Related Articles: November 18, 2017
What a wild week it has been! I'm all caught up on all things Pink Things! Which means I can now focus on growing it and evolving it into something better and better! I'm currently sitting at MY DESK THAT FINALLY CAME! And behind me are some WALL MOUNTED BOOKSHELVES that I INSTALLED MYSELF. I'm just so excited. I feel like such a boss ass lady. Who knew that power tools could do that to you?
This week I have a bunch of good stuff. It's a little light on the number of articles, 7, but they're goodies. Louis C.K., one of my favorite male comedians (because all of my favorites are actually women because they're fucking hilarious) turns out to be a really awful offender of sexual assault. So he's no longer on my faves list, and we have a piece below on the power of #MeToo, as well as an AMAZING op-ed from The Cut about how the current revolution on sexual harassment and assault impacts us all. There's also a link to the super dope #GirlGaze digital zine (aesthetically on POINT), a great essay about being a mom and also being a sexual person, and a great opinion piece on "gender" reveal parties (spoiler alert: they're fucking dumb).
It's been a great week! I got hugged by Nina Dobrev and saw Ashley Graham IRL. Stay tuned <3
xx Sarah
"Allowing #MeToo To Go Viral Is The Biggest Mistake The Establishment Ever Made" by Caitlin Johnstone for Medium - This piece dives into how the fundamental nature of our modern culture stands on rape culture, and how all of it is being shifted. It's not a political revolution, it's a change at the very core of our existence. It's going to be dirty and it's going to be messy, but we'll come out on the other side better than ever.
"Your Reckoning. And Mine." by Rebecca Traister for The Cut - This is a fucking powerful feature. Like really fucking powerful. Like I understand every fucking thing that she is saying. And how even as she writes this piece, she can't say her harassers name. Please, please read this! Here's one of my favorite quotes from the piece; it gives me a little hope:
"He did not consider that the women he was torturing, much less the young woman who was mutely and nervously watching his performance (that would be me), might one day have greater power than he did. He didn’t consider this because in a basic way, he did not think of us as his equals.
That makes me angry, too."
"Pistols or Pearls: Gender Reveal Parties are a Sham" by Rae Gray for Bitch Media - This pieces dismantles the ridiculousness of the latest fad in social sharing - the gender reveal party. I've always hated the concept of a "gender" reveal party. I mean, seriously? First of all, it's so tacky. Second of all, I HATE how they impose gender norms on beings that aren't even born yet. Like seriously?
"DC May Soon be the First US City to Decriminalize Sex Work" by Michelle Chen for The Nation - YAASS!! This piece is A. Full of great news, and B. a well researched and rounded argument about why this is a progressive and needed step towards equality in the United States. Not only does the bill proposed, BY A MAN OF ALL PEOPLE!!! (THIS IS GOOD!), protect sex workers, it also provides resources to help them and decriminalizes the industry all together. It also redirects some of the budget spent on harassing sex workers to targeting those who deal in sex trafficking, which will still be illegal.
The #GirlGaze Zine - This is a super dope digital zine. It's flashy and beautifully designed with really inspiring work inside if you're a pink lover like me. It's just a cute thing to look at if you have the time, and Willow Smith is the cover star!
"Her, Too: My Mother, and the Legacy of Abuse" by Joy Bryant for Lenny Letter - With all of the news and allegations of sexual assault circulating, it's getting really repetitive to read about. But this essay takes a completely different perspective on the matter, as the unwanted daughter from a sexual assault talks about her broken relationship with her mother. It was a refreshing take on the beaten topic. And quite beautiful to read.
"Sex and the Single Mom" by Alyssa Shelasky for Lenny Letter - This piece is so brilliant. It gave me so many laughs and is such an honest and unforgiving look at how this single mom is a sexual being and a mother because they are not mutually exclusive, though they do inform each other. I think this is the best thing I've read this week! Though it is only Wednesday...
Per usual, you can peruse my other recommendations here.