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Let's Enjoy Some Meat, 1963
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In some cultures, mating rituals involve showing your back teeth to your prospective mate; that might be what we see in this fascinating glimpse from the middle of the previous century. Of course, it’s quite possible she’s just amused at something he said, but she does seem to be trying a little too hard to show her delight - why, if he laughs, he won't notice the 15-year age difference. Or there’s a small scorpion on the back of her tongue and she’s screaming with terror: get it off! GET IT OFF! (Wait until she notices the gigantic parasitical flower that has fastened itself to her lapel.)
Whatever this image means, its nuances are lost with the culture that produced them. We are, however, reasonably certain that this does involve some sort of mating ritual; the man has a pennant that both indicates his chromosomal status and serves as a pictograph for the female genital area - a brilliant piece of layered iconography. Unless, of course, they're both rooting for a quasi-vowel, which seems unlikely.
This picture is also helpful when pointing out that “white” people actually range from bronze to dusty pink. |
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