Love Notes to @ChelseaHandler
Today is Valentine’s Day! And though a “holiday” with many questionable elements, the fact remains that is gets people talking about their feelings — the romantic sweetie, the loving friend …and the hateful hater.
In the spirit of love and expressing love sentiments, I wanted to highlight a special message sent out by mainstream civilian media comedy person Chelsea Handler a few days back. Handler said:
There is an entire generation of children who’s first memory of their President is a man who supports child molestors, wife beaters, Russian hacking, and porn stars. It is our responsibility to make that a memory and not a consistency. We all have a moral obligation. Keep going.
Child molesters. Wife beaters. Russian hackers. Porn performers (read: sex workers, many of who are women, working in a legal occupation). In Handler’s view, a group of entities and individuals who hang together.
There is an entire generation of children who’s first memory of their President is a man who supports child molestors, wife beaters, Russian hacking, and porn stars. It is our responsibility to make that a memory and not a consistency. We all have a moral obligation. Keep going.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) February 10, 2018
I could respond, but the industry community said it better than I ever could.
jessica drake was quick to call out hypocrisy:
fun fact: @chelseahandler once tried to book me on her show, and the number of mainstream celebs i've seen at swinger's/sex clubs/bachelor parties/my DMs is staggering. the hypocrisy is MINDBLOWING. so much shame around sex, porn, sexworkers. #endthestigma https://t.co/Kls387p1I0
— jessica drake (@thejessicadrake) February 12, 2018
Jiz Lee made a strong point about needing support from feminist-identified public figures (and linked to a nice round-up on Mel):
The movement to decriminalize and end stigma against sex work is one that any feminist-identified celebrity should rally behind. We need public figures, and the popular media they produce, to be on our side. https://t.co/Mg6sxLdqoX
— Jiz Lee (@jizlee) February 13, 2018
Porn Stars @jizlee, @TashaReign and more on how celebrities @JuddApatow and @chelseahandler compared them to child molesters, wife beaters and Russian hackers https://t.co/hjFLMYSegA pic.twitter.com/IcFvljdMmp
— MEL Magazine (@WeAreMel) February 13, 2018
Filly Films said some great stuff:
Ayyyy, tho. Don't be putting pornstars in the mix w/ dat shittt. Know better, do better. Call me if you wanna be schooled and get up on game by a Queer Womxn of Color cuz your friends aint teaching you enough. <3 pic.twitter.com/379x9M13vO
— Filly Films (@FillyFilmsXXX) February 12, 2018
Cam model Octavia Leigh let Handler’s “chosen” outfit speak for itself:
So do you actually believe this or only when it benefits you? pic.twitter.com/g4kFDDYj8B
— Octavia Leigh (@OctaviaLeigh91) February 12, 2018
Missy Martinez alluded to the larger “progressive” (often hypocritical) group Handler seems to identify with:
It’s disheartening to see even progressive celebrities like Chelsea Handler have such negative views on the adult industry and its workers. Archaic views on sex, sexuality and sex workers is highly prevalent, along with misinformation. It’s 2018, people. Fuck with the lights on.
— Missy Martinez (@MissyXMartinez) February 11, 2018
But the best reply of all, in my view, came from Mercedes “Grammar Goddess” Carrera:
*whose
And fuck you for including porn stars in this list, you ugly old bag. https://t.co/HQ8YxZJjaS
— Mercedes Carrera (@TheMercedesXXX) February 11, 2018
Image (tagged as “two faced”) via Alaa Safei.