Feminist Monday, July 3

Good afternoon, y'all. Around here, July 3rd means prepping for July 4th, and since it's summer, that means outdoor grilling. Because nothing says Independence Day like burning meat and veggies over an open flame while it's 100F. Or something. :)

I spent a couple of days with one of my conservative relatives who I like very much. (His wife is one of my favorite people.) And the conversation went in mildly distressing directions twice. Once, when he was genuinely upset that I was unwilling to meet him "in the middle" or as I call it "let's shift the Overton Window by establishing that extreme views are legitimate, realistic, and acceptable perspectives on issues." I don't play that game any more. Thus, he accused me of being one of the people responsible for making political discourse so tense. I disagree. Strongly. If you are unwilling to admit that bigotry and extremism isn't an acceptable response, then we have nothing to discuss. I won't legitimize prejudice. In fact, I'm working very hard to root it out of my own consciousness. The fact that this makes you uncomfortable isn't my problem. I'm sorry that you're unwilling to keep up with progress. Funny, I seem to recall a time when white men were overly proud of their ability to adjust to changes around them. And that the phrase "Evolve or Die" was passed around a lot. Do you remember that? [cough] Now, because liberals are no longer playing by "the rules" and guilt-tripping us into being "reasonable" no longer works, we're told we're being "rude," "impolite," and sometimes "violent"--all for the mere act of disagreeing. That's the sign of a group that wants only their way no matter what and is willing to do anything, no matter how manipulative or sleazy or even downright evil to get it. [shrug] There is no meeting in the middle when you declare that only you get to decide where the middle is located. (See also: The U.S. has a homegrown terrorist problem — and it’s coming from the right.)

Anyway, I choose the image above today because my hope is that one day we'll revive the Equal Rights Act. It's obvious to me that American women need a constitutional amendment for protection. Misogyny has far to powerful a hold on this country to rely upon the good will of men. I'm done.

And now those links.

Literary/Entertainment: From Genocidal Organ to Your Name: Japanese anime‘s new golden age. And yay! Wonder Woman Is Now the DCEU's Most Successful Movie in the US. It's not a perfect movie, by any means, but I'm glad that a movie that centers (for the most part) a female super hero is making so much money. Commentary: Cultural Appropriation Is, In Fact, Indefensible. And if you're still unclear, have a helpful guide on Appropriate Cultural Appropriation by Nisi Shawl. And filed under stopping the erasure of women in history: Dungeons & Dragons Wouldn’t Be What It Is Today Without These Women. And An Interview with Sebastian Jones President of Stranger Comics. “Criminal Minds” Actresses Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook Push for Equal Pay. Metamorphosis of my Dream: A Homage to Langston Hughes. And another article on the newest Star Trek: We Need More Black Women Leading Fantasy Franchises and Racist Star Trek Fans Decry Discovery's Diversity, Revealing They Know Nothing About Star Trek and If You’re A Bigot, You Don’t Get To Like 'Star Trek'. Check out the Women in Comics wiki. And this one is a bit old but worth revisiting: Watch the first Chinese woman to win a Hugo Award headline an Audi commercial. 
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General: California decided it was tired of women bleeding to death in childbirth. Also from the article: "In the US, childbirth has been growing more dangerous recently. Maternal mortality — defined as the death of a mother from pregnancy-related complications while she’s carrying or within 42 days after birth — in the US soared by 27 percent, from 19 per 100,000 to 24 per 100,000, between 2000 and 2014." Also, Texas is, statistically, the worst in all industrialized areas. My guess as to why is due to not just the misogyny of the current Texas Legislature, but also because of racism. Texas is right at that border with Mexico, and Texas's population is going increasingly brown. (Hence the abject panic of Texas conservatives.) And racism is, in fact, a factor in healthcare. Also, The surreal post-election life of the woman who would have been president. Hillary Clinton’s Commencement Speech Made It Sound Like All of America Was Graduating. On toxic masculinity: Why expectations of 'real men' and what they'd do in a fight are a problem. Lastly, a bit about the pressures on women having to have a man in their life: No confidence and no boyfriend. Is there a connection?