(no subject)
There'a a person on my f'list, glockgal, who is awesome in reminding me to be a better person by the posts she puts up. I got these links from her, and I'm passing them on.
RaceFail'09 has had it's one-year anniversary, and there are some really awesome essays coming out of it. Such as, Why I Think Racefail Was the Bestest Thing Evar For SFF by NKJemisin, a look at how Racefail was needed to get things changing. Though I'm generally of the opinion that we should change without first needing great anger and whatnot, the world as a whole disagrees, and Racefail did do amazing things. (I really look forward to a time when we don't need such pain to create change. I'm not sure it'll happen, but I can hope.)
The Cost of Engaging by deepad. Racefail IS a good thing, but you don't scream and shout and stamp your feet and not have repercussions. This one hit me, because I hit this after Prop 8 last year. It was the decline of some friendships that really mattered, and the end of still others. Screaming and shouting and carrying that hurt changed me, and changed the way I deal with people. In some ways it's a good change, but in other ways... well, I can't wish I hadn't done the screaming and shouting, but it still hurts.
And finally, I Don't Care if You're Offended by S. Madin, an essay on the difference between saying something offensive about what's in power, which might hurt feelings but doesn't really cause societal hurt, and saying something offensive about minorities, which is not only hurtful, but causes hurt on a societal level. Interesting essay, and it really sorted some things out in my head, made me understand on a logical level what I already understood on an emotional level.
Go, read, learn. :)
J
RaceFail'09 has had it's one-year anniversary, and there are some really awesome essays coming out of it. Such as, Why I Think Racefail Was the Bestest Thing Evar For SFF by NKJemisin, a look at how Racefail was needed to get things changing. Though I'm generally of the opinion that we should change without first needing great anger and whatnot, the world as a whole disagrees, and Racefail did do amazing things. (I really look forward to a time when we don't need such pain to create change. I'm not sure it'll happen, but I can hope.)
The Cost of Engaging by deepad. Racefail IS a good thing, but you don't scream and shout and stamp your feet and not have repercussions. This one hit me, because I hit this after Prop 8 last year. It was the decline of some friendships that really mattered, and the end of still others. Screaming and shouting and carrying that hurt changed me, and changed the way I deal with people. In some ways it's a good change, but in other ways... well, I can't wish I hadn't done the screaming and shouting, but it still hurts.
And finally, I Don't Care if You're Offended by S. Madin, an essay on the difference between saying something offensive about what's in power, which might hurt feelings but doesn't really cause societal hurt, and saying something offensive about minorities, which is not only hurtful, but causes hurt on a societal level. Interesting essay, and it really sorted some things out in my head, made me understand on a logical level what I already understood on an emotional level.
Go, read, learn. :)
J