How do I address problematic issues within my favorite shows and pop culture?
One of my friends will find a way in which they feel a show is bigoted (e.g. “Steven Universe is racist”) and suddenly it’s the only thing they can talk about re: that show. They’ll interrupt any conversation about it with “but you shouldn’t like that, it’s bigoted.”
I understand the importance of keeping social justice topics in mind while consuming media, and obviously I can’t tell them to stop because this is important to them, but sometimes I just want to gush about my favorite lesbian aliens. Help?
How do I teach privilege to my able-bodied, white male children?
My partner and I recently welcomed our miracle twin newborns to the world and we’re thrilled! But also terrified. Somehow we managed to bring two more blond-haired, blue-eyed, males into our rural Midwest society (we are both of primarily European ancestry, but we never expected this!).
We had always planned to teach our children to value diversity and to challenge the system of privilege, but now we’re looking at raising children who are the textbook image of privilege. Help! How can we do parenting right?
Gun control explained with cats (to share before tomorrow’s March For Our Lives)
Tomorrow is a big day for everyone, and especially all of those Gen Z-ers taking the nation by the jugular to give rise to a voice in opposition to gun deaths, and in support of common sense gun laws and school safety. It’s the March For Our Lives.
Whether or not you support enhanced gun laws or not (and please keep it civil in the comments either way), it’s happening tomorrow, March 24th, 2018, in cities across the U.S. (and elsewhere). In the meantime, here’s a quick take that gives some perspective on the whole issue… with cats.
What would it take to get you to quit Facebook for good?
Cambridge Analytica, the U.K. data firm which acquired 50 million user profiles in the U.S., and may or may not have used them to help the Trump campaign, is just the latest in a long line of Facebook-related mishaps surrounding security, privacy, ye olde fake news, and so many other issues. But it remains almost as popular as ever, or at least it has been up until now. The online campaigns encouraging us all the quit Facebook are ramping up. So I wondered, what would it take for most of us to actually quit Facebook for good?
Let’s be careful fat shaming public figures (yes, even Trump)
We definitely want our leaders to be physically and mentally able to take on the huge burdens of leading. But if you’re at all familiar with the Fat Acceptance Movement, you’ll know that being concerned about the weight of others can lead to discrimination, bias, and detrimental health and mental health effects. So when I heard the term “girther” as a play on words for “birther” regarding Donald Trump’s presumed (by some) falsified weight in this last physical exam, I bristled…
Fairy princesses can be mighty girls, as long as we don’t shame them first
My daughter wanted a “fairy princess birthday party,” so I was making wands out pink glitter-glue and pipe cleaners and cutting the crusts off fairy bread while obsessively refreshing my Twitter feed for more news about the extent of Weinstein’s depravity. The invitation to her party was a photo of my daughter wearing a tutu and crown, Photoshopped to make it look like it appeared in the pages of a storybook. She loved it.
After the invitation went out, I received messages RSVPing to the party, but they also asked a question, the same one over again: “Are you okay with this?”
Privilege & bigotry: how I’m owning it and un-learning false narratives
I am a white male from a small village in North Wales, UK. I married a white American female. I am a step-parent of a young child with whom I get along very well; we are a very close family who always strives to support each other unconditionally in any way possible. I was born within the NHS (National Health Service) and was raised to respect everyone and treat people equally. I have been blessed to have many opportunities in life that others have not had. Here’s how I’m acknowledging my privilege and bigotry and making sure I’m striving to use these privileges to be a voice of reason to those who may not understand or have the same privileges as myself.
Art with a cause: political art to strengthen your space
A whole bunch of us are embracing the idea that it’s time to stop being silent about the politics and causes for which we care deeply, especially when it comes to affecting change among our own small communities. This means we’re getting less shy about advocating for our causes publically, including in our own homes. I’ve compiled a big set of art prints and decor that you can use to celebrate and share your strong feels about our current world.