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A Room Of One’s Own: DCist reports that the planned Smithsonian American Latino Museum is closer to settling down on the National Mall. Tuesday, legislation was introduced in Congress that would permit the museum to move into the Arts and Industries Building, the second oldest Smithsonian museum downtown. Museum plans have been developing since the mid 1990s, when a task force found that Latinos were grossly underrepresented in Smithsonian exhibits. But the idea has been controversial since its inception, mostly because, it seems, white congressmen really don’t like it.
That’s Not My Name: At Pitchfork, WCP contributor Lindsay Zoladz offers an excellent essay about the pervasiveness of the “riot grrrl” label in contemporary discussions about women musicians. Titus Andronicus’ Amy Klein articulates the annoyance felt by female musicians who are spoken about in limited, sex-coded terms: “We have fewer cultural references when it comes to women in the arts… But female bands feel frustrated when they’re automatically compared to other female bands.”
Shut Up Already: Former WCP Sexist columnist—-and current Good editor—- Amanda Hess wants the journos behind that obnoxious We Are Journalists Tumblr to get over themselves. Says Hess: “This is the major distortion of We Are Journalists: The idea that we are somehow voiceless. How could we possibly be more heard?”
Fresh Blood: Molotov Theatre Group has a (kinda) new artistic director. In a press release, the Grand Guignol company announced that former associate artistic director Kevin Finkelstein is taking over for Lucas Maloney, who is moving to New York, but will “remain with the company in an Emeritus capacity.” Molotov will take off this fall and winter, but be back to freak you out next year.
Hit the North: Our Baltimore bureau sends word that Animal Collective‘s Brian Weitz has been spotted scuba-diving at the National Aquarium.
Today on Arts Desk: The arty side of Occupy D.C.; the crazy shit bands will do for you if you pledge money to their Kickstarter campaigns.