Lashings origins: Annalytica

Posted by Annalytica

 I'm doing something a bit different for my post this week. I want to tell you the story of how I joined Lashings - and just for a change, I'm presenting it in comic strip form. Sebastienne has written about Lashings' beginnings from her perspective here, and you can read yet another version of our history here. Below are my memories of how we got started.

Panel 1. Text: It began with Sebastienne. She wanted to do burlesque that was subversive...
Image: Sebastienne performing You're The Top. An androgynous person in a tailcoat is handcuffing Sebastienne.

Panel 2. Text:...but her co-performers didn't share her politics.
Image: A snooty-looking woman with her nose in the air is saying "I don't see why your queer friends have to be so rude about Tories!"

Panel 3. Text: At Sebastienne's new job...
Image: Sebastienne is seated on a sofa, reading. Behind her is a sign that reads "Staff break area". A close up of her book shows it to be Gender Trouble. Annalytica enters from the left, looking excited. Her thought bubble reads "She's reading Judith Butler! I bet she's a totally awesome queer feminist! She can be my new best friend!"
Note from Sebastienne: I had picked the book up at random and was about 3 pages in.

Panel 4. Annalytica is ordering books on a shelving trolley. Sebastienne rests her arm on top of the trolley. Annalytica: "Judith Butler's giving a public lecture next week. I thought you might be interested?"
Sebastienne: "Actually, I'm not sure I like Judith Butler that much. I heard she was kind of transphobic. Or was that someone else? A feminist who writes for the Guardian?"
Annalytica: "Julie Burchill?"
Sebastienne: "No, I was thinking of Julie Bindel."
Annalytica: "Why do all the famous feminists have the initials JB?"

Panel 5. Text: Later...
Image: Sebastienne and Annalytica are chatting. Annalytica looks shy and hopeful.
Sebastienne: "I have this burlesque gig at New Year, but I need a dancer, and none of my performing friends are free."
Annalytica: "I'd offer to help, but I can't really dance."
Sebastienne: "Well, it's more like acting than dancing really..."

Panel 6. A thought bubble. Inside the bubble is a picture of Sebastienne in a corset, beckoning seductively. A chibi-Annalytica with hearts in her eyes and a massive grin says "OK!"

...and so there was a New Year gig in an unheated barn, and I never looked back!


NB: Sebastienne and I do know who Judith Butler is. Honest.