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Finally, a Seat at the Round Table

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the green knight


Courtesy A24/Design by Leah Romero

I think I could chart my entire life in adaptations of Arthurian lore. There was The Sword in the Stone and A Kid in King Arthur’s Court in elementary school, First Knight during a seventh grade slumber party, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail when I was a sophomore in high school. I read Mary Stewart’s Merlin quartet when I was far too young, alongside The Mists of Avalon. I laugh-cried over King Arthur: Legend of the Sword just a few years ago. The list goes on and on. This classic myth is so widely told that the characters have become shorthand (Merlin the magician; Lancelot the knight; Guinevere the queen). They inhabit our public consciousness so thoroughly, they don’t need explanation.

I’m sure there are ideas of what Arthurian legend canon should be—and like so many mythologies, it probably starts with where you are, what version of the story you heard first, and what version historians tell us came first. Despite their pop culture permeation, Arthurian adaptations—film, TV, books, or otherwise—tend to imply that very specific people can be centered and exist inside their walls.

In the mid-‘80s, I was born to Indian immigrant parents in a very small southern town. I grew up with the mythologies of my parents inside the house, paired with the mythologies of America in the turn of 20th century. That meant VHS tapes of the Mahabharata alongside repeated viewings of The Sword in the Stone. I read the Krishnavatara series and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court at the same time. I loved all these stories of good and evil, of ordinary people put in extraordinary circumstances. But when we played Knights and Kings, it was The Sword in the Stone that my friends understood. It was Thomas Ian Nicholas posters that our walls shared. There are no little brown kids in The Sword in the Stone.

Back in 2018, two friends of mine, Jenn Northington and Swapna Krishna, mentioned that they wanted to pull together an anthology of gender-bent, race-bent, and LGBTQIA+-inclusive Arthurian retellings and asked if I would contribute. My answer was an enthusiastic, caps-locked, “YES.” I know people’s hackles will raise at that word “inclusive.” But I don’t know how to explain to someone who has never sat on the outside what it feels like to always be looking in, unable to participate. This was my chance to participate. I started working on a story about Merlin coming back to contemporary society to find Arthur. Only, in my story, Arthur was now Arjun, a young British Indian man unburdened with his history, but understanding of the fact that he has a destiny. It was a deliberate choice on my part: I wanted to include someone who doesn’t usually get to be the king in these stories. I wanted to create a character familiar to my story, who was shaped by a history like mine, who could be destined for something more.

the green knight quote

In early 2020, I had just turned in the final draft of “Once (Them) and Future (Us),” for the Sword Stone Table anthology. I was struggling with the historical and cultural baggage that comes with placing an Indian man at the forefront of an Arthurian myth given India’s colonial history. Then the trailer dropped for The Green Knight, David Lowery’s adaptation of the medieval poem, and in the lead role of Sir Gawain? Dev Patel. All of a sudden, the piece I was working on was going to be paralleled by a very visible, live-action example. To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. Just a decade ago it was reported that a woman of Pakistani descent was deemed “too brown” to be cast as a hobbit. Now, the lead of one of the most famous stories of all time is a brown man. Is there a word for a slow-motion whiplash? That’s how I feel.

Mythologies bind us together. They are common stories that we learn from and experience that help make us who we are. When those tales tell you that only the chosen few deserve to have their stories told, you believe that. But that changes when those chosen few are expanded into something more. I was finally able to watch The Green Knight recently. It’s beautiful, haunting, and gut-wrenching. Dev Patel is astonishing in it—never afraid of being awful or vulnerable. His Gawain is not the chivalrous hero we might recognize from the poem; he is complicated and trying. Lowery’s version of the story is simultaneously one we know and one we don’t, but through it all, Patel’s Gawain is centered, and it’s his story. Putting Patel in that position—in the middle of the narrative we are experiencing and relating to—adds a layer of surprising connection that I’m still not sure how to articulate. There’s an unexpected ease to watching it.

This isn’t about the validity of representation, which we know does some good but should not be used as the only tool to fix a broken system; it’s about something inside of the feeling that representation can provide. There is comfort in the familiar, and Dev Patel’s deserved inclusion in this cast provides a level of comfort I’m not used to. It’s provided some kind of fundamental shift in my relationship to the material.

Sword Stone Table: New Voices, New Legends was released in July, less than three weeks before The Green Knight came out in theaters. The goal of the anthology was always to mix the comfortable and novel, whether it’s the perspectives you find comfortable and the myths you find new, or the myths you find comfortable and perspectives you find new. Such retellings can take us to that space of the unknown and known. And I want to see more of that. The truth is, all I want is more story—the stories I know, the stories I don’t. And the stories I thought I knew, given new life when someone who looks like me takes my hand and invites me in.

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Jennifer Lopez Joined Ben Affleck In L.A. With Kids For Thanksgiving

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Jennifer Lopez Joined Ben Affleck In L.A. With Kids For Thanksgiving


On Wednesday night, Jennifer Lopez arrived in Los Angeles with her 13-year-old twins Max and Emme. The family was likely there to join Lopez’s boyfriend, Ben Affleck, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Lopez recently returned from the much colder climate of British Columbia, Canada, where she was filming her latest project, The Mother.

J. Lo touched down in her private jet wearing a teddy fur coat from Coach’s Autumn/Winter 2019 collection, and a pair of Ugg boots. Classic airplane outfit, celebrity style. Lopez and Affleck originally dated in 2002 and broke up in 2004. Their romance was rekindled earlier this year, soon after Lopez ended her relationship with baseball player Alex Rodriguez. The new couple went official in July, while celebrating Lopez’s 52nd birthday abroad.

Affleck’s most recent relationship with Ana de Armas ended in January after about a year together. He had divorced ex-wife Jennifer Garner in 2015 after being married for almost a decade. Garner and Affleck had three daughters, Violet, Seraphina, and Sam.

Before traveling back to the U.S., Lopez posted a story to Instagram Reels about how grateful she was to be headed home.

“Hey everybody, it’s my last day here shooting on The Mother out in Smithers in the snow, it’s been beautiful, but tonight I’m on my way home,” she said, as she walked through the wild landscape in a black coat and beanie.

“I’m so excited for Thanksgiving! I hope everybody has an amazing weekend with their families and their loved ones, there’s so much to be grateful for this year. I’m on my way!”

This is the first major holiday of the year since Lopez and Affleck reunited, so it’s likely to be a big one for both families.

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Everlane’s Black Friday Sale is Packed With Winter Essentials

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everlane


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This is not a drill: Everlane just kicked off its Black Friday sale. Now through Monday, November 29, the direct-to-consumer brand is offering 20 to 40% off its cozy sweaters, minimalist activewear, and popular jeans. If you’re not super familiar with Everlane, let me spell it out for you: this is a big deal.

The e-tailer might be known for making sustainable, ethically made clothes and accessories at a fair, affordable price, but Everlane rarely has sales beyond its Choose What You Pay section. So, if you want to stock up on cute basics for less, now’s your time to shop.

And, in true Everlane fashion, the brand is taking this opportunity to give back. Everlane is partnering with Rodale Institute and help U.S. farmers transition their farmland to regenerative organic—and donating $15 per order to the cause. A great sale that gives back? I’m sold.

But, hurry! These deals are going to sell out fast, so you won’t want to waste any time filling your e-cart.

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1

The Cloud Turtleneck

$150 $105 (30% off)

Sweater weather is officially here, so why not pick up a few fresh layers? This turtleneck is the S’s: snuggly, stylish, and on sale. 

2

The Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Jeans

everlane

$78 $58 (25% off)

Looking for a great pair of jeans, minus the markup? Everlane’s classic skinny style is not only super stretchy, but it’ll look good with everything from chunky sweaters to silky blouses.

3

The ReNew Teddy Slippers

everlane

$65 $39 (40% off)

Why limit the shearling trend to the upper half of your body? These plush slippers will give even your most worn-in sweats a stylish edge.

4

The Chunky Cardigan

everlane

$110 $77 (30% off)

Sure, this may not be the cardigan Taylor Swift was talking about. But, with an exaggerated collar and ribbed finish, this style would definitely score top marks from the singer herself. 

5

The Canvas Utility Boots

everlane

$115 $59 (40% off)

Brave the cold weather in style with Everlane’s chic boots. The canvas uppers and thick sole make these an ideal, all-weather option.

6

The Lofty-Knit Henley

everlane

$150 $105 (30% off)

Made with a nubby blend of merino wool, alpaca, and recycled nylon, this henley is perfect for a cozy night in, yet stylish enough to wear in public.

7

The Perform Bike Shorts

everlane

$45 $22 (51% off)

No, you can never have too many stretchy pants. Everlane’s bike shorts ooze major Lady Di vibes — for under $25, no less.

8

The ReLeather Court Sneakers

everlane

$110 $66 (40% off)

Made with recycled leather, these refresh sneakers will serve up major curb appeal — and Mother Nature’s seal of approval. 

9

The Field Dress

everlane

$100 $60 (40% off)

Found: a fun, flouncy frock you can wear year-round. For a wintry take, pair with opaque tights and your favorite chunky boots.

10

The Cozy-Stretch Wide-Leg Sweatpants

everlane

$150 $75 (50% off)

With a straight-legged silhouette and wool material, it’s safe to say these are the chicest sweatpants we’ve ever seen. To sweeten an already enticing offer, this pair is half off.

11

The Organic Cotton Flannel Popover

$80 $56 (30% off)

Everlane reimagined the traditional flannel with a cropped silhouette, voluminous sleeves, and a slew of minimalist colors.

12

The Studio Bag

everlane

$275 $192 (30% off)

Large enough to fit all your essentials, but not too big that it’ll weigh you down, Everlane’s Studio Bag is the perfect everyday purse.

13

The ReNew Long Liner

everlane

$158 $118 (25% off)

House Stark was right: winter really is coming. Made with recycled materials, this liner is a great layering piece that’s considerably chicer than the yesteryear’s Michelin Man-worthy parkas.

14

The Felted Merino Beanie

everlane

$50 $30 (40% off)

All set on clothes? Pick up this cheery beanie, which is 40% off its original price.

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29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy

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29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy



29 Winter Fragrances That Exude Main Character Energy

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