From the Cover of the New Yorker

I saw this on my FB feed this morning.  I know it's a bit of a fun thing for us adults to talk about, but it seriously got me to thinking: "How would Sesame Street handle an openly gay character?"    Some advocate a Bert and Ernie wedding.  I don't know if that would work for our target audience.  It's not that it's inappropriate -- I'm sure there is an ever-increasing number of kids in the 2-7 age range that are now involved with same-sex marriage ceremonies.  But for that kid who's not yet encountered a gay person: how do you introduce that via TV?


Sesame Street has always catered to kids; the South African/Nigerian Sesame Street created their HIV-positive character Kami because there are many children now born with HIV in that region or, as in her own case, that receive contaminated blood transfusions.  Kami is also an AIDS orphan.   There was no effort to make a huge social commentary about drug use, sex crimes, health programs, or other adult issues -- it's a kids show, and the point is that these kids will meet someone like Kami in their life, and they should not be afraid of her.  Kami is a little girl who gets very lonely and sad sometimes -- she needs friends. Some adults threw a temper tantrum over her existence, but Kami and others like her are facts of life in that region. 

In the US in 2011, Lily, the Food Insecure Muppet, was introduced.  17 million American children go hungry every day - she's one of them.  There is no commentary about Lily's parents being deadbeats or what US department or program has failed her.  The fact of the matter is, her family is poor and she's very hungry.  All the time.  She's very shy and more than a little ashamed that she is always hungry, just like those 17 million other kids.  I'm very sad we haven't seen Lily again after that episode -- unlike Kami, who became a regular on SA/Nigerian Sesame Street. 


Kids understand "hungry" from birth -- ask any new mother.  Some know what it's like to lose a parent at a young age or to be constantly sick.  Sexuality, however, isn't something that kids confront head on -- they understand the physiological difference between boys and girls, but not the birds and the bees or even the concept of having a crush (remember, we're talking about 2-7 year olds).  In middle school, kids will have openly gay friends, just as they will have openly heterosexual friends.   That's past Sesame Street's target audience. 

A theoretical Bert and Ernie gay wedding announcement is suitable for that older audience and for us adults looking back and remarking, "Well that explains everything."  But does that serve the average 5 or 6-year-old?    Kids age 2-7 are pretty gender ambiguous - boys play dress up, girls play with trucks, and nobody minds. They aren't in romantic relationships.  There is no concept of being "out."  Some people have said that they "knew" from a young age that they were gay, but how does one express that through the television for someone as young as 2?

The sexuality of kids and how early you can declare them one orientation or another has been and will be debated.   How many 2-7 year olds have the confidence and understanding to say "I'm gay"?  Not many.  What is more accessible and more common than that?  How would Sesame Street depict being gay as more than just tokenism or, even worse, going through every bad stereotype?

To introduce gay marriage or gay identity on Sesame Street, gay parents probably offer the better way to go, Muppet or human.  A kid doesn't see his/her schoolmates' parents everyday, but they are present.  Kids have a remarkable sense of continuity from day to day IRL and episode to episode on TV.  "Oh, that's Teddy, he has two dads."  Teddy's two dads don't have to appear all the time on Sesame Street to have impact.   The show doesn't go into the nuts and bolts of the relationship -- all that matters is that these people are here to love and care for that child.  Just as Kami's story does not go into grown-up stuff, it still shows the impact of societal change on a young child.  Kami has no parents and deals with health issues -- just like someone your child knows at school.  Meanwhile, newly legalized gay marriages now enable people to adopt in several states -- someone will have a happy new home and a new life because of this positive societal change. If Sesame Street ever addresses gay marriage in their show, I think this may be their tact...if ever.

Sadly, when Kami premiered on SA/Nigerian television in 2002, Republican congressmen Billy Tauzin, Chip Pickering, Fred Upton, Joe Barton, Richard Burr and Cliff Stearns united to threaten PBS's funding if they dared to introduce a similar character in the US.  Other conservative groups protested the very thought of adding such a character, insisting that if the character had HIV, it had to be gay (continuing to foster the ugly lie that only gays carry the dreaded disease).  The US has never done a study to count how many AIDS orphans it has.  Additionally, we never saw Lily again in the US after her one-hour special in 2011. A gay character -- Muppet or otherwise -- will appear on Sesame Street one day.  However, it won't be in the US.

At least, not until Kami and Lily get their time in the sun here too.  

*******

TIME magazine came out with the following article in anticipation of Lily's arrival.  There's a super cute video with Kami and Bill Clinton in it as well, plus some insight on the origins of Bert and Ernie.  

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2096216_2096217_2096235,00.html

Tea and No More Symphony

Yep, last symphony concert was in mid-May.  Unless uni next year doesn't pan out, my last concerts will likely be the Russian special concerts in August.  I didn't see many concerts that really lit my fire on the rota for next year, so I may not renew anyway.  They spoiled me this past year with lots of Russians.

Tea, however, is eternal. I first became a tea drinker at age 18 after living in London for a semester in Fall 2004. The habit became increasingly acute in college, and now I generally buy mostly loose-leaf teas.  Yep, I've become a snob!

I figured I would post a review of my teas as well as the never-ending saga to replace my favorite tea, Almond Cookie/Biscotti.  It's been a painful process, as just as I get into a tea, either their change the recipe or they discontinue it entirely.

Almond Cookie/Biscotti

I first got into this flavor through the Spice and Tea Company in Fort Worth.  Then they discontinued it.  Damn and double damn.  Then I got into the Teavana version of it, Almond Biscotti.  Then they added rose petals to it and made it more of a flowery flavor called Amandine Rose.  It's ok, as it still has the overall aftertaste, but the upfront bouquet is very floral - I have mixed feelings about it.  When the original Teavana and Spice and Tea Company teas were mixed properly with sugar and milk, it was like drinking an oatmeal cookie.  It was a low-calorie version of heaven.

I've yet to properly replace it, sadly.  I am currently enjoying the user-made blend Almond Cookie from Adagio Tea, but there just isn't enough cinnamon.  The flavor that you get on the sides of your mouth is right, but the fore and aftertastes are just not quite right.  The smell is right, however.  I may try to make my own blend, but that's a bit of an investment.  Alternatively, if anyone knows of a killer almond/oatmeal cookie tea, I'll try it if it delivers!

Chocolate Tea

I've tried a few of them so far.  The problem with bagged tea from Stash and the loose tea from the Spice and Tea Company is that they rapidly turn bitter if left any longer than 3 minutes -- literally, seconds make the difference between a chocolate tea treat and a tart "Oh, that needs milk" sour face.

My current favorite is from Teavana, Slimful Chocolate Decadence Oolong.  Oolong tea is between green and black tea in terms of caffeine and in terms of processing.  I've accidentally forgotten this herbal tea after dinner, and though it's been sitting for at least an hour, the tea is still delicious, no need for milk unless I feel like it.

Oolong is considered by some to be a diet tea, as there have been reports of weight loss happening easier with it; it has many of the benefits of black tea without the caffeine and with, in my experience, a lesser need to dress it with calorie-bearing sugar and milk (again, it doesn't go bitter as easily).  However, you don't get the spicy highs you do in black teas.  I liked the French Spice Quartet from Teavana much better the the Toasted Nut Brulee (which is very nutty and just is missing a kick; enjoyable, but very mild). 

I'll throw in the Matevana Herbal tea.  It's chocolaty, but it's very strange.  The description does warn you that you're never quite sure whether you're drinking tea, coffee, or chocolate, but I'm not a fan of being discombobulated like that.  It also is a pretty decent caffeine kick.

Chai

 Again, one of the consequences from living in London was developing a taste for chai (and very mild Indian food, as I am a dreadful coward when it comes to heat!).  What we call "chai tea" is a bit repetitious:  "chai" is simply the common Eurasian (various languages from Urdu to Persian and back again) word for "tea."  The proper term for it is "masala chai" -- spice tea. 

Masala chais are probably my favorite types of tea.  It is mostly made with black tea, but it can also be made with oolong for reduced caffeine.  I'm currently drinking my way through Maharaja Chai Oolong. 

Teavana's Maharaja Chai/Samurai Chai is a great tea for a kick in the head in the morning -- very spicy, very caffeinated, even with the oolong. 

One of the teas that sticks with me is the Thai Chai, now known as Cha Yen Thai Tea from Teavana.  I wasn't a huge fan of it, but it had the most striking flavor - for lack of better description, it tasted like the word "mallow."   I reminded me of something I ate in childhood, but I'm unsure what.  It has visible berries, coconut, and a few other Far Eastern flavors mixed in, like star anise.  If nothing else, it certainly was in a class by itself.  Unfortunately, I can't figure out what the hell was in it, particularly the red berries.

Adagio Fandom

The concept is that fans create a tea that are the embodiment of characters they are named for.  I am just waiting for a Star Trek line to come out!  I ordered two teas so far from this line.  The first is John Watson (based on Martin Freeman's incarnation) and the second is Harry Potter. John Watson is, as promised, a rainy day sweater tea.  Very snuggly but you have to be on the bloody spot for it not to get overpowered by the Earl Grey in this EG, cinnamon, and green tea blend.  It's very comforting.  I really do like it, but I have to be in the mood.  The current Almond Cookie Tea blend from Adagio is what I'm into right now.  I haven't tried Harry Potter yet, which should be pumpkin spicy. 

I'll update my tea list as I drink more.

The Six Month Forecast

Life tends to get in the way of a consistent blog update.  Or any, really, for months at a time in my case.  My trip to Europe was a success, as were my PhD applications and thesis defense.  I am now a master (not a mistress, that has a different set of qualifiers....) who is getting ready for a new life in England within the next 18 months.

I say 18 because I won't have a definitive answer for my funding until after May 28.  It's driving me slowly insane; I like to plan my life six months in advance, and in six months, I'll be 28 and have no bloody idea where I'm going to be living, going to school, etc.  Currently, the ideal plan is to receive funding and head over the pond.  However, should funding not work out, I may stay in Texas for another year, working full time and saving up for the hop. 

As I said, the inability to plan 6 months ahead is making me bonkers.

That said, I'm making the most of it.  I have the equivalent of a full-time job right now between two part-time positions.  I'm preparing for a move in the sense I'm starting purge old clothes, documents, books, etc.  Now it's just a question of getting off my arse and actually taking them to the proper places for donation/resale.  I'm horrific with getting to the post office, and it takes a small miracle to get me to a bricks and mortar store. 

I'm also looking to get new pieces for my wardrobe, though in my own thrifty way.  Certain items needed to be replaced -- my black suit jacket had seen far better days and has now been replaced by a Dana Buchman black brocade suit coat. 

Original price: $80. 

Bought for: $16 at Kohl's, off the 80% off rack.  I had gone in originally looking for a purple dress (which is my other closet mission!), but no dice on that count.  However, an excellent and highly practical consolation prize. 

Couponing in Extremis is in full swing -- my average is up to 45%-60% at Tom Thumb. I dipped a bit this week at 35%, but I got a ton of gas points, which will save me about $8 at the pump later this weekend.  

On the calendar late last week was a trip to Neiman Marcus Last Call.  I participate in a survey group that rewards me with discounts to the store, so I needed to scope out what level of certificate I needed.

Behold, oh glorious purple dress.  With pockets!  It's in the mode of a 1950s wiggly dress with a slightly modern kick with the pockets.  The belt is adorable - it's a reverse buckle.  The exact model is the Becky from Single Dress.  I may be wearing this to a wedding, so pics of me in it soonish (possibly).

Original price:  $253

Bought for:  $59.63 at Last Call at Neiman Marcus.  It was on the 50% off rack, plus I had a $25 off a $75 purchase coupon from the survey company. 

Next week:  a three-piece suit for $48 delivered, a corset post, and a bit on Star Trek!