I read a lot. This is a selection of what I read this week (10/26/20 through 11/01/2020) that I think you should read, too.
Articles
*Yasmin Benoit’s What Is Asexuality: Myths and Truths About Being Asexual for Teen Vogue: I’ve discussed my appreciation for Yasmin Benoit’s work as both a writer and as a model before, and it bears repeating. She’s an essential author if you’re either wanting to learn more about asexuality or if you’re working to understand your own sexuality and think you may perhaps be asexual yourself.
*Lucy Diavolo’s Gender Variance Around the World Over Time for Teen Vogue: People who believe that anthropology and science are optional beliefs dismiss nonbinary and genderfluid and genderqueer identities as a made-up contemporary phenomenon. They’re anything but, with histories dating back thousands of years and more than sufficient precedent. Colonialism is responsible for erasing this reality and instigating hatred toward anyone who doesn’t fit within an overly rigid binary and/or cisgender model of gender.
*Collin Eaton and John D. Harden’s Oil and drugs: A toxic mix for Chron.com: Boredom, hard labor, and ridiculous hours in the Permian Basin and other oil drilling sites all contribute to upticks in substance abuse among workers. And an impaired workforce runs a significantly heightened risk of injury and death on the job. Oil and gas companies need to address the underlying problems to ensure a healthier, safer workforce.
*Aimee Levitt’s Grilled cheese is unconditional love in sandwich form for The Takeout: A brief history of the iconic comfort food, from its possible origins as Welsh rarebit to the simple pleasure of American cheese slices at the advent of processed foods.
*Nicholas Parker’s The Ingenious Pencils of Henry David Thoreau for The New York Public Library: Thoreau never held much of a passion for pencil making during his life, although he worked in the family factory for money. And, come to find out, actually revolutionized the way pencils were manufactured in the United States. Such an interesting part of history we never learned about in English class!
*Alexandros Raptis’ The art of illegal wine production for The Towner: In the economically depressed town of Trikala, Greece, many citizens have turned to clandestine wine-making operations to make ends meet and provide local tavernas with sufficient wares.
*Katherine Sacks’ The European Trick to Making Better Sandwiches for Epicurious: Can confirm. Butter sandwiches are as amazing as they are incredibly simple to make. All it takes is super tasty, high-quality ingredients.
Blogs
Honestly, I’ve been reading Realms of Gold Doll & Stuffed Animal Hospital Blog for a long time, but never could pick a post to feature here because they’re all amazing. Beth Karpas runs a “hospital” where she repairs dolls and stuffed animals, and I adore watching her processes. Each one comes with its own heart sewn in, made of original stuffing and sometimes material. Wholesome entertainment more than welcome during this most unwholesome year.
Comics
As always, my weeklies/weeklies-ish:
*Huda Fahmy’s Yes I’m Hot in This
*Phylecia Miller and Jules Rivera’s Hi, Phylecia!
*Taejoon Park’s Lookism
*Jules Rivera’s Mark Trail
*Linda Sejic’s Punderworld
*Jessi Sharon’s The Sea in You
*Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus
*Sensaga’s Ham and Mat
*Steenz’s Heart of the City
Marengo Comics on Facebook wrote a touching Halloween short about a child and their crow friend going out trick-or-treating. It’s sweet and sad and lovely all at once.
Books
This week, I started Black Girl Magic, the second volume of Haymarket Books’ Breakbeat Poets series, edited by Mahogany L. Browne, Idrissa Simmonds, and Jamila Woods. Nobody could ever mistake me for an expert on poetry, so I can’t give you an in-depth analysis of meter or form. But I can say that I’m enjoying the anthology immensely, particularly the variety of Black voices on display. My favorites thus far include FEM Slam and Providence Grand Slam champion Justice Ameer’s ode to Black trans womanhood “My Beauty,” Eve L. Ewing’s confident “what I mean when I say I’m sharpening my oyster knife,” and Houston Poet Laureate Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton’s “Divination,” a vulnerable insight into pregnancy loss (which disproportionately harms Black women in the United States).
That said, the entire book thus far is still well worth your time!
See you next week, fellow bookish buffs!
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