#Black men's experience of gender is very racialized and often harmful

[xaverie]

Once again we need to remember that multiple things must be true at the same time, and the conflict between these existing truths remains the point of Intersectionality as an intellectual and philosophical praxis. ok.

1 - Currently, according to the numbers we have available, the percentage of acts of violence that are committed by cis men is orders of magnitude greater than the percentage committed by trans men and non-men.

2 - This is a cultural and behavioral phenomenon, NOT an inherent or biological one. The proportion of cis men who have acted violently is relatively small compared to the total population of cis men. Plenty of men never take a violent action in their life. Plenty of women do. Rates of violence are decreasing across the board, which proves this is not a matter of human/male nature.

3 - Most people of marginalized gender and sexuality will experience sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. Almost everyone personally knows someone who has been a victim of rape, intimate partner violence, or murder.

4 - "Not being afraid of me" is not something that is owed to anyone, despite how much it hurts to be the object of someone else's fear. "Not being afraid" is not a political action we can ask people to take. "Not being afraid" is an internal experience, not an activist stance or proof of moral enlightenment.

5- What we can ask of people is to manage their actions to align with the rights of all human beings. What we can ask people to do is assess whether their fear is rational and act accordingly. What we can ask people to do is judge whether their fear response is causing unnecessary harm, or infringing on the rights of another person.

6 - The question to women is whether they would rather be alone in the woods with a random man who they have no knowledge about, or a random bear that they have no knowledge about. There are no further parameters, therefore people engaging in the hypothetical are asked to rely on their existing experiences and knowledge on men and bears.

7 - As far as I know, there is no record of a bear ever raping a human. There is no record of a bear ever keeping a human alive for months or years to torture them. As far as I know, there is no record of a bear ever killing someone for reasons other than food, safety, or disease; reasons that are sometimes possible to mitigate. As far as I know, bear encounters are rarely ever fatal.

8 - As far as I know, people are more likely to commit a crime in situations they are unlikely to be caught. Like in an isolated, difficult to navigate environment like the woods, for example. As far as I know men are several times more likely to commit rape or murder than are non-men. As far as I know, women are much more likely to be blamed for the violence enacted upon them by men than by bears. These are the true things that the hypothetical is getting at and that the answers are highlighting.

9 - As far as I can tell, it is not unreasonable to be more afraid of encountering a man in an isolated, dangerous situation because the potential outcomes are more extreme (both worst case AND best case), while the potential outcomes of encountering a bear are more narrow.

10 - "This person is not a man, but is in fact a woman" Is additional information that changes both the parameters and the premise of the question, so it makes sense that someone would change their answer based on that information.

11 - Trust is not a human right, and withholding it is not an infringement. Fear of and safety precautions taken because of men in situations where violence is proven likely is not irrational, even though that fear gets misdirected toward innocent cis men, trans men and women, non-binary people, gender non-conforming cis women, or racially masculinized cis women.

"Stop being afraid of men ever (because they might not be men)" is not a reasonable solution to this problem.

12 - Excluding trans women from single-sex spaces however IS an infringement on their human rights. The very existence of many single-sex spaces causes unnecessary harm for no material benefit. Denying trans women the recognition and affirmation of their identity is absolutely an infringement on their human rights. Using fear as a reason to discriminate, subject people to violence, or threaten them with institutional power is unacceptable and MUST be opposed in every single instance.

THAT is a stance we can ask people to take.

13 - We must expect that men are capable of the same compassion for human life and community respect and cooperation that we expect from everyone else, because we can see it every day in our friends and family and neighbors. We must discard the idea that men are predisposed or inherently inclined toward violence because we know that isn't true. We must do this while continue to fight (and guard) against misogyny. It is a huge part of that fight.

Because these things are ALL true at the SAME time.

The idea that trans women should be allowed in single sex spaces for cis women is completely contradicted by the man vs. bear discourse. Ignore that I keep going back to the meme - maybe it's still doing numbers, I don't know, but it's good shorthand either way. If you think men are inherently suspicious and dangerous, ask yourself: why does that not apply to trans women?

What, exactly, does a trans woman do to make herself different from men? How are you not advocating a belief in male socialization which can only logically apply to trans women as much as it does cis men? It boggles the mind how, if that's a true concept, one could simply self-identify out it. Yet, the way transradfems talk, literally the only thing that distinguishes an AMAB better-than-bear from an AMAB worse-than-bear is that the former says they're totally better than a bear and you should take their word for it, which if men are really Like That should be of little comfort or security.

Some, even, will make impassioned defenses of butch trans women, which as a butch trans woman is great. But then they'll go on about how evil men are, and how innocent and victimized trans women are, and I wonder, what, exactly, differs an especially trans woman from a man to them? If, like me, a trans butch woman doesn't always wear clearly feminine clothes, has body hair, maybe even a shade of facial hair, and doesn't at all try to train her voice, you're going to be uncomfortable with them right up until they realize they forgot to put their pin on and you see the she/her. Apparently that flips the switch from someone you desperately don't want to be alone with to someone you're totally fine undressing in front of?

All that sounds like TERFism, which is exactly the problem. The transradfem version of reality is one where TERF talking points are completely logical. They are not logical in my version of reality, YOU have constructed a system perfect for them to operate in, that their ideology is fantastic for pointing out errors of reasoning in, as if it was deliberately crafted by them to be deconstructed. I would not at all be surprised if that's the origin of a lot of transradfeminism, a psyop to make the trans community weaker with logic knots that TERFism can swing through like the Gordian Knot.

If you accept man vs. bear, TERFism is the only logical conclusion. If you don't, as I don't, then it isn't.

The only alternative is that you think being a woman is the only thing anyone should be and "choosing" to be a man is morally inferior. Which I shouldn't have to tell you is horrifying. It's also again incongruous with at least your defense butch trans women - what exactly defines a "man" and a "woman" when a butch trans woman doesn't have to try to pass at all? You are literally saying all of this, gender, transmisogyny, misogyny, hinges entirely on pronouns and a difference of two letters in the name of what they call themselves, someone is dangerous or not depending on if they go by he/him or not.

TERFs will see this and be like "yeah! exactly!" BUT MY POINT IS USING THAT TO SHOW YOU SHARE THE SAME FOUNDATIONAL LOGIC AS THEM. If you don't want TERFs to have a point then you can stop accepting their worldview any day now! Come join me and frolic freely where we think TERFs are wrong!

[drdemonprince]

I'm a trans guy and tbh I feel like I don't fully understand the transandrophobia debate. Based on my understanding of intersectionality & transfeminism, I think that trans men (largely) experience transphobia and misogyny, while trans women (largely) experience transphobia, misogyny, *and* transmisogyny -- I also think it's necessary to discuss issues that specifically affect men without describing them as forms of oppression or discrimination against men. But that's just accounting for intersecting identities (including both marginalized and privileged identities) rather than only accounting for intersecting oppressions, right? I feel like some people using the term "transandrophobia" either seem to be confusing these two concepts or mistaking gender essentialism for discrimination against men (though some just use it to describe a subset of transphobia rather than an intersection, it seems like). In any case, even though misandry isn't a real systemic issue, I can understand why some people feel like there's missing language or frameworks when it comes to discussing the ways men, and trans men specifically, are treated (and the ways they/we treat each other). I'm not sure what better alternatives are available, but I'm sure some are possible. I'm wondering if I'm misunderstanding something or if you have any other thoughts on this. Thanks!

It sounds like you understand this 1000% better than every sincere transandrophobia poster. Not every unique experience is a locus of oppression that needs a systemic oppression label -- but yeah, of course, it merits being talked about.

For example, lots of trans men have a hard time in coping with the shift from being treated with emotional deference and warmth by strangers, to suddenly being treated quite coldly or even in a mistrustful way by strangers. That is a real, painful experience -- and it's one that is wrapped up in damaging gender norms that do also negatively affect cis men. It's not androphobia, but it is a consequence of sexism and the gender binary that sucks, and it merits speaking about.

Where things get dicey and fucked up is when men (either cis or trans) take a painful experience like that and declare that it means they're actually more oppressed than women.

(And, as Lee ButchAnarchist often points out, women's emotions are even more policed than men -- yes men are denied tenderness and warmth from total strangers, but they are showered in affection and caretaking by the women close to them, and they are allowed rage a whole lot more than women, in general. so it's overly simplistic and sexist to say men are more societally emotionally repressed. this dynamic plays out among trans men too -- we are given a lot more latitude to be emotionally explosive. trans women, meanwhile, are told they're being "scary" if they have any negative emotion. This is all also racialized -- Black people of any gender are basically never afforded the chance to voice negative feelings in public no matter how much they police their tone.)

I think a lot of trans masc people have a sudden rude awakening that being treated as a man can be painful and complicated, and that the gender binary harms everyone, and that there is a social price to pay for the privileges of being deferred to, respected, and so on. They also don't want to acknowledge when they are being respected and deferred to -- owning up to having any male privilege feels dirty and wrong to people, which is silly because it's just a reality, it has no moral bearing on the person experiencing the privilege. And of course it's often an incomplete privilege because of sexism and transphobia. But it still happens. Particularly within trans spaces.

I don't think this conversation will move forward productively until more trans men are capable of acknowledging that many of us have privilege and that we are very capable of hurting other people, being sexist, and speaking over trans women. And that's why we gotta make this transandrophobia stuff just completely socially unacceptable in our spaces. It is exactly the same as being a Men's Rights Activist. There are real men's liberation issues! Any worthwhile feminism will also liberate men! There are lots of aspects of the gender binary and patriarchy that are harmful to men, and that's worth talking about. Same with transphobia. But we can't have that conversation when men commandeer it to talk about how actually women have it better and all that vile shit. That talk is used to silence women, trans and cis alike.

[undead-moth]

Okay so, yeah, I can try:

One time I fell prey to scrolling instragram and came across a video made by a Black woman who said that someone approached her and said, "I just want to let you know, I totally support trans rights." Basically, she was saying, "This person said this to me because they thought I'm a trans woman, but I'm not a trans woman."

The comments were filled with Black women who were rightfully offended by the idea that their Black features were perceived by default as being masculine.

However - they were also being horribly transphobic in the comments and I made the foolish mistake of leaving a comment something like, "Hey, we can acknowledge that it was racist for this person to assume a Black woman was a trans woman without being transphobic."

And pretty quickly I was bombarded with a number of replies from these women who were adamant that they weren't being transphobic, that it's just a fact that men and women are biologically different and have different features, and one insisted that there are features only men have and that "you can always tell" when someone is trans, and that the only reason this supposed person made the mistake of assuming this Black woman was trans was because they were racist -

And I tried, very patiently, to explain that no, there are not any traits that only men have, and you can't always tell, and it's precisely this kind of thinking, this belief that women and men are so sexually dimorphic that "you can always tell," that leads people directly into believing that any random Black woman could possibly be a man. I tried to explain that the features society believes "only men have" are not coincidental, that they're informed by white supremacist ideals, and that women of color often have those features, and that is the very reason why women of color are being mistaken for being trans even when they are cis.

And this was the wrong thing to say, because in this woman's mind, she still devoutly believed that there are features "only men have" and that "you can always tell," and me saying "these are features women of color often have too" basically confirmed in her mind not only that I was racist, but that any feminism that supports trans people was racist too.

And I tried to explain that it wasn't just features that women of color often have that flags a woman as potentially trans - but that all women who deviate from the White Supremacist Heteronormative Patriarchal ideal of femininity and what a woman should look like can also be mistaken for being trans, or at the very least, are often degendered in some way, because at the core of radical feminism is not just the belief that trans women aren't women, but that any woman who isn't white, gender-conforming, straight, able-bodied, thin, Christian etc. - none of them are real women either. Trans women are certainly the greatest target, and the ones most egregiously harmed, because they challenge this ideal so extremely, and challenge everything these systems of power believe in so thoroughly, and granted, cis women are never going to be subjected to genuine transmisogyny the way trans women are - but the further you are from that ideal the more likely you are to be degendered or treated like less than a woman.

My argument didn't get through to this woman. And from what I can tell based on observing the occasional similar terf conversation I bump into on tumblr, it doesn't get through to other terfs of color either. They have already decided that trans identity isn't a legitimate identity, and that trans women aren't real women, and so they have also already decided transphobia doesn't exist. Because of that, when they have these conversations, they instead focus on just the racism, and any attempt to point out to them that transphobia is directly intertwined with this specific racialized experience, and that it wouldn't even exist without transphobia existing, that the two of them can't be extricated, will only get you called a racist.

i feel weird commenting on "high T cis woman in sports is the subject of transphobic attacks" type incidents because like, its just racism, right? there's barely any transphobia left in the picture

[brightershadows]

Euphorically Honest-- Euphoria, Teenagers, and the Realities in Hardship

OVERVIEW

Euphoria is brutally honest about the hardships of life. Focusing on the stories of a group of teenagers in modern-day California, it navigates through issues of drug addiction, sexuality, masculinity and femininity, violence, and depression. It can be tragic and liberating. But it is honest. Created by Sam Levinson, a screenwriter for Assassination Nation and The Wizard of Lies,  the story reflects on his own experience with drug addiction as a teenager, as well as having a loose basis in an Israeli show of the same name (Stack, 2019). The story follows a group of young people of varying genders, ethnicities, classes, and sexualities, including the drug-addicted narrator Rue, new-to-the-suburbs Jules, Cassie, beautiful but easily manipulated, her kind and easy-going sister Lexi, Kat, who embraces her body type as she gains confidence through sex, Nate, a manipulative and dominating male with control issues, and his girlfriend, Maddy, who battles her self-identity and her reliance on Nate (Levinson, 2019). Euphoria can be seen as overly graphic, or critiqued as too sexual, but its mature nature allows it to unearth the ugly truths about life, living, and loving, and the beauty behind the hardships too. 

EPISODE TWO REVIEW

In “Stuntin Like My Daddy,” Nate discovers his father’s sex tape collection at a very young age, videos of his father having sex with several people. This is where Nate’s disdain male sexual anatomy stems from. Nate quickly becomes infatuated with Maddy. Whether disturbing or romantic, he fantasizes about hurting or killing the person who dares harms her. A series of flashbacks from Rue’s summer shows her consuming various drugs and getting high, fighting with her mom, waking up in the hospital, and singing in the car with her mom and sister, highlighting what she has gone through as well as her relationship with her family. On several occasions, Rue relapses. Reluctantly and unable to say no, she takes a dose of fentanyl. Unaware of the consequences, Jules is called to take care of Rue. Their friendship further develops. Kat learns that an explicit video of her has been posted to a porn website. When the video’s view count continues to grow, Kat is intrigued and signs for a web cam streaming account. Obsessed with Maddy, Nate begins stalking Tyler, Maddy’s most recent hookup. Maddy, still wanting to get back together with Nate, tells him that she was blacked out and did not mean to do what she did. This causes Nate to believe that Tyler had raped Maddy. Furious, Nate breaks into Tyler’s apartment and beats him half to death. At the end of the episode, we learn that the guy Jules has been texting is named Tyler but it actually turns out to be Nate.

Nate Jacobs is the typical football jock, yet he exhibits anger, aggression, and sociopathic behavior. Rue Bennett struggles with her own psyche as she suffers from ADHD, bipolar, general anxiety, BPD (borderline personality disorder), and drug addiction. Jules Vaughan is unapologetically herself, although she seems to seek attention, approval, and sexual relationships from men who are undeserving of her. Maddy Perez is the popular cheerleader who knows she is attractive and she goes after what she wants. She stands up to everybody else except Nate. Kat Hernandez may seem like a side character, the fat best friend, at first, but she finds her confidence grows as an individual. Fez/Fezco is Rue’s main drug dealer. Although he supplies her, he also cares for Rue and does want her to get mixed up with a worst crowd.

Although there are people of color in the show, there could always be more representation of race. Rue and her sister, Gia, are mixed, with a Black mom and a white dad. Maddy is Latina as both of her parents are Latino. Kat Hernandez is also of Latin descent but we do not see much of her parents or family. Every other (main) character in this episode is white, this includes Nate, Jules, and Tyler. This show, and episode, is not particularly making any waves or strides with their representation of race. And with the representation of race that they do have, there is no portrayal of racial identity, culture, or heritage. Jules definitely stands out as she is a transgender woman. She is currently taking hormones and her father and closest friends accept her for who she is. Jules goes on to have sexual encounters with older men as well budding romances with boys her age. Nate is a stark contrast to Jules, with him being set in his heteronormative, gender binary ways. Most, if not all of the characters identify with the gender that they present. The males, Nate and Fez identity as male. The females, Rue, Kat, Jules, and Maddy identify as female. The main characters mainly fall into one of the two binary genders. All of the romantic or sexual relationship aspects in episode 2 revolve around a male and a female, such as Nate and Maddy, or Maddy and Tyler, or even Jules and her mysterious texter (a man). To my knowledge, there is no presence of a non-binary or agender character. Jules, a transgender woman, challenges Nate’s notion of the strict gender binary system.

Euphoria definitely relies on stereotypes because the writers of this show intend on having the characters break said stereotypes. Kat is initially insecure and self-conscious. After she has sex for the first time and the video of the act gets leaked, she redefines herself. Her sexuality blossoms throughout this show as she also begins to have casual sex which normalizing women having and enjoying sex. Kat becomes comfortable with herself by wearing clothes that are considered more edgy, outfits that she would have never worn before. Kat’s character breaks the sexuality stereotype because the media hardly ever sees a plus-sized woman be expressed in a sexually positive light, even though it may not have started out that way. Nate’s character is embodiment of the toxic, cis-gendered white masculinity. He describes the perfect girl as dressing more feminine, acting like a “proper lady,” and overall more “girly” as opposed to “tomboy.” Because he is so uncomfortable with the male sexual anatomy, and even disturbed by how comfortable others are, he may have some issues regarding internal homophobia. Nate does not really defy this stereotype, his character is the epitome of this stereotype. Maddy, a cisgender, heterosexual female, understands the delicate nature of the gender constructed society. She has prioritized Nate and his needs sexually by watching porn in order to mimic what the porn actress does so that she can please Nate. Her sexuality is rarely mentioned, it only rises in conjunction with other boys. Jules’ character as a transgender person challenges the conventional gender roles and constructs. Jules is very comfortable with herself and her sexuality and is proud of who she is.The concept of a non-binary gender system perplexes many people. With the current administration, transgender rights are not protected. In fact, transgender people are continued to be discriminated against. The Trump administration has played a major role in “withdrawing regulatory protections for transgender children in schools, fought recognition of transgender people under federal employment laws, banned transgender people from serving in the military, rolled back protections for transgender people in prisons, and threatened to cut off funding to schools that let transgender girls participate in sports” (Thoreson). Although Jules is able to be who she want to be and live the life that she wants, this may not be the case for many transgender people in the real world outside of the show.

Today people are often quick to criminalize or shun drug users and addicts. They are quick to judge and want the most severe punishment to be given. But medical professionals know that addiction is a very serious disease, one that requires “treatment, compassion, and support” (Siegel). Euphoria attempts to destigmatize and humanize addiction. The legal system should not be punishing people who have abused drugs by putting them into a jail cell where they are isolated from society, instead these people need real help through rehab and various treatments. Due to the fact that Rue had several relapses once she completed her rehab program, one may say that these programs do not work; however there is no singular timeline to get better. It may take weeks, months, or years, and the journey is difficult. But society cannot give up. Social and political reforms concerning drug use/abuse and addiction is very much needed. 

EPISODE THREE REVIEW

In ' Made You Look,' Nate meets Jules on a gay dating app disguised as Shyguy118. Although Nate doesn't identify as gay, Jules reveals being transexual and quickly falls in love with Shyguy118, oblivious to his true identity as a classmate at the same school. Maddy becomes skeptical of Nate and searches through his phone and, in shock, learns of Nate's involvement with a gay dating app and nude sending with Jules. Jules's heightened obsession over the mysterious Shyguy118 leads Jules to agree to meet Nate for the first time in person near a lake at night. While all of this unfolds, Rue, who is Jules's supportive best friend, at first, entertains Jules's fantasies by helping Jules send pornographic images to Nate. However, tension arises when Rue exposes her worries for her best friend and undeniable attraction for her as more than just friends. Unfortunately, Jules did not reciprocate the kiss they shared. This sent Rue spiraling into a frenzy and falling back into the addictive habit of taking pills and getting high, undoing Rue's 60-day clean streak. Embarrassed, Rue runs straight back to Fezco, her drug dealer, in hopes to illegally obtain more drugs to numb the humiliation she felt. Fortunately, Fezco doesn't give in to Rue and shuts the door on her, leaving Rue to look toward Ali, an omniscient man she met at a therapy gathering for drug users to seek guidance.

Kat, a Tumblr fanfiction queen, masks herself while exploring her curiosity for explicit content and webcam streaming. She exposes herself to lingerie and twerking on her account; she agrees to perform a private camera meet with a man who falls in love with Kat's powerful and sexual dominatrix persona. Originally insecure with her weight, Kat eventually learns to embrace her curves and dives into a new and unusual world of femdom. This episode also introduces Cassie. She displays as a bold, open-minded party girl that isn't phased by frat party endeavors. McKay, Cassie's crush, invites her to his frat-hazing event, and they both fall deeply in love with each other, foreshadowing potential problems to come from concupiscence for one another.

This episode involves various races but is primarily white-dominant. Cassie is blonde and white, represented as audacious and open-minded. Maddy is a cis-gender Latina and, in this episode, victimized by Nate, a white playboy who cheats on Maddy. Rue and her sister are a mix from a black mom and a white dad. Despite various races represented, this episode minimally illustrates heritage background and racial and cultural distinctiveness. There are very minimal cultural representations and race diversity besides the racially represented individuals such as Rue, Maddy, Kat, Ali, and Fezco. Although the film is predominantly white race influenced, there is still a general race narration awareness displayed in the show.  

Sexuality representation is a flourishing topic within each episode in Euphoria. Arguably one of the most influential characters in this episode, Rue, a lesbian half black teenager, finds herself falling in love with her openly transgender best friend. This tricky love triangle is demonstrated between Rue caring for Jules while she cares for Nate. Jules is head over heels for her classmate, Nate, who hasn't announced is gay but is chatting with Jules on a gay dating site. Moreover, Nate's girlfriend in this episode, Maddy, is only now beginning to question if Nate is straight like he demands he is.This episode centers around redirecting the audience's view of how a character's sexuality is initially perceived to how each character's sexuality is either nonchanging or questioned and altered due to more self-awareness. For example, Jules, from the beginning, identified as transgender and unchanging while Rue begins to question her sexuality and feelings for her friend after kissing her. Male, female, and non-binary characters speak and act quite differently in Euphoria. Male actors such as Nate, Ali, and Fezco are very much dominant and slightly manipulative in this episode. Nate is a controlling and manipulative character fueled by curiosity and confusion. Ali is a mysterious, omniscient figure who sees past Rue's addiction. Lastly, Fezco shuts Rue out when she almost dies from the drugs he gave her. The females include Maddy, Rue, Jules, Kat, and Cassie. Non-binary characters were not present in this episode; however, Nate being on a gay dating site and taking an interest in Jules knowing her being transgender urges the question of what Nate's sexuality may be. 

Cassie, in this episode, played an essential role in breaking gender profiling stereotypes. When Cassie was at the weekend frat-hazing party with McKay, she stood up to the guys at the party and took a shot of water with a live goldfish in it without hesitation, while McKay was hesitant and wanted to reject the challenge. Cassie taking that shot was significant because she didn't abide by her gender role limitations. Instead, she proved that she could equally compete alongside the frat boys at the party.

Illegal drug use for underage teenagers is very much a political issue. The creator of Euphoria, Sam Levinson, opens up about his struggles with addiction growing up. He talks about how his personal history of drug use as a teenager animated Rue's similar struggles in Euphoria. It's essential to recognize that Rue was not using drugs because of peer pressure but because she was struggling with "obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), general anxiety disorder, and even bipolar disorder" (Health, 2020). Many teens go undiagnosed with disorders like these and spend their teenage years fighting addiction and going to rehab centers, sometimes more than once in hopes of ending the addiction. There are other situations where undiagnosed individuals who don't fall victim to drug addiction still live a life of struggle with their mental illness. Euphoria sheds light on addiction and mental health and de-stigmatizes mental illness, a topic that should be further normalized and empathized with. 

EPISODE SEVEN REVIEW

“The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed” tackles a lot of issues. In many ways, this episode is openly candid about the hardships of life and the modern influences of distraction and avoidance. The candor of this episode is heartbreaking, revelating, and so, so real. The episode before the season finale follows multiple characters, including Jules, a trans woman battling confusion about her relationship with her best friend and her changing life; Cassie, a beautiful blonde teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy; and Rue, a drug addicted teenager battling a major low in her depression (Levinson 2019). This episode follows many differing plots that do not intersect in its time; however, at the root of the 59 minutes is the juxtaposition of two teenagers, the structures of family, and the deconstruction of femininity. 

As a whole, this show is unapologetically divergent from the stereotypes of society. It does not hesitate to tackle hard issues, easily addresses controversial issues regarding race, sexuality, and gender, without negating their seriousness. It makes normal the darkness we all battle in our private lives, especially in this episode. In it, characters from all walks of life get a say in the plot. Not only is the narrator and main character a gay Black women in love with her best friend, we also follow the story of Jules, a trans women, and hear from Cassie, a straight cisgender blonde girl who falls victim to the confines of the patriarchy, allowing herself to be sexualized and invalidated as a possession by the men in her life (Johnson, 2014). My only criticisms regarding this episode’s diversity is that there is little male influence or perspective on the storyline, and further, that there is little diversity outside of “black and white.” That is to say, while there are many Black characters given voice to this episode (and, by default many white characters as well), there is little representation of other ethnicities. We do not hear, for example, from the perspective of an Asian-American. That, to some extent, is an area that can be improved as the show continues. 

Earlier I mentioned the juxtaposition at the core of this episode, and I want to dive a little deeper into that. Cassie and Rue are, in many regards, polar opposites. Rue is Black, gay, struggles with drug addiction and is a social outcast. Cassie, in comparison, is blonde and blue eyed, gorgeous, and popular. Rue is an older sister; Cassie is the younger in her family. But this juxtaposition highlights the conditions of the patriarchy that define familial dynamics, such as sisterhood and motherhood, both amplifying and deconstructing those norms. For example, at the end of the episode, Rue and Cassie both go to their moms, the caretakers, for help when they reach rock bottom. Those mothers show up, and they do their job: care. However, at the same time, these mothers have taken up the role of being the breadwinner for the family as well, defying the stereotype of reliance on the male for prosperity and survival. Rue’s mom, however, is portrayed as more successful and put-together than Cassie’s mother, whom we see to be an alcoholic and basically a hot mess. This is contrary to racial stereotypes that typically portray the black community as one falling apart and the white suburban mom as picture-perfect. The gender and racial norms that society and time have produced throughout our history in America are blurred as these two realities are expressed in this show (Scott, 1986).

This episode also attacks femininity. Speaking with her friends from the city, Jules, says, “In my head, it’s like if I can conquer men, I can conquer femininity” (Levinson, 2019). This conquering, or, as Jules later says, obliteration of femininity is addressed throughout the episode. Cassie, conforming to societal expectations, allows herself to be objectified and sexualized by all the men in her life, using that perception of beauty to define her over the course of her life. Rue, on the other hand, does not conform to femininity at all, as we see in the way she dresses, and even the persona of the masculine “detective” she took on in a manic state. These three approaches to femininity contrast each other, as each one represents a different sector of diversity: race, sexuality, and gender identity. 

Euphoria is inherently political. It brings to light the reasons why the personal is political, especially in the midst of an election cycle where the rights of those who don’t conform to societal norms are under threat. This show creates an avenue for those rights and the real people behind those laws to speak and tell their own stories. Not only that, it represents mental illness and drug abuse, revealing the realities of living with these issues and bringing to light the struggles of the individual and their community through addiction and mental health crises. The show helps create empathy; empathy creates connection.  And connection, more than anything else, is something we deeply need right now. 

CITATIONS

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson on his controversial show: 'I hope it opens up a dialogue' [Interview by T. Stack]. (2019, June 16). Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2020, from https://ew.com/tv/2019/06/16/euphoria-creator-sam-levinson/.

Health, A. (2020). How HBO’s ‘Euphoria’ Depicts Teenage Drug Addiction Accurately. Retrieved 14 November 2020, from https://amhealth.com/2019/09/25/how-hbos-euphoria-depicts-teenage-drug-addiction-accurately/

Johnson, A. G. (2020). Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an Us. In 1046495481 799935172 G. Kirk & 1046495482 799935172 M. Okazawa-Rey (Authors), Gendered Lives: Intersectional Perspectives (Seventh ed., pp. 62-70). New York, New York: Oxford University Press. (The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy, (2014))

Levinson, S. (Writer). (2019). Euphoria [Television series]. HBO.

Levinson, S. (Writer). (2019, June 23). Stuntin’ Like My Daddy [Television series episode] In Euphoria. HBO.

Levinson, S. (Writer). (2019, July 28). The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed [Television series episode]. In Euphoria. HBO.

Scott, J. (1986). Gender: A Useful Category of Historical Analysis. The American Historical Review. doi:10.1086/ahr/91.5.1053

Siegel, Z. (2019, August 06). Euphoria Doesn't Have a Drug Problem. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/euphoria-hbo-drug-addiction-overdose.html

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Raising Hell: Growing up 2nd gen in the FFWPU

J. McKenna           June 12, 2014

I believe most people I bonded with while growing up have also seen through a lot of the fucked up systems and teachings of the Unification Church. I hope I am able to express and share in this process with them (or you) and perhaps hope to lend in the processing of others who still may feel trapped or hesitant or unsure of their own feeling and conclusions. This article isn’t for people still interested in pursuing the ideals of the church. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything but rather hope to convey my experiences in a healing process. I encourage comments but it is not likely I will respond to any trolling or useless debate.

While some ex-Moonies may find exposing Reverend Moon or members of his family for their hypocrisy and scandals personally vindicating and supporting their decision to leave the church, I am most interested in elaborating on my personal experiences—experiences I now view as injustices and direct harm, that I had growing up as a member of the Unification Church.

Social alienation and censored upbringing: It taught youth that they were “different” “special” “purified” people of a different quality and type than people “outside” the church.  This leads to an alienation with other people and a strange in-group out-group mentality that often lends to superiority-inferiority complexes and judgment of other people’s lives as not being as valuable as a “purified” person in the church.

Ex-post facto justifications: History is seen as god’s will as narrated through the teachings of the church, thus the genocide of native Americans, the holocaust, slavery, etc. are seen as the proper progression of history, and often is taught along with “moral justifications” for these events. The violence of Christianity is unexamined (mission system in the US, anyone?). Systems of oppression, sexism, racism, genocide are all normalized and rather than the movement being anything resembling a true critique or shift in these systems, they are replicated implicitly and explicitly in a myriad of ways.

Explicit homophobia: I heard people I otherwise respected give the slippery slope argument against gay marriage (what’s next, marrying animals?), heard Rev. Moon’s translator stumble over trying to edit homophobic remarks (homosexuals are worse than dogs). I was encouraged to read a book by Richard Cohen (a “cured” gay member) featuring pseudo-sciencey case studies pathologizing homosexuality.

Purity culture: Everything is about sex and the control of sexual desire. By mandating that we not be sexual, focus on purity, and talking about marriage we are constantly talking about sex and it is the central discourse of the movement. By teaching young people that their value is tied to their virginity, many people are put in harms way.  Paired with purity culture was abstinence only sex education, slut-shaming, and rape culture (if she didn’t do something to deserve it [which she probably did], I bet her ancestors did).

Lineage teaching: The focus on a pure lineage and “2nd generation” did several harmful things. First, it gave parents a creepy entitlement to their children’s sexuality and sex lives, demanding that they follow a strict path of purity and ultimately end up in church sanctioned unions with a member of the opposite sex. Having premarital sex is then the dividing line between in-group and out-group, as once a person has sex, they are no longer a valued member of their community and no longer “purified” under the lineage requirements. This is then accounted for by other ritual and purification processes to allow for a continued membership, but as a second class or demoted status person within the organization. Those who had sex before the sanctioned marriage in the church were designated “special category” and were encouraged to renounce what they did and get back on a path to purity in the hopes of marrying someone in the church, now only eligible to marry other “special category” church members.

Consent: Teachings about relationships and consensual sex are not present.  Sex is viewed as the ultimate payoff for purity and self-denial. Members are encouraged to forgo sex and follow a strict life of purity as a course to get to a state of sanctioned marriage with another person of equal purity and once that union is sanctioned and ritually complete, a relationship of “absolute sex” is permitted and ones partner’s genitals are seen as one’s own property. This is a problematic teaching as it lends to a sense of entitlement of another person and ignores issues of consent.

Dualism and Black/White binary thinking: Strict gender proscriptions and dualism teachings encourage black and white thinking and mentality about the world. Gender is viewed as inherent and of a specific type. There are specific ways that masculinity is to be embodied as well as femininity.

Racist essentializing: The “superiority” and “inherent purity” of Korean people plays into the myths around Asian women and supports racial superiority of Korean people. This is harmful to other races as well as Korean people, who are confined to boxes and put on pedestals within the movement.  Other racist or nationalist caricatures are supported (black people are entertainers, American women are individualistic bitches) and a true examination of race and its constructions and meanings is not attempted or acknowledged. This leaves dominant-submissive racial and cultural differences between interracial marriages to be navigated in isolation and leaves children to operate in the world without any real discussions about race and its impacts.

Misogyny: Rev. Moon only sees women living in a way he condones to be worthy of respect and safety. He often compares women to cows, where every piece of her biology has a purpose to serve others. In one speech he suggests if a woman doesn’t want to use her breast to feed a baby it should be cut off. His abusive and withholding beginning of his marriage with Mrs. Moon is idealized, and she is put on a pedestal for her undying submission to him and for “proving herself” during the first seven years of their marriage. Strict gender roles are prescribed and their subordinate status to men is affirmed through the teachings that men are “subject” and women “object”.

This reflection has helped me express a fraction of the processing it has taken for me to shift from my upbringing, where I thought I was a part of a revolutionary group and something special and transformative to now, where I recognize the unification church as a fringe backlash movement of the 50’s and 60’s of women’s liberation. Far from being a liberating and uplifting movement, it offers very disturbing explicit messages about the natural order of male domination and female subservience, lack of autonomy and control of one’s body and consent, simplistic racial stereotypes, and explicit statements of violence toward women. These are all problematic and are not fringe statements of the movement, rather they are the core tenets of the doctrine that centers on prescriptions around sex.

This reflection is for me, but I am sharing it in hopes to allow others to process and share in their own transformations through their upbringing in the Unification Church. I know and respect many people who I know through the Unification Church, some of which are still practicing members and this is not meant as an attack on them or their beliefs (though, if this upsets you a lot, maybe look into some of those things and work through that).  I opted out from the Unification Church and through that process experienced many shifts in myself. I write this in hope to give a voice to my experiences and articulate some of the problematic parts of growing up in the unification church that negatively impacted my life and put up roadblocks for my understandings of myself.  

*this post is a part of a multigenre project for a class. Feel free to comment and share.

http://growingup2nd.blogspot.com/

_________________________________

Insights December 2014 by J. McKenna

Cult Indoctrination – and the Road to Recovery

My advice on leaving the FFWPU / Unification Church

Scared of Leaving?

Sun Myung Moon caused huge damage to many second gen children. There have been many suicides.

Writings of former FFWPU members Many recount their experiences in the organization or their journeys out of it

VIDEO: A Prison of Shame & Fear: Understanding the Role of Shame in Cult Indoctrination & Recovery with Dan Shaw, LCSW

[battlestar-royco]

updated faq

Round 2! I tried to shorten the answers so as not to be repetitive, and I also added new FAQs for your convenience. My past self who wrote my first FAQ annoys me, and this one is more thorough anyway, so here you go. I still can’t believe you all actually interact with me enough that I have to make one of these.

Questions up here, answers under the cut.

anti sjm basics

1. why are you an anti?

2. why are you specifically anti SJM?

3. do you like anything about SJM’s books?

4. terminology and practices

5. why do you hold SJM to a higher standard than other authors?/why do you focus on criticizing this one woman more harshly than you do men?

6. did you see what xyz stan did?

7. are you an anti for non-SJM stuff?

best of (in my humble opinion)

diversity and sensitivity

8. I have a question about writing and/or how to portray xyz identity...

9. can you please tag...?

10. is it okay if I like [x author]/[y series] even if I know they’re problematic?

11. what are your suggestions for aspiring authors who want to write diversely?

personal

12. is it okay if I message you?

13. why don’t you post about books/shows/movies you actually like?

14. favorites?

15. book suggestions?

16. are you a writer/what are you writing/do you plan on publishing?

17. is it okay if I follow you on other social media?

18. fandom research

19. when did you start your blog?

20. how did you decide your url?

anti SJM basics

1. why are you an anti?

I love thinking critically about the media I consume. Though I wouldn’t say I’m particularly “anti” any text or author, some people classify any criticism as “anti.” To respect people in the main tags, I post in anti tags so they don’t have to see critical posts. Otherwise, I love talking about positive, neutral, and negative aspects of books.

2. why are you specifically anti SJM?

The Anti SJM Manifesto

What made you turn into an anti? x x

Rowan/Rowaelin: x x x

The fandom: x x x x x x

3. do you like anything about SJM’s books?

Yes. I like a lot of SJM’s ideas, but I don’t like how they’re executed at all. I highly enjoyed TAB, TOG-HOF, and the witch storyline of QOS. My favorite TOG characters are Manon, Chaol, Nehemia, and Sorscha. Honorable mention for Lysandra, Kaltain, and Asterin. My favorite ACOTAR characters are Nesta, Lucien, and Tarquin. Additional links: x x x x

If you want my positive thoughts on certain SJM characters, look up: “anti sjm: [character name]” and you’ll find them.

4. terminology and practices:

Anti SJM Glossary. Seeing as many of us have had bad experiences with stans and in one case, authors, we censor names so our posts stay in our own tags.

What is soap dick? From August 2018 x x.

Manongate? when KOA came out, Charlie Bowater’s promotional art (x) depicted Manon as Asian. Here’s more on why that’s a problematic and lazy decision on SJM and Bloomsbury’s part: x x.

5. why do you hold SJM to a higher standard than other authors?/why do you focus on criticizing this one woman more harshly than you do men?

SJM alone out of all the biggest YA authors has yet to make craft improvements or display a social awareness similar to what I’ve seen from her colleagues. I give all authors an equal chance, but SJM’s writing and behavior has significantly decreased in quality compared to other fantasy authors despite her books being lauded as complex and feminist works. However, I’m not perfect, so do feel welcome to send me an ask if you think I’m being unfair.

The anti SJM community is focused on women because we all mainly read women. Critiquing women doesn’t mean we are unaware, dismissive of, or silent about the issues in men’s work. The “anti” movements for the likes of GRRM do exist, but under a different name than “anti”–there are thousands of critical meta blogs, book/TV critics and reviewers, Youtubers, etc out there who discuss his flaws in depth. I also have lengthy anti GRRM, anti GOT, and anti ASOIAF tags. Finally, I personally find critiquing and discussing women’s work a lot more interesting, productive, and empowering than doing the same for men, especially because my blog’s focus is on the YA author/transformative fan community at large.

About Leigh Bardugo: x x x x x x x

About GRRM (and GOT): x x x x x x x

About Tolkien: I've only read The Hobbit and a third of Fellowship of the Ring, and I’ve only watched FotR, so I don’t say much about him at all.

6. did you see what xyz stan did?

Probably not, especially if what they did was off Tumblr. I don’t look at stan accounts unless someone informs me that my posts or I have come up in conversation on their blog. Any specific stan urls in asks will be redacted both for their privacy and my own well-being. Stans have doxxed, harassed, and discriminated against antis, including myself, so I’d rather save us all the trouble.

7. are you an anti for non-SJM stuff?

I most often talk about SJM’s books, but I’ve also been very critical of GOT/ASOIAF. Following GRRM, several other YA authors have appeared in positive, neutral, and critical lights. On the more critical side we have Cassandra Clare and JK Rowling, and a very little bit about Victoria Aveyard, John Green, Maggie Stiefvater, Stephenie Meyer, and Veronica Roth. Otherwise, I’ve talked about Susan Dennard, Rick Riordan, Leigh Bardugo, and Marie Rutkoski. Check out my YA critical tag for more. I’m also down to discuss franchises like Star Wars, Fantastic Beasts, MCU, etc, as well as TV shows. Basically anything big in genre fiction media, there’s a good chance I’ve read/watched it and I have opinions!

best of

anti SJM

Are the Illyrians MOC?

Moral Ambiguity Series

Anti Nessian

Lucien or Rhysand?

Chaol or Rowan?

misc.

why are period dramas like... that

White Feminism

a beginner’s guide to fandom racism

diversity and sensitivity

8. I have a question about writing and/or how to portray xyz identity...

First and foremost, check my “writing advice” and “writing advice: poc” tags to see if the question has already been answered.

I am black cis girl with a dual degree in women’s/gender studies and creative writing. I will best be able to answer questions regarding black characters, women, racial oppression and identity as a whole, and most questions about queer characters. There’s a chance I can provide a basic answer to questions about demographics outside of these, but I’ll most likely advise you to ask another blogger or seek out sensitivity readers.

9. can you please tag...?

Yes. Just send an ask and I’ll tag anything. I’ve turned off all Tumblr notifications for this account so I probably won’t see tag requests in comments unless you comment within a day or so of the post.

10. is it okay if I like [x author]/[y series] even if I know they’re problematic?

Absolutely. I’m not the liking-things police and I can’t control whether you like something or not. There’s no such thing as an unproblematic author or unproblematic series, so you just have to like what you like at your own discretion and with a critical eye. As long as you’re aware of the issues and not denying or ignoring them, maybe even seeking out other people whose opinions add to the conversation, you’re good. It’s exhausting to be 100% critical but harmful to be 100% uncritical, so you have to seek out critics you like and figure out how to maintain a dialogue with the text and/or the author. The balance is different for everyone but once you find it, it gets easier to keep up!

11. what are your suggestions for aspiring authors who want to write diversely?

Concepts to be aware of and tropes to avoid: male gaze, the Bechdel test, the Mako Mori test, the sexy lamp test, fridging, Orientalism, xenoface (called “the Gamora Phenomenon” on my blog), black best friend, Spicy Latina, Dragon Lady, bury your gays, disability narratives, queerbaiting.

What not to do when creating a culture.

My advice about writing POC.

Check out these blogs if you like: x x x.

Follow as diversely as possible. Follow multiple blogs, especially writing- or fandom-themed blogs, run by POC (especially women and LGBTQ+), bloggers from religiously marginalized groups, bloggers with disabilities, older bloggers, younger bloggers, international bloggers, plus size bloggers, etc. Everyone has different perspectives and opinions, so it’s best to read from multiple sources.

Magnify marginalized voices in conversations about diversity, and LISTEN to what they are telling you.

Read diversely! Read genre fiction written by marginalized people. Maybe even read some gender, queer, race, or disability theory if you like. I’m personally a fan of Audre Lorde, Anne McClintock, and Sara Ahmed, but I like a lot more.

Seek out multiple sensitivity readers for the specific identity you are trying to represent (ie if you are trying to write a Muslim woman, ask a Muslim woman to sensitivity read for you. Experiences are not interchangeable so don’t treat them as such).

Don’t let the research stop here. This is just the beginning. There are plenty of awesome and accessible resources out there if you want to know more. I started learning about this stuff on sites like Tumblr, Goodreads, and Youtube. The Goodreads review sections, especially for YA books, are so entertaining and full of commentators coming at texts with feminist, queer, and POC lenses if you look in the right spots. There are also podcasts and Youtube videos about feminism, history of queerbaiting, and such. Happy reading/listening/writing!

personal

12. is it okay if I message you?

If we’ve been mutuals and/or we’ve interacted for a while (at least a few weeks or so), absolutely. When it comes to questions about writing or diversity advice in WIPs, I prefer asks (off or on anon is fine; if you’d like to be off anon but answered privately, you can indicate that in the ask). That way, other people with similar questions can join the discussion and I’m less likely to repeat myself. That said, I’m not opposed to messages; I just get shy around people I don’t know :). Regardless of ask or message, please try to ask the full question as clearly as possible so I can answer it to my best ability. Generally, you can expect an answer to your message or ask within a few days to a week of sending.

If you’re looking for a fight and/or if you start using condescending, rude, or discriminatory language, you will be ignored.

13. why don’t you post about books/shows/movies you actually like?

I do! :)

14. favorites?

books: Harry Potter; The Hunger Games; Six of Crows; Percy Jackson; The Winner’s Trilogy; Angelfall; The Secret History; Othello; Jane Eyre; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe/The Magician’s Nephew; A Storm of Swords.

movies: Alien, Blade Runner 2049, Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Annihilation, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Terminator 2, The Breakfast Club, The Lion King, Moonlight dir. Barry Jenkins, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Tangled.

tv series: Sense8, Battlestar Galactica (2004-2008), Black Mirror, The X Files, The 100, Westworld (season 1 only), Watchmen, Homeland (seasons 1-4 only), Orphan Black, Breaking Bad, The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl, Fleabag.

15. book suggestions?

Book recs!

Maxine, did you read/watch...?

16. are you a writer/what are you writing/do you plan on publishing?

I hope to publish, yes! I write mostly YA fantasy, but I also love sci fi, crime drama, and certain elements of horror so I have works in or influenced by all of those genres. I want to get my foot in the YA fantasy door first and foremost :). Check out “polysorscha writes things” if you want to know more specifics.

17. is it okay if I follow you on other social media?

As of now I keep my blog disconnected from my personal life, so I don’t share my other socials but feel free to follow me over on my main blog @ripley-stark if you like! It’s just pretty gifs and photos of my favorite movies and shows, social justice, meta reblogs here and there, and rambling in the tags. Don’t feel like you have to follow if you don’t want to; I say a lot more on here.

That being said, I have given my Goodreads to a handful of people who ask, so if you want to track what I’m reading, private message me and I’ll send you the link. In the case that I share the link with you, please respect my privacy and do not repost or share the link anywhere else unless you see me share it on my blog publicly.

18. fandom research:

In March to May 2019, I conducted a survey on my blog in an attempt to gather information about fandom through a social justice–specifically, intersectional feminist–lens. Here are the results and my analysis of the survey x. The purpose for this data collection was to write my final undergraduate research paper in one of my two majors, women’s and gender studies (the other is creative writing!), which focused on diversity and inclusion in genre fiction media and fandom. The final paper is about 11k words. I haven’t publicly published it, but message me if you’re interested in reading it! I also plan on doing more similar surveys to gather information about what audiences want to see in future media, so if anyone is interested, please send messages, asks, comments etc about what YOU want to see and/or ideas about how we can spread the info to creators. This is much bigger than just me and I can’t do it without your help. I love hearing from diverse voices and amplifying them as much as I can. Everyone’s perspective is meaningful!

19. when did you start your blog?

No earlier than the end of April or beginning of May 2018.

20. how did you decide your url?

I wish the Celaena/Dorian/Chaol love triangle resolved in a polyamorous relationship, and that Nehemia and Sorscha were thriving. Seeing as I am black, Sorscha is one of two characters in T0G who represents me. Thus, polyamorous + Sorscha. :)

[mygenderstudiesblog-blog]

“Changing the Game” Film Review

By: Charlotte Gibson

At the Reelout Film Festival, I watched the film Changing the Game, which was a brilliant, poignant tribute to young American athletes breaking down gender barriers in sport. The documentary focuses on three transgender high school athletes from different parts of America as they battle prejudice on and off the sporting fields. This film was very inspirational as it was a non-dogmatic point of view, bringing a previously taboo matter to audiences across the world. The film follows three athletes from different parts of America as they fight outdated societal biases. These athletes are Mack Beggs, who is a Texan wrestler, and Andraya Yearwood a track athlete in Connecticut and Sarah Rose Huckman who is a skier in New Hampshire. The film gives pretext into their early struggles with gender identity but mostly focuses on the challenges in sport. 

The film first introduces Mack Beggs, a practically undefeated transgender wrestler who calls the conservative state of Texas home. Mack family life is especially intriguing; he was raised by his Republican, southern Baptist, gun-promoting grandparents who vocally support Mack and the trans community. Although their continuous trouble using the right pronouns when they are referring to Mack, they are trying to support their grandson to the best of their abilities. Macks grandparents support can be seen when, per Mack’s wishes, honours Mack’s new identity by putting away all photos of him before his transition. Mack is also a very distinguished wrestler in the high school division. Although Mack desired to compete with the gender, he identifies with Mack competes with girls and won the girls’ wrestling title. In the girls’ division, he’s an unstoppable force which in turn makes the parents of the girls he competes against furious. The parents of the other competitors believe that Mack has an unfair advantage over their daughters. The documentarian never asked the parents whether they favour more enlightened policies regarding transgender athletics, but, it is assumed that the parent holds more traditional and conservative views. There the parents of the other female wrestler’s self-interest clashes with their political conviction. The discriminatory laws prohibiting Mack to compete in the men’s division did not just upset his competitors’ parents, it unleashed a cruel wave of insults from media and news outlets. Some fellow students even took to social media to comment degrading messages about trans athletes. In the reading Music and New Media, the detrimental effects of hate speech on social media are discussed. The effects of cyber hate speech are apparent in the article as it describes the damaging effects that hate post have on members of the LGBTQ community, often leaving them to have feelings of unworthiness and depression. Despite Macks athletic success and caring family and girlfriend, the tribulations in his life have induced Macks struggle with depression. Struggling depression is not uncommon for transgender athletes; statistics shown in the film stated that 40% of transgender athletes battle suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide. 

 The fight for trans rights in sports extends to Connecticut and New Hampshire where the films two other main characters, Andraya Yearwood from Connecticut and Sarah Rose Huckman from New Hampshire reside. Trans policies and culture surround trans acceptance vary from state to state; Sarah and Andraya seem to be more fortunate with environments of support and acceptance around them. Andraya is an African American sprinter from Connecticut who is allowed to compete with her identified gender on the track. Although she is allowed to compete with other women, she faces a bombardment of verbal abuse from the sidelines because of her intersecting identity. Being transgender, African American woman Andraya faces multiple forms of discriminations. Intersectional discrimination can be seen throughout American history. In the reading, Race and Radicalization, the author speaks to how the media and different power structures interact with the lives of African American women. An example from the text is an ad released in 1989 depicting the hands of two men, one black one white, handcuffed together; and a picture of black women breastfeeding a white baby. These ads illustrate the intersecting discrimination that black trans women in America face within a gendered and racialized system of exploitation. The first advertisement conjured the historical experience of slavery, and the second depicted the designation of African American women as objects of white Americans needs. The verbal abuse that Andraya faces while competing is a modern example of intersectional discrimination in the sporting world. 

Sarah Rose Huckman, a New Hampshire skier and trans activist worries about her eligibility to compete with the gender she identifies with. While Sarah was competing, New Hampshire passed a law that requires her to have reassignment surgery, to compete with other females. However, since 15 and 16 years old are too young to have surgery, Sarah and her family went to GLAD and the Athletic Association of New Hampshire to decide if a trans person can compete on a team with the gender they identify with. Through Sarah’s activism, she was able to change this law. Activism is an essential element in the fight for equal rights. The importance and effect of gender-based activism are explained in the Feminist Theory and Pop Culture reading. The author describes the importance of activism in gender equality, stating that historically gender-based activism has created substantive changes in government policies and persuading people to change their opinions on gender equality. It is of the utmost importance that activists like Sarah continue to practice gender activism to carry on the fight for equality. 

  Changing the Game is brilliantly crafted, an intimate story led by three brave high school students, allowing personal and vulnerable access into their struggles as trans athletes. The editing is also well-done; the viewer feels as if they are spending equal time between the characters. Although the documentary included many coaches and family members, the film was short supplied when it comes to policymakers and people holding positions of power which would help give the viewer more context. The ending was optimistic, as Mack can compete on a male wrestling team in college. However, the film also briefly recognizes that policies of the Trump administration have harmful repercussions in the lives of many trans Americans, especially the ones living out of urban centres reminding the viewer the importance of continuing campaigning for Trans rights. 

Words: 1049

Refercenes:

https://ereserves.library.queensu.ca/ares/ares.dll?Action=10&Type=10&Value=119913

https://ereserves.library.queensu.ca/ares/ares.dll?Action=10&Type=10&Value=120730

file:///Users/charlottegibson/Downloads/[9789463000604%20-%20Feminist%20Theory%20and%20Pop%20Culture]%20Feminist%20Theory%20and%20Pop%20Culture.pdf

[aro-neir-o]

Results PART 1 DESCRIPTIVE DATA: Aro-Spec Identities and Experiences of Stigmatization

This post is a report of the findings of the survey I had running in the last couple of months of 2018, investigating the intersection of aro-spec identities and experiences of stigmatization and microaggressions.

This report is very long and comprehensive, so I will split it into three parts: - PART 1 will cover descriptive data, like demographics and general aggregate findings - PART 2 will cover inferential statistics, like correlations and variable relationships - PART 3 will cover discussion of the results, limitations, and plans for further study

A full version of these results on one page is available here.

Thank you to everyone who participated! 

Results are under the cut. Where possible, I will use graphs to show the data, but I will also explain the content of the graphs just under the images to accommodate people who may respond better or worse to data presented in a certain format.

THIS IS PART 1: DESCRIPTIVE DATA

DEMOGRAPHICS

There were 623 responses to the survey. 357 of these responses were complete - these participants completed the survey in its entirety.

People were recruited from Tumblr, the Arocalypse online forums, and the Arocalypse Discord server. Snowballing was used as a technique for recruitment, so there may also have been participants who were recruited indirectly through other participants.

The survey was only made available in English.

Age

Over half the participants in the study were between the ages of 18 and 24. Over a quarter of the participants were under 18. The rest of the participants were aged 25 to 34, with a small minority being over 35.

Gender

Over half the participants surveyed reported being non-binary, genderqueer, and/or an other gender identity. Just under half of all participants reported being cisgender women. Transgender men and cisgender men also participated, but in small numbers.

Note: I separated out cisgender and transgender identities for the purpose of analyzing intersectionality. It may be the case that transgender people who are aromantic navigate microaggressions and stigmatization differently than transgender people who are not aromantic or aromantic people who are not transgender. Unfortunately, there were not enough responses for me to run this statistically, but other queer-focused studies have noticed intersections of queer identities affecting life experiences.

Racial and Ethnic Background

A significant majority (read: over three quarters) of participants in this survey identified as white. Most of these participants (about three quarters) did not specify further than “white,” but those who did specify fell into European, North American, and Australian/New Zealander categories.

After white persons, the next most common demographic was Asian, followed by Latinx, Mixed race, Jewish, Hispanic or Portuguese, Native or Indigenous, and finally, Black or African. 

Note: In cases where ethnic backgrounds are reported together in these results, these categories were combined based on low numbers and relative appropriateness. Broad categories were determined based on several different Census conventions (e.g., Canadian Census categories) as well as categories used to report demographics in a variety of academic studies. If you are curious about which ethnicities went into which categories, you can ask me for more elaboration. People who reported multiple identities were counted in both or all relevant groups or put into the mixed race category, depending on the person’s answer (e.g., if they explicitly wrote “mixed race” or not).

(Romantic) Orientation

Almost three quarters of the participants surveyed identified as broadly Aromantic. The next most represented orientations were Demiromantic and Greyromantic, accounting for half a quarter of the total. Participants in the Other category were the next most represented, followed by Quoiromantic, Aro-spec, Aroflux, and Lithromantic or Akoiromantic people.

Other identities captured in this survey include: fictorimantic, sansromantic, aegoromantic, abroromantic, cupioromantic, nebularomantic, oriented aromantic, non-SAM-using asexual, non-SAM-using aromantic, and queer.

Partnership Status

Almost half of all respondents reported being single with no intention to marry at the time of the survey. About a third of respondents reported being single (never married). Single people therefore made up the vast majority (read: over three quarters) of the survey respondents.

The next most represented participants were those dating or Other. A very small minority reported being married, and an even smaller minority reported being divorced or separated from their partner(s).

Do you consider yourself polyamorous?

Just over a quarter of respondents considered themselves polyamorous. The rest (i.e., the majority) did not consider themselves polyamorous.

Have you ever been diagnosed with a physical or psychological condition? Does this have any bearing on your view of aromanticism?

Almost two thirds of respondents reported having been diagnosed with a physical or psychological condition. Of these people, about a quarter reported that their condition does have a bearing on their view of aromanticism.

MEANS AND AGGREGATE RESULTS

The following questionnaires are revisions made by the researcher to Foster (2017)’s revisions of existing queer/LGBT scales. Foster (2017) applied an Asexual focus to the scales. The researcher for this study applied an Aromantic focus, changing terminology where appropriate.

Experiences of Aromanticism

The diversity of the aromantic community was highlighted in the response rates to the following items.

• I experience romantic attraction toward other people: 22% True, 78% False

• I lack interest in romantic activities: 77.5% True, 22.5% False

• I don’t feel that I fit the conventional categories of romantic orientation such as heteroromantic, homoromantic (gay or lesbian), or biromantic: 92% True, 8% False

• The thought of romantic activities repulses me: 52% True, 48% False

• I find myself experiencing romantic attraction toward another person: 17.5% True, 82.5% False

• I am confused by how much interest and time other people put into romantic relationships: 85% True, 15% False

• The term “non-romantic” would be an accurate description of my romanticism: 70.5% True, 29.5% False

• I would be relieved if I was told that I never had to engage in any sort of romantic activities again: 77% True, 23% False

• I go to great lengths to avoid situations where romance might be expected of me: 76% True, 24% False

• My ideal relationship would not involve traditionally romantic activities: 73.5% True, 26.5% False

• Romance has no place in my life: 70% True, 30% False

Aromantic Microaggressions Scale (AroMS)

Of the participants who experienced microaggressions against them (i.e., participants who responded with frequency ratings greater than 1), the following trends were observed.

• Generally, participants reported experiencing microaggressions aimed against them at a rate of “sometimes” (mean=2.84/5). Participants reported these incidences as moderately distressing (mean=3.69/5).

• The most frequently reported aggression against aros was others telling them that there is no such thing as aromantic discrimination or prejudice (mean=3.39/5, sometimes to often). This moderately distressed participants (mean=3.72/5).

• The most distressing aggression against aros was aros being propositioned for pursuing romantic relationships because they were aro-spec (quite distressing, mean=4.01/5; occurring once in a while, mean=2.68/5). As well, participants found that being threatened with harm was quite distressing (mean=3.90/5; occurring once in a while, mean=2.5/5). The latter was also the least frequently reported occurrence.

• The least distressing aggression reported was being asked to provide examples of how aros knew they are aro-spec (mean=3.2/5, meaning being bothered a little bit to moderately).

MOST OFTEN EXPERIENCED TO LEAST OFTEN EXPERIENCED o Others have told me that there is no such thing as aromantic discrimination or prejudice o I have been made to feel inferior by others because I am aro-spec o I have been told that I am aromantic because I haven’t met the right person yet o Others have assumed that I choose to be aro-spec o I have been told that aromanticism “isn’t real” o I have been asked to provide examples of how I know I am aro-spec o I have been told that being aro-spec is against human nature o I have been told that no one will want me as a relationship partner because I am aro-spec o I have heard non-aro-spec people speculate about the ‘cause’ of my aromanticism o I have been called derogatory names (e.g., “manipulative” or “freak”) in relation to my aromanticism o I have been told that aromanticism is a form of dysfunction or illness, not a valid way to identify o I have been propositioned for pursuing romantic relationships because I am aro-spec (e.g., “I’ll show you what you’re missing”) o I have been harassed because I am aro-spec o I have been told that I am “not healthy” because I am aro-spec o People have asked me if sexual/relationship trauma is the reason I am aro-spec o I have been threatened with harm because I am aro-spec

MOST DISTRESSING TO LEAST DISTRESSING o I have been propositioned for pursuing romantic relationships because I am aro-spec (e.g., “I’ll show you what you’re missing”) o I have been threatened with harm because I am aro-spec o I have been made to feel inferior by others because I am aro-spec o I have been told that aromanticism is a form of dysfunction or illness, not a valid way to identify o I have been told that aromanticism “isn’t real” o I have been called derogatory names (e.g., “manipulative” or “freak”) in relation to my aromanticism o I have been told that being aro-spec is against human nature o I have been told that I am aromantic because I haven’t met the right person o Others have told me that there is no such thing as aromantic discrimination or prejudice o I have been harassed because I am aro-spec o I have heard non-aro-spec people speculate about the ‘cause’ of my aromanticism o I have been told that I am “not healthy” because I am aro-spec o People have asked me if sexual/relationship trauma is the reason I am aro-spec o I have been told that no one will want me as a relationship partner because I am aro-spec o Others have assumed that I choose to be aro-spec o I have been asked to provide examples of how I know I am aro-spec

Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ)

This scale is a common and reliable questionnaire used to measure how aware respondents are of stigmas others have toward the respondents’ community.

• The most agreed upon item for all respondents was that most non-aro-spec people have a lot more anti-aromantic thoughts than they actually express (mean=4.03/6 or slightly agree)

• The most disagreed upon item for all respondents was that most non-aro-spec people do not judge aro-spec people on the basis of their lack of romantic attraction (mean=2.66/6 or slightly to moderately disagree)

• Particularly variable were participants’ responses to the item “I never worry that my behaviors will be viewed as stereotypical of aro-spec people.” Similarly, responses to the item “stereotypes about aro-spec people have not affected me personally” were variable.

Collective Self-Esteem Scale (CSES)

This scale is used to measure the aromantic community’s collective self-esteem.

• Most agreed-upon item internally (i.e., response with least variance) was “overall, aro-spec people are considered good by others,” with the response slightly disagreeing (mean=3.22/7)

• Respondents also generally agreed that others do not respect aro-spec people (mean=3.13/7 or slightly disagree)

• Respondents were ambivalent about “most people consider aro-spec people, on the average, to be more ineffective than other social groups” (mean=4.36/7, or ambivalent, but with quite a bit of variance)

• In general, respondents’ thoughts were that the aro community is not well-respected, liked, or considered good by others in society, to a slight degree

The Heterosexist Harassment, Rejection, and Discrimination Scale for Aromantics (HHRDS-A Aro)

For the participants for which these questions were applicable (i.e., for participants who reported frequencies greater than 0), the following trends were observed.

• The most frequently reported aromantic discrimination from participants was hearing anti-aromantic remarks from family members – on average, happening once in a while to sometimes (mean=2.68/6)

• The least frequently reported aromantic discrimination from participants was being denied a raise – on average, happening never (mean=1.02/6). Considering the most represented age demographic in this survey, this result makes sense, as many young adults and teenagers are not far enough into careers to have this opportunity arise at all

MOST TO LEAST FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCED o Heard anti-aromantic remarks from family members o Been treated unfairly by parents o Been treated unfairly by friends o Been treated unfairly by a romantic partner o Been made fun of, picked on, called insulting names, pushed, shoved, hit, or threatened with harm o Being treated unfairly by strangers o Been rejected by a romantic partner o Been verbally insulted o Been rejected by parents o Been treated unfairly by a sexual partner o Been treated unfairly by sibling(s) o Been treated unfairly by extended family o Been treated unfairly by people in a medical profession o Been treated unfairly by peers, co-workers, or colleagues o Been rejected by extended family o Been rejected by a sexual partner o Been rejected by sibling(s) o Been treated unfairly by teachers or professors o Been treated unfairly by employers or supervisors o Been treated unfairly by people in service jobs o Been denied a promotion o Been denied a job o Been denied a raise

[infiniteglitterfall]

I was just reading an article about a study of Australian bisexuals that said,

"A majority of the sample, 58%, reported either high or very high levels of psychological distress, with histories of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders the most common reported diagnoses. And 67% reported they had been diagnosed with mental illness by professionals. Almost half of the respondents disclosed self-harm or thoughts about suicide within just the last two years. More than one in four (28%) had attempted suicide in their lives and 78% had thought about it."

Every single study that separates out gay and m-spec people, or gay and m-spec and a-spec people, finds that "spec" people have higher rates of these things than even our gay counterparts.

Here, they say 28% of m-spec people have attempted suicide, although 78% had thought about it.

I've been trying to track down any studies that talk more about WHY that's true. Like: do people think it's tied to our higher rates of assault and other kinds of abuse? How much of it is caused, or affected, by our constant erasure? Etc.

The article doesn't really go into detail about what the potential causes are, other than to talk a little about correlations.

But I also got curious about how the rate of m-spec suicide attempts compares to the gay and lesbian rates. Because I know that the rate of attempted suicide for trans people is 40%.

(And for trans people with disabilities, it's 54%. Same for trans people with unsupportive families; if you have a supportive family, it's 37%. If your unsupportive family is violent towards you for being trans, it's 65%. If they kick you out, it's 66%. If a religious or mental health professional tries to stop you from being trans, which is what the umbrella term of "conversion therapy" refers to, it's 58%.

Actually, I guess that gives us a great starting point for looking at "causes and conditions" of m-spec suicide attempts.

But my point was gonna be, I got curious about it because I had thought the trans suicidality rate was WAY higher than the "GLB" rate, and this means the m-spec rate is way closer to it than I had expected.

And it's really common, ime, to cite suicidality rates to illustrate how oppressed a group is, and try to get people to become allies.

But... I never see people do that specifically for m-spec and a-spec people.

So I was trying to see if the same is true for the gay and lesbian communities, and I stumbled across this interesting study.

"Social stress theories lead us to expect that compared with socially advantaged groups, disadvantaged groups are at a higher risk for mental disorders. 

"We thus hypothesized

"(1) that Black and Latino lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals have more mental disorders than do White lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals because they are exposed to more stress related to prejudice and discrimination associated with their race/ethnicity;

"(2) that bisexual persons have more mental disorders than do gay men or lesbians because they are exposed to more stress related to their experience of stigma in both gay and heterosexual communities; and

"(3) that younger individuals have fewer disorders than do older individuals because younger individuals came out in a less prejudicial social environment....

"We assessed the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in 388 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Black, Latino, and White individuals.

"Black lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals had lower prevalence of all disorders than did Latino and White individuals; younger cohorts had fewer mood disorders than did older cohorts [imho that's probably at least partly because they've had less time to get information or diagnoses]; bisexual persons had more substance use disorders than did gay men and lesbians; and Latino respondents attempted suicide more often than did White respondents....

"One plausible hypothesis is that a higher risk for suicide among lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals who are racial/ethnic minorities follows major stressful events, such as assault, abuse, or homelessness, rather than depressive or substance use disorders." [Or as well as depressive and substance use disorders.]

I'm especially interested in that part because our rates of poverty and homelessness are fucking terrible, as well as assault.

There's an m-spec convention locally this fall and I really want to do a presentation on this stuff. I think we should be armed with statistics on what our communities experience. So... don't be surprised if I post a lot more of this stuff!

Omg, I just went to grab the link to the convention, and I saw that they include a-specs!

"A conference and party for anyone attracted to more - or fewer - than a single gender.

October 12, 2019, San Francisco, California"

😍🤩🥰

[fightmeyeats]

Three Years Late to the Party: A Critique of Predator/Prey Metaphors in Zootopia (2016)

I’m not sure why I am writing about Zootopia (2016). Although it was generally received very favorably (as I am writing this it has a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes), it was released over three years ago and  in many ways not a hugely significant film. Even stranger, perhaps, is that I initially intended to discuss Suicide Squad (2016), and then both films at once, and then--realizing I really had no interest in rewatching Suicide Squad, ever in my life if I can help it, I decided to instead discuss only Zootopia. At first glance one may wonder what these two films have in common--one is a children’s animated film which received a good deal of praise, the other a superhero action film which feels like a fever dream poorly cobbled together on iMovie (look, I’m not the only one who feels this way it has a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes). What I see as a common ground and in need of critique is the way both films handle racism and sexism. For the sake of readability I am going to try to keep this as short as I can, and again for the sake of my own sanity I’m going to discuss Zootopia but I’m more than happy to share my perspective on Suicide Squad (I do have a lot to say even without giving it a full rewatch, I just don’t want to launch into a critique when I can’t fully do it justice). In an attempt of brevity I am also going to focus on the implications of the metaphor(s) embodied in the prey/predator dynamic, at the exclusion of any discussion of the implication of the systems represented in the film and the way they shape ideologies of what counts as resolution to discriminatory practices (ie “acceptance” and “within the police force”).

Zootopia is centered around a predator/prey metaphor which encompases both racism and sexism in largely lumpy/uneven ways that ultimately are disengaging from real world race/gender politics and leave the metaphor deeply confused. What I mean by this is that the “prey” dimension seems to be attempting to address sexism as an oversimplified monolith, while the “predator” dimension seems to be addressing racism, again as an oversimplified monolith; thrown into this is the dimension of size, which also seems to be relevant to the characters’ experiences: a large prey animal, for example, seems to return to being coded masculine (perhaps these are the metaphoric white men? the legibility of this is difficult to determine, given the main example of a powerful prey figure is voiced by Idris Elba), as well as the fact that the predator dimension of the metaphor seems to swing back and forth from discussing the way masculinity (again monolithic) is viewed and how people of color are viewed, with no clear demarcation as to why the switch is being made.

In actual feminist discourses the main pitfall of race/gender binary approaches to understanding oppression is that it erases the experiences of women of color, but in the case of pop media it also becomes relevant to acknowledge that it also erases the privileged position of white masculinity. Take, for example, the choice to have Nick Wilde, the main predator character, voiced by a white man, and yet central to the argument of predator victimhood. There is a definite unevenness to the way in which these various metaphors are deployed throughout the film: the mayor, Mr. Lionheart is established as being in a privileged position, and his privilege/pompousness/power are the implicit motive behind the villain’s actions--he is voiced by a white man and it seems that he could be legible as a metaphor for (white) male privilege. At the same time, the disappearance of Emmitt Otterton (who does not have a speaking role) does not seem to be of huge concern: while sympathy is expressed towards his wife, Mrs. Otterton (who is voiced by a Black actress), Judy is ultimately assigned to the investigation because she volunteers for it under conditions which imply that the department is not willing to give the job to someone with more experience, and she does not have access to the full police resources to solve the case; furthermore, her assignment to solve his disappearance in two days is part of a wager, further suggesting that the police are not seriously concerned with his disappearance. All of this parallels a real life disregard for the lives of people of color especially by the police.

The way the news sensationalizes the fact that predators are supposedly going “feral” is also significant in this context: if the biases experienced by predator characters are intended to articulate racism, this could be commentary on the way people of color (and especially Black men) are represented as hyper-violent and a potential danger to white society in the real world. If, however, predators are intended to be privileged male figures like the mayor the suggestion may be that all men are viewed as violent/uncivilized and that this is harmful: a critique of critiquing “toxic masculinity” rather than “toxic masculinities” themself. Let’s break this down a little bit more, as it largely overlooks the ways violence and masculinity are actually intertwined in the Global North: first of all, it maintains an idea of white male victimhood which is initially suggested by Nick Wilde’s real world whiteness by implying that white men are viewed as violent in ways which broadly overlook the way that society hegemonically views men of color to be violent and violent white men to be outliers, despite actual trends suggesting otherwise (consider racism and the war on drugs/imagining of the “super predator,” hegemonic discourses on violence which surround mass shootings/acts of terror and how these shift based off the race/ethnicity of the shooter, the mass incarceration of men of color, the disproportionate nature of police violence and murder enacted on people of color). Secondly, it creates the insinuation that critiques of the way violence often becomes accepted and expected in many kinds of masculinities are more harmful to men than the way stoicism/rugged individualism/violence are so prevalent in masculine “norms.” Thirdly, it disengages with the real harm violent norms can and do cause women.

Part of what makes the dynamics of this metaphor so difficult to follow is that the film starts off from the position that Judy is facing discrimination which she must overcome, and then switches into the new position that Judy herself holds discriminatory beliefs. While there is value to this narrative arc: say we scrap the animal metaphor and Judy is, for example, a middle class white woman overcoming sexism to join the police force who then partners with Nick who is, to stick with the film's casting choices, a poor white man, or, to stick with the metaphor, a Black man, and in the process she realizes that oppression is multifaceted and she herself has internalized prejudices which affect other people’s reality; this could be a useful and important story. But because of the way the world is developed and because the writing is so focused on binary logics, we have a strange world where “prey” animals are discriminated against, but not the large ones, and “predator” animals hold positions of power (despite incompetence), but they also have to navigate discrimination and prejudicial tensions, and these tensions are heightened by attacks intended to heightened these fears, but the attacks are caused because a prey animal is tired of facing discrimination at the hands of the predators.

Let me give two further examples which I think can help clarify my point here: Officer Clawhauser (voiced by a white actor), who is shown to be well meaning and kind, but at the same time holds “soft” discriminatory beliefs towards Judy (although he apologizes when she comments on it) and is, frankly, not very good at his job. Most of his onscreen time at work involves him eating donuts and messing around on his phone; yet when he is fired because he is a predator it becomes a significant moment of compassion on Judy’s part where she realizes she must rethink her bias. Again, if “predator” is understood to be the stand-in for masculinity, we must also reconsider the stakes: why is Clawhauser viewed as being a better fit for the police academy than Judy in the first place? And what are the implications of his no longer being viewed this way? Why is his performance not considered at any point in his employment? Is the way he becomes viewed as a potential threat and is subsequently fired part of a patriarchal paranoid fantasy which is anxious that the integration of women on equal terms in the workplace will lead to a total dialectical switch of positions? And if so, why is this fear being articulated in 2016? On the other hand, if prejudice against predators is a metaphor for racism, it is difficult to understand why he got the job in the first place (he is not framed as being any sort of “diversity” hire in the way that Judy is).

A second example is that towards the end of the film Nick becomes upset, hurt, and angry to discover that Judy carries “Fox Spray” just to be safe; this commentary only holds up if the predator metaphor is one of race/racism rather than gender/sexism. What we, as an audience, have to ask is what the fox spray is intended to represent in the real world: is this a criticism of women carrying mace or other self-protection devices? Surely it cannot be intended to suggest that women need to consider how emotionally “hurtful” it might be for men to realize that women have to take extra precautions because of the legal and social structures which facilitate sexual assault and re-victimize survivors. So is “Fox Spray” the same as “[Racial/Ethnic Group] Spray”? The implications between these two interpretations vary widely, and the messiness of the metaphor leaves this commentary confused.

[agirlinhell]

Just in case y’all missed it or didn’t look at Clementine’s updated bio, here are a few things you need to know that are a distinct and unique part of my portrayal of her that I DO NOT want anyone stealing! Beware of spoilers and mature themes and post length! If you see anyone stealing these headcanons, please IM me.

-Clementine is an eclectic witch with an intrigue for the occult and all things magical. She takes elements from African Witchcraft, Animism, Art Witchcraft, Astrology Witchcraft, Crystal Witchcraft, Dianic Witchcraft, Divination, Elemental Witchcraft, Kemeticism, Floral Witchcraft, Green Witchcraft, Hearth / Kitchen Witchcraft, Hellenism, Lunar Witchcraft, Musical Witchcraft, Sea / Water Witchcraft and Hoodoo to make her own type of magic.

-Clementine is demibiromantic and demibisexual - most times she has no preference between men and women, but sometimes this fluctuates in preferences, i.e sometimes she prefers the company of males over females and vice versa.

-When she was younger, from ages eight to eleven, she would start to draw vent art, especially after the incident at the St. John’s Dairy - and often times this consisted of rather dark imagery. She stopped at age twelve.

-Clementine is racially ambiguous. She identifies as Black / African-American, but it is possible that she may be descended from other none-African races further back in the family tree, though this is debatable. Regardless, Clementine does not know her true heritage nor is it likely she ever will, and it’s not like she can take a DNA test. However, regardless of belief, it's highly unlikely that Clementine will ever know her true heritage, and as such, she identifies as Black / African-American, even if there is the possibility of her being mixed.

-Clementine identifies as Cisgender Female / Demigirl so thus she uses she/her/ and they/them pronouns. She’s still experimenting with her gender identity and discovering herself. 

-Clementine is very androgynous, especially in her youth during the events of Season Two. Many individuals at Howe’s thought she was a boy.

-In her default verse, Clementine is eighteen, as it is set a few months after the events of The Final Season.

-Clementine is a proud Scorpio - and a Scorpio Queen at that.

-In her default verse, Clementine is leader and Headmistress of Ericson’s Boarding School For Troubled Youth, to which it is later renamed The Enlightenment - Aasim is the one who came up with the name because the previous suggestions that Violet gave out were considered quite informal but Clementine and Violet sometimes call the school the name they chose as a private joke.

-The Enlightenment is not only a settlement in it’s own right, but it also doubles as a sanctuary for the lost and the refugees from the wars outside of their borders and an actual school in the apocalypse. The settlement becomes formidable and renown for it’s neutrality and safe environment, and survivors from more established communities send their children to learn there.

-Clem was raised in a mild Christian household before the outbreak; she was an agnostic during the events of Season Two to Season Three: A New Frontier, and in present time, she is Pantheistic and a believer of the Greek Pantheon but will occasionally pray to and brings offerings to Egyptian gods such as Bastet and Sekhmet. She mostly prays and brings offerings to Hecate, Persephone, Aphrodite, Athena and Artemis, but will also pray to Apollo, Demeter, Dionysus, Hermes, Hestia, Harmonia, Nemesis, the Muses and the Charites. Yet her patron goddess that she prays to most will always be Hecate, the goddess of crossroads, entrance-ways, light, the night, the moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, sorcery and necromancy. Despite all this, she is very open minded to other religions and faiths, and even those who don’t have a faith.

-She believes in past lives and reincarnation, and that there is life on other planets.

-Honestly, at this point, after seeing humans literally rise from the dead and start devouring people, she’ll most likely believe in anything considered “occult”, “mystical” or “magical”.

-She speaks English (mother tongue), Spanish (intermediate, taught by the Garcia family), French (beginner, self taught, Louis teaches her a bit as well), American Sign Language (in a verse where Louis loses his tongue, self taught, intermediate, post-The Final Season), Latin (self taught, beginner, post-The Final Season), and Korean (beginner, taught by James, post-The Final Season) in default. She hopes she can learn more languages in the future, because of just how essential it is for communication in the apocalypse.

-Clementine has up to the middle of her calf on her left leg amputated by AJ after she was bit by a walker - often uses crutches to move around, but this advances to using a wheelchair or riding on her mare, Epona, when she wants to speed up her pace, and this evolves into a wooden foot and then a prosthetic foot via trade with other settlements.

-What is truly concerning, however, is her mental health: Clementine is psychologically damaged. Depressive disorder, PTSD, Anxiety, abandonment issues, suffers with hallucinatory episodes from time to time, she is an insomniac. Survivor's guilt. Self-loathing tendencies. Sociopathic tendencies. Suicidal tendencies. Possible messiah complex. She has the possibility of becoming an addict to drugs or alcohol if she is not careful and has suffered from substance abuse after her exile from The New Frontier whilst in Prescott at a young age. She could potentially have a "hero complex," with her inherent desire to help those around her, despite being unable to help herself, and having a compulsion to make the world right. She dislikes her reality which is mostly portrayed as polluted, dull and disheartening, full of the dead walking among the living, human trafficking, anarchy and homelessness, and struggles to cope with everyday life but it has improved post-The Final Season. 

-Clementine's lived in borderline poverty and homelessness for most of her young life and she has faced the possibility of prostitution at a very young age in Prescott in order to survive and this obviously leads her to having trust issues. Clementine was for the most part, lonely, and did not have friends or family, as everyone else had either betrayed her or died.

-She has heightened senses. 

-Clementine also has a deep fear of illness. She lived for a very long time in the wilderness with the groups she’s been with, especially in Larry’s case and his frequent heart attacks to the point where it indirectly lead to his own death by Kenny’s hands and then lived on the streets of Prescott and received very minimal medical care, for this, she can be absurdly clean to the point it’s a little jarring. Even a simple cold can make her worry as she had no way to provide for herself if ill, it reminds her of the extreme situations she endured. 

-She suffers in silence as a survivor of sexual abuse - she has never told anyone of her experiences. 

-She's self harmed and attempted suicide on multiple occasions in her past, both at a very young age. She hasn’t done either of these things since she was twelve years old.

-Clem still dreams of Lee and her loved ones and talks to them as if they were still there with her. 

-While Clementine is not completely cured of her depression and her mental illnesses, it is also noticeable that she is no longer suffering from it as much as she was before, and some of her mental health is under her control.

-Clem worked as a Former Supply Runner, Patroller, Hunter, Medic and Fighter for The New Frontier.

-She was a Former Spy, Beggar, Thief, Arsonist and Child Mercenary For Hire and has been a Bar Owner and a Businesswoman of many trades - almost that of a Gang Leader in Prescott - all at a young age.

-Clementine ends up taking Tennessee and Willy under her wing and thinks of them almost the same way as she would AJ - her younger brothers or her sons - it’s complicated, but she loves them very much.

-After the events of The Final Season, Tenn shows up quite often in her room at night because he cannot sleep due to the recent trauma he’s endured and asks her for advice or alternatively, to sing him to sleep. She gladly does so. 

-Clementine’s maternal grandmother was a Voodoo practitioner. Clem can still remember her, but only vaguely. Her grandmother had intended on teaching her granddaughter Voodoo but the outbreak hit before she could.

-Post-The Final Season, Clementine and the group takes care of nine stray cats who she’s named Luna, Hazel, Sol, Serena, Rai, Brynjar, Oreo, Pepper, and Stella. She and AJ take care of a little box turtle that they’ve named Franklin. Three stray, friendly foxes also make their way around the school, a white fox, a black fox, and a red fox, to which Clementine and the group began naming Aurora, Agni and Aenar. Determinantly, Clementine has her own horse that she stole from the Delta and named it Epona after the mare began taking a liking to the girl. Clementine rides her often whenever she feels stressed and they share a great bond.

-Clementine’s full name is Clementine Maria Jasmine Cree, but will use the surname Everett in honor of her protector and adoptive father figure. “Clementine” is “Mercy” in Latin, “Maria” is the Latinized form of “Mary” whom is a respected figure in many religions - notably Christianity and Islam - whom is the mother of the savior of the world; it has several different meanings: “sea of bitterness”, “sea of sorrow”, “rebellion”, “wished-for-child” and “mistress or lady of the sea.”, “Jasmine” is a Persian word meaning “Gift from God” or “God’s Gift” and it is also named after the Jasmine flower, which holds significant cultural, symbolic and religious significance in countries like India, Hawaii, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Syria, Thailand and the United States. It symbolizes motherhood, love, respect, beauty, sensuality, appreciation, good luck, purity, and romance. “Cree” means “Highly Spirited”. “Everett” - a surname that Clementine takes on as a momentum to her mentor, Lee Everett, comes from the Old English word eoforheard which means “brave as a wild boar”.

-She is directly descended from a Voodoo Queen in New Orleans, she also has ancestral ties to the Maroons and many of her ancestors were bokor or caplata, meaning male and female Vodou witches. Many of her recent ancestors were skilled in music. Her relations tie back to Ancient Egypt and other great African empires, many of them were explorers, travelers and sailors, whilst others were horsemen and feared archers and warriors. Clementine has no knowledge of any of this, nor is it likely she ever will discover this revelation.

-Post-The Final Season, Clementine lets her hair grow out a little longer. She lets her hair loose, especially when the colder seasons pass through as it covers her neck and just past her shoulderblades. When styling her hair, she often chooses protective styles in traditional African styles such as Afro Puffs, Bantu Knots, braids, and cornrows.

-As an eclectic witch, she likes using glyphs, sigils, runes, colored candles, metals, herbs, oils, crystals, special stones, rocks, seashells, animal skulls, flowers and plants to use in her spells and to decorate her room. She has a grimoire that she write her past in, the history of magic and how she initiated, an appendix of crystals, herbs, plants and trees, spells, ingredients, prayers, incantations, rituals, holidays, zodiacs, planets and celestial bodies, gods/goddesses/deities, their powers and how to worship them, the planes of existence, animals, mythical creatures, demonology, dragonlore, necromancy, the dark arts, books to use as references, colors, altars, recipes while cooking / baking in spells, magical objects, spiritualism, mythologies of several cultures around the world, symbols, sigils, the phases of the moon, flower language from the Victorian Era and fan language. Luckily, the school is quite large and the library is being rebuilt and books are generously donated by other settlements through trade. Clementine’s knowledge skyrockets in adulthood, quite impressive for a girl who had once been in first grade.

-In the colder seasons, such as autumn and winter, she tends to wear more to clothing with furs on and inside them if she manages to acquire them. Some of the outfits she wears consists of her own homemade outfits of animal furs she had skinned herself. Clementine wears an Omega necklace that Louis gives her, symbolizing the end of something. In current plots, she wears a opal crystal pendant necklace around her neck, hanging down to about her chest as a gift from The Commonwealth; it’s her birthstone and she believes it could grant her luck among other things. She often makes her friends and family fur cloaks to keep them warm.

-She begins taking an intrigue in playing musical instruments, notably the piano, but has started playing the flute, the violin and the harp. Clem is mostly focused on learning her piano lessons as of now, though.

[understandingsexwork-blog]

Understanding Sex Work and Applying an Intersectional Lens to Provide Resources to Grand Rapids Sex Workers

By Lauren Monahan, Kayla Kaminski, Marissa DeGonia, and Larenz Rivero

Sex work can be defined as a commercial exchange of a sexual service for money or other benefits such as housing, transportation, drugs, or more. This term is used to describe a wide range of transactions, and does not mean that all sex workers are one homogenous group. Some types of sex workers are escorts, exotic dancers, dominatrices, phone sex operators, sensual massage professionals, actors in adult films, or other professions that involve the trade of sex or erotic performances (Avenatti). Most frequently, the definition of sex work is limited to work that explicitly either involves sex or sexual gestures. This neglects the emotional work that takes place in the sex work industry and provides a limited scope to the needs and experiences of sex workers.

The language we use when speaking about sex work is important. The way we talk about sex work is not neutral as it influences the way people think about sex work and the way policy is created (Stella 2013). The language used to describe sex work and sex workers varies depending upon the type of sex work, the region, and the historical context. The language we use explains the differences in the histories of different kinds of sex workers, and the language used is often times framed in a very stereotypical and simplistic way. This erases the complexity of the lived realities of sex workers, whether they be good or bad (Stella 2013). Because the words that sex workers use to describe their experiences and their identities can be used to discredit them and enact violence, the words they themselves use may differ depending on who they are communicating with. While within their respective communities they may respect everyone’s choice of language to identify themselves, they may not use the same language when talking to people outside of that community. In this light, it is important to remember that language is culturally and linguistically specific and means different things depending on its translation and cultural context. The difference in language used is complicated and has many layers, but when an intersectional lens is employed we can begin to see how word choice intersects with intention and meaning.

For example, when speaking about consensual and forced sex work, there is a tendency to rush towards distinguishing between the two terms. It may be easy to draw a strict line in saying that consensual sex work is done by choice and forced sex work is not work, but rather abuse or assault. While it is important to acknowledge the difference between the two, there can be unintended consequences of doing so. By having a public opinion that sees sex work within this binary, the perspective that some sex workers should be blamed and criminalized while others should be victimized and saved becomes prominent. This can lead to a black-and-white public thought around the issue that can silence the voices of actual sex workers within the profession. Another unintended consequence is that it obscures the difference between good and bad working conditions (Stella 2013). Although workers may consent to the act, they may not consent to the working conditions they experience. A person may consent to a certain act but feel forced to do so in an area or setting by outside forces. This is why it is important that sex work is looked at through an evidence based, human rights advocacy lens. If we start raising the voices of sex workers over those that seek to simply criminalize or victimize them, we can start to move towards improving the conditions that all sex workers operate within so that each worker has the opportunity to decide what, where, and how they should perform in their profession.

Another complicated and racialized aspect of language present in sex work discourse is that around the word ‘pimp’. This word indicates a gendered, racialized, and classist image of who third party managers are in the industry (Stella 2013). This erases the diversity present amongst third party roles and creates a damaging narrative against poor men of color. By using the word ‘pimp,’ porn directors and producers, massage parlor managers, and escort service managers--as well as their potentially empowering or exploitative techniques are ignored.

Sex Work and LGBTQ Experiences

In an interview with the three New York City based activists Amber Hollibaugh, Ignacio Rivera, and Felix Gardon, sex work in relation to queer politics is explained. Sex work has always had a place amongst queer and trans communities. It has been both a source of income and livelihood as well as an issue that has shaped “the space between social and political margins and the centralities of queer and trans communities” (Shah 2012) It is impossible to speak about sex work without acknowledging its deep interweaving history with trans and queer communities, as well as how it intersects with race. The intersection between the marginalized identities of queer and trans people with the marginalization of sex workers cannot be ignored. It is the social factors around sex work, HIV transmission, poverty, and incarceration that connect to form a more complete picture of how sex work is neither victimless nor fully suppressive.

Sex work for many is seen as a problem, with sex workers being the victims. Amber Hollibaugh explain how the relationship between victimization and self empowerment through sex work is complicated. For Amber and many sex workers she knew, sex work was a privilege compared to the other options available. There were many reasons as to why people consensually choose to engage in sex work. People choose to do sex work during times of unemployment, as a way to do community organizing, or because their marginalized identities left them with few other choices.. For others, like activist and sex worker Ignacio Rivera, sex work was a way out of poverty while also being an avenue to pursue activism they felt other lesbian and gay organizations were ignoring. Others became sex workers to pay for school. Regardless of the reason, there are many workers who engage in sex work while also holding legal jobs to support their financial needs.

Historically, the lens that non-normative sex has been perceived through has conflated LGBTQ identities and sex work. To the police in New York, during the 1960’s-1980’s, being visibly LGBTQ was indicative of being a sex worker and LGBTQ people were incarcerated at high rates. At the time, people could be arrested for prostitution for merely carrying a condom on them. Hallibaugh reports that about half of the sex workers she worked with in New York City were “endlessly incarcerated” (Shah 2012). By understanding the way that LGBTQ narratives are intertwined with the negative narratives of sex work, we can better see that sex work is not inherently problematic, just as LGBTQ identities are not. Rather, society’s notion of normative sex and bodies creates problematic situations for sex workers.

The successful attempt to marginalize and stratify sex work is a function of a greater cause to regulate bodies. Bodies “have been regulated by the state, starting with slavery and forced sterilizations, to the scare tactics around HIV and STDs and sex work” (Shah 2012). This is all to dictate the way that people should use their bodies, and when those people do not use their bodies in that way they are ostracized, marginalized, and discriminated against. This leads to violence against sex workers and marginalized groups that is validated by the underlying ideologies set forth by the state. By looking at the ways that bodies have been controlled throughout history, we can see that bodies are and have been controlled by race and sexuality, where black people are the most controlled and sex outside reproduction being considered immoral or vagrant. This, allows us to see the multiple societal forces that stigmatize sex work.

In order to create safer environments and long lasting ideologies that destigmatize sex workers, sexual liberation must be considered. By seeing sex work as a path to sexual liberation, we get closer to seeing sex work as legitimate work. It is important to validate this profession because it leads to more open discussions that focus on harm reduction and prevention for the sex work industry. By removing the negative stigma from sex work and legitimizing it as a form of work, LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups who have been ostracized from other forms of normative work because of their identities have a legitimate avenue to make their living and to create community.

Overall, this change to destigmatizing and decriminalizing sex work allows individuals to express their own bodily autonomy, reduces the power of the state in regulating bodies, and works towards expanding the narrow category of what normative bodies must be and how they must act. The activists interviewed assert that we need to see race, class, gender, and sexuality as intersecting and to see the way that power constitutes them.

Decriminalization vs. Legalization of Sex Work

There has been debate over whether decriminalization is better than legalization of sex work. Distinguishing the difference is vital in terms of legislation regarding sex work. Although both legalization and decriminalization sound appealing for the rights of sex workers, the former carries with it many unintended consequences.

University of Rhode Island professor Donna Hughes explains the two terms as follows: “Legalization would mean the regulation of prostitution with laws regarding where, when, and how prostitution could take place. Decriminalization eliminates all laws and prohibits the state and law-enforcement officials from intervening in any prostitution-related activities or transactions, unless other laws apply.” Even though legalizing prostitution is often seen as a tolerant, practical solution, the legalized model “disproportionately excludes sex workers who are already marginalized, like people who use drugs or who are undocumented”, Smith argues. One key fact to remember is that those who resort to sex work as an occupation are often doing so as means of support for their children and/or living expenses. Research has shown that criminalizing the acts of sex workers “creates conditions of impunity and enhances sex workers’ vulnerabilities to violence and exploitation, including trafficking.” Therefore, those that make a living doing sex work in a society that criminalizes it are forced to work in more vulnerable situations, increasing the risk of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking. Another reason sex workers may not prefer legalization is that it provides a new system for controlling bodies, which is exactly the opposite of what sex workers want from legalization (Lutnick 2009). The process it takes to legally work in the sex industry is extensive and requires getting permits and subjecting oneself to medical exams. By placing standards of who can do sex work under a legalized system, bodies are controlled and deemed acceptable or not for sex work.

Failing to comply with the legal rules of sex work would make a sex worker a criminal. The consequences of having sexual crimes on one’s record range far and wide, further marginalizing sex workers. Having a charge for prostitution, for example, can affect housing, employment, and the opportunity to receive social benefits. This further limits the chances of getting out of the sex work industry if one wishes to do so.

Many sex workers have opted for decriminalization instead of legalization (Lutnick 2009). It provides freedom, safety, and support while allowing people control over their own bodies. Decriminalization would essentially make sex work operate as any other business would. This would enable workers to seek out legal help and support to deal with exploitive and unsafe working conditions. It also allows sex workers to be able to employ the police for their protection, which would reduce the amount of immobility experienced by sex workers who may be trapped in bad situations. By decriminalizing sex work, the process of de-stigmatizing sex work is furthered and open negotiations create consent and safer conditions.

An article in the AMA Journal of Ethics by Erin Albright and Kate D'Adamo argues four reasons to oppose criminalizing sex work:

increased violence 

erosion of trust

increased vulnerability

stigma

When sex workers are pushed into more vulnerable communities, not only does their risk of violence increase but they are more prone to never report that violence. Fear of judgment, discrimination, and a lower quality of service erodes trust between healthcare professionals and sex workers. As previously mentioned, having a record with prostitution increases one’s vulnerability in terms of limited employment opportunities, housing options, and chance to receive any social benefits. Lastly, criminalization fuels stigma. “Research supports the fact that sex workers are some of the most marginalized people in the world,” says Albright and D’Adamo. “Too often, sex workers are spoken for instead of given a platform for speaking themselves, and a result is a lack of recognition and enforcement of their basic human rights.”

Criminalizing sex work ultimately creates the cycle of the discrimination and marginalization of sex workers. Decriminalizing sex work would counter the stigma against sex work and be a large step into reducing the harm and violence sex workers often encounter.

Sex Work in Michigan

A study was conducted in 2004 by the State of Michigan called “HIV/AIDS and Health Related Needs Among Commercial Sex Workers in Michigan” in search of statistics and research from commercial sex workers on their health related needs, expectations and resources for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. 59 subjects participated from Benton Harbor, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, and Ypsilanti which were given structured self-reported interviews on their experience for exchanging sex for drugs and money (Lapinski-LaFaive 2004). Data from the study showed that the majority of participants were from Detroit and that their number one fear of contributing to sex work was contracting HIV/AIDS despite 90% of the participants reporting that they had been tested for HIV/AIDS in the past.

Data from the study showed:

Detroit had the highest percentage of interviews conducted.

22% of the participants expressed their main concern was contracting HIV/AIDS.

13.6% responded to getting killed or injured was their primary concern.

66% of participants reported to having only one primary partner.

One of Michigan’s recommendations is to implement prevention interventions to encourage risk reduction strategies. There is limited research done on the Grand Rapids area in specific, but the Nokomis Foundation, an organization which provides help to women and girls involved in street prostitution, states that from the information known, there is estimated to be hundreds of people involved in prostitution in the city. However, there is limited awareness, knowledge, and understanding about those involved. An article by The Nokomis Foundation focused on the sex work and prostitution rates within Grand Rapids and stated that within Grand Rapids, the crack/cocaine influx was proportional to the prostitution rates in the areas of Fulton and 28th Street. Popular areas of the city of Grand Rapids are known to be Fulton, 28th Street, Division Ave, Grandville Ave, and Madison Ave. The article references that women often partake in prostitution in Grand Rapids because of the winter weather. Some people offer their sexual services in exchange for someone taking them home at night to avoid the dangerously cold temperatures. Research on sex work and resources for sex workers within the Grand Rapids community is lacking and more research needs to be focused on this portion of Michigan’s population.

Resources

Importance of Access to Resources

Due to criminalization of sex work within the United States, sex workers are often left without access to the same resources that other members of their community can access. Criminalization escalates risks and vulnerabilities of sex workers and often prevents them from receiving reliable sexual information, harm reduction services, medical services, legal help, and mental health services. Below, we aim to give resources to Grand Valley students, Grand Rapid residents, and local service providers to better help the community who participate in the sex work industry.  

Education for Local Service Providers

In order to have accessible resources within our community, we must push service providers to be sex work competent. We can do this by providing them information on what sex work is, important terminology, information on how criminalization adversely affects sex workers’ health, the needs and risk for people in the sex work industry, and how to effectively communicate with sex workers in our communities.

Cassandra Avenatti, an executive board member of Sex Workers Outreach Project-Chicago (SWOP), created an online training presentation titled “Understanding Sex Work & Supporting Individuals Involved in the Sex Trade” (Avenatti). This training includes an introductory lesson on the sex work industry and the criminalization of sex work, as well as guidelines that service providers should utilize when working with sex workers.

“Understanding Sex Work & Supporting Individuals Involved in the Sex Trade”

The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council also provides some competency training on sex work and some of its intersections with other social issues. These trainings come in many different formats, but some of interest for Grand Rapids businesses are the remote webinars and online courses.

Training from the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council 

Resources for Sex Workers in the Grand Rapids Area

Harm Reduction Services

Harm reduction services focus on reducing the harm caused by drug usage or other practices that can be detrimental to people’s health. The Grand Rapid’s sex worker community may find the following services useful in providing sexual healthcare and education, reducing STD/HIV transmission, reducing opioid overdoses,  LGBTQ-specific healthcare needs, and more.

The Red Project is a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to reduce risk, provide healthcare related services, and prevent HIV transmission. A list of their many services offered can be found at redproject.org/services/, and a few are outlined below. All services are offered for free and anonymously.

Rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing from five walk-in locations in Grand Rapids. Locations and times found by calling the number below or located on their website. Website Phone: (616) 456-9063

Needle exchange, sexual health products, and personal hygiene products. Locations and times can be located on their website. Website 

Opioid overdose reversal training and Nalaxone/Narcan dispersal. Locations and times can be located on their website. Website

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) assistance and early intervention programs. Assistance can be found by calling the number below and asking for Nathan Bentley, the Red Project’s Early Intervention Specialist and PrEP Coordinator. Website Phone: (616) 456-9063 

San Francisco Sex Information provides free and non-judgemental information on sex practices and sexual health by phone or email. They also provide information via their website. Website Phone: (415) 989-7374 Email: ask-us@sfsi.org Planned Parenthood is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides healthcare for millions of people worldwide for free or reduced cost.

The Grand Rapid’s Planned Parenthood branch provides general healthcare, birth control, pregnancy testing, sexual education, abortion services, HIV services, STD testing and vaccines, LGBTQ-specific services such as hormone therapy, and more. A full list of services and how to access them can be found at their website. Website

Planned Parenthood provides an online chat or text messaging service that connect you with educators that can give answers to sexual education, birth control, pregnancy, abortion, and STD questions. Text Messaging Number: Text “PPNOW” to 774636

Sex Worker Allied Mental Health Services

Some mental healthcare providers identify themselves as sex worker allied. Below are a few that are providing services to Grand Rapids or surrounding areas that identified online as being sex worker allied.

Brenda Benjamin, Licensed Professional Counselor Located: Grandville, Michigan Phone: (616) 952-2525

Sharon Depcinski, Clinical Social Work/Therapist Located: Grand Rapids, Michigan Phone: (616) 236-2992

Victoria Fisher, Clinical Social Work/Therapist Located: Grand Rapids, Michigan Phone: (616) 710-4378

Transitional Housing & Residential Assistance

Some sex workers may choose at some point to leave the industry. Regardless of the reason, leaving the industry can be a difficult and vulnerable time. Some organizations aim to help make that transition easier by offering discreet counseling, a supportive community, and residential assistance. One such organization is Eve’s Angels, a faith-based nonprofit led by former sex workers that offers counseling, transitional housing, reintegration programs, and a supportive and understanding community.

To contact Eve’s Angels in Grand Rapids, go to their website or write to them at PO Box 150923 Grand Rapids, MI 49515 USA.

Human Trafficking Assistance

While sex work is not synonymous with sex trafficking or human trafficking, some members of the sex work industry can be at a higher risk of being human trafficked. The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides a way to report human trafficking or get safely out of human trafficking.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center Website SMS: 233733 (Text “HELP” or “INFO”) Hotline: 1 (888) 373-7888 (24 hours, 7 days a week) Languages: English, Spanish and 200 more languages

Michigan Laws Regarding Prostitution and Local Legal Assistance

Knowing Michigan law is important for sex workers who have to navigate within its constraints. Though prostitution is only one kind of sex work, it tends to be the one that is criminalized most often within states. The act of prostitution and soliciting prostitution are considered misdemeanors under Michigan laws, while pimping/pandering is considered a felony.

If you are stopped by law enforcement officers for prostitution or suspected prostitution, SWOP-MI recommends staying calm and polite with the officer, remain silent if possible, refuse consent to be searched, try to remember all details of the encounter, and ask for an attorney. It is also recommended to not attempt to run away from, resist, or lie to the officer (“What To Do”).

Michigan laws of interest for sex workers that trade sex include:

750.448-750.462 of the Michigan Penal Code, (“Michigan Penal Code,” 2009) which deals with the laws regarding prostitution.

750.451a of the Michigan Penal Code (2009), which states that prostitution laws in Michigan do not pertain to officers while they are performing their duties. While its purpose is to allow officers to go undercover without being found out, it allows room for potential abuse in that law enforcement officers can coerce vulnerable individuals into performing act of prostitution.

There are various criminal defense lawyers that serve the Grand Rapids population and specialize in prostitution or sexual crimes, including those outlined below.

The Criminal Defense Law Center West Michigan Website Phone: (616) 438-6719

The Bar One Defense Firm Website Phone: (248) 826-2565

                    References  

Albright, E., & D'Adamo, K. (2017, January 01). Decreasing Human Trafficking through Sex Work Decriminalization. Retrieved February 24, 2019, from https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/decreasing-human-trafficking-through-sex-work-decriminalization/2017-01

Avenatti, C. (n.d.). Understanding Sex Work & Supporting Individuals Involved in the Sex Trade.

Retrieved from https://www.nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/cultural-competence-w-persons-involved-with-the-sex-trade_avenatti1.pdf.

Bruckert, C., Caouette, A., Clamen, J., Gillies, K. Kiselbach, S., Laliberte, E.,... Symons, E.

(2013, April). Language Matters: Talking About Sex Work. Retrieved from https://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/StellaInfoSheetLanguageMatters.pdf.

Chapter 750. Michigan Penal Code. (2009, February). [PDF Document]. Retrieved from

http://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-chap750.pdf.  

Clune, D., & Hosey, J. (n.d.). How We Can Do Better: Helping Prostituted Women and Girls in Grand Rapids Make Healthy Choices. Retrieved from

http://www.nokomisfoundation.org/documents/WeCanDoBetter.pdf.      

Eve’s Angels Inc. NFP. (n.d.) In Guidestar. Retrieved from

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/26-3823877.   

Lapinski-LaFaive, M. K., & Simpson, H. L. (2004). HIV/AIDS and Health Related Needs

Among Commercial Sex Workers in Michigan. Retrieved from https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/HIV_Needs_Commercial_Sex_Workers_2004_389436_7.pdf.              

Lutnick, A., & Cohan, D. (2009). Criminalization, legalization or decriminalization of sex work: What female sex workers say in San Francisco, USA. Reproductive Health Matters, 17(34), 38-46. doi:10.1016/s0968-8080(09)34469-9.

National Human Trafficking Hotline. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.

Paglia, A. (2017, November 16). Sex Trafficking vs. Sex Work: What You Need to Know

Human Trafficking Search. Retrieved from http://humantraffickingsearch.org/2017725sex-trafficking-vs-sex-work-what-you-need-to-know/.    

San Francisco Sex Information. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://sfsi.org/.

Services. (n.d.) In The Red Project. Retrieved from http://redproject.org/services/.

Shah, S.P. (2012). Sex Work and Queer Politics in Three Acts. The Scholarly & Feminist Online, 10.1-10.2. Retrieved from http://sfonline.barnard.edu/a-new-queer-agenda/sex-work-and-queer-politics-in-three-acts.          

Training and Technical Assistance. (n.d.) In National Health Care for the Homeless Council. Retrieved from https://www.nhchc.org/training-technical-assistance/.

What To Do If You Are Stopped By Law Enforcement. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.swop-mi.org/swop.law.htm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

[valakobama]

Giving Visibility to Women to Better the Movement for Racial Justice

America has a long history of relying on the fruitful labor of women, whilst simultaneously rejecting their existence. The roots of this dismissiveness can be traced to the very systems and values that this country was founded on and are upheld by this country: capitalism, racism, ableism, the patriarchy, to name a few. Yet, it remains to be a surprise to many when this oppression is brought to light in the context of existing oppressed groups, specifically black people. There was a sentiment that was expressed during the class discussion of Black Feminism that centered around the fact that it is common to view infringements on one’s multiple identities can be a attacked only one at a time. This mindset is harmful but unfortunately has been the tone set by preceding movements organized to better the conditions of black Americans in regards to dealing with the oppression of identities besides race. It is important to make note of the very issue that oppression is not only limited to the traditional actor, the rich white male, but can take many shapes and forms, which is inclusive of those who are traditionally stigmatized to a certain extent. It remains, though, that black women have historically always been the ones to take up the laborious task of effectively organizing for their interests, yet their efforts have constantly been appropriated for a man to occupy the leadership positions and they fade into the backdrop. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is a very good example of this sentiment in the sense that while it is a beautifully composed narrative of the troubles of being a black person in the US, there is a noticeable lack of women in the book which is strikingly similar to the previously explained themes of black women lacking visibility.  It signals that the pattern of  denying black women roles in which their efforts can be attributed back to them, is rare in terms of history; but can be beneficial in finding successes through unity. Black women should not have to resort to infrapolitics within the movement for black lives, as movements like the black feminist movement arose to show that women’s rights are everyone’s rights, therefore need visibility to maintain an inclusive movement.

As it is rather unsurprising that black women have been left out of discourses that apply to their identities as black and women, in The Fire Next Time  it can be argued that the

illustration of the experiences of a black woman are minute but also relegated to traditional gender roles. This statement is divisive in a sense, but it also holds a lot of truth when considering that there are very little instances, in comparison with the various mentions of the black male experience, where the reader will find Baldwin take the black woman’s experience into account. This is not to say that there is no mention of women at all in the book, but that their roles besides being caregivers and needing protection are not simply enough. Take the meeting with Elijah Muhammad into account, where he is cognisant of the division in gender when he is at Muhammad’s house.Upon arrival to the residence, he notices that the women are sitting on the opposite side of the room and playing with a baby and the men are sitting with him having a discussion, until Muhammad walks into the room. He mentions how Muhammad acts a little flirtatious towards the women and they are responsive to it. The way he portrays this is interesting because while it is evident that he is knowledgeable of the simplistic role of the woman in the Nation of Islam, he doesn’t really expand on the experience as a . This is in stark contrast to the time that he spends expanding on the tumultuous experience of being a young black man. It is interesting to compare his dear regards for his nephew, in his letter My Dungeon Shook, where he takes the time out to speak on the transitional experiences of growing up as a black man, but he doesn’t pay much mind to the women that exist around him,  what he does tell him to do is reiterate the amount of love his mother and grandmother have for him. This is a constant theme throughout the book, in which the portrayal of women in this book are loving but also somewhat patronizing. One could argue that it could be that there is a difference in experiences, that the absence of the female characters could be attributed to the fact that men had more visibility to Baldwin. That lack of visibility, however, does not reflect on the amount of agency practiced by black women in the past.

Looking at the actions of black women through an infra-political lens may be helpful in understanding the not visible but powerful roles that black women have played in the movement for black lives. As discussed in class, infrapolitics was introduced as a concept of examining resistance tactics of oppressed individuals acting within their means, which often was a method used by women who were confined to repressive jobs and could not participate in other organizing methods. Robin D. G. Kelley’s We Are Not What We Seem explains the spaces dominated by infrapolitical action as, “the social and cultural institutions and ideologies that ultimately informed black opposition placed more emphasis on communal values and collective uplift than the prevailing class-conscious, individualist ideology of the white ruling classes.” This draws on a sentiment voiced during our class about the women’s era, in that the organizing model that these working class women embodied focused on what could be done in the confines of their positions rather than a traditional model that had centralized authority. Black women looked for more reform, rather than political rights. They did not seek to overturn hierarchies because they were barely recognized because of persisting gender roles. Although there was a move to during the progressive era to tried to change language from strict gender roles. Another common theme during this period was the aspiration of a level of respectability to achieve racial equality, which was gained significant participation by black women. While there were many black men that championed this ideal and created the “Talented Tenth”, women adhered to this hierarchy but also took the ideal a step further by using the idealism of respectability as a motivation to promote the theory of racial justice through furthering education. This is a widely touted solution to many problems, that was championed by women by the likes of Anna Julia Cooper and the motives were to get an education, move to south, challenge respectability politics (unfortunately not the level they were perpetuating) and challenge white womanhood morality through different representations of womanhood. While this provides an opportune framework for upward mobility, it was arguably limiting to those who did not have the resources to pursue this course of action. This was also  inherently exclusionary of the working class women who were already organizing within their positions of marginalization and disregarding to the contexts in which they already existed within, whether it was class, family life, geographical location, etc.

This exclusionary behavior has persisted regardless of recognition of the exclusionary themes that have existed in organizing in the movement for black lives. While the root of problem could be attributed to being socialized in systems that inherently oppress people. In attacking this issue, one can draw from Audre Lorde’s Age, Race, Class, and Sex to understand that without able to acknowledge that relying on traditional lines separating certain identities is weak, there is an inherent discord in a resistance movement. Audre argues that rejecting difference denies one the ability to be able to be apart of an effective movement that is inclusive of all because it is led through the perspective of the higher ups .  This is true for the many walks of lives that are covered in the movement for racial justice in the US, because with a traditionally male leadership, it has shown that many of the interests of women were disregarded. It can be argued that while using this perspective provided more unified and streamlined framework  to draw objectives from, but is exclusionary of the many people that benefit from this movement.

It is imperative that to continue an effective movement for black lives, that there is a move to be more inclusive not only of the laborious community of women that have been building the movement since the beginning. Black women have gone on to create more inclusive spaces and movements, such as the Black feminist movement and the womanist movements to organize. However if these perspectives are not recognized on a leadership level,

[nikhilgraphic]

Showcasing Diversity in Illustration: Advice From 10 Artists

Diversity may be a topic on many people’s minds lately . For designers and illustrators, the question they often ask themselves is how they will meaningfully contribute to the present urgent discussion on equality and variety . Through the visual arts medium, designers and illustrators have more power and influence than they'll realize, now available their course also, you have to just find the best university or institutions who has providing the best graphic designing course in Delhi, so get start your creativity and work hard.  When it involves showcasing diversity in your illustrations, don’t believe stereotypes to make equity, as that defeats the aim entirely. Instead, take the time to actually get to understand different cultures. Design and illustrate with a more sensible approach to how the planet really is and appears . To get experts’ opinions on the way to add more cultural diversity in illustration, we spoke directly with our Creative Market Shop Owners. We wanted to seek out out where they get their inspiration and references, how they are doing their research, and, ultimately, how they create their designs more inclusive. Here’s their insightful combat things.

1. Use real locations as inspiration sources

One surefire thanks to showcase more diversity in your illustrations is to base your drawings on a true location on the earth . This overcomes the temptation to stereotype since you’re handling factual, on-the-ground information as against mere assumptions. In Alone Sawchuk’s case, her inspiration for her Social Diversity/Objects Collection was a visit to at least one of Sweden’s most multi-cultural neighborhoods. “The Diversity Collection theme originated in Stockholm, Sweden. There’s a neighborhood in Stockholm called Rinke by. I had the chance to feel the atmosphere of this area, and 90% of the inhabitants there are immigrants or first and second generation with foreign roots.

 They formed the idea of my collection. Also, I take most of my topics from the environment now that I'm in Poland. I watch women strike, smog within the air, and dirty water. you'll already understand what is going to form the idea of my next collections.”

To ensure this cultural diversity successfully makes it into her designs, Alona follows a specific process:

“First, I decide what the gathering will contains . These are mainly characters, banners, seamless textures, posters, and postcards. These are often applied in several areas or, for instance , complete the location . i feel about what colors would be better to convey the theme. i really like black and white. I feel that such a mixture means there’s no got to consider details and obtain lost in colors. there's only the essence of what you would like to convey,” she revealed.

“Finally, I mostly create characters on paper. These are the most characters or the most composition; I supplement them with different elements, and, from this, I combine seamless textures.”

2. Design realistic characters

Character design may be a multi-faceted process that comes with illustration, design, storytelling, and even technical skills in working with animation software.

 Character design is additionally integral to cultural diversity in illustrations since an outsized a part of a character’s design is predicated on outward appearance. For Anna Minkins, an illustrator from Erceg Novi in Montenegro, character design is that the basis for her design inclusivity, like together with her Nude Modern Diversity Collection. "Character design may be a big a part of my job. i really like the thought that each single person is gorgeous in their individuality, regardless of what age they're or what complexion or somatotype they need.

 Drawing diverse people isn't only a stimulating activity and a continuing test of skill, but (I would really like to believe) also an honest thing for contemporary society. As references for my sense of equality and variety , I usually use photos of individuals i do know or images from either Instagram or Pinterest. Using real photos also helps to point out cultural trends (like hairstyles and fashion) correctly. The representation of various cultures can help different people relate to the visual content far better.

3. Capture subtle physical differences If you’re truly committed to cultural diversity in your illustrations, there’s no substitute for extensive research.

 Doing quite just scratching the surface of varied ethnicities is that the key to fairly representing different groups of individuals .In Irina Mir’s case, research is that the differentiating factor that enabled her to make her latest graphic, Diverse Cartoon Avatars, et al.

 in her collections. "When doing research for my latest set, I looked into a wider range of ethnicities, aiming for tons of diversity in people's physical appearances. for instance , when trying to represent Asian people, it's often overlooked how Malaysian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people could also be different. 

an equivalent goes for Central and South America. there is a huge visual diversity here, which isn't really reflected within the broad term ‘Hispanic,’” she said. "I sleep in Chile, and it's an oft-discussed issue here how we've a spread of individuals of all shapes and colors , but the actors and models we see on national media and billboard ads are selected to seem tall, thin, and blond. this is often not how a mean Chilean looks and isn’t representative of the people I interact with daily. i think it is vital for our visual culture to reflect the range of our lived experience.

 "Something as accessible as Google Images can go an extended way toward enabling this diversity research." I just did plenty of Google Image searches with keywords like ‘middle-aged Indian woman,’ together example. It’s about listening to those photos that look more candid and trying to ascertain common trends (like how women tend to style their hair, which tends to differ between cultures and among ages).

4. Seek balance in your compositions

 Instead of only that specialize in one racial representation in your drawings, you'll attempt to include an equal quantity of varied ethnicities within the graphics you create, along side a balance between gender representations. That’s what Franz of Franz Draws did for her Huge Collection of 220 Diverse Faces set, with good results. 

"For the range face set, I loosely divided people into very generalized ethnic groups (Black, White, Asian, Latino, Arab). i attempted to draw an equal amount of girls and men for every group (15 women, 15 men, 7 boys, and seven girls).

 I honestly didn't think an excessive amount of about it. it had been a really simplified, very loose guideline that I had in my head,” she explained. "Of course, within the process of drawing, the boundaries became blurry, and lots of faces fit into quite one group, which i prefer.

 i do not want to squeeze people into categories. My main goal was simply to make an illustration where White race aren't the bulk and where everyone features a chance to seek out a face that they will identify with. 

"Using stock photo websites for inspiration and research also proves handy in Franz’s workflows. "I tend to look for photos and portraits as an idea for my illustrations. I especially use photos from free websites like Apixaban and Unsplashed to form sure that i do not infringe on any photographer's copyrights.”

5. Eliminate stereotypes 

This actionable takeaway is perhaps one among the harder ones for illustrators to use consistently because a number of it's subconscious thanks to popular culture and media dissemination.

 However, there are steps you'll fancy make sure that stereotypes don’t make it into your illustrations. As Spain’s Beatriz Gascony, creator of the Family Big Set

 1: Diversity graphic, understands it, artists should take care to not replace a scarcity of representation with simple stereotyping. "Diversity is everything. the planet isn't always fair, politics aren't always helpful, and we, as citizenry , don't grant an equal voice to everyone. That's a reality that we all should fight every single day and check out to form people understand.

 I cannot change the planet , but I can attempt to give them a voice in my drawings, to offer them representation,” she said.

 "About my research process, my main concern is stereotypes. Stereotyping does the maximum amount harm as non-representation.

 There are many sorts of stereotyping, from plainly hurtful simplifications to little needles we've stuck in our cultural baggage that we might not remember of.

 I always attempt to be conscious and sensible by trying to use empathy. Addressing diversity requires attention and respect. 

I attempt to surround myself with people that are different from me.”It also comes right down to being discriminating in what sources you employ to try to to your illustrations justice.

 "About my sources, I attempt to avoid the moment search on Google (again, probably filled with stereotypes). I follow tons of artists, and that i attempt to follow diverse artists.”

6. Research your material thoroughly

When conducting research for cultural diversity in your drawings, it’s important to really understand the topic matter. rather than just changing an attribute or feature of your character here and there, make certain to make wholly unique designs for them across different cultures. Lana Elanor practices this when in her workflows for her illustration process. It begins with honest and fair research right from the beginning.

“One of the common mistakes is when artists accompany attributes and clichés rather than creating different people. for instance , once I was performing on my Abstract Gallery Modern Women’s Prints collection, I researched and decided to form different women rather than just adding some significant attributes to ‘average’ people.

 i think the ‘create-average-to-sell-more’ era is finally getting to end, and other people want to acknowledge and be recognized,” she reasoned "So in Abstract Gallery, you'll see unique women with their different styles, backgrounds, and stories behind them.

 It’s not about just recoloring one to urge another race; they're obviously completely different women with many features to raised reflect real people and achieve the goal of celebrating diversity. And this makes these women alive.It is a contemporary issue, and that we all still should understand and learn such a lot about it.

 we'd like to widen the spectrum of our perceptions of what exactly inclusivity in art means to the planet and the way it impacts real people.”

7. Study history and empathize

 with other points of view Equality and variety can only happen once you apply empathy, which begs the question, how does one become more empathic?

 Walking in someone else’s shoes are some things we all strive to try to to , but many folks come short , regardless of what proportion we would like to. IN the case of designer Jerome from Dedra Studio, it comes right down to a three-pronged approach, which incorporates learning about history, taking into consideration the viewpoints of others, and being an honest listener. To start performing on an illustration like Black History Month Mosaic #BLM, I check out the events through recent history that have shaped the way we see these celebrations today.

 To be more objective and know what to incorporate , I'm going online and skim about other points of view. i feel that taking note of what these communities need to say (whether we belong to them or not) is vital to helping us understand how they feel—and the way to best represent that on an illustration.”

8. Travel, both face to face and thru research

A recurring theme among a number of our designers, with reference to inclusivity and cultural diversity in illustrations, is travel. Travel exposes you to different cultures, but, of course, that’s not always possible for everybody , especially now during the pandemic. For Antonio Santos from Spain, travel isn’t just something you'll neutralize person. It’s also a journey that solid research takes you on, which ends up in learning and more equality and variety in your illustrations. “I don't just attempt to represent diversity when the topic itself ‘demands’ it. for instance , once I designed my collection of wedding characters, I did it thinking that not only White race marry . That's something obvious, and that is why there are characters of various skin colors, races, etc. Throughout my life, I even have also been lucky enough to travel tons . I even have visited more or less 40 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and therefore the Americas. This has undoubtedly been one among my sources of inspiration to make several of the characters within the collection of 125 Kids of the planet Cartoon Style,” he revealed. Nonetheless, despite all his travels, there have been times when he wasn’t ready to experience a culture face to face , which is where travel through research takes over. “I don't always have a private reference, so in those cases, I search for information about the country from which I wanted to style a representative character. I search for something special, something that's unique thereto country. Something that, if an individual from that country saw it, they might identify it and feel that it represented a crucial and distinctive a part of their culture or customs. I remember, for instance , the case of the character from Sri Lanka . It’s a rustic that I wanted to seem within the collection, but I didn't know any regard to design a singular and representative character of the country. After long research, I discovered that their traditional wedding dresses are beautiful and unique. The character ended up wearing the suit of a standard groom from the country. That doesn't mean that everybody wears it. Still, i feel that anyone from Sri Lanka who sees the character will identify him as a representative of their country, and that is what i used to be trying to find . The truth is that designing this collection ended up being an exquisite trip round the world on behalf of me , during which I discovered and learned many things.”

9. Design so every team has players

You’ve heard it said that variety is that the spice of life. So it's with drawing, too. once you honestly strive to incorporate legitimate variety in your designs, you finish up designing for cultural diversity because the natural results of your effort. That’s what Svetlana Vasilkovskaya does as she goes through her creative workflows. “When I design with a spread of individuals in mind, I attempt to balance it in order that all groups are approximately equally represented. for instance , there should be approximately an equivalent number of youngsters , children , and older people, half men and ladies . Among these three groups, I confirm that there are representatives of various people and races. That even means people with glasses and without, with hair and without, with features and without, etc. This is all quite entertaining to form sure that every team is staffed with players, if you'll . Different people inspire me. it's interesting on behalf of me to see into their features and see differences and nuances, and then, using minimal means, show it in lines and color spots,” she said. Svetlana’s creative process is predicated on strong sketch work and her minimalist approach to style . Something as basic as navigating Google Images stirs her imagination and inspires her inclusive illustrations. “Whenever i want to urge able to work on a design like this, I just grab pencil and paper and attend Google. for instance , once I was drawing Diverse Crowd of individuals Wearing a Mask and other people of the planet Pattern, I looked for ‘portrait’ and just went through the results. If I liked an individual , I drew a portrait supported his appearance in my minimalist style. In the process, I could change something, like hairstyle or age, or mix it up. Take a hairstyle from one person, placed on glasses from another, and take a face from a 3rd. 

If i'm missing some details, then I also search for them in Google Images. for instance , once I drew men, it clothed that i prefer men in T-shirts. So I had to look for “man during a shirt" in order that I didn't get a crowd of athletes. The main thing is balance. If I see that one group outweighs another, I simply add representatives of the others.”

10. Explore teamwork as a topics

When we consider cultural diversity, we don’t immediately consider working together in teams. Yet, once you believe it more deeply, you start to know that working in teams may be a great opportunity to market equality and variety . For digital illustrator Mary Long, a team is that the perfect setting for this. “Each new illustration starts with a thought and a question: who might need it? Women’s History Month inspired me to make my Strong Women Together graphic designing.

 I've designed this product to point out the facility and therefore the opportunities of girls when they’re working as a team. Indeed, within the very diversity of the team or community lies its strength.

 I've included female characters of various nationalities and cultures, and i have worked on the small print , skin tones, hair color, accessories, and garments. 

I even have shown the individuality and strengths of every female character. At an equivalent time, the illustrations should promote a spirit of cooperation that's reinforced by this very diversity. I visit various design blogs, and I’m following illustrators on Dribble or Bedance to form sure that my images are currently relevant.” We hope you’ve gotten some powerful, actionable takeaways from our group of expert Creative Market Shop Owners. These artists practice what they preach, which is obvious to ascertain from the range in their illustrations.

[therealtraderhos]

Giving Visibility to Women to Better the Movement for Racial Justice

America has a long history of relying on the fruitful labor of women, whilst simultaneously rejecting their existence. The roots of this dismissiveness can be traced to the very systems and values that this country was founded on and are upheld by this country: capitalism, racism, ableism, the patriarchy, to name a few. Yet, it remains to be a surprise to many when this oppression is brought to light in the context of existing oppressed groups, specifically black people. There was a sentiment that was expressed during the class discussion of Black Feminism that centered around the fact that it is common to view infringements on one’s multiple identities can be a attacked only one at a time. This mindset is harmful but unfortunately has been the tone set by preceding movements organized to better the conditions of black Americans in regards to dealing with the oppression of identities besides race. It is important to make note of the very issue that oppression is not only limited to the traditional actor, the rich white male, but can take many shapes and forms, which is inclusive of those who are traditionally stigmatized to a certain extent. It remains, though, that black women have historically always been the ones to take up the laborious task of effectively organizing for their interests, yet their efforts have constantly been appropriated for a man to occupy the leadership positions and they fade into the backdrop. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin is a very good example of this sentiment in the sense that while it is a beautifully composed narrative of the troubles of being a black person in the US, there is a noticeable lack of women in the book which is strikingly similar to the previously explained themes of black women lacking visibility.  It signals that the pattern of  denying black women roles in which their efforts can be attributed back to them, is rare in terms of history; but can be beneficial in finding successes through unity. Black women should not have to resort to infrapolitics within the movement for black lives, as movements like the black feminist movement arose to show that women’s rights are everyone’s rights, therefore need visibility to maintain an inclusive movement.

As it is rather unsurprising that black women have been left out of discourses that apply to their identities as black and women, in The Fire Next Time  it can be argued that the

illustration of the experiences of a black woman are minute but also relegated to traditional gender roles. This statement is divisive in a sense, but it also holds a lot of truth when considering that there are very little instances, in comparison with the various mentions of the black male experience, where the reader will find Baldwin take the black woman’s experience into account. This is not to say that there is no mention of women at all in the book, but that their roles besides being caregivers and needing protection are not simply enough. Take the meeting with Elijah Muhammad into account, where he is cognisant of the division in gender when he is at Muhammad’s house.Upon arrival to the residence, he notices that the women are sitting on the opposite side of the room and playing with a baby and the men are sitting with him having a discussion, until Muhammad walks into the room. He mentions how Muhammad acts a little flirtatious towards the women and they are responsive to it. The way he portrays this is interesting because while it is evident that he is knowledgeable of the simplistic role of the woman in the Nation of Islam, he doesn’t really expand on the experience as a . This is in stark contrast to the time that he spends expanding on the tumultuous experience of being a young black man. It is interesting to compare his dear regards for his nephew, in his letter My Dungeon Shook, where he takes the time out to speak on the transitional experiences of growing up as a black man, but he doesn’t pay much mind to the women that exist around him,  what he does tell him to do is reiterate the amount of love his mother and grandmother have for him. This is a constant theme throughout the book, in which the portrayal of women in this book are loving but also somewhat patronizing. One could argue that it could be that there is a difference in experiences, that the absence of the female characters could be attributed to the fact that men had more visibility to Baldwin. That lack of visibility, however, does not reflect on the amount of agency practiced by black women in the past.

Looking at the actions of black women through an infra-political lens may be helpful in understanding the not visible but powerful roles that black women have played in the movement for black lives. As discussed in class, infrapolitics was introduced as a concept of examining resistance tactics of oppressed individuals acting within their means, which often was a method used by women who were confined to repressive jobs and could not participate in other organizing methods. Robin D. G. Kelley’s We Are Not What We Seem explains the spaces dominated by infrapolitical action as, “the social and cultural institutions and ideologies that ultimately informed black opposition placed more emphasis on communal values and collective uplift than the prevailing class-conscious, individualist ideology of the white ruling classes.” This draws on a sentiment voiced during our class about the women’s era, in that the organizing model that these working class women embodied focused on what could be done in the confines of their positions rather than a traditional model that had centralized authority. Black women looked for more reform, rather than political rights. They did not seek to overturn hierarchies because they were barely recognized because of persisting gender roles. Although there was a move to during the progressive era to tried to change language from strict gender roles. Another common theme during this period was the aspiration of a level of respectability to achieve racial equality, which was gained significant participation by black women. While there were many black men that championed this ideal and created the “Talented Tenth”, women adhered to this hierarchy but also took the ideal a step further by using the idealism of respectability as a motivation to promote the theory of racial justice through furthering education. This is a widely touted solution to many problems, that was championed by women by the likes of Anna Julia Cooper and the motives were to get an education, move to south, challenge respectability politics (unfortunately not the level they were perpetuating) and challenge white womanhood morality through different representations of womanhood. While this provides an opportune framework for upward mobility, it was arguably limiting to those who did not have the resources to pursue this course of action. This was also  inherently exclusionary of the working class women who were already organizing within their positions of marginalization and disregarding to the contexts in which they already existed within, whether it was class, family life, geographical location, etc.

This exclusionary behavior has persisted regardless of recognition of the exclusionary themes that have existed in organizing in the movement for black lives. While the root of problem could be attributed to being socialized in systems that inherently oppress people. In attacking this issue, one can draw from Audre Lorde’s Age, Race, Class, and Sex to understand that without able to acknowledge that relying on traditional lines separating certain identities is weak, there is an inherent discord in a resistance movement. Audre argues that rejecting difference denies one the ability to be able to be apart of an effective movement that is inclusive of all because it is led through the perspective of the higher ups .  This is true for the many walks of lives that are covered in the movement for racial justice in the US, because with a traditionally male leadership, it has shown that many of the interests of women were disregarded. It can be argued that while using this perspective provided more unified and streamlined framework  to draw objectives from, but is exclusionary of the many people that benefit from this movement.

It is imperative that to continue an effective movement for black lives, that there is a move to be more inclusive not only of the laborious community of women that have been building the movement since the beginning. Black women have gone on to create more inclusive spaces and movements, such as the Black feminist movement and the womanist movements to organize. However if these perspectives are not recognized on a leadership level,

[loudlytransparenttrash]

This Week Within Our Colleges: Part 13

The University of San Francisco this week is scheduled to host a segregated orientation dedicated to black students. The day-long event billed as having been “designed by Black students, faculty, and staff to welcome new Black students to the USF Black Experience” will “address the specific and particular needs of Black students at USF.” The orientation is being run by Ja’Nina Garrett-Walker, who in 2014 implemented a campus-wide campaign called “Check Your Privilege,” where students were encouraged to walk around wearing t-shirts with their particular privileges, such as white, male, straight or Christian, displayed across themselves. 

It didn’t take very long for academics to jump on the racial strife in Charlottesville in order to (once again) denounce white society in general. University of North Carolina law professor Erika Wilson and University of Detroit Mercy’s Khaled Beydoun argue that “white supremacists aren’t fringe segments, they are just part of the racist white supremacist American policies such as immigration limits and requesting people to show ID to vote.” In addition, the professors point out the “white privilege” on display by the nationalists protesting the removal of a civil war statue, as they feared no repercussions by not wearing any masks which proved white society’s “presumption of innocence.” Or maybe because they actually weren’t doing anything wrong... ”Wilson and Beydoun also connected the Confederate flag to the Third Reich, pointing out that it’s a criminal offense in Germany to display anything Nazi related and the same has to be applied to Confederate flags or symbols in the United States. Hopefully, these law professors remember there’s a little thing called the First Amendment.

Stanford University is set to offer a class this fall called “White Identity Politics,” during which students will “survey the field of whiteness studies” and discuss the “possibilities of abolishing whiteness,” according to the course description. Questions to be posed throughout the semester include: “How is white identity to be understood in relation to white nationalism, white supremacy, white privilege, and whiteness?” Ernest Miranda, a spokesman for Stanford, said “abolishing whiteness’ is a concept with the belief that if white people stopped identifying politically as white, it would help end inequalities.”

A Kansas State University professor wants you to take children’s books “just as seriously” as those written for adults, as they are full of hidden racism. English professor Phillip Nel asks the, er, important questions in his book - Was the Cat in the Hat Black? which deals with the “hidden racism in children’s books.” The professor says the Cat in the Hat is a “racially complicated figure,” one influenced by blackface minstrelsy. “What’s interesting about children’s literature is racism often hides in it in ways that we don’t notice, in ways that we don’t see, in ways that we’re not even consciously aware of.” So in other words, it doesn’t exist until you create the idea of it existing? Gotchya! 

Journalism grants offered through Brandeis University are being offered to everyone as long as you are a woman and not white.They happily explain why they are denying white journalism students grants, saying “Without greater diversity in journalism, some very important stories are never pitched, some assignments never made, facts never gathered, and serious abuses of power never uncovered.” Those selected will receive up to $10,000 as part of the program. 

A University of Michigan student, whose research interests include gender and sexuality and childhood, released a research paper which suggests that preschool teachers are the reason most people identify as heterosexual. “Reproducing (and Disrupting) Heteronormativity: Gendered Sexual Socialization in Preschool Classrooms,” published in the journal Sociology of Education observed just nine preschool classrooms over the course of 10 months to come up with this wild theory. Heidi Gansen says that preschool teachers are both constructing and disrupting gendered sexuality in multiple ways. She wrote that teachers affect preschoolers’ gendered sexuality by “actively promoting or encouraging heterosexual discourses and practices and ignoring sexualized behaviors.” Gansen specifies that not once did the teachers suggest that it was appropriate for the girls to play the dad, or even have a household with two moms. Gansen finishes by complaining that even in the preschools with the most progressive teachers of all the ones she observed, “children still engaged in heteronormative practices with peers,” adding that “these findings demonstrate the importance of teachers actively working to disrupt heteronormativity, which is already ingrained in children by ages 3 to 5.” Those damn kindergarten teachers, making kids grow up to be straight. 

A workshop offered at the University of Texas at Austin teaches students bisexuality, pansexuality and “fluid sexuality” should be embraced and supported. Called “Interrupting Monosexism,” the workshop aims to interrupt “biphobia and bi-erasure” and “brainstorm actions for supporting the work of bisexual, pansexual and fluid advocates,” according to the university’s website. Other workshops hosted by the center include “What Do Thriving Queer Communities Look Like,” “Histories of & Accountability to Trans Feminisms,” “Identifying & Interrupting Everyday Intersectional Sexism” and “Intersectionality & Allyship.”

Students at Sarah Lawrence College, a posh, private liberal arts college in New York consistently ranked one of the most expensive colleges in the nation, recently called on peers and others to pay female campus activists for their “emotional labor.” Posted mostly by black students, their beg for money states “In honor of the labor that women and femmes of color do for Sarah Lawrence every month of the year, give your $$$” A discussion about white students’ lack of interest unsurprisingly quickly ensued. 

The New School in New York has published an extensive guide on “microaggressions” to warn students that such behavior can be “as damaging as ‘explicit’ aggression.” According to the guide, even “experiences that are not intentionally hostile or physically threatening can be harmful,” and thus it is critical for The New School as “a university community” to “acknowledge and work to decrease these kinds of hurtful experiences.” Microaggressions, the guide contends, can come in verbal, nonverbal, and environmental forms. What are environmental microaggressions you may be wondering? “Monuments, artwork or posters in public spaces that are predominantly white cisgender men and women,” for instance, are deemed "environmental microaggressions." Professors who fail to ask students for their preferred pronouns, or who assign too many books written by "white cisgender men," are likewise considered guilty of micro-aggressing against students.

Incoming freshmen at Vassar College will be required to complete a series of diversity-themed workshops as part of their new-student orientation. The expansive 15-day orientation also features exclusive events, such as a dinner for “first-generation and undocumented students,” plus an “LGBT Center Open House” and a “Women’s Center Open House.” An explicit goal of this year’s New Student Orientation is to help students begin “engaging and appreciating social justice,” noting that students will embark on “the journey towards self-awareness, community awareness, identities, and affirming belongingness within our own communities.” 

A feminist professor at Grinnell College is offering a course this fall on “American Whiteness” that will focus on “attacking racism by making whiteness visible.” The professor declined to provide a current syllabus, but a previous offering of the same course described America as a "racist nation" due to the pernicious effects of "whiteness." Professor Karla Erickson, a self described “feminist ethnographer,” will teach the four-credit special topics class. In the 2015 syllabus, it states “Whiteness is, among much else, a very bad idea,” quoting Kansas University Professor David Roediger. “It is quite possible to avoid criticizing white people as individuals but to criticize the idea of white people in general.” Well that makes sense. 

Southern Methodist University has finally reversed its decision to relegate a 9/11 memorial display to a secluded area of campus. The school has also revised the policy that had been cited to justify rejecting the original request to host the 9/11 Never Forget event on the campus. The university had initially denied the memorial at the usual location on campus in accordance with a policy guaranteeing “the right of all members of the community to avoid messages that are harmful or harassing." In a statement published last week, SMU apologized and reiterated the importance of honoring the victims of the 2001 attack.

A Clemson University professor is comparing President Trump’s ban on transgender soldiers to “Nazi eugenic propaganda,” calling it “ableism deployed to incarcerate or kill disabled people.”

A Vanderbilt University professor complained in an academic journal article that mathematics is too “white and heteronormatively masculinized.” Citing the “masculinization of mathematics,” Luis Leyva then suggests that the apparent “gender gap” in mathematical ability is socially constructed (as opposed to arising from inherently different cognitive abilities) and therefore women are being kept out of mathematics in order to keep the field “masculinized.” 

A University of Iowa professor wrote an academic journal article explaining how she endeavors to "dismantle whiteness in my curriculum, assignments, and pedagogy." Jodi Linley argues that unless her "mostly white" students are made to confront their privilege, they will be "complicit" in perpetuating white supremacy. Linley says her commitment to designing classes that fight white privilege began as soon as she became a professor in 2014, at which point she resolved to “develop courses that both unveiled and rejected” the notion that “neutrality and objectivity are realistic and attainable.” She offers up five strategies other professors can use to deconstruct white privilege in their own classes, such as making sure white students know that teachers will be interrupting oppression that occurs in classroom settings and segregating students by race. “For white students, talking about race with an all-white group of peers facilitates their realisation that they are raced beings, thus revealing their own white ignorance.”

New York University is looking to hire a tenure-track professor to teach subjects such as “racial justice activism” and “intersectional queer and transgender politics.” Despite declaring its commitment to "equal treatment and opportunity" for all applicants, NYU also says it intends to “substantially increase the proportion” of faculty from “historically underrepresented groups." The university has a lengthy wish-list of subject areas that it would like the new professor to address, most of which relate to racial and/or gender-based identity politics. NYU is “particularly interested” in topics like “postcolonial and decolonial studies, intersectional queer and transgender politics of race, critical race theory,” and “Africa and African diaspora media studies.” In addition, the school would like the new professor to be familiar with issues of “digital media and racial justice activism,” and “class and racial disparities in media access and adoption.”

The University of Georgia has made Professor Richard Watson remove a “stress reduction policy” from two of his course syllabi after facing national backlash for the practice. He had adopted a policy that would allow students who felt “unduly stressed by a grade for any assessable material or the overall course” to “email the instructor indicating what grade you think is appropriate, and it will be so changed” with “no explanation” required. Watson did concede this policy might hinder the development of students, although it’s become clear that’s no longer important in higher education today. 

Less than one month into the job, North Carolina State University's new Director of Multicultural Student Affairs has big plans, including segregating student housing by skin color, providing a new housing option exclusively for 'women of color.' Nashia Whittenburg describes it as a refuge for female minority students to "deal with some of the microaggressions you might have had to deal with throughout your entire day." “The point and purpose is if you are student of color and you may not see anybody who looks like you in class, here is your opportunity to get some support and to deal with some of the microaggressions.” 

During a recent six-day conference in Portland, Oregon, archivists attended a presentation on “Identifying and Dismantling White Supremacy in Archives.” The panel called on archivists to “decenter whiteness by valuing materials produced by people of color and communities of color,” and “explicitly prioritize materials produced by people of color and communities of color.” At another panel promoting the Black Lives Matter movement, one presenter was quoted as saying, “If white activists don’t use their privilege to give the platform over to POC, their activism is exploitive.”

A private investigator hired by Regis University has determined that a conservative student did not violate any laws or university policies by holding a “Social Justice Bake Sale.” Regis had accused the student of violating “university policy and federal law” and even blocked him from their twitter account after holding a satire bake sale, selling cookies at different prices depending where the group sit on the oppressed rankings. The private investigator concedes that “there are insufficient facts to find that his conduct violated specific Regis policy or law,” though he notes that “numerous students were justifiably offended by this ‘bake sale.’” 

A University of California, Davis microbiology professor is claiming a victory over the patriarchy after his complaints led organizers of an academic conference to invite more female speakers. Professor Jonathan Eisen noticed most of the invited speakers were white males, so he announced that he would contact each of them directly to ask that they withdraw. He bragged about going to great lengths checking the speakers’ race, genders and pronouns to ensure that his assumptions were correct. Eisen went on to urge attendees, sponsors and presenters to boycott the meeting, billing the event as “The White Men’s Microbiome Congress.” Eisen succeeded in generating enough pressure to elicit an apology along with assurances that future events would “represent the diversity of the scientific fields.”