It’s a week of controversy: Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who says she’s black, is back in the public eye thanks to a Netflix documentary, The Rachel Divide. What trauma led to her fraudulent ‘transracial’ identity? And why does Rachel refuse to back down? We called up gal-dem deputy editor and Guardian writer Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff to discuss the documentary - and whether or not Netflix were right to air it.
Also on today’s agenda: the glitzy annual Met Gala and it’s ‘Catholic’ theme, courtesy of Andrew Bolton’s ‘Heavenly Bodies’ exhibition. From Rihanna’s papal mitre to Lena Waithe’s politically charged rainbow cape, via Jared Leto dressed as Jesus (God complex, much?) the dress code might have been crassly interpreted and as camp as Christmas, but does that make it offensive? We run the full gamut of opinions.
Last thing - the Chuckle Brothers have not fallen out. We repeat: rumours of a feud are false.
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Links
The Rachel Divide review by Doreen St Felix for The New Yorker
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-rachel-divide-review-a-disturbing-portrait-of-dolezals-racial-fraudulence
The Rachel Divide on Netflix
https://www.netflix.com/title/80149821
Does Anyone Have The Right To Sex? By Amia Srinivasan, for The London Review of Books
https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n06/amia-srinivasan/does-anyone-have-the-right-to-sex
Sean Penn interview, by Emma Brockes for The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/05/sean-penn-some-of-my-best-laughs-have-come-out-of-the-worst-reviews
You Think It, I’ll Say It, short stories by Curtis Sittenfeld
https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Think-Ill-Say-Stories/dp/052552777X/ref=nodl_
Patrick Melrose, starts on Sunday on Sky Atlantic
How The Met Gala Guests Tackled “The Heavenly Bodies” Theme, by Osman Ahmed for Vogue.co.uk
http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/how-met-gala-guests-tackled-heavenly-bodies-them
Radio 4 Soul Music on God Only Knows
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b01jsk
Abi Morgan’s Desert Island Discs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b01jsk
THE HIGH LOW FINALE
An Author Special with Graham Norton - And Some News
Maggi's Mary Wollstonecraft, Princess Diana and A Plunge Into The Christmas Ads
Election Gaffes, Celebrity Truth-Tellers & The Undoing
No Nut November, National Sandwich Day, and an Author Special with Otegha Uwagba on Whites
The Southern Charm of Matthew McConaughey; Free School Meals; & The Web Server That Slows Down Information Overload
Cow Hugging, Daddy by Emma Cline & An Exclusive Clip from Joan & Jericha
Progressive Penguins, Emily in Paris, & What Makes A Good Deed?
Grief Around Miscarriage, The Social Dilemma & The Phrases Dying Out With Gen Z
Pandemic friendships, and how to mend a broken heart
A Plunge Into The Body Politics and Choice Feminism of An Instagram Age
The Joy of A Buffet, Zadie Smith's Lockdown Essays & Ofcom's Diversity Problem
Revising Our Thoughts on Gwyneth Paltrow, Dettol's Dubious 'Back To Work' Ads & The Best of Garage (Sort Of)
Selling Sunset, Gendered Care Work & How Often Do YOU Clear Out Your Pants Drawer?
Wiley’s Anti-Semitism, Kiley Reid’s Such A Fun Age & An Author Special w/ Nesrine Malik
Lockdown Sexscapades & Friendship in Old Age
A Deep Dive Into The Child-Free Vs Motherhood Dialogue
On Why We Shouldn't Look For Relatability in Celebs & An Interview with Adam Kay about Dear NHS
The Glastonbury That Never Was; & Ruby Tandoh on The Art of Quitting
The Madness of 2020 Can Be Summed Up In Lynx Africa's Marmite Edition
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