Open Thread

As usually happens when a post blows up like Friday’s Thank You, White People, there is a lot of off-topic chatter that doesn’t need to be there. However, some of that chatter is interesting conversation, it’s just not about what the post is about. So here is an open thread, where people can [...]

The Politics of Hair (the kind not on your head)

In my other life I work for a fashion magazine, as I’ve mentioned. One of my newest assignments is to find the best products to remove hair, whether cream, blades, electric shavers, waxes, whatever. I’m going to surprise you all by saying that I jumped on this assignment. Asked for it, even. [...]

The Privilege of Politeness

Posted by: Naamen Gobert Tilahun
One item that comes up over and over in discussions of racism is that of tone/attitude. People of Color (POC) are very often called on their tone when they bring up racism, the idea being that if POC were just more polite about the whole thing the offending person would have [...]

Catherynne Valente : Many Voices

A little over a year ago I met a writer named Catherynne Valente at an SF con. Since then I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know one of the most amazing people on the planet and acquainting myself with her fabulous fiction. My favorite of her books (so far) is The Orphan’s [...]

On Feminism, part 1

I came across this yesterday and, considering some of the things we were talking about in the Irrational Men thread, I thought many people would find this interesting.
Why I am Not a Feminist, or “My Anti-Feminist Manifesto”
1. Being a woman, and being a woman of color, and being a Muslim, I choose to not be [...]

No, we’re not gonna take it

In the October 15th issue of Newsweek I read a little sidebar piece on Race & Gender titled “We’re Not Gonna Take It”.
At no small personal cost, Anucha Browne-Sanders stood up and demanded an end to the kind of abuse African-American women regularly tolerate from some black men. We are not “bitches” or “ho’s” [...]

Point

Addendum to the It’s Pledge Time Again/NPR post:
Local NPR responds
National NPR responds
In other news, someone very smart had some very interesting things to say about the new TV season in this here online magazine.

Political Monday

A few weeks ago I went to a Barak Obama rally for the first time. I am not a rally person by nature. Standing in line for hours to then stand around with some other people and, eventually, be crushed by those around me is not my idea of a good time. [...]

Thoughts on the whole racism = prejudice + power thing

Guest blogger Nora, here; bienvenidos. I’ve been chewing on the definition of racism lately. Those of you who are more versed in anti-racist theory, bear with me. I’m still learning. Thought it might help if I shared this process with others here.

A New Look for the Blog

For a while now I’ve been pondering a new look for ABW. While I mostly like the current theme, it has a few drawbacks. The problem is that WP.com doesn’t have many themes to choose from and, of the ones I like, each has one big thing wrong with it that serves as [...]