It’s Friday! Steph is in Europe, Liz is at home with Terrible Back Pain, but here are some links for your afternoon’s reading!
There are only two kinds of books on North Korea: those by white journalists who visited the country under the regime’s supervision, and “as told to” memoirs by defectors. The intellectual hierarchy is clear—authority belongs to the white gaze. Orientalism reigns.
Americans Destroy Science Fiction (Thank you to Melina for the link!)
Key quote:
When Americans talk about diversity, they’re not talking about the world. They are talking about a diverse range of US writers.
(I don’t wholly agree with the post, but that’s partially because the SF culture wars are very similar to the Australian culture wars, which are in turn influenced by the US version — which is to say, the Puppy Issue is not irrelevant to Australian pop culture, even though the Australian SF community is far less political.)
Travelling While Disabled: A Roundtable
Why Accommodating Racists Like Pauline Hanson Is Dangerous And Stupid
Black Lives Matter Toronto recently staged a brief, peaceful protest at the Toronto Pride Parade. Here’s a response to the pushback:
Pride ‘firmly rooted in a tradition of protest’: Black LGBT community leaders on parade controversy
On which note…
This is what white people can do to support #BlackLivesMatter
A lot of this is relevant to all white people supporting brown communities.
As hilarious it’s been to watch Americans freak out because JK Rowling has simplified and misrepresented their country — wow, we can only imagine how that feels, right? — her treatment of Native Americans in the Harry Potter extended universe is just straight-up terrible. Accordingly:
Dear JK Rowling, We’re Still Here
Bangladesh Attack Is New Evidence That ISIS Has Shifted Its Focus Beyond the Mideast
For a transgender child in Australia to access hormone treatment, they (and their family) have to go through a long, expensive and stressful Family Court process. Here’s some good news:
Chief Justice vows change to ‘traumatic’ court process for transgender children
You see, Mr Wunungmurra and I were commissioned by both our fathers – Mangarri and Mungurrawuy – and other elders, and blessed by all of them. Mangarri and my father and other elders gave us and our other brothers and cousins our commission. And this commission was not just to be the interpreters of the future for Yolngu people but to be the future. We were sent to Brisbane for a purpose, and that purpose was to arm ourselves with knowledge and education for the future: not just for ourselves but also for our people. And that was a lifelong commission. Mr Wunungmurra lived it to the end and I will live it to the end also – there is no other way for men like us.
After fifty years, Star Trek finally gets a canonical queer character:
‘Star Trek’ Gets Its First LGBTQ Character: Sulu Is Revealed to Be Gay
Let’s hope it’s not another fifty years until the next one comes along.
The octopus has the home furnishings market in its grip
BRB, off to completely redecorate my flat.
no-award.net 