I'm beginning to think that "toxic masculinity" is a term that appeals to many people
Rather than serving as a gentle way to change behaviours by suggesting something dangerous, it's become so polarising that it only succeeds in confirming biases in different directions across the gendered landscape.
In that way it reminds me of the crisises that feminism has encountered whenever someone with a marginal identity asks if a political movement representing 51% of the population can claim to reflect their particular margin.
Usually those moments see the margins considered, possibly shifted or given new labels, then the small number of people it impacted either follow the renewed movement or find their own splinter to support.
The feminst authors I've read are generally aiming to show solidarity with men where it will improve lives for everyone, such as reducing the burden of gender schema.
However, I think history shows that one doesn't simply change the rules and expect the game to adjust -- more often it leads to a new code of sports or church for believers.
So I wonder if masculinity is toxic enough to die or if it will just get more extreme?
The passing of Ozzy Osbourne has got me feeling sentimental
Feels like heresy but for the longest time I thought he was the worst singer in Black Sabbath's history and couldn't appreciate his solo work either.
My interest in heavy metal started in the mid-1980s when I began buying cheap vinyl, particularly Wasp's "Inside the Electric Circus."
That album didn't get a lot of listening, but was followed with an introduction to Motley Crue's "Theatre of Pain" and then things got progressively heavier with Guns n' Roses "Appetite for Destruction" and into Metallica just before "And Justice For All."
The pursuit of thrash metal and headbanging at the rollerskating rink was accompanied with learning to play guitar, then Faith No More's cover of 'War Pigs' made me realise I needed to learn about Sabbath.
Their earlier material had slower tempos and those blues shuffles that now make Van Halen sound like they can't keep time because everyone is so used to hearing quantised rhythms.
Many late nights were spent exploring the extensive catalogue of Sabbath and I remember for the longest time I thought their peak was 'Zero the Hero':
That monstrous overdubbed guitar riff and horror movie clip really rocked my teenage world.
The production sounds flat today, but the chord changes that build toward the chorus are fun.
Anyway, the interest in playing guitar was fuelled by nights at my cousin's bedsit apartment.
We would rock his Marshall half-stack into the early hours, messing with an Alesis effects unit and drum machine.
My cousin Chris was a fan of Ozzy's lesser-known guitarist, Jake E Lee.
In particular I remember there was a lot of rewinding the videotape of a live show to appreciate this solo in 'Killer of Giants':
Listening now I appreciate the melodic sensibility balanced with squealing pitchbends and fingertaps.
However, Ozzy's singing still grated on me.
How was it that someone who'd been at the birth of metal, launched so many careers and worked with so many of my favourite musicians could sound so flat and look so goofy?
Then 1991 saw the release of "No More Tears" and, amazingly, it still is amazing:
Those saturated colours of the MTV era, that remarkable riff from young Zakk Wylde and even the synthesisers sound gooder than I remember.
And, even as binge-drinking kid in denima jacket featuring Satan on numerous patches, that Beatles-esque segue in the middle was what made me pay attention.
I got the reference and it was audacious.
Years later, after recognising 'The Wizard' from being sampled by Cypress Hill, I realised I needed to reconsider Sabbath and found Ozzy's singing to be less of a problem for me.
I mean, I still think there are people who do covers of his material that elevates it -- such as Charles Bradley here:
However, for the little my experiences are worth sharing, I began to really dig Ozzy as I got older for the way his music took me back to these moments where I came to appreciate something that a younger me hadn't enjoyed.
I read his autobiography after finding a secondhand copy and it is one of the funniest things I've read since Ben Elton, although I would've liked more reflection on his trauma and those he inflicted.
Or even more detail about working with so many incredible musicians.
The role of Ozzy's music has become bittersweet as people I associate with it have died.
My cousin Chris was an influence for so many years and more recently the tune 'Mama I'm Coming Home' was such a poignant performance at Ozzy's last gig.
When I shared it with my partner, she reminded me it had also been the last post that a friend had made on Facebook and I realised that I'd forgotten that moment for a reason.
At the time I'd 'liked' the post and thought I was looking forward to her return to the Riverina.
Then, after events that don't need to be shared, I had gone back and unliked it for feeling as though I might have condoned suicidal ideation.
Sadly, it's another powerful feeling that I now associate with Ozzy's music.
Surprised to see Leeton's Roxy on the front page of The Guardian today
Even more surprised that it will host 76,000 local residents -- since there was uproar in the community that the venue had reduced capacity during renovations that cost around $12 million.
This article seems like an attempt to address criticism of the shocking shortfall in funding for essential organisations across NSW, such as 20% of the Regional Arts Boards who missed out in the recent four-year funding round.
One of the Riverina's most notorious artists has been served a court attendance notice more than three months after his shop displayed images of politicians and a billionaire in German World War Two uniforms
It's the latest in a string of controversies for Michael Agzarian, who has previously claimed the artwork was based on the sitcom, Hogan’s Heroes.
Local member Michael McCormack has described Agzarian's art as “beyond disgraceful” and reported it to the police.
At that time the authorities decided it had not broken any laws.
An interesting comparison that the same TV show was used by newspaper The Daily Telegraph in 2013, although the politicians represented were from the alternate side of Australia's two-party system.
It's possible the court notice will draw on the Crimes Amendment (Prohibition on Display of Nazi Symbols) Bill, although the artwork carefully avoids representing a swastika but does include SS insignia.
An important distinction is that the poster isn't glorifying Nazis, in fact it's ridiculing them.
While McCormack has refused to comment on the current case prior to Agzarian's day in court, his name is attached to the Region Riverina's news story as supplying the image of the artwork.
The NSW Crimes legislation does recognise "a reasonable excuse" for "for an academic, artistic or educational purpose," so it might be that someone unhappy with the police's initial assessment may have exerted additional pressure to have the man charged.
It is worth noting the Agzarian had a long career in academia, before the controversies that followed his "treasonous" contributions to an exhibition in Wagga during 2005.
His artist statement from that time gives context based on personal experience.
My own view is that the hounding of Agzarian reflects a kind of "broken windows" policy by conservative politicians, despite further alienating themselves from the arts community and progressive constituents.
In criminology the broken windows theory proposes that visible signs of crime and disorder, if left unaddressed, can create an environment that encourages further crime and disorder, potentially leading to more serious offenses.
While many of McCormack's colleagues have argued for free speech, they fall silent when it comes to supporting their critics.
I would suggest they should read Voltaire, but I've just learned that he didn't explicitly say or write the often-quoted phrase "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
However, politicians have made so much money through defamation law cases that I doubt they care at all about giving Australians a right to express themselves.
Meanwhile those hypocrits yell from "coward's castle" as words spoken in parliamentary chambers are reported under a different set of laws.
