Things I read this week that I found interesting

I read things, and I read some things this week and found them interesting. Perhaps you will too. Please share me links and things.

Sisterhood (stillicides)- Absolutely amazing piece on “feminist infighting” and how that’s OK, because sisters fight. Smart, smart words.

On allies, silencing and privilege (Philippa Willitts)- On when allies do need to shut up.

Let’s Talk About Names: Flavia (Flavia Dzodan)- Powerful piece as Flavia talks about the privilege of having a name.

Bearing Witness: Ethical alternatives to ‘being’ an ally (FeministPlus)- A very interesting idea for something to enhance–or replace–being an ally.

I do not think like you think. Thoughts on being non-neurotypical. (fearlessknits)- A very personal perspective on the experience of being non-neurotypical. Well worth a read, particularly if you want to understand neurotypicality a bit better.

The Day I Taught How Not to Rape (Accidental Devotional)- A teacher’s perspective on teenagers’ understanding of consent and processing of the Steubenville rape.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun Apology For Using Female Writers (Rock, Paper, Shotgun)- A tongue-in-cheek apology for using female writers.

“Crazy Trans Woman” Syndrome (Odofemi)- Sometimes voices are silenced within communities. This blog talks about the problem within the trans community.

Why Are Sex Workers Left Out Of the Violence Against Women Conversation? (Kate Zen)- A call for the inclusion of sex workers in discussions about violence against women.

Sex work and demand (itsjustahobby)- On why demand won’t just magically vanish for sex work.

“Why not just wear a burqa”: Experiences of ethnic minority women writing online (Asiya Islam et al)- Five accounts of intersecting bullshit flung at women of colour writing online.

Reports surface of rape and torture in Iraq (Michele Lent Hirst)- Rape has been a prevalent aspect of torture in Iraq in the last ten years.

All bodies are beautiful? (Anytime Yoga)- On the maxim “all bodies are beautiful” and how that actually doesn’t matter.

Weaponising workfare (Aaron Peters)- An essay on workfare.

The Fast-Food Feminism of the Topless Femen (Le Monde Diplomatique)- Post highlighting terrible politics within the Femen movement. And it gets worse, from this account from a woman who left Femen Brazil.

And finally, why not cheer up with some pictures of hot men and cats that look like them? I still don’t understand Tumblr, but I think this might be what it was invented for.