For the pretentious hipsters out there earning a BA in 17th Century Liturgical Poetry (John Donne ftw!), McSweeney's is a satirical core of Post-Post Modern (PoPoMo) twentysomething living. Sure, it's often scribed by solipsistic writers too cool for their own good, but it's also a venue for funny writing with a serious bent. I am unabashedly an adoring fan of McSweeney's.
So it is with interest that today's post on the McSweeney's homepage is, oddly, a first-person narrative on same sex marriage laws within the Galactic Federation by none other than Samus Aran. An empowered lesbian (with a book of poetry to boot, Morphing Inside My Varia Suit), she offers a three-step legislative goal called Morph Laws, setting the stage for "equal rights for all homosexual species."
While far from titillating, or arguably, laugh-out-loud funny, Marco Kaye's Metroid's Samus Aran Speaks Out About Gay Marriage is an interesting take on arguing for an issue. Using a rather obscure figure, by arching pop-cultural standards, this short work is at least an interesting starting point for discussion. And let's be real, the issue of homosexuality is something almost never addressed in gaming culture. Kinda neat seeing it being discussed, no?
No matter how you feel about homosexuality, same sex unions, Metroid, or the simple fact that this is awfully close to being published fan-fiction, it's dead fascinating to read. Do yourself a favor and check out the article. It's not often videogame characters show up in literary journals, that's for sure.
[Thanks Zach!]
Contest:
1:00 AM on 08.05.2009
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...Uh oh, you dared to post a bit of literature, perhaps even art ('aht') in a gaming community. I think I'll open my umbrella for the impending doomsday scenario.
Unless she's licking snatch in the game, this is bullshit. An official real nintendo game. In 2d.
But I love McSweeney's. For as douchy as it can be, it's also fantastic. I remember reading a short story for a modern lit course, and then I realized I had read it in my 2007 copy of America's Best Nonrequired Reading. It was an awesome feeling, lol.
I will check out the piece later when I am not tired as hell. Looks good.
"This is why we must separate civil unions from religious ones, with a future amendment granting union to an asexual creature that divides and wishes to marry its other self. "
Great guy!
Yeah, that's the problem I have against this too. Not that I mind people trying to present this debate in a new way, but leave my goddamn childhood icons out it, please. >:[
Exactly. They could have done this with anything or made up their own character but suddendly they see Samus and decide oh that girl can fight for herself let's make her a lesbian! I thought the point of Samus was to be a woman who could kick space pirate ass. Not some over gloriflied sex object for men and not some super butch lesbian either.
They're going to remain a topic of discussion as long as there's legislated discrimination with race and sexuality as the basis.
Don't blame the victim.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPvVnrV1tow
"If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee."
Loving this makes me a particular kind of nerd, but I don't care. It's great.