Photo by Elliott Stallion
By Andrea Loewen
@ms.andreajoy
“It’s not about adding diversity for the sake of diversity, it’s about subtracting homogeneity for the sake of realism.”
-Mary Robinette Kowal
This Month’s Action:
It’s the time of year for friends, family, and consumerism. Pay attention to where you spend your money in the rush of holiday spending. There is still time to go to actual, local stores to buy your holiday gifts — or to buy from that small artist’s shop online that takes a little longer with shipping because they don’t literally work people to death to get your package to you overnight.
It’s better for the planet and the people who live on it.
Oh! One more thing: If you live in BC and you haven’t yet sent in your electoral reform ballot, do it! You have until December 7th, AND you can go to a Referendum Service Office if you don’t have your ballot. Go now! Bring your friends!
This Month’s Reading:
WTF List (Keeping Up With the News):
Humans Have 12 Years to Limit Devastating Climate Changes: This is not going away until we act.
Election Updates: The U.S. midterms saw a number of firsts including the most women ever voted to Congress, the first gay and Native American rep elected in Kansas, and 19 black women elected as Texas judges. (Meanwhile, in Vancouver, it’s the first time we haven’t had a person of Chinese descent in City Hall.)
Outrage in Ireland After a Teenage Girl’s Underwear Used as Evidence in Rape: It’s a startling reminder that the clothes we wear can still excuse a rapist – even the ones we wear under our clothes.
The ‘Everything Terrible the Trump Administration Has Done So Far’ Omnibus: Prepare to engage in some serious protest and self-care immediately after reading this.
New $10 Bill Featuring Civil Rights Activist Viola Desmond Unveiled: Her sister got to see it happen.
Hate Crimes Targeting Blacks, Jews, Muslims on the Rise, Stats Can Says: While hate crimes remain a tiny portion of the overall crime rate in Canada, some types have nearly doubled.
Action Inspo and Instructionals:
Let these alternate guides and examples of resistance inspire you!
Google Employees Walk Out Over Handling of Sexual Harassment Scandals: It is heartening to see the huge number of employees who were willing to walk off the job to make a statement.
8 Transgender-Friendly Lingerie Brands to Support Instead of Victoria’s Secret: In case you didn’t hear, Victoria’s Secret confirmed that they are not interested in making their fashion show trans-inclusive.
Glasgow Strike: Thousands of Women Bring City to a Standstill in Dispute Over Equal Pay: These women are fierce!
Christine Blasey Ford is Donating Her GoFundMe Money to Sexual Assault Survivors: Once her security expenses are covered, she is donating the rest to charities that support sexual assault survivors.
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).
We Always Knew a Louis C.K. Comeback Would Be Easy: For all the “what about his reputation?” fret, he’s getting back on stage fairly easily.
Try These 5 Techniques to Make Your Next Political Argument Fruitful: We all know you’re not supposed to try to change someone else’s mind, but just in case you want to try, here are some psychological tricks to increase your chances.
Left-Wing Protests Are Crossing the Line: There is going to be a lot of debate on this question, but it’s important to ask yourself: is it okay to harass the harassers?
What Happens When a Factory Town Loses Its Factory: Oshawa has lost the GM plant that the Conservatives bailed out in 2009, and the impact will be devastating.
