“If labeling something as ‘art’ brings more women, queers and people of color to comedy, then maybe the mainstream will finally be forced to change.” — Kate Berlant
“Making emotionally and politically risk-free poems denotes a particular kind of privilege: a privilege of not having to look hard, not having to confront what is tough or fraught, not exploring what is nuanced and complicated (or, shall we say, ‘revelatory and complex’).” — Arielle Greenberg
“In a city where nearly a third of the homeless population is gay or transgender, the shelter will make a small dent — it has just 24 beds. But supporters say it is a groundbreaking initiative that could offer a blueprint for similar efforts nationwide.” — Emily Green
If you are a trans woman or ally disappointed in and/or angry about the publication of Elinor Burkett’s “What Makes a Woman?” in the New York Times, you can go here to sign an open letter in protest.
“The tampon has not been changed since the day of the original TSS epidemic. All they did was put on the label, ‘Oh, you can get toxic shock.’ The material has gone unchanged for decades.” — From: “Toxic Shock: Why This Woman Is Suing a Tampon Company After Losing Her Leg”
The future is now: Planned Parenthood has unveiled a new app that if you need testing will deliver an STD testing kit right to your front door.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says: “…what I want to say to young girls is forget about likability.”
“Black womanhood is an identity forged in the lived experiences of black children. Anything else perpetuates society’s fetish for celebrating only parts of our bodies.” — Alicia Walters
“…it is troubling that so many of us now know the name and story of Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who passed as black advocate, rather than the names of countless black women who occupy the front lines in the war against racism.” — Michael P. Jeffries
“Kalief Browder was kidnapped in our name. Kalief Browder was held for ransom in our name. Kalief Browder was tortured in our name. Kalief Browder was killed in our name…By some cosmic coincidence we are confronted with the death of Kalief Browder at exactly the moment American media is obsessing over the life of Rachel Dolezal. Coincidental as it may be, it is also instructive.” — Ta-Nehisi Coates
“We don’t say enough about how the racism of White women—who often escape scrutiny because the public face of racism is The White Man—harms people of color.” — Jamilah Lemieux
“Indeed, the material engaged by these performances is unquestionably racist. The more salient question in this moment, however, is whether this makes the performer, and the performances themselves, racist.” — Kim Calder
John Keene sees this as “…a perspective that can call out individual racist moments or events (which is a good thing), but maintains naieveté and innocence before the systems and structures of racism and white supremacy that make white (skin) privilege and power possible, and does not seek to dismantle them.”
“The casting of Stone over an actress of color to play a mixed race woman is part of the long history of Hollywood erasing bodies of color from the screen and silencing people of color from the dominant narrative.” — Kristina Wong
“Fun fact: I write about controversial topics, such as sadomasochism, polygamy, and rape porn, and I get a lot of hate mail. But I’ve never received more death threats than I did for the article about booting Andrew Jackson off the $20 bill.” — Jillian Keenan
“But if Felicity can move to New York City just because Ben (played by Scott Speedman) lives there, then I can feed this baby twelve times a day.” — Natalie Lyalin
“…mermaids have taken up the mantel as America’s ‘new vampire,’ pop culture’s latest pick for the sexy-scary-sweet monster that is supposed to tell us something about our own humanity. — Jessica Glenza
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Writers, last I heard your ambition was not on vacation this summer, so here’s a list of where to submit your work these next couple of months.
A band that influenced so many of your favorite riot grrrl bands (and ok, whose rock biography I wrote a book report on when I was in junior high and yes, I read it aloud to my homeroom class) is on a reunion tour this summer!
Beginning Monday, June 22, NYC comic Margaret Dodge (“#AstronautWivesClub can’t even spell #bechdeltest”) will be co-hosting Avant Garden, “an anything goes open mic” with Elena Gabrielle at The Unicorn.
The Women, Action and the Media NYC Conference is happening this weekend and the lineup looks pretty amazing.
Popsickle Literary Festival is also happening this weekend in NYC. I highly recommend you go see Naomi Extra and Rosebud Ben-Oni read for Weird Sister on Saturday at 9pm.
Atlanta readers: go check out the 2015 Atlanta Zine Fest where the focus is on Girls in DIY. Wish I could be there, seriously.
Remember when Weird Sister interviewed Aparna Nancherla? There are a few days left to help support a short film she’ll be starring in.
Last but not least, let’s TGIF with this brand new video for a QUEER TROPICAL REGGAE DUB re-imagining of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” by Sister Mantos!
What did we miss this week? Let us know in the comments! <3
