Things I read this fortnight that I found interesting

So, I didn’t do a round-up last week, because it was my birthday. This is hardly a bumper issue of round-up either, because I have some good life news: I have a job for the next few months. And as part of my job, I’m going to encourage you all to get angry about who owns the media: the power is horribly concentrated among a few very rich people, which is why it all sucks so hard. You can read about the full extent of the problem here, and if it pisses you off, sign and share this petition to get the issue on the agenda in Europe.

Back to your regularly scheduled link round-up of some things I read.

I was arrested 75 times: how violent policing destroys mental health (Emily Apple)- Must-read article on a sadly all-too-common policing tactic.

Why Ed Miliband (and almost everyone else) defended Nigel Farage as “not-racist” (justinthelibsoc)- A reminder of the general structural racism of politics.

Anti-Fascism One Year On From The Lee Rigby Murder (South London Anti Fascists)- A short examination of the current state of affairs, and what we need to respond to.

Not All Men, a Villanelle (Ideology)- Basically says what we’re all thinking, jauntily.

Strategic misogyny– Initiative collating stories of sexism in academia.

Please don’t describe my work as ‘eloquent’ (Reni Eddo-Lodge)- Reni explains the racism and classism underlying the word “eloquent”.

The Dangers of a Single Book Cover: The Acacia Tree Meme and “African literature” (Africa is a Country)- I hadn’t noticed this racist trope until this article put it across really neatly.

On bell, Beyonce’, and Bullshit (Crunk Feminist Collective)- This post nails it and you should read it.

Why we can’t have nice things: A Gender Week post-mortem (Roz Kaveney)- Roz looks at what went wrong.

Breaking Barriers: Why I’m Just Not Angry at HIV+ Porn (Kitty Stryker)- An excellent post on porn and stigma and STIs.

My speech for the Manchester IDAHOBIT vigil (Jen Tumblring)- Always worth remembering biphobia exists.

While Writing for ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ I Realized I Am Gay (Lauren Morelli)- Rather touching coming-out story.

Brain studies find that concern for justice and equality is linked to logic, not emotion. (Lisa Wade)- Short overview of the science. Worth noting that even if it had turned out this was driven by emotion it wouldn’t make it any less valid.

And finally, a livestream of some kittens named after Douglas Adams characters. Look at their tiny noses!