“Framing the existence and realities of trans people in this way — as up for debate — is far from innocently provocative. It’s dangerous, specious, and complicit in the spectrum of violence that trans people face every day in this political climate.”–Oliver Bendorf in “Responses from the Trans Community on Daniel Harris and the Antioch Review”
“I’m absolutely disgusted over YACHT thinking this plan through at least a MONTH in advance to manipulate its fans into fawning over the fake leaked tape. Survivors of sexual exploitation are not a niche market, nor are they a marketing ploy. When famous people lie about being victims, as YACHT has, it undermines the actual survivors and makes it harder for them to get the justice they deserve.”–From “YACHT Fakes Stolen Sex Tape, Apologizes—But It’s Not Enough”
“When The New York Times ultimately ran my sister’s story in 2014, it gave her 936 words online, embedded in an article with careful caveats. Nicholas Kristof, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and advocate for victims of sexual abuse, put it on his blog. Soon afterward, the Times gave her alleged attacker twice the space — and prime position in the print edition, with no caveats or surrounding context. It was a stark reminder of how differently our press treats vulnerable accusers and powerful men who stand accused.”–Ronan Farrow on “My Father, Woody Allen, and the Danger of Questions Unasked”
“Janisse’s memoir only makes up about a third of the book. The other two thirds are essentially critical reviews of horror and exploitation films. The resulting style isn’t quite memoir, isn’t quite history, isn’t quite analysis, but rather a kind of Confessional Criticism, both deeply personal and rigorously academic…What ultimately makes House of Psychotic Women so spellbinding is less the memoir or the reviews as individual entities, but the way that the two, when juxtaposed, remind us that these stories are rooted in the real; and not the big/broad/social-political real, but the real that is small and intimate and experiential.”–L.A. Review of Books on Kier-La Janisse’s House of Psychotic Women
“I wasn’t worried about people finding out about me, weirdly. I think that has to do with when you have a disability, people don’t assume you have any sense of privacy anyway. You are used to being looked at. You are used to being poked and prodded. People have been asking me stupid questions in elevators since I can remember. I didn’t have any expectation of privacy. That part of nonfiction does not bother me. I always feel to some degree or another on the stage or underneath a spotlight. Whether or not that’s acute or benign, it’s something that I have trouble losing because I think it’s sometimes so true. Not like a happy spotlight of “oh, you’re awesome.” More like people trying to figure out what exactly is going on.”–Emily Rapp Black being interviewed by Sami Jankins
“It’s never about the money — never has been. It’s like choosing a lover. There has to be some kind of turn-on or connection.”–San Francisco drag matriarch and seamstress Mr. David on who he will make a dress for
This article asks, “are we living in the golden age of poetry?”
Go HERE to learn more and/or support YALDA, “a new kind of literary intensive and publishing platform for young women authors ages 12-19.”
Gazing Grain press has extended their deadlines for both the Poetry/Hybrid and Prose/Hybrid Chapbook Contests for one week, until May 15th! Go HERE for contest guidelines.
The Establishment is “looking for amazing period/menstruation content for Menstrual Hygiene Day on 5/28! Multimedia also welcome.” Pitch deadline is 5/15. Go HERE for guidelines.
What did we miss this week? Let us know in the comments! <3
