The Weekly Roundup (Week of 10.2)
1. Has the Sexual Revolution Failed? A Free Press Debate
This is a fun one. This debate between singer/songwriter Grimes, Red Scare Host Anna Kachayan, writer Louise Perry, and internet pundit Sarah Heider created tons of headlines and was honestly really entertaining. They (attempt) to answer a provocative question, has the sexual revolution failed?
We have the sexual revolution to thank for things like the pill, no-fault divorce, IVF, and women in the workforce. And yet revolutions are unpredictable, and new freedoms come with invisible costs.
With the hindsight that comes with half a century, we ask whether the movement that promised women sexual equality and liberation has fulfilled its promises—or whether it has failed women and men.
2. Why I Keep Watching In-Flight Meltdowns
As travel becomes increasingly uncomfortable, it makes sense that more and more passengers will be pushed to their breaking points. Some scream. Others post. When people are at the mercy of the airlines, they cling to the little things they feel they can control: the seat assignment, the armrest and their phones, where they can conjure a virtual lounge offering comfort and affirmation. TikTok surveillance is a passive-aggressive strategy for one-upping a seatmate. But it can be a way to reclaim some self-respect, by reaching outside the artificial hierarchy of the plane and appealing to a higher moral authority.
3. NADIA LEE COHEN's Conveyor Belts and Stylized Realities
Fresh off her scroll-stopping shoot with Kim Kardashian and the release of her newest book, Women, Nadia Lee Cohen sits down with 032c to discuss her creative approach to photography.
AL: Your art deals heavily with the USA and stereotypes. Why does this fascinate you?
NLC: I was on a plane the other day and the man sitting next to me was watching normal US telly and I was watching UK telly. The US telly was all shouting, adverts, bright colors, buy, buy, buy, lots of text, it was manic. The UK one was quiet and still and slow. I thought to myself, this is the difference right here. I’m watching his telly, even though I should be watching mine.
4. Linda Evangelista and the Canny Eye of Steven Meisel
Meisel prefers not to talk to the press and avoids most interviews. When he tells Norwich, “I was just holding up a mirror to society,” it sounds like he’s quoting something someone said about him, though not inaccurately. He’s more interesting when he’s talking about process and what goes into making a picture of a disappointing dress. “I think it’s helpful if the clothes are inspiring,” he says, “but it doesn’t really matter. That’s part of our job—to make the clothes look great.” Evangelista underlines the point: “We understand the assignment,” she says. Understanding the assignment is what has kept Meisel grounded and the work vital and charged.