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Current Curiosities
[Reading] Slouching Toward Bethlehem by Joan Didion [Listening] Aretha in Paris [Watching] A Killer Story and Kill. Bury. Print. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY FOUNTAIN PEN DAY Apparently, I cannot read my calendar because Fountain Pen Day is Friday, November 6, not Thursday, October 1. But let's celebrate anyway because every day is a fountain pen day! And wouldn't you know it? I have five demonstrators inked and in rotation. Here's what I'm writing with this week in my Field Notes:
This morning, I'm curious what are you writing with? What are you writing about? And what are you reading, listening to, and watching this week? Thank you very much for your time. If you are interested in a consultation or have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Ooly Fab with Monteverde Horizon Blue * Two things can be true: Honest work always has value and I'm severely underemployed given my education and experience. If you're looking for a plucky former educator, researcher, and community engagement leader, please check out my profiles on LinkedIn and Indeed.
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Current Curiosities
[Reading] The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity by Sarah Schulman [Listening] Houseplant LP Box Set Vol. 1 [Watching] The Golden Girls (for the first time - yes, really) WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Today, we are 49 days out from the midterm elections. I know this sounds like beating an old, broken drum, but the November 3 elections are hella important, particularly if we want to hobble the unchecked power of Trump and his Republican Party over the next two years. Your vote communicates who and what you value. You cannot vote for any Republican and claim to be an ally. You cannot vote for the party actively stripping human rights from queer and trans communities and claim to be an ally. You cannot vote for the party harassing and targeting trans youth, banning essential healthcare and claim to be an ally. You cannot vote for the party attempting to legislate queer and trans communities out of existence and claim to be an ally. Allies vote for candidates advocating for and supporting queer and trans rights. Allies stand with queer and trans communities in the face of rising Republican fascism. In Minnesota, we have some truly excellent candidates running for office. I fully support and cannot wait to vote Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to the U.S. Senate and Erika Yoney to the MN House and send Sen. Amy Klobuchar to the Governor's mansion! Anyway, Here are a few resources to consider as you prepare to exercise your right to vote and stand with queer and trans communities this midterm election:
Thank you very much for your time. If you are interested in a consultation or have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Jinhao 20 with Sailor Manyo Sumire Current Curiosities
[Reading] The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay by Eliot Glazer [Listening] "Rotta the Pod (The Mandalorian and Grogu)" from Return of the Pod* [Watching] The Mandalorian and Grogu IS THIS THE WAY? I love Star Wars. I love every movie and every television show (except Resistance). Like, I'm happy simply existing in the universe, following the entangled adventures of characters playing out over the course of generations, over millennia. With its continual battle between light and dark, Star Wars feels almost mythologically Greek, and its chaos and hope and mischief and tragedy keep me returning to the galaxy again and again. Now that I've watched The Mandalorian and Grogu twice after avoiding reviews while waiting for it to stream, I'm not sure what I think. Was it fun? Yes. Did I expect something more? Also, yes. Did something feel off? Absolutely. This post is truly rough-draft thinking! The Mandalorian and Grogu feels like several proposed episodic arcs for The Mandalorian frankenstiened together for a single movie. I wonder if the story would've been better served by staying on the small screen, by the pacing of eight episodes rather than two condensed cinematic hours. It was fun to see both Rotta (after his initial appearance in The Clone Wars) and bounty hunter Embo with his canid companion (from The Clone Wars) return to the galaxy in The Defenders-level stories of the Mandoverse. Maybe, though, that's what I enjoyed most - seeing the years of creativity and collaboration between Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau continuing to weave together the universe and drive this current era of Star Wars forward - even if that forward movement recycles familiar tropes and enmeshed characters. Anyway, here are the good, the bad, and the queer for The Mandalorian and Grogu: The Good
The Bad
The Queer Pascal? Pedro Pascal? Maybe. I'll just be over here wishing and hoping and thinking and praying and planning and dreaming. Star Wars has never been great about queer and trans inclusion in the galaxy. Though in the original trilogy, C-3P0 gives audiences a shiny glimpse at queerness in a galaxy far, far away. And Billy Dee Williams' in-out-in sexual fluidity gave queer nuance to the flamboyant Lando Calrissian. The sequel trilogy, like many a college freshmen, seems to have lightly explored queerness. There is undeniable chemistry between Fin and Poe, giving audiences a real will they won't they. (Spoiler: They won't because of capitalism and toxic fans.) Then there is Rey's apparent asexuality and aromanticism. (A gurl's got other shit to do!) Finally there is the hasty lesbian kiss at the end of The Rise of Skywalker.** Could Star Wars and Disney do more for queer and trans inclusion? Yes. Will they? Probably not. Overall, The Mandalorian and Grogu is a shallow, silly romp and adds another chaotic adventure to the expanding Mandoverse. Thank you very much for your time. If you are interested in a consultation or have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Kaweco Ice Sport Highlighter with Noodler's Firefly * I waited to listen to the episode until after posting this Mini Curiosity. Okay, I listened to the pod and noticed some similar takes, which makes sense. I've subscribed to Return of the Pod (and its predecessor Jabba the Pod) from the beginning and generally take a similar approach to Star Wars. ** Perhaps unpopular, but I love the chaotic cartoonish energy of The Rise of Skywalker. I planned on quietly taking the month of August off, but Dolly Parton died today. So I'm skipping the usual Current Curiosities for some rough-draft thoughts on Dolly Parton's passing.
Like many an Elder Millennial, I first encountered Dolly through mockery on the elementary school playground. It took me years to connect the buxom butt of juvenile jokes (sorry, team, I love alliteration) with the gorgeous, confident woman starring in Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk, my favorite sick day movies when I was a kid. (A baby homosexual!) I'm sad my first impression of Dolly was through bawdy humor, though she seemed to be in on the joke, often being the first with a witty remark. And by beating others to the punch(line), she modeled being comfortable in your own skin. I'm glad my first impression of Dolly was challenged and complicated by her music and acting and generosity. Later, I fell hard for her music while I worked toward a doctorate in English literature and navigated a hella toxic relationship and workplace. As I listened to "Here You Come Again" and "Dumb Blonde" and "Wildflowers" (with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris), among others, I reflected on Dolly's optimism and strength. Dolly and her songs became a sort of life preserver during that time, a lifetime ago. Bittersweet memories, indeed. When my grandma, who I've mentioned before, lost her sight, she traded her television for a record player. Dolly was the first record Grandma Gum requested (along with some truly bizarre 1960s Christian-country stuff). I love that Dolly is another connection between me and the Ol' Greek. We differ, however, on which is her best song. I'm firmly "I Will Always Love You," which I first heard via Whitney Houston and The Bodyguard soundtrack, but Caroline remains adamant "Coat of Many Colors" is the superior song. We're islands in a generational stream, I guess. Dolly was more than a signer, songwriter, and actor. She advocated for queer and trans communities and was an early ally during the AIDS epidemic. Dolly ensured children of every socio-economic background had access to books as a tribute to her late father, who never learned to read. And Dolly funded Moderna's covid-19 vaccine, saving an incalculable number of lives. What a human. We should all strive to be more like Dolly. I made it through the workday, but once I sat down on the couch and "I Will Always Love You" shuffled on, I let out a sob. What a human. I will always love you, Dolly. Thank you very much for your time. If you are interested in a consultation or have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Pelikan M205 with Wearingeul Lee Yuk Sa P.S. I hope Dolly and Whitney are kikiing up there and maybe, just maybe, duetting. Current Curiosities
[Reading] Object Lessons: Pencil by Carol Beggy [Listening] "Dreams" The Cranberries [Watching] You've Got Mail Today is the first Saturday in August, which means it's Stationery Store Day! Similar to Bookstore and Record Store Days, Stationery Store Day celebrates these often retro and niche shops and the folks engaged in analog writing and other paper crafts. To celebrate Stationery Store Day, here're a few of my favorites:
Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): TWSBI Vac Mini with Sailor Manyo Sumire Current Curiosities
[Reading] Ghost World by Daniel Clowes [Listening] "Jackson" by Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck [Watching] Harriet the Spy WE ARE THE MUSES I've never really been a country music fan, though there are a few exceptions. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. (I watched Straight Talk and Steel Magnolias every time I was home sick from elementary school.) Other than that, I actively avoided country music because of its conservative undertones and eventual reactionary overtones. In middle school, I began exploring The Chicks when they released "Goodbye Earl," but it wasn't until 2003 when Natalie Maines spoke out at a London concert against George W. Bush and the impending Iraq War that I began listening more closely to The Chicks. To this day, Taking the Long Way remains one of my favorite albums in my vinyl collection and "Not Ready to Make Nice" is my go-to destress song. The song parallels (in a small, make it about me way) the frustration and confusion I often feel when speaking up about queer and trans issues in the workplace and then experiencing the reaction to it. The song also requires engaging complex systems requiring full focus on breathing, posture, and lyrics. Again, "Not Ready to Make Nice" is the perfect destress song. As a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to play drums on stage at a Shania Twain concert. I'd never really listened to her music before, but recognized a few tunes from the radio. During the day-long rehearsal, I bonded with her incredibly kind and patient fiddle player. I played on "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!." Having untreated anxiety (which remained unaddressed until I turned 30 - uff da), I didn't fully appreciate or enjoy this unique experience in the moment. I was terrified of the full stadium and shook the whole time. But I paradiddled and maintained the beat. After the concert, I began listening to Shania Twain's catalog, and you know what, she's got some bops! Now, I look back on the experience proud of myself for carrying on. In college and graduate school, I developed a habit of listening to Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits while driving home after good first dates. Honestly, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's her longing, her bittersweetness? IDK. Maybe that's why there were so many first dates? Ope. Maybe it's the hint of something hopeful and playful in Cline's voice? Probably. Patsy became my post-date confidant. (I understand why Kyle Richards allegedly fell for a country crooner!) The Chicks' Gaslighter carried me through the dark early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, while I lived in southern rural Minnesota. At the time, I was managing fellows in a center focused on community and civic engagement at a prestigious liberal arts college. (God, I love working with students! They are brilliant and creative and full of optimism!) The office was hella dysfunctional, and having recently moved, I had no local friends (you know, social distancing and masking). So I participated in many (too many?) FaceTime and Zoom happy hours with family and friends spread across the country - and I listened to The Chicks on repeat. While replaying "Gaslighter," "Sleep at Night," and "Tights on My Boat" and reflecting on the songs of Patsy Cline I grew up with, I began to notice these country-singing women are strong, real life steel magnolias. I also realized that their music was speaking to my lingering pre-pandemic heartbreak. Before the pandemic I was in an on-and-off relationship with a nurse I met while teaching at the University of Kansas. Every time, I'd set new boundaries or attempt to disentangle myself from his manipulations, he'd find new ways to pull me back in. As I listened to "I Fall to Pieces" or "Here You Come Again" or "That Don't Impress Me Much," I understood men are shit and I deserved better. A tale as old as time, I believe a teapot one said. These ladies of country music began to build me up as the pandemic dragged on and I considered a move back to Fargo to be nearer my nieces and nephews and Greek grandma. Then in 2025, I was DOGE-d out of my role as a senior researcher (grant writing and community engagement) at an environmental research center after my Department of Energy grants were canceled by Trump and Musk. During my down time, I revisited Cowboy Carter, which had come out the summer before. While I updated my resume and applied for jobs, I streamed and spun the the second album in her trilogy nearly every day that summer. The eclectic mix of subgenres and featured artists lifted my spirits during this period of unemployment. At the end of that summer, I took a job at a local hardware store, and have enjoyed meeting folks in my neighborhood and seeing queer and trans customers feel a little more at-ease in a space, much like Country music, that's not always safe for us. [I remain hella underemployed. Anyone want to hire a sunny, team and goal oriented engagement leader, former educator, and dog-walker?] Through these country singing women, I've (re)learned to hone my resilience, lean into courage, and choose my peace - and to be fully present during the good times. Because the good times, like men, can be fickle. As Dolly once said, "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." I've seen a lot of rain, but I've also witnessed some stunning rainbows. Anyway, here are a few country songs that have caught my attention lately:
Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Silver Fox Tools Titanium Mini Sharpie Caddy Current Curiosities
[Reading] Star Wars: Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir by Jeremy Barlow and Takeshi Miyazawa [Listening] "I Wanna Be A Cowboy Sweetheart" by Ruby Leigh [Watching] The Real Housewives of Orange County THE WRITING LANDSCAPE I’m a huge fan of Field Notes notebooks. (I used to be a Moleskine gurly, but the paper quality is meh.) I like the simplicity of Field Notes - the sturdy pocket-size kraft paper covers with thick paper, and three simple staples. (Staple Day, the day you reach the middle of each notebook exposing the bent staple legs, is silly and fun to observe each month.) Also, they fit perfectly into and hold up to the wear and tear of pants pockets! I'm partial to the graph (not lined, blank, or dotted) editions because the little boxes contain my all-caps writing with Sharpies and smooth cursive with fountain pens. Speaking of writing utensils, the paper holds up relatively well against the wetter, more diffusive inks of Sharpies and fountain pens. Again, it's the simplicity I appreciate. Like, I'll never be a Traveler's Company notebook user (no judgment) even though folks swear by them. I just do not like being constrained by a particular system with proprietary refills and endless accessories. It's too much. And the only real Field Notes accessories are book darts and rubber bands (to gather my Sharpies, post-its, and lip balm). Recently though, I tried something new with my notebooks. Nearly all Field Notes are portrait style (like most notebooks), but the other day I went rogue and turned mine landscape (like a check register; Gen-Z, google it). It was life changing. Now, there’s more room to write on one line, to continue thoughts without text-wrapping or carriage-returning as often. When open, I put post-it note to-do lists and other ephemera on the backs of the upper pages and write on the lower pages (because Sharpies and fountain pens do still bleed through depending on the speed of my writing). My Field Notes notebooks are less formal journals, more commonplace books. I brain-dump and to-do list, brainstorm and record. I try to complete at least one notebook per month, which can be daunting as I have small yet neat handwriting (even with a Sharpie). Occasionally, I'll take my Field Notes to a coffee shop and cosplay Harriet the Spy. I'll observe the other patrons, practicing description or dreaming up backstories based on scant visual clues. In college, I had a peculiar writing professor who assigned the class this activity as a weekly exercise. The first few times, it was uncomfortable, but eventually I relaxed and realized there's always more to the story, always room for curiosity. As a teacher, I had my own students do a variation on this activity, requiring them to investigate a subculture they did not belong to. I wanted my students to combine different kinds of research (interviews, observations, and databases) and situate themselves as active participants in their projects instead of relying on the passive and pretensive objectivity of the sciences. During this project, I encouraged my students to keep a little notebook to record observations and insights, note questions and curiosities. Some did. Some didn't. Analog isn't for everyone. These were always my favorite projects to grade. As a reader, I learned about beekeeping and bellydancing and the campus quidditch team,* and as a teacher, I witnessed my students' curiosity inform in their writing. My Field Notes are a landscape of thoughts and lists and curiosities and bits of horoscopes and post-its and kitschy vinyl stickers. My Field Notes are one way I exercise curiosity and explore the world around me. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite Field Notes editions: Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Herbin Fountain Pen with unknown blue cartridge * Yes, that terfy ÜberKaren inspired an adorably nerdy campus sports club. Current Curiosities
[Reading] Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse [Listening] "Daddy Lessons" by Beyoncé and The Chicks [Watching] Ride or Die MAGA AND THE REAL HOUSEWIVES Since Spring 2023, I've belonged to a private Real Housewives Discord, and I've enjoyed every silly take, lighthearted squabble, and the community composed of fellow lovers of all the garbage (complimentary!) Bravo produces for us. I dabble mostly in The Real Housewives franchise and Top Chef (God, I love Kristen Kish so so much as the new host!), and I avoid the "boat shows," the MAGA McBees, and the heterosexual darkness of Vanderpump Rules and it's bleak sequel The Valley. (Bravo, please bring back Backyard Envy and Garrett Magee's slutty lil mustache!) More often than not, we as a Discord community agree on the villains and the current heroes, who've yet to enter their villain eras. Some villains are easy to coalesce around. For example, the OG from the OC Vicki Gunvalson, from Bravo's first iteration of the franchise, The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC), is a classic Real Housewives villain. Vicki, a mother of two and insurance boss, often makes queer/transphobic comments, openly supported Trump and his three wildly racist presidential campaigns, and allegedly lied about her then boyfriend's fake cancer to garner sympathy from her suspicious cast mates. Vicki's history of problematic behavior over 14 seasons made it easy for an audience of mostly women and queer men to paint her as the Ur-villain of The Real Housewives. Eventually, Vicki became too toxic even for Bravo, so the network let her go before bringing her back for two seasons of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Then at BravoCon in 2025, Andy Cohen gave Vicki back her orange for the twentieth season of the show. Now, do I like Vicki as a fellow human? Absolutely not. She is garbage (pejorative). Do I like seeing Vicki terrorize her cast mates? Emphatically yes. Vicki brings a certain chaos that adds life to an otherwise stuffy franchise. Another über-villain is Ramona Singer from The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY). Ramona, an original RHONY cast member, revealed her darkness over the course of thirteen seasons. Ramona, queen of crocodile tears and quick, meaningless apologies, made a name for herself by attacking Bethenny Frankel (who went from hero to menace over ten seasons) and other younger cast mates. Ramona's descent into villainy culminated in the infamous Black Shabbat dinner co-hosted by new cast member and former Fox News contributor Ebony K. Williams. At the dinner, Ramona interrupted the prayer and made many insensitive (that's putting it lightly) comments about Italians and Jewish and Black people. After that disastrous season, Ramona and the rest of the cast were put on pause while Bravo retooled the show. Also of note, during the pandemic Ramona became a semi-regular fixture at Trump's Mar-a-Lago with her ex-husband Mario. Like Vicki, Ramona was featured on two seasons of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Then Ramona was promptly disinvited from BravoCon 2023 for allegedly using the N-word when talking to Bravo producers. Unlike Vicki who went from working mom everywoman to the Karen of Karens, Ramona always flirted with villainy, which led to her own downfall. And the audience collectively breathed a sigh of relief when Ramona finally got the boot. When RHONY returned, the audience was introduced to bonkers (complimentary, mostly) new women like Jenna Lyons, Sai De Silva, Raquel Chevremont, and absolute queen Jessel Tank. Erin Lichy, an uptight waspy Jewish woman, was also part of the cast. The audience immediately turned on Erin, who is a Trump supporter and donor to his "stop the steal" fundraising campaign. Erin also responded with typical cishet white woman fragility to criticisms from fellow cast mate Ubah Hassan, a stunning, sharp-tongued model. Erin represented a relatively benign (when compared to Vicki or Ramona) villain who the audience loathed. Aside from her Trump association and basic cishet white womanness, Erin's only real crime was having the personality of a used teabag. Yet the audience loved to hate her. After two seasons, Bravo again needed to recast RHONY with Erin returning for Season 16. (No good summers left Princess Carole Radziwill, a friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, is also returning to the franchise after a six year hiatus.) While Erin never went full racist, queer/transphobe in the vein of Vicki and Ramona, the audience will again inevitably deem her the villain and rightly so for her political contributions and other recent wild public statements. (Or maybe it will be Carole?) A few weeks ago, Bravo's newest franchise finished its stellar freshman season. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island (RHORI), featured Italians and Lebanese cast members reminiscent of the golden early days of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. (Bravo, we don't need RHONJ back. RHORI fills that void perfectly.) From the jump, Alicia Carmody became a fan favorite with her ditzy persona and endearing love of crackers (pronounced crackahs in her thick Rhode Island accent). Alicia is a Trump voter and donor, which is problematic yes, but it's not as horrific as the filmed behavior of Vicki or Ramona and is on par with the benign malevolence of Erin. However, I think Alicia should be placed in the same villainous category as overt bigots Vicki and Ramona even though her actions are more covert and because she hasn't as of yet said anything openly racist or queer/transphobic on film. Alicia’s Trump vote, like that of Vicki and Ramona and Erin, helped to create the environment in which Trump could strip away women’s bodily autonomy, in which Trump's ICE stormtroopers could invade Minneapolis-St. Paul killing two people (see also Houston, TX, and Biddeford, ME, among too many others), in which Trump and Evangelicals could target trans people and their access to healthcare, in which Trump could start a seemingly unending war in Iran and on and on and on. Alicia’s vote for Trump is both functionally and materially violent, racist, and queer/transphobic. Alicia’s vote has real world impacts and creates real harm for marginalized people. In this way, Alicia is just like Vicki and Ramona, but so far she’s better at not getting caught on camera. Alicia is nearly universally loved by my fellow garbage (complimentary) Discord members for being a kooky dumdum. I'm the rare acceptation and find her reception puzzling and inconsistent when compared to other Trumpy franchise villains. Honestly, I do not understand why folks willing overlook the very real consequences of Alicia's Trump vote while laying that same albatross across the necks of Erin, Ramona, and Vicki, among others. Again, on the scale of mega (or MAGA?) villainy, Vicki and Ramona win that hella dark race by a Deep South country mile. But the gray areas inhabited by Alicia and Erin still represent potential villainy. After all, you need darkness to make gray. Please note, I'm not judging anyone for watching RHORI, RHONY, and RHOC. I watch and enjoy them all! But I do think we need to look deeply and critically at who these women are and how they impact the real world around us. Anyway, if you're curious, here are my current favorite cities:
Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Sherpa WTF Sharpie Cover P.S. Bravo, please also bring back Ladies of London: The New Reign. The cast was perfection (minus Margo, obvi). Current Curiosities
[Reading] Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red [Listening] "The Trees Saw Everything" from Vibe Check [Watching] Widow's Bay (Matthew Rhys - swoon) A CASE STUDY IN ALLYSHIP On 18 April 2025, Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan confronted ICE officers, there to arrest undocumented immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, by referring the immigration agents to the chief judge's chambers because their administrative warrant wasn't adequate to arrest him. Flores-Ruiz was in court to face battery charges, and ICE used his attendance at the hearing as a trap to detain and deport him. Judge Dugan's actions allowed Flores-Ruiz to slip out of the Milwaukee courthouse, ensuring his right to due process. I am not defending Flores-Ruiz's alleged crime of battery. Rather, I am acknowledging the importance of the rule of law (when ICE, CBP, and the Trump Administration behave lawlessly every day) and highlighting what real allyship through action looks like. Judge Dugan placed her body between Trump's ICE thugs and their target. Judge Dugan put her career and her reputation on the line to defend the rule of law and to protect a member of a marginalized community actively targeted by Trump's violent white supremacist policies. Judge Dugan demonstrated more than allyship through her actions. Indeed, Judge Dugan exceeded basic allyship becoming an accomplice. Basic allyship requires little personal or professional risk, which is why (cishet white women) allies* are often deeply disappointing. Being an accomplice requires risk - risk to person, risk to profession, risk to reputation - in order to disrupt the status quo and ensure liberation for marginalized communities. The ACLU of Kansas succinctly analogizes the difference between allies and accomplices: [A]llies are more like cheerleaders, rooting for [marginalized groups and their liberation] from the sidelines without significantly participating [but] accomplices are out on the field, playing the game with members of the community and taking action to further the cause of [marginalized groups and their liberation]. We don't need more cheerleaders. We have enough. We need more fellow players. We don't need more allies. We have enough. We need more accomplices. In these dark Trumpy times, it's not enough to be an ally - you need to be an accomplice. CODA For her actions, Judge Dugan resigned her position and was tried and found guilty. Though she was spared jail time, Judge Dugan was fined $5,000 for her actions as an accomplice. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, showing his pre-Boomer agèd cards, said Judge Dungan was a good person who made a bad decision. But we need more good people, more accomplices like Judge Dugan who are willing to make bad decisions if we are all going to survive the next two and a half years of Trump and his goon squad. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Metallic Sapphire Sharpie** * I am calling out cishet white women specifically because A) they often claim to be allies without actually doing the work of allyship; B) their proximity to cishet white patriarchal power often overrides their alleged allyship; and C) cishet white men will never truly be allies because their power is always already corrupting. Cishet white women are where we can see potential movement; that is, cishet white women will become accomplices only when they renounce their blind allegiance to white patriarchal power. (I believe I'm now firmly in my Magneto era.) ** Uff da, I'm really on a Sharpie kick lately, which means I'm probably seeking stability, permanence in the chaos of our current political moment. Please note: I'm hella heated and may continue to tinker with my language here and there, but my general controlling idea will remain the same.
Aunt Maries Are Not The Way. Today, I'm skipping the regular Current Curiosities to dive directly into Matthew Vines' wildly offensive opinion essay "I'm Gay, Not Queer. It Matters." published in this morning's New York Times. Happy last day of Pride Month, I guess. Like the titular Uncle Tom, Vines as Aunt Mary seeks to align himself with moderate and conservative Christian and white cisgender heterosexual systems of power by claiming (in the same misguided vein as the Human Rights Campaign) that we are just like you. That gay people, but not queer people, are deserving of equal rights. But as we've learned, no amount of we're just like you will protect queer and trans communities from cishet bigotry and violence. We are always already other. And what Vines is actually saying is I am not like those other queers; rather I, a white cisgender gay man, am just like y'all white cisgender heterosexuals with all the power and protections that I covet - but only for myself. Imagine hating yourself so deeply that you would willingly choose to aid your oppressor as your own community is targeted and harassed, as your oppressor finds new and well-worn ways of stripping your community of its rights to life and liberty. Again and again history and literature show us that the Aunt Maries, the Uncle Toms, the bootlickers themselves meet the same end as the communities they betray. No amount of we're just like you will protect you, will protect us. Vines represents a problematic and dangerous sect of white gays. That is to say, Vines' white and cisgender identities and his proximity to white cisgender heterosexual power overrides his solidarity with broader LGBTQ+ communities - particularly queer and trans communities of color. He seeks rights for himself and those who look like and act like him at the expense of equal rights for folks locating themselves (via sexual and romantic orientations, gender identities and expressions, etc.) under the broader queer umbrella. Queer is an identity. Queer is a call to action. Queer is a movement. Queer is a political statement. Queer is otherness and that is power. Queer challenges oppressive heterosexual and white supremacist systems. (Vines should take a note.) Queer reclaims the slur that was hurled at us (and still is, though fagot seems to be more en vogue these days) on the playground, on the street, in schools and offices and churches. Queer is collective. Queer is our ability to work across our in-community differences in identity and gender and ethnicity and class. Queer confronts white cisgender heterosexual power, but not in the us/them binary Vines asserts. Rather, queer dismantles the systems upholding white cisgender heterosexual power. Queer is emancipatory. Queer is liberatory. Queer is our survival. And no amount of Vines' rejection of queerness or his we're just like you will protect him or any other queer or trans person from the bigotry and violence of white cisgender heterosexual power. Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form. Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes, Creighton Today’s Pen(cil): Silver Fox Tools Limited Edition Mini Sharpie Caddy P.S. This is why I've never been a supporter of Secretary Mayor Pete. P.P.S. This also why I do not support Fargo-Moorhead Pride - it caters too much to the cishets without protest or advocacy for our rights. P.P.P.S. Am I in my Magneto era??? |
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