Related Articles: July 1, 2017
This week was WILD in good articles! Most of the recommended reads this week are centered around the LBGTQIA+ community – fittingly for Pride – beginning with an amazing piece on Snape as a trans woman, which I now fully believe to be true. There are also some pieces on porn and black women that are super important to read and understand their perspectives within the culture we live in. And finally, there was an amazing piece for Bitch Media about Native American Pride and the Two Spirits. I've rounded up 16 amazing works of writing for you this week, including Serena Williams's Vanity Fair feature.
Enjoy these! And if you never want Pride to end, consider submitting to Pink Things Vol. IV!
"The Shockingly Convincing Argument That Severus Snape Is Transgender" by Diana Tourjee for Broadly - THIS. IS. SO. GOOD. Not only is the theory incredibly plausible (I totally believe it by the way), but it is written so well! This captivating investigation into Snape's identity within the Harry Potter world will not leave you disappointed in any way, shape, or form. UGH. SO GOOD.
"We Need To Discuss Cultural Appropriation At Pride Parades" by Gabe Bergado for Teen Vogue - Cultural appropriation is alive and well and we need to respect all marginalized people while fighting for the rights of the LBGTQIA+ community. It's not just the fight for equality for LBGTQIA+ people, but for all of those marginalized. As pointed out in this article, we need to be more sensitive during our celebrations to how we might hurt those of other cultures by wearing things like body paint.
"How I Knew I'm Pansexual" by Elana Rubin for Teen Vogue - This is such a cute (genuinely, not condescendingly) personal essay about self discovery and pansexuality.
"Why Democratic Unity Is Nothing Without Women" by Cristina Garcia for Lenny Letter - I'm quite sad that this op-ed even had to be written considering that equality should include everyone in every aspect of everything, including the Democratic party. This piece points out how women have been excluded from the conversation of the current rebuilding of the Democratic party, and why they should actually be running it.
"Why I'm Done Being Silent About Gender Expectations" by Yetide Badaki for Lenny Letter - This personal essay is excellent! Written by a Nigerian woman, this read emphasizes why she is so sick of people telling her what to do based on her gender beginning from a young age. This is a great story of acceptance and rebellion and was super fun to read.
"How Having A Baby Girl Taught Me About My Own Biases" by Elsa Collins for Lenny Letter - A great read for any expecting or hoping-to-be mothers seeking to buck the gender expectations pressed onto children from before they're even born. She hoped for a boy, but ended up with a girl, and this is what it taught her.
"How Can The Queerest Generation (Ever) Still Believe In Gender Roles?" by Tori Truscheit for The Establishment - This op-ed is full of cited facts about how the millennial generation, the queerest in history, has actually higher beliefs of gender roles than previously thought. This, of course, has to do with toxic masculinity and the patriarchy. There is a lot of discrimination, even within the LBGTQIA+ community, and this article calls it all out, right down to the limited legalization of gay marriage in the USA.
"Yes, Porn Can Be Feminist" an interview with Lynsey G for Unbound Box - This is such a controversial topic, but Lynsey G, a porn expert and author, argues that while not all porn is feminist, there are ethical and entertaining options for everyone. I personally learned a lot about supporting the industry and how free sites like Pornhub are making it more and more difficult for actors to get paid and treated well.
"What Does It Mean To Be A Financial Feminist?" by Andrea Stanley for Girlboss - This article awesomely points out how women are edged out of conversations about money when we should really be talking more about it to eliminate the stigma. If we can talk about menstrual cups with our girlfriends, why not money?
"Serena Williams's Love Match" by Buzz Bissinger for Vanity Fair - Who doesn't love a great love story? I am personally so excited and happy for Serena, and it was super fun to read about how she and Alexis, her fiancée, met and everything that they've been through since then. If I had one complaint, it's that this article perpetuates the cultural stigma that athleticism is the ultimate accomplishment by making Alexis's tech accomplishments seem less than that of Serena's. They're both amazingly successful human beings, and I am so happy that they found happiness with each other.
"The Strange, Sad Case Of Laci Green–Feminist Hero Turned Anti-Feminist Defender" by Katelyn Burns for The Establishment - The Internet isn't always a safe place, as those who are victims of online bullying and death threats can attest. That's why it's so strange that feminist YouTuber, Laci Green, has changed her stance on feminism. This is a great read on internet culture, and how the Alt-Right manages to manipulate audiences that don't agree with them through abuse.
"Power In Our Pride: Two Spirit Nation Leads The Way" by Jen Deerinwater for Bitch Media - This is a powerful read by a Bisexual, Two Spirit, disabled, mixed race, Native American. I am, quite frankly, appalled that I didn't hear about the Two Spirit protest at DC Pride. Why wasn't it covered in the news?! Pride and the LBGTQIA+ community have major fractures in discrimination against native and Two Spirit people. This article is a great way to learn about how Native Pride looks different from White Pride.
"Black Girls Are Too Often Treated As Older Than They Are – And They Suffer For It" by Ruth Graham for XXFactor - This post sheds a light on the glaringly obvious problem with how we treat Black women and girls from a young age. Perceived as older than they are, they are treated as such, resulting in harsher punishments and sexualization. A must read.
"Why Incorrectly Identifying Transgender People Who Have Died Is A Lack Of Respect" by Brittney McNamara for Teen Vogue - Another piece that I'm appalled even had to be written. Deadnaming is the act of not calling a trans or non-binary person by their prefered name and pronouns after death. It happens far too often, and as trans people experience so much violence, incredibly disrespectful. This quote sums it up perfectly: "It hurts absolutely no one to do so. It takes very little effort to call a trans person by their chosen name, so why would anyone have a problem doing it?"
"I Don't Know How To Explain To You That You Should Care About Other People" by Kayla Chadwick for HuffPost - Same.
"A Penis On Every Page: The Rise And Fall Of Playgirl" by Matthew Rettenmund for Esquire - This was an interesting, slightly confusingly organized, read about the politics that lead to the "downfall" of Playgirl, which is now an online gay porn magazine. I definitely don't agree with everything in this article, but it was a neat history lesson. Like I said, interesting!
So that's it for this week! You can view any previously recommended articles here.
xo Sarah