Feminist Monday, February 6

Good morning, y'all. Let's start with some Schuyler sisters (yes, sisterhood too) and Lady GaGa. Half-time started with a Woody Guthrie song.[1] He of the guitar emblazoned with "This machine kills Fascists." And while you're listening, read this: Why It's Important Lady Gaga Sang "Born This Way" At Super Bowl 51. I have to say, it's encouraging to see so many artists take a stand against this administration. And not just artists, but so many citizens in general. This is significant. Why? Because there are enough of us that corporations actually consulted their demographics and found that racist, sexist, homophobic bigots aren't their target audience. They found that more Americans are in favor of inclusion than aren't. So much so, that they ran ads with a focus on inclusion at the freaking Super Bowl. That's a big damned deal. It doesn't get any more mainstream than that.

Keep up the good work, y'all. Keep calling and writing those Congress-critters. Keep resisting. It's the only way we can keep our democracy from pitching over a cliff into a dictatorship.

And now, those links.

Entertainment/Literary: Steven Yeun should not be auditioning for five line roles demonstrates the need for more diversity in Hollywood. The problem isn't "there are not enough quality Asian actors." It's there aren't enough directors thinking outside the white male casting box. (Just in case you weren't aware, casting calls almost always designate race, gender, and age.) Bay Area Writers Resist At Starline Social Club. See also Writers Resist.

General: America’s New Opposition has some interesting things to say, and while I agree that Bernie had some things right (and I do agree we should incorporate more socialist aspects in the management of certain systems) I disagree that he's some sort of hero. He betrayed everything he stood for when he didn't back HRC. Trump is every bit as much his fault as those who voted Republican. If it weren't for the Bernie Bros swallowing and spreading Anti-Hillary Russian propaganda, Trump would've failed. They were encouraged to do so by a leader who stubbornly refused to do what was best for the country due to his own ego. So, yes, I very much hold Bernie accountable. He didn't have the POC vote. It wasn't a conspiracy. He wasn't professional enough nor was he a big enough person to do what was best for his movement. Everyone has flaws. He's a human being. But I don't know that I'll ever be able to forgive him for that one. Some thoughts on the immigration ban and what's going on in the White House: STEVE BANNON AND REINCE PRIEBUS’S WAR FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. Next, The Women Who Escaped Slavery at the Hands of ISIS. Tell me that shit doesn't make you think of The Handmaid's Tale. Yes, Christian movements can awful to women. Child brides are often a thing in those circles. So, that whole bit where Christians feel superior to other religions because of how Christians would never do that? Fuck that. You have the same bigotry, and you're trying to legislate it. And on the heels of that have this: The Blatant Hypocrisy of ‘Pro-Life’ Rhetoric. Why Escaping Poverty Isn’t Nearly as Easy as People Think. No, it isn't as simple as "Get a job" or "Go to college." Poverty is a system--an opportunity vacuum that compounds itself--even more so today because so many of the things that assist the poor like free/public education, unemployment benefits, healthcare, minimum wage increases, employment regulations around overtime pay, hiring practices, and even work safety regulations are being gutted. This makes getting out of that trap harder than ever before to escape. And more and more Millennials are falling into that trap. Having Trouble Explaining Oppression? This Comic Can Do It for You. 4 Seemingly Harmless Gender Stereotypes That Contribute to Rape Culture. Need Proof of Rape Culture? Here Are 5 Ridiculous Things Some Men Say When Accused of Rape. Want to help immigrants? Check out Zoe Bands. How Trump Criminalized 11 Million With A Stroke of His Pen. Imelme Umana emerges first black woman to serve as President of 130-year-old Harvard Law Review. SHERYL SANDBERG BLASTS DONALD TRUMP: “WE KNOW WHAT THIS WILL DO.”

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[1] And in case you aren't aware of what Woody Guthrie stood for, here's a list of his New Year's resolutions written in 1943: