also a dare to go out and embrace one of those paths.
posted by piratebowling at 6:45 AM on January 19, 2010 [7 favorites]


That's rather gross.
posted by leemfrank at 6:51 AM on January 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


You know, as glad as I am that someone liked our site enough to post it, I have had really mixed feelings as to whether it should be posted. A lot of mefites have congratulated us on the site, but I don't necessarily imagine it garnering mass-mefite appeal, if such a thing could be said to exist.

The difference between a Tumblr blog and something cool like Lileks is that Lileks is able to muster up 50 words to describe his thoughts. Unlimited YouTube clips of women -- ooh, and the Ladyhawke movie poster! -- without context or commentary, isn't much of a website.

If it helps, I will break my moratorium on explanations a little bit and say that there is more going on here than it may appear. First of all, these aren't women, as jessamyn astutely pointed out during the podcast -- they're ladies. Women just sort of happen, but a lady is constructed. Sometimes haphazardly and sometimes with great care; sometimes a lady constructs her own persona and sometimes it is constructed for her. It takes courage, often misguided, to present oneself as worthy of attention, but ladies do this every day. We are actually quite discriminating in deciding what gets posted, but I realize that common thread might be difficult to discern at a glance.

In the cases where we wind up posting people who are known celebrities, I think the lack of context allows for a fresher reaction, or at least a wider range of reactions. If I posted something saying, "Here's Grace Jones playing the accordion!!" that's all you would see. If instead the video is posted out of context, maybe you know what you're watching and maybe you don't, but you're still more likely to fleetingly see her as just another lady doing something interesting, which I think reminds you of what's so significant about her.

Also, when it comes to the lack of commentary, we are quite conscious of the fact that, as two gay men, we are not in a position to critique or comment or laugh at women's issues without perhaps giving the wrong idea. This isn't "LOLWOMEN" and it isn't about affecting a sense of camp or irony. It's about acknowledging a certain inscrutable aspect of feminine culture that we have observed in life. In the past two weeks I have gotten dozens of emails from people, especially other gay men, sending me items they think I should post. It's interesting -- in most cases, they see exactly what we see, the material has been fairly consistent. I think gay appreciation of ladies, fabulous and otherwise, is an interesting subject in itself, but the site is basically for anyone who gets it.
posted by hermitosis at 6:55 AM on January 19, 2010 [10 favorites]


Also, if it makes you guys feel any better, a companion blog (sister blog, if you will) is already in the works. Soon, all of the people who cannot be posted to Meet the Lady for gendered reasons will have a comfortable home at Well Hello, Sir.
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 7:16 AM on January 19, 2010 [2 favorites]


I played this video and was surprised. But, there is a lot of video content here and only a finite amount of time.
posted by delmoi at 7:23 AM on January 19, 2010


Women just sort of happen, but a lady is constructed. Sometimes haphazardly and sometimes with great care; sometimes a lady constructs her own persona and sometimes it is constructed for her. It takes courage, often misguided, to present oneself as worthy of attention, but ladies do this every day.


L.O.L.

*bullshit detector explodes*
posted by the cuban at 7:26 AM on January 19, 2010 [3 favorites]


I think of it as not only a loveletter to the concept of there being a million paths in life, but also a dare to go out and embrace one of those paths.

cool
posted by caddis at 7:28 AM on January 19, 2010


I, for one, welcome our Lady overlords.

No, seriously. Fuck the patriarchy.

Thanks for helping me meet all those ladies.
posted by greekphilosophy at 7:32 AM on January 19, 2010


The difference between a Tumblr blog and something cool like Lileks is that Lileks is able to muster up 50 words to describe his thoughts.

First of all, these aren't women, as jessamyn astutely pointed out during the podcast -- they're ladies. Women just sort of happen, but a lady is constructed. Sometimes haphazardly and sometimes with great care; sometimes a lady constructs her own persona and sometimes it is constructed for her. [...] This isn't "LOLWOMEN" and it isn't about affecting a sense of camp or irony. It's about acknowledging a certain inscrutable aspect of feminine culture that we have observed in life [...] fabulous and otherwise, is an interesting subject in itself, but the site is basically for anyone who gets it.

UGH this isn't anything like Lileks. MAJOR disappoinment.First of all I don't see where th funny pictures of food are. Second, nothing about john Kerry??? That. Is. Bull. S**t. Literally all Muslims are terrorists. All of them. Here is a picture of Jell-O with things suspended in it. FRANCE F-ING SUX. Lastly: clip-art from the 50s. Meet the lady? Fail. Just fail.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:36 AM on January 19, 2010 [4 favorites]


I continue to enjoy meeting these ladies.

Also: "Well Hello, Sir!" may be my favorite blog name ever. I look forward to it.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:11 AM on January 19, 2010


L.O.L.

*bullshit detector explodes*


What hermitosis and jessamyn were describing is the difference most people understand between sex (female/woman) and gender (in this case, lady). If you don't understand it, that's your problem, not the world's. Don't mock out of ignorance, it makes you look like a bitter, closeminded person.
posted by piratebowling at 8:56 AM on January 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


As the inaugural lady, I have something to say.

I really, really wanted you to follow this with, "It's better to burn out than to fade away."
posted by adamdschneider at 9:13 AM on January 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


piratebowling : What hermitosis and jessamyn were describing is the difference most people understand between sex (female/woman) and gender (in this case, lady). If you don't understand it, that's your problem, not the world's.

If the explanation were included somewhere on the Tumblr itself, it might make the blog more understandable; I didn't get it because the information required to understand it is a secondary resource that isn't connected to the original. I get what hermitosis is saying after reading the post above (haven't seen jessamyn's post), but it's like going to the art museum, seeing some really abstract art, then having the artist stop you on your way out and go, "no, wait, didn't you get it? Here, let me explain, and here's a couple reference works you should have read first..." I didn't know why I should watch any of the videos, and the one I did watch was a subtitled passive-aggressive fight between two people communicating in book covers, which doesn't paint women or men in a very good light. My interpretation, however, is moot, and that shouldn't be the world's problem.
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:15 AM on January 19, 2010


Metafilter: THIS IS JUST A BUNCH OF COLORS AND SHIT
posted by purephase at 9:26 AM on January 19, 2010


Yep, those are ladies, sure enough. Lots of 'em.
posted by scratch at 9:33 AM on January 19, 2010


Another fan chiming in.

For people calling bullshit on the interpretation, fine, that's you're opinion, but I know at least for me that I love this site because I've always done this sort of photo collecting. I actually have a photo folder on my computer called "Ladies" that I've used for collecting photos of everything from vintage nudie pics, street fashion shots, photos of Lou Doillon (eh, why not?), random shots of intricate makeup work featuring images from stage stuff to things that look like they're scanned from fashion editorials, or just plain celebrity photo shoots. And not just photos, but also art work. I've never really added any commentary to a particular image or significance because to me, that's what the folder is for. Images and statements in and of themselves.

If I HAD to give an explanation, for me on a practical level I have saved some of these to use as reference when I used to draw more whether I liked the style or a certain pose and attitude conveyed, or even just technique with use of color or medium. However I didn't start off with creating photo for art. They pretty much started out because I liked the look and image being presented in the images. I like looking at and figuring out constructed images. And even when I do draw, it honestly is in a sort of "Meet the Lady" kind of way and art and images that inspire me or catch my eye come from a "Meet the Lady" standpoint. Whether it's "Meet Lady Blah Blah of Blahthington Manor" or "Meet the Madonna (this model I drew is just a stand in for the Madonna, but that's who she's supposed to represent, so hey, check out how I represent her) or "Meet Profane Love" or "Meet this Model heavily made up telling an Editorial Story".

I've certainly taken inspiration from them sometimes too, whether it's the make up, the clothes, the poise or the attitude. For me, it's nothing political or having to do with making a statement with a capital S, it just is, which is why I like that there is a lack of commentary with this blog. I also love going through my Youtube favorites/playlists that include the Pearl Sisters performing on the Ed Sullivan Show or what have you. If you asked me, I wouldn't say it's because I have a weak spot for the Pearl Sisters or old American TV shows. My images folder, or the videos that I save are saved just because it's almost like you get a story in a glimpse. Whether the story is true, or is what the presenter wanted to presented doesn't really matter, the fact that an image at all was presented and an interpretation can be gleaned by an observer is what I find interesting.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:24 AM on January 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


If the explanation were included somewhere on the Tumblr itself, it might make the blog more understandable

I have been thinking about this. I do realize that the deliberate opacity might be frustrating or unappealing for some. But really it is sort of like Greg Nog said -- I was interested in creating an experience where the viewer is left completely with his or her own thoughts and opinions. As a writer I get tired of the sound of my own voice. There is such thing as the idea of something being enough to make it worth looking at.

That's why I didn't take your reaction personally -- I know that plenty of people will probably feel this way. Since it's just something we're doing for fun, I don't really mind. At least it's been gratifying to know that others have had the time, patience, or manic compulsion to pick through the content or immerse themselves in the overall theme. It's like a dark mirror -- who knows what you will divine when you gaze into it.

Also, if a lot more people wind up seeing this or this because of MTL, then I know we'll have secured a special place in the gay afterlife.
posted by hermitosis at 10:27 AM on January 19, 2010


Hey kkokkodalk -- I hope you will start sending me some of your ladies!
posted by hermitosis at 10:28 AM on January 19, 2010


I like the idea- I was a cultural studies wonk in a prior life. Overall, I felt a lack of focus detracted from any coherent thesis.

Yeah, the take-home seems to be 'HAY DID YOU KNOW GENDER IS CONSTRUCTED?' Which is interesting and true in my opinion, but this seems like a superficial pass.

I'd be very interested if it played with the concept of 'Lady', with its connotations of class privilege, and how this is communicated via image. Instead we've got 'Booty Bop' - which is flirting with smug 'don't we know better' kitsch- paired up against belly dancing- smack dab next to a beauty queen eating a scorpion.

The assembly is interesting, and obvs. time consuming, but I think that there's a level of richer meaning that they're just not hitting.
posted by mrdaneri at 10:40 AM on January 19, 2010


My mind was just expanded by a blog featuring YouTube videos and movie posters!

Oh wait, no it wasn't.
posted by Brocktoon at 11:09 AM on January 19, 2010


hermitosis: I was interested in creating an experience where the viewer is left completely with his or her own thoughts and opinions...

I can totally appreciate the intent, posting undocumented things in hopes of attracting a response, but - and I'm not blaming you, most of this are from the fans - there's an expected correct interpretation, and an accusation of failure if somebody doesn't get it. If you're concerned about over-beanplating it, write a sentence that identifies the end flagpost that the viewer should eventually reach, and let the viewer find the inbetween points themselves; the fans saw the end flag more clearly than the rest of us orienteers, so some of us need more help. The ability to comment on posts would also help those who 'get it' to lead those who are a bit off the trail.
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:32 AM on January 19, 2010


but - and I'm not blaming you, most of this are from the fans - there's an expected correct interpretation, and an accusation of failure if somebody doesn't get it.

I think what you're picking up on from fans of the site is mainly a response to the smugly dismissive tone of some of the comments in this thread.

I've already tried to make it clear that there isn't an expected correct interpretation, though some people do seem to enjoy the content for the same reasons I do. We may or may not decide to prepare some sort of introduction that serves as a bridge to the content, but for now it is what it is.
posted by hermitosis at 11:48 AM on January 19, 2010


Hey kkokkodalk -- I hope you will start sending me some of your ladies!

I love contributing to a community where this is actually an okay statement (and not one that makes me think you're actually slave traders)...thanks for the post and the site.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:38 PM on January 19, 2010


What a funny conversation. Gotta say: great site, boys!
posted by wemayfreeze at 3:30 PM on January 19, 2010


Metafilter: It's about acknowledging a certain inscrutable aspect of feminine culture that we have observed in life.
posted by mecran01 at 4:15 PM on January 19, 2010


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