#Julia Scheele

[graphicpolicy]

My 7 Favorite Phonogram B-Sides

My 7 Favorite Phonogram B-Sides #comics #comicbooks

In advance of Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wjingaard’s upcoming comic The Power Fantasy, we’re revisiting some of Gillen’s previous creator-owned work. As I’ve written before in features and monthly reviews, Phonogram will always be one of my favorite comics and is responsible for roughly 60% of my music taste. For folks who weren’t reading the book 8-18 years ago, Phonogram is a fantasy comic where…

[yourbespokeartisanalapocalypse]

Suits

Smilla Osswald photographed by  Lachlan Bailey for WSJ Magazine

Demy de Vries photographed by Daniel Scheel for InStyle Spain

Angelina Jolie photographed by Hedi Slimane for Elle

Ana Milojevic photographed by Laura McCluskey for Grazia UK

Ana de Armas  photographed by David Roemer for Madame Figaro

Ludmila Vasilyeva photographed by Amer Mohamad for Harper’s Bazaar Serbia

Mila Kunis photographed by Steven Pan for US Glamour, August 2016.

Anna Kendrick at the 2018 Grammys, Julia Roberts at the 1990 Golden Globes, and Zendaya at the 2022 Oscars

[makingqueerhistory]

Any queer webcomic/graphic novel recommendations?

Yes!

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

Distant and exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and her family referred to as the "Fun Home." It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

A ragtag crew travels to the deepest reaches of space, rebuilding beautiful, broken structures to piece the past together.

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker with Jules Scheele

Activist-academic Meg-John Barker and cartoonist Julia Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel.

Boyfriends. Volume One: A Webtoon Unscrolled Graphic Novel by Refrainbow

Jock, Goth, Nerd, and Prep are all juniors in college. But studying is the last thing on their minds as they are mainly interested in getting a boyfriend. Or multiple boyfriends.

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill

The Tea Dragon Society is the two-time Eisner Award-winning gentle fantasy that follows the story of a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. 

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: LGBTQIA+ History Month

The LGBTQ+ History Book by DK Publishing

Exploring and explaining the most important ideas and events in LGBTQ+ history and culture, this book showcases the breadth of the LGBTQ+ experience. This diverse, global account explores the most important moments, movements, and phenomena, from the first known lesbian love poetry of Sappho to the Kinseys' modern sexuality studies, and features biographies of key figures from Anne Lister to Allen Ginsberg.

The LGBTQ+ History Book celebrates the victories and untold triumphs of LGBTQ+ people throughout history, such as the Stonewall Riots and first transgender surgeries, as well as commemorating moments of tragedy and persecution, from the Renaissance Italian “Night Police” to the 20th century “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. The book also includes major cultural cornerstones - the secret language of polari, Black and Latinx ballroom culture, and the many flags of the community - and the history of LGBTQ+ spaces, from 18th-century “molly houses” to modern “gayborhoods.”

The Gay Revolution by Lillian Faderman

The fight for gay and lesbian civil rights - the years of outrageous injustice, the early battles, the heart-breaking defeats, and the victories beyond the dreams of the gay rights pioneers - is the most important civil rights issue of the present day. In “the most comprehensive history to date of America’s gay-rights movement” (The Economist), Lillian Faderman tells this unfinished story through the dramatic accounts of passionate struggles with sweep, depth, and feeling.

The Gay Revolution begins in the 1950s, when gays and lesbians were criminals, psychiatrists saw them as mentally ill, churches saw them as sinners, and society victimized them with hatred. Against this dark backdrop, a few brave people began to fight back, paving the way for the revolutionary changes of the 1960s and beyond. Faderman discusses the protests in the 1960s; the counter reaction of the 1970s and early eighties; the decimated but united community during the AIDS epidemic; and the current hurdles for the right to marriage equality.

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker & Jules Scheele

Activist-academic Meg John Barker and cartoonist Julia Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel. A kaleidoscope of characters from the diverse worlds of pop-culture, film, activism and academia guide us on a journey through the ideas, people and events that have shaped 'queer theory'.

From identity politics and gender roles to privilege and exclusion, Queer explores how we came to view sex, gender and sexuality in the ways that we do; how these ideas get tangled up with our culture and our understanding of biology, psychology and sexology; and how these views have been disputed and challenged.

Along the way we look at key landmarks which shift our perspective of what's 'normal', such as Alfred Kinsey's view of sexuality as a spectrum between heterosexuality and homosexuality; Judith Butler's view of gendered behavior as a performance; the play Wicked, which reinterprets characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; or moments in Casino Royale when we're invited to view James Bond with the kind of desiring gaze usually directed at female bodies in mainstream media.

Fire Island by Jack Parlett

Fire Island, a thin strip of beach off the Long Island coast, has long been a vital space in the queer history of America. Both utopian and exclusionary, healing and destructive, the island is a locus of contradictions, all of which coalesce against a stunning ocean backdrop.

Now, poet and scholar Jack Parlett tells the story of this iconic destination - its history, its meaning and its cultural significance - told through the lens of the artists and creators who sought refuge on its shores. Together, figures as divergent as Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, James Baldwin, Carson McCullers, Frank O'Hara, Patricia Highsmith and Jeremy O. Harris tell the story of a queer space in constant evolution.

Transporting, impeccably researched and gorgeously written, Fire Island is the definitive book on an iconic American destination and an essential contribution to queer history.

[peraltasass]

Read in 2023

✩✩✩✩✩ - ★★★★★

Fiction:

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes: ★★✩✩✩ (HUGE disappointment)

Babel by R. F. Kuang: ★★★★★ (HUGE recommend)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: ★★★★✩  

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron: ★★★★✩

Pet by Akwae Emenzi: ★★★★★

The Call-Out by Cat Fitzpatrick: ★★★★✩

The Deep by Rivers Solomon: ★★★★★ (big recommend!)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: ★★★★★

Nevada by Imogen Binnie: ★★★★✩

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (re-read): ★★★★✩

Das Känguru Manifest by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩  

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker: ★★★★✩

Die Känguru Offenbarung by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩

Die Känguru Apokryphen by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee: ★★★★✩  

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi: ★★★★✩  

Peter Darling by Austin Chant: ★★★★✩  

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty: ★★★★½

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: ★★★★★

Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha: ★★★½✩

Dschinns by Fatma Ayedemir: ★★★★★

Blutbuch by Kim De L’Horizon: ★★★★✩  

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang: ★★½✩✩

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall: ★★★★✩

Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher: ★★★★✩

The Red Scholar’s Wake by Aliette de Bodard: ★★★½✩

Der Duft der Sterne by Simon Klemp: (can’t fairly rate, a friend of mine is the author)

The Binding by Bridget Colling: ★★★★½

In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens: ★★★★½

Non-fiction:

Von hier aus gesehen by Celestine Hassenfratz, Anna Luise Rother, & Ulla Scharfenberg: ★★★★½

Behindert und Stolz by Luisa L’Audace: ★★★★½   

Ich, ein Kind der kleinen Mehrheit by Gianni Jovanovic mit Oyindamola Alashe: ★★★★✩  

Radikale Selbstfürsorge jetzt! by Svenja Gräfen: ★★★✩✩  

Eure Heimat ist unser Albtraum (Your Homeland is Our Nightmare) by Fatma Aydemir and Hengameh Yaghoobifarah: ★★★★★  

Bad Gays. A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller:

Unlearn Patriarchy by Lisa Jaspers, Naomi Ryland and Silvie Horch (eds.): ★★★★✩

Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel: ★★★★✩

Sprache und Sein by Kübra Gümüşay: ★★★✩✩

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei: ★★★★✩

Lieber Jonas oder Der Wunsch nach Selbstbestimmung by Linus Giese: ★★★★✩

Gender. A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker & Julia Scheele: ★★½✩✩

Hood Feminism by Mikkie Kendall: ★★★★★  

Let’s Talk About Sex, Habibi by Mohamed Amjahid: ★★★★★  

Wie kann ich was bewegen? by Raúl Krauthausen & Benjamin Schwarz: (stopped bc it made me unhappy)

Caliban and the Witch by (not finished yet)

NichtMutterSein by Nadine Pungs: ★★★½✩

Desintegriert euch! by Max Czollek: ★★★★✩

Pageboy by Elliot Page: ★★★★★  

Hass by Şeyda Kurt: ★★★★½

Die stille Gewalt by Asha Hedayati: ★★★★★  

Die letzten Tage des Patriarchats by Margarete Stochowski: ★★★★½

Identitätskrise by Alice Hasters: ★★★½✩

Anti-Girlboss by Nadia Shehadeh: ★★★½✩

Graphic novels and webcomics:

Pimo & Rex by Thomas Wellmann: ★★★★✩

Pimo & Rex: Die interdimensionale Hochzeit by Thomas Wellmann: ★★★★✩ 

Freibad by Paulina Stulin & Doris Dörrie: ★★✩✩✩    

The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O’Neill: ★★★★★  

Medusa & Perseus by André Breinbauer: ★★✩✩✩/★★★✩✩

[danthatartman]

Books I read in 2023

Heeeeeeeeey Tumblr, I'm alive! Warning for very long post.

Given how little I ended up drawing during the back half of the year, I want to do a different kind of summary to close out 2023. And, since I already posted my thoughts on almost every movie I watched on Letterboxd (https://letterboxd.com/NotThatCrypto in case you're interested), I wanted to share the books I read during the last 365 days.

For 2023, I wanted to read at least a book per month, with a secondary goal of reading two per month. I ended up with 16 total reads. Not quite two per month, but probably the most I've ever read in terms of different books in a year (If we don't count that time I got obsessed with fanfics and read what must have been the equivalent of 20 novels in like five months a few years ago.)

Anyways, let's get started.

1: Tress of The Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Sanderson is my favorite writer, and this year he and his team delivered the Year of Sanderson kickstarter, which ended up including 4 novels he wrote in secret during the pandemic. Tress is the first of these novels.

I found this to be a delightful story. Sanderson really flexed his style muscles for this book. It's probably his most beautiful in terms of prose and rhetorical figure usage. You can really tell he wanted to make a novel *for* his wife.

It gave me the vibes of older fantasy tales, while still retaining much of what I love about the Cosmere and Brandon's books in general. I do wish some things were a little more unpredictable, as the twists were a bit too clear right from the very early chapters, and would have liked to be more surprised. I'd probably rank it among my top 5 fave books by him, specific spot undecided.

4.75 stars out of 5

2: I'm Not Mr. Monster by Dan Wells

I started reading the John Cleaver trilogy last year, this is book 2. On the one hand, I think I preferred the atmosphere and pacing from the first one. On the other hand, Wells managed to dive so much deeper into John's psyche here, and that really carries the whole book. There's also some concepts that I felt could have been expanded more upon, but guessed that would be done in the last book (We'll get to it later) Overall, some improvements over the first, and some things that felt weaker to me.

3.75 stars out of 5

3: Queer: A Graphic History by Meg John Barker and Julia Scheele

Read this because I was dealing with some personal stuff earlier in the year. It's a graphic novel that details some of the more theorical and philosophical aspects to queerness and sexuality throughout the years. Found it to be really well explained but at the same time, brief. It serves as a really good jumping-off point to get into the subject, which I want to do in the future. Scheele's illustrations are awesome and really help to highlight and simplify the most important information.

4 stars out of 5

4, 5 & 6: Percy Jackson and The Titan's Curse, Percy Jackson and The Battle of the Labyrinth, and Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Like with the John Cleaver series, I started reading Percy Jackson last year, after a friend of mine really recommended it, and wanted to read them before the show premiered. I read these in succession, so I'll list them together.

Titan's Curse was really good, probably the most emotionally complex Percy Jackson book, and I'd probably rank it second or third amongst the five.

Battle of The Labyrinth is probably my least favorite from the whole series, as it felt repetitive and at times like it dragged on for too long.

Last Olympian however, was super enjoyable for me, even though it did also repeat some actions sequences in terms of structure. Would rank it highly as well.

As a whole, I found the Percy Jackson series to be a blast, and it scratched my greek fascination itch. Percy is a really well realized character, and I adored reading from his perspective.

I do wish I had read these books a bit younger though, as I obviously encountered some stuff that left me wanting more as a result of the target audience. Not at all faults of the books, but good to point out.

Titan's Curse: 4.5 stars out of 5

BotL: 3.5 stars out of 5

The Last Olympian: 4.25 stars out of 5

7: The Binding by Bridget Collins

One of my most dissapointing reads. Its characters never clicked for me, and I found the book to be too tropey and like it didn't do enough with the premise or its magic system. It left me feeling frustrated, especially after I'd heard some really fantastic things about it.

I will award some points for the writing style though. It was very beautiful, and was what made me power through, other than my curiosity.

2 stars out of 5

8: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

While I think it is quite easy to see where the story is going right from the start, I think the journey to get there is super compelling. I like Haig's style, and only wish this one had been slightly longer so it could dive more deeply into each of the protagonist's possible lives. Some really cool imagery too.

Enjoyed it, and want something similar that explores the things that this one didn't.

3.5 stars out of 5

9: The Alpha's Son by Penny Jessup

Cool queer love story that also happens to involve werewolves. I honestly think the shapeshifter aspect of the story is undercooked. The relationship between the two main characters is interesting but I also think sometimes it develops too quickly.

Action is definitely not this book's strong suit, and given how much the third act focuses on it, it feels a little underwhelming. However, the style and characters are good enough that I am interested in reading the sequel, which came out a few weeks ago.

3 stars out of 5

10: The Frugal Wizard's Guide to Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

Back to Sanderson. Book two of The Year of Sanderson was an incredibly dissapointing one for me. I think this is the book of Sanderson's that I've liked the least. The humor never clicked, and I found the protagonist to be quite unlikeable. The illustrations for this one felt very disconnected from what I was reading too. Sefawynn was really cool though, best part of the book. The writing felt too dry, and while the tech seemed interesting at first, at the end I felt there was a more compelling story to be told with it.

2 stars out of 5

11: The Werewolf's Guide to Life by Bob Powers & Ritch Duncan

Funny that I read two books with "Guide" in the title right after the other. Read this as research for some personal stuff. Really cool book, written as if werewolves were real, basically functioning as lore and instructions if you were to turn into one. No real story here, other than the few examples of "real life cases" they share. Fun writing style, with interesting ideas about the genre.

4 stars out of 5

12: Yumi and The Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

Third year of Sanderson book, and back to the Cosmere. I adored this one. I think Sanderson wears his influences on his sleeve a bit too much here, but that also made me love the book all the more.

Both Yumi and Painter are extremely interesting as characters. I also think Sanderson really captured the feeling of mystery with the worldbuilding and plot that his best works do. The imagery it sprung to my head was really beatiful, and the gorgeous illustrations by Aliya Chen are breathtaking.

Uses a bunch of really evocative and interesting concepts, and in superb ways. I do wish some of the secondary characters were more fleshed out, and I feel like the ending is a bit too tidy.

This is a story I really wish there was more of, but Sanderson has said he has no plans to revisit these specific characters. I hope at least the world is explored further, cause that was such a great setting. Had a blast with Yumi. So glad Brandon got so much better at writing romance with this and Tress.

4.5 stars out of 5

13: This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

Okay, this one was very interesting. I'd heard about it before it blew up on socials, but I have to admit that that was what made me dip into it.

While I liked a lot of the concepts and the general structure of the book, I was not a fan of the authors' writing styles. They just moved too quick, and I felt they spent too much time describing certain aspects when others drew my attention more.

Red and Blue's relationship doesn't feel organic to me, and given that it is the main driving force of the story, I found it disappointing. I also found some descriptions to be more confusing than poetic.

While in concept this is a mighty interesting read, I think some things fall apart when put in practice.

3.5 stars out of 5

14: I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells

Finale of the John Cleaver trilogy.

I feel like it starts off a lot stronger than how it ends, but still really liked it. I think I prefer it to the second one as well, but can't help but feel that it didn't manage to recapture a lot of the powerful ambiance of the first installment.

Well's prose also read much sharper and refined here, and John is a fully realized character. It's very uncomfortable to be in his mind, and yet I couldn't help but keep going.

Glad there is more after this, as I do think that these characters and world can be explored further. Excited to see where it goes. Also very curious to read more of Dan's work, as his way of thinking interests me a lot as it is so different from mine.

4 stars out of 5

15: Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Quick read that my students (a whole different story for another day) chose for their reading assignments so that they could practice their English. I adore the movie and was excited to read the source material along with them.

Really liked it! We read a lovely illustrated edition. The story's scope feels just the right size, and Dahl's writing style is a real blast. I do think the last two or three chapters are too quick, and would have liked to see a stronger conclusion to the story.

4 stars out of 5

16: The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson

Final year of Sanderson book, and also final book I finished this year. Appropriate that it's number 16.

This book has me a bit conflicted. Sanderson jumping so far into the future of the timeline, but doing so with a character we are very familiar with feels risky to me. I think it reveals a lot of things that changed my expectations for Stormlight.

As for the story itself, the book takes a bit to get started. It's first act felt a little frustrating to me. That really seemed to change once the second act started. It's a lot more engaging and exciting. Sunlit is the most standard Sanderson novel out of all the secret projects. That's not a bad thing necesarilly, but I do think the other two Cosmere focused ones felt a lot more exciting and innovative as a result.

Nomad as a character felt a bit muddy. It almost felt like reading three people at once, something that sometimes happens to Sanderson when characters are viewed through other POV's, except this time it happened within Nomad's own. Auxiliary rules though.

Worldbuilding is probably the best and most enticing part of Sunlit. I also think the ending was very cool and I really wanted to continue even after the end.

3.75 stars out of 5

And that's it!

I read a lot of Sanderson this year, but I also managed to read a bunch of books that had been on my TBR for a long time. I was excited to delve into some genres I'd not read much of before. I'm also glad to have read books that might have not been my cup of tea, that always helps to make better sense of my tastes and to train my skills too.

As for next year, I *might* continue reading more of Riordan's work, as well as checking out what's next for John Cleaver, BUT I want to go back to The Wheel of Time first, I'll probably dedicate January and February to that.

I want to get into some more epic fantasy series, so First Law, Farseer, and Malazan are all on my radar, but I will probably choose only two of those. Discworld has also been popping into my head recently, doubt I'll dive too deep into it for now though. Might keep going with Gentleman Bastards too, I love Lies of Locke Lamora.

I want to read more sci-fi as well, been thinking of going for The Expanse or Murderbot.

Wind and Truth comes out in December, so I want to read as much non-Sanderson before then, we'll see how it goes.

I'm going to try to reach the 2 books a month mark, but won't make any promises, as a lot of things are in flux in life right now.

I am open to suggestions for books if anyone has any! Would love to hear ya'll's thoughts on that and the post in general. xoxo!

[bookclub4m]

Episode 170 - Gender Theory & Gender Studies

This episode we’re talking about Gender Theory & Gender Studies! We discuss theory vs studies, memes, feminism, books that should exist but don’t, and more!

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Things We Read (or tried to…)

A Burst of Light by Audre Lorde

Histories of the Transgender Child by Jules Gill-Peterson

Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyam

Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G. and J.R. Zuckerberg

Other Media We Mentioned

BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine edited by Lisa Jervis & Andi Zeisler

Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty and Body Image edited by Ophira Edut

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

Female Masculinity by Jack Halberstam

Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano

Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks

All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership by Darcy Lockman

For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

X-Gender, vol. 1 by Asuka Miyazaki

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson

Feminism is For Everybody by bell hooks

Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny by Kate Manne

A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World: Writings From The Girl Zine Revolution edited by Karen Green & Tristan Taormino

Links, Articles, and Things

A small sample of Bibliocommons user-curated lists:

Early Feminism Through 1847

Feminist Classics: Third Wave Feminism, the 1990s

Trans Classics: important books about the many trans experiences

Very Short Introductions (Wikipedia)

TERF / FART / “Gender Critical”

Transgender Childhood Is Not a ‘Trend’ by Jules Gill-Peterson

Gill-Peterson is one of 1,000+ contributors to the New York Times who signed an open letter condemning the anti-trans bigotry in their coverage. Read it here.

Hark! Episode 330: Fucking Pie

20 Gender Theory/Studies books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

Living a Feminist Life by Sara Ahmed

The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions by Paula Gunn Allen

Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa

Decolonizing Trans/Gender 101 by b. binaohan

The Crunk Feminist Collection edited by Brittney Cooper, Susana M. Morris, & Robin M. Boylorn

Beyond Trans: Does Gender Matter? by Heath Fogg Davis

Women, Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis

Asegi Stories: Cherokee Queer and Two-Spirit Memory by Qwo-Li Driskill

Radicalizing Her: Why Women Choose Violence by Nimmi Gowrinathan

White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color by Ruby Hamad

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks

But Some of Us Are Brave: All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men: Black Women's Studies by Akasha Gloria Hull

Indigenous Men and Masculinities: Legacies, Identities, Regeneration edited by Robert Alexander Innes and Kim Anderson

Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood by Frederick Joseph

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color edited by Cherríe Moraga & Gloria Anzaldúa

Colonize This!: Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism edited by Bushra Rehman

I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton

Give us feedback!

Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!

Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email!

Join us again on Tuesday, March 21st when we’ll be talking about the Moving and Management of Books!

Then, on Tuesday, April 4th we’ll be discussing the genre of Domestic Thrillers!

[nahokootsuka]

映画 『ティーンエイジ』 あらすじ (2013/U.S.A/Press Noteより抜粋）

2023年12月24日(日)大阪・中崎町のプラネット・プラス・ワンさんと、12月26日(火)東京・阿佐ヶ谷のTABASAさんにて各会場1度きりの特別上映会をします。

1904年から1945年の間に発明された 「ティーンエイジ」 という言葉や概念の起源を記したイギリスの音楽ライター、ジョン・サヴァージの著書 『ティーンエイジ』 を基に、マット・ウルフ監督が当時の手法で再撮影し、実際のアーカイブのように再現した映像と過去の記録映像を融合させたコラージュのような有機的な映像美、映画中ずっと流れている膨大な現代音楽、そのサウンドスケープは映画をレコードのように聞く事ができナレーションを歌詞のように聞く事もできる、観ている人たちの中に流れ込んでくるような音楽的な体験になるよう意図して作られた作品です。

とても素敵な映画で過去のフッテージを丁寧に掘り下げた資料としても貴重な今作 『ティーンエイジ』 ですが、日本語での情報があまりない作品ですので、マット・ウルフ監督の過去のインタビューやプレスリリースより抜粋させていただき、観に来てくださった方がより映画を楽しめるように少しだけ紹介したいと思います。

＊動画はグッチーズ・フリースクール様よりお借りしています。

"It Girl" と呼ばれたブレンダ・ディーン・ポール

（あらすじ）

「ティーンエイジャー」 が発明される前は人生の第2期は存在せず、子供であるか大人として働くかのどちらかしか無かった。時代は変わり児童労働は終わりを告げ「思春期」が出現し、大人と若者の間で闘争が勃発した。若者達は管理され規制されるのか、それとも自由になれるのか？

パンク作家ジョン・サヴェージの著書にインスパイアされた 『ティーンエイジ』 はアメリカ、イギリス、ドイツの20世紀前半の若者達の声を伝える。パーティー狂いのフラッパーズやヒップなスウィング・キッズから熱狂的なナチス・ユース、サブデブまで、第二次世界大戦が終わる頃、彼らはみな若者達の新しい概念である 「ティーンエイジャー」 だった。

4人の若い声、ジェナ・マローン、ベン・ウィショー、ジュリア・ハマー、ジェシー・アッシャーが、自己破壊的なブレンダ・ディーン・ポール、理想主義のヒトラー・ユース、メリタ・マッシュマン、反抗的なジャーマン・スウィング・キッズ、トミー・シール、そして黒人ボーイスカウトのウォーレン・ウォール、歴史上象徴的な存在のティーンエイジャー達のポートレイトにナレーションとして命を吹き込み、この生きたコラージュはブラッドフォード・コックスの現代的な音楽によって彩られている。

『ティーンエイジ』 は今日の若者文化への前奏曲という始まりで終わる物語である。どの世代においても大人達はしばしば若者達の不穏さや揺らぎを一過性の感情だと勘違いする。しかし、反逆的なティーンエイジャー達はただ単に彼らの自立を主張していただけでなく、ちゃんと未来を切り拓いている事を歴史は証明している。

Before the 'Teenager' was invented, there was no second stage of life. You were either a child or you went to work as an adult. At the turn of the century, child labor was ending, 'adolescence' was emerging, and a struggle erupted between adults and youth. Would the young be controlled and regimented, or could they be free?

Inspired by punk author Jon Savage's book, 'Teenage' gives voice to young people from the first half of the 20th century in America, England, and Germany-from party-crazed Flappers and hip Swing Kids to zealous Nazi Youth and frenzied Sub-Debs. By the end of World War Ⅱ, they were all 'Teenagers' a new idea of youth.

Four young voices (Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer, Jessie Usher) bring to life rare archival material and filmed portraits of emblematic teenagers from history, Dean Paul, a self-destructive; Bright Young Thing; Melita Maschmann, an idealistic Hitler Youth; Tommie Scheel, a rebellious German Swing Kid; and Warren Wall, a black Boy Scout. This living collage is punctuated by a contemporary score by Bradford Cox (Deerhunter/Atlas Sound). 

Teenage is a story that ends with a beginning: a prelude to today's youth culture. In each generation, adults often mistake youthful unrest for an emotional right of passage. But history proves that rebelling teenagers aren't just claiming their independence, they're shaping the future.  

[thelegendofjamieroberts]

Ok but they're not wrong? Gendered bathrooms became a thing because before women joined the workforce it was assumed only men would use restrooms. Then when women started joining the workforce, rich women demanded separate restrooms so they wouldn't mingle with men and "uncouth" (read: poor) women. And who's running scare campaigns about women being "assaulted by men" in bathrooms? Rich white women.

Sources: Beyond Trans: Does Gender Matter? by Heath Fogg Davis, Gender: A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker & Julia Scheele

[arwainian]

Reading This Week 2023 #1

Do not let the numerous fanfics read fool you, I did not have a lot of reading time this week as I have been busy at my first(!!) academic conference. I'm so delighted to have this opportunity to talk (in front of actual scholars and academics!) about research I've been doing. Very intimidating and cool.

Because of said academic conference, I was too exhausted (and tbh, celebratory sake-drunk) to type this up Saturday night like I've gotten into the habit of, so this is coming to you All recorded on Sunday morning

Started and Finished:

[fe3h fanfic]

The Care and Keeping of Byleth Eisner by Muftiday Children of the Goddess by wearwind Reaching Out, Sunlit by wearwind Liberation by 0shadow_panther0 network effects (the tragedies after duscar) by mareza and they come unstuck by Azzandra homeroom (or, if we're not recruited in 15 minutes, we're legally allowed to leave) by Schistosity AITA for not wanting to talk to my daughter? by knave_of_swords Observation by leonidskies Collateral by Azzandra Common Ground by TheDoctorIsIcecube Your name? by jemtokall Worthy of Your Protection by Hyakunana & leporidae The Crest of Riegan by BuddyTheMeanPeacock

*wipes sweat off forehead* my on-an-airplane fanfic reading habit is no joke, however a lot of these are Short. My faves of this set are absolutely "homeroom [...]" and the wearwind fics (and I'm very excited to get back to read more of wearwind's works once I actually get farther in my golden deer run)

[f@tt fanfic]

behind the centre by fangirl_squee Vishteen Minutes by risocean Chapter 9 of the void, through your body by zerodignity Duet for Plucked Strings & How the Songbird Sings by beanenchilada an accurate copy by zerodignity

okay this is a more reasonable number! "Vishteen Minutes" was extremely good at capturing the voices of Ali-as-Marn and Jack-as-Pickman, so i am extremely delighted by it [note to self: track down zerodignity on social media so I can ask if I can podfic 'the void through your body']

now onto actual books

Queer: A Graphic History written by Dr. Meg-John Barker, illustrated by Julia Scheele

I really could have sworn I started reading this book last week, but it turns out it just goes very quickly despite its density of information. A fun/good refresher on queer theory concepts I learned about last year, and nearly got me in an argument with someone in a discord server

A Thief in the Night by K.J. Charles, narrated by James Joseph & Ryan Laughton

I had been Planning to wait until this came out as an ebook to read, until my mom reminded me I could just use her audible account where she'd already purchased it (just like I already use her kindle library...). In the end I am desperately thankful for that reminder because once i was Too Tired to even read fanfic on my flights this week, Toby and Miles kept me going until I could collapse into a bed *does jazz hands in KJC fanboy*

Beastars, Vol. 1 by Paru Itagaki, translated by Tomoko Kimura

i watched a video essay doing a queer reading of beastars which reminded me that I wanted to read the manga, so here we are. it's going to be A Little While before I get to a part of the manga that the anime hasn't covered already, but so far I am enjoying this read

Ongoing:

Teen Titans: The Silver Age Omnibus, Vol. 1

I read another couple adventures from this in the Day and a Half i had at home this week. I deeply love how much the Titans love The Beatles. Also the adventure "Requiem for a Titan!" broke my heart! Dick Grayson......baby boy.........

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

I read.... like one or two more pages of this? I think I'm just not in the right mood for it this week

Started and Ongoing:

Before Trans: Three Gender Stories from Nineteenth-Century France by Rachel Mesch

my hold for this from the library came in! Oh i am so excited to be reading this. It's a bit of a slow read since it is three mini-biographies on "women who dressed as men" who we can pretty easily read with our modern lens as proto-trans, trans ancestors, etc. i'm really enjoying it

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, narrated by George Guidall

I think I'm starting a tradition now of reading-by-audio a classic novel at the beginning of the year. in both cases because I sort of want to write a story inspired by them

[bisexual-books]

Review - Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele

So fun fact, this is not a book about the word queer or queer community.   It’s a graphic novel explanation of academic Queer Theory.  

Which I didn’t know when I picked it up, so I wanted to make that super clear.  I just think the cover is a bit misleading.  It had me thinking this was more of a generalist work when really its highly academic.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it though!   Its a good introduction to Queer Theory.  I just didn’t know beforehand.  

I think Queer Theory works about as well as a graphic novel as it works as anything else.  Queer Theory is DENSE and difficult to understand (at least for me) and the graphic format allowed for some visual representation of complex ideas.  But there were also a lot of talking heads.   Quite literally.  Most queer theorists are shown with their most famous words in word bubbles above their heads.  

In my opinion, some of the best parts are when we see real queer people either illustrating or repudiating some of this theory, particularly the parts where cis gay men love to speak for all of us in deliberately confusing language (*coughcoughLeeEdelmancough*).  Barker and Scheele don’t let them skate on this, providing differing viewpoints and outright critiques.   I liked that.  

I also loved the way bisexuals are wholly and completely integrated into this book in a way I’ve never seen from a Queer Theory text.   Even when the examples are not strictly about bisexuality, we are still included.  There is a example that has nothing to do with bisexuality persay, but showed a researcher talking to bi communities, reading bi books, going to bi conferences, and HELPING BI PEOPLE.  Seriously this panel almost made me cry.   We never get this kind of consideration.  Usually the best I hope for in general queer/LGBTQ nonfiction is to not have any blatant biphobia.  I never hope for holistic inclusion.  Meg-John Barker is bisexual and perhaps that is why this book lacks the usual unchallenged monosexism.  

So if you’re looking for an introduction to Queer Theory that is bi-friendly, visually inclined, and about as accessible as this subject is ever going to get, I say pick this one up.  

- Sarah 

[veronicasanders]

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker, illustrated by Julia Scheele

[duckseamail]

[ID: A book cover that has a half white half blue background. There is a drawing of a person in a light blue suit with red lipstick holding an umbrella over their head. Where their foot is touching the blue half of the cover is 6 arrows in rainbow order. The title says Queer: A Graphic History. The names Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele are in the bottom corner. A review says ‘A concise, precise & beautifully illustrated introduction’ - Kieron Gillen, writer, The Wicked + The Divine. End ID]

Queer: A Graphic History Written by Meg-John Barker and Illustrated by Julia Scheele was extremely helpful to me in understanding what Queer Theory actually is. I had first learned that Queer Theory was a thing when my English class learned about different lenses that you could analyze books through. I did a presentation on queer theory and was assigned a very dense textbook chapter to read. It made very very little sense, and I decided I didn’t like queer theory. This book does an amazing job giving a timeline of what Queer Theory is and how it was started, who some key thinkers were, and where they succeeded and failed, all while providing amazing illustrations to look at. Each page or two is basically a different topic, and they all build on each other. This book is also written very conversationally, as if the author was talking directly to you, and so there isn’t a lot of confusing language. When there is an unfamiliar term, however, the author makes sure to take their time in explaining it so that the reader can fully understand the concept.

Queer Theory is still very very confusing, but this book helped me understand what the point of it is, and how different people go about it. I highly recommend that anyone who is curious about the subject should read this book as an introduction!

[tonguesofdestruction]

Meg-John Barker, Julia Scheele - Queer - Eine illustrierte Geschichte Buchkritik

Meg-John Barker, Julia Scheele – Queer – Eine illustrierte Geschichte Buchkritik

Von Meg-John Barker und Julia Scheele gibt es mit dem Sachcomic “Queer – Eine illustrierte Geschichte” eine Veröffentlichung zur Geschichte und Entstehung von Queer-Theorie und LGBTQ-Aktivismus. Er führt durch die historischen Entwicklungen, erklärt Begrifflichkeiten und stellt einzelne Theoretikerinnen und Bewegungen vor. Weiter heißt es in einer Info des Verlags:“In Form eines Sachcomics…

[peraltasass]

Read in 2023

✩✩✩✩✩ - ★★★★★

Fiction:

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes: ★★✩✩✩ (HUGE disappointment)

Babel by R. F. Kuang: ★★★★★ (HUGE recommend)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: ★★★★✩  

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron: ★★★★✩

Pet by Akwae Emenzi: ★★★★★

The Call-Out by Cat Fitzpatrick: ★★★★✩

The Deep by Rivers Solomon: ★★★★★ (big recommend!)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: ★★★★★

Nevada by Imogen Binnie: ★★★★✩

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (re-read): ★★★★✩

Das Känguru Manifest by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩  

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker: ★★★★✩

Die Känguru Offenbarung by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩

Die Känguru Apokryphen by Marc-Uwe Kling: ★★★★✩

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee: ★★★★✩  

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi: ★★★★✩  

Peter Darling by Austin Chant: ★★★★✩  

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty: ★★★★½

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: ★★★★★

Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha: ★★★½✩

Dschinns by Fatma Ayedemir: ★★★★★

Blutbuch by Kim De L’Horizon: ★★★★✩  

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang: ★★½✩✩

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall: ★★★★✩

Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher: ★★★★✩

The Red Scholar’s Wake by Aliette de Bodard: ★★★½✩

Der Duft der Sterne by Simon Klemp: (can’t fairly rate, a friend of mine is the author)

The Binding by Bridget Colling: ★★★★½

In Deeper Waters by F. T. Lukens: ★★★★½

Non-fiction:

Von hier aus gesehen by Celestine Hassenfratz, Anna Luise Rother, & Ulla Scharfenberg: ★★★★½

Behindert und Stolz by Luisa L’Audace: ★★★★½   

Ich, ein Kind der kleinen Mehrheit by Gianni Jovanovic mit Oyindamola Alashe: ★★★★✩  

Radikale Selbstfürsorge jetzt! by Svenja Gräfen: ★★★✩✩  

Eure Heimat ist unser Albtraum (Your Homeland is Our Nightmare) by Fatma Aydemir and Hengameh Yaghoobifarah: ★★★★★  

Bad Gays. A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller:

Unlearn Patriarchy by Lisa Jaspers, Naomi Ryland and Silvie Horch (eds.): ★★★★✩

Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel: ★★★★✩

Sprache und Sein by Kübra Gümüşay: ★★★✩✩

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei: ★★★★✩

Lieber Jonas oder Der Wunsch nach Selbstbestimmung by Linus Giese: ★★★★✩

Gender. A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker & Julia Scheele: ★★½✩✩

Hood Feminism by Mikkie Kendall: ★★★★★  

Let’s Talk About Sex, Habibi by Mohamed Amjahid: ★★★★★  

Wie kann ich was bewegen? by Raúl Krauthausen & Benjamin Schwarz: (stopped bc it made me unhappy)

Caliban and the Witch by (not finished yet)

NichtMutterSein by Nadine Pungs: ★★★½✩

Desintegriert euch! by Max Czollek: ★★★★✩

Pageboy by Elliot Page: ★★★★★  

Hass by Şeyda Kurt: ★★★★½

Die stille Gewalt by Asha Hedayati: ★★★★★  

Die letzten Tage des Patriarchats by Margarete Stochowski: ★★★★½

Identitätskrise by Alice Hasters: ★★★½✩

Anti-Girlboss by Nadia Shehadeh: ★★★½✩

Graphic novels and webcomics:

Pimo & Rex by Thomas Wellmann: ★★★★✩

Pimo & Rex: Die interdimensionale Hochzeit by Thomas Wellmann: ★★★★✩ 

Freibad by Paulina Stulin & Doris Dörrie: ★★✩✩✩    

The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O’Neill: ★★★★★  

Medusa & Perseus by André Breinbauer: ★★✩✩✩/★★★✩✩

[heylittledino]

Queer: A Graphic History

Meg-John Barker, Julia Scheele

I'm loving this book with all my heart.