#to discuss and analyze and reinvent and talk about

[july-19th-club]

i love when characters suck and are bad people like the thing about murphy is that i liked him before he was the incredible wife guy (which is also pretty great, dont get me wrong) but like. i thought he was cool when he was a horrible jackass that everyone hated . like he was interesting before he got morals; he was interesting as a guy who gets lynched in a frontier justice display of retaliation for a murder because he just seems like the kind of dude who would murder someone. and he is! just not that dead guy, specifically. whereas the actual killer is a twelve-year-old girl who the whole crew spends the episode trying to proctect from any kind of punishment, while murph runs around trying and failing to get anyone to admit out loud that the only reason there's a difference between punishing him and punishing her is because he has a bad personality . and also the murders but at that point in the show he hadn't killed anyone, he just seemed like he would

[rubberduckyrye]

Okay in all seriousness. There's something that I REALLY want to talk about as an open discussion with the fandom, but. This is not going to be a very nice thing to hear/talk about.

It's about how Gonta is treated by the fandom.

As a fan of all the V3 characters now, and as someone who has always been a fan of Gonta, and as someone who has many mental disabilities and two diagnosed neurodivergancies... I'm tired of playing nice about it.

You all need to stop being ableist towards Gonta.

I've mentioned in the past that I don't like shitting on personal interpretations. I don't like saying something is or is not canon because narration is just a big web of text that you try to decipher with your own personal biases, experiences, and thoughts. That's why two literary analysts analyzing the same text with the same literary criticism rules can come to wildly different conclusions--why people develop different headcanons from the same canonical information.

But one of the things that challenged my integrity is just how many people view Gonta as this innocent, naive, ignorant, baby boy who can do no harm/never has a complicated/dirty/violent/sexual thought in his life ever.

This incredibly ableist interpretation of the character bothered me for, well, obvious reasons (See: It's fucking ableist, need I say more?) but I never challenged it as harshly as I am now because to be frank, it's not my place to tell people how to HC a character. It still isn't. But I've pretty much given up on my integrity on the subject and have decided to go all in on discussing why this interpretation of Gonta is just. Really bad.

First of all, not to promote my own analyses here or anything, but I think this analysis I did of Gonta explains a LOT in regards to the ableism the cast gives him in canon. I also think that this subtle ableism is why the fandom is so bad with Gonta's characterization in headcanons and fanfic--because they've seen how the cast treats him, and they think it's normal. They don't see the microaggressions, they don't see the subtle ableism in the cast--they just see this big giant idiot who speaks like Tarzan in the English version (which... I don't actually know why people assume Tarzan (Thinking of Disney's version) is stupid. Like as a boy he had to reinvent the spear with no one to guide him on how to do it. He was able to strategize and outsmart "civilized" men in the final showdown. Still I digress) and don't see the literal genius behind his social awkwardness.

There is also another very important point I'm going to make in addition to this, and it's going to be very uncomfortable to Gonta fans who insist he's nothing but a sweet baby who only has pure thoughts. Especially to the fans who insist he "can't be sexual" or think it's weird to ship him with his peers.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but... Gonta blatantly has sexual desire and gets horny right in canon.

This is further clarified here:

It wasn't a matter of Gonta didn't want to touch her because touching someone in their underwear was inappropriate, or being flustered because she was in her underwear which is inappropriate...

It was literally a "weird feeling" that made him unable to approach her or touch her. A "weird feeling" that Miu makes pretty obvious as to what it was--sexual arousal.

He literally was sexually attracted to and felt sexual arousal from looking at Miu in her underwear. He had sexual feelings and thoughts about Miu. Why?

Because Gonta is a young man.

Gonta is a brilliant, talented young man who has normal human thoughts for someone his age--sexual desires, upsetting thoughts, complicated thoughts, ectect. He is not a child, he is not mentally stunted (I've been informed that people have literally said this on Ao3 for the NSFW Gonta fics, please for the love of god stop that)

I think the reason why Gonta fans typically want to keep him as a "pure baby child who can do no wrong" is because treating him like the young adult that he is makes it harder for them to justify Chapter 4. Every time I've seen a Gonta fan that hates Kokichi, it's always followed by the sentiment of "Kokichi manipulated and abused Gonta into killing Miu, so it's all Kokichi's fault." They're afraid of nuance and liking a character with the grey morality of genuinely thinking Mercy Killing the cast is a viable option, because it challenges their own morals about the character they adore.

To those people who read this and are upset: You can and should like Gonta! Gonta is a magnificent character who showcases the subtle way microaggressions can manifest and hurt people, he's a good-hearted person and a literal genius, he cares deeply for his friends and loves everyone with upmost sincerity.

But.

You need to re-evaluate your stance on Gonta if you think he's a stupid, naive fool who Kokichi manipulated. You need to re-evaluate why you think those thoughts, why you think Gonta being shipped with anyone is "Kinda weird" or "has weird consent problems" or "give you the ick." You have to challenge yourself and ask yourself uncomfortable questions in regards to why you treat Gonta like a child when canon has proven otherwise, why you think he cannot have violent or sexual thoughts, why he can't think mercy killing his class is the only way to save them.

This isn't an attack on you--but understand that these specific takes on Gonta? They are ableist in nature. They belittle and dismiss him, they treat him like a child, an idiot who can't think for himself--and you have to come to terms with the fact that Gonta is a far more complex character with complicated thoughts and feelings who is a young adult. Not a child. A young adult.

So again, ask yourself this: Why are you treating this young adult like he's a toddler?

[darkmaga-returns]

Mar 29, 2025

[00:00:00] - Joe returns from Mexico and shares travel stories involving cheap booze and some sketchy logistics. The crew transitions into the release of JFK files, highlighting the disappointment that no conclusive “smoking gun” was revealed, despite Rep. Paulina Luna claiming NBC has unseen Oswald footage.

[00:10:00] - Speculation about the hidden Oswald footage continues. Talk turns to media cover-ups, the CIA’s possible involvement, and the suppression of controversial stories like Epstein. Then, the show pivots to bizarre headlines about robot dogs, AI homes, and MIT's proposal to use ethically-sourced human bodies in medical research.

[00:20:00] - The gang dives deep into the implications of lab-grown human bodies without minds—used for organ harvesting or testing. They joke about AI-human hybrids, but note the serious ethical red flags. References are made to China’s organ industry and the elite’s likely monopolization of such tech.

[00:30:00] - Continued discussion on "empty vessels" and the MIT article suggesting artificial wombs and AI integration. The idea of using cloned human shells without brains is dissected. Hosts mockingly suggest using these shells as “defective products” with customer complaints.

[00:40:00] - A strange true crime case is explored: Peter Bergmann, a man who meticulously erased his identity before dying mysteriously on an Irish beach. The situation mirrors Missing 411 cases—neatly folded clothes, strange behavior, water nearby—sparking theories about his intent and identity.

[00:50:00] - Theories swirl around Bergmann’s story: Was he terminally ill, a spy, or something else? Mike credits a Discord user for the tip. Then Joe shares a revelation: he’s come around on ancient pyramid theories and now believes in advanced prehistory and lost civilizations.

[01:00:00] - Comedy breaks enter with a satirical AI ad about the “George Droid,” packed with racial and corporate parody. They analyze how bizarre and well-produced these AI skits are becoming, connecting it to past stories like Hasidic Jews digging tunnels under a building in NY.

[01:10:00] - A political segment mocks Biden’s speech flubs and contrasts them with more articulate figures. The gang talks Tesla’s Democrat-heavy user base, leftist protests, and a satire piece on the Department of Imaginary Concerns by Scott Adams. Governmental overreach and absurdity are recurring themes.

[01:20:00] - Signal’s possible compromise sparks a chat about surveillance and government setups. They vent over bureaucratic waste, citing fraud and COVID relief abuse. Gavin Newsom’s home repair regulations are mocked to highlight nonsensical red tape and overregulation.

[01:30:00] - They unpack global population data, suggesting billions may be uncounted. The inaccuracy of rural census data is criticized, and theories emerge about shadow populations and manipulated demographics. They mention satellite and mobile data as better population estimators.

[01:40:00] - A wild story out of New Jersey breaks: a police chief accused of disturbing workplace pranks, including spiking coffee with Viagra, setting off firecrackers, exposing himself, and jabbing an officer with a needle. The crew debates the difference between pranks and criminal acts.

[01:50:00] - Another quirky tale: A Ford executive kept a 15-year-long spreadsheet of coworkers’ malapropisms and linguistic flubs, turning it into a leaderboard of grammar fails. They laugh at some of the worst offenses like “reinvent the ocean” and “broken drum.” It’s the nerdiest kind of office drama.

[02:00:00] - The show wraps up with musings on civil war hysteria, AI integration into society, and weird AI-assisted ramblings about eastern medicine. They joke about penis scandals, secret cybernetic creations, and speculate on how medicine and society are morphing in dystopian ways.

[mattbrittonnyc]

Shaping Tomorrow: AI and AR/VR Transforming Consumer Experiences with Matt Britton

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, the lines between what's real and what's virtual are blurring more each day. The fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) is crafting experiences so immersive and personalized that the consumer experience is being reinvented before our eyes. For businesses and innovators eager to stay ahead of these trends, understanding this intersection is crucial. Who better to guide this exploration than Matt Britton, a renowned AI expert, international keynote speaker, and a visionary at the forefront of consumer trends?

Matt Britton, the founder and CEO of the consumer research platform, Suzy, has established himself as a leading authority in understanding and forecasting consumer behavior. His insights are not only theoretical but are grounded in practical, real-world applications, as evidenced by his successful consultations for over half of the Fortune 500 companies. Britton’s expertise is further underscored in his best-selling book, "YouthNation," which has become a pivotal read in understanding the shifting paradigms of young consumers today.

The Relevance of AI and AR/VR in Modern Consumer Experiences

The integration of AI with AR/VR technology is crafting novel ways for brands to interact with consumers. AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data and predict consumer behavior is being enhanced by AR/VR’s capability to create deeply engaging, immersive environments. This combination not only enriches the customer experience but also opens new avenues for personalized marketing and product development.

Why Matt Britton?

As a top keynote speaker and AI expert speaker, Matt Britton stands out. His extensive experience as a leader and innovator allows him to provide valuable insights into how AI and AR/VR can be leveraged to transform consumer interactions. His keynotes are not just speeches; they are strategic narratives that help businesses understand and harness the power of new technologies to stay competitive in a dynamic market.

Expertise in Consumer Trends

Matt’s deep understanding of market dynamics, especially among Millennials and Generation Z, positions him uniquely as a consumer trend expert. These younger demographics are not only tech-savvy but also the earliest adopters of AI and AR/VR technologies. Matt's strategies often discuss how these technologies can be tailored to create captivating and effective consumer experiences that resonate with these influential groups.

A Proven Track Record

Having worked with a plethora of Fortune 500 companies, Matt brings a practical perspective to his talks. This is not just about theoretical knowledge; it’s about real-world application. His insights are backed by actual case studies and data-driven results from his work at Suzy, where he helps businesses directly interact with consumers to gain real-time feedback on their products and services.

What Can Audiences Expect from Matt Britton’s Keynote?

Understanding the Consumer of Tomorrow: Matt provides a deep dive into the psyche of the modern consumer, focusing on how their behaviors are being shaped by emerging technologies like AI and AR/VR.

Strategic Insights into AI and AR/VR Applications: As an innovation speaker, Matt elucidates on the various ways these technologies can be integrated into business models to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and boost marketing efforts.

Future Trends and Predictions: With his finger always on the pulse of the latest consumer trends, Matt offers predictions and insights into what the future holds at the intersection of AI and AR/VR. This is crucial for businesses looking to not just adapt but lead in their industries.

Interactive and Engaging Delivery: Known for his dynamic speaking style, Matt ensures that his keynote speeches are not only informative but also highly engaging. Attendees leave with not only knowledge but also practical steps and inspired ideas on how to apply what they've learned.

Customized Content for Diverse Industries: Whether it’s retail, entertainment, healthcare, or any other sector, Matt tailors his content to meet the specific needs and challenges of his audience, making every keynote a unique experience.

Conclusion

For anyone involved in business, technology, or marketing, attending a keynote speech by Matt Britton could be transformative. His expertise as an AI keynote speaker and his in-depth understanding of consumer trends make him one of the top conference speakers today. The intersection of AI and AR/VR is set to redefine how businesses interact with consumers, and Matt’s insights could be just what you need to navigate this new landscape successfully. Whether you're looking to innovate, inspire, or influence, Matt Britton delivers a speech that goes beyond the ordinary, tapping into the extraordinary potential of these technologies to shape the future of consumer experiences.

[govindhtech]

Laptops get LLMs: NVIDIA and HP CEOs admire AI PCs

LLMs with NVIDIA Jensen Huang and Enrique Lores spoke about how the newest mobile workstations can speed up and customize generative AI in a fireside discussion. In a fireside talk today, the CEOs of NVIDIA and HP announced new laptops that can create, test, and execute big language models, indicating that 2024 will be the year generative AI goes personal.

At HP Amplify, an event in Las Vegas attended by over 1,500 resellers and distributors, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said, “This is a renaissance of the personal computer.” “These new workstations are going to transform the job of artists, designers, and data scientists.”

Prior to the release of what his business advertised as “the industry’s largest portfolio of AI PCs and workstations,” HP’s Enrique Lores said that artificial intelligence (AI) was the greatest development to hit the PC in decades.

Increased Security and Speed

Lores said in a keynote address at the event that the new systems would provide enhanced speed and security while lowering expenses and energy as compared to operating their AI work on the cloud.

A variety of mobile AI workstations powered by NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs are available with the latest HP Z Books.

When paired with an NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU, entry-level computers let users to execute generative AI tools and applications on the move.

The RTX 5000 is packed in high-end versions to provide up to 682 TOPS, allowing them to develop and operate local LLMs. They do this by connecting to their information using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to produce results that are private and individualized.

Availability of Accelerated Software The new workstations have access to NVIDIA’s full-stack AI platform, which includes tools for accelerating the data science required for generative AI.

The Z by HP AI Studio platform for the systems, created in association with NVIDIA, has ties to NVIDIA NGC, a library of GPU-accelerated AI and data science applications. NVIDIA NeMo, a framework for creating, modifying, and implementing generative AI models, is included with NGC.

Furthermore, HP and NVIDIA said that NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries would be included into the systems to accelerate the data processing and preparation necessary for generative artificial intelligence.

Boosting Data Scientist Efficiency NVIDIA RAPIDS cuDF, which speeds up pandas—software used by over 10 million data scientists—is one of the libraries.

Huang said that they could now analyze data in minutes as opposed to hours or even days in the past.

He went on, “This pandas library is insanely complex,” pointing out that NVIDIA developers spent more than five years rewriting the code to make it GPU-accelerated.

Starting a New Chapter

HP also unveiled a partner training program created in collaboration with NVIDIA in addition to the new systems. It will enable computer suppliers to suggest to clients the best AI goods and services to suit their requirements.

These initiatives prepare the industry for the new age of AI, which allows software to build software.

“We’ve made a whole new computer.” Software writing has been reinvented, and software use also has to be reinvented, according to Huang. “The future lies in large language models integrated with other LLMs to help solve application problems.”

What advantages do these new workstations offer? Quicker handling of generative AI tools and applications. The capacity to build and execute LLMs locally for individualized and private outcomes. Access to NVIDIA’s full-stack AI platform, which includes workflow-accelerating tools for data science. Integration with NVIDIA NGC, a library of GPU-accelerated artificial intelligence and data science applications.

Which are the new HP Z Book workstations’ salient characteristics? Generative AI tools may be executed on-the-go thanks to NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs. Complex operations such as building and executing LLMs using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) may be handled by high-end models. The Z by HP AI Studio platform links to NVIDIA NGC to provide access to potent AI applications.

What effect will this have on data scientists? The systems’ integration of NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries will speed up the processing and preparation of data. When compared to conventional approaches, libraries like NVIDIA RAPIDS cuDF will dramatically shorten data processing times.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[dappledpaintbrush]

OKAY ERM mini game rant bc I promise I am taking my pills (not). It’s not like revolutionary shit I just enjoy analyzing this game to pieces

Okay we all know that scene where Dimentio is like ERM AKSUALLY THE COUNT BETRAYED ME🤓☝️which is implied to be a straight up lie. but I’ve replayed the game and skimmed the game’s script and there’s some evidence that he was actually telling the truth- so anyways I’m chapter three we have this cutscene:

—————

Count: Does something trouble you, Nastasia?

Nastasia: Yeah, Count... You know, there's still time... You can still change your mind.

Count: That is enough, Nastasia. We've already come this far, so we shall forge on! But you needn't stay by Count Bleck's side. You can depart with my blessing.

Nastasia: Um, no, my count. I won't be doing that. My life is already sworn to you. Yeah, it's belonged to you since the day you saved me... I'll be sticking out with you until my game ends, 'K?

Bleck: If that pleases you...

—————

So this pretty clearly seems like Nastasia is simply talking about not wanting Bleck to destroy all worlds (and recreate them). BUT THEN we have Dimentio who fucking ruins the clarity by saying this shit

Am I reading too deep into a Mario game?? Probably. But what does this loser mean by, “Just what is our dear count playing at…?” WHAT does that mean. Like actually. Before this, Bleck was just giving orders to his minions so I’m not excluding any dialogue that could be referring to what Dimentio is so intrigued about. There is NOTHING in that scene that implies Bleck is “playing at” anything. If anything, Dimentio should direct that sentence at Nastasia, but he doesn’t.

While it’s pretty much basic common sense (and probably correct- I’m just insane) to assume that she is talking about the destruction of all worlds, what’s important is that she does not explicitly say what she is talking about. I know that’s a huge reach but given everything else, it is weird.

The fact that Nastasia does not specifically refer to what she is talking about + Dimentio’s reaction means that Nastasia is probably not talking about the destruction of all worlds- but the lack of new ones, something only Bleck and Nastasia are aware of. And unbeknownst to them, Dimentio is aware, too.

Something else that’s pretty damning is that we hear all about these new perfect worlds from every Team Bleck member. EXCEPT BLECK AND NASTASIA.

Here are just a few examples-

O’Chunks:

Mimi:

Dimentio:

Okay well everyone except Mr. L. But he was around for 3 seconds so he doesn’t really count. Point is- All Bleck talks about in the game is destruction. If I am correct (cause there is a shit ton of dialogue in this game), the ONLY time he confirms anything is when Mimi is talking about her idea of a perfect world is hanging out with Bleck, all he says is, “Well, different strokes for different minions.” Sir that is vague as FUCK

Anyways this shit doesn’t end here. Look at this dialogue from him in chapter eight:

This is. Definitely a sentence! :D

Count Bleck could have stopped at, “Better that I destroy them.” Hell, even if he said, “I shall make it as if they never existed at all!” that’s not that weird.

But he doesn’t. He says, “Better yet.” That implies there is something to be expanded upon PAST COMPLETE DESTRUCTION. AKA!! NOT REINVENTING THEM LIKE HE PROMISED

That’s not all. If you revisit Nastasia after you complete the game, you get this line of dialogue:

To me, this is dialogue, while tragic and beautifully written for a Mario game, is strangely worded. Specifically that last line.

“Then maybe there never was any point to that other world,” could and probably does mean that she’s essentially agreeing with the heroes (and everyone in all worlds) that destroying all worlds to create perfect new ones is NOT the answer to your problems.

But what makes me a bit unsure is the interaction in Chapter 3. It was the first scene I discussed in this post. As I said before- We can use that scene’s vagueness and Dimentio’s very unusual response to conclude that it is not impossible to rule out Nastasia was referring to Bleck’s lack of world recreation and not just Bleck’s destruction of all worlds. And here, in this post-game visit, “Then maybe there was never any point to that other world,” could refer to that very scene.

It may sound confusing, but think about it. Let’s revisit those lines again:

“… Now I understand what it was like when Blumiere turned into Count Bleck. If I have to live on with this feeling always burning inside me… Yeah, then maybe there was never any point to that other world.”

Based on evidence from Chapter 3, it is not impossible that, in this scene, she is accepting Bleck was “right” about not recreating new worlds. After all, his reasoning would be that he would not want to live on in a new world because of “that feeling always burning inside” Nastasia refers to. Now that SHE feels it, she finally understands and agrees with him that “there was never any point to that other world.”

Could this all be translation issues? Of course. But nevertheless, it is still the dialogue we were canonically given.

Also, you might be wondering why he would lie in the first place. First, the Dark Prognosticus (as shown in Carson’s story about Dimentio) talks about each Team Bleck member. If Bleck wanted to fulfill the prophecy of destruction, he would have to recruit them all just like Merlon recruited the heroes. In my opinion, “Hey guys, bleh heh heh, want to destroy all worlds and ourselves in the process?” is not a great marketing slogan.

On top of all of that, why would Dimentio plan to betray him? It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision, AKA Dimentio seeing Bleck was surrendering to Mario and taking matters into his own hands. He had been PLANNING this. He WANTED the heroes to defeat Bleck. Again, why? After all, Bleck was supposed to be doing exactly what Dimentio wanted: destroying and recreating perfect new worlds in the minion’s visions. Unless…

Of course, is it possible Bleck was telling the truth. It is possible Dimentio betrayed him because he wanted all the power and worlds to himself and only himself. That is more than likely true and, like I said many times, I am just reading too deep into it. But still, there is some interesting evidence in the game that suggests otherwise. At least to me.

but yeah tbh Dimentio was probably lying LMAO

[tlbodine]

Literary vs Genre Fiction

The divide between literary and genre fiction is one of those topics that gets endlessly debated in writer circles. You’ll see it making the rounds on social media every time a book gets some buzz for busting out of its category. You’ll hear it in MFA programs across the country. But what even is literary fiction? How is it actually different from genre fiction? Is one better than the other? Why does anybody care?

A lot of smart people before me have thrown their hat in this particular ring, but I’m going to try tackling this one anyway. 

First Off: What Do We Mean When We Say “Literary Fiction”? 

Defining the thing is almost the hardest part of this whole discussion, and that may be part of the reason why people argue so endlessly about the literary vs genre divide -- if you don’t have a clear definition of the categories, that divide can be drawn up just about anywhere. 

So before we dig into characteristics of literary fiction, let’s look at some clear examples. The Booker Prize is a literary award specifically given to works of literary fiction, so it stands to reason that winners of that award would be the best examples of the category, right? Here are some recent Booker Prize winners (as pulled from Powell’s bookstore): 

Margaret Atwood - The Testaments The sequel to A Handmaid's Tale, told as testaments from three female narrators in Gilead, a dystopian setting where women have been stripped of their rights.

Bernardine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other Twelve central characters, mostly black British women, lead intersecting lives with struggles of identity, race, sexuality, class, etc.

Anna Burns - Milkman A girl identified as "middle sister" catches the unwanted attention of "the milkman," a local paramilitary, and has to deal with the threat of violence and spread of rumors.

George Saunders - Lincoln in the Bardo A father-and-son story about Abraham Lincoln and the 11-year-old son who died of illness in the midst of the civil war, leading to them both struggling in a type of purgatory.

Paul Beatty - The Sellout A satire about an isolated young man who ends up at a Supreme Court race trial after trying to reinstate slavery and segregate the local high school in an attempt to put his town back on the map.

One thing becomes immediately clear about literary fiction when skimming through the titles and summaries of these award-winning books: These novels are well-nigh impossible to summarize in a way that actually sounds enticing. 

So okay. What are some genre fiction books, for comparison? There are genre fiction awards, like for example the Hugo award for Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 

Mary Robinette Kowal - The Calculating Stars A cataclysmic meteor collision in 1952 causes an accelerated effort to colonize space, leading to a woman fighting to join the astronaut team in this alternate-history book.

N. K. Jemisin - The Stone Sky The third in a trilogy of post-apocalyptic novels about two women with the power to avert destruction of mankind.

Cixin Liu - The Three-Body Problem Against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project makes contact with aliens whose civilization is on the brink of destruction, leading them to plan a takeover of earth.

There’s also the Edgar Award, which is given to mystery fiction (it’s named after Edgar Allan Poe): 

James A McLaughlin - Bearskin A man on the run takes a job as a park ranger, but runs the risk of being found by the men he's hiding from when he tries to expose some poachers.

Walter Mosley - Down the River Unto the Sea After spending a decade in prison for a crime he was framed for, former-detective King works as a private investigator whose investigation of his own frame-up leads him to cross paths of a journalist with a similar story.

Sujata Massey - Widows of Malabar Hill In 1920s India, Bombay's only female lawyer investigates a suspicious will on behalf of three Muslim widows, a case that takes a murderous turn.

These aren’t the best summaries in the world, but there does seem to be a stronger sense of both plot and character in the story concepts. At least, when someone asks, “What’s that book you’re reading about?” the genre fiction ones will have a somewhat easier time explaining it. 

So What REALLY Separates Literary From Genre Fiction? 

There are a lot of battle lines drawn between genre and literary fiction. I’ve heard it argued that literary is about character while genre is about plot; that literary is about the quality of the prose while genre is about the story; that literary is about experimenting while genre is about adhering to formulas. That literary is about expanding horizons while genre is about escapism and comfort. That literary is about realism and genre fiction is about fabulism. 

I think there’s a nugget of truth in all of these, but I’m not really happy with any of them. 

So I’m going to toss out my own hypothesis: I think the difference between literary and genre fiction is the way tropes are employed. 

“Okay, great, but what are tropes?” 

I’m so glad you asked. Fiction tropes are a type of shorthand. They are things that we the audience have seen before, so we know immediately what they mean. Tropes exist in characters, plot points, settings, concepts -- you name it. Here’s a sampling of tropes you might be familiar with: 

The tough lady-cop whose dad was a police officer 

Thanks to a mix-up, two people with hidden romantic feelings book the last available room at a hotel but there’s only one bed 

A man goes on a quest for vengeance but destroys himself in the process

The wise old man who teaches the young hero valuable lessons but then dies before the pivotal battle

And so on, and so forth. Every genre has its own tropes -- a formula, if you will. In that sense, genre fiction is formulaic, but that doesn’t make it easier to write; actually, a big part of the challenge is in giving fresh twists to familiar tropes. Readers of genre stories demand certain tropes; the author has to deliver on those demands in a fresh way.

By comparison, I would argue that literary fiction does not rely upon tropes. There certainly are tropes and conventions that emerge in literary fiction -- a middle-aged academic struggling through divorce, for example -- but these tropes are more often than not met with irritation, not delight. Readers of literary fiction are looking for fresh insights and innovations, not familiarity. 

Tropes are powerful tools. They are the mythic seed of storytelling. They are the archetypes that pass down through generations. They are a sacred backbone of mythology and folklore. Genre fiction, at the end of the day, carries the torch for storytelling in a long and (ha, ha) storied tradition from our prehistoric days huddled around a campfire. 

Literary fiction, on the other hand, eschews tropes -- with their agreed-upon meanings -- in favor of assigning fresh meanings to things. Literary fiction is chock full of metaphors, but it’s the author, not convention, that determines what those metaphors mean and how they’re employed. Literary fiction reinvents the wheel. When it succeeds, it hits on depth and emotional resonance that can be life-changing for the reader. When it fails, it comes off like so much navel-gazing nonsense. So it goes. 

Fiction Wars and Gatekeeping

The problem with the literary vs genre fiction divide is that it never stops with “This is how these categories are defined.” The problem is that people will insist on ascribing moral significance and hierarchy to them. 

Literary fiction is viewed as being smarter, deeper, more meaningful or more valuable than genre fiction. If a genre fiction story manages to break out and gain wider appeal, suddenly people will start ascribing to it literary attributes (whether or not the book and many others in the genre had them all along). And that is all a bunch of nonsense. 

It’s the exact same thing that happens in horror fiction -- when a horror story goes mainstream, suddenly it becomes a “psychological thriller” or a “dark drama” or anything other than horror, because “horror” is an inferior genre. 

The fact of the matter is that literary fiction gets elevated over genre fiction for systemic reasons: 

Most MFA programs focus on writing literary fiction, which means that a lot of lit-fic authors come out of those programs, which means that literary fiction is often the domain of upper-middle-class, frequently white, people who can afford to graduate from those programs

A focus on dense prose and “difficult” writing means lit-fic books must be analyzed and interpreted; it’s hard to read, making it exclusionist to people who lack formal education 

Lit-fic dominates awards, gets pushed heavily onto book clubs, is talked about more often on daytime TV and so forth (because it is perceived as being better/more important, thus creating the ongoing cycle)

Basically, lit-fic gets held up as an example of Fine Culture. And any time something is designated as Fine Culture and High Art, it is subject to a completely arbitrary classist distinction meant primarily to keep out an undesirable element (women, BIPOC, poor people, you name it). 

That’s not a problem endemic to lit-fic itself. It’s really a problem of the culture surrounding it, and attempts to hold it to a higher esteem than genre work. 

Cross-Pollination Is Inevitable and Desirable 

How do tropes get made? 

Someone comes up with a new metaphor, concept, character, or idea that resonates so deeply that others who follow borrow that same thing and its meaning, and it gets repeated enough times that it becomes a stock trope. 

In other words, every single piece of genre fiction exists because someone writing in some other established tradition decided to experiment and go off on a tangent to create something really fresh and new -- and knocked it so far out of the park that people were compelled to follow. 

People like to pretend that the overlap and blurred lines between genre and literary fiction are somehow a new trend, but the fact is that this has been the trajectory of fiction-writing for the whole history of storytelling. 

Literary agents have a term for this: Upmarket fiction. Books that “transcend” genre definitions to appeal to readers on either side of the aisle. And those are highly sought-after books, because they have the potential of bringing in double the readers. 

So, snobby gatekeeping aside, is there any real reason to argue about the definition of literary vs genre fiction? 

I’d say...no. Not even a little bit. I’ve got a mix of both on my shelves. I incorporate a mix of both in my writing. And I don’t see that changing any time soon. 

A Final Note 

I mentioned above that lit-fic tends to be written by people in MFA programs, and I wanted to touch on that again as an MFA drop-out and someone who was once warned by a teacher not to bring “any more of that genre nonsense” into the classroom. 

I can understand, from a teaching perspective, why writer’s workshops would want to focus on lit-fic. From the perspective of learning how to write, forcing writers to derive stories from their experiences, to dig deep into themselves and ascribe unique meaning to things, to develop their own metaphors and hone their craft at the sentence level -- all of that makes a lot of sense. Banning genre tropes is a way to force writers to hone their craft without leaning on the work of generations of storytellers before them, and as a teaching tool I think that’s actually really valuable. 

But I think it’s pretty important that we keep that in context. The lit-fic focus in writing classes should be a teaching tool first and foremost. It should not be the end-all and be-all of writing classes.

This post topic was voted on by my Patreon subscribers. If you would like to vote for future posts and get early access to posts before they go live on tumblr, you can become a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/tlbodine

[paintpencilink]

I saw your post about how to figure out between badger and raven secondaries, and I know you're not involved with other two, but could you make a post about those too? I know it's selfish but I find it easier when other people talk about it. I want to be trusted and the right thing is to put in work and time, but it's dreadful, and boring, and I might have a burned snake secondary, even though I'd never say it's the right thing, but it'd be nice to feel cunning and clever.

Hmm! I wonder why you'd "never say it was the right thing." Snake secondary is a legit toolset that can be used in good and ethical ways, so that's not a universal sentiment. It's valid that it bugs you personally, but if you're trying to Sort yourself, that's an interesting question for you to analyze.

As for your question... *cracks knuckles*

Like you said, Lion and Snake aren't my personal toolsets, so I can't go into as much detail about them without stepping into a lot of guesswork. But I can try! I'll be relying on fictional examples, I think, as a crutch.

Snake secondary

The Sorting Hat Chats podcast on A:TLA includes discussion of the 3 Snake secondaries in the cast: Aang, Toph, and Azula. They're all very different in how they use their secondary.

For example! Toph lives almost exclusively in her neutral state, the blunt, "I don't give a shit" mode Snake secondaries can drop into when they don't need or want to use their shifting personas. She can put on other acts, and she delights in fooling people for her own benefit, but usually she doesn't bother. Aang doesn't have a neutral state at all--he's always moving, playing, dodging, finding new angles. Azula isn't really playful, just smug and manipulative, though a lot of that is a cover for insecurity and a shield against being hurt.

You can use Snake secondary without lying. There are lots of ways of framing the truth that don't hide its nature, but people's perceptions are very fluid and malleable, and they're going to skew one way or another anyway. People lie to themselves all the time, and sometimes the thing you need to do is figure out what lie that is and pull it apart.

(I know that sounds weird. Hang on, let me give you something more concrete.)

This is, for example, a lot of what a therapist does. Sometimes their patient's observations of the world aren't strictly wrong, but they're laser focused on the bad stuff or are framing their world in a way that makes things look worse than they are, and they need to see things through a different lens.

Is the therapist being manipulative? No. Are they being persuasive? Hopefully! Is this a powerful tool? Hell, yes.

Snakes are also good at coming up with new ideas, and finding solutions to problems really quickly. Moist von Lipwig in Going Postal restores Ankh-Morpork's postal system as much on his quick thinking and new ideas as he does on persuasion. He makes allies with the workers and charms the media, yes, but he also reinvents the stamps, figures out on the fly how to escape potentially deadly magic shenanigans, fights off a mystery creature in a burning building, and then plots a huge scam using signalling equipment to take down an evil corporation.

Using this side of Snake secondary, and not the charm/persuasion/manipulation side, is a valid way of having and using this secondary. The charm side isn't inherently bad or wrong (one of Aang's more elaborate lies ends a blood feud so old the truth has been lost), but if you're uncomfortable with it, you could invest into this other aspect of the secondary instead.

"Am I a Snake or... [insert]?"

1. a Badger?

Badger secondaries can mistake themselves for Snakes, and vice versa, because there is some adaptation in the Badger skillset. But while Snakes play with the world by putting on masks and performances, Badgers' adaptation is less obvious, partly because it's more genuine, at least in the moment.

This is a quote from Jenny Lawson's book Furiously Happy (one of my very favorite books ever), a story about how she got past her insecurities while recording the audiobook reading for her first book.

(Drug mention joke splatted out, just in case)

I hid in the bathroom and sent out a frantic text to my friend Neil Gaiman (a brilliant author and narrator) telling him that I was panicked and was just about to lose the chance to tell my own story because my voice betrayed just how weak and insignificant I knew I was. He sent back a single line that has never left me:

“Pretend you’re good at it.”

It seemed too simple, but it was all I had so I scrawled the words on my arm and repeated it as a mantra. I walked back into the studio pretending to be someone who was amazing at reading her own story. I finished an entire paragraph without interruption. Then I looked up and the producer stared at me and said, “I don’t know what you just did, but keep doing it.” And I said, “I just did a lot of coc**ne,” and she looked a bit aghast and so I said, “No, I’m just kidding. I just got some really good advice from a friend.”

This is a very Badger secondary tactic: personal adaptation in order to fit a situation.

2. a Bird?

Snake + Bird secondaries are among the more common secondary + model pairings in fiction. @sortinghatchats refers to this as the "chessmaster" trope, and notes how difficult these characters can be to Sort.

It can often be hard to tell which is the actual secondary in these cases. The trick is to find the moment when everything starts to go wrong, when the plans fall apart. When they have to figure things out on the spot, try to see which skill set they fall back on. (The MCU’s Loki, who falls back on deceit and influence when weaponless, is a Slytherin Secondary at heart. The MCU’s Scott Lang, who Macgyvers and gerry-rigs his way through everything from unexpected fingerprint scanners to quantum space, is a Ravenclaw.)

Bean from Ender's Shadow is like this. He's also an example of a Snake user who doesn't really bother lying very often, because the people around him lie so much that usually what he has to do to get his way is actually point out the truth in plain language. My guess is that he's a Bird; he uses both a lot, but often he uses his Snake specifically to get resources for his Bird, rather than on its own.

Actually, often it seems he goes into confrontations with a script, where he's thought about what the other person might say in advance and decided how to respond; it's hard to tell when he's actually making it up on the spot. And there are improvisational situations where he just freezes, although this also has a lot to do with his performance anxiety. Bean really hates that he does this and thinks he should be a better Snake (or, failing that, better at predicting absolutely everything). But I digress.

3. a Lion?

Snakes can mistake their blunt neutral state for a Lion's forthright charge. Inky and Kat call Lion vs Snake "the unstoppable force vs the immovable object" (respectively).

Lions' charging doesn't have to be loud, though. @wisteria-lodge compares them to a battering ram. They're persistent powerhouses who just do not give up (unless something they can't break through actually manages to stop them... and then they can get pretty pissed off and restless), but they don't have to be dramatic or fast to be Lions. Lions in fiction are often flashy, but that's not a requirement.

Lions: "I'm gonna Do The Thing and I'm gonna do it as myself and nobody can stop me!"

Neutral state Snakes: "I don't have to put on a performance right now. This is how I am, and I don't care what you think of it."

Lion secondary

Lions just do stuff. As mentioned above, they're persistent powerhouses and they don't have to be loud or dramatic about it (although they certainly can be!).

Katara is a Lion secondary, and so is Korra. Harry Potter is, too: although he uses Snake a lot (especially to manipulate authority figures), he mostly just does stuff.

Harry's default is to make snap decisions about what to do, and then act on them without hesitation. Take for example when he first gets the Marauders' Map. Fred and George give it to him right next to the secret passage they think he should use, and Harry's perfectly happy to climb in right away, take the passage, and scare the crap out of his friends by just showing up.

Harry's lack of planning does come back to bite him sometimes (see: not thinking to just ditch his Hogsmeade loot in the secret passage before confronting Snape), but his quick decisions are also what save his life every time he confronts Voldemort.

Harry has a Snake secondary model. He uses plausible deniability with a straight face. Tricking Ron into thinking he's been slipped lucky potion through sleight of hand and truthfully denying to Hermione that he'd done it? Explaining to Snape that Roonil Wazlib is "his nickname" ("you know... it's what my friends call me")? That's a Lion secondary using a Snake model in the most Lion way ever. Harry's bullshit runs on his dedication to it.

Also, it's definitely not that Harry doesn't think at all; don't think that you have to be mindlessly reactionary to be a Lion. He's just very comfortable with acting in the moment.

"Am I a Lion or... [insert]?"

1. a Badger?

See, this can be difficult. A Lion has to do things as themself. Anything else, they'll trip over. A Badger can feel very similarly: some types of work, and some methods, are not them. They don't feel right.

Badgers have to believe in what they're doing. Work has to be purposeful, and that's not the same thing as offering a tangible reward. They also need things to be done right, done fairly: it's a very Badger kind of trait to worry about what the back of your embroidery looks like, or whether your code is structured and formatted well behind the scenes.

This level of detail and care put into the things that matter to them is very much wrapped up in a Badger's identity and principles. Being asked to put it aside and fix something important with bubblegum and paperclips can throw them off so badly (and cause such revulsion) that a Badger will start to look like a Lion who's just been asked to fake who they are. Either way, it's not going to work; they'll choke on the process.

(Of course, if you can convince the Badger that actually, yes, bubblegum is the best material to fix the Important Thing, then they'll be on board. You'll probably have less luck with the Lion--they're going to do it their way, whatever you say.)

Both Lions and Badgers are also very persistent, but Lions' persistence is directed at the current moment: they just don't give up. Badgers' persistence is something they patiently store up for the future, and they may not know what future is going to need the resources they're gradually building now.

2. a Bird?

These might be the two secondaries that are least alike, imo. I had to skip this section and come back to it because I had no idea where to start. If you're stuck between them, maybe you have one as a model.

Bird and Lion are both categorized as "solid" secondaries as opposed to "fluid," which means they self-transform less than Badgers and Snakes (who can shape themselves to fit different situations).

There are some very big differences, though. Birds need to prepare, and they need to prepare for the specific situation they're going to face (whether that preparation happened because they knew this was coming or not).

But planning is not a Bird exclusive trait. It's not even a required trait for Birds; yours truly thinks that it's hopelessly tedious except for very specific things. Lions absolutely can plan, and so can Snakes--but both of them thrive on the ability to throw the plan away. Lions do not like to be bound by plans, but their initial existence can give them a sense of direction when they start to charge.

Also, if you're confused between Lion and Bird, I wonder if you're taking the Lion skillset for granted. Some Lions are blatantly obvious to everyone but themselves: they think everyone can just decide instantly what to do and run with it and somehow come out okay. If this is you, I need you to imagine me making this face at you: 😐

3. a Snake?

We've kind of been over this in the reverse section above, but up there we went over why a Snake might confuse themselves for a Lion. This time let's assume you're a Lion thinking you might be a Snake.

I feel like Lions have a pretty solid sense of self in general, so let's go over why they might not recognize themselves, and think they have to be the other Improvisational secondary.

Maybe they have a Snake model that they use to further their Lion. Like Harry, they might get themself out of tight spots with Snake when they need to, but they'd rather be charging.

Maybe they think they're disqualified from being a Lion. Maybe they've had to give up on or change some of their goals because of physical or mental health, and thought of it as a personal failure that a Lion wouldn't fall into. First of all, that's bullshit; and second, it's not about what you're able to do. It's what you want to do, what makes you feel safe, what you're comfortable doing.

Maybe they're okay with lying in certain circumstances and they think that's a Snake exclusive thing. It... really isn't. Also, that almost has more to do with your primary. I know this isn't you, anon, because you said, but it bears repeating for everyone else: don't define Snakes by deceit and manipulation. There's a lot more to it than that.

Maybe they're Burned, and they just use random tactics--whatever works--and think that's what being a Snake is. But Snakes enjoy doing their fun dance where they pick the lock on the universe and other people. Burned secondaries are just exhausted.

Of course, if you *are* Burned, that doesn't automatically make you a Lion--but you might think about whether you're biased toward Snake because Snake's shifting tactics look similar to the "whatever works, I guess..." of a Burned secondary.

---

Okay! I think I've covered it. Yikes, this is a long post. I hope it's what you were after, anon; I know you've been waiting a while.

[ucflibrary]

Every October UCF celebrates Diversity Week and for 2020 it runs from October 19 – 23. The theme is Stronger Together: Unified! Connected! Family! This highlights how together we can make UCF and the surrounding community stronger and more connected with each other.  

One of the fantastic things about UCF is the wide range of cultures and ethnicities of our students, staff, and faculty. We come from all over. We’re just as proud of where we are from as we are of where we are now and where we will be heading in future. 

UCF Libraries is offering a full calendar of virtual Diversity Week activities from family friendly crafts to talks by area experts and film discussions. Don’t miss out on our community showcase which features UCF alumni and faculty and how they support the Knight community. We even have digital puzzles and downloadable coloring pages. And you can also add your voice to the 2020 UCF story by participating in our digital time capsule. To learn about the upcoming events visit: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek 

Join the UCF Libraries as we celebrate diverse voices and subjects with these suggestions. Click on the link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links for the featured UCF Celebrates Diversity titles suggested by UCF Library employees. These and additional books are on display in the new 4th floor Reading Room.

And thank you to every Knight who works to help others feel accepted and included at UCF!

 A Faithful Reading Partner: a story from a Hakka village by SuHua Huang A welcome addition to dual language literature, the story is about growing up among the Hakka people in Taiwan. In order to succeed, it is important for children to have a reading partner. But in this case, it is a dog with which the children develop deep friendships as they share their books with him. A sub-current to the main story is one of being a minority within a minority and success, which though longed for, inevitably contains sadness wrapped within its joy. Presented to UCF Libraries by the Chinese American Community in Orlando. Suggested by Sai Deng, Acquisitions & Collection Services

 Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell Challenges believers in such one-factor explanations of economic outcome differences as discrimination, exploitation or genetics. It offers its own new analysis, based on an entirely different approach--and backed up with empirical evidence from around the world. The point is not to recommend some particular policy "fix", but to clarify why so many policy fixes have turned out to be counterproductive, and to expose some seemingly invincible fallacies behind many of those policies Suggested by Cynthia Kisby, Administration

 Equality and Diversity: phenomenological investigations of prejudice and discrimination by Michael D. Barber Examples of prejudice against Jews, women, African Americans, and other minority groups are reported almost daily by the media. Despite educational programs to counteract prejudicial attitudes, this seemingly intractable problem remains an ongoing concern, not only in the United States but throughout the world. It is an interesting and often overlooked fact that the subject of prejudice has been the focus of major works by three prominent philosophers in the phenomenological tradition, works that still offer many insights into contemporary attempts to understand this social problem. Michael Barber examines this striking convergence of interests by these three philosophers and explores the significance of phenomenology for analyzing prejudice as expressed in anti-Semitism, sexism, and racism. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 Hacking Diversity: the politics of inclusion in open technology cultures by Christina Dunbar-Hester We regularly read and hear exhortations for women to take up positions in STEM. The call comes from both government and private corporate circles, and it also emanates from enthusiasts for free and open source software (FOSS), i.e. software that anyone is free to use, copy, study, and change in any way. Ironically, rate of participation in FOSS-related work is far lower than in other areas of computing. A 2002 European Union study showed that fewer than 2 percent of software developers in the FOSS world were women. This book is an ethnographic investigation of efforts to improve the diversity in software and hackerspace communities, with particular attention paid to gender diversity advocacy. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 Mothers Work: confronting the Mommy Wars, raising children, and working for social change by Michelle Napierski-Prancl Through a series of focus group interviews and an analysis of the media and popular culture, Napierski-Prancl explores the institution of motherhood and the arenas in which mothering occurs while analyzing how mothers feel about themselves, each other, and the culture that situates them against one another. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 On the Freedom Side: how five decades of youth activists have remixed American history by Wesley C. Hogan As Wesley C. Hogan sees it, the future of democracy belongs to young people. While today's generation of leaders confronts a daunting array of existential challenges, increasingly it is young people in the United States and around the world who are finding new ways of belonging, collaboration, and survival. That reality forms the backbone of this book, as Hogan documents and assesses young people's interventions in the American fight for democracy and its ideals. As Hogan reveals, the the civil rights movement has often been carried forward by young people at the margins of power and wealth in U.S. society. This book foregrounds their voices and gathers their inventions--not in a comprehensive survey, but as an activist mix tape--with lively, fresh perspectives on the promise of twenty-first-century U.S. democracy. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

 Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. So when Pippa gets a mysterious basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself by following the "Rules of Cool." At Lakeview, Pippa juggles old and new friends, an unrequited crush, and the pressure to perform academically and athletically while keeping her past and her family's laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media, her carefully built persona is threatened. As things begin to spiral out of control, Pippa discovers the real reason she was admitted to Lakeview and wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try. Presented to UCF Libraries by the Chinese American Community in Orlando. Suggested by Sai Deng, Acquisitions & Collection Services

 Sexuality, Equality, and Diversity by Diane Richardson and Surya Monro Investigating the dynamics of identity and sexual citizenship in a changing world, this compelling text explores key debates around human rights and representation, policy and resistance. Incorporating theory with original research, this is a thought-provoking insight into sexuality and diversity in a global age. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

 Shame: how America's past sins have polarized our country by Shelby Steele Part memoir and part meditation on the failed efforts to achieve racial equality in Americathis work advances Shelby Steele's provocative argument that "new liberalism" has done more harm than good. Since the 1960s, overt racism against blacks is almost universally condemned, so much so that racism is no longer, by itself, a prohibitive barrier to black advancement. But African Americans remain at a disadvantage in American society, and Steele lays the blame at the feet of white liberals. According to Steele, liberals have refused to acknowledge the country's progress over the past 50 years, in part because their notions of white guilt and black victimization help preserve their position of power over blacks. Suggested by Cynthia Kisby, Administration

 The Boy Who Became a Dragon: a Bruce Lee story by Jim Di Bartolo This book presents a biography of the martial arts legend, describing his childhood in Hong Kong and how it was shaped by World War II, and his success as an international star. Presented to UCF Libraries by the Chinese American Community in Orlando. Suggested by Sai Deng, Acquisitions & Collection Services

 This Promise of Change: one girl's story in the fight for school equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the national spotlight and as a trailblazer in history. Suggested by Ven Basco, Research & Information Services

 We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice and racism run rampant? With 96 lavishly designed pages of original art, poetry, and prose, fifty diverse creators lend voice and comfort to young activists. Suggested by Ven Basco, Research & Information Services

[appletreeisland]

Life Reset Plan

Okay, things are shit now. But they don’t want to stay like that. You know how to make it better, you just got to do it. So, as always, let’s write it down and get to it, yeah?

Step 1: Life Cleanse

Start by cleaning your room. Open all the windows. Light a candle, start an oil diffuser, just make the air breathable. Strip your bed and wash everything. Sheets, blankets, pillowcases, everything. Throw them all into the wash. Maybe use some extra soap. Some essential oils. Whatever makes you feel good. Then take everything you own and put it on your bare bed. Alright, now you got until the washer and dryer are done to go through all your shit and decide if it stays or goes. (For me, that’s about 1 hour and 15 minutes) Don’t spend to much time on things, you don’t got a lot of time to spare. Most things should be decided instantly. Pick it up. Do you want it? Not an immediate yes. Get rid of it. Donate it. Sell it. Trash it. Just get it out of your life somehow. Now that you know what you want to keep, give them a home. Put them away in a place that makes you feel good and where it could stay forever. Good. Now brush off or vacuum your bed and make the bed. Tuck in your sheets. Fold your throw blankets. Make it look comfy like those beds of Instagram girls and people who have their lives together. Wipe down any and all surfaces. Desktops, windowsill, bedside tables. Make them fresh and clean. Sweep and mop or vacuum your floor. Make it a space that you feel good walking around barefoot on.

Move onto the rest of your space. Repeat everything here in each area of your pace. Bathroom? Throw the towels in the wash, put everything on the floor or counter, go throw it all, clean your surfaces, put everything away, sweep and mop. Kitchen? Empty cabinets and fridge, get rid of old/outdated foods, things you’re not actually ever going to use, consolidate herbs and spices (looking at you, four things of cinnamon), wipe out the inside of cabinets and fridge, put everything away, wipe down counters and stovetop, sweep, mop. Etc, etc.

Lastly, cleanse your technology. No, don’t just wipe down screens. Delete everything that doesn't make you happy. Apps, files, photos, songs, accounts, contacts, etc. Be aggressive with this too. Anything that doesn’t immediately make you feel good, get rid of it. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself, that waste your time, that doesn’t inspire you and bring you joy. Yeah, that paper you wrote in school and got an A, delete it. Unless you feel like you’ll use it for another class or research your doing. This is nuanced advice. Adapt it to your current situation. If anything, put it in the cloud. 

Step 2: Personal Cleanse

We’re going to start physical and work our way inwards.

Take your old clothes off. Take a shower or a bath. A good long one. Spend at least twice as long as you normally do (unless you normally take hour-long showers, you know, be reasonable), wash your hair, condition it, wash your body, use a sugar scrub, wash your face, exfoliate, hell even brush your teeth. Do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel clean and rejuvenated. Don’t do something just because I said to or someone else said to. Do it because you feel good doing it. Don’t shave if it’s not your thing. Don’t put a face mask on if it’s not your thing. Again, nuance. Dry yourself off, put lotion on, put on your favorite outfit, do your hair, do your makeup, make yourself feel good by looking good. But looking good in a way that makes you feel good. Don’t like makeup, don’t wear it. Your favorite outfit could be sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Could be a suit and tie. A dress, a romper, whatever. Even a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Now, find a way to simplify this routine. Make it a daily thing. Shower every day if it makes you feel good. Use a sugar scrub three times a week if you want. Make a personal hygiene routine that makes you feel your best. You can use mine as an example but definitely take everything you want and nothing you don’t.

Okay, now look inward a bit. At your habits. Do you like them? Do they make you feel good? Do they depress you? Make you feel like a failure? Try to think about everything you tend to do, no matter how small. Write them down if you need to. Make a list and go through each one by one with an overly critical eye. Really consider the place of that habit in your life. Take the ones you want to quit doing and make a plan to quit them. (Maybe read ahead a bit in case they are similar to the ones I’m changing in my own life so you don’t spend all this time on it just for me to go over it again more in-depth) Now, think about the habits you want to have. Do you want to be a runner? Do you want to wake up at 6am every day? Read before bed? Draw daily? Write them all down. Then think about why you want to do them. Because they make you happy? Because someone else does them? Because you were told they were good for you? Again, be overly critical. Only accept the ones that are purely for yourself. Don’t wake up at 5am because someone once told you that that’s how you have a productive day. Do it because you love the quiet stillness of waking up before others. Or because you need that time to do other things that purely make you happy.

Lastly, look at your emotional health. How have you been feeling recently? Good? Bad? Depressed? Really ask yourself some personal questions and be honest with yourself. Again write it down. In whatever way is best for you. Maybe that’s a brain dump or a Level 10 Life approach. Whatever works for you. Now, think about why you’ve been feeling that way. Is it other people in your life? Could you remove them from your life or sit down and discuss with them how they have been impacting your life or find ways to healthily deal with them? Look at all your relationships. You never know where draining and/or toxic people may be when you don’t look at them critically. Is it your habits? Well, we’re already working on that so good job! Is it where you live or work? What can you do about those? Move furniture around? Buy new art? Move? Change jobs? Ask for a promotion? Find out what you need and go get it. Ask for help, build a support network, find the people who truly care and want to help you and utilize them. You’re not a burden or bothering them. fAnd if you are either understand that they may also be going through some tough shit and need to take care of themselves first and that’s okay or maybe they weren’t as good of a relationship as you thought. 

Step 3: Social Cleanse

I know we just talked about this, but I want to go into it a bit more.

Look at all your relationships, Family, friends, love interests, coworkers, etc. How do you feel about these relationships? Can you discard them if necessary? Or reinvent them? Analyze all of them and make a conscious decision to keep them in your life.

Want more relationships? Find out how you personally make new ones. Do you go out places and strike up a conversation? Go to a cafe or store and find someone to talk to. Even a brief compliment or something you notice. See where it goes. If it doesn’t have the effect you wanted, try again. Not everyone is going to be your friend and that’s okay. We’re here for true friends, not superficial ones. Do you meet someone online? Download some apps. Be active on forums. Talk to people. State your intentions upfront if it may otherwise be ambiguous. Or do you prefer meeting people through others? Talk to your friends. Ask them about friends they have told you about. See if you all could do something together. Express interest in the people in their life and they’ll maybe introduce you to them. But they definitely won’t if they don’t know you’re interested.

How about yourself? Do you like yourself? How you treat yourself and others? Are there mannerisms you don’t like that you have? That you wish you did have? List them out. Really think about how you react to certain stimuli. If someone compliments you, how do you handle it? If they demean you, how do you respond? You don’t need to go through every little reaction right now, but stay mindful of them. If you notice that there’s something you don’t like, make a mental note of it and come back to it later. Why did you not like it? And, again, make sure you don’t make decisions based on others. Really think about it and decide if you want to make a change truly for yourself or for someone else.

Step 4: Building Your Life

So you got all your stuff figured out. A super clean space. A group of good friends. An understanding of your own feeling towards different aspects of your life. Now that you know these things, change the things you don’t like. 

Start with routines. Make them as strict or leisurely as you want. Set a time to wake up, a time to go to sleep. Figure out what you need to do every morning to have a good day, every night to have a good sleep and/or morning. You can look at mine for some ideas. Are there other things you want to do every day? Maybe you want to talk a walk during your lunch break or pick up your space every evening after dinner. Decide on things that you want to do every day and make them a routine. Put them in your schedule. Commit to them. Do them every day. Make weekly routines too. Every Thursday you do laundry. Every Wednesday you go grocery shopping. Every Monday you plan your week. Make as many or as few routines as you need to be happy with your life. Eventually, they will just be another part of your life and you won’t need to think about them anymore.

Then, focus on your habits. You’ve decided which ones you want to get rid of and which ones you want to start. Make plans for each and every one of them. Make a plan to quit smoking or spending less time on social media. Maybe that’s setting a limit. And that limit can be just as many/much as you’ve been doing. But now you’re limited to that. Then reduce it by a small bit. Instead of three cigarettes a day, limit yourself to 2. Instead of 2 hours on social media, spend 1.5 hours. Continue reducing the limit little by little until you’re at a point you are happy with and isn’t interfering with other things you want in life. Want to start a habit? Do the inverse. Start small and work up to your goal. Want to wake up earlier? Wake up five minutes earlier? Or even just work on getting out of bed right as your alarm goes off and then work on getting up earlier. 

Step 5: Living Your Life

It’s a process. Creating yourself is a process. You’re not going to have it all figured out in an afternoon. A lot of this is things that will slowly develop over time. You can do your initial overhaul but always come back to things. Review how you’re feeling and how things are going and make more changes as you need to.

So go out, live your life, continue to grow and work towards being the person you feel most happy as, and never let anything stop you. 

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

ICSA: Virtual Summer Conference, Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12

This two-day event will include a variety of presentations, panels, and workshops for former members of cultic groups, families and friends, professionals, and researchers.

_______________________________________

Day 1 – Saturday Conference Sessions, July 11, 2020 (11 am - 4 pm US Eastern Time)

Day 2 – Sunday Workshops, July 12, 2020 (11 am - 4 pm US Eastern Time)

_______________________________________

Saturday, July 11, 2020

11:05 -11:50 / "The Neurobiology of Sexual Abuse: Flashbacks, Triggers and Healing" (Doni Whitsett)

The first part of this presentation presents a neurobiological understanding of flashbacks and triggers resulting from sexual abuse. The second part of the presentation offers suggestions for dealing with triggers, learning to manage them, and perhaps using them to facilitate healing.

11:05 -11:50 / "MIND FIXERS: The History of Mass Therapy With its Roots in Mind Dynamics Institute, Misuse of Zen Insights, and Hyping the Positive Thinking of New Thought Religion." (Joseph Kelly, Joseph Szimhart, Patrick Ryan)

The title for this presentation, “MIND FIXERS: The History of Mass Therapy With its Roots in Mind Dynamics Institute, Misuse of Zen Insights, and Hyping the Positive Thinking of New Thought Religion,” covers a vast arena for specialized workshops that range from one day to several weeks. Borrowing techniques from encounter group formats, military boot camp training, and the mindfulness movements these specialized groups operate as unregulated mass therapy businesses and are not licensed as mental health professions. The stated purpose of these “large group awareness trainings” is to increase self-realization and success in life. The outcomes, however, are problematic with some critics claiming that a form of “brainwashing” is taking place that emphasizes promotion of the workshops while any real-life gains are highly questionable. Some participants report psychological and social harm. The speakers will guide a discussion to address the criticisms.

12:00 - 12:50 / "Coercive Control and Persuasion in Relationships and Groups– Intersections and Understandings" (Rod Dubrow-Marshall; Linda Dubrow-Marshall; Carrie McManus; Andrea Silverstone)

This panel will examine contemporary understandings of coercive control in relationships and groups with practitioners from both sides of the Atlantic. The way in which the term ‘coercive control’ is now being used and applied in different jurisdictions will be discussed and how changes to the law are reflecting advances in our understanding of how coercive control works psychologically across contexts. It will also be explored how a heightened dialogue between practitioners and researchers across the fields of intimate partner violence and cults/sects and extremist groups is leading to enhanced appreciation of commonalities in the process of psychological indoctrination. Positive implications for prevention, exit and recovery and rehabilitation across these areas will also be discussed along with recommendations for policy makers.

12:00 - 12:50 PM / "Unification Church (Moonie) SGAs: The Future is Unwritten" (Lisa Kohn; Teddy Hose; Jen Kiaba)

A panel of Unification Church (Moonie) SGAs (Jen Kiaba, Teddy Hose, and Lisa Kohn) will discuss their different experiences of living in, leaving, and learning to thrive after being part of the Unification Church (the “Moonies”). The questions and discussions will focus on how the panelists experienced being part of the Unification Church, how they were able to leave the Church, how they still feel affected by their childhood in the Church, and how they have healed since leaving the Church.

1:00 - 1:50 PM / "Lived Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Former Cult Members – Counseling Implications" (Cyndi Matthews; Stevie Powers)

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) individuals growing up in religious cults can face opposition to their sexual orientation. They may struggle with depression, anxiety, drug/alcohol abuse, self-mutilation, and suicidal ideation. Research by presenters will describe lived experiences of LGB individuals who grew up in religious cults. Best practices based on this research, APA & ACA Codes of Ethics, along with ASERVIC and ALGBTIC competencies will be presented.

1:00 - 1:50 PM / "How Female Former Cult Members Can Reclaim their Relationship with Knowledge and Self-Identity" (Jacqueline Johnson)

High-control and coercive groups work at stealing and silencing the thoughts and knowledge base, and subsequently, the voices, of its members. For females, this dynamic becomes more problematic when those female members are, or have been, part of a misogynous group that incorporates numerous ways of subjugating women. This presentation will outline the research of Belenky et al (1986), which examines the development of women’s self, voice, and mind. Belenky and her colleagues describe the cognitive and intellectual development in women in terms of five knowledge positions (ranging from silence to construction) through which women develop their identity. This presentation will examine ways that high-control, misogynous groups subjugate women, how this affects the epistemology of female cult members, her resulting relationship to knowledge, and the possible impairments to her ability to construct her own knowledge, develop her own identity, and find her own voice. Implications for therapists working with women are discussed in terms of helping former female cult members begin to develop their identity, find their voice, and construct their own knowledge.

2:00 - 2:50 PM / "Raised in a Cult: Psychological and Social Adjustment of Second- and Third-Generation Former Cult Members" (Sofia Klufas)

Former cult members often find themselves struggling to re-integrate into mainstream society and typically describe long periods of recovery post-exit. The current study aimed to qualitatively explore the experiences of individuals raised in cults (1) during, (2) in the process of leaving, and (3) post-cult involvement in order to understand how cultic influences might impact their ability to socially and psychologically adjust to life outside of the cult upon defection. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 8 participants from across North America and Europe who self-identify as second- and/or third-generation former cult members. Responses were qualitatively analyzed for totalistic patterns of influence which may dissuade members from leaving the group or simply deviating from its norms. Participants reported a wide range of emotional responses and psychological difficulties which they perceived to be the result of their cultic upbringing including but not limited to hyper-arousal, anxiety, doctrine-related fears, feelings of isolation, depression, anger/outbursts and suicidal tendencies. Identity reconstruction and social adjustment challenges such as relationship loss due to shunning, difficulty connecting with others, language differences were also reported by participants. Raised-in cult members are a distinct population from converted cult members as they have been exposed to cultic influence throughout the course of their developmental period. While the experiences of these two groups are comparable in many ways, previous research has demonstrated that raised-in cult members are at higher risk for social and psychological difficulties (Furnari, 2005).

2:00 - 2:50 PM / "What does awe have to do with it?" (Yuval Laor)

What is awe? What role does awe play in cult recruitment? And what brings about awe experiences? The talk will discuss these and other topics related to this strange emotion and the effects it can have on us.

3:00 - 3:50 PM / "Nxivm: the Reinventive Path to Success?"(Susan Raine, Stephen Kent)

In this session I discuss the multi-level cultic organization, NXIVM. I propose that NXIVM operated as, what Susie Scott (2011) calls, a reinventive institution—that is, an organization that people enter into voluntarily, because they promise to help people transform or reinvent themselves through personal and professional growth, self-actualization, self-improvement, and success. The group’s founder and leader, Keith Raniere offered members these outcomes via the Stripe Path—a hierarchal system of courses that were supposed to empower people as they worked towards personal growth and world peace. Scott stresses, however, that reinventive institutions incorporate structures of power and are far from benign. This dynamic is evident in NXIVM, which offered to empower its members but ultimately ended up disempowering many of them—especially its most committed female followers. I follow up this discussion by addressing how Raniere had groomed many of these most dedicated women for sexual abuse and exploitation. Grant Sinnamon’s (2017) research on adult grooming and Janja Lalich’s (1997) work on the psychosexual exploitation of women in cults provide extremely useful insights for understanding Raniere’s behaviour.

3:00 - 3:50 PM / "What Do I Tell People? Empowered Ways that Cult Survivors and their Families Can Tell their Stories. Cults, Recovery and Podcasts." (Rachel Bernstein)

Nearly all my clients and podcast guests have experienced fear when thinking about telling people about their cult-related experiences. Many live in isolation because of this, and at times it's for good reason. When they've tried to share their stories, they've been responded to with insulting judgment and condescension, with confusion and disbelief, or with inappropriately voyouristic interest and invasive follow-up questions. Learn how to take control of that conversation and present your story in an educational and empowered way so you don't have to live in fear of these moments and remain silent and alone.

This two-day event will include a variety of presentations, panels, and workshops for former members of cultic groups, families and friends, professionals, and researchers.

_______________________________________

Sunday, July 12, 2020

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM / Research Workshop

The Research Workshop will be facilitated by Rod Dubrow-Marshall, Chair of the ICSA Research Network and Co-Editor of the International Journal of Coercion, Abuse and Manipulation (IJCAM). He will speak initially with a short overview about research on cults and coercive control and he will be followed by introductory talks by Cyndi Matthews, Managing Editor of IJCAM, Marie-Andrée Pelland, Co-Editor of IJCAM and Omar Saldaña from the University of Barcelona, who will each speak about research and developments in their respective areas.

The Research Workshop will focus on key areas of research currently taking place on cults and extremist groups and related areas of coercive control including intimate partner violence, trafficking and gangs. Researchers will be able to discuss the challenges they may be facing or may have faced in proposing new research projects in these areas, including getting institutional approval (IRB or ethics committee), finding participants, clarifying aspects of research design and getting support from faculty/professors. Experienced researchers will be on hand to answer questions and all those present will be able to share their ideas on current and future research including possibilities for collaboration. Plans and opportunities for the ICSA Research Network will also be discussed.  

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM / Mental Health Workshop

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM / Former Member Workshop

This workshop will include an Overview of Recovery, touching on such subjects as attachment, boundaries, and identity. There will also be an opportunity to offer reflections on sessions people have attended during the first day of the conference. The workshop is intended for both first and second/multi-generation former members.

(William Goldberg, Gillie Jenkinson)  

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM / Family Workshop

"Building Bridges; Leaving and Recovering from Cultic Groups and Relationships: A Workshop for Families"

Topics discussed include assessing a family’s unique situation; understanding why people join and leave groups; considering the nature of psychological manipulation and abuse; being accurate, objective, and up-to-date; looking at ethical issues; learning how to assess your situation; developing problem-solving skills; formulating a helping strategy; learning how to communicate more effectively with your loved one; learning new ways of coping.

(Rachel Bernstein, MSed, LMFT, Joseph Kelly, Patrick Ryan)

_______________________________________

Virtual Summer Conference

Lisa Kohn

To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence

VIDEO: ‘Meet the author’ interview

How do you learn to love yourself?

Lisa Kohn interview on Generation Cult

_______________________________________

Teddy Hose

Talk Beliefs VIDEO: Over the Moon – Escaping Sun Myung Moon, Hak Ja Han and their family

Talk Beliefs VIDEO: Secrets of the Moonies

Growing Up “Moonie” by Teddy Hose

_______________________________________

Jen Kiaba

The Purity Knife

Life Without Reverend Moon

Why Didn’t You Just Leave?

Jen Kiaba
: Hello and welcome to my least favorite question in the entire world. It’s one I’ve heard more times than I care to count, and sadly I think that’s something many cult survivors can relate to. In the past that question used to make me clam up and spiral into shame, or mumble, “It’s not that simple.” But in those days I didn’t fully understand the coercive control mechanism that were used to keep me, and so many others, trapped. Read more:
 https://jenkiaba.medium.com/lessons-on-leaving-why-didnt-you-just-leave-789953c4689a


https://www.jenkiaba.com/portfolio

Jen Kiaba on the Ares Meyer podcast

Fuel For Nightmares: Jen Kiaba on the Elgen Strait podcast

[psychologyofsex]

Lockdown Reading Recommendations for People Who Like to Read About Sex

I know that many of you are bored and horny right now during this lockdown and quarantine period, so allow me to recommend some of my favorite sex books! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably already seen a few of my recommendations, but here’s a more extensive reading list.

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Sex and Science by Mary Roach. Bonk is a great place to start! I read this book back when I was in graduate school working on my doctorate in social psychology and it was actually a big influence on me in terms of wanting to become a sex researcher. Roach does a fantastic job of tracing the history of sex research in an engaging and entertaining way, while also making clear why this research is so important for all of us and how it has improved—and will continue to improve—our lives. It’s also full of fun sex facts and tidbits, some of which are very timely—like the fact that fear releases adrenaline, and adrenaline enhances blood flow to the genitals. This is why people in fearful states sometimes have a sexual response. Hmm…maybe that partly explains why so many of us are kinda horny right now? She also discusses the science behind the health benefits of sex and and orgasm. Among other things, it can cure intractable hiccups, relieve stress, and (potentially) help us live longer (after all, sex is a form of exercise). So if you’re stuck in lockdown and find yourself with hiccups that won’t go away or you just want to get some physical activity in, well, now you know what to do!

A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam. Two neuroscientists analyzed the contents of over a billion searches on some of the most popular porn sites and the results were fascinating. As someone who studies sex for a living, this is one of the most frequently referenced books on my shelf. They don’t just report what people are searching for, but also what our porn searches say about us. For example, among their many fascinating findings was that the most popular search term on Pornhub was “mom.” But it’s not just that—searches for MILFs, cougars, and mature women were also quite popular. So why is that? As they explain, part of the appeal resides in the fact that a lot of heterosexual men are drawn to self-confident and sexually experienced women—women who will take the lead in bed. Of course, this book covers far more than just MILF porn—it explores the vast diversity that exists in people’s porn searches and preferences.

Galileo’s Middle Finger by Alice Dreger. This book explores the tension that exists when the conclusions of scientific research conflict with people’s personal identities and politics. This tension often arises when scientists study things like sex and gender because the results of this research don’t always confirm people’s preexisting beliefs about the world or tell them exactly what they want to hear. And that’s where trouble often begins. Dreger documents a series of conflicts between scientists and activists, while also offering practical lessons in how to deal with uncomfortable scientific conclusions in productive ways that will ultimately lead to truth and justice. Check out my full review of this book here.

Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire by Eric Berkowitz. History is full of examples of government and religious authorities going to great lengths to regulate people’s sex lives. By today’s standards, many of the older laws—and their corresponding punishments—seem, well, downright absurd. Case in point: “In ancient Greece and Rome, the husbands of adulterous women had several options for revenge. Most of the punishments allowed a husband to shame his rival by inserting foreign objects, such as spiky fish and radishes, into his anus.” This fascinating book explores the myriad ways in which societies and cultures throughout history (and still to this day) have tried to regulate sexual behavior through the law, and how these laws usually had little to do with actually dispensing justice.

The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution by Jonathan Eig. The birth control pill is something that a lot of us take for granted today, but there's actually an extremely interesting story behind it. The "birth" of the birth control pill is a tale of many great secrets, lies, and bluffs. It includes a colorful set of characters, too, including a woman with a dream (Margaret Sanger), a wealthy widow (Katherine McCormick), and a scientist who was fired from Harvard for experimenting with in-vitro fertilization in the 1930s (Gregory Pincus). It’s truly a fascinating read.

Insatiable Wives: Women Who Stray and the Men Who Love Them by David Ley. Curious about the psychology of cuckolding? This is your book! Ley interviewed dozens of male-female couples from around the United States who were engaged in a “cuckolding” or “hotwifing” lifestyle, in which the men get aroused by watching or knowing that their female partners are having sex with other men. He explores the history of the practice, the controversies and taboos surrounding it (including the frequent interracial themes), as well as how it impacts people’s relationships.

This should be enough to get you started for now; however, if you’re in need of additional reading suggestions in this area, scroll to the bottom of the Sex and Psychology Store, where you’ll find a more extensive list of recommendations. And, of course, if you haven’t already done so, check out my book Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life if you want to learn more about the science of sexual fantasies—including tips on how to talk to a partner about them and potentially incorporate them into your sex life.

Here’s to some happy (and sexy) lockdown reading time!

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook (facebook.com/psychologyofsex), Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), or Reddit (reddit.com/r/psychologyofsex) to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Image Source: 123RF/loganban 

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[fangsmyth]

i’ve been meaning to analyze the shit out of his poem but..... i’m on break now so i have time

it’s prefaced as “ a poem written in free verse, based on something haunting me as of late reflecting on one of my most complicated and passionate past relationships ” so while i know for a fact i could derive MANY different meanings i’m focusing strictly on this intention

i’m normally really bad at analyzing poetry but..... for Him i will Try ( this is a lot of nonsense rambling please do not mind me i am a fucking idiot if anyone has any other onions i’d love to discuss! ....p-please do not steal;;; )

gaslighting and emotional abuse warning under the cut but who’s fucking surprised

What is the meaning of a memory? A question I oft ponder Intangible and untraceable by anything but the mind Yet so potent as to leaVe one sick As if poisoned or Wounded in a literal sense.

just kind of setting the stage i guess is the best way to call this part? his first fucking stanza is god damn terrible memories leave scars that no one can see i could’ve come up with this in my goth phase

And What meaning is there in regret and longing? Can my lamentations change the past? Will they moVe the future? Shall they amount to much more than What unmoors my here and noW?

p self explanatory imo? this goes into a bit of detail about how despite the relationship being over, he’s still thinking about it and he feels bad about what he did and how he treated them.

‘ Will they moVe the future? ’ implies that despite his regret, he doesn’t feel like he’ll learn from his mistakes since he’s made them so many times before. especially so with the next line ‘ Shall they amount to much more than What unmoors my here and noW? ’

he already feels insecure, and any future mistakes he makes are just going to contribute to that;;

If I restrict my World to that but Which is before my eyes To those Whom I may touch, to that Which I might alter; One Would no doubt conclude that thoughts of You are last among What I could consider to “matter”.

this a really interesting stanza, recognizing that the past and present don’t matter, much less any people in the past that hurt him. he knows he should be looking at the here and now, but he can’t help but feel anxious about what happened and what will happen in future relationships.

( also keep in mind that ‘You’ is capitalized, not as a part of lanque’s quirk despite how naturally it seems to fit with his quirk. i kind of ended up interpreting it how ‘You’ is capitalized like you would ‘God’ and ‘Lord’ implying lanque puts this person on an insanely high pedestal? )

it’s super interesting imo that he chooses to say ‘could’ instead of ‘should’, implying he sees it as an option to stop thinking about the other but not a necessity or, for that matter, the best option he has. 

it implies that he recognizes that he has the option to learn from his mistakes, but........

And still You haunt me yet, like a scar, like a disease uneager to abate. Who are You and Who am I, after so long Without You?

it kind of hit me at this point that despite the fact that it was something lanque was recently thinking about, it’s... possible that it wasn’t a recent relationship. he’s clearly fully submerging himself into the role of the victim in this horrible relationship with emotional abuse to the point of forced codependence.

i’m legit having a hard time telling whether this is a matter of lanque making himself out to be the victim ( as emotional vampires often do ) or the very real possibility that he honest to god was the victim of a horrible relationship that left him..... permanently scarred to the point he feels like all relationships are just SUPPOSED to be that way 

i’m gonna mainly use language that points towards the latter despite the fact that i honestly believe the more obscure and difficult to explain possibility that this is him trying to put himself in the shoes of someone he treated like garbage ( since idk i feel like he’s really good at recognizing and understanding peoples’ emotions, just not so much feeling them himself )

talking about it as if he were actually the victim just makes this a lot easier to analyze

i’m kind of...... getting ahead of myself though lemme lay down the next stanza

I knoW I don’t knoW I Won’t knoW; What do I knoW but What I knoW and What can it eVen mean to KNOW?

an allusion to gaslighting. i’m bad at writing out definitions i literally just know things my brain is huge and you’re all just jealous so to copy paste from the wikipedia google search result

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity.

i *loudly gestures* i don’t feel like i need to explain much further! going between saying he knows and doesn’t know, literally talking in circles and questioning what the concept of keeping knowledge even means!! this relationship kind of fucked him up!!!!!!

knoW, knoW; No!

kind of redundant that this line is on its own, just implies getting fed up and ready to leave?

Agh, though it so Vexes me, Though so little I Valued it When it Was before me, a thing and a You I could touch and see and knoW and hate and Wonder. (reVile/Worship).

AH HERE’S THE GOD SHIT AGAIN I KNEW IT WAS HERE SOMEWHERE!!!

lanque didn’t see this person as such a central figure when he was in the relationship, or it’s possible that he simply didn’t realize how important they were to him. their godliness implies that this person was always above him, that it was a privilege to be graced with their presence alone.

this (reVile/Worship) shit in my mind reads very similar to one of the ten commandments saying ‘we must fear and love god’ or some shit like that, but it doesn’t quite fit. it’s highly probable that it just implies that the relationship walked on a very fine tightrope between kismesis and matesprit ugh i went so long without using homestuck terms i’m sad now.... anyways this is call back to that implication of choice i was talking about earlier that’s built on more immediately

NoW it, and You, are a traceless ghost, and I preoccupy myself With nothing but futile tasks of (RE)definition and (RE)interpretation and circuitous dWellings on that Which I understand eVen less noW.

SUPER obvious but the person in the relationship is gone and lanque doesn’t know what to do without them. goes over how it’s hard for him to tell whether this is a refining of his pre-existing personality or just a brand new one all together. again, a choice as to whether or not that’s how he wants to approach it

the path to this reinvention is brought about through a bunch of rebounds and new relationships, ‘circuitous dwellings’ implying he possibly stayed in some of them for too long and he honest to god has no idea why? like he wasn’t enjoying himself, he wasn’t really being reinvented. it solidifies that it was flat out a new definition as lanque is more or less going through the motions

than in the times When my Wonderings might’Ve been so easily ansWered With a question or a bite or a kiss, or eVen a single Word, spoken honestly.

STRANGE to me how this starts as if it continues the past sentence despite the fact that it DEFINITELY ends in a period i double checked 

anyways

he also finds himself having a MUCH easier time following the motions than trying to internalize and understand this relationship. ‘wonderings’ being... pretty obviously just anxiety thoughts like you know how your brain just says things that aren’t true

and figuring out if they were would’ve been easy if he just said something or did something!!

Pressed though I am to giVe color to our bond I look not to onyx nor ash but that Which pulses Within our Very Veins: that so blinding jade, hard as the stone for Which it is so named,

interesting that this sort of starts an outline towards giving the subject an actual identity?

like specifically saying “pulses within our very veins: that so blinding jade” OBVIOUSLY says that it’s another jade in the cloister that this is about?

usually i’d like to say that writers usually don’t do this without reason but despite the praises i constantly speak alone in my room about the endless array of implications in every other thing that comes out of lanque’s mouth i also know v is a fucking hack and a got damn terrible writer

some gremlin at 3am whispered in my ear in the middle of the night saying this is about a past relationship with bronya and i did have some points but bronya is too good so i’m going to tell that gremlin to go fuck himself

tWisted and pulled hammered and forged shaped, unnaturally as if a chain.

there were so many things they went through to try and get this to work, but it kind of just came up as an obviously fucked up mess. likely considering that it would’ve ended/ran its course a lot better if they didn’t even try getting together. 

i wish every stanza was this simple

A stricture Within scriptures; a certain so meaningful tincture.

calling back to that whole “easily answered with a question, or a bite, or a kiss, or a single word spoken honestly” and those whole religious undertones that i keep pushing this solidifies that i’m not fucking crazy

GOD there’s so much in this little piece the very fact that his object of affection’s voice and words alone leave him feeling that he literally has no room to speak. the stricture is like a noose around his neck if he talks out of turn, hence the frustration that he knows something his wrong but he simply isn’t allowed to say something.

until he gets his hand on that ‘meaningful tincture’. alcohol gives him the courage to speak up and defy that gospel, alluding to his dependence on drugs and why they’re so important to him! it’s a lifestyle he wouldn’t give up because he’d hate to be silenced again!

Resent You though I must, EnVy You though I may,

emphasizing that shit i was talking about earlier with could vs. should, lanque feels like the right thing to do is look back at this in scorn. he should despise this person he idolized so much and envy how easy it was for them to lock him in such a vulnerable position for so long yet here he is..... thinking about them again

NoW leagues and leagues stretch betWeen us And I make peace With not but What I say.

these lines are pretty transparent. this was never resolved, there was never a proper conclusion to this relationship. they kind of just drifted apart, but lanque can take solace in the truth and completion of this poem. he makes peace with the fact that he acknowledges all of the problems in the relationship, and chooses to make them a part of him rather than something to just scowl and scoff at

You are only that Which is Within me, my blood and my mind and that is at once nothing, and the most elementary definition of eVerything.

i’m tired man i wrote like what 5 google drive pages about it i feel like i’d be repeating myself since this is his equivalent of wrapping it up and tying it in a lil bow

just because it happened and ultimately doesn’t matter doesn’t mean he didn’t internalize it?

this sort of ended up defining the person he became since it just shook him that badly man

do i need to go into more depth than that i just want some fucking chicken

[fysunmi]

Sunmi Talks Artistry, Touring & Upcoming Music: 'It's Going to Be Interesting'

K-pop star Sunmi has spent more than a decade thriving in the spotlight, and now she’s doing it on her own terms as one of the Korean music world’s most prominent young divas.

Getting her start in girl group Wonder Girls in 2007, she went on to become one of the industry’s most beloved young stars as the group saw hit after hit in the late ‘00s, leading to their becoming the first K-pop act to ever debut a song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2009, with the English version of their 2008 hit “Nobody.” Throughout the years, she’s vacillated between being a soloist and a member of the group; she left the act in 2010, released her first solo song in 2013, and then rejoined the team in 2015. After Wonder Girls broke up in 2017, she found her footing again as one of K-pop’s most intriguing young ingenues. With the release of her third solo single “Gashina” in 2017, she reinvented her identity as one of K-pop’s most invigorating stars, blending witty lyricism with theatrical musicality and showmanship, and followed it up with several other singles, which were all compiled on last year’s Warning album.

Sunmi recently returned with her single "Noir," which takes on social media, blustering in a dramatic music video as a clout-chaser trying to show off her best life to the camera even while dealing with the stresses that follows putting one’s life out in the open in front of the Internet. The song fronted her Warning world tour, through which she met up with fans throughout North America and Asia.

Switching between Korean and English, Sunmi sat down with Billboard ahead of the last show of her Stateside leg of the tour at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C., on March 18 to discuss her career, her music and more.

How do you feel about completing your U.S. tour?

It’s been really amazing as it’s my first world tour. I didn’t really expect that crowd. It’s all sold-out so I was really surprised. Even though I’m a female solo artist, I can have my own show in the States. I really appreciate that. I was surprised that fans were different from those in Korea. In Korea, the audience is all, ‘Sunmi, Sunmi!’ While here in the States, they’re like, “WAH!” They look really free to enjoy with enthusiasm. Compared to the boy groups... They have massive scale when they come here, but I think my fans that I see are quite incredible and I’m really proud.

You just released your new song “Noir.” What made you want to releases a song like this?

I was inspired by social media. Twitter, Instagram. “Noir” is a genre of movies, and I think social media is the noir for this generation. I’m a celebrity, and entertainers-- we always want to get attention from audiences. I think that, [since] I’m the one taking this on [it] is so ironic.

The music video didn’t necessarily put social media in a positive light. Has your relationship with social media been largely negative?

I acted with exaggeration, but I thought it was cute. I didn’t want to be too direct because noir is a genre that can be uncomfortable, but I wanted to represent it in a way that makes it my thing, that isn’t necessarily negative but dramatic.

You engage a lot on social media with fans, on Twitter in particular, both in Korean and English. Do you think that’s important for stars nowadays?

Definitely. Twitter is really big, but in Korea people are more focused on Instagram. But fans exist on Twitter where they can interact. I think Twitter is a place where you can express yourself more freely.

You’re one of South Korea’s most popular soloists but you got your start in the Wonder Girls, who also spent some time in the U.S. How have things changed?

I can’t believe it. At the time, there was no section of K-pop on Billboard.

It’s partially because of the groundwork laid by you and Wonder Girls.

No, BTS.

We started the column in 2013.

Oh, really? Well, in general the approach towards K-pop has changed a lot, it wasn’t well known. I was an opener [with Wonder Girls] for the Jonas Brothers, but now I’m having my solo concert.

What do you think has changed?

The number of people I see in the audience is different.  

What sort of message did you want to share with listeners through last year’s Warning album?

The message that I wanted to deliver was to give everyone an individual warning to learn about themselves, about what’s coming, about who they are. I don’t really know my character. I often go up and down, I’m unpredictable. When I was young, I thought that I was limited, but then when I started producing myself I realized, “Oh, I can do this this way.” There were so many more ways to express myself. For example, in my “Gashina” music video, I showed my middle finger. But when I was in an idol group, I couldn’t express myself this way. Now, I can express myself more freely.

You often lean into retro elements for your songs and music videos. Why does the past appeal so much to you?

J.Y. Park, my producer in the Wonder Girls, when we were young, he would give us songs to listen to that we may not have been familiar with. Personally, I like music from the ‘70s, ’80s, and ‘90s, so I try to find instrumentals and sounds that evoke those periods and work them into my music.

Do you like wordplay? You have a lot in your lyrics.

Yes, I really like it. Nowadays, when a movie, show, or new music comes out, people really like to dissect it and analyze it, try to find the real meaning behind it. So I wanted to give fans a few more opportunities to find a deeper meaning of the songs, I feel like they really like that.

Is that how you come up with your dramatic music videos as well?

I prefer using symbolism instead of being direct.

Now that you’ve released “Noir” and are almost finished with your tour, what’s next?

I am working on my album and preparing new music. When I release an album, there isn’t anything I don’t put my hands on. I literally go from music videos to finding sources to creating the album. For this album, I preferred being a bit distant from the audience but still show who I am. Rather than make the music easy to understand, I want to show my true colors and make people understand me. When I’m creating music, I try to balance my preference with the audience’s preference, to meet in in between my needs as an artist and theirs as listeners. Through that process, I want to show more colors of myself, I want to see how people think of me. It’s going to be interesting.

[ccarmona77]

Week 1

How to Design with Intention

In order to solve the difficult design decisions without making assumptions on our own aesthetic preferences is in the Intention. (Elena Gkoga)

The first question that we need to ask ourselves is: “What is our goal?”-- we need to define the intention and come up with a plan. It can help unravel hidden walls, traps; but not necessarily solve the problem. 

Process for designing with intention:

Define: Describe the goal and its challenges

-Question everything; the brief, audience, and the goal. It will help to describe and visualize the intention and explore possible blockers and challenges.

Simplify: Take the challenge and break into pieces 

-Breakdown into small manageable and measurable goals. It will take away pressure and help us understand the project on a much deeper level.

Minimize: Throw away all the unnecessary stuff

- Tackle one problem at a time, pick quick wins, the safe bets, and those first.

Focus: Pay attention to who you are designing for

-Be aware of our biases and be conscious that we do design for a specific group of people. It’s all about THEM! Our design decision should always point back to people. 

Learn: Search the hell out of the industry and competition

-Learn from other designers, we shouldn’t rush to reinvent the wheel, but instead refine, improve and adjust the wheel to out particular vehicle.

Get inspired: Keep an open eye, mouth, and mind

-We need to critically observe and evaluate. Be open to explore the diff. Directions, solutions, or trends.

Evaluate: Do a regular reality check

-Take a step back to see the full picture. Re-evaluate and repeat.

Team Human

In this reading talks about how humans have interacted with different kinds of mediums in order to see and communicate with one another. One thing that I found interesting was that we use one way mediums very often such as articles, books and television to witness what it’s happening to people across the globe, and how it creates new intimacy as it lets us see the world through another person’s eyes. Humans have been social beings since the beginning of time, and now with our evolution we’re trying to improve our communication skills by adapting it to our newest advanced tech. As new medium surges, it affects our communication with one another and instead of creating social platforms for all of us it turns these platforms into isolating ones. However, everyone is so focused on what kind of advanced tech we will have in the future and don’t appreciate the relationships we have between people and the easy access of even initiating conversations with the tool that’s in our hands 24/7,our cellphones. 

Design Matters- Podcast

Interview of Robert Fabricant and Cliff Kuang by Debbie Millman.

-Build a portfolio, build your work overtime, try new projects, try new mediums, and new fields, in order to gain confidence and knowledge in every medium possible and get more connections.

-Always challenge yourself!

-Fabricant and Cliff Kuang wrote a book about user experience and design.

Computer’s are a tool for a designer, to help tackle their design’s with facilitation. Sometimes these tasks can be easy and other’s not so much.

-Always ask yourself “Why am I doing this?’ and “for who is it for?”, instead of doubting yourself “can I do this?”. 

Create with clear and informative intent, and basing it off of the audience.

-Don’t be too set on a design, be open to change

-Start with marginalized groups of people that you primarily wouldn’t go to, you’d be amazed by their feedback and their opinions. 

The Type Bible

Chapter 1

Typography exists to honor content. One of the principles of durable typography is always legibility; another is something more than legibility. It takes more on various forms and goes by various names, including serenity, liveliness, laughter, grace and joy. (These principles apply, in different ways to the typography mediums). The original purpose of typography was simply copying, and imitate the scribal hand in a form that permitted exact and fast replication. The task of a typographer is to interpret the text and be able to help inform the reader to analyze, and read it with no trouble.

Chapter 2

This chapter went over the rules of kerning, spacing, ledding, and measurements. Although, these rules are small they create huge differences in typography work. I never knew the amount of precision put into typography. I basically learned the basics in the first typography class, and really was blown away by the amount of precision typography has and how it can be inconsistent by a small error. Having words with little spacing between them can be hard to read. The measurements behind spacing are usually measured by picas, points, and ems. Another rule discussed in this chapter is hyphenation, used better than to use inconsistent spacing. 

[anthropolos]

Feminist Anthropology Guide

I created this syllabus for a class last year. It isn’t doing any good in my drive, so I figured if anyone is interested in learning feminist anthropology (and archaeology / bio ant) on their own - given that many departments do not teach it -  this can serve as a valuable resource. Enjoy! 

WEEK 1 – EARLY WOMEN IN ANTHROPOLOGY

This week is designed to introduce students to how women’s perspectives became a topic of inquiry in the 1970s and 1980s. Week one explicitly includes readings where key women in anthropology called out male bias in the discipline.  

Lamphere, Louise. 2004. “Unofficial Histories: A Vision of Anthropology from the Margins.” American Anthropologist 106 (1): 126-39.  

Spender, Dale. 1982. “Putting it in Perspective: Margaret Mead (1901-1978).” In Women of Ideas and what Men Have Done to Them: From Aphra Behn to Adrienne Rich, 716-9. New York: Routledge.  

Walker, Alice. 1979. “Looking for Zora.” In I Love Myself When I am Laughing: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader, edited by Alice Walker, 297-312. New York: The Feminist Press.

Recommended for Professor: Read the introduction, "Zora Neale Hurston: A Woman Half in Shadow,” by Mary Helen Washington in the Zora Neale Hurston Reader, p. 1-19. This gives a comprehensive background of her life and work for lecture during week one.  

Slocum, Sally. 1975. “Woman the Gatherer: Male Bias in Anthropology.” In Towards an Anthropology of Women, edited by Rayna R. Reiter, 36-50. New York: Monthly Review Press.  

This week’s learning objectives and outcomes: 

Women were typically not included in ethnographic studies, with the idea being that men’s perspectives captured the whole truths of a culture.

Who we consider today to be accomplished women who helped shape the beginning of the discipline, such as Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, and Zora Neale Hurston, were women who were not given recognition while they were alive, and were denied elevated positions in universities and tenure.  

There are more women in anthropology than just Mead, Benedict, and Hurston; anthropology is a field dominated by unrecognized, uncited, and disregarded women.  

Men, who received much notoriety in anthropology, had very male-centric points of view on culture and the ‘natural’ subordination of women cross-culturally.  

This week should show students how anthropology is still male-centric, and how it came to be that anthropologists study women. Students should also get an idea of the histories of important women figures in anthropology.  

WEEK 2 – FEMINIST ANTHROPOLOGY

Week two introduces students to how feminist methodology was reconciled with traditional methods in anthropology and ethnography. Each reading for week two discusses the ways that anthropology and ethnography can recognize and incorporate feminist methodology.  

Abu-Lughod, Lila. 1990. “Can There be a Feminist Ethnography?” Women & Performance 5 (1): 7-27.  

Stacey, Judith. 1988. “Can There be a Feminist Ethnography?” Women’s Studies International Forum 11 (1): 21-7.  

Behar, Ruth. 1995. “Introduction.” In Women Writing Culture, edited by Ruth Behar and Deborah A. Gordon, 1-23. Berkeley: University of California Press.  

Davis, Dána-Ain, and Christa Craven. 2016. “How Does One Do Feminist Ethnography?” In Feminist Ethnography: Thinking Through Methodologies, Challenges, and Possibilities, 75-98. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.  

This week’s learning objectives and outcomes:  

Address the tension between feminism and its principles and anthropology’s main method of data collection: ethnography.

Overview how feminist anthropology went from incorporating women into studies to more serious feminist concerns of objectivity, self/Other imbalance, and abuse of power.  

Students should get an idea of how feminist anthropology is an oxymoron from Abu-Lughod's (1990) and Stacey's (1988) readings. Students should read Behar's (1995) introduction because it outlines how feminist anthropology became what it is today. Finally, Davis and Craven's (2016) chapter gives an overview of how feminists approach ethnographic methods and theories. Their chapter also gives students examples from other famous feminist anthropologists as examples.  

WEEK 3 – DOING FEMINIST ETHNOGRAPHY

Week three includes examples of works in anthropology and ethnography that utilize a feminist methodology. Each reading is representative of the way feminist principles and approaches have been used in the discipline.  

Lewin, Ellen. 1995. “Writing Lesbian Ethnography.” In Women Writing Culture, edited by Ruth Behar and Deborah A. Gordon, 322-38. Berkeley: University of California Press.  

Nader, Laura. 1972. “Up the Anthropologist – Perspectives Gained from Studying Up.” In Reinventing Anthropology, edited by Dell Hymes, 285-311. New York: Pantheon Books.  

Kincaid, Jamaica. 1991. “On Seeing England for the First Time.” Transition 51: 32-40.  

McClaurin, Irma. 2001. “Theorizing a Black Feminist Self in Anthropology: Toward an Autoethnographic Approach.” In Black Feminist Anthropology: Theory, Politics, Praxis, and Poetics, edited by Irma McClaurin, 49-76. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.  

This week’s learning objectives and outcomes:  

There are many different ways that feminist anthropologists have tried to modify the ethnographic method to accommodate for feminist principles.  

Students should be asked to think about whether Kincaid’s (1991) ethnographic vignette, Nader’s (1972) methods of studying up, Lewin’s (1995) lesbian ethnography, or McClaurin’s (2001) autoethnography could be considered feminist ethnography. Are they hitting at the core issues addressed by Stacey (1988) and Abu-Lughod (1990)?  

Students should learn that there are other ways of doing ethnography than traditional, male-centric, objectifying methods typically taught in anthropology classrooms.  

WEEK 4 –FEMINIST ANTHROPOLOGY OUTSIDE OF CULTURE

The readings for week four are meant to introduce students to the ways that feminist methodologies have been utilized across sub-disciplines. They are a reinforcement of what feminist principles/methodologies are, and how they can be adopted outside of social science research.  

Kakaliouras, Ann. 2006. “Toward a (More) Feminist Pedagogy in Biological Anthropology: Ethnographic Reflections and Classroom Strategies.” In Feminist Anthropology: Past, Present, and Future, edited by Pamela L. Geller and Miranda K. Stockett, 143-55. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.  

Wekker, Gloria. 2006. “’What’s Identity Got to Do with It?’: Rethinking Identity in Light of the Mati Work in Suriname.” In Feminist Anthropology: A Reader, edited by Ellen Lewin, 435-48. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.  

Wylie, Alison. 2007. “Doing Archaeology as a Feminist: Introduction.” Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 14: 209-16.  

Dowson, Thomas. 2006. “Archaeologists, Feminists, and Queers: Sexual Politics in the Construction of the Past.” In Feminist Anthropology: Past, Present, and Future, edited by Pamela L. Geller and Miranda K. Stockett, 89-102. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.  

This week’s learning objectives and outcomes:  

Feminism is a theory, a lens, a way of seeing the world that is applicable to more than just cultural anthropology.  

Each student in the class can leave the unit knowing how feminism has been used to address their field of study. Such as:  

Biological or physical anthropology students should see the ways that constructions of gender, race, and sexuality impact our interpretation of human biology. They should also get an idea as to the ethical concerns with analyzing indigenous remains.

Archaeology students should foremost recognize that cultural theories surrounding issues of patriarchy and gender have ramifications in their work. Like biological and cultural anthropology students, archaeology students should question the ethics of their work with indigenous remains and artifacts.  

Sociolinguistic anthropology students should get an idea as to how local concepts surrounding gender, race, and sexuality impact language.  

Projects

Unit Project/Assignment Option #1:  

Have students read the blog posts cited here:  

Watt, Elizabeth. 2018. “Why #MeToo is Complicated for Female Anthropologists.” The Familiar Strange, March 1. Retrieved from https://thefamiliarstrange.com/2018/03/01/why-metoo-is-complicated/

Hernandez, Carla. 2018. “Queer in the Field.” Queer Archaeology, February 21. Retrieved from https://queerarchaeology.com/2018/02/21/queer-in-the-field/

The first post talks about the sexual harassment and abuse women anthropologists face when they do field work, and how this impacts their view of the contemporary #MeToo movement. The second post talks about being a queer woman archaeologist in the field and facing both sexism and heterosexism. Have students read these blog posts and either write a short response paper, work together in groups, or present their standpoints to the class. These options depend on how much class time can be given to student presentations.  

Unit Project/Assignment Option #2:  

Students should write a short response paper based on their subdiscipline. Cultural anthropology students can decide whether feminist ethnography is possible, while sociolinguistic, archaeology, and biological anthropology students reflect on whether their methods can be feminist. This can be required on the final day of the unit, after students have an opportunity to read week four’s readings on feminist approaches in other subdisciplines. This can also be an opportunity for students to begin working on their undergraduate theses and write about how their thesis can accommodate for feminist principles. This can be informal and short, or a part of their final project for the course.  

If unit could be extended, or if professor is seeking other readings to swap out or to offer to students for optional reading, incorporate the following pieces:

Abu-Lughod, Lila. 2000. “Locating Ethnography.” Ethnography 1 (2): 261-7.  

Abu-Lughod, Lila. 2002. “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others.” American Anthropologist 104 (3): 783-90.  

Conkey, Margaret, and Janet Spector. 1984. “Archaeology and the Study of Gender.” Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory 7: 1-38.  

Jones, Stacey Holman, and Tony E. Adams. 2010. “Autoethnography is a Queer Method.” In Queer Methods and Methodologies: Intersecting Queer Theories and Social Science Research, edited by Catherine J. Nash and Kath Browne, 195-214. New York: Routledge.  

Kus, Susan. 2006. “In the Midst of the Moving Waters: Material, Metaphor, and Feminist Archaeology.” In Feminist Anthropology: Past, Present, and Future, edited by Pamela L. Geller and Miranda K. Stockett, 105-14. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.  

Lewin, Ellen. 2002. “Another Unhappy Marriage? Feminist Anthropology and Lesbian/Gay Studies.” In Out in Theory: The Emergence of Lesbian and Gay Anthropology, edited by Ellen Lewin and William L. Leap, 110-27. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.  

Lewin, Ellen. 2006. “Introduction.” In Feminist Anthropology: A Reader, edited by Ellen Lewin, 1-38. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Only pages 18-26.  

Newton, Esther. 1996. “My Best Informant’s Dress: The Erotic Equation in Fieldwork.” In Out in the Field: Reflections of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists, edited by Ellen Lewin and William L. Leap, 212-35. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.  

Ortner, Sherry B. 1974. “Is Female to Male as Nature Is to Culture?” In Woman, Culture, and Society, edited by Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo and Louise Lamphere, 68-87. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Rodriguez, Cheryl. 2001. “A Homegirl Goes Home: Black Feminism and the Lure of Native Anthropology.” In Black Feminist Anthropology: Theory, Politics, Praxis, and Poetics, edited by Irma McClaurin, 233-55.

Rosaldo, Michelle Zimbalist. 1974. “Woman, Culture, and Society: A Theoretical Overview.” In Woman, Culture and Society, edited by Michelle Zimbalist Rosaldo and Louise Lamphere 17-42. Stanford: Stanford University Press.  

Rubin, Gayle. 1975. “The Traffic of Women: Notes on the Political Economy of Sex.” In Toward an Anthropology of Women, edited by Rayna R. Reiter, 157-210. New York: Monthly Review Press.  

Syllabi sources that served as inspiration for authors to include:  

http://www.anthropology.ua.edu/cultures/cultures.php?culture=Feminist%20Anthropology

https://apps.carleton.edu/curricular/soan/assets/SA_226_W13_Feldman_Savelsberg_syllabus__3_.pdf

https://anthropology.washington.edu/courses/2015/autumn/anth/353/a

http://home.wlu.edu/~goluboffs/275_2009.html

https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/files/mKWooKqSsg

http://anthro.rutgers.edu/downloads/undergraduate/236-378obrien2007/file

http://queeranthro.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SexGender.pdf