Queen Christina

Film, dir. Rouben Mamoulian, 1933

Remember those interviewees in The Celluloid Closet waiting for Joan Crawford's cowboy shirt? Well, I was waiting (a whole 20 minutes) for this:

Old Palace Dude: But Your Majesty, you cannot die an old maid!
Christina (the amazing Greta Garbo): I have no intention to, chancellor. I shall die a bachelor!

While Christina, bless her, does not seem to be asexual, A's do share one thing with rebellious 17th century queens: a tendency to be told that we are going to die alone. While I haven't gotten "old maid", I have been told, in hushed tones, that I might become a cat lady. Which is, really, the same thing. As Queen Christina knew, the double standard needs to change: While women are saddled with images of cats eating our dead bodies, men get to drink martinis in smoking jackets.
Here's what the greeting card industry/Swedish monarchy doesn't want you to know: being single is supposed to be fun! So brush that dirt off your shoulders, bachelors of all genders-- we'll meet for martinis later in the A-bar.