#all it does it tell me you have a limit to your allyship

[adhdisgay]

polyamory and open relationships can be but aren’t always queer, but the weird dislike of consensual non-monogamous relationships FEELS homophobic in a way I can’t quite put my finger on

#like what makes a gay person cool but this ‘weird’? how did you make that line bc I assume it’s easy to move #this is about straight people I know in an open relationship specifically #but non-typical relationships go hand in hand with queer experiences so I can’t separate that in my head #allies stop coming to me to gossip about someone in a throuple challenge #all it does it tell me you have a limit to your allyship #my post

[dipperdesperado]

Hogwarts Legacy and the Limits of Liberal Allyship

Seeing the conversation around Hogwarts Legacy has confirmed my belief that the bandwidth of conventional American politics is so small, and can't encompass literally any action that challenges the status quo.

For those who don't know, Hogwarts Legacy (HL) is an upcoming AAA Western RPG where you play as a created character in the Harry Potter universe. It's gotten a lot of flak due to its ties to JK Rowling (JKR). She still gets money from anything in the Harry Potter IP due to her contract negotiations. The issue with JKR is that she doesn't believe that trans women are women. Due to this, a lot of folks, especially those in trans communities are asking people not to play the game.

The issue comes in when people are not only going to play the game but are loudly playing it. People revel in the fact that there are those who "are mad" that they're playing a game.

But, it's so much more than that. Just because people have such a strong affinity for Harry Potter, they feel like they can't help but play the game. While I've never really engaged with the IP, from what I do know, that shit did not age well in most regards.

The simple fact is, if someone from a community is like, "hey, can you not do this thing that enables people to harm me and people in my community"? Our answer should be yes. There should be no argument. Why is this an issue?

It's an issue because of the prevailing politics of the day. As I mentioned before, this is American-centric, but neoliberalism is worldwide, baby. It affects all of us.

In the liberal conventional thought around social issues, supporting marginalized movements and ideologies is only acceptable within a certain range of actions and contexts. It all ends up being performative, due to a very shallow, mostly aesthetic analysis.

Like, anything that makes them uncomfortable is too far, and any dissent from the community is asking too much.

While liberals see themselves as being more progressive than conservatives, it seems that the extent of their allyship is the yearly rainbow flag logo shit. Both groups inherently uphold the structures that exist (which cause the need for there to be such strong allyship in the first place.)

To bring it back to HL, if people want to play the game, I don't agree with it but like, I'm not gonna smack you over the head. It just proves the point to a great degree when they feel the need to not only buy it (instead of 🏴‍☠️), but to tell these folks that you're going to. They're upset because people don't seem to care about their issues, especially when a lot of LITERALLY genocidal things are happening to trans folks.

The whole thing just feels very scary. How many times do we have to go through historic moments before people start to see the patterns? I really hope that people start understanding that allies don't mean shit. Folks need accomplices.

If you want to know how to help, find those communities in your locality and get involved. Send them some bands, like the amount that you would've spent on the game if you were to buy it. Show up, in real solidarity. We have to protect each other. This kind of shit does not end well for marginalized people in general (bigotry will always try to envelop more and more people). Stay safe, and stand with your community. Here's a link to learn more.

#hogwarts #harry potter #hogwarts legacy #jk rowling #trans rights #support trans people #support trans youth #support trans rights

[raptured-night]

Hello, I have two questions this time. Why do you think we can’t really compare Death Eaters to Nazis? Why can’t we really compare purism with racism? Oh and do you think Death Eaters are more like nowadays’ terrorists or not?

So, it's no secret that I have drawn attention to the issue of Death Eaters being treated as literal stand-ins for Nazis or blood purism as a literal example of racism. Importantly, there is a difference between acknowledging the ways that Death Eaters or blood purity might work as semi-functional allegories for the Nazis and their ideology, white supremacy, racism, etc., and treating fictional representations of invented prejudices as if they were comparable or on par with non-fictional Nazi ideology, white supremacy, or systemic racism.

An article for Medium makes this point very well:

Silent resisters and ‘I don’t really care about politics’ people deserve our contempt. But what makes those who filter life through fiction and historical revisionism worse is that they are performing a soggy simulacrum of political engagement.

As a woman of colour watching, all I can do here is amplify the call to step away from your bookshelf. Let go of The Ring. My humanity exists independently of whether I am good or bad, and regardless of where the invented-fictional-not-real Sorting Hat puts me.

Realise that people are in danger right now, with real world actions needed in response, and not just because you want to live out your dreams of being Katniss Everdeen.

The problem with discussing Harry Potter’s fictional examples of prejudice as if they were literal or completely comparable with real-life prejudices is that it does lead to an oversimplification of the reality of prejudice (whether white supremacy, racism, homophobia, transphobia --looking at you Jo-- or otherwise) and the very real people who experience these prejudices every day. The fantasy of being Harry Potter up against Umbridge or Voldemort in a YA series where the line between the good and bad guys is almost clearly denoted by the narrator is a far cry from the reality of what activism is or what living under oppression is like for many marginalized people. 

I would argue that this is also a leading reason why the “social justice” (yes, in many cases I believe that deserves to be enclosed in dubious quotations) discourse in Harry Potter fandom trends more towards performative than it does sincere (one need only look at the defense posts for Rowling in response to real marginalized groups criticizing her for things ranging from her offensive representation of Asian people, Indigenous and Native peoples, or her failures in representing the lgbtq+ community particularly in light of her coming out as an open TERF and they can get an idea of how those “I’m an intersectional feminist/social justice ally and that’s why I read HP!” fans quickly shift gears to throw the bulk of their allyship behind Rowling instead) because when you spend all of your time debating fictional prejudices it’s much easier to detach oneself from the reality of non-fictional prejudice and its impact on real people.

Fiction has no stakes. There is a beginning, middle, and end. In Rowling’s fictional world, Harry Potter ends with Harry and “the side of light” the victor over her allegorical representation of evil and he gets his happily-ever-after in a world we are led to believe is at peace and made a better place. In the real world, decades after the fall of Hitler, there are still Nazis and white supremacists who believe in the glory of an Aryan/pure-white race and are responsible for acts of violence towards marginalized groups; even after the fall of the Confederacy in the U.S. we are still debating the removal of monuments erected in their honor (and the honor of former slave owners and colonialists like Christopher Columbus) while the nation continues mass protests over the systemic police brutality Black people and other people of color have long faced (not to mention the fact the KKK are still allowed to gather while the FBI conspired to destroy the Black Panther Party and discredit them as a dangerous extremist organization).

As a professor in literature, I’ve often argued that fiction can be a reflection of reality and vice versa. Indeed, it can be a subversive tool for social change and resistance (e.g. Harlem Renaissance) or be abused for the purposes of propaganda and misrepresentation (e.g. Jim Crow era racism in cartoons). So, I am not underscoring the influencing power of fiction but I do believe it is important that when attempting to apply fictional representations to real-world issues we do so with a certain awareness of the limitations of fiction. As I have already observed, there is an absence of real-world stakes for fiction. Fictional stories operate under a narrative structure that clearly delineates the course they will take, which is not the case for real life. In addition, the author’s own limitations can greatly affect the way their fiction may reflect certain non-fictional issues. Notably, a close reading of Harry Potter does reveal the way Rowling’s own transphobic prejudices influenced her writing, not least in the character of Rita Skeeter (but arguably even in her failed allegory for werewolves, which are supposed to reflect HIV prejudices, but she essentially presented us with two examples of werewolves that are either openly predatory towards children or accidentally predatory because they canonically can’t control themselves when their bodies undergo “transformations” that make them more dangerous and no surprise her most predatory example, Fenrir Greyback, seems to have embraced his transformation entirely versus Lupin who could be said to suffer more from body dysmorphia/shame). 

Ultimately, fiction is often a reflection of our non-fictional reality but it is not always an exact reflection. It can be a simplification of a more complex reality; a funhouse mirror that distorts that reality entirely, or the mirror might be a bit cracked or smudged and only reflecting a partial image. Because fiction does have its limits (as do authors of fiction), writers have certain story-telling conventions on hand through which they can examine certain aspects of reality through a more vague fictional lens, such as metaphor, symbolism, and allegory. Thus, the Death Eaters can function on an allegorical level without being problematic where they cannot when we treat them as literal comparisons to Nazis or white supremacist groups (particularly when we show a greater capacity for empathy and outrage over Rowling’s fictional prejudice, to the extent we’ll willingly censor fictional slurs like Mudblood, than we do real-world examples of racism and racial microaggressions). As an allegory, Voldemort and his Death Eaters can stand in for quite a few examples of extremism and prejudice that provoke readers to reflect more on the issue of how prejudice is developed and how extremist hate-groups and organizations may be able to rise and gain traction. Likewise, blood prejudice looked at as a fictional allegory goes a lot further than when we treat it as a literal comparison to racism, wherein it becomes a lot more problematic. 

I’ve discussed this before at length, along with others, and I will share some of those posts to give a better idea of some of the issues that arise when we try to argue that Voldemort was a literal comparison to Hitler, the Death Eaters were literal comparisons to Nazi, or that blood purity is a literal comparison to racism.

On the issue of blood prejudice as racism and Death Eaters as Nazis, per @idealistic-realism00.

On the issue of blood prejudice as racism, my own thoughts.

On the issue of Death Eaters and literal Nazi comparisons, per @deathdaydungeon and myself. 

Finally, as I have already argued, the extent to which fiction can function as a reflection of non-fictional realities can be limited by the author’s own perceptions. In the above links, you will note that I and others have critiqued Rowling’s portrayal of prejudice quite thoroughly and identified many of the flaws inherent in her representations of what prejudice looks like in a real-world context. The very binary (i.e. good/bad, right/wrong, dark/light) way that she presents prejudice and the fact that her villains are always clearly delineated and more broadly rejected by the larger society undermines any idea of a realistic representation of prejudice as systemic (we could make a case for an effort being made but as her narrative fails to ever properly address prejudice as systemic in any sort of conclusive way when taken along with her epilogue one can argue her representation of systemic prejudice and its impact fell far short of the mark, intended or otherwise). In addition to that, the two most notable protagonists that are part of her marginalized class (i.e. Muggle-born) are two comfortably middle-class girls, one of whom is clearly meant to be white (i.e. Lily) and the other who is most widely associated with the white actress (Emma Watson) who played her for over a decade before Rowling even hinted to the possibility Hermione could also be read as Black due to the casting of Noma Dumezweni for Cursed Child.

Overall, Rowling is clearly heavily influenced by second-wave feminist thought (although I would personally characterize her as anti-feminist having read her recent “essay,” and I use the term loosely as it was primarily a polemic of TERF propaganda, defending her transphobia, and reexamined the Harry Potter series and her gender dichotomy in light of her thoughts on “womanhood”) and as far as we are willing to call her a feminist, she is a white feminist. As a result, the representation of prejudice in Harry Potter is a distorted reflection of reality through the lens of a white feminist whose own understanding of prejudice is limited. Others, such as @somuchanxietysolittletime and @ankkaneito have done well to point out inconsistencies with Rowling’s intended allegories and the way the Harry Potter series overall can be read as a colonialist fantasy. So, for all of these reasons, I don’t think we should attempt to make literal comparisons between Rowling’s fictional examples of prejudice to non-fictional prejudice or hate groups. The Death Eaters and Voldemort are better examined as more of a catch-all allegory for prejudice when taken to it’s most extreme. Aicha Marhfour makes an important point in her article when she observes:

Trump isn’t himself, or even Hitler. He is Lord Voldemort. He is Darth Vader, or Dolores Umbridge — a role sometimes shared by Betsy DeVos or Tomi Lahren, depending on who you’re talking to. Obama is Dumbledore, and Bernie Sanders is Dobby the goddamn house elf. Republicans are Slytherins, Democrats are Gryffindors.

The cost of making these literal comparisons between Voldemort or the Death Eaters to other forms of extremism, perceived evil, or hate is that we impose a fictional concept over a non-fictional reality and unintentionally strip the individual or individuals perpetrating real acts of prejudice or oppression of some of their accountability. I can appreciate how such associations may help some people cope and for the readers of the intended age category of Harry Potter (i.e. YA readers) it might even be a decent primer to understanding real-world issues. However, there comes a point where we must resist the impulse to draw these comparisons and go deeper. Let Voldemort and the Death Eaters exist as allegories but I think it is important we all listen to what many fans of color, Jewish fans, lgbtq+ fans, etc. are saying and stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole by treating these fictional characters and their fictional prejudices as if they were just as real, just as impactful, and just as deserving of our empathy and outrage as the very real people who are living daily with very real prejudices --because they’re not equal and they shouldn’t be. 

#anti-rowling #systemic racism #nazi mention: cw #white supremacy #godwins law #allegory #harry potter #harry potter meta

[hellyeahheroes]

Eve Ewing Interview for Outlawed

Newsarama: Eve, Outlawed kicks off a whole new era of Marvel stories with big ramifications. We know there’s an incident involving Kamala Khan that leads to teen heroes being illegal. What can you tell us about that big crucial turning point?

Eve L. Ewing: Ahhh, unfortunately not much! If it were up to me we wouldn't even do previews.

The only thing I can say is that we're trying to avoid easy answers or a clear sense of what's right or what's wrong in this story, and trying to make it a little more complex than "mean government guy oppresses kid." I'm hoping for some real moral ambiguity.

Credit: Marvel Comics Nrama: The obvious comparison here is to the original Civil War, which started with a tragedy involving young heroes leading to a fracture between Marvel’s superheroes. What’s different about this conflict and the fallout?

Ewing: Yeah, it's interesting to me that people have been making that comparison, because to me, although the inciting incident is familiar, the ramifications are so different because the people impacted are young people. In Civil War, we see adults with different moral centers, different ethics, different relationships to the government and to power, but they all are operating in a way from a place of power.

In this case, we're talking about superheroes, but they're still teens. Which means that they're sort of marginalized and disempowered by mainstream American society, and they're marginalized and disempowered by the adult superhero community. Some of the adult superheroes are sympathetic to them, but at the end of the day, they don't actually stand to lose that much from the law. It's more of a "tsk tsk, that's too bad, seems unfair" thing rather than something where they're willing to fight tooth and nail. Because why would they?

Credit: Marvel Comics So the teens are essentially on their own. So to me the stakes are quite different. That being said, I also hope this run will appeal to some of our readers who were literally like three years old when Civil War happened, and maybe we can have some intergenerational conversations among fans about where they see similar or divergent themes.

Nrama: The law that outlaws teen vigilantes is called “Kamala’s Law” – but Kamala Khan herself seems pretty willing to break her own law. How does Kamala’s specific POV and morality inform how this story develops?

Ewing: A recurring theme in Champions and in her solo title is how Kamala wrestles with being a leader, moments where she kind of fails in her leadership and moments where she steps up to the plate even when she'd rather not. I hope to extend that in this story, and have Kamala grapple with other people - people she respects and cares about - genuinely questioning not only her leadership, but her basic sense of right and wrong, her moral compass.

Credit: Marvel Comics The Champions position themselves as being in service of regular, vulnerable people, but what happens when those people are not a monolith, and when they have real critique of Kamala's choices?

Nrama: We know there will be a new status quo following Outlawed, and that similar to the post-Civil War Marvel Universe there will be factions. How does that affect these teen heroes who have been through so much together? Will we see friends take different sides?

Ewing: Sure, but I'm not as much interested in the whole "There are two sides! which one are you on?!" thing. I'm more interested in... let's say you have a certain political stance on something, something you believe to your core, and there's a friend with you, someone you deeply love and care for, and you want the best for them, and you see that they have a different perspective, not because they're bad or they're unintelligent or need to be convinced, but because they're actually a different human with a different life that means they'll be differently impacted by whatever happens? What do you do then?

This is less a story of the teens going to war with each other as much as trying to figure out how to care for each other across real difference in an environment of terror. So, you know, pretty chill and lighthearted!

Credit: Marvel Comics Nrama: What are the advantages of shaking things up with this kind of a story in a one-shot, versus a longer format limited series or arc?

Ewing: A one-shot is cool because it's just action-oriented, high-stakes, we get to mix it up a little bit on the art side, and I think it provides a clear entry point for readers. Should be fun.

Nrama: You’re launching a new volume of Champions following Outlawed. The Champions originally formed with an ethos of using their powers to improve the world. How does Outlawed shake up that perspective? What’s their mantra as they move into a new era as fugitives?

Credit: Marvel Comics Ewing: They're trying to figure that out themselves!

Nrama: Outlawed is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga of tension between the different philosophies of superheroing for Marvel’s heroes. If Civil War was about being responsible for your actions and Civil War II was about freedom of choice, what is the theme behind Outlawed? What questions are you hoping to raise for readers?

Ewing: Wow, that's an excellent question. I think the theme is that, while it's easy to call for revolution or easy to say you're fighting for something, when it comes down to it, there's rarely one clear path to get where you're going, and you have to figure out what values you really share with the person alongside you.

There's no one way to liberation, and you have to decide what allyship means, what friendship means, what camaraderie means. Because if you don't know, when it all comes down to it, you'll be ripped apart.

#Outlawed #Ms. Marvel #Kamala Khan #Spider-Man #Miles Morales #Ironheart #Riri WIlliams #Nova #Sam Alexander #Power man #Victor Alvarez #Snowguard #Hawkeye #kate Bishop #Not the Hawkguy #Ghost Rider #Robbie Reyes #Squirrel Girl #Spider-Gwen #Ghost-Spider #Franklin Richards #Valeria Richards #Moon Girl #Lunella Lafayette #Speed #Gwenpool #Lightspeed #Julie Power #Zero-G #Alex Power

[jmenvs3000]

Acknowledging My Privilege

Definition of privilege according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:  

“a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor.”

In this post I would like to first highlight my privilege, relate it to my outdoor experiences and then I want to share other people’s experiences through sharing blogs & articles.  

Without naming a list of all the reasons why I have so much privilege, I want to evaluate what my privilege allows me to do.

I am in this University course

On my blog I can share my thoughts and ideas freely

I am not afraid that I will be too different than everyone else because I am a part of the majority

I can freely discuss this content with my housemates without fear of being rejected or even misunderstood

When I am in the outdoors, my privilege shines. It means that I don’t have to worry about the way that people perceive me other than the way that I present my own personality. There is no prejudice against me telling saying how I am “allowed” to or should act. I will not worry that people will tell me I’m not allowed to be somewhere or call me out in any way. Standing in front of a group as an interpreter, I would be worried about if people thought I was smart enough, engaging enough or if they thought I was skilled enough. I would not be worried that someone would look at my skin or appearance and have an issue with me solely based on my appearance. I am a white, able-bodied woman.

So, in telling only my story about what discrimination looks like in the outdoors, I would further be using my privilege: immunity that has been granted to me through nothing of my own doing (see definition above). Instead, I want to share some articles and blogs that I have found written by the minority and not the majority: white, cis, heteronormative, able-bodied people. I cannot tell their story for them, so please read the articles below to see what privilege, or lack thereof, looks like in the outdoors. Many of the articles also share organizations that support these marginalized people.

“How to Take Up Space in the Outdoors” Author: Nadia Mercado

“Being outside doesn’t free me from the stereotypes that others impose upon my brown skin, curly hair, nose, lips, or curves.” - Nadia Mercado

This article is an honest and open account of how an Afro-Latinx womxn feels and is treated in the outdoors when participating in activities that she just wants to enjoy like everyone else.  

https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/trip-reports/2020/4/5/taking-up-space-in-the-outdoors

LEARNING MOMENT: Carabiners are used for climbing, often referred to as a “beaner”, before learning this I thought that it was just a fun thing to say. Beaner is a racial slur for people of Mexican descent, coming from the prevalence of beans in Mexican cuisine. Please stop using this term and share this knowledge with anyone that you hear using the term.

“The Melanin Basecamp Guide to Outdoor Allyship” Author: Danielle Williams  

“Forest bathing doesn’t wash away bigotry” - Danielle Williams

I really appreciated this article; it is an introductory to white privilege in an outdoor setting. Danielle talks about the barriers for BIPOC and Queer people in the outdoors and the barriers to white people knowing/seeing discrimination taking place while also providing ways to be an ally.

https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/trip-reports/2019/7/7/mbc-guide-to-outdoor-allyship

“A Bigger Backyard: Connecting Indoor to Outdoor Privilege” Author: Lynn Lieu

She writes about her firsthand experiences of what being outdoors used to mean to herself and her Vietnamese-American parents, and what it means to her now. This article is an example of the same themes in the opening story in ch 7 of the textbook about the Junior Naturalist program in LA (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018, p. 127).

https://www.outdoorwomensalliance.com/outdoor-privilege/

“The Group Getting Queer People Outside Together” Author: Rebekah Frumkin

“I had this unbelievable experience of loving my body for the first time and feeling truly present in it.” - When Cohen

The article describes The Venture Out Project (TVOP) and the impact that it has had on the lives of Queer people in the outdoors.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2383136/lgbt-outdoor-group-venture-out-project#close

“Native Voices” Author: Elizabeth Miller

“We’re still here, we’re still thriving, and we’re still around trying to honor our culture and our heritage.” - Ernest House

This article talks about ambassadors for Native Outdoors and what the organization does: promote visibility of Indigenous people in the outdoors and restore cultural names to sites and landmarks in North America.

https://www.elevationoutdoors.com/go-outside/native-voices/  

“Redefining Limitations: Disabled Athletes are Adaptive, Resilient, and Still Locked Out” Author: Tenley Lozano

“Like many other disabled athletes, I am active outdoors because of my disabilities - not in spite of them.” - Tenley Lozano

This article shares the perspective of a person with a disability and it also shares the general issues faced by many people in the outdoors and how that is perpetuated by businesses.

https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/disabled-outdoor-athletes-innovation  

These articles show that there is no one form of discrimination and there is no one solution to make every person feel included in the outdoors. We must each pay attention to our own lens and the way that our actions have impacts, the only way to do this is through openness, honesty and active learning.  

I hope that you gained something from this post and I would love for you to share your experience or the experience of someone else that you found interesting (that is consensually shared online).

- Jasmine  

Other References 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary site: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege

Textbook information:  Beck, L., Cable, T. & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Sagamore-Venture Publishing: Urbana, IL, USA.

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Im white and have trying to be measured in how I feel to white celebs blm posts. grimmys one today is as really clear and useful (he refed / signposted). The description of optical allyship was particularly useful. a noticeable shift for him. You’ve made me reflect and notice the difference between white celebs posting slogans or saying how things should be better and describing clear actions to take. I think seeing Liams post and then nicks after really made me consider and reflect

It’s really interesting to hear your response - thanks for letting me know.  I can totally see why you ended up focusing on action.  And your anon has made me think a little bit more about how I think about these things.

And reading your anon has really helped clarify for me that my priority in talking about white celebrity’s reactions I have quite a specific goal and quite a speicifc argument that I hadn’t fully realised before.  I don’t think white celebrities reactions in this moment matter.

That is an explicit political argument and also a reaction to political arguments I see on social media. I genuinely see people argue that it matters what celebrities say, because they have a bigger audience than an ordinary person.  And it’s terrible theory of change, because it relies on already existing power structures, which amplify certain voices, and suggests that people who have a lot of followers have more to offer a struggle for justice than other people.  That’s not what I beleive at all, I think the strength of liberation movements is that lots of people come together to demand a better world.  That thousands of voices is much more powerful and important than one voice with a lot of followers.

(This is particularly when a movement is educating and organising.  I do think it is different when a single collective action is called for.  So if, for example, if a general strike was called for next week an important part of making that work would make sure that everyone in the US had heard of if.  Under those circumstances using every channel people could access is important.  But I think that is a very limited role - and that suggesting that celebrities play any particular role in the organisig cycle of  ‘educate, agitate, organise’ is to give up power to existing power structures).

And I realise that that’s why I didn’t want to comment on what 1D member’s were doing, because I feared that it would be making an implicit argument that it matters.  And I don’t think it matters to the world, I think it only matters if you’re interested in those celebrities, which of course I am.  So now that I’ve figured out why I was so reluctant, I might actually start responding to what they say.

You say that you’re trying to be measured in your response to white celebrities - I don’t think you need to treat your reaction as a problem.  I think boundaries work here.  For me there are three questions, the first is what does what this white celebrity mean for the world (probably nothing), what can it tell us about them (this is obviously a question I write a lot about, and how do I feel about it as a fan (and in this case I haven’t had an emotional reaction to any 1D members statements, but I want to emphasise that your reaction would be legitimate).

#For example #I feel great affection towards Nick #for the journey he's been on #(although even more affection towarsd and solidarity to Mesh) #while still thinking what he's doing is not important to the world #As for Liam #my main thought was that it sounded like his voice #but his voice having been carefully edited #which is probably approrpiate #but did leave me a little sad #given my huge affection for how Liam talks politics #Anonymous

[fightmeyeats]

"She comes to work and she does her job!”: Casual Ableism in the Work Place

Today, while sitting in a shaded outdoor common space on my college campus, comparing sets of blood test results from the last year to see if there was anything I wanted to bring up with my doctor, I overheard a snippet of conversation between two middle aged women. What stood out to me was the woman who said, clearly in praise, “I know she’s suffered extremely, but she comes to work and she does her job!”

This is a kind of violence.

Now, maybe you’re reading this thinking What?? Sounds like the lady is a badass, good for her! Or maybe you’re thinking Why are you complaining? I would be appreciative that my coworker was doing her job despite hardship! Everybody has problems, I have problems, but I don’t bring them to work with me!

So before I break this down, let me tell you a little bit about two of my coworkers with disabilities: for context, there are other people at my place of employment with disabilities but I am most familiar with “A” and “B”’s specific circumstances, so they’re who I’m going to talk about here. Both coworkers I am discussing here are white, straight, cis women. I am not going to give any specifics that might make them identifiable, but I will say that “A” is in a skinny young adult with an autoimmune disorder; and “B” is middle aged, plus-sized, and has multiple disabilities. “B” is required to be provided with a chair so that she can sit periodically and has restrictions on how much weight she can lift; “A” has not requested or received any accommodations, although she does miss work periodically when she has bad flair ups. My manager has told me multiple times that she hates seeing “B” sit down because she thinks it “looks bad,” and both she and other managers have frequently harassed “B,” telling her that they need to see her doing more, threatening to stop allowing her use the chair (despite the fact they are required by company policy, and I believe law, to provide this accommodation), and writing her up for sitting down, claiming she is using her chair “too much.” All this is despite the fact that she was moved, against her wishes and to her disadvantage, by said managers from a position that allowed her to accomplish tasks while sitting (and to use a mobility aid while performing tasks while standing), to a position which makes it so that sitting in accordance with her doctor’s directions makes it more difficult for her to accomplish her assigned tasks; she also has less ability to use a mobility aid. “B” frequently expresses concern that she will be fired, and frequently goes longer than she is supposed to without sitting or lifts significantly more than she is supposed to (impacting her health), because she is afraid of being written up, or having a customer complain she was not helpful enough. My other coworker, “A” frequently works while visibly suffering from flair-ups and explains at length to myself and other managers that she is trying to get her health stabilized so that she does not inconvenience anybody, and because she wants to be a good employee. My manager praises “A,” except when “A” does have to miss a period of work because of her condition, and then, despite the fact that “A” always brings in documentation showing she was not only having a flair up, but was receiving treatment, my manager writes “A” up because her absences are “too much at this point,” and “beyond what we can reasonably excuse.” This is only the smallest possible example of the harm done by praising someone for “coming to work and doing her job.”

This mentality focuses on a valuing of human life based off of how productive and convenient a person is, and it’s something I see prevalent in classroom and employment settings (both as the affirmation, as well as the inverse “I know X is going through a lot, but they’re attitude is terrible, they’re just not doing a good job!”). Essentially, the value assigned to a person as an employee (or as a student) is based on how much they are able to do despite disability (or other barriers), and is framed through a lens of personal convenience (ie “I’m not ableist, I just don’t want to get stuck doing all the work because they can’t”). At its core, I believe the idea that this mentality stems from ableism, neoliberalism, and capitalism.

Disabled people, especially disabled women, are under constant surveillance; there’s a great article by Sharon Dale Stone called “The Myth of Bodily Perfection,” where she discusses the idea of bodily perfection and points out that morality is generally tied to ability, and that people (especially women) are likely to conceal disability if they can. This is because of capitalist ideas of productivity, as well as neoliberalism; anyone who is not appropriately productive, who can’t come to work and do their job, must just be lazy, must not be trying hard enough. “Model” disabled figures, such as the woman I overheard be discussed on campus, are used to prove this; if she can do her job, why can’t someone else? What is overlooked is not only that people have different needs and abilities and not everyone can come in every single day and meet/exceed expectations (or that the additional burden of trying to do this may not be desirable, and shouldn’t be enforced), but it overlooks the actual lived experiences of this “ideal” figure: what is it costing her to fill this role? Why is she put in a position where she has to? Furthermore, why are you blaming those who cannot do it? While it may be inconvenient for you to “pick up the slack,” rather than blaming your disabled coworker, maybe ask why your employer is setting you both up to fail--why is your coworker being asked to work beyond their ability, and why are you? Why is the workplace not setup to accommodate for disability?

This also ties into another of Stone’s points: that we imagine individuals are “totally able or totally disabled, with no in-between,” and that disability cannot be concealed (418); essentially, in the hegemonic imagination if someone is disabled they should not only experience the same amount of disability at all times, but should be completely (and visibly) disabled. The employed disabled figure is something of a paradox: while neoliberal Model Minority figures exist, those with visible disabilities must either be able to achieve this status, or be viewed as unemployable; this comes out in sentiments along the lines of “Well, if they were able to do x,y,z task last week, they can do it today!” and “All I’m saying is if they can’t do the job, they shouldn’t work here!” With invisible disabilities, it largely comes out as a complete refusal to believe the person in question is disabled; this doesn’t always mean a specific belief that the person is lying, but rather a refusal to engage with, on a meaningful level, the idea that a person who “looks” healthy and normal has real limitations that impact their ability to do things, and is not just “being lazy” when they can’t do something.

So what’s the solution to this? Ultimately, what I want is good allyship. Think critically before you speak. Ask yourself why is it so important to you that your coworkers, who are “suffering extremely” are also meeting your standards of productivity. Look for ways to make your workplace or classroom more accessible. And above all else, try to find ways to build solidarity; instead of praising the woman who is working despite suffering, ask what you and others can do to alleviate the suffering.  

#disability studies #ableism #ableism in the work place #capitalism #neoliberalism #disability #essay #long post #popular

[naruhearts]

FCS Article of the Day || Jan 16 2019 || -Mod @naruhearts

- - - -

Antiracism and America

White people assume niceness is the answer to racial inequality. It's not.

by Robin DiAngelo

- - - -

I am white. As an academic, consultant and writer on white racial identity and race relations, I speak daily with other white people about the meaning of race in our lives. These conversations are critical because, by virtually every measure, racial inequality persists, and institutions continue to be overwhelmingly controlled by white people.

While most of us see ourselves as “not racist”, we continue to reproduce racist outcomes and live segregated lives.

In the racial equity workshops I lead for American companies, I give participants one minute, uninterrupted, to answer the question: “How has your life been shaped by your race?” This is rarely a difficult question for people of color, but most white participants are unable to answer. I watch as they flail, some giving up altogether and waiting out the time, unable to sustain 60 seconds of this kind of reflection. This inability is not benign, and it certainly is not innocent. Suggesting that whiteness has no meaning creates an alienating – even hostile – climate for people of color working and living in predominantly white environments, and it does so in several ways.

If I cannot tell you what it means to be white, I cannot understand what it means not to be white. I will be unable to bear witness to, much less affirm, an alternate racial experience. I will lack the critical thinking and skills to navigate racial tensions in constructive ways. This creates a culture in which white people assume that niceness is the answer to racial inequality and people of color are required to maintain white comfort in order to survive.

An inability to grapple with racial dynamics with any nuance or complexity is ubiquitous in younger white people who have been raised according to an ideology of colorblindness. I have been working with large tech companies whose average employees are under 30 years old. White employees are typically dumbfounded when their colleagues of color testify powerfully in these sessions to the daily slights and indignities they endure and the isolation they feel in overwhelmingly white workplaces. This pain is especially acute for African Americans, who tend to be the least represented.

“How often will a white person accused of racism gather as evidence to the contrary friends and colleagues to testify to their niceness?”

While the thin veneer of a post-racial society that descended during the Obama years has been ripped away by our current political reality, most white people continue to conceptualize racism as isolated and individual acts of intentional meanness. This definition is convenient and comforting, in that it exempts so many white people from the system of white supremacy we live in and are shaped by. It is at the root of the most common kind of white defensiveness. If racists are intentionally and openly mean, then it follows that nice people cannot be racist. How often will a white person accused of racism gather as evidence to the contrary friends and colleagues to testify to their niceness; the charge cannot be true, the friend cannot be racist, because “he’s a really nice guy” or “she volunteers on the board of a non-profit serving under-privileged youth”. Not meaning to be racist also allows for absolution. If they didn’t mean it, it cannot and should not count.

Thus, it becomes essential for white people to quickly and eagerly telegraph their niceness to people of color. Niceness in these instances is conveyed through tone of voice (light), eye contact accompanied by smiling and the conjuring of affinities (shared enjoyment of a music genre, compliments on hair or style, statements about having traveled to the country the “other” is perceived to have come from or knowing people from the other’s community). Kindness is compassionate and often implicates actions to support or intervene. For example, I am having car trouble and you stop and see if you can help. I appear upset after a work meeting and you check in and listen with the intent of supporting me. Niceness, by contrast, is fleeting, hollow and performative.

In addition to niceness, proximity is seen as evidence of a lack of racism. Consider the claims many white people give to establish that they aren’t racist: “I work in a diverse environment.” “I know and/or love people of color.” “I was in the Peace Corps.” “I live in a large urban city.” These are significant because they reveal what we think it means to be racist. If I can tolerate (and especially if I enjoy and value) proximity, claims of proximity maintain, I must not be racist; a “real” racist cannot stand to be near people of color, let alone smile or otherwise convey friendliness.

In a 1986 article about black students and school success, Signithia Fordham and John Ogbu describe a “fictive kinship” between African Americans, a kinship that is not consanguineal (by blood) or affinal but derived from the assumption of shared experience. The racial kinship white people attempt to draw from niceness might be seen as a false or fabricated affinity. Most white people live segregated lives and in fact have no lasting cross-racial relationships. We are in the position to choose segregation and often do. The claims of non-racism that we make are therefore based on the most superficial of shared experiences: passing people of color on the street of large cities and going to lunch on occasion with a co-worker.

Note that our cursory friendliness does not come without strings. Consider the case of a white California woman who called the police this past May when a group of black Airbnb guests did not return her smile. The expectation is that the “nod of approval”, the white smile, will be reciprocated. This woman, like all the other white people who have called the police on people of color for non-existent offenses, vigorously denied she was racist. After all, she did smile and wave before reporting them.

I have heard many black Americans talk about the awkwardness of white people “over-smiling”. The act is meant to convey acceptance and approval while maintaining moral integrity, but actually conveys white racial anxiety. Over-smiling allows us to mask an anti-blackness that is foundational to our very existence as white. A fleeting benevolence, of course, has no relation to how black people are actually undermined in white spaces. Black friends have often told me that they prefer open hostility to niceness. They understand open hostility and can protect themselves as needed. But the deception of niceness adds a confusing layer that makes it difficult for people of color to decipher trustworthy allyship from disingenuous white liberalism. Gaslighting ensues.

The default of the current system is the reproduction of racial inequality. To continue reproducing racial inequality, the system only needs for white people to be really nice and carry on – to smile at people of color, to go to lunch with them on occasion. To be clear, being nice is generally a better policy than being mean. But niceness does not bring racism to the table and will not keep it on the table when so many of us who are white want it off. Niceness does not break with white solidarity and white silence. In fact, naming racism is often seen as not nice, triggering white fragility.

We can begin by acknowledging ourselves as racial beings with a particular and limited perspective on race. We can attempt to understand the racial realities of people of color through authentic interaction rather than through the media or through unequal relationships. We can insist that racism be discussed in our workplaces and a professed commitment to racial equity be demonstrated by actual outcomes. We can get involved in organizations working for racial justice. These efforts require that we continually challenge our own socialization and investments in racism and put what we profess to value into the actual practice of our lives. This takes courage, and niceness without strategic and intentional anti-racist action is not courageous.

#long post for ts #white fragility #the guardian #racism #fandom racism #adjacent #-Mod naruhearts #whoops posted to wrong blog oh well

[queerinette]

What did Thomas astruck do? Why do people dislike him. I want to know so I won't be supporting him

okay, so i’m going to preface this ask with one simple thing: if you like astruc, that’s fine by me. i’m not going to jump down your throat and yell at you for it. BUT i don’t like him. at all. and i won’t communicate with anyone about him if we have differing point of views on his actions. that’s just how it is. 

now, when it comes to the shitty things astruc has done, there’s. a lot. this post by megatraven goes on to detail his shitty behavior up until about 4 months ago. i don’t think i need to recap any of that because it’s all already there.

i believe yesterday, someone asked if there were going to be any LGBT characters in ml and he said to come back after rewatching the show. i believe we call that uhhh queerbaiting? like it takes two seconds to not be a dick and say “yeah, julerose but the network won’t let us explicitly say it in the show so we have to work around it and make it subtle.” but you know, ass truck wouldn’t be ass truck if he didn’t just answer a question without trying to be ~funny~ and ~sassy~ and instead being a dick. 

he also has a tendency to shit on chloe and lila all the fucking time. when i called him out on it, he turned his back and acted like he never does that (my famous header image is from part of that exchange, lmao). he also, recently, pointed out marinette’s flaws but said adrien was perfect like. buddy. asshole. did it occur to you that maybe, in order to push a healthy narrative... YOU NEED TO STOP? LETTING YOUR MALE CHARACTERS OFF THE HOOK? he calls it a feminist show but lets his male characters get away with all their behavior, hmm... sounds like sexism to me, bud. 

and then. oooh boy. yesterday, someone said something about how it must be hard for queer writers to get LGBT characters on ml and his response was “take out queer from queer writers and you’re right.” i mean. seriously. it’s not really a struggle for the straight writers, lmao, please stop pretending that bring an ally is taking a huge toll on you (and i doubt his allyship isn’t strictly performative but that’s what i deduced) when you can’t even give us a straight answer. and he obviously realized that he fucked up because he deleted those tweets and wrote new replies to that. but if you confront him about it, he will pretend that never happened (good thing we like to keep screenshots, eh?). 

his designs are super racist, too, but you know, no one ever calls him out on it. he can’t handle constructive criticism at all. if you tell him, “hey, here’s a thing that happened in the show when it should’ve been like this for better storytelling” and he’ll go off on rants talking about how people need to stop thinking we know better than him when like. we do, lmao. your limited male, racist, straight, and sexist perspective on how to make this show feminist is a lot different from actual feminists, lmao. sorry you can’t handle it. he acts like a giant piss baby. he’s blocked a few of my friends for the stupidest things. they’ll make one (1) comment on his hatred for chloe and boom, they’re blocked. 

(i’’m obviously not included in this because my goal was to get blocked for precisely everything shitty about him. can you tell that i’m proud?) 

if you want to like ass truck, go ahead. i don’t understand why, and i don’t care enough to understand, but that’s because i’m used to being disappointed with content creators. and if you hate ass truck, lol come and scream to me about it because he is! such! a! dick!

[estherroberts]

and nothing ever does begin like nothing ever ends

chapter one: war 

fandom: ars paradoxica, his dark materials

words: 1508

rating: T

characters: anthony partridge, penny wise, patty fitzroy, chet whickman

read on ao3 

series masterpost

October 15, 1941

“fuck.” anthony looks down at his work, looks up at astoria. “jesus jumping jacks on a jester, fuck, astoria, look at this!”

the quail hops her way over to peer down at the lines and lines of equations that cover anthony’s desk. “holy ballsack.”

“my sentiments exactly.”

“that’s the entire continent right there, isn’t it.”

“if— if the german electorate got nippon to attack hispania nova, everyone has to jump in. that’s what an alliance means.”

“fucking shit on a pancake. the LAST war started because everyone had to be so honorable and now look, so much for learning from history.”

anthony sighs. he’s tempted to crumple up all his work and throw it into the trash with the might of a thousand suns. he knows new denmark doesn’t want to be involved in another european war, he knows no one will listen to anything he says when the continentalist mentality runs so strong here. “we gotta tell someone.”

“no. we can’t. we can’t we can’t we can’t, anthony, we’ll get fired, we’ll, we’ll be the boy who cried wolf, the laughing stock of the town. we can’t say it. what if it’s wrong? what if we’re wrong?” she flutters her wings and hops around the desk.

“it’s. not.”

astoria stops moving and looks back at anthony. “i know. that’s why it’s so scary.”

he picks her up and brings her to his chest, kissing her head. “the magisterium has been getting away with some truly horrible things over in europe. if they’re gonna bring the war to us, we should be prepared for it. and we should make sure the other countries are too.”

“it shouldn’t be just us, though.”

“i know. but we figured it out. so we have to tell the world. or at least one guy in a position of power and influence.”

“fine.”

December 8, 1941

“an attack on our allies is an attack on us! an attack. on our allies. is an attack. on us. when the nippons dive bombed san diego, they dive bombed an entire continental allyship. citizens of this nation, the entire republic of texas, we are at war, alongside our sister nations, because we cannot let hispania nova face the terrors of battle alone."

penny finishes cleaning the counter and glances over at the radio. her only customers are two older men, one with a greyhound daemon and one with a goose. they are debating the radio broadcast, and she's listening intently, though she busies herself with rolling silverware into napkin bundles.

"well, he's not wrong, we did swear we'd go to war for any of the continental countries."

"it's just, our president wouldn't bring us into this war if we couldn't profit from it, y’know? so i'm trying to figure out what's in it for us." the one with the hound leans forward in his seat, his daemon perking up her ears.

"hispania nova gets men, money, and weapons. we get zilch. then, when the war's over, they owe us a shitton.”

"yeah but the other countries are jumpin’ in, they're gonna be a helluva lot of debt after this."

"the only reason they can fight back is because they have the might of four other nations to back them the fuck up—“ the one with the goose daemon turns to penny. "apologies."

she waves them off, but brings her bucket of silverware to the back of the restaurant. “dax?”

fiodaxion, her black and blue butterfly daemon, flicks one of his antenna on her ear. “penny?”

“wanna join the army?”

he laughs nervously, almost like he can’t tell if she’s joking.

“seriously.” she unloads the rolled silverware into a larger basket filled with more of the same. “all the fighting, all the glory…”

“we can’t,” dax sighs and flicks his tongue out at her.

“why, cuz i’m a girl? how backwards of you.”

“i mean… do you think they would really let us? and what about the pay?”

“probably not as good as restaurant tips. plus they might throw me in a bomb factory, and i just can’t see myself doing well there.”

“right.” he flutters around the room and pushes to the limits of their range to check on their customers. “need anything boys?”

“nope!”

“no, thank you!”

dax flies back and gives penny what she knows to be his disappointed look. “i bet miles jones is going to enlist.”

“ugh. fuck that guy.” penny bounces up and down on her toes and reaches out her finger for her daemon to land on. “i guess we can see what war effort stuff we can do from home?”

“i guess.”

“and if they open the draft to girls?”

“then we can join.”

September 20, 1941

patty, decked out in faux fur, gold jewelry, and long manicured nails, dunks a calamari into the sauce in front of her. while she’s chewing, she looks over to her daemon and addresses them. “so yesterday i was out with some of the girls, and they introduced this new lady, right? and she was asking about you and so i said, 'they’re at home, no big deal,' and she was like, 'what, do you have more than one daemon? and how are you so far away?'” she pops another piece into her mouth and continues, “and i was like, ‘well, i’m not a witch or anything but we have a really big range,’ of course, cuz you know we were at the cafe just next door, and she was like, ‘ohh, well i guess that makes sense, what does he look like?’ and i rolled my eyes, and i was like, ‘maria’s a fucking underwater volcanic tube worm! they don’t have a fucking gender! what the fuck is wrong with you?’ and she was, of course, really upset because how could she know that people have plant daemons and fuck me backwards, but god, you’re not even a plant, right?”

I DON’T KNOW IF I’M A PLANT. I THINK MOST BODILY FUNCTIONS OF A TUBE WORM ARE CONTROLLED BY BACTERIA. ANYWAY, SHE SOUNDS LIKE A BITCH.

“i’m bringing you with me next time.” she narrows her eyes at the gigantic heated tank. “even if it is a pain in the ass.”

ARE YOU CALLING ME A PAIN IN THE ASS?

“oh, never, darling, i wouldn’t dream of it. just transporting you is tricky, and people get a little freaked out when you,” she taps her head, “y’know, talk.”

OH, FOR FUCK’S SAKE, PATTY.

she glances at the clock on the wall and flicks on the radio. “time to tune into to whatever fresh hell the magisterium is responsible for today.”

I DON’T REALLY WANT TO LISTEN TODAY. WHAT IF ANOTHER COUNTRY GOT INVADED?

“it’s life, maria. it’s our job to know what they’re doing over there. and maybe figure out someway to help.” patty kicks her feet onto the table and finishes the last of her calamari. “ooh! maybe we could find a husband and get into some secret government shit!”

YOU REALLY THINK IT’S THAT EASY? a thousand bubbles rapidly fly to the top of the tank. HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU’LL MARRY SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR THE GOVERNMENT? OR THAT HIS JOB WILL BE SECRET? HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THIS SHIT?

she shrugs. “i have a couple of avenues to explore.”

WERE YOU READING GEORGE FITZROY'S MAIL AGAIN?

“maybe.”

October 28, 1943

“and until that day, we stand guard. we are determined that their plan for world conquest shall stop, here and now. we are determined that they shall never again use peaceful industries for warlike purposes. we are determined that the vicious magisterium cycle of: war, phony peace, war, phony peace, war, phony peace, shall once and for all time, come to an end. that is your job in the war against the german electorate.”

as the projector clicks off, chet turns to arethusa and rolls his eyes. “i think i’d rather sit in an anbaric chair than hear the phrase ‘phony peace’ again.”

“hey now. you signed up to defend this country.” the german shepard gets up, walks in a circle, and settles again at his feet. “least you could do is sit through a good ole fashioned motivational picture show.”

“they need better writers.”

anderson, on the bench next to him, nods and chuckles. “it’s really not us they need to worry about. we’re already here to fight.”

“fight— or swab the deck another thirty-two times.”

chet’s fellow sailor nods again and gets up, his seagull daemon stretching her wings. “speaking of which…”

“see ya.”

“see ya.”

arethusa rests her head on chet’s knee. “don’t be so negative. project rainbow starts tomorrow.”

“ah yes, the mysterious project of which no one on the ship is allowed to know anything about and in which we must all take part.”

she tilts her head from side to side and he sighs.

“i’m kidding, thuse, i’m really looking forward to it. i’m hoping we can find out a little bit more about it.

“me too.”

#ars paradoxica #his dark materials #ars hdm crossover

[reddragdiva]

White Feelings: 0-60 for Charlottesville

reprinted from http://www.erynnbrook.com/white-feelings-for-charlottesville/

contains actual clickable links for things to do instead of just sitting there feeling horrified

by Erynn Brook

Charlottesville is a fucking mess. So here it is: your 0-60 speed-run through your white feelings to get you on board… In no particular order.

Oh my god, I can’t believe this is happening. It is. I’m sorry.

Oh my god, this is just so awful. It is.

I can’t believe this is real. It. Fucking. Is.

How did this happen? Because you haven’t been listening.

I’m not racist. Then fucking prove it.

I’ve tried to help in the past but I just feel so lost. This is because you’re thinking on an individual level. White people are a group and you are a part of that group.

There’s nothing I can do to help. Amplify. Speak out. Follow the voices on the ground. Denounce white supremacy.

I don’t know how to do that. Like this: “What’s happening in Charlottesville is because of us, white folks. It’s because we haven’t been accountable. It’s because we haven’t collected our own people. It’s because we haven’t faced our history and our complacency in this system. People are dying and I’m not standing for it anymore. Not in my name. Racism must be called out, named and abolished. White supremacy must be denounced. Nazis must be stopped.”

But what will people think of me? They’ll think you’re not quite as racist as the people with tiki torches but slightly more racist than the people getting run over by cars in counter-protest.

Oh my god, I feel so guilty. That’s because you’re thinking on an individual level. There isn’t time right now to educate you on all the systemic issues, but trust that this is not all your fault personally, but it is your fault if you personally don’t do anything.

I can’t get into a fight on the internet, I never know what to say. Then disable comments on your post and get on with your life. Or leave the comments on so you can weed out who’s a problem on your friends list.

I believe in peace. Then start acting like it. Peace does not happen by ignoring hatred and violence.

Why can’t we all just get along? Because people, including you, keep ignoring the problems and not addressing them directly.

I’m scared. You should be.

I just want life to go back to normal. Your normal was what led to this. Things cannot go back, I’m sorry that you’re uncomfortable now, but this is the reality that people of color have been living with forever. There is no normal.

I don’t want to say the wrong thing. Saying nothing is the wrong thing. You might mess up your wording, you might not be clear. But say something, say anything. Silence is violence.

How can we come together? I don’t know. I don’t think we can, and we can’t think about that right now. We can’t come together until we know who the sides are, and you standing in the middle isn’t helping.

I’m frozen. I’m helpless. No you’re not. You’re on the internet. Entire revolutions have been fought on the internet. Get connected and listen to what is being asked of you.

I’m praying for the people in Charlottesville. That’s nice. Ever hear the story of the man in the flood, sitting on his roof and praying for God to save him? Go google it, then do something after you’re done praying.

What do I tell my children? You tell them there are people in this world who hate other people for the color of their skin and you are not okay with that.

I’m shaking, I’m nauseous, what is going on? That’s probably anger. Get into it, it’ll help fuel you. It’s not evil, it’s a tool. Anger cannot be willed away, it is an outward emotion that requires action.

I feel like I’m just cycling through. That’s normal. That’s the spiral. You’ll go through guilt, shame, anger, relief, over and over again. That’s normal. None of these feelings are here for a moment then gone forever. And the longer you push them down the more intense they become and the less you learn about how to deal with them.

Maybe this will all just blow over. Maybe, maybe not. Be like the scouts and be prepared.

I feel really targeted with all this talk of white people. I know. You’ll get used to it. It won’t always paralyze you.

Something about Martin Luther King Jr. Shhhh. SHHHHHH. No.

I want to say something eloquent and intelligent. Use a thesaurus. Just say something.

This is so overwhelming. Focus. One thing at a time. Right now we want to help counter-protesters in Charlottesville. We’ll get to the big picture stuff later.

Okay, so what’s the first thing I can do? Denounce white supremacy publicly, on all your social media accounts.

What’s the second thing I can do? Donate here. https://fundly.com/solidarity-c-ville-7-8-anti-racist-legal-fund

What’s the third thing I can do? Donate here. Black Women Being will provide funds to individuals on the ground. https://www.safetypinbox.com/donate

What’s the fourth thing I can do? Donate here. Nice White Ladies has an emergency fund that is directly available to community organizers. https://www.nicewhiteladies.com/reparations

What’s the fifth thing I can do? Get on Twitter and Facebook and ask your friends to donate as well.

What’s the sixth thing I can do? Donate to BLM Charlottesville, they are on the ground. https://www.paypal.me/blmcville

What if I don’t have money? Get on Twitter and Facebook and start amplifying voices. Keep your feelings out of it, keep focused on taking action.

Oh god this whole thing makes me sick, I just want to hide. Don’t. This discomfort is normal. You can do something about it. You should not feel normal today.

Okay, what else can I do? If you feel like you need more education on anti-black racism, sign up for Safety Pin Box.

I feel so far away from everything. Contact your local Black Lives Matter chapter and follow them.

I just want to know how we can fix all this? We’ll get there, but we can’t give you the big picture right now because it’s not an easy fix. We need people like you doing smaller steps. This isn’t a linear path. There will be many things to do.

Who are you to tell me this? You can read through this blog to find out or go to Nice White Ladies to learn more about what I do.

I’m supposed to listen to the voices of people of color. Yes you are.

You’re white. Yes I am.

Why should I listen to you? Because you’re in your feelings and it’s my job to collect you and keep that emotional labor from people of color who are fighting on the front lines. The people being pepper-sprayed right now don’t have the time to talk you through your guilt.

White people doing anti-racism work are problematic. Yep, a lot of them are.

I went to an anti-racism workshop once and I think you’re doing this wrong. That’s cool, please go do it your way. We really just need more people standing up right now. I don’t care how you do it.

What’s the best course of action for allyship? This is not about giving you a sticker. Don’t try to be the best ally. Just be present, do something, do anything. If you’ve done nothing because you’re worried about being the best, then you’re a bigger problem than someone who’s trying but messing up.

What do I do when someone corrects me? Say “thank you” and apply the correction. It’s not about you, it’s about what’s working and what’s not.

I have so many thoughts and feelings about this. Please do not unpack them publicly. There are spaces for that.

I believe in non-violence. Non-violence is a privilege to those who are not being directly subjected to violence.

These alt-right people are all just basement dwellers and trolls. They’re not. They’re your friends and family. Your cousins. Your neighbours. They are everywhere and you need to make your position clear.

This is all Trump’s fault. These people didn’t materialize because of Trump. They’ve been empowered by him and his rhetoric. Do not waste time pointing fingers at Trump.

It feels unpatriotic to criticize free speech. What is the line between free speech and terrorism? Everyone must decide that for themselves, don’t just recycle someone else’s talking points without thinking it through.

My parent/sibling/partner/friend is one of these alt-right supporters, how do I bring them around? First, accept that you may not be able to. That doesn’t mean you can’t challenge them on it, it means you have to set boundaries for yourself. Decide what is acceptable and what is not, and don’t bend on your limits.

What can I do to protect myself? Enable two factor authentication on your social media. Also – start training. I suggest Krav Maga. Of course if you used to twirl batons back in the day, you’re halfway towards being Morgan from The Walking Dead. Because when it comes to your town, you’re going to stand up.

This could never happen in my town. Really? There’s another white supremacist rally planned for Seattle tomorrow.

I just want someone to tell me what to do. Scroll up, start over.

I’m really scared. Yeah. That’s normal.

This isn’t America. Actually, it is. If you imagine a different America then get out there and build it.

I’m angry about this. FUCKING GOOD.

No I mean really angry. That’s right! Get angry!

RAAHHHH! FUCK YOU NAZI SCUM! Yes! Go! Fly my pretties! Fly! FLY!

#dear anne tifa

[health-andfitnessinfo]

[health-andfitness]-How one simple tweak to your email signature supports LGBTQ+ inclusivity

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Emails are a medium for sharing a message, and they’re not new (bear with me here). But something that is relatively new? The email signature—that often-automated inch at the very bottom of your message—holding the power to send a separate message. Like a tweet, the character-limited, easily-digestible space allows for concisely sharing a bit about who you are, what you do, and even where you’re from. So choosing what to disclose (or not!) sets a tone all its own. This is especially true at work, and especially if you want to share facets about yourself and your identity—like your pronoun of choice.

You may have landed on a generic signature ages ago—full name, job title, workplace address, phone number, Instagram handle—without giving it a moment’s thought since. That was the case for me, at least. But the latest book from gender-diversity advocate Lee Airton, PhD, Gender: Your Guide, brought to my attention that something important and informative is missing. They say putting (“signposting”) your pronoun of choice in your email signature could help increase a vibe of inclusivity and ethic of LGBTQ+ allyship in your office and in the world at large.

For basic background, here’s the SparkNotes breakdown of the pronoun issue: Gender exists on a spectrum. We’re no longer just cisgender women (she/her/hers) or men (he/him/his); we’re trans*, gender-fluid, genderqueer, nonbinary, and agender. Some trans* folks identify as either a man or a woman, and use the correlating pronouns. Others have a fluctuating gender identity, no gender at all, or genderqueer identity and use neutral pronouns like they/them/theirs or zie/zim/zir. (Nico Tortorella, for example, recently came out as using they/them/their pronouns.)

“I send over 30 emails a day, where I tell the people that I’m emailing that I use they/them pronouns, simply by putting ‘Pronouns: they/them’ in my signature.” —Lee Airton, PhD

For trans* folks, gender nonconforming people, and those whose gender identity may not align with how they’re publicly perceived, putting their pronoun preference in an email signature can help prevent mis-gendering. “I send over 30 emails a day in which I tell the people that I’m emailing that I use they/them pronouns, simply by putting ‘Pronouns: they/them’ in my signature,” says Dr. Airton.

But signposting isn’t just a practice for the LGBTQ+ community. When a cisgender person—or someone who is read by others as their identifying gender 100 percent of the time—showcases their preferred pronouns, it helps to normalize the practice for all people and recognizes that gender is way more complex than just “male” and “female.” “It says to the LGBTQ+ community that you are an ally, that you are someone who will receive correction well if you’ve been using the wrong pronouns for them,” Dr. Airton says. “When I see or hear someone signposting, I know that sharing my own pronouns with them will likely go smoothly. It may seem small, but these small, everyday changes trickle down.”

It’s no secret that trans* and gender-nonconforming people face intense workplace discrimination, which is why it’s more important now than ever for cisgender people to support their trans* peers.

Though signposting in email signatures won’t totally fix the intense discrimination trans* and gender nonconforming people face at work or on a daily basis, it does help. And considering that attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community have worsened (especially for trans* people of color) under the Trump administration, it’s more important now than ever for cisgender people to support trans* peers in these small but public ways. 

Another reason cisgender people should consider adding their pronouns to their signature? Well, the opportunity cost simply doesn’t exist. Career expert Lauren Berger, founder and CEO of Intern Queen, assures me this is the case even for work-related emails and job interviews. “I’ve found that for potential employers, there two schools of thought when you include your pronouns in an email: The first is celebratory. The employer wants open-minded people with different perspectives working on their team, and they see the pronoun inclusion as a signifier of a progressive mind-set. The second is that it’s extra information. This is a conservative viewpoint, but to these employers, the pronoun inclusion is just an added detail—and not a make-it-or-break-it one,” she says.

The same holds true if you’re now choosing to add your pronoun preferences to your current work email signature. “I’d recommend mentioning it to the person who helped you set up your email signature when you were first hired, but there’s no right or wrong way to do this,” Berger says.

When you add your pronouns to your email, you may get some questions from coworkers. To help ’em out, consider hyperlinking to resources like MyPronouns.org or TheyIsMyPronoun.com. Then, just keep being your best whole, authentic, awesome self.

While you’re thinking about your email, avoid including these nine annoying phrases. And if you’re trans* or gender nonconforming and trying to figure out whether or not to come out at work, this five-step guide can can help. 

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[howlsmovinglibrary]

Review: Quicksilver by R.J. Anderson

Back in her hometown, Tori Beaugrand had everything a teenaged girl could want—popularity, money, beauty. But she also had a secret. A secret that could change her life in an instant, or destroy it. She has one last shot at getting her enemies off her trail and winning the security and independence she’s always longed for.

Quicksilver is a backlist book that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, by R. J. Anderson, an author I love. I enjoyed Ultraviolet, the first book in this series which focuses on Alison, who believes she has murdered a girl at her school, without having a memory of the actual event. She tries to find out the truth, while struggling with synaesthesia. The tightly connected nature of this duology means that this review will spoil Ultraviolet, so if that sounds like your kind of book – go, read it! Now! And leave this review behind!

A note: I have, at points in my life, identified as asexual and still feel that I fall in the ‘gray ace’ territory. But it’s never been a hard and fast thing, and trying to taxonomies my sexuality is actually something that causes me a lot of stress. So when I discuss the ace rep in this book it is a very personal opinion: I’m in no way an expert and I certainly don’t speak for the ace community with much confidence at all.

Things that I liked:

Tori. There are many things that I can say about Tori. She is a female engineer, asexual, and also an alien. When I initially read this description of her character, I was worried by that overlapping of tropes – I think that even ‘engineer’ and ‘asexual’ had a potential for unfortunate implications (just in the sense that if you say, added ‘neurodivergent’ to that mix, you’d be entering the territory of a stereotype), even without the fact that she is technically a different species. But the thing about this book is that it takes that premise and unpacks it well, dismantling any assumptions and misgivings I had.

 The author detaches Tori’s asexuality, in no uncertain terms, from her biology. No room is made for these to be connected. Tori herself assumes that her ‘alien’ nature is responsible for her aversion to sex, until she meets Faraday who is…very much not averse at all. Here we have a slightly absurd but utterly accurate example of how having multiple instances of representation can help avoid unfortunate implications – because there are two aliens and one of them is very much not asexual, we can see that they’re not linked (in the same way having, say two women/poc/lgbtq characters can provide a variety that debunks implications that are potentially placed on one ‘token’ character.

 RJ Anderson uses Tori’s status as an engineer to challenge other prejudices, and the gender inequalities within STEM, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a book that explicitly uses a tech girl character to do that.  My favourite exchange in the book is the following:‘”He probably thinks I like his quadrotor because it reminded me of a butterfly.” “And he probably thinks I’m going into engineering because I’m Korean.”’ Some would argue that this might be a little trite, but I enjoyed the blunt calling out. I think, for a non-own voices author, Anderson does fall on the right side of allyship where she calls out every assumption made by the white, allosexual members of her cast (Tori’s parents in particular), without trying to step into stories that aren’t really hers to tell.

 think that possibly the most important thing that adds nuance to Tori’s narrative voice in this book is the position she held in Alison’s narrative in the first book. To Alison, Tori was the ‘perfect’ high school girl: beautiful, charismatic, popular. So everything we learn about Tori, from her interests to her sexuality, as well as the insight we get into her anger and frustration, works to dismantle that flawless ‘mean girl’ persona of the first novel. What you end up with is a multi-faceted character, once the one dimensional girl who haunted the sidelines of Alison’s story

The plot. I think the plot, and it’s pacing, was perhaps stronger than Ultraviolet. Though both science fiction novels, Ultraviolet starts off slow and almost ‘Bell Jar’esque, a lot more focused on Alison’s experience of perceived schizophrenia, with the sci-fi elements only coming into play in the last third/quarter of the story. Quicksilver is much more of a science fiction thriller from the very beginning, Tori’s need to flee Sudbury driving the pacing up almost immediately. I also felt that the subplot of her relationship with Milo was handled well, in that it didn’t detract too much from the actual plot of the story and still felt like a useful part of the narrative. Not having been in an asexual relationship, I can’t personally speak for the accuracy of the resolution of that plotline, but I was pleased with how the importance of communication (in any relationship, including Alison and Farraday’s) was at the forefront of the narrative, and the fact that Milo and Tori’s dynamic never required a compromise or unwilling moving of boundaries on Tori’s part.

Alison and Tori’s relationship. Damn, this is probably my favourite part of the series, but I couldn’t put it at the start of the bullet point list without explaining Tori first. Tori embodies I think what most people would count as a ‘strong female character’ – intelligent (with a focus on masc coded interests), highly competent under pressure, able to do some pretty badass stuff without batting an eyelid. And before your eyes roll out of your head, I think what makes this amazing is how much she admires and values Alison, who in many objective terms is ‘weaker’, often overwhelmed by her synaesthesia and much more emotionally sensitive. These women are placed on equal grounds as embodying strength in different ways, and the growth of their relationship from rivalry to close friendship is just lovely.

Things I didn’t like:

 There isn’t actually anything I didn’t ‘like’ about this book, but I sometimes got confused by what was going on. The motives of certain characters, such as Deckard, were unclear – which is fine from an objective point of view, but I wanted to know what was driving him so that he wasn’t just a villainous figure hiding in the shadows, feeling more like a plot device than an actual character. There was even moments with Faraday where something would happen (one thing in particular) that was acted out as a betrayal, and yet I didn’t exactly *know* why he did it. I mean, some of this is the limitations of 1st person perspective, but I think there were points where more explanation was needed for events to make sense. I kind of just accepted elements of the resolution (Deckard backing off, Tori’s final decision, and forgiveness of Faraday), without really knowing what had happened, which made it less satisfying.

Overall, this was a really strong book that I think used its main characters to make certain points, and makes those points well. It was a refreshing and intriguing YA book to read, and good for fans of low-key scifi.

Overall Rating: 4/5

#quicksilver #review #r.j. anderson #ace rep #asexual protagonist #asexual mc #scifi #ya #backlist book #booklr #female friendship

[theassociatedpross]

Do Black Lives Matter at Annie Wright?

The following post originally appeared as a two-part post by Jessica Paco on her Facebook page. It was in response to a post by the Annie Wright Schools on June 2nd, which read: “We are here for our black community in solidarity, support and love. bit.ly/2Xpwj0j #BlackLivesMatter,” and had an attached graphic of the Annie Wright logo (its famous arches) embedded within a golden heart. The link attached to the Annie Wright post was included in their post, and links to a letter that was sent out to Annie Wright parents, students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni on June 2nd as well. Jessica’s response to Annie Wright’s post is reprinted here with her permission without any edits beyond merging the two posts into one.

Part 1:

It has taken me two years to verbalize an incident that occurred at Annie Wright Schools. Two years too long. White silence is a privilege and I am sorry that I did not speak up or speak out loudly enough. 

BLACK LIVES MATTER

I am sorry that it took me two years to tell this story. It is not about me. It is about voice and I was silent. I kept silent for the wrong reasons. I was scared that my voice would negatively affect my colleagues. I was scared that my voice would negatively affect my students. Annie Wrights Schools has a prestigious name. I was scared that good people associated with the school would be embarrassed or angry about what I had to say. I was scared that my voice would hurt my family. After two years, I am still scared. 

BLACK LIVES MATTER more than my fear. 

Two years ago in May 2018, I turned in my letter of resignation to Annie Wright Schools. I worked with the school for five years operating as both a lower school and a middle school Spanish teacher. A week after I turned in the letter, the Director of Middle School pulled me aside in the cafeteria and asked if I had ever worn a Black Lives Matter shirt to school. I asked why. I was informed that a parent was airing grievances with the school and that this was one of the raised concerns. I said that I had worn the shirt in the fall to a basketball game. There was a staff vs. student blackout game (you wear all black). I had worn it as part of my black attire. I didn’t end up on the court as we needed some teachers in the stands to monitor the students. So yes, I wore the shirt to a school event. I asked if this was a problem. I was assured this was NOT a problem. The director was just “fact checking” the information and I was assured multiple times during this informal discussion that the shirt was not a problem. I went to the Director’s office after school to express my concern for the questions that were asked of me in the cafeteria and that I still felt shaken by the idea that a concern like this had reached me. I would’ve hoped to have blanket support for such a complaint. Again, I was assured that it wasn’t much more than part of a laundry list of concerns that one family had expressed. In fact, this family had also expressed concern that a black student had worn a BLM shirt and they thought this was also inappropriate. 

BLACK LIVES MATTER, so I wore the shirt again.

There was an off-campus event at American Lake. Seventh grade students make wonderful milk-boats and try them out on the water. On this particular day, it was rainy and very cold. I wore my BLACK LIVES MATTER shirt under an unzipped fleece, but it was there. The following morning, I was wearing a Martin Luther King shirt to school. I was approached again by the MS Director. They asked me if I had worn the BLACK LIVES MATTER shirt to the event at American Lake and I said yes. They said, “Didn’t I tell you not to wear it again?” to which I replied, “No. Actually, you said you were just fact-checking and that you didn’t see any problem with the shirt. I need you to give me a clear message on this. If Annie Wright thinks that wearing this shirt is wrong, then I won’t wear it again. So is it right or wrong?” They replied, “It is wrong.” The Head of Schools (HoS) wanted to speak with me. I was scared.

BLACK LIVES MATTER more than my fear.

I believed that explaining the situation was all that would be necessary. Clearly, there must be some misunderstanding. The shirt is a statement of solidarity. The shirt is inclusive. As a white teacher in a predominately white school (both faculty and student body), the best thing I could do for a student of color would be to identify myself as an ally. That is also why there is a corner of my classroom with the only posters you will find in English. Those posters declare the following: WE THE PEOPLE: ARE GREATER THAN FEAR; WE THE PEOPLE: DEFEND DIGNITY; WE THE PEOPLE: PROTECT EACH OTHER; and finally, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”-MLK Jr. Even the MS Director had specifically complimented me on including this area in my classroom. None of these explanations were welcomed or accepted.  HoS said that I had been told not to wear the shirt again and that I deliberately disobeyed direction. I assured HoS that the Director (who was present in this very meeting) did not previously give this message and that, in fact, had expressed that there was no problem with the shirt and that the conversation was just a “fact checking” mission. I would also like to note that such directions usually would require a meeting in an office and/or an email to put such a direction in writing. I was told that the shirt was political messaging. “Is it anymore political than the shirt I am wearing today or the messaging in my classroom?” To which HoS said, “I don’t have any idea what is on your shirt.” I replied, “This is Martin Luther King.”

MARTIN LUTHER KING’S LIFE MATTERED

I was told a few things that I will never forget as they both shocked me and placed upon me a fear that I will never quite wrap my head around. HoS told me I was insubordinate. I was a week away from finishing my contract and looking for new employment, and I was being accused of insubordination. I remained silent. HoS then repeated that the Black Lives Matter shirt was indeed political messaging, that I knew it was, and that such ideas should be kept private. HoS specifically said, “Don’t you think that our conservative, republican, full-tuition paying parents see this as political messaging?!” I remained silent. 

I REMAINED SILENT.

Part 2 

I was placed on administrative leave for a day without pay. The conditions of my return were that I would not speak about the incident; I would not do or say anything that could be considered political; I would not say anything about this or any related topics. If I could not meet these requirements, I would be fired. The last term was not dependent on whether I completed my contract or not: I would not be allowed to receive letters of recommendation from the Lower School Director, the Middle School Director, or anyone else affiliated with the school. I could only attain one from the Head of Schools. I agreed to the terms and I kept silent. The next day a black teacher wore a Black Lives Matter shirt to school. They were told to cover it up. They were told by the HoS that the shirt was problematic and that it put the school in an awkward position. White lives also mattered. They covered up the shirt.

BLACK TEACHERS MATTER

There was an all-faculty meeting called to the Chapel that week. The shirt was discussed. Teachers were allowed to ask questions about what constitutes political messaging on our behalf. An LGBTQ teacher asked if their pride bracelets qualified as political messaging. They were told no. They disagreed with HoS and explained that surely, even their presence in the classroom could be considered political depending on who was the judge of such things and so certainly there was likely a family that did not approve of the bracelets. This did not qualify as political messaging according to HoS. This was a double standard. I remained silent. I finished my contract. 

BLACK VOICES MATTER

That summer, the faculty dress code was amended to read: “Employees are expected to dress in attire appropriate to the work being accomplished and to the educational environment. Inappropriate attire includes but is not limited to: clothing with written or graphic messaging…” The shaded piece was added to ensure that there would be no more written or graphic messaging to express that BLACK LIVES MATTER. It was added to silence the faculty. It was added to give power to the members of the Annie Wright Schools community that politicized black lives. These are the voices that Annie Wright Schools valued in 2018. We already had diversity trainings, committees, and surveys about our best practices. We knew better. Diversity, equity, and inclusion were already pieces of our strategic plan. I am not sure what has changed in two years other than the opportunity to post on Facebook and not appear complacent. 

SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER; MAKE BLACK LIVES MATTER

I would like to see a day when Annie Wright Schools puts in the effort to recruit and hire BLACK TEACHERS. A lot of them. Surely a school that has multiple employees from across the globe can find qualified black teachers in Tacoma, the greater United States, or abroad. I would love to see a day when Annie Wright Schools (and any other school) use the term anti-racism as part of their mission and vision statement so that protecting black voices and implementing inclusive curriculum is part of the norm. It may not sound like it, but I loved working for Annie Wright Schools. It is a special place that does a lot of good. There are many wonderful faculty and staff there. There are many wonderful students. I am sorry if my voice hurts them. However, Annie Wright Schools and Head of Schools needs to be held accountable. I am accountable for my silence. I was wrong. I will continue to work towards better allyship and to accept criticism.