Welcome to You Need Help! Where you seek advice and we try our very best to give it.
This has traditionally been done by way of individual Formspring accounts, Autostraddle’s Tumblr and a Formspring Friday column, which has all been very fun and insightful. But, because Formspring has a character limit and we’re wildly optimistic w/r/t our time-management skills, we thought we’d go one further and let you use our ASS private messaging to share advice-related feelings, too.
For more info on sending in questions, see the bottom of this post. Let’s get down to bossing people around on the internet! Today we help you deal with your “not very good looking” girlfriend, your charismatic girlfriend, your best friend’s sister and your haircut.
But this week we do it ON VIDEO! Rising Star Haviland Stillwell and I filmed some stuff for a vlog and then figured we’d shoot some advice answers too. So this is sort of bare-bones no-frills video editing, but I think it’s okay. Also there’s like 20 seconds of black space on the end of each video, whoops!
Question: I like a girl. People are always telling me that I’m very beautiful and she’s hardly good-looking. I don’t care because I like her, who she is. But how can I deal with society’s stupid ideas that people shouldn’t date people “out of their league”?
You Need Help: On Video from Riese on Vimeo.
I’d just like to add that I think this seems to matter a lot more when you’re younger — I mean when your’e really young, I feel like “dating” is often just matching up people who seem to be the same level of physically attractive. Then people get older and realize how much love changes what somebody looks like and that it’s much more complicated than that.
This next video we tackle several pressing questions:
Q. I’ve developed a major crush on my best friend’s sister and I’m afraid about either of them finding out and it’s clear they can sense my discomfort. Any suggestions on how to get rid of the awkwardness without having to tell anyone?
Q. Do you think it’s appropriate to go down on a girl the first time you sleep together? My friend and I were debating this, I think it’s fine, especailly if you’ve been on a few dates with the girl already.
Q. I’m dating a girl who’s quite charismatic and it’s making me insecure because when we go out it’s obvious that everyone notices/likes her more than me. How do I deal with this? I thought I was over my self-doubting.
Q. I got a terrible haircut and now I look like Ellen Page from Hard Candy.
You Need Help: Video #2 from Riese on Vimeo.
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This was hilarious and amazing. Thanks for providing some laughs while I’m stuck at my parents’ house! (Look up Morgan Hill, CA because it’s not as amazing as SF/Oakland/Berkeley.)
Related to the last question posted (Q. I got a terrible haircut and now I look like Ellen Page from Hard Candy), am I the only lesbo out there who thought Ellen’s hair was shit-hot in that flick? Or did I just paint myself into a Patrick-Wilson-pervert-corner with that admission? Discuss.
Nope. I was around her age when I first saw that so I feel like it wasn’t as creepy, but I was SO INTO her after seeing that. Good, good hair.
1. Ellen Page was 17 throughout filming. You still may or may not be a creeper, but at least it’s better than 14.
2. I’m pretty sure Ellen’s character wasn’t actually 14 either…at least the film intentionally cast doubt on everything she told Patrick Wilson about herself, i.e. her name and her age.
I have that same sombrero!
True life, I’m dating my best friend’s sister! While there are awkward, ear-covering “la la la” moments on the part of my best friend when there’s lovin’ inadvertently alluded to, it’s pretty goddamn great overall.
I’m an idiot, the third question threw me off for awhile there. I was like ‘Isn’t eating out the point of sleeping together?Whaa?Have I always been a philistine lesbian?’. But then I calmed down,adjusted my top hat and told myself that I’m just a normal slutty lesbian. Phew.
This made me laugh, because I had the exact same reaction. Sans top hat. Unfortunately.
*Hands you a top hat*, now you can regally acknowledge your slutty gay status.
*It also comes with a complementary gay mafia bunny. ’cause top hats and bunnies go together, it’s the law.
Hard Candy Girl: Have yr friends come over with scissors and buzzers and clips and hair goo and you will wrangle that into something that even you (not just Ellen Page appreciators) think is sexy.
“WUUUUTTT???”
Loved it. Points for Actress!
I am so happy there are more videos! I love them.
(*I will not be a video stalker*)
oh good! thank you for the positive feedback
I feel like the “league” thing is especially bullshit for lesbots in femmey/butchy relationships because society at large will insist that even the hottest of hot butchy women are ugly.
But also this: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/sexuality/to_slide_or_to_slice_finding_a_positive_sexual_metaphor
It was way better than that thing I just said. Read it.
This article made me crave some pizza.
YES! I’ve missed the Riese/Haviland vloggetry! You gotta keep this up!
ok!
“yeah figure that shit out” is pretty golden, i think.
also ftr i had a brief BRIEF moment of panic when i heard “what’s the best way to fire someone…” because obviously i thought it was about me, as the world revolves.
aww this was great. also, riese: i like your hair.
this was my comment! riese i was unaware of how cute your hair looks right now
when you’re dating somebody way more charming/charismatic than you, you make out with them, who’s got the sharp tongue now, huh!?
I missed this.
I LOVE THIS! BEST EVER