Things I read this fortnight that I found interesting

Hi everyone. First of all, let me say I intend to read a bunch of Jackie Collins novels in the near future. Some may scoff, but she was a truly influential novelist whose work will likely be dismissed by snobs. Anyway, here’s some things I read this fortnight that I enjoyed and found interesting.

Detained Voices– People held in immigration detention centres share their experiences, and update on protests they are holding.

Trending Homonationalism (Natalie Kouri-Towe)- This is a very good primer on the concept of homonationalism.

In Praise of the Radical and Unapologetic Nicki Minaj (Chaedria Labouvier)- This is the sort of thing you cheer as you read it.

Why I love wearing hijab (Ruqaiya Haris)- The hijab can be a gateway to freedom, and this awesome woman explains why.

One lawyer’s crusade to defend extreme pornography (Edward Docx)- Excellent feature on lawyer Myles Jackman, who focuses on the absurdities of obscenity law.

Why girls don’t get diagnosed with autism (Sarah Thomasin)- A short examination of the double standards in autism diagnoses.

Bodies of Water (Jenna Braeger)- This is a painful read on people drowning in the Mediterranean. Perhaps we should drop the “get in the sea” meme on the light of that which seems so obvious now.

‘No Blacks’ Is Not a Sexual Preference. It’s Racism (Samantha Allen)- Why “just a preference” isn’t just a preference.

Signs and Sensibility (Chris Marshall)- A brief history of London’s road signage, this is nerdy but really fucking interesting.

Bias in the Work Capability Assessment: Analysis of Results of 1,000,000 WCAs (Wordthings of Jon)- Using statistical analysis beyond anything the government release, there’s a lot of bias against the poorest, most disabled people.

I Am an ObGyn Resident Who Entered My Field Specifically to Perform Safe Abortion Services — These Are My Reasons Why (Caroline Payne)- I’m glad doctors like this exist.

How can she leave if she has nowhere to go? Housing and domestic violence (Sisters Uncut)- How the government force women to remain with their abusers.

Give Your Money To Women: The End Game of Capitalism (Lauren Chief Elk-Young Bear)- An interview with some of the originators of this movement, and its significance.

I Said No When A Man Asked Me To Smile, So He Physically Made Me (Juliet Bennet Rylah)- Why a lot of us find the phrase “smile, love” chills us to the bone.

Snapping Back, Slowing Down: The feminist think piece industrial complex (Chanelle Adams)- An excellent critique of how feminism is done.

Men being deceived by makeup [comics] (Megan Nicole Dong)- These made me laugh a lot.

And finally, here’s what the Bible would look like if it used the word “problematic” instead of “wicked”.

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