Most of the gossip lately about Zoë Kravitz has been by association. When we’ve talked about her recently it’s in relation to Taylor Swift – out for dinner with Taylor, at a party with Taylor, at a wedding with Taylor. In her own personal life, it’s well-known that Zoë and Channing Tatum are together. And while they’re not super flaunty about their relationship they don’t go out of their way to hide it either.
It’s been two years since it was first revealed that they were dating, while collaborating on what would be her feature directorial debut, Pussy Island. And now PEOPLE is reporting that they’re engaged. This is PEOPLE and they’re citing “multiple sources” which is about as slamdunk as it gets. Zoë and Chan, it would seem, are good to get the news out there. On the weekend they were seen at the Casamigos Halloween party and she had a ring on the engagement finger so rather than let the speculation build, presumably they were just like… yeah, confirm it…which is actually a conversation-ender, don’t you think?
Speculation happens when there’s mystery, when there are no solid answers, thus prolonging the conversation. With Zoë and Chan, they’ve just put a stop to the speculation with the truth. And now… there’s nothing more to talk about it, they’re getting married. OK then. But what about Taylor and Travis?!? LOL.
Here’s something related to Zoë and Chan that we can talk about that isn’t about their engagement – Pussy Island. Still no release date but I was pleasantly surprised to see that PEOPLE, in their exclusive about the engagement, actually cited the name of the film without censoring. They wrote about the whole word, PUSSY, for their MiniVan Majority audience.
Zoë last year in an interview insisted that she would not change the name of the film. And I hope that she’s able to maintain that resolve. But you know how it works with marketing and executives etc. There will definitely be resistance. And people will be clutching their pearls. And someone somewhere, more than one person, will be urging her to change it to “P Island”, or even “Puss Island”…which would crack me up. Because that’s how I refer to mine when I text Sasha. The other day I was playing around with my electronic thermometer and decided to share with her that my “puss is one degree hotter than my forehead”. I’m telling you this because no one colloquially, at least not in my life, says or hears or reads the word “puss” and thinks it’s feline. But if tossing around “Puss in Boots” is acceptable in the culture, then I suppose “Puss Island” might pass.
And still, I really want her to persist with the PUSSY in the title. Because obviously the film is meant to challenge misogyny and its condoned manifestations across culture. As in, the same people who get all foamy at the mouth over the use of the word “pussy” – are they applying the same energy to the actual and harmful misogynistic practices that are common place in our communities? The way women are used as props? The way people turn a blind eye to the exploitation of women and girls both on-screen and off? They way they turn a blind eye to the wealthy men who have abused and trafficked girls in plain sight but are protected by their wealth? I’m sure you know exactly the example I’m referring to. That man was invited into the most powerful rooms in the world and everyone knew what he was doing. And yet, we’re supposed to have a problem with a WORD? A tiny little word?
Keep the Pussy in Pussy Island!
