Gentlethems, start your engines!
Drag Race, home spa accessories, and how I watch porn.
Hola angels,
First of all, thank you so much! I had a humble number goal in my mind of how many subscribers I wanted by the end of the month (virgo moon), and after only 3 days, I am 2/3 to that goal for sign-ups. *Love Island voice* Luv ya, babes. As you continue to read and enjoy this letter, consider switching to a paid subscription! I promise I’ll earn it.
Second, do me a favor? The only way I’ll sustain this letter is by word of mouth. If you like what you read, I would love you forever if you took the time to tweet or post the link on your IG story telling folks why you liked it.
And finally, what do y’all want me to recommend and talk about? Meme culture? Skincare? More art? Instagrams to follow? You are, technically, my boss. To send suggestions/feedback tweet me @fransquishco or reply to this email!
Xx Fran
P.S. Next week will be a *big* letter — I can’t wait for you to read it!
some things that brought me joy
1. I bought a print from Barry Lee, a queer, disabled artist whose work has messaging that always resonates — great for a home office or any place you need daily inspo. His shop is down for the month, but you can email him (contact in his bio) to inquire about getting your hands on one!
2. Many know, I am a bath-vangelist. My new apartment has a tub, but it’s one of those old-school shallow tubs that are not great for a deep-soak. I found this cheap little mechanism that suctions over your drain to allow the tub to fill a few inches higher. I was honestly shocked the thing worked, and my bathing lifestyle is changed because of it.
3. This is TMI, but I recently made a secret, alt Twitter account to watch porn. I continually ran into a logistical, as well as ethical, problem searching keywords into your usual porn-providers. A lot of time the porn is too white, over-produced, or I don’t know if the performers are in an agreeable pay setup (there’s a lot of exploitation in the industry). As we all know, the best way to consume porn is to pay performers directly. By following a bunch of my fave sex workers on Twitter, I’ve grown to discover way more performers. That has led to more JustForFans/OnlyFans to subscribe to in my rotation. It has brought me great joy.
4. I’ve hounded the internet for print copies of Barazoku, a trailblazing gay magazine from Japan that was one of the first and longest running in the country. It’s been hard to search because “Barazoku” became something of a synonym for gay magazines, but uncovering its history has been delightful. (And for the record, I’ve secured six issues.)
5. If you haven’t yet watched Tangerine, it’s on Hulu. The film follows the chaotic, hilarious, and endearing drama of Sin-Dee Rella (Mya Taylor) after she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her with a cis woman. Oh, and it’s all shot on an iPhone 5, done beautifully. I gave it a rewatch after Christmas (it is a holiday movie after all), and fell in love all over again.
6. Adored this intellectualization of the Nancy Meyers cinematic universe. Not ashamed to say I love her rom coms because A) I love rom-coms, and B) I love stories about wealthy white women in a moment of emotional crisis — it is very escapist to me.
7. I bought these terrifying cooling face masks for literally everyone I know this Christmas. Ice therapy is good for everything — pores, sunburn, puffiness, migraines, etc. There’s also a heated option with plush on the alternate side, which is for pore-opening and blood circulation. I don’t have a microwave though, so I haven’t personally tried the hot function.
8. Sorry, we’re gonna talk about the Drag Race premiere. Primarily because, true to the conceit of this newsletter, it has brought me deep joy to watch the show communally again (remotely, through various group chats). My consolidated takes! Obviously, we are Team Kandy in this house and I maintain that position as a true Brooklynite. But also at the top of my score sheet is Symone (best lip sync of the evening, imo), my Mexican queen Denali (she did that cartwheel in skates!!!), and Gottmik, who didn’t quite serve in the first episode but has what it takes to go all the way. Not to mention, he’s hot. Utica wins best entrance joke, and exit joke too — very Jimbo. I want Rosé to stick around because I think she will make good TV in a Morgan McMichaels kind of way. I also really loved Tamisha’s story — it reminded me of the heart of the show, and why I watch. Damn, drag artists are truly the most resilient and indestructible people on the planet. I didn’t mind the new format because lip syncs tell us so much about each performer — but I wish we had a bit more breathing room in the episode because it was nonstop peril. Also, why the hell is Scarlett Johannsson guest judging this season? Especially with Gottmik in the cast? Her and Ru will get along great, I guess...
this week’s action
One more for Georgia. The #1 thing you can do to make sure Dems gain control of the Senate is by phone banking. As someone who hates talking on the phone, I can attest that it’s more painless than you think. Slots available to you today, tomorrow, and the big day, Tuesday.