On The Fixed State Ally Model vs. Process Model Ally Work

I feel that this piece by Melissa McEwan does a great job of articulating what I’ve been feeling in this regard for sometime. Often using ‘ally’ as part of one’s identity clouds your own ability to actually leverage your privilege productively and creates passivity in your work. The process model allows for a lot more accountability and real change.

“There are two ways that people with privilege tend to view ally work.

In the Fixed State Ally Model, the privileged person views hirself as an ally and claims the mantle for hirself. Zie may also acknowledge that zie is always learning and trying to do better, but states that zie is an ally to one or more marginalized populations.

In the Process Model, the privileged person views hirself as someone engaged in ally work, but does not identify as an ally, rather viewing ally work as an ongoing process. Zie views being an ally as a fluid state, externally defined by individual members of the one or more marginalized populations on behalf zie leverages hir privilege.

For various reasons, embracing the Fixed State Ally Model is actually antithetical to effective ally work.”

Full piece and listing HERE

Guante: Action

Spoken Word piece on rape culture and men’s responsibility, phenomenal. Imagine the difference these conversations could make? So powerful
..”you tell me that she never said no, that you’re sorry, that you’re not a bad guy…
Rape culture is silence, is being able to see the future and not doing anything about it, it is believing the fairy tale platitude that there are good people and bad people and that as long as you’re not one of the bad people your job is done, your conscience is clear, it is all of us swimming through the same polluted waters of beer commercials, policing masculinity, and stand up comedians making rape jokes to sound edgy, and media talking heads blaming the victim and music portraying women as disposable sex objects, it is language encouraging us to think of sex as violence, FUCK, HIT, BANG, SMASH, it is telling our daughters to dress sensibly and not walk alone at night and telling our sons…it is a conversation that never happened.”

The Vegan Theme Song You Didn’t Know You Were Missing

“You call it rabbit food, cause I don’t call a rabbit food”

Excellent! Here

Beyond Definition: On Queer Black Love and Kaleidoscope Identity

Kim Katrin Milan talking about her love with her new husband. Incredible femme woman, definitely one of my idols. The entire piece is beautiful, you should check it out HERE!

“On Being Femme

I have found the fullness in my femmeness because so many previous partners were threatened and unwilling to understand how powerful it is. While I helped them choose bow ties and blazers, I was critiqued for my pace in heels and the amount of makeup I wore. His embodiment of his masculinity makes more space for my femininity to be acknowledged as integral to my mental and emotional health. For the first time, my femininity feels essential and valuable.”

5 Ways White Feminists Can Address Our Own Racism

“what matters is your impact, not your intentions, and you don’t get credit for thinking good thoughts” —>THIS SO MUCH

This is a great list. I feel it’s essential as white presenting feminists that we address that privilege so we can use it in our own circles to challenge dominant cultures systemic racist ideals, and to be able to acknowledge and change when we’re contributing to the oppression of others.

Full list HERE

Tyra Banks Shuts Down Homophobic Comments on ANTM

When a contestant makes a comment about how his friends back home will treat him if he’s beaten by a ‘man wearing heels’ in the competition, Tyra wastes no time calling it out.

Full video compilation HERE

Softly Snoring Rescued Baby Chicken

This is everything! What a sweetheart ❤
https://www.thedodo.com/chicken-snoring-rescue-video-764436235.html?utm_source=farmFB

Stand Your Ground Doesn’t Apply To Domestic Violence Survivors – South Carolina

” The Stand Your Ground law contains a separate provision that authorizes deadly force in self-defense against grave bodily harm or death in another place “where he has a right to be.” Prosecutors are arguing that neither of these laws permit one occupant of a home to use deadly force against another. But as Nicholson points out, this interpretation would yield the perverse result that both self-defense provisions explicitly exempt domestic abusers when they perpetrate violence within their own home.”

Read full piece with examples HERE

Columbus Day – How Is This Still A Thing?

This week tonight with John Oliver once again hits the nail right on the head. Abolish Columbus day! Celebrate indigenous peoples day instead!

Video HERE

The History Of ‘Ten Little Indians’

“It appeared to be an innocent way to educate and stir young imagination through “comic” song was also a peculiar way of mental conditioning. The coded historical narratives, found in many children’s nursery rhymes, were to circulate an ideology that followed generations; intended to define Indians as “inferior” and “backward.” The song coupled the Anglo-constructed definition of “savage” with American Indian consciousness, but the ultimate legacy of this children’s nursery rhyme was the systematic murdering of Indians, leaving “One little Indian boy livin’ all alone”:

Read more about the evolution HERE