June 25, 2016
by Cynthia
- Tough week? ICYMI, we published a new edition of I LOVE THIS, by Marcelle Kosman and Hannah McGregor, friends of GUTS and co-hosts of the Harry Potter podcast, Witch, Please. They’re delightful, and seeing them guess each others’ loves is incredibly pleasing. Enjoy!
- Tuesday was National Aboriginal Day. To mark the occasion, some of our favourite authors recommended up and coming writers to watch, three Indigenous artists imagined what the future of Canada will look like, and the Fader gave us a list of Indigenous musicians to know. Historica Canada also released a Heritage Minute on residential schools, giving a powerful snapshot of what it’s like to grow up under systemic violence and cultural genocide. You can watch the video here.
- On Thursday activists created a chemical dump at Queen’s Park in Toronto, calling for a cleanup of the Grassy Narrows river system. The demonstration is in response to the Grassy Narrows community’s experience of over half a century of mercury poisoning, poor living conditions, and high unemployment rates as a result of ongoing resource extraction and processing in the area. Wynne’s Ontario government has promised to support reconciliation and clean up the river, but no action has been made at this point. Six activists were arrested after this demonstration.
- Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders offered an apology to Toronto’s queer community for the 1981 bathhouse raids on Tuesday. To learn more about these raids, known as Canada’s Stonewall, read Craig Jennex’s “No More Shit,” featuring incredible archival materials from the events and the resistance that followed.
- Meanwhile, LGBTQ people of colour are feeling alienated by plans to increase police presence at SF Pride parade this weekend, which is not surprising considering the history of police violence against these communities.
- After voting to leave the European Union on Thursday, the second most popular google search in the UK was literally: what is the EU. If you are (reasonably) curious or confused about why this happened, or how people voted and why, or what this means for the future, here are some links I’m finding useful:
- How the UK voted and why
- Brexit: Legally and constitutionally, what now?
- The roots of racist resentment (and it’s role in anti-establishment rhetoric)
Her name is Jo Cox. Her name is Jo Cox. Her name is Jo Cox. Her name is Jo Cox. Her name is Jo Cox. Her name is Jo pic.twitter.com/R2I66ELPCx
— Christina Brien (@crifferius) June 24, 2016
- Ontario says its introducing a basic living income pilot program. We’re looking forward to hearing more details!
- A supreme court deadlock has blocked Obama from passing his plan to protect undocumented immigrants with American children. This devastating decision means that millions of immigrants will be deported in the coming future.
- The first ever team of refugees will compete at the Olympics this year: meet the athletes without nations.
- Indigenous doulas in Alberta want to help women stay in their communities while giving birth, and provide more cultural and spiritual support throughout the pregnancy and birthing process. Find out how they’re organizing themselves here.
- I enjoyed reading this profile of Judith Butler and the legacies and limitations of Gender Trouble (I was especially tickled to learn JB watches Scandal – HRH, my dear roommate and queen, take note)
- “Dating is the theater where modern people learn and rehearse their gender roles. It is a space where we can play with possibilities, but also where existing scripts are enforced and policed. What I learned from my research was that the scripts that have been available, the possibilities of dating, have constantly evolved in tandem with the economy.” Moira Weigel talks to Nicole Cliffe about her new book, Labour of Love
- “In some ways, aunties are our femme — and butch — role models. They hold it down every day, and we often forget about their labor, their strength, and their fierceness.” Toronto artist Meera Sethi on her current exhibit, Upping the Aunty.
- Last Sunday’s episode of This American Life was dedicated to the way people talk about being fat, and how that’s changing. It features Lindy West and Roxane Gay, among others, and I found it insightful, informative, and emotional all at once.
- I’m looking forward to reading what I’ve heard is an incredible piece of investigative journalism (but also apparently includes some horrific stories, FYI): My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard.
- “Why did Snapchat whitewash me”: on implicit racial bias in social media technology
- “I felt as if I were smoking a cigarette without having to actually smoke a cigarette: unfussy, nicely sloppy, trying by not trying.” Naomi Fry on being a mom who shops like a skater.
- Beer plus cookie dough: it’s happening.
- Meet the women who are working to make California’s weed industry less white
- I thoroughly enjoyed reading this review of contemporary domestic goddesses Gwyneth Paltrow and Chrissy Teigen’s respective cook books.
- Breakfast is also a key memory point for my experiences with different lovers. And I really love breakfast. So I appreciate this piece.
- Dude’s quality of life improves immensely when he moves in with GF, rightfully praises domestic labour and basic organizational skills