Happiness is real when shared

Jackson and April were a symbol of what the world needs right now. They were opposites but they never let them stop them from coming together, being together, being there for each other. Jackson was from money, April was not, Jackson is a person of colour, April is not. April is religious, Jackson is not. April grew up in a traditional family, Jackson did not. All the issues that we use to divide us these days, they faced and they fought through. Japril was one of the most layered, intricate couples on Grey’s. They weren’t a fairy-tale, but they fought for one. They’re the couple that understood love isnt always 100% from both all the time. They are the couple that was aware of their differences but want so badly to make it work. They are the couple that you want to root for, that you want to win. They are the couple I was so torn over because you could authentically see where they were both coming from when they disagreed. It was so raw and so real. It was magnetic

In a day and age where we toss things aside so easily, where it seems if things are different we leave it there and move on, it was so refreshing to see a couple that fought their way through that, literally and figuratively.

Exactly 73 years ago, Italy was completely freed from fascism (after 23 years of dictatorship) and from nazi occupation. The fight against nazis and fascists was led by the Resistenza (Resistance). Italian people of all political, social, ideological and religious background, soldiers and civilians, women and men, put aside their differences and came together to fight against fascism in every way they could, often sacrificing their life. The armed fighters of the Resistance were called partigiani (partisans). Bella Ciao is the most popular song of the Resistance. We Italians sing it quite often, especially on the 25th of April. It is an universal anti-fascist anthem. “Bella ciao” literally means “goodbye, my beautiful” (feminine adjective). I like to imagine that the partisan in this song is biding goodbye to his girlfriend, his sister, his mother; to his village/city; to life, because he died fighting for freedom; and ultimately, to Italy itself. (These are all feminine nouns in Italian).

One morning, I woke up o bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao one morning, I woke up and I found the invader.

O partisan, take me away o bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao o partisan, take me away because I feel like I’m dying.

And if I die as a partisan o bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao and if I die as a partisan, then you must bury me.

Bury me up in the mountain o bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao bury me up in the mountain under the shade of a wonderful flower.

All the people who shall pass o bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao all the people who shall pass will tell me, “what a wonderful flower!”.

An Exotic Dancer Demonstrates That Her Underwear Was Too Large To Have Exposed Herself, After Undercover Police Officers Arrested Her In Florida

Dorothy Counts – The First Black Girl To Attend An All-White School In The United States – Being Teased And Taunted By Her White Male Peers At Charlotte’s Harry Harding High School, 1957

Austrian Boy Receives New Shoes During WWII

Jewish Prisoners After Being Liberated From A Death Train, 1945

The Graves Of A Catholic Woman And Her Protestant Husband, Holland, 1888

A Lone Man Refusing To Do The Nazi Salute, 1936

Job Hunting In 1930’s

German Soldiers React To Footage Of Concentration Camps, 1945

Residents Of West Berlin Show Children To Their Grandparents Who Reside On The Eastern Side, 1961

Acrobats Balance On Top Of The Empire State Building, 1934

Mafia Boss Joe Masseria Lays Dead On A Brooklyn Restaurant Floor Holding The Ace Of Spades, 1931

Lesbian Couple At Le Monocle, Paris, 1932

The Most Beautiful Suicide – Evelyn Mchale Leapt To Her Death From The Empire State Building, 1947

The Remains Of The Astronaut Vladimir Komarov, A Man Who Fell From Space, 1967

Race Organizers Attempt To Stop Kathrine Switzer From Competing In The Boston Marathon. She Became The First Woman To Finish The Race, 1967

Harold Whittles Hearing Sound For The First Time, 1974

African Canvas Margaret Courtney-Clarke

The Art of Africa is a casualty of colonial exploitation, surviving principally in the museums of other countries. ~ Nadine Gordimer

Hej 😊 

I think that Japril hug alone was much more intimate than all gaggie scenes put together that has ever aired and ever will air. I think Japril chemistry is still one of a kind and fucking explosive and that Jesse comes alive as an actor with Sarah. Sarah, who btw, is the best damn actor on that shit show.

I know that if I didn’t know Japril are dead due to Sarah being fired by weak garbage (thank you to whoever leaked that info) I would feel hope as a Japril fan. I mean, I’ve had the sinking feeling that we’re just being baited, manipulated and used as Japril fans for a long time and we can’t be sure it was scripted, but no matter how briefly, Jackson did kiss April back. Jackson did look very conflicted in the last gaggie scene (and no, it wasn’t because he was feeling guilty about the wifey kiss). 

I have to admit, I have severe difficulties picturing an exit that isn’t out of character and/or a huge disappointment to both April and Japril fans. That show is run by the devil and her minion this season and they clearly hate Sarah/April and Japril. My only hope is that Krusty (for PR purposes) might want to hide her blatant contempt for Sarah and April by giving her a non horrible exit. In any case, I NEED Harriet with April. I just do. (Krusty fucked up Jackson so much this year I just find it hard to feel empathy for him. Congrats devil, you ruined my fave for me! Not that I claim the devil’s fucked up Jackson version, but you know what I mean).

Some ideas for how April could exit (from the most horrible to least horrible option):

* April and Harriet dies in an accident caused by April, or April dies while Harriet survives. Jackson blames her and ends up hating her even in her death (*screams internally until end of time*)

* She kills herself (*screams internally until end of time*)

* She goes back to Jordan and is forgotten about, or Jackson gets told by Owen that April was killed in the field. Maggie comforts him for 5 minutes and Harriet gets a new mommy and never remembers the mom who didn’t hesitate to die for her. The Gaggie fam lives happily ever after (*screams internally until end of time*)

* She simply quits her job and leaves because she can’t stand watching happy Gaggie. I feel you April, I refuse to watch their filth ever again too after this season is over. (*screams internally*)

* She gets fired due to neglect and leaves disgraced (*screams internally*)

* Koracick offers her a kickass job at Johns Hopkins, she accepts cause she has nothing worth a damn left in Seattle.

* She gets her “happy” ending with Matthew. They know they are each other’s second choice, but at least they can comfort each other.

* April discovers she’s bisexual and rides off into the sunset with Arizona. They move to Italy so they can study why their maternal mortality rates kicks US maternal mortality rates ass while sipping Limoncello and eating the world’s best pizza.

THE FIGHT IS REAL

First the petition with over 32 thousand signatures (!!!!) then the ribbon on twitter, a freaking BANNER flying over prospect, and Grey’s reaching SERIES LOW!!

WE ARE KILLING THIS FIGHT GUYS! WE ARE SENDING A MESSAGE.

WE ARE SOLDIERS!

Hi guys! I’ve been quiet because I’m devastated. This post is not going to be my only one about Sarah and Jessica being fired. There might be a goodbye post coming (not to this blog, to April/Arizona…) But I wanted to get on here to tell you why the effort to speak out for Sarah and Jessica is more important to me than ever, even though Sarah is a badass and got a job in a week: 

1. For me,  the core of this issue is fake feminism and a brand issue we’ve seen for years. I mean, I don’t even have to spell it out. Shonda herself always played favorites, but this is not really about her beyond the fact that she could’ve stopped it. A lot of people could have if they came together, especially. Shonda just wouldn’t have needed support from others. 

I’m really disturbed by what they have been calling female empowerment for years now. I mean, take Meredith’s raise. What’s that, season 12 right? The story was, she found out she was paid less, walked into a female boss’ office asked for more and got it. Now, the storyline isn’t too compelling in itself. I believe The Bold Type did it better later. But on the show, as in real life Shondaland, that message doesn’t hold true for every female, as real feminism should. The closest fictional example to this I can think of is April taking over Mer’s position s13. She did not even ask for it. She did it to the best of her ability and was bullied for it. Not to mention she’s been fired or suspended so much for really weak reasons to say the least. 

We know Sarah Drew was not “unhappy.” Perhaps she asked for more for her character and more money, as one should in negotiations. She knows how Grey’s works. Those without love interests are vulnerable of not being written for. She spoke up for herself and her character and her work and was punished. I imagine that’s common. But it is NOT ok when you’re running a brand that THRIVES on the idea of empowering women who speak up. I can see Ellen’s negotiation in my head. I imagine she looked up the number she had to beat to be the highest paid, slid it across the table, and was Yes’d to death by protectors who haven’t understood the heart of what brings people back to Greys for years. 

As for Jessica, I was a little more shocked. I’ll explain why below but I imagine she asked for similar for her character and her acting worth and was denied. I mean, Arizona was just thrown love interests with no thought behind them. Jessica fans, please forgive me, I admittedly have been upset over the years about Arizona’s actions toward April. I may not have the best examples for her character nor do I follow her career as intently as Sarah’s, but that’s about to change. 

 So for me, this is about standing behind the women who embody Grey’s, and rejecting a brand that doesn’t stand by the messages it exploits for popularity. 

2. We cannot let Ellen and Krista get away with this gross unprofessionalism. There is years worth of either proof or near proof that Grey’s is a huge HS clique and with Shonda as queen and Ellen as the even nastier sidekick. KH, Jerrika…their stories are valid, if hard to find and prove. As fans with instinct, WE KNOW. I was surprised about JCap because I thought she was “in.” But Sarah? I was only shocked they let her go based on her talent and commitment. It goes both ways because Sarah didn’t kiss Ellen’s butt, but in 9 years, maaaaybe the’s a handful of one-on-one interactions documented. They aren’t friends. Ellen is threatened. Sarah was the most vulnerable to this. 

But that’s besides the point, honestly. Right now Krista and Ellen are being so shady. Literally, they can’t even type NAMES without including their handle until Sarah gets a job and you want to bait her for supporting her as if you have hearts? On International Women’s Day the news they were fired gets out and all you can do is run to defend yourselves without even acknowledging you know, like, Greeeeaaaat timing???

I’m not blaming Ellen’s contract one bit. However the fact  remains she does have power. Producer credit, Debbie and K’s ear. She does. And ANY of that cast could’ve spoken up, sure. But when the leader takes a stand? The power there would’ve been enormous no matter what. 

There is also the issue of Krista’s behavior on social media. Ellen’s too. You are your own person. But when you represent a network and a brand? Nah!!! Y’all two are LOUD about a certain White House resident. Yet, your egos at least seem to match. Just saying. 

3. Representation Matters. I’m not quite sure this country understands what true authentic representation is. So for me, networks get too much credit for simply including minority characters. I’m a wheelchair user and I didn’t feel that Arizona Robbins was ever given a story I identified with at all. Her disability wasn’t the fabric of who she was, and Jessica is able-bodied. I’m not blaming her, just saying. She didn’t know the character would be disabled when she got the part. Even though disabled characters being played by able-bodied actors is a huge problem, Arizona matters on TV because she is an amputee. 

Her presence also matters because she is a lesbian. I’m not part of the LGBTQIA community. So, I won’t speak much on this. I know Grey’s did A LOT wrong, but at a time they did a lot right. And I know she probably means a lot to people in the community for really valid and deep reasons. 

As for April, I don’t identify as Christian, I think they wrote her religion horribly at times. I do think it’s important to represent progressive Christians. But she’s who I identify most with because she is human and vulnerable and strong despite all the bullying writers put her through. I even wouldn’t blame the writers sometimes. Because April was April. And she has her flaws. But April was April in spite of writing and because of Sarah Drew. Arizona was Arizona, bright and happy and strong-willed, because of Jcap. And I can say now and see clearer that everything I dislike about both was writing and the things I love? Were because of those actresses named Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew. 

So Shonda’s statement? complete BS. But you have to keep standing up for why it does matter that these characters were on TV. 

4. Let’s Talk about ‘Stories Ending.’ It does happen. As a writer I can’t say that’s not true. But on Grey’s? If ‘stories’ mattered here’s how it would look: 

Izzie would still be there with Alex (not anti-Jolex but I never was a shipper.) 

George would at least not have thought about thee army come freaking onnnn….

Owen would be gone.  (I don’t even hate him but COME ON…) 

Stephanie would’ve GOTTEN a real story long before the dumb Kyle arc

Slexie would’ve been engaged at leaaaast before death. (I shipped them but that’s my point…looking back? OK, they died. But leading up to it the story was so dragged and unnatural…) 

Derek? IDK….he would’ve died differently or cheated at a point. 

Japril would be at least trying to work things out and never divorced. 

Maggie would be with Delucca or a black man not familial in any way. 

Meredith’s story for the past 3 years would have flow, not just people telling us she’s strong. 

I could go on….I also find it really problematic that most of their “feminist” dialogue includes the literal word feminism or a variant. Act it, tell a story. It’s a TV show. Don’t just yell “roar…” But I digress we need to move on…

Arizona’s “Story” only stopped because Callie left and the writers didn’t write her more. The writers are now getting bad at writing. Period. And understanding where the heart of the show is. A HUGE piece of it left with Sandra/Cristina. I think Ellen could act opposite her because she was so good. Another HUGE piece left with Callie/Sara. Now, I didn’t like later years Callie but Sara was so good that she had her own following and became a separate heart for the show. I actually always thought it was dumb they didn’t just hold off on shoving Maggie at us and let Callie be a stronger presence for Mer. 

With Jessica and Sarah leaving, their losing characters who were forces in their own right and had the potential to soar past Meredith. For Arizona? Keep Sofia in Seattle. Actually invest in finding an actress Jessica has chemistry with, maybe AFTER you do a disability and identity deep dive while she’s a single mom? Gold mine to the end right there. And NOT just based on a ship. 

For April, ummm sorry, HELLO??? She’s IN a story that has potential right now w this crisis if faith. Done well this doesn’t end for another season. But also?? Japril COULD be in the middle of a great one finding their way to each other right now. IF the “CREATIVE DECISION” wasn’t made to keep it all in the family. I don’t know how you see chemistry there if you do but whatever. Do not tell me that story flow was natural. Do not tell me that Sarah Drew isn’t suffering the consequences of that “Decision” only working if they pushed her out. I mean, congrats. I’m done w the show, but don’t even try….

5. The Cagney (and maybe JTV omg yay for Jcap) of it all. I need to include this section. I’m SO PROUD of Sarah. It’s going to make mourning April harder but imagine…it’s like if I got fired and then went down the street and got a new job. SO PROUD of her….BUT make no mistake. OBVIOUSLY Ellen/Krista are only using this for their own gain. I mean, they didn’t know Sarah’s name before and they DON’T know Jcap’s because of all the shady shade shade I live for. 

I know egos like this. None of Jcap or Sarah’s accomplishments are going to ever make them think “HMMM maybe we made a mistake.” It doesn’t seem like Sarah had to do much auditioning for this role, and all her other big ones have been written for her like Jcap’s might. A testament to them. 

I don’t want to put this show Sarah’s getting down. But the fact is it may not even go to series. I don’t want these women to look back, honestly. BUT I respect the fact that the principle of the thing is winning them the choice by using our voice. I also just want to quiet down the rudeness. For the LOVE, at least Shonda should tell Krista she’ll be fired if she doesn’t stop. Ellen has been at it for years and there’s not a show without her in their minds. But Krista?? Nah bye. 

So, after I post this I’m donating to the banner what I can. As a stand against mean girls, fake feminism and a fake brand I once stood beside, but doesn’t stand for me. Please know the boycott matters. It doesn’t matter that it’s Ellen’s episode this week. Let that fuel you not deter you. And Imagine if we get “RehireSarahAndJessica” or “BoycottGreysAnatomy” Trending? Maybe then they’d at least KNOW. With all 3 of these efforts. I just want them to know that Grey’s heart left with Sarah and Jessica.