Illinois Entertainer February 2017 | Page 26

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fying what , exactly , she ’ s requesting more of . Probably better to leave that up to the listener ’ s hopefully vivid imagination . What the fuck , indeed .
Lo is phoning from Stockholm tour rehearsals on an ominous , truly fearful day – January 20 , a couple of hours after Donald Trump is sworn in as President of America , ending eight arts and healthfriendly years of the Obama administration and signaling – from the man ’ s campaign promises alone about future Supreme Court appointees – the beginning of a New War on Women . The next day , of course , females across the world fought back with a universal Women ’ s March , which totaled over 700,000 in Los Angeles , 500,000 protesters in Washington , D . C , and 250,000 in Chicago . Protest marches spread like wildfire to over 600 separate cities across 65 countries , around the potentiallyoppressed globe . Incorporated into the march was the Pussyhat Movement of
Why Rich White Men think they should have a say in what women do with their bodies is also baffling to this forwardthinking European . “ I ’ m definitely prochoice ,” she says . “ But whenever you talk about abortion , people take up these views like , ‘ Okay , what if you were in this horrible situation where you were raped ?’ And I ’ m like , ‘ You know what ? Yes . But that doesn ’ t even matter . It ’ s her body , and she chooses what she wants to do with her body .’ So no matter if the reason for the pregnancy is horrible , or it ’ s an accident , it ’ s still her choice . That ’ s the way it is over here – when it comes to that , we have free clinics where you can go to and get help . You get the care that you need , without having to be rich or having to do it in secret somewhere . From an early age , there ’ s an open discussion in Sweden about the fact that women should be as sexually free as men – there ’ s no making it something shameful or ignoring it . Sex shouldn ’ t be
26 illinoisentertainer . com february 2017 knitted , pink-eared caps , often accented by giant foam cat ’ s paws emblazoned with the term that most perfectly summarized the event : Pussy Power . Who better to talk to at such a potentially-devastating moment than this outspoken feminist , who understands that much of Europe is leaning similarly toward the increasinglyxenophobic far right , in France , Austria , Germany , and even Britain , post-Brexit .
Lo says she ’ s still stunned by the unexpected upset of sane , logical , steadfast Hillary Clinton by the openly racist , sexist , climate-change denying demagogue Trump – who proclaimed Pussy Power to be something else entirely , basically the sole province of Rich White Men , the same One-Percenters with whom he ’ s been infesting his cabinet . “ And in a way , you almost feel stupid for letting it happen ,” she sighs , dejectedly , feeling America ’ s pain . “ I don ’ t understand how so many people can think that this is what society should be like , that they ’ re so unsatisfied with their situation . I can ’ t relate to everything , though , because as a woman growing up in Sweden , I was raised in a way that you were able to say and do whatever you want , the same as men . And knowing that the most basic things – like being in charge of my own body , and being in charge of my own sexuality – are all of a sudden not going to be okay anymore ?” She shudders . “ I can ’ t understand that is going to happen , how that could possibly take place . I … I … I ’ m just at a loss for words .” seen as something sinful , just because you ’ re a girl or a woman .”
Lo had never heard the old adage ‘ A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle ,’ ( tough to handle guys , yes , but all too true ) and she doesn ’ t understand its deeper societal implications at first . Once she gets it , she can ’ t stop laughing about it . She ’ s got no big problem with the male gender , she says . But she also finds it convenient that in her neighborhood alone , there are three – count ‘ em , three – vibrator stores , there for just such bicycling purposes . She wonders why more women don ’ t openly discuss their lady wood desires in public . Take Madonna , for instance , she offers . “ It was quite a while ago that she masturbated onstage , and she ’ s done all these things that for me – as a woman in pop – were really important . Like essentially saying , ‘ Hey – I ’ m a sexual being , and that ’ s fucking awesome !’ So it feels very strange to me that so many people perceive ( what ’ s happening now ) as progress , because that ’ s not what it is . We ’ ve come so far , but apparently not , you know ?”
So if you ’ ve got lady wood ? Hey , feel free to use it , girls , Lo adds with a chortle . “ It feels a lot better to just be in tune with your own body , to know what you like and be comfortable with yourself that way , instead of seeing it as something dirty and shameful ,” she proclaims . “ It relieves the stress , it makes you sleep better , and it makes you happy – all the good things .
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