Feminist Monday, January 22

Happy Monday, y'all. I hope everything is going well for you so far and that the week ahead brings wonderful things. And now for some righteous anger to add fuel to that caffeine you've consumed to get your day started. (Or to take place of the caffeine you didn't. ;))

Confession time: even though I marched last year, I didn't attend the Women's March this year. My new novel is due to the editor next month and I opted to stay home and work on it. Since it's a Feminist SF novel, I figured it was appropriate for me to focus on getting the work done vs. being seen at a march. Mind you, both acts are important--and American women, if you march you have to vote. Holy crap, do we need you to vote. (And remember that local elections are more important than presidential elections. They'll directly affect you and yours.) Anyway, I feel a little guilty about that and perhaps I shouldn't, but I'm an ex-Catholic. It goes with the territory. In any case...I don't own a pussy hat. Hey, I think they're cute. I'd wear one in a heartbeat if it were a color that didn't instantly feel more than a bit racist. And then there's the other problem: not all women have vaginas. Those who don't have voices that matter too, and in fact, the movement can benefit greatly from trans women's perspectives. That is the biggest reason of all for not selecting a vagina as the symbol of the women's movement. None of us are free as long as one of our sisters isn't free. Remember that.

And now...the video portion of our morning. :)

Literary/Entertainment: As a result of the #MeToo movement Wonder Woman 2 Will Be The First Film To Implement The PGA's Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines. I'm a goth and well...I'm attracted to dark comedy. I'm also fascinated by true crime. (It gives me insight needed for writing realistic villains.) However, sometimes I wonder about its overall effect. Hey, it's important to remember the bigger picture. So, here's this: What Are We Getting Out of Prestige True Crime? Will these thoughts stop me from consuming these types of media? Nope. It's okay to like problematic things as long as you're aware they're problematic. On Aziz Ansari, what makes a legit CIS male ally, and self-blame in abusive situations: not that bad. And just in case you're one of those people who worry about men being overly punished: Women can tell the difference between Ansari and Weinstein. See also: Babe, What Are You Doing? Lastly, Watching a serial killer play The Dating Game. [shudder]

General: VOTER SUPPRESSION MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OF 2018. See also a different but important aspect of the problem: gerrymandering. Voter suppression is the more dire of the two issues IMHO. Let's give black women credit. It's long overdue. Black Women Domestics as Community Organizers in Atlanta. "If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament." I totally agree. I'd like to add that if men got periods, it would be fashionable to discuss menstruation. In fact, cramp-pain would be a thing of the past or a super legit reason for a paid sick day. Medical science have cured endometriosis and other period related illnesses (instead of insisting a life threatening condition is all in your head.) Instead, discussion of menstruation is 'icky', 'impolite', and met with revulsion. Aly Raisman on Ending Period Shaming. Next, Racial Zoning: Segregation and the U.S. Federal Government. And Open Letter to White People Who Are Obsessed With Black-on-Black Crime. It's long past time we started questioning the history being taught in schools. It's clearly too late to wait until students get to university to teach a more thoughtful view. Kids are, in fact, smart enough to learn the more complex and problematic truth. Hurray for this kid: I'm Trying to Decolonize Canada's Schools. Have a great comic about marriage as a partnership and the division of labor. And I used to insist that I didn't get angry. Not anymore. In an incandescent display of WHY WE MUST HAVE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE we have this lovely story: Texas judge interrupts jury, says God told him defendant is not guilty. Next up, Study Shows Women Who Are Denied Abortions Are More Likely to Experience Poverty. And Is Texas doing enough to stop moms from dying? Nope. Women Are Afraid Men Will Murder Them. When I was dating I had a panic attack before every date. No joke. This was due to the fact that I didn't know the men in question well enough to know for sure they weren't dangerous. There honestly isn't a way of knowing for sure. When I got married I can't tell you what a relief it was that I wouldn't have to play Schrodinger's Rapist with my life anymore. Ever wonder about the sexism in silicone valley? I do. How police brought down a tech-savvy prostitution network in Bellevue.