“My responsibility is to tell you the truth.”
-Dr. Christine Blasey Ford
By Andrea Loewen
@ms.andreajoy
A monthly round-up of Resistance Research, including quotes, news, analysis, inspiration, and action items. Let’s break this regime down into actionable items and take it down, bit by bit!
This Month’s Action:
Imagine how much could be different if an entire generation were taught about respect and comprehensive health in sex.
This month, have a look at what your local district is doing for sex education. Whether your province is reverting to 1998’s curriculum, battling over teaching kids about gender expression, one of the many abstinence-only education districts, or simply not living up to modern standards, this must change.
Reach out to your local school board and let them know that you think sex education needs to be comprehensive of consent and the diversity of sexuality and gender expression, on top of teaching the basics of contraception and STI’s. After you reach out to them privately, share what you sent them publicly.
This Month’s Reading:
WTF List (Keeping Up With the News):
What the Fuck Just Happened Today: Still the best place for daily updates on the declarations, bills, and other actions made by the White House.
Canadian Court Strikes a Blow to the Trans Mountain Pipeline: On the same day that the Liberal government finalized the purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, the Federal Court of Appeals ruled that the review process had been horribly flawed and ordered them to go back to First Nations for real consultation.
Fact-Checking Jian Ghomeshie’s Comeback Attempt: Now you can read up on that ridiculous Ghomeshi piece in the New York Book Review without giving it a click — and get nice reminders of the actual facts as you go.
The Moments that Defined the Christine Blasey Ford-Brett Kavanaugh Hearing: A summary of the hearing that happened with Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh that lead to an FBI investigation. It’s even possible that senators will vote against Kavanaugh if it is shown he lied.
Action Inspo and Instructionals:
Let these alternate guides and examples of resistance inspire you!
Ontario Students Walk Out of Class to Protest Sex Ed Curriculum Changes: These high schoolers know what matters, and that’s actual education about sex and sexual health.
Atlas of Canada by Indigenous People: Karen Wright-Fraser, a Gwich’in knowledge keeper created a map of Canada showing the Indigenous place-names across the country.
One of the World’s Biggest Scientific Societies Just Made it Possible to Strip an Honor from Alleged Harassers: The American Association for the Advancement of Science did what many people seem to think impossible: they are holding their members accountable to standards of behaviour. Now, if there is evidence that a member inducted into their prestigious Fellowship either faked research or harassed or discriminated against others, they will be removed.
How to Stay Politically Active When Everything is Overwhelming: This article might give you a boost.
Analysis, Opinion, and Enrichment:
These will help you better understand how what’s feeding the madness and expose you to perspectives different from your own (regardless of their direct connection to Trump’s madness).
Why Do the Bad Men Think We Need Them?: All these men who take a few months off after their terrible past actions are revealed and then stage “comebacks” seem to think they’re doing us a favour. (On a related note, here are 51 comedians who never forced women to watch them masturbate.)
Kids Don’t Damage Women’s Careers – Men Do: A pretty scathing piece by Jessica Valenti.
Men Cause 100% of Unwanted Pregnancies: A stunning Twitter thread from a Mormon mother of 6 trying to stop abortions the right way, by stopping unwanted pregnancy.
Andrea is a Vancouver-based writer, theatre producer and promoter, choreographer, and yoga instructor with a big dose of love for sci fi/fantasy, her cat, green tea, riding her bike no matter the weather, and using a robot to vacuum her floors so she doesn’t have to. She covers dance for Vancouver Presents, as well as writing for her own blog, The Receptionist and co-producing and co-hosting the podcast Life, Right? www.andrealoewen.com
