#however I am saying that there probably is a level of comfort gained from heteronormativity if you're queer and against it)

[edwardshundredyearoldspunk]

I think, unfortunately, these are necessary growing pains if people want to make modernized adaptations of older source material. I vaguely remember how angry people were about starbuck being a woman and she ended up being a fan favorite. people hate change because it challenges the reasons why they liked the source material to begin with. did people like starbuck because they were a cigar smoking womanizer or did they like starbuck because it was easy to project male power fantasies onto the character when it was a man? similarly, did readers like michael or did they like being able to insert themselves in the woman's role and live out that fantasy through her, and now that the character of michael is a woman, they can't do that?

this kind of pushback inevitably exists because a certain demographic feels there is something taken away from them whenever these changes are made. white men felt something was taken away from them when starbuck became a woman. white women felt something was taken away from them when ariel became black. skinny women felt there was something taken away from them when penelope wasn't forced to lose weight to deserve her own romance. now, straight women feel something is taken away from them now that the central romance of a season will not allow them the pleasure of inserting themselves into the woman's role.

unfortunately, it is an expected side effect of pushing the boundaries of what kinds of people can star in what kinds of roles.

i could not care fucking less about michael stirling being genderbent. i am getting sapphic rep in a HUGE tv show and i am kicking my feet and giggling bc this is all i wanted. As a queer fan, i never expected I'd get a queer storyline unless it was a sideplot. and THIS is SO much better.

[kudzunewsletter-blog]

Student Action Spotlight: Emma 

Hi! Please tell us a little about who you are!  

My name is Emma Robins, I'm a classic middle child, and a senior at Westmont College in Southern California. I work at the French Press on State (please come visit!) and am studying Sociology, English, and Gender Studies. I am comfortable with she/her and they/their pronouns, and I am panromantic and somewhere on the asexual spectrum. My mom is a French immigrant, and my dad lives in Tokyo, so international and intersectional perspectives are important to me. I also had a dream last night where I told someone "I'm an anarchist ideologically, but a socialist practically," so that probably tells you something about me.

What does spiritual violence mean to you?

When I think of spiritual violence, the sociologist in me thinks of it on the micro, meso, and macro levels. Basically, I think of spiritual violence as something that can be done in personal relationships (ie, a youth pastor telling a trans kid that their identity is invalid/they are not welcome anymore, etc); in organizations (churches sending violent messages which perpetuate heteronormativity, white supremacy, classism, misogyny, etc); and on a structural level (the broader cultural/political/systemic messages we receive and are inundated with). For me, spiritual violence is most devious on the structural level, which can take the form of subconscious messages which cause any marginalized person to feel unsafe and unwanted in The Church, as well as more tangible forms of religiously-motivated violence, such as our history of eugenics, the actions of the KKK, etc. Basically, I think of spiritual violence as any action, organization, or structure which abuses in the name of religion, and/or abuses the spiritual life of a particular person/group.

What motivated you to petition Westmont to be a sanctuary campus? And can you explain what it means to be a sanctuary campus for folks who aren’t familiar?

The sanctuary campus movement seeks to make college and university campuses safe spaces for groups targeted by the Trump administration, and marginalizing policies in general. This often is specifically geared towards issues of immigration-- so, a sanctuary campus would not comply with immigration officials seeking to deport students, faculty, or staff, would not release information regarding students' immigration statuses, and would provide legal aid to students/faculty/staff. Right now, becoming a sanctuary campus is mostly a symbolic gesture, but a powerful one; it sends the message that we will stand by the members of our community and will ensure that they are safe, and feel wanted. I started a petition to make Westmont a sanctuary campus around the time when Trump announced the Muslim-majority travel ban. Basically, I was pissed. And I had been pissed for so long, and heartbroken, with nowhere to channel this energy, so I talked with one of my professors, who mentioned the sanctuary campus movement. This professor and others (including my mom, go mom!) had been working on a statement from the faculty in response to the Trump administration, basically declaring their values and dedication to justice and Christlike love. My professor told me that she was worried that a push from the faculty wouldn't be enough to get the administration moving, but maybe with student support...So I used the Notre Dame letter as a template, and here we are!

Why is it important to have sanctuary campuses? 

Sanctuary campuses are important because they communicate a) Constitutional values, b) The radical message of Christ, and c) basic human compassion, in a time when all three seem to be on shaky ground. They embody a message directly to the highest powers in our nation that we will not comply. 

What has the process in making the petition been like? Have there been any barriers that arose in getting your school approved as a sanctuary campus?

The first week or so of gaining signatures was unreal. It was so encouraging and life-giving to see literally hundreds of people, mostly complete strangers to me, showing support through their signatures. There have definitely been some barriers; some people are uncomfortable with certain aspects of the petition, like asking for funds to provide legal aid to students, and others have posted some negative things about it on social media. But now we have 594 signatures, and I'm working on figuring out the most effective way to present it to the president and board. So we'll see!

What is a lesson you learned from pushing to make your school safe for undocumented students?  

I've learned that people want to take action, even if they don't know how. Some people left messages with their signatures, including a couple of students who transferred out of Westmont. My favorite says "I entered Westmont as a freshman before transferring out to Emory University after 3 semester. I left Westmont because I thought it was a cesspool of conservative thinking that was damaging to minorities. However, this petition is proving me wrong. Please continue to prove me wrong through acts of love and compassion such as this." I like to think that people who felt alone and hopeless (including myself), without an outlet for their frustration, can see this petition as a form of action, and can inspire acts of solidarity, civil disobedience, etc.

How can colleges and administrations better be in solidarity with immigrants? 

Obviously, I think becoming a sanctuary campus is a great way for administrators to show solidarity with immigrants. I think administrations need to be vocal; often, administrative bureaucracy and the fear of offending donors leaves the administrative voice a bit tepid, if not altogether absent. I think the more that board members, administrators, faculty, staff, presidents, etc openly speak against injustice and for solidarity and action, the more students will feel that they too have a voice, and that they can learn in a safe environment.

What is the significance of coordinating a national movement of Christian college students?  

My hope is that a national movement of Christian college students would problematize the widely-perceived "Christian" rhetoric of ignorance and violence. I'd like to think that we can reclaim the values of Christ and the Church. There are a lot of us out there who are concerned with enacting love and justice in the world, I just wonder if we have a harder time mobilizing than other groups.

Is there any way other students can get involved in what you're doing? 

I encourage other students to start their own petitions! Create safe spaces on campus, talk to administrators, find professors who are willing to support you. Also, take care of yourself. In a world that wants to disempower, invalidate, and violate you, self-care is a radical act of justice.

And lastly, what's a song you've had stuck on repeat this week? 

I've been listening to "Come" by Jain constantly. She's an incredible musician with a multicultural sound  (I think she grew up in France, the Congo, India, and more) and really great music videos.

Thanks so much Emma! 

You can view Emma’s petition to make Westmont college a sanctuary campus here.