Related Articles: October 21, 2017
It's Friday evening and I'm sitting here at work as the work day is winding down and I don't have much to do. And I'm angry. I am so mad. I am fucking pissed at the state of the world. It's taken me a hot second to catch up, but how can you miss two weeks of relentless #metoo's and new allegations against sexual predators from every industry in the world? You can't. I've been doing a lot of reading, and with every new article comes another heat wave of frustration.
#metoo is problematic because if you think about why we are saying #metoo, it's literally just to out ourselves. Nothing is happening, we're just sharing. I'm so glad for all of you that felt empowered and shared, but it was also triggering for so many people who had to scroll through their feeds and take on the emotional burden of reading about someone else's sexual trauma, potentially triggering PTSD, with no warning. Also, the idea was stolen from a black woman (suprised? I'm not, this shit happens ALL THE TIME) back in the 90's. Let's be done. I'm all for "Stronger Together", but let's actually do something about it. Propose a bill, talk to your congresspeople, hold a fundraiser, do SOMETHING.
Cue topic change: I've also hung up lights in my room, so it's nice and cozy, and it's finally starting to feel like autumn. I can feel myself changing as the seasons do, and I can't wait for what happens next. For those of you who don't know, the day that I was supposed to move into my apartment, I sprained my neck. It's just like spraining your ankle, except it's your neck, and it's SO much more painful. I couldn't move my head for three days. It was literally debilitating. I've never felt so helpless in my life. It was at that moment, and after a painful but divine deep tissue massage and advice from a chiropractor, that I decided to take a break. The stress of moving to NYC, being homeless, and falling behind on Pink Things built up so much stress in my neck and shoulders that I literally snapped. I broke. So for two weeks I took a break. I didn't do any work for Pink Things. I let your emails sit in my account. I didn't write, I didn't read (well, I read a little), and I didn't create anything. I've never felt so well rested. I come back to you now with an invigoration and desire to make Pink Things better than ever. I feel ready to take on the new responsibilities that come with the new work we're going to be doing. I feel good about my home, my new city, and my friends. I feel good.
So in my bounce back, I've finally conducted another interview, this one with the lovely Natalie Shehada from the new Eco-Fashion platform, tommie mag. It's super informational and insightful, and I'm really proud of it. I've also gotten back into artist features, and we're running out! So submit your work to pinkthingsmagazine@gmail.com, or even introduce us to some of your favorite artists. Thank you again to Malaika, Pink Things Intern, for handling the social media and being my support and sounding board through this.
Okay, now, I've read a lot this week, so there are a couple of fun pieces littered through out here for a break in heavy, emotional reading. I've put trigger warnings in my annotations for any articles that might be so. Read these, get angry, and then go do something about it.
Never take your neck for granted, and I'll see you next week <3
xo Sarah
"Cara Delevingne’s Allegations About Harvey Weinstein Feel Awfully Familiar" by Shannon Keating for Buzzfeed - Oooomph. This piece about the way lesbians are treated as if they are objects for male consumption, like they exist only for their pleasure, is powerful. It discusses Cara Delevingne's allegations against Harvey Weinstein, and how that sounds familiar for a lot of queer people. It's nothing new and it's important to shine a spotlight on the way queer and LBGTQ people are affected or harassed as well as cis straight people.
"First Base Is The Home Run" by adrienne maree brown for Bitch Media - A celebration of kissing in words. It was a quick reminder to get intimate!
"Why The Internet Is Full of Feminist Quotes Falsely Attributed to Gloria Steinem" by Ruth Graham for Slate - YESSS. Finally someone said it! I seriously see false quotes to Gloria Steinem all over my Twitter feed (though maybe that just means that I need to edit my twitter feed) and Tumblr and even Instagram. In the age of print, miss-quoting someone was a serious offense and it's harmful and erases those who actually said those words by attributing it to a more well known feminist activist.
"Nicki Minaj: Always In Control" by Roxane Gay for The New York Times Style Magazine - I love Roxane Gay and I love Nicki Minaj. This was a beautiful feature on a woman who has made a successful career for herself and is in the beginning of another career highlight. I'm so excited to see what her upcoming album entails, and I loved Roxane's quippy writing in this piece.
"Eight Illustrators Write a Message to Their Boobs" by Vera Papisova for Teen Vogue - This is just a cute lil reminder to love your boobs today <3
"How Can Advertisers Start Getting Diversity Right? The Answer Lies In Authentic Messaging" by Munroe Bergdorf for Mic - Token diversity ads and products don't fool anyone into thinking that a brand is inclusive. Authenticity is how the world goes round now. With the rise of instagram marketing and personal brand building, authenticity has never been more important, and you can't be authentic if your line/company/whatever isn't as inclusive as it claims to be.
"Yes, This Is a Witch Hunt. I'm a Witch and I'm Hunting You" by Lindy West for The New York Times - YESSSS. If they want a witch hunt, they're going to get one, but not the one they expect. As a self-identified witchy person, I am screaming. The witches are coming for you, just like they came for 45, and just like they're going to come for those to try to oppress the marginalized for eternity.
"McKayla Maroney Alleged U.S. Gymnastics Doctor Molested Her" by Brittney McNamara for Teen Vogue - This article is *triggering* so skip to the next one. There are some graphic details on how the gymnastics doctor abused his power as a medical physician to sexually assault young women, potentially as early as 1996. He is currently under investigation for child porn. This bastard better get what's coming to him. Also (not pertaining to this article directly), I can't believe that it's news that sexual harassment isn't just in the entertainment industry. Like, what do you mean? It's EVERYWHERE. All the time!
"Gun Control = Abortion? Not by a Long Shot" by Lisa Stern for Rewire - Finally someone said it. In the fury of backlash against the shootings in Las Vegas coupled with the House of Representatives' passing of a law making abortion illegal after 20 weeks, there have been a lot of comparisons of gun control and abortion regulation. There was that misattributed quote to Gloria Stienem about how people should have to jump through the same hoops to get guns as women do abortions. I disagree. Now hear me out. I want guns heavily regulated, but I want it done in a way that is fair and not in any way comparable to abortion, because I want abortion to be left out of government and kept between doctors and their patients where it belongs. We deserve better.
"I want my 2.3 Bonus Years" by Mona Chalabi for The New York Times - I AM SCREAMING. This is so witty and snarky and delightfully poignant in light of the heavy news of this past week. It's been a delightful break to read, and definitely the best op-ed I read this week. And it's like she knows my life. I'm Bumbling my life away and my search parameters are set to over 25 because 23-year-old men (boys) suck. So. I guess that I'm going to need to reset my parameters after reading this piece. *sigh*
"Gloria Steinem: Don't Forget We Have A Harasser In The White House" by Neha Ghandi for Girlboss - This piece would have been the best of the week if it didn't read like no one took the time to edit it (I caught a few misplaced words and several confusing commas). Hopefully it's fixed by the time you read it. I have mixed emotions about Gloria Steinem, but ultimately this piece talks about how we can move forward around the globe to reach equality. I wish there was more talk about queer and LBGTQ voices though.
"Sophia Amoruso of Girlboss on Writing Your Own Success Story" by Tyler Calder for Girls Night In - We all know how much I love me some Sophia Amoruso, no matter how much the media tries to bring her down. I am always happy to read about her (I even pre-ordered her workbook coming out next week) and it makes me so happy to see her so happy with her life as it is currently. I can't wait to see what she has in store next, and I'm definitely taking her advice on self-care to heart.
"Lupita Nyong'o: Speaking Out Against Harvey Weinstein" by Lupita Nyong'o for The New York Times - This just-released account of another sexual harassment by HW is heartbreaking. It's also triggering, so don't read it if you might be overwhelmed with the details. Lupita gives a very matter-of-fact account of what happened to her with her various meetings with HW, and how all of the women speaking out has given her the strength to share her story as well.
Per usual, check out all of the articles I recommend reading here.