Sometimes I really love living in New York City (although admittedly I'm about as far northwest as you can be and still be in NYC, since my back window looks out on Yonkers). First Wesley Autrey, then Pedro Nevarez and Julio Gonzalez. It does one's heart good to live in a world that has such people in it. It's also been great reading lots of very positive and activist blog posts this past week, perhaps reflecting the mood of the country in general. Sorry I hadn't been able to point them out earlier, but I've fallen way behind on my blog reading again, and have only just finished the "must read" blogs. Here's some stuff I liked from them:
• If it's January, it must be Body Shame month again. Is there anyone who doesn't know this comes around like clockwork and gird for it, in the same way the online world used to prepare for September newbies? Thank goodness for fat-awareness posts like Zuzu's about how fatphobia indirectly affects subway commuters and who really benefits from the manufactured "obesity crisis" propaganda, Amanda Marcotte's following up on that same topic of fat being seen as disgusting, and Melissa McEwen on fat chicks finding contentment in their own skin. All point out in their various ways that it's just as wrong to judge people's health primarily by their physical appearance as it is to judge someone's character by the color of their skin. Perhaps there's hope for Mark Morford yet!
• If it's January it must also be "rethinking this blog gig" month. I'm glad that Tom Tomorrow, after announcing plans to wind down his activity on This Modern World the way Susie Madrak's wound down on Suburban Guerrilla, then presented a flurry of posts during the days to follow. I can only hope the same outcome for Michael Bérubé, who said something in passing about his "my final week of blogging" which touched off a flurry in his comment section (and he's just reiterated in today's post that "it’s the last Saturday of this blog"), but he's still being ultra-mysterious. However, it sounds like he could have good news along the same lines as Susie's, so we're all waiting for the big reveal. Eric Williams has more thoughts on this.
• I'm glad to see the concepts raised at my Writing the Other panel are still being discussed all these many years later, as Jason Kimble examines straight writer Chuck Dixon's latest views on homo versus hetero kissing, Cheryl Lynn despairs of mangaka-produced blackface, and Lisa Fortuner grits her teeth once more to explain that sexist (i.e., bad) writing includes "writing characters of one gender as who your readers want to be, and characters of the other gender as who your readers want to have" - really not that difficult a concept to grasp if you're, you know, a professional.
• Speaking of Lisa, she thinks 2007 will be another year in which fiction has a more powerful grip on illuminating people's minds than non-fiction, and all feminist culture vultures owe her and Melissa Krause a hearty congratulations on When Fangirls Attack reaching its first blogiversary!
• With the ascension of women to powerful political positions like US Speaker of the House (although Jen bemoans the constant coverage about her family as if that were job-related and as if men didn't have families as well) and UN Deputy Secretary-General (thanks Jessica), a number of bloggers are examining how, as a gender, we're sometimes our own worst enemies. For instance, Colleen Doran talks about Female Status Cannibalism and "selling out" amid "gender traitor" accusations. Do check out the comments as well, wherein she discusses working with folks like Joan Hilty, who has repeatedly spoken in public about the need for women in powerful industry positions to mentor other women (and who has mentored at least 2-3 assistant editors herself, I believe).
• Ilyka Damen's been on quite the roll, with her consideration of a blog renaming thanks to a drive-by You Tube comment; grumbling about kids withdiamonds wheels on the soles of their shoes, presumably on her lawn; and her grammar resolutions for 2007.
• Deepest condolences to Kevin Drum, founder (near as I can tell) of Friday Cat Blogging, on the loss of Jasmine (also a founder of FCB). I consider every day that my Datsa is still alive to be a blessing, much the same way that belated birthday boy Chris Clarke feels about Zeke.
• Steve M encapsulates George Bush's (or Karl Rove's?) need to always distract the media away from Democrats and onto him at seemingly crucial moments. It's all part of what Digby terms "governing by tantrums." My question is, why is the media still capitulating to this nonsense after 6+ years?
• Laura Gjovaag loves her new TiVo, and Bibi loves her some periodic tables.
• Bob Harris examines Telemundo looking up its own cameras regarding a "copycat hanging" and the gullibility of humans to believe wax can cure headaches.
• Lastly, a good catch from Mary Beth Williams about the Democrat-led resolution ending the K Street project, and Melissa plays pictorial Jeopardy!.
Now to get to the rest of my blog reading and perhaps add to this post later...
• If it's January, it must be Body Shame month again. Is there anyone who doesn't know this comes around like clockwork and gird for it, in the same way the online world used to prepare for September newbies? Thank goodness for fat-awareness posts like Zuzu's about how fatphobia indirectly affects subway commuters and who really benefits from the manufactured "obesity crisis" propaganda, Amanda Marcotte's following up on that same topic of fat being seen as disgusting, and Melissa McEwen on fat chicks finding contentment in their own skin. All point out in their various ways that it's just as wrong to judge people's health primarily by their physical appearance as it is to judge someone's character by the color of their skin. Perhaps there's hope for Mark Morford yet!
• If it's January it must also be "rethinking this blog gig" month. I'm glad that Tom Tomorrow, after announcing plans to wind down his activity on This Modern World the way Susie Madrak's wound down on Suburban Guerrilla, then presented a flurry of posts during the days to follow. I can only hope the same outcome for Michael Bérubé, who said something in passing about his "my final week of blogging" which touched off a flurry in his comment section (and he's just reiterated in today's post that "it’s the last Saturday of this blog"), but he's still being ultra-mysterious. However, it sounds like he could have good news along the same lines as Susie's, so we're all waiting for the big reveal. Eric Williams has more thoughts on this.
• I'm glad to see the concepts raised at my Writing the Other panel are still being discussed all these many years later, as Jason Kimble examines straight writer Chuck Dixon's latest views on homo versus hetero kissing, Cheryl Lynn despairs of mangaka-produced blackface, and Lisa Fortuner grits her teeth once more to explain that sexist (i.e., bad) writing includes "writing characters of one gender as who your readers want to be, and characters of the other gender as who your readers want to have" - really not that difficult a concept to grasp if you're, you know, a professional.
• Speaking of Lisa, she thinks 2007 will be another year in which fiction has a more powerful grip on illuminating people's minds than non-fiction, and all feminist culture vultures owe her and Melissa Krause a hearty congratulations on When Fangirls Attack reaching its first blogiversary!
• With the ascension of women to powerful political positions like US Speaker of the House (although Jen bemoans the constant coverage about her family as if that were job-related and as if men didn't have families as well) and UN Deputy Secretary-General (thanks Jessica), a number of bloggers are examining how, as a gender, we're sometimes our own worst enemies. For instance, Colleen Doran talks about Female Status Cannibalism and "selling out" amid "gender traitor" accusations. Do check out the comments as well, wherein she discusses working with folks like Joan Hilty, who has repeatedly spoken in public about the need for women in powerful industry positions to mentor other women (and who has mentored at least 2-3 assistant editors herself, I believe).
• Ilyka Damen's been on quite the roll, with her consideration of a blog renaming thanks to a drive-by You Tube comment; grumbling about kids with
• Deepest condolences to Kevin Drum, founder (near as I can tell) of Friday Cat Blogging, on the loss of Jasmine (also a founder of FCB). I consider every day that my Datsa is still alive to be a blessing, much the same way that belated birthday boy Chris Clarke feels about Zeke.
• Steve M encapsulates George Bush's (or Karl Rove's?) need to always distract the media away from Democrats and onto him at seemingly crucial moments. It's all part of what Digby terms "governing by tantrums." My question is, why is the media still capitulating to this nonsense after 6+ years?
• Laura Gjovaag loves her new TiVo, and Bibi loves her some periodic tables.
• Bob Harris examines Telemundo looking up its own cameras regarding a "copycat hanging" and the gullibility of humans to believe wax can cure headaches.
• Lastly, a good catch from Mary Beth Williams about the Democrat-led resolution ending the K Street project, and Melissa plays pictorial Jeopardy!.
Now to get to the rest of my blog reading and perhaps add to this post later...
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