September 2010
This book is bold, this book is challenging.
It all started with Anne Jackson's blog FlowerDust.net and a question she posted. Who knew that asking "What is one thing you feel you can't say in Church?" would be the catalyst for an outpouring of hurt, shame, and guilt. The book is partly Anne's personal story, part poetry and part "confessions" from church goers. Anne's story is one of struggling with the pressure's of being a pastor's kid, depression, sexual abuse, pornography, and prescribed drug abuse. All while (intermittently) being a leader in the church. Anne asked people to reply to her question without anonymity (at least first names) on creative postcards.
Here are some examples:
"After my divorce, nobody called me. It broke my heart, again" -Katie
"I've tried so hard not to be a stereotypical Christian that I've sinned against God" - Prudence
"I don't really enjoy being a pastor's wife" - Joanie
"God is the only person in the universe that I feel free to be honest with. The only one. I wonder if he visits my church!" - Shari
"My brother is gay and a Christian. I don't feel like I can talk about it in Church." -Andy.
What comes to my mind when I think of a Disney Princess are 2D waists, impossibly sweet voices and lightly coloured, buff Prince Charming by her side.
I have a love/hate relationship with Disney. They've come a long way from the red-faced "Indians" in Peter Pan; the monkeys in The Jungle Book speaking jive and singing songs like "I want to be a real man, walk like a man, talk like a real man" and jive speaking crows in Dumbo.
They even have a Middle East Disney Princess, Jasmine. Did anyone notice that Jafar, the bad guy in Aladdin was substantially darker than everyone else, and the Sultan looked like a stubby British Professor?
Disney is fighting back the accusations of racist characters with the recently released The Princess and the Frog. The movie is set in New Orleans with an full black character list, voiced (mostly) by black people. Which is great, isn't it?
