#really underlined how dismissed Natasha was

[rivertalesien]

Spoilers ahead.

So I want to talk a little about Black Widow, how it's a film that definitely should have been made years ago, how it borrows heavily (and well) from CAaTWS, the Jason Bourne films, and Salt, how Florence Pugh really shines in this, how I liked that the Black Widows were just badasses and not used for sexual sport or seduction, David Barbour in that suit, Rachel Weisz in *that* suit, the lack of any other Avengers or related characters (save General Ross), but mostly just how this wasn't really a Black Widow movie, brought us nothing we didn't already know at least a little or guess a little of, and didn't really connect with Natasha Romanoff's ending, excepting the post-credits scene (adding in all those BWs and a Russian super soldier who were no-shows in Endgame and never-mentions throughout the film series really puts this film far outside of where it should have/could have been).

The Natasha we knew over the course of all the Avenger's films and a few side gigs for Iron Man and Captain America was summed up in one line from CAaTWS: "Who do you want me to be?" She is the ultimate token female super agent/spy/warrior who never exists for herself, but only in service of someone else's story.

In this film, it might be her service to Pugh's Yelena, Natasha's younger "sister" from The Red Room, after she is freed from a mind control experiment to go on and become her own kind of superhero. She doesn't really become Natasha's protégé, ala Tony Stark/Peter Parker (a story development that really didn't need to happen, either), but she does have Natasha around as a sort of shepherd, giving her hope for redemption and a new start (along with a new franchise addition, no doubt).

While we are introduced to figures from Natasha's past (Weisz and Barbour are so much fun to watch), and she is allowed a (very cool) moment to free herself from an emotional burden we never really got to see her carry before (thus negating its impact), the best bits really belong to Pugh, so once again, Natasha is basically a token character on someone else's ride. And none of the Wonder Boys from her previous films even show up to give her some support. Eh.

If this film had come out right after Civil War (where it belongs in the canon), it would have been a welcome reprieve from the Wonder Boy's Club, and would have given us some characters who might have worked well in Infinity War/Endgame and given Natasha a greater emotional connection, people who care about her beyond looking Sad (tm) after her sacrifice. But it's hard not to see how even in a cinematic sense, Natasha was always something of an afterthought.

The film is a hoot though, and Pugh, again, really stands out (as she should), with Johannson taking a mostly graceful step back. Big of her, really, considering how Natasha was used throughout the Avenger's run.

From the post-credits scene it's pretty clear Pugh will be taking over the Black Widow title , but it looks, for now, that her next appointment is likely only in support for a Hawkeye film, not her own adventure.

It's a tradition.

#Black Widow #spoilers #Scarlet Johannson #Florence Pugh #Marvel #MCU #that post-credits scene though #really underlined how dismissed Natasha was #How nothing was about her ever #and now never will be #what more could disney do to water this down? #all that said #props to director #cate shortland #who has a deft touch for the humorous as well as action scenes #if only they'd made this an origin story #instead of borrowing from all of the above #i mean there were times when the Bourne energy hit like a few of the cars that plow into Natasha in this film #I'm sure Europeans never tire of seeing their streets and cities demolished by us in films

[thepartyresponsible]

so here’s a short fic about what could have happened the morning after the events of winter soldier, if the team was ever actually allowed to get along. it’s 100% ridiculous team fluff.

After the fall of SHIELD, after that whole surprise splashfight in the Potomac, after the Winter Soldier hauls Steve Rogers out of the water and is subsequently tranq’d into unconsciousness thanks to Clint’s excellent – albeit somewhat belated – sharpshooting, Tony decides it’s time for the Avengers to rework their communications plan.

“I mean,” he says, with the kind of truly theatrical astonishment he saves for special occasions, “a phone call, Rogers. I had to track you assholes through CNN.”

“We were on the run,” Steve says. “How was I supposed to--”

“On the run!” Tony points emphatically at Bruce. “And you didn’t invite Bruce? He loves being on the run, Steve, and you know that.”

“What? That’s not...” Bruce looks between them and blinks. “Tony, I don’t actually--”

“You don’t have to make excuses for him, Bruce,” Tony says, waving him off. “The point is, he had a big adventure without us, and look what happened.”

Across the table, Natasha coughs something into her fist that sounds suspiciously like Mandarin.

Tony makes a noise of wounded shock and swivels to face her. “Settle down, Data Breach,” he says. “I had a weekend rager and lost a few suits. You and Steve partied so hard you toppled a government agency, adopted a stray super soldier, and leaked exceedingly personal details on every single one of us. Half of the world’s seen more than half of Barton’s ass, and I, personally, am affronted on his behalf. His behind? His behind’s beha--”

“Tony,” Steve says, rubbing at his face. “Do we have to do this right now?”

“Oh, why? Do you have afternoon plans, Steven?” Tony paints on an expression of thoughtful concern. “Are you gonna take down the CDC this afternoon? Leak Bruce’s sex tape and topple the U.S. National Park Service?”

“Okay,” Bruce says, “I have a number of objections to that statement. The first being--”

“You have a sex tape?” Clint lifts his head off the table for the first time in ten minutes. He’s a red-eyed, bedheaded mess. He washed up on Tony’s doorstep a few hours back, driven from his apartment by people who wouldn’t quit climbing the fire escape to press their faces against his windows and ask for autographs. From the videos Tony’s seen of Clint fleeing Bed-Stuy, he barely made it out with his life and virtue intact.

“No,” Bruce says. He’s flushed to his ears. “I don’t have a sex tape. And, if I did, it wouldn’t be at all related to the National Park Service. Tony, I really don’t know why you would even connect the two.”

“I have a question,” Sam Wilson says. He has his hand up and everything. Tony refuses to be charmed by him, no matter how mercenary he is with that slightly gap-toothed grin.

Tony gives him dual finger-guns to really underline how not-charmed he is. “Talk to me, Goose.”

“Yeah,” Wilson says, “can I go home?”

“Oh, you sweet, summer gosling,” Tony says, under his breath. And then, louder, “JARVIS, give us some drone footage of Mr. Wilson’s home, please.”

JARVIS projects a feed onto the space above the breakfast table. Wilson’s not an Avenger or a SHIELD agent; he’s new and handsome, but he doesn’t have anywhere near the following that the rest of them acquired post-New York. So there’s just a modest showing on his sidewalk, six or seven news vans and about twenty people prowling around interviewing neighbors. As they watch, one guy lifts the lid on Sam’s garbage can.

“Oh my God,” Sam says. “It’s not even trash day. What the fuck.”

“Sam.” Steve looks stricken. He has a habit of doing that, Tony’s noticed. It’s a nice midway point in Steve’s I fucked up realization pattern, tends to make an appearance after the consequences of his actions settle in but before he resolves, stoic and grim-faced, to do the same damn thing all over again if God, duty, or Lady Liberty demand.

Tony likes to think his own I fucked up routine is a bit subtler. But, to be fair to Steve, he’s had more opportunities to practice.

“They’ll be gone in a news cycle,” Natasha says, coolly dismissive of everything that isn’t the half-eaten almond croissant in front of her.

Tony rolls his eyes. “Right, and will that be before or after Congress drags in half the team?”

“Aw shit,” Clint groans, face mashed into the table again. “Am I gonna have to wear a suit? Nat, you’ll do it for me, right? Wear my face and do all the—you know. The testifying part? Bartons don’t do well in court.”

“I can’t testify in front of Congress,” Bruce says. He’s starting to look suspiciously bug-eyed. The wider his eyes get, the more likely Tony is to wake up in the morning and discover his favorite houseguest has fucked off to Malaysia. “I don’t like public speaking. I’ll break D.C.”

Tony snorts. “D.C.’s been broken since the 1700s.”

“Hey,” Steve says.

“No, no, let him speak,” Sam says, not even looking up from his scrambled eggs. “The man has a point.”

Tony blinks. “Hey, Wilson, you wanna stay here til the reporters stop camping out at your house?”

Wilson flashes him another adorable grin and then proceeds to wink at him. “Sure thing,” he says. “Was that a hot tub I saw on the roof?”

“No,” Tony says, “but it will be by the end of the day.”

Clint manages to visibly perk up without ever actually lifting his head. “Hell yes, a hot tub party. I think I sprained something dodging all those civilians.”

“International super spy,” Natasha reminds him. Some of that almond croissant is stuck to her chin. Tony has never met a braver pastry.

“International super spy,” Clint agrees, pointing at himself, “with zero collateral damage in the past six months. I wasn’t gonna break my streak trying to get away from Suzie Grabbyhands. Although, honestly, next time, Nat, if you’re gonna leak my personnel file, maybe redact the pictures from that undercover gig in St. Barths. You know the effect they have on people.”

Tony clears his throat. He saw the pictures years ago, back when Clint’s file cropped up in the list of potential Avengers candidates, but he’d still been left slightly stunned when they resurfaced post-Potomoc splash-pocalypse. It would take a stronger – and straighter – man than he to become so quickly inured to the sight of all that well-muscled, freckle-dotted skin.

“Speaking of which,” Tony says. “Barton. Do you still have that swimsuit? And, casual follow-up question, will you be wearing it to this evening’s hot tub party?”

Clint tips his head up just far enough to level a surprisingly devastating smirk Tony’s direction. “Is that gonna cover my rent?”

“I’d like to focus,” Bruce says, “if we could, on the massive data breach that Steve and Natasha--”

“Yeah,” Sam says, “me too. But, real quick, I have some questions about this swimsuit.”

“Natasha’s got a matching one,” Clint says. Steve chokes on his pancakes. “Very relaxed public decency laws in the French West Indies.”

“Romanoff,” Tony says, turning a beatific smile her direction, “what are your thoughts on hot tubs?”

#writing #fic

[theundercovermarvelfan]

(Still finishing up the 31 prompts for the Whumptober Challenge for @whumptober2019!)

Day Thirty - Recovery

“Son of a bitch,” Natasha sighed wearily. 

Just to be sure, she pushed open the door to the private infirmary room, but it revealed what she had already deduced from looking through the window. The room was empty. She honestly wasn’t that surprised, but she was incredibly annoyed. She turned back to the keypad next to the door and found that the face had been pried off the wall and several of the wires had been pulled. 

She stalked back out of the room and down the hall to the elevator. She hit the button impatiently three times, waited a few seconds and then hit it again. Finally the elevator arrived. She stepped in, tapping her foot and crossing her arms tightly over her chest as the elevator took her up to the common floor of Avengers Tower. 

Steve, Tony and Bruce were all gathered around the kitchen, apparently having just finished lunch. 

“Stark!” Natasha snapped as she strode across the room. Tony flinched and turned as she approached. “Aren’t you supposed to be keeping an eye on Clint?”

“I told you she was going to be mad,” Bruce told Tony lowly. 

“Calm down, Fatale,” Tony said, putting out a placating hand. “He was dead asleep so I figured I’d grab some lunch. He’s in good hands, his door is alarmed and JARVIS will notify me if he tries to go anywhere. Trust me, he’s still safe and sound down in the infirmary.” 

“Trust you,” Natasha said with a glare, crossing her arms over her chest. “Then please explain to me why I just came from his empty infirmary room.”

There was a beat of complete silence as three sets of eyes stared at her in disbelief. 

“That’s impossible,” Tony said, but there was a note of uncertainty in his tone. “JARVIS.” Silence. Which was unnerving, considering JARVIS had never once not answered Tony. That point was underlined by the astonished look on Tony’s face as he looked up and around as if he would be able to spot JARVIS somewhere above them. “JARVIS?” He pulled his StarkPhone from his back pocket and started thumbing around the touchscreen. “What the hell…?” 

“Did Barton disable JARVIS?” Steve asked in surprise. 

“No, no that’s impossible, totally and completely impossible,” Tony mumbled as he stared down at his phone. “There isn’t even an access point to JARVIS’ mainframe down in the infirmary, it can only be accessed from my workshop. And anyway, I would have been alerted in JARVIS went offline. Unless…” He paused and his eyes widened. “Sonofabitch.”

“What?” Bruce said curiously, coming up to look over Tony’s shoulder. 

“He used the StarkPad I left him and somehow managed to override the volume for JARVIS’ sound system.” He paused and hit a few buttons. “JARVIS?”

“I am here, Mr. Stark,” came JARVIS’ calm voice, and Natasha didn’t miss the way that Tony’s muscles relaxed at the sound. 

“I didn’t know Barton knew how to hack,” Tony said, sending Natasha an accusatory glare. 

“You remember that he’s a SHIELD Agent, right?” Natasha said, arching an eyebrow. 

“But why would a sniper need to know how to hack?” Tony insisted. 

“He’s more than just a sniper,” she said with an exasperated sigh. 

“But I thought the door was also alarmed,” Steve said. 

“He disabled that through the keypad,” Natasha said. 

“With only one working arm?” Tony demanded. 

“SHIELD Agent!” Natasha snapped. “Clint has broken out of much more secure places with much worse injuries.”

“Okay, but shouldn’t we be looking for Clint?” Bruce spoke up tentatively. 

“I can have JARVIS scan the building,” Tony started. 

“Don’t bother, I know where he went,” Natasha said, waving her hand dismissively as she spun on her heels and headed back for the elevator. “I just wanted Stark to know how incredibly thick headed it is to underestimate Clint.” 

By the time she stepped into the elevator, all three of the men had joined her. She shot them a questioning look. 

“Well, I need to see how this turns out,” Tony said with a shrug. “I’m technically supposed to be watching him, after all. 

“And I’m here in case he needs medical help,” Bruce said. 

Steve glanced from Tony to Bruce and then looked at Natasha sheepishly. “I’m just curious.” 

Natasha rolled her eyes but jabbed the button for the floor that she wanted. No one spoke as the elevator steadily rose through the floors of the Tower. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened.

“Really?” Tony said in disbelief. “Why would he come here?” 

“It’s comforting,” Natasha said as she stepped off the elevator and onto the floor that housed the Tower’s shooting range. 

Tony, Bruce and Steve trooped awkwardly behind Natasha. She sent a glare over her shoulder at them when she stepped into the range, and they took the hint and stopped in the doorway, allowing her to enter the range alone. 

The range was quiet as Natasha walked down the row of stalls, glancing into each one as she went, though she knew which stall he would be in. As she had expected, as she got to the last stall in the row, she finally saw Clint sitting on the ground, leaning heavily against the wall and his head turned downrange. His bow lay next to him and his quiver was tipped over with arrows scattered around the area. 

“You didn’t seriously think you were going to be able to use your bow in your condition, did you?” Natasha said, eyeing the thick wad of bandages that encased Clint’s shoulder and the sling that strapped his arm across his chest in order to immobilize it. 

Clint looked up at her with tired eyes. “No,” he admitted. “I just… miss it.”

“I know,” Natasha said with a sympathetic sigh as she crouched down next to him. She knew that his bow was more than just a weapon for him, it was also something he found comfort in. “It’s only been a few days since you shattered your collarbone, though. You need to take it easy and heal so that you can fire that bow again.”

“If I can fire my bow again,” Clint mumbled. 

“You’ll get there,” Natasha promised him. “It’s going to take some work and it won’t be easy, but I know for a fact you’ll get there. Now, c’mon. You know you’re not supposed to be out of the infirmary.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Clint sighed. 

Natasha ducked under Clint’s uninjured arm and helped carefully lever him to his feet. He swayed unsteadily for a moment, but regained himself quickly. 

“You know, you got me in trouble.” They both turned their heads to see that Tony had approached. “Your scarier half tore me down good over your little field trip.”

Clint smirked. “You’re the one who left your post.”

Tony rolled his eyes as the three of them started moving back down the row of stalls, Clint still leaning on Natasha and Tony falling in on his other side and placing a hand on Clint’s back for balance. 

“We also need to talk about your little hacking spree,” Tony went on conversationally with a sideways glare, though there was an amused smirk playing at his lips. “That is just not cool messing with a man’s best AI friend.” 

#whumptober2019 #no.30 #fanfiction #fanfic #clint barton #hawkeye #natasha romanoff #Black Widow #Steve Rogers #captain america #Iron Man #tony stark #bruce banner #hulk #Avengers #whump

[tsuki-chibi]

 “Not only that, you might’ve heard him asking for help. Instead, you insulted him and threatened him with dismissal from the team.” “What?” Natasha blurted out. “Steve!” Bruce exclaimed at the same time, sounding horrified. “You didn’t.” Steve frowned. “I don’t want anyone on the team who can’t support their teammates,” he said stiffly. “It was a legitimate threat.” “Then you should throw yourself off the team,” Bucky informed him. “Because that’s exactly what you did to Tony.” 

I write too many fics. I had a really hard time remembering what fic this was from! It’s chills me to the bone.

So, Natasha and Bruce are legitimately horrified here. This is the kind of situation where Steve was bullshitting just to get his way: there is no way that Natasha and Bruce would’ve agreed to remove Tony from the team and Steve knew it, but he also knew it was a threat would motivate Tony.

In this scene Steve is feeling very called out and does not like it. This is the kind of attitude I always imagined Steve would have if Tony and Bucky ever started becoming friends. Very aggressive, all in the name of “protecting Bucky”, always painting Tony as the potential bad guy in anything that happened, always under the guise of team unity. But! Never being self aware enough to realize that he’s essentially being a bully.

This confrontation was planned from chapter 1; I always knew I wanted Bucky to confront Steve and lay out the facts for him. I really wanted to underline how Steve can have blinders on sometimes: he forms an opinion and twists the facts to suit that opinion, rather than trying to see things the way they are.

#anon #chills me to the bone #ask games #dvd commentary

[sahibookworm]

Release Date: January 7, 2020

Genre: YA Non Fiction

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Purchase Links: IndieBound || Harlequin || Amazon || B&N || Chapters

A timely and heartfelt collection of essays inspired by the #MeToo movement, edited by acclaimed young adult and middle-grade author Janet Gurtler. Featuring Beth Revis, Mackenzi Lee, Ellen Hopkins, Saundra Mitchell, Jennifer Brown, Cheryl Rainfield and many more. When #MeToo went viral, Janet Gurtler was among the millions of people who began to reflect on her past experiences. Things she had reluctantly accepted—male classmates groping her at recess, harassment at work—came back to her in startling clarity. She needed teens to know what she had not: that no young person should be subject to sexual assault, or made to feel unsafe, less than or degraded. You Too? was born out of that need. By turns thoughtful and explosive, these personal stories encompass a wide range of experiences and will resonate with every reader who has wondered, “Why is this happening to me?” or secretly felt that their own mistreatment or abuse is somehow their fault—it’s not. Candid and empowering, You Too? is written for teens, but also an essential resource for the adults in their lives—an urgent, compassionate call to listen and create change.

Trigger Warnings: As a book about the #meToo movement, this deals with themes from catcalling or verbal abuse to rape and incest and everything in between. So, please take care and decide if you are in the right headspace to handle this book.

I’ve read quite a few books in past couple months that dealt with sexual harassment in the workplace and the rise of the #meToo movement. So, when I saw the announcement of this book in which many YA authors are sharing their own stories and letting young women know that they aren’t alone, I was very excited to read this book. And I really am honored to be a part of this blog tour.

This is a painful and difficult read, partly because of the experiences of the authors and how they are still common after all these years, partly also because they brought up many of my own memories which I may have tried to forget. It’s also a very diverse collection of experiences and each author talks about their own way of dealing with their trauma, and that’s definitely an important message for young women that there is no single right way to react or respond.

It took me a while to read it completely because I could only handle it in small doses, but nevertheless, it’s a very important book and I would love to give this to any young woman I know. But I also think it’s important for adult readers like me to read because we all have had these experiences and it’s good to know we are not alone.

I’m not going to rate any of the individual stories, just share my thoughts on each of them below:

It’s our Secret by Patty Blount

As a survivor of child molestation, the author asks a very timely question – when her parents asked her to keep it a secret about what happened to her, were they sparing her the ordeal of being dismissed, or were they just sparing themselves?

Wishing on Silver Dollars by Jennifer Brown

This was painful to read because it’s so relatable and common. The author delves into all the ways girls are sexualized since puberty (which is worse for the curvy girls) and how we are so used to verbal comments and leering and groping that by the time we are ready to start our careers, we just consider this harassment part of our lives. But what hit me most was the author talking about how we feel shame for being harassed when it’s the other person’s fault. This is definitely a lesson that young woman needs to be told – it’s not your fault.

This is How it Ends by Tiffany Brownlee

As a young black girl with a sheltered upbringing, the author experienced both racial and sexual harassment and I really felt for her because she too concluded at that young age that it must be her fault. But as an educator currently, she emphasizes that such harassing conduct arises from ignorance or lack of empathy, and it’s necessary to teach kids to respect themselves and others, and exercise self-control.

Sugar, Spice and Not so Nice by Jess Capelle

The author’s harassment experiences and the way they are dismissed by the adults through the years are all too familiar, and she stresses that despite being taught from childhood that we girls should keep quiet and not make waves and just be nice, we really shouldn’t do that. We have a voice and we should use it to stand up for ourselves and not let anyone get away with harassing us.

Bus Stop Witchcraft by Kenna Clifford

As a young bisexual woman, the author talks about being a bit luckier to be able to grow up in the generation where #meToo movement is prominent and atleast some women are able to speak about their experiences. And she also talks about the need to speak our stories and make our voices heard.

Young but Not Powerless by Eva Darrows

The author talks about her experiences with harassment in school from teachers and how much worse it is than if the perpetrators were boys her own age, because these teachers had power over the students. And her mentioning that many girls knew about it and just warned younger girls to be safe, rather than reporting the issues just underlines the harsh reality that sometimes it’s easier to keep ourselves safe than try to get a harasser punished.

It Was Me Too by Dana L. Davis

As a survivor of childhood sexual assault, the author talks about how she internalized the shame that it was all her fault, and how it completely changed her as a person well into adulthood, how she learnt to just be aloof and hide and never put herself in a vulnerable position. This is another reality for so many women and it was heartbreaking to read about.

Anything but Ordinary by Ronni Davis

The author talks about the shame in wondering what she might have done and how her not acting her “color” had contributed to her being assaulted, and later on feeling anger and shame for all the instances when she didn’t speak up. There is also the feeling that she can’t use #meToo because what happened to her wasn’t too bad. But ultimately it’s about the fact that every single instance matters and we are not alone.

Not that Kind of Girl by Natasha Deen

The author talks about boundaries and emotional violence in her teenage years, and how traumatic it can feel when the whole school judges you for something you haven’t done. But she is also very graceful in her message that sometimes restraint is important, we should speak up for ourselves but never say anything in anger that we wouldn’t say in normal situations.

How do I look ? By Nicolas DiDomizio

As a young gay man in the closet, the author talks about how his shame about his body and weight made him accept the things that were done to him even when he knew they were wrong. And he makes a great point that self worth doesn’t and shouldn’t depend on how you look and I think it’s something we can all keep in mind.

Gray Lines by Namina Forna

As an African immigrant and also a child survivor of war, the author talks about not understanding the concept of personal space and just not making a fuss when a teacher violated it because she didn’t want to be a problem. But I’m glad that she was quick to recognize grooming and make herself safe after that, so I completely agree with her message that make a fuss and say no whenever anyone disrespects your personal boundaries, and do whatever you need to keep yourself safe.

No, Not Me! By Jenna Glass

This was definitely an eye opening read because the author talks about how we normalize so many harassing behaviors like flashing or groping or unwanted touching, never realizing that these are also forms of sexual assault. She talks about the importance of talking about these issues and not letting anyone get away with these kinds of actions without consequences.

Before Starbucks or Cell Phones by Janet Gurtler

The author’s experience was tough to read about, but I was also glad that she had atleast one teacher who listened. But the common theme of shame still comes through, with young girls always wondering if they did something that made the boys or men behave so badly. And I think that’s why the author’s message is important that we shouldn’t keep these things to ourselves, we should talk to and support each other, so that we may one day get to a world where a girl can say it has never happened to me.

The One we don’t Talk about by Teri Hall

This was absolutely horrific to read about and I don’t have words to describe the strength it must have taken for the author as a young girl to finally tell someone about all the abuse that was happening in her house. As the author says, believe in yourself and never let your abuser convince you that you don’t matter because you do.

A Long Overdue Confession by Ellen Hopkins

This is mostly the author introspecting her decisions when she was eighteen to have an affair with a married man and how she was taken advantage of due to her naïveté. She also wants to share the story to prevent if possible other younger girls from succumbing to older men’s attention and flattery, particularly those girls who already have body image issues.

Bathsheba by Mackenzi Lee

Through the Bible story of David and Bathsheba, the author tries to make the point that despite what we’ve been told since childhood, we are not responsible for making men comfortable or for their violent actions; none of our dressing or talking or anything is a reason for men to violate us and we should always remember that.

Burn by Saundra Mitchell

The author lists instances after instances where she was violated but couldn’t do anything because she felt trapped but her realization after she turned seventeen is something we can all hope for – to start believing in ourselves and finding our voice and never stopping ourselves from expressing our anger.

Just Smile by Ali Novak

The author’s story highlights the fact that even if we haven’t been physically assaulted, words flung against us can cause equal emotional trauma, and that’s why we should use our own words to tell our stories and never minimize what we’ve been through.

Boys Will be Boys By Eve Porinchak

Another experience where the boys’ actions are blamed on the girl’s clothes, but I was very glad to know the author had a supportive family and learnt to stand up for herself at a very young age. We all definitely need that conviction.

There is Strength in our Voices by Cheryl Rainfield

I can’t even begin to understand the strength it must have taken for the author to run away and survive her whole childhood where she was part of a cult and her own family raped and tortured her, but I tip my hat off to her for finding the resilience and the queer community that helped her. And that’s why she insists that it’s important to listen and talk to other survivors, so that we may help others while also helping ourselves and not feeling we’re alone in our ordeal.

Pretty Enough by Beth Revis

This is a story of the author’s realization that how wrong it was of her to internalize the feelings that only beautiful girls got harassed and because she wasn’t, it meant she wasn’t worth it. She talks about how harmful this divide is and basing self worth on looks is, and asks us all to understand that there is only one side – all of us women who have to stick up for each other and not let anyone else make us feel powerless with their words or actions.

My Oklahoma History by Andrea L. Rogers

As a Cherokee citizen from Oklahoma, the author uses her tribe’s history as a parallel to how indigenous women are treated – both have a right to their sovereignty but it’s always threatened. And she makes a wonderful point that women don’t need to forgive anyone for the purpose of moving on – forgiveness can be a consideration if someone is making amends but it means nothing if the violator has no regrets.

Class Valedictorian by Lulabel Seitz

As a young Asian woman who was assaulted by a rich white classmate in high school, the author talks about the ways in which she was silenced and disbelieved by those in power because they didn’t want to discomfort the perpetrator. When she says that money and holding onto old white power structures matter more, I don’t see anything wrong about it because that’s still the world we live in. But I admire her for speaking up even when she was forced not to, and trying to keep doing it for other people even at such a young age.

No Right Way to be Wronged by Mischa Thrace

This is a different take on all the above experiences but it’s not wrong in anyway. The author talks about how no one is owed our secrets or the details of what happened to us, and it’s totally our choice. It’s ok to not want to be a spokesperson for the cause or tweet about our issues. After her own assault, the author found it easier to deal with it by expressing her anger through learning Muay Thai and just like her, everyone has the right to find their own way of dealing with the trauma, even if it is silence.

Notes on Girlhood by Amy Zhang

The author talks about all the overwhelming feelings that one is bombarded with after a sexual assault happens, because we aren’t sure how to process the trauma; and navigating it becomes a big part of our life. She talks about being fortunate enough to have a friend group as well as a therapist who helped her untangle all her feelings and feel like herself again a little bit, and that it’s enough for now.

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Giveaway

We are giving away two copies of YOU TOO?, signed by each author. Entries are automatically entered with a donation to RAINN (the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization) on our YOUTOO Fundraising Page. 

https://fundraise.rainn.org/team/273355

About the Editor 

Janet Gurtler’s young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce and a Golden Retriever named Betty White.

Connect With Janet

Website: http://www.janet-gurtler.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4147574.Janet_Gurtler

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janetgurtler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janet.gurtler

Blog Tour Organized By:

YA Bound Book Tours

[Blog Tour] ARC Review: You Too? Edited by Janet Gurtler Release Date: January 7, 2020 Genre: YA Non Fiction Publisher: Inkyard Press Purchase Links: IndieBound || …

#Anthology #Non Fiction