Good morning, y'all. How are you? Hopefully, well. I hear there's going to be an eclipse today. Be safe out there. Okay? Okay. So...part of Feminism is being aware of your own internalized bigotry because it's impossible to bring down oppressive systems when you're subconsciously working to keep them in place at exactly the same time. With that in mind, there's something I wanted to bring up: the people mainly responsible for depositing those Confederate monuments everywhere were and are...white women. Yes. White women are responsible for a majority of those statues being torn down/fought over. The specific group responsible is The Daughters of the Confederacy. Growing up in the American South I was called a "carpetbagger" and a "yankee" in school. No joke. The part that I always found odd was when our class studied the Civil War, I was happy discover my family wasn't from the South.[1] I didn't understand why anyone would be proud of having a history of fight for slavery. It wasn't long before I was informed that the war wasn't about slavery after all, but "states' rights." Yes. You're right. It was about the specific state "right" to own people. In any case, it turns out that most of the romanticized "Lost Cause" myth as well as the "States' Rights" myth can be laid at The Daughters of the Confederacy's feet which just confirms why I always felt the organization was...well...creepy. To me, it was like having an organization for descendants of Nazis.[2] Why would they do it? Because they wanted to honor their dead. In the process, they rewrote history and through that rewriting caused generations of strife and racism. Mind you, the racism probably would've stuck around without their assistance, but it didn't help end it, that's for sure. So, I say it's probably long past time for that particular organization to shift its focus at the very least. Hell, I'd venture to say it's time to disband. Lastly, GO UT. On to other things. Literary/Entertainment: Can Women Dream of Different Futures? This is the reason why I decided to confront my reluctance to write female POV characters.[3] This. I've worked in the tech industry, by the way. I've endured male-dominated work cultures over and over. It fucking sucks. And we're discovering that misogyny and other biases are, in fact, leaking into tech products. It's time to do something about it, damn it. Next, Joi “SJ” Harris, Pioneering Motorcycle Racer, Dies After Deadpool 2 Accident. What an awful accident. I'm so sorry. #NotYourAsianSidekick Unites Thousands To Discuss Asian-American Feminism And Stereotypes. General: First, the village where men are banned. This story is a perfect case for the need of a safe space. Often such spaces are essential to healing from harmful internalized cultural beliefs. Anyway, you can donate to support their efforts here. Please do so. It doesn't take much. The next article put the last nail in the coffin regarding my patience for "But the poor white people!" arguments about Trump supporters. Think it’s hard for the white working class in rural America? Try being a person of color. I've always felt there was something missing from that stance but I couldn't put my finger on it entirely. It just seemed suspicious that the entire position seemed to skip over persons of color living in rural areas--as if they didn't exist. And so it finally happens. Mainstream media snaps to the connection between misogyny and militant racism. Women everywhere roll their eyes and say, "No fucking shit." Next up, Kate Bolduan is man-splained on her own show and stomps on it like a Boss. ---------------------------------------------
[1] This is also probably the source of my reluctance regarding the whole "Texas Pride" thing. Again, I don't get it. Texas really isn't all that. [2] The Germans in my family immigrated here just before WWI, thank the gods. Nonetheless, I'm clear that doesn't mean I'm not related to any former Nazis. This fact has stayed with me from the moment my mother handed me a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank. I was of a similar age to Anne, and it hit me very hard as it should've. As a result, I've never been proud of my German heritage--at least not in the sense that most white Americans are proud of their Irish or English or whatever European heritage are. I've always been cautious. Most of all, this is exactly why I've never understood the need to declare oneself a "Proud Rebel" or whatever. It's always been associated with racism--just like Germany will always be associated with its Nazi past. [3] I get asked why I write so many stories from a male perspective. Here. I'll do the math for you. First, I grew up reading novels written almost entirely from male perspectives for a start. Girls are lucky these days to have so much representation. (Not that the problem is solved, mind you. There's still the diversity issue.) In any case, I was trained pretty much from birth to view things from a male perspective. Second, women's stories aren't taken seriously. Statistically, they aren't reviewed as much, and they aren't up for as many awards. My goal was to be a serious writer. I wanted to earn award recognition. That meant I had to write from a male point of view. With that said, what does it say when you repeatedly insist (with increasing irritation) that women who write male POV characters should stop? If you can't do the math from here, I suggest reading How to Suppress Women's Writing by Joanna Russ.
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