Feminist Tuesday

Sorry about yesterday, y'all. Another round of storms came through which triggered migraines and they laid me out. Apparently, my entire brain hates Texas now--or Texas hates my brain. Or something. Either way...it was a bad 'un yesterday. Right down to the crying about stupid shit. (Who cries while watching a clip from Dante's Peak FFS?) I'm good with the fact that I haven't had one like that in a month at least. Here's hoping it doesn't happen again. Anyway...here's what you came for:

​Today's video is an interesting discussion about beauty standards:

I found it fascinating to see two individuals striving for different extremes in the same frame: alternative beauty and more traditional perfection. I'm probably going to watch more of these. It's really interesting to see. (Also? Those eyes are pretty close to how I visualize my kainen. I didn't know anyone had done that.)

Literary/Entertainment: 100 MUST-READ SCI-FI FANTASY NOVELS BY FEMALE AUTHORS​. And in a moment that shouldn't surprise anyone...'John Wayne Day' gets nixed due to the fact he was a raging, racist a-hole. (I've never been a fan, really. Even less so now.) Great article by Mikki Kendall: Diversity, Political Correctness and The Power of Language​. Why Won’t Hollywood Let Us See Our Best Black Actors?​ I had a pretty good conversation with a few new writers about cultural appropriation and sensitivity education for writers the other day on Twitter as a result of Mary Robinette's blog post on the subject. Mary brings up the subject of compensation for said education. I agree with her. Such work is difficult and can be emotional. While payment isn't the only form compensation can take,[1] it is important to make it into some form of exchange--even an exchange of editing. The discussion devolved a bit when an author insisted that this was classist, somehow. That new authors can't afford to compensate monetarily for sensitivity training. (I've some news for her: even established authors can't always afford it.) She kept ignoring my suggestion that there were alternatives. And that led me to think she simply didn't want to do the homework. In any case, Aliette de Bowdard popped in and linked to an article she wrote about Cultural Appropriation. Important stuff there. Black Magic & Afrofuturism From The Diaspora Take Center Stage In Brooklyn Exhibition​. I love the header image on that article. Very engaging. Next, Why do we give robots female names? Because we don't want to consider their feelings. I'm just going to leave this next link here without comment: if not for the puppies. Bittersweet Like Me: When the Lemonade Ain’t Made For Fat Black Women & Femmes​. My Black Is Not Your Black, And That’s Okay.

General: If you're confused about your position on abortion and the biology behind Choice, read this article about The Silly Sexist Conceit of Fetal Personhood. It explains if far better than I could. Honoring Native Women Every Day at the Museum of Indian Art and Culture​. ​​Play the ‘woman card’ and reap these ‘rewards’! I used to have a standing argument with a friend of mine about the 'advantage' of being a cis woman versus being a cis man. The reasons the individual in question held the opinion they did at that time weren't the obvious ones. As a result when their circumstances changed years later, they came back to me and apologized because boy oh boy did they see the light. For the record, I actually have had grown men tell me that as a woman, I had a natural affinity for typing--with a straight face, no less. I, of course, laughed my ass off--to their faces, and then explained that typing began as a man's profession. Meet the Army's first female infantry officer​.

Trigger Warning: ​Something's rotten at Baylor and it's way past time to pay attention. ​Oklahoma court rules that forced oral sex is not rape if victim is unconscious from drinking. ​At Brigham Young, a Cost in Reporting a Rape.

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[1] There is a reason why there will always be a character named Brian somewhere in my work. Also, variants on the name McGee. Belfast Brian knows why. He's mentioned in the acknowledgements in my first two novels as well. One does what one can. But the point is, one does something.