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Sex Swing | Type II | Rocket Recordings This sprawling best of list was intended for publication in January 2021 but other priorities got in the way and I had written about many of these in brief in my year end best column for the December 2020 print edition of Birdy magazine in December. Others I wrote up for Birdy throughout the year. All of that text is here hopefully not in a form with my errors edited back in. At any rate it begins with what I’m going to call the album of the year, Type II by UK post-punk experimentalists Sex Swing. It not only stretched post-punk beyond the usual boundaries these days and it articulated the conflict, the outage and confusion of a world coming to terms with the great shortcomings of modern, international capitalism, the inadequacy of the conservative/far right and neoliberal government to address the needs of people across decades and most painfully and poignantly in the moment. That agony and anomie can be heard throughout the album but even separate from that context it’s just a great, experimental rock album. The original verbiage for the Birdy piece reads “An uncomromisingly mind-altering psychedelic noise rock ride through 2020 hell.” With any luck we’ll see the band in North America sooner than later and see for ourselves if the live show delivers. What follows is the rest of the best of list for 2020. A.M. Pleasure Assassins | Careless Laughter | Self-released This latest EP from Fort Collins-based, math-y post-punk band A.M. Pleasure Assassins sounds like it was written after a long period of contemplation and self-imposed exile from one’s usual social activities. “Said Yer Outta Gas” is imbued with a rush of exuberance reflected in its words about emerging from winter into a period of new beginnings. “Get It Right” finds the band waxing into the warped garage punk territory like something one would expect out of Memphis, Tennessee the past two decades — raw and ragged yet bracing. “Cain Was Killing Abel” strikes a more contemplative tone and the sprawling “Pretty Dead Beat” creates a beautifully hypnotic pulse of sounds with bell tones processed through reverb and distorted drones for an effect like a late 90s Yo La Tengo track. The four songs give the impression of nostalgic reflection, but one where you see and feel deeply the joys and pains of a good time in your life that you are wise enough now to know to enjoy in its full measure rather than through the lens of selective romanticism. Abrams | Modern Ways | Sailor Records Adulkt Life | Book of Curses | What’s Your Rupture? ADULT. | Perception Is/As/Of Deception | Dais Records Darkly urgent industrial dance anthems to purge today’s desperation, confusion and chaos. Angel Olsen | Whole New Mess | Secretly Group A tender yet bracingly fragile portrait of the realization that you can never adequately prepare for everything life might throw your way. Anna von Hausswolff | Sacro Bosco | Southern Lord A Shoreline Dream | Melting | Late Night Weeknight With its first release since 2018’s Waitout EP, A Shoreline Dream presents a set of songs that seems less ethereal than their previous output. From opening track “Turned Too Slow” to closing song “Atheris Hispida” the progressive shoegaze duo has seemingly focused its attention on the texture and physicality of the music. One is tempted to say the guitars are more like hard rock, but only if your idea of hard rock is more in the vein of Swervedriver. But “Downstairs Sundays” has more in common with folk music in its intricate guitar interplay though threading through an uplifting, introspective drone. A Shoreline Dream still gives us its usual transporting melodies, but this time its astral realms are more focused and vivid as though coming out of its musical dreamstate into a phase of making those dreams real. Autechre | Sign | Warp Records Cleanses the mind with textural tones and hypnotically immersive, abstract rhythms. Bambara | Stray | Wharf Cat Records Bestial Mouths | RESURRECTEDINBLACK | RUNE & RUIN Bison Bone | Find Your Way Out | self-released Black Wing | No Moon | The Flenser blackcell | Burn the Ashes | self-released Denver-based EBM/IDM band Blackcell returns with its first full- length album since 2013’s In the Key of Black. Matt Jones’ processed, distorted vocals sound as ever like a dispossessed human resisting an ever increasing mechanization of life. These dark dance songs articulate so well the struggles of the human condition and seem so resonant for today as meaningful choices and control over your own life are leeched away into increasing labor defined by a gig economy, subscription and streaming services in the modern equivalent of pay-per-view, and a failing political and economic system that has channeled all the world’s wealth into fewer and fewer hands, nickeled and dimed to death and expected to take it like it is or not to streamline the technocratic wealth pipeline. Blackcell offers no answers but this time, its Gary Numan-esque end of the world techno feels particularly cathartic right now. BleakHeart | Dream Griever | Sailor Records Body Double | Milk Fed | Zum Vignettes of personal psychological horror expressed as seething, angular post-punk pop. Body Negative | Fragments | Track Number Records Bootblacks | Thin Skies | Artoffact Records Soaring synths and guitar sketch a vivid image of a deep yearning for personal transcendence and rebirth. Boris and Merzbow | 2R012P0 | Relapse Records Alien soundscapes of stunning immediacy that challenge preconceptions of all artists involved. Botanist | Photosynthesis | The Flenser Cabaret Voltaire | Shadow of Fear | Mute Camila Fuchs | Kids Talk Sun | Felte Records Avant-garde, psychedelic synth pop for tropical vacations in parallel dimensions. Causer | Hellebore: Demos | self-released Chicano Batman | Invisible People | ATO Records Un-ironic, un-corny psych Tropicalia love songs for an inclusive future of unified humanity. Choir Boy | Gathering Swans | Dais Records Every song is an introspective Goth R&B ode to radical self care. Church Fire | Some Lonely Wip | self-released This collection of “unfinished/unmixed/unmastered/instrumentals” bridges the gap between Nine Inch Nails and Crystal Castles with their raw, lo-fi, maximalist glitch. Without the highly emotive and cathartic vocals that have been part of Church Fire’s signature sound we are invited to visit the soundscapes that give those vocals a powerful musical context. What is obvious here is the band’s playfulness and gift for pairing dark tonal choices and buoyant rhythms anchored by spare textural elements. On “pixie death tickle” there are wisps of voices but they serve as more a musical aside from the strong, bright, urgent main passages. The “wip” in the title may refer to “works-in-progress” but these songs would work as mood pieces in a soundtrack to the inevitable English language Inio Asano manga film in mirroring that artist’s talent for simultaneously expressing melancholia and joy. cindygod | EP 2 | Fire Talk Clipping. | Visions of Bodies Being Burned | Sub Pop Brooding, seething, menacing industrial hip-hop horror stories from an all too near future. Cyclo Sonic | Pile of Bones EP | self-released Damn Selene | Nobody By That Name Lives Here Anymore | self-released Dan Deacon | Mystic Familiar | Domino Records Dead Voices On Air | Stone Cross Shuttle Worn | self-released Deafbrick (Deafkids + Pet Brick) | s/t | Rocket Recordings Death Bells | New Signs Of Life | Dais Records Atmospheric post-punk brimming with an infectious sense of hope after a time of struggle. Death Valley Girls | Under the Spell of Joy | Suicide Squeeze Acid jazz flavored garage psych with an ear for emotionally rich infinite horizons. Deerhoof | Teenage Cave Artists | Joyful Noise Reliably Beefheartian, lo-fi No Wave-esque, boundary-breaking avant-pop. Down Time | Hurts Being Alive | self-released Drew Danburry | Icarus Phoenix A Sides and B Sides 2020 | Telos Drew McDowell | Angalma | Dais Records Dyad | Dormant | self-released Charles Ballas and Jeremy Averitt are perhaps better known for their participation in acts like Howling Hex and Esmé Patterson’s live band respectively as well as their production work for Echo Beds. But DORMANT from their long-running collaborative project DYAD showcases their mutual knack for genre-bending IDM-esque soundscapes. DYAD freely blends elements of non-Western polyrhythms, intricate and textured instrumentation, luminous jazz keyboard progressions and tasteful electronic arrangements that convey an eclectic and international flavor. Imagine music equally influenced by Herbie Hancock, 80s Ethiopian synth pop, Daft Punk, Warp Records artists and informed by a deep sense of play, and you will have some idea of the soothing and imagination stirring quality of this music and its brilliantly new age downtempo future jazz sounds. eHpH | Infrared | self-released This Denver-based electro-industrial duo minces no words on the opening track “Idiot” in its introductory sample “I’m gonna say one thing, fuck Trump.” And then on to choice sampling of 45s words and those of journalists cataloging some of his offenses against humanity. The menacing descending synth bass progression and minimalistic percussion puts the focus on the words. The rest of the album is less explicitly and specifically topical but it is the band’s most fully realized and focused effort yet. The pulsing pace and Fernando Altonaga’s distorted vocals draw you into meditations on the perils of creeping authoritarianism on “Tarnished.” The pastoral pace and deep melancholy of “Forever Haunted” resonates with the artfully despairing tones of the Closer period of Joy Division the way its circular guitar line and synth melody rides a wave of personal revelation and the contemplation of an unrelievedly bleak future. EhpH has long been one of the more interesting modern EBM bands but Infrared demonstrates that the group of Altonaga and Angelo Atencio have fully integrated those roots with a more contemporary post-punk and darkwave sensibility, thus never sounding stuck in the past. Emerald Siam | Inventions of Ascension | self-released Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou | May Our Chambers Be Full | Sacred Bones Records Emmy The Great | April / 月音 | Bella Union Entrancer | Decline Vol. 4 | Multidim In constructing this latest installment in Entrancer’s Decline series Ryan McRyhew utilized Rob Hordijik’s DIY synth, the Benjolin, as well as the Make Noise Shared System. Though both are modular synthesis devices and visually look complex, McRyhew, in naming the equipment on the Bandcamp page, takes some of the technological mystery out of music making with synths and puts the emphasis on the creativity end. For twenty-seven minutes forty-four seconds of the single track of this album, “Decline XVI,” we travel with McRyhew through the sonic analog of the distorted ebb and flow of civilizational decay that we seem to be experiencing right now. Yet at the heart of the piece we hear a separation of more industrial sounds and those more organic like the inevitability of nature reasserting its primacy in our own consciousnesses and in the entire world. Equine | Light Wa/orship | Noise Pelican Eve Maret | Stars Aligned | White Supulchre Records Eyebeams | It Means Trouble | Hot Congress Eyedress | Let’s Skip to the Wedding | Lex Records Eye of Nix | Ligeia | Scry Recordings Uplifting, psychedelic, blackened noise doom journey to a pagan underworld and back. Facs | Void Moments | Trouble In Mind The post-punk equivalent of crime jazz’s subterranean menace. Faim | Hollow Hope | Deathwish Fearing | Shadow | Funeral Party Fire-Toolz | Rainbow Bridge | Hausu Mountain Records Flaming Lips | American Head | Warner Records Overflowing with compassion and musical salves for the pain and despair of the fractured American psyche. French Kettle Station | Spirit Mode | Slagwerk Future Islands | As Long As You Are | 4AD A soulfully soothing and transporting examination of the roots of one’s melancholic impulses. Galleries | Resolve | self-released Ganser | Just Look at That Sky | Felte Records Incandescent yet contemplative post-punk dense with conceptual content and poignant social commentary. Gold Cage | Social Crutch | Felte Records Hard to Be a Killer: A Tribute to Ralph Gean In an alternate universe Ralph Gean is a beloved rock and roll hero widely known for his brilliantly unique and off-beat songwriting. But the British Invasion derailed that trajectory and Gean instead has since become a bit of a legendary figure with a cult following in Denver music who has periodically played shows and championed by figures as politically disparate as Boyd Rice (who compiled a collection of Gean’s work in 2007) and Jello Biafra. That fandom is reflected on this sprawling tribute album assembled by Arlo White of Hypnotic Turtle Radio and bands like Deadbubbles and The Buckingham Squares. Every interpretation of Gean’s songs is a worthy listen and a fine showcase for his sheer breadth as an artist. Contributions from local, experimental eccentrics like Little Fyodor & Babushka, Claudzilla and The Babysitters lovingly capture Gean’s essential appeal as an artist with an unvarnished charm and humor. Eric Allen of The Apples in Stereo fame highlights the science fiction cowboy persona that Gean could convey while White’s band Diablo Montalban with the late, great eccentric DJ and Denver cultural figure Frank Bell give “Switzerland” a real dark exotica treatment reminiscent of weirder moments in Tom Waits’ catalog. A fascinating portrait of an important yet often overlooked artist. H Lite | Green Youth Heattech | self-released Anton Kruger has been known for his inventive, hyperkinetic electronic and experimental music. But for this new EP he took a deep dive into contemplative realms of sound. Elegant, heavenly strings, luminous swells of tone and crystalline percussion embody the title of the song “Light Language.” The spacious sound design aspect of all the song’s on the album are reminiscent of Plaid in the enigmatic playfulness and the stretching consciousness to find inspiration through creative work. Every song brings forth a singular and imaginative portrait of tone, texture and rhythm that takes you on a journey to alien spaces that strike one as familiar and ultimately comforting like a dream. It is post-glitchcore IDM that dispenses with the anxiety in favor of a soothing spirit. Houses of Heaven | Silent Places | Felte Records Gloomy street tribal dance anthems fortified with dark, minor chord melodies. Human Impact | s/t | Ipecac Recordings In The Company Of Serpents | Lux | self-released In the Company of Serpents has long been a band that has aimed to infuse its music with its interest in cinema, esoteric knowledge, literature, and with all of those come out of directi human experience, emotion and an attempt to make sense of life and imbue it with meaning. Lux is the fullest manifestation of those aims written into its most sonically dynamic set of songs to date. The crushing yet fluid heaviness of its sound is paired perfectly with elements of song that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Spaghetti Western soundtrack. “The Fool’s Journey” opens the record as a sort of map for the path set before us ending with the enigmatic “Prima Materia.” It’s a musically diverse and rich album that places In the Company of Serpents apart from a mere doom band and more in the realm of Swans’ and Neurosis’ own heavy explorations of the human psyche. IDLES | Ultra Mono | Partisan Pointed yet loving politi-punk built on a hip-hop framework. Insect Ark | The Vanishing | Profound Lore Records A seething and entrancing hybrid of a Junji Ito manga and industrial psychedelic doom. Jarv Is | Beyond the Pale | Rough Trade Records jOoHS UhP | Big Glasss | Records This record is so irreverent and self-deprecating it uses the swagger language of much of hip-hop to make statements that are the opposite of anything some other artists would brag about. The irony runs so deep even the elements of the music sounds like swagger. There is a song called “NoWeDon’tWannaMakeGoodMusic.WeTriedAndIt’sBoring.” The glitchy, industrial beats are so unconventional and eccentric you would never confuse this duo with anything resembling traditional hip-hop. It all has more in common with Renaldo & The Loaf and The Residents than even a weirdo like Kanye. Though often confrontational and obnoxious there’s no denying the relentless creativity of the production and glorious seeming lack of regard for how a song is supposed to sound. Juliet Mission | Surren | self-released Surren is the third EP from Denver-based post-punk band Juliet Mission. As with previous releases the trio’s command of blending layers of atmosphere with strong rhythms and a contemplative melancholy is impressive. The short title track actually has three movements that flow from existential introspection to passages of dark realization to a mood of uneasy acceptance. All four songs in their brooding beauty demonstrate, as have the most recent albums from The Church, that you can write vital and engrossing rock songs from an adult point of view with elegance and grace, and without defaulting to an adolescent, and thus thematically limited, perspective. Jupiter Sprites| Holographic | Jupiter Sprites Records Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | The Mosaic of Transformation | Ghostly International Killd By | Neotropical (tape reissue) | Noumenal Loom King Krule | Man Alive! | Matador Like The Fall gone hip-hop chillout lounge post-bad trip horror movie dreaming. Klara Lewis | Ingrid | Editions Mego Distorted melancholic cello drones like the glitched image memories of past life regression. KoKo La | Curriculum Vitae | self-released Koko La has long already established herself as an artist of note as one of the MCs and producers in the hip-hop group R A R E B Y R D $. Her soulful voice and presence often draws out subconscious emotions and gives them form in the music and performance. Curriculum Vitae finds Koko La exploring the experiences that have shaped her. Aided by Machete Mouth and Kitty Opinion$ on a couple of tracks, Koko La excels here with shining a light on those experiences that challenge you in various ways, while at the same time, giving you a better sense of self and the boundaries you must draw the border for people who might seek to dismiss you as a human or otherwise put you in your place. The trap beats and hushed atmospheres provide a fascinating listening experience, like you’re honoring the subconscious thoughts and feelings that affect your waking life by giving them an identifiable form that also allows you to comprehend, embrace and reconcile the wounded sides of yourself. Lazarus Horse | Oh the Guilt! | self-released Lithics | Tower of Age | Trouble In Mind Surreal, minimalist post-punk funk disintegrating into disorder like American democracy. Lone Dancer | Temporal Smearing | Multidim Mamaleek | Come and See | The Flenser Many Blessings | Emanation Body | Translation Loss Records Ethan McCarthy of Primitive Man renown returns to his ongoing noise soundscapes with the enigmatic and forbidding Many Blessings. In typical fashion this set of five pieces stretches beyond what McCarthy has done with the project in the past. Throughout this album there is not the harsh noise and deconstructed drones of some earlier work. Rather, it is layered collages of sound that give voice to the raw angst and anxieties that sit as a background hum of modern civilization eating away at our collective unconsciousness. The concluding track “Harm Signal” is like a symbol for the whole effort — a flow of sounds, a frequency, that we usually ignore but which causes untold destruction to our existence. These songs identify and give expression to energies and forces we’ve bypassed our whole lives but which are now impossible to ignore, like a sound art metaphor for the social and political forces that have come home to roost of late. Marissa Nadler | Moons | self-released Melkbelly | PITH | Carpark Records/Wax Nine Memory Bell | Solace | self-released Metz | Atlas Vending | Sub Pop Midwife | Forever | The Flenser Madeline Johnston wrote Forever during one of the darkest times of the Denver DIY music and art community. Her community was scattered and challenged in the wake of the Ghost Ship fire with so many lives seeming to be on hold with no hint about when thatdespairing period would end. And the 2018 death of Colin Ward hit everyone whose lives he touched so deeply that it seems like the kind of hurt that will never fully heal. Johnston’s almost ghostly, delicate and vulnerable vocals and distorted, ethereal guitar seem to drift together in an effort to make some sense of those feelings with a nuance and sensitivity that always comes across as emerging directly from those places of acute pain and ache and loss, and honoring the need to just feel all of that whenever the need strikes and for however long into your life it lasts even if that is, indeed, forever. An especially touching and evocative tribute to a uniquely restless and creative yet sensitive and emotionally refined person in Colin Ward, Forever is a tender and heartbreaking, healing catharsis in the listen. Mild Wild | Mild Wild, Vol. 1 | self-released Intensely personal, imaginatively lo-fi aural snapshots of daydreams and poetic observations. Mint Field | Sentimiento Mundial | Felte Records Dream pop slow burner illuminating and warming the inner regions of the melancholic heart. Moby | All Visible Objects | Mute Records Retro rave and chillout lounge songs mourning our collective loss, yearning for a hopeful future. Molchat Doma | Monument | Sacred Bones Records Introspective, elegantly minimalistic, lo-fi, Belarusian gloom pop. Mong Tong | Mystery | Guruguru Brain Moodie Black | FUZZ | Fake Four Moon Pussy | Hurt Wrist | The Ghost Is Clear Records Guitar riffs like swarms of angry insects sweeping through. Syncopated percussion like start- and- stop jackhammers. Bass lines like a half- ton coil being struck and emitting a menacing fluidity. Tortured vocals erupt with Brutalist, post-hardcore poetry. All of this helps to make this latest Moon Pussy record the perfect companion and reaction to a radically uncertain world seemingly in perpetual crisis mode and on the verge of we know not what. Fans of bands on the Amphetamine Reptile imprint or Touch and Go will be thrilled with the band’s seemingly endless supply of inspired, aggressive and savage noise rock riffs and the ability to articulate directly from a place of desperation and outrage. “Fail Better” should be the theme song of these United States. Mr. Bungle | The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo | Ipecac Mr. Gnome | The Day You Flew Away | El Marko Records Mrs. Piss | Self-Surgery | Sargent House Napalm Death | Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism | Century Media New Standards Men | I Was A Spaceship | self-released Night of the Living Shred | Return of the Night of the Living Shred | self-released The name of this album of course invokes the title of the 1985 horror comedy Return of the Living Dead. And the Colorado Springs-based metal group has taken the opportunity to give us an unusual and eclectic record that not only reflects its members’ broad taste in music but a deeply healthy sense of humor about the world and themselves. “Shred Shoppe Quartert” is an a cappella song in the style of a barbershop quartet. There are rap, punks, death metal, doom and grindcore songs. All of it performed with a charming exuberance even though the entire track list reads like something out of a heavy metal version of Mad Magazine. “We Get it, Mike Patton Is a Musical Genius” with screaming like a cover of something by Naked City with lyrics mocking that? That’s genius. Even though the record is largely a put on in one way or another, the fact that it has so much variety makes it eminently listenable. No Age | Goons Be Gone | Drag City Of Feather And Bone | Sulfuric Disintegration | Profound Lore Records Oneohtrix Point Never | Magic Oneohtrix Point Never | Warp Records Otzi | Storm | Artoffact Records Emotionally intense post-punk at the intersection of Sleater-Kinney and The Cure. Perry Weissman 3 | Backlog | self-released Plack Blague | Wear Your Body Out | self-released Plague Garden | LEFT IN THE GRAVE | self-released Pod Blotz | Transdimensional System | Dais Records Pole | Fading | Mute Records Primitive Man | Immersion | Relapse Records Princess Dewclaw | Wild Sugar | Glasss Records On the Wild Sugar EP Princess Dewclaw has reinvented itself as a gritty, industrial darkwave band. That element was there on its 2017 album Walk of Shame (in fact the songs “Walk of Shame” and “Into the Words” have carried over in a significantly different form), but there seems more of an edge here. The vocals come more directly from channeling anxiety and pain into catharsis. Rather than acoustic drums the electronic and programmed drums sync more closely with the cutting synth work. The effect is like a caustic and politically charged take on a pop song with mainstream appeal. In that way it has an appeal similar to that of Alice Glass’s emotionally raw solo offerings. Protomartyr | Ultimate Success Today | Domino Records Burning poems songs evoking a Jim Thompson-esque modern America in slashing/clashing post-punk. Public Memory | Ripped Apparition | Felte Records If Tarkovksy and Jarmusch could team up to make a cyberpunk movie this would be the soundtrack. Rafael Anton Irisarri | Peripeteia | Dais Records Raspberry Bulbs | Before the Age of Mirrors | Relapse Records Reverb And The Verse | RESONATE | self-released Since 1999 Reverb & The Verse has been developing and writing some of the most imaginative hip-hop out of Denver. The groupput their songwriting on this ninth record through a rigorous process of experimentation and weeding out the material deemed not quite there. Though steeped in classic MC wordplay, the beats and expertly crafted synth work and rhythms seem as informed by the likes of Minneapolis alternative hip-hop that came out of the 90s as it does 80s and 90s synth pop. All of these elements make for a sonically rich and diverse listen a bit like a cross between Clipse and Meat Beat Manifesto. Riki | s/t | Dais Records Goth synth pop for skate rink parties in abandoned malls. Run The Jewels | RTJ4 | Jewel Runners Shabazz Palaces | The Don of Diamond Dreams | Sub Pop Shitkid | 20/20 | PNKSLM An unlikely and fascinating hybrid of garage rock and soulful synth pop. Shocker Mom | The Mediocre Depression | self-released Sightless Pit | Grave of a Dog | Thrill Jockey Sublime and caustic, often claustrophobic, soundscapes of terrifying and transcendent beauty. SNAD/Jackson Lee| Jargon/Syntax Error 12” EP | Deep Club Records SPELLS | Stimulants & Sedatives | Snappy Little Numbers This record is raw even by SPELLS standards. But it’s perfect for 11 songs about the messiness of adulthood with lyrics that frankly go for the jugular. This isn’t new for this pop punk band and its anthemic choruses, but it’s always interesting to hear the contrast between the primal pop of the songwriting and incisive portraits of American life that dispense with the soul-destroying niceties. “We Can’t Relate” is a pointed declaration of the disconnect between the culture of the wealthy and the working class. “I’m Sorry I’m Not Sorry” is something of an apology song for being how you have to be in a world that demands essentially unacceptable compromises. Imagine an amalgam of Blatz, Stiff Little Fingers and The Replacements and you have an idea of the sound, the vibe and the sentiments expressed throughout. Spice | s/t | Dais Records Sprain | As Lost Through Collision | The Flenser Colossal, sprawling, slowcore deep dives into the catharsis of anxiety and rootlessness. Spunsugar | Drive-Through Chapel | Adrian Recordings Squarepusher | Be Up a Hello | Warner Records Stay Tuned | Remote Control | self-released Brilliantly sampling from American media and entertainment culture, both musically and thematically, Stay Tuned has produced not just a signature song with this arc of eleven tracks but a signature album. Dense with content each song uses the format of autobiography to comment on aspects of society like the shallowness of celebrity culture and the way we formulate our dreams and aspirations in terms and frameworks taken from preexisting constructs like television shows, movies, video games and other media — of course expressed through the corporate controlled channels we most often use to communicate with one another. But in free associating musical and other media references in a collage of sounds in the beat, Stay Tuned uses media tropes and collective myths and imagery to showcase how we can subvert the prevailing power relationships and the monopolistic paradigms of our time. Stephen Malkmus | Traditional Techniques | Matador Studded Left | Sidewalk Vitamins | Girlgang Music Stūrī Zēvele | Labvakar | self-released An endearing indie pop manifestation of the essence of close and warm friendships. Sumac | May You Be Held | Thrill Jockey Suo and Data Rainbow | s/t | Multidim SUUNS | FICTION EP | Joyful Noise Syko Friend | Fontanelle | Post Present Medium The Drood | Totally Comfortable | self-released The High Water Marks | Ecstasy Rhymes | Minty Fresh The Microphones | The Microphones In 2020 | P.W. Elverum & Sun The Paranoyds | Pet Cemetery EP | Suicide Squeeze The White Swan | Nocturnal Transmission | CockThermos Through Flames | Through Flames | self-released Riveting, radical experiments in political poetry and sound design. TI-83 | Demo | self-released Time | These Songs Kill Fascists | Dirty Laboratory Hip-hop artist Chris “Time” Steele displays a true gift for fusing autobiography and lived experience with historical context and knowledge of political theory on this album. He’s always been a brilliant lyricist whose expert wordplay has seemingly effortlessly combined his sharp sense of humor with a wide ranging curiosity about the world and a growing body of knowledge of history, culture and politics. On These Songs Kill Fascists, Steele works with Daiba, Mick Jenkins, long time producer AwareNess, Giuseppe, Ron Miles, JXSHYB, Cat Soup and Psalm One to create a jazz-inflected story cycle commenting astutely on social issues now getting some focus. While a riveting listen purely as a well crafted album, These Songs Kill Fascists does not function as merely socially conscious entertainment, it seems to have been crafted as a form of praxis that challenges artist and listener in a dialectic of critical pedagogy that mutually encourages ongoing personal growth and social transformation. Tobacco | Hot, Wet & Sassy | Ghostly International Bright, bombastic, noisy synths paired with darkly humorous musings disrupt the album’s aesthetic of nostalgic comfort sounds. Torres | Silver Tongue | Merge Records Uniform | Shame | Sacred Bones Records Scorching and thrillingly diverse industrial hardcore inspired by noir literature. Usaisamonster | Amikwag | Yeggs Records Vivian | The Warped Glimmer | self-released Voight | s/t | self-released Maybe it’s Chase Dobson’s treatments and mixing and mastering after Adam Rojo and Nick Salmon wrote and recorded this album, but the self-titled Voight album is the closest the duo has come to sounding like it’s blurring the line between its rock and electronic aesthetics. Guitar chords burn and shimmer out, percussion flurries and traces out a minimalist beat and Salmon’s vocals float through the songs like a person who was once lost but is now rediscovering his ability to feel and to express those emotions with a coherent self-awareness. Every song has an expansive quality reminiscent of Clan of Xymox and The Twilight Sad. The tone of the album perfectly walks the line between urgency and introspection without ever compromising an underlying delicacy of spirit and emotional refinement. Wayfarer | A Romance With Violence | Profound Lore Records Wetware | Flail | Dais Recordings White Rose Motor Oil | You Can’t Kill Ghosts | self-released Windy & Carl | Allegiance and Conviction | Kranky WL | ADHD | Beacon Sound Wolf Parade | Thin Mind | Sub Pop Yves Tumor | Heaven To A Tortured Mind | Warp Records Futuristic, effervescent, downtempo, synth pop-inflected, R&B informed non-binary funk.

|Publication number||US5040179 A| |Application number||US 07/396,418| |Publication date||Aug 13, 1991| |Filing date||Aug 18, 1989| |Priority date||Aug 18, 1989| |Publication number||07396418, 396418, US 5040179 A, US 5040179A, US-A-5040179, US5040179 A, US5040179A| |Original Assignee||Loral Aerospace Corp.| |Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan| |Patent Citations (12), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (61), Classifications (5), Legal Events (7)| |External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet| The subject disclosure contains material to which a claim of copyright protection is made. The owner of the copyrighted material has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the copyrighted material as it appears in the disclosure but reserves all other rights whatsoever. This invention relates to encoding of data suited to error detection and correction, and more particularly this invention relates to encoding of data with a linear code or with selected linear cyclic codes whose generator polynomials can be factored. A primary example of a suitable code is a BCH code. A BCH (Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem) code is an example of a code which can be used for correcting error bits in input data. These and other complex and powerful codes find use in satellite communication links and the like where error correction can be employed to mitigate the effects of noise interference. Such codes, however, require complex encoding and decoding algorithms. The complex encoding and decoding algorithms have typically been implemented by special-purpose computers which perform computations in real time. As the need for very high-speed encoders has developed, the limitation of the computation technology has become apparent. Even with the most sophisticated high-speed digital logic circuits, the highest achievable data rate appears to be less than about 500 MBPS. There is nevertheless a need to develop encoders capable of supplying information in real time at rates in excess of 1 GBPS. In order to understand the complexity of the problem, a brief explanation of the background and theory of the underlying encoding scheme is helpful. Reference may be had to works such as Berlekamp, Algebraic Coding Theory, (McGraw-Hill, 1968) or Lin & Costello, Jr., Error Control Coding, (Prentice-Hall, 1983). A binary Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem code (or simply a BCH code) is a class of error detecting and error correcting codes having a code word length of N=2m -1 where each symbol has m bits. The generator polynomial g(x) is given by the form: g(x)=1+X2 +X4 +X5 +X7 +X8 +X13 +X15 +X16 +X17 +X19 +X20 +X21 +X23 +X24 for a basic code having a code word or block length of 255 bits, of which 231 bits are information bits and 24 bits are parity check bits. The minimum distance of this code is D=7. The generator polynomial is a product of the minimum polynomials M1 (x), M3 (x), and M5 (x) of the roots α, α3, and α5, as specified by the BCH code construction. The α is the primitive element of the Galois field, which in the case of this basic code is the Galois field GF(28). While the invention applies to linear error correcting codes and in specific embodiments to selected linear cyclic invariant codes whose generator polynomials can be factored, in order to simplify the explanation of the invention, the invention will be described specifically with respect to a triple-error-correcting binary BCH code. There are also special cases of BCH codes, such as Reed-Solomon codes, to which the concepts of the present invention may be applied. The inventor wishes to call attention to the following references by way of background for the present invention. Not all of the references herein cited are necessarily prior art to the present invention. ______________________________________Author U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date______________________________________Howell et al. 4,030,067 06-14-77Takezono et al. 4,064,483 12-20-77Chen et al. 4,142,174 02-27-79Berlekamp 4,162,480 07-24-79Ahamed 4,312,069 01-19-82Koga 4,468,769 08-24-84Kuki 4,502,141 02-26-85Olderdissen et al. 4,556,977 12-03-85Patterson 4,623,999 11-18-86Koga et al. 4,694,455 09-15-87Ozaki et al. 4,719,628 01-12-88______________________________________ Heretofore, virtually all BCH encoders have been based on an algorithm first described by Berlekamp, as noted in the above patent. The Berlekamp algorithm is a computation-intensive algorithm which was originally developed for relatively low-speed encoders. The first step in the encoding computations is to compute the syndrome, or in the case of a triple-error-correcting BCH code, the three syndromes, referred to as S1, S3 and S5. There may be 24 bits in the syndromes in a typical example, which are the result of computations according to 24 parity check equations. The three syndromes are the remainders after the generator polynomial is divided by the polynomials M1 (x), M3 (x) and M5 (x). The syndromes are the values which contain the information needed to identify and locate any errors, and the syndromes are usually computed by dividing the received polynomial by the minimum polynomials using feedback shift registers. Implementation of an encoder circuit at high speeds of interest, namely, greater than 500 MBPS, is extremely difficult because the propagation delay of a typical flip-flop plus the propagation delay of an EXCLUSIVE OR gate plus the setup time of the next flip-flop stage in a combinatorial logic encoder must be less than 2 nanoseconds. With currently-available commercial technology, this is possible only using expensive high-speed digital GaAs circuitry. Integrated circuits operating at speeds sufficient to support computation for data rates of greater than 1 GBPS are considered impossible to realize given the current state of the art of both digital circuitry and digital microwave techniques. Even if such circuitry were available, the current state-of-the-art techniques would require that each be individually customized, thereby essentially precluding the commercial development and large-volume availability of devices incorporating a high-speed BCH encoder. Therefore, novel technology is needed to overcome the problems inherent in computation-based encoders. The conventional technique in pattern generation for translating syndrome patterns into error locations is a two-step approach using as a first step the Berlekamp algorithm referenced above, which translates the three syndromes into three error locator polynomial coefficients, and as a second step adding an error correction word to the polynomial coefficients based on the syndromes. The use of a Read Only memory (ROM) has been suggested by Patterson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,999 in connection with the realization of BCH encoders. However, ROMs have only been suggested for use in support of specialized feedback and specialized computations of the conventional encoding method without departing substantially from the conventional encoding procedure. If all encoding computations of a 255 bit, 231 codeword (255,231) BCH code were to be stored in a Read Only Memory, the size of the memory would be 2231, or 3.4×1069 bits, which exceeds the storage capacity of the combination of all known computer memories. It is manifest that such an encoder is impractical. On the other hand, a computational system is far too slow for implementation at speeds in ranges exceeding about 500 MBPS. Howell et al. describes a decoder which has an associated encoder employing a table of stored values corresponding to complete generator matrix and a complex EXCLUSIVE-OR tree. The circuitry includes certain computational tasks. The circuitry is by subsequent comparison highly redundant and thus requires the use of an excessive amount of circuitry. Takezone is a decoder which uses cubic circuits employing Galois field arithmetic. There is no direct disclosure of encoding techniques or structures. Chen et al. discloses a decoder for decoding Reed-Solomon codes, a special class of BCH codes. It does not disclose or suggest how to generate parity information. Berlekamp '480 discloses a technique for generation of parity which teaches away from the invention as disclosed hereinafter. In the Berlekamp technique, the operation of multiplication, which is used to generate parity, is precomputed in Galois Field 25 (GF(25)) and then expressed as precomputed values in combinatorial logic, as described in Table I of the patent. Ahamed discloses serial binary division for generating parity bits. This requires a relatively long time delay to produce the desired parity values. As a consequence there is a speed limitation based on the excessive propagation delays. Koga and Koga et al. describe decoders. The only references to encoding are to the work of others, which appear to rely on direct computation of parity. Kuki describes another feedback shift register approach for generating the parity associated with a BCH code. It is slowed by its propagation through a classical feedback shift register and therefore is subject to inherent speed limitations. Olderdissen et al. describes encoding with a specialized BCH coding scheme wherein a plurality of Read Only Memory elements is employed, each of the ROMs serving unique functions. There are at least two levels of ROM-based decoding to obtain the needed parity information for encoding. The speed of the encoding process is limited by propagation time through a nibble-oriented tree structure similar to a shift register. Ozaki describes a multiple-step parity generation technique for use in encoding a BCH code. As with other prior art, there is an inherent delay due to the multiple step processing required, thereby constraining the speed of operation. It would be desirable to minimize the amount of memory required to solve the encoding problem without sacrificing speed of processing. In view of the limitations in the conventional approach to the solution of the BCH encoding problem, it is apparent that what is needed is an approach to encode BCH and like codes at speeds which are not limited by the computation apparatus or conventional memory limitations. In accordance with the invention, an encoder is provided for selected linear error correcting codes whose generator polynomials can be factored, such as a BCH code, and which uses relatively low-speed circuitry to determine syndromes. A parity matrix derived from the BCH generator matrix is provided as data to a generator vector whereby the generator vector is used as a logical shift function generator. When the logical shift function is applied to the rows of the parity matrix, columns of parity are shifted into an EXCLUSIVE-OR tree to produce the parity bit of the column. The parity bit of the column is then injected into a data stream forming the encoded symbol for transmission, attaching the parity word following the data word. In a specific embodiment, storage requirements of the parity matrix memory, which may be a Read Only Memory, are minimized, and simple shift operations are employed to speed apparent computation. The table look-up method avoids the complexity of error locating polynomials, algebraic root finders and real-time computation while reducing computation time. The apparatus may be constructed making maximum use of standard, commercially-available, relatively low-cost integrated circuits, but it is nevertheless capable of operating at speeds in excess 1 GBPS. Specifically, the invention is capable of generating code at the rate of a serial bit stream through a single bit shift register and is therefore limited only by the speed of the technology in which the shift register is realized. This invention is suitable for use in an encoder for a BCH communication system using a decoder of the type described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/265,625 filed Nov. 1, 1988 and assigned to Ford Aerospace Corporation, the assignee of the present invention. The invention can also be used in connection with other BCH or like decoders. The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of an encoder according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a first state or clock cycle. FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a second state or clock cycle. FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a third state or clock cycle. FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a fourth state or clock cycle. FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a fifth state or clock cycle. FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention at a sixth state or clock cycle. FIG. 8 is a block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention employing column/row rotation. FIG. 9 is a block diagram representing an encoder according to the invention employing a hardwired matrix. FIG. 10 is a detailed block diagram of a specific implementation of a (255,231) BCH encoder according to the invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the formatting of a 231 bit long stream of a standard 8-bit serial-to-parallel converter. Referring to FIG. 1, the encoding process, which in the past has required direct computation of the syndromes, is accomplished according to the invention by use of a syndrome generation processor (a computer program) which produces as a result a simple parity matrix whose values are stored in a Read Only Memory 12 of an encoder 10. The syndrome generation processor precomputes a standard set of values for the predefined code word format from which the parity can be computed in accordance with the invention. The ROM 12 is of the number of rows equal to the codeword size N and the number of columns equal to the number of parity bits P. Its address input is provided by a recirculating counter 14, as hereinafter explained, whose function is to "count" the P columns whereby each column is separately addressed, and its data output is fed through an AND gate array 16 to an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate tree 18. The AND gate array is equal in size to the number of bits N in the code word. The EXCLUSIVE-OR gate tree 18 consolidates the N bits by combinatorial logic into a single bit, producing as an output a serial bit stream corresponding to the parity word of the code word. The serialized parity word is fed one bit at a time into an output shift register 20 such that it is appended to the code word previously loaded into the output shift register 20 from a code word source input 22. The output shift register 20 produces as its serial output the desired encoded digital data stream with a parity word suited to be used for error correction. According to the invention, the parity word is produced by ANDing the input code word with a predetermined column of the parity matrix. For this purpose, an input shift register 124 captures the input code word from the code word source input 22 and provides a needed one word delay in propagation, and a latch 126 samples the parallel output of the input shift register 124 to provide parallel input to one input port of each of the two-input AND gates 28 in the AND gate array 16. Timing and logic control means 30 are provided to control the input clock speed, the output clock speed, and the multiplexing of the input to the output shift register 20 through a switch 32. The output clock speed is greater than the input clock speed by a ratio equal to the ratio of the differential size of the input code word and the output code with parity word. In order to understand the operation and derivation of a structure of any encoder in accordance with the invention, it is helpful to understand a portion of the mathematics applied to this invention. The invention relies on the use of the parity matrix, which is generated from the standard generator polynomial. Computation of the syndromes if in real time would be as follows. The BCH code has a characteristic H matrix describing the parity check equations which make up the syndrome calculations. Specifically, by definition: where c is the code word and HT is the transpose of the H matrix. The received code is r, which is a combination of the code word c plus a linear combination of some error e, or r=c+e. The syndrome is given by: S=rHT =cHT +eHT =eHT. Thus, the syndrome error is dependent only on the error pattern and not on the encoded information. The H matrix for the BCH code of this example is a 24-row by 255-column matrix. The first eight rows correspond to the eight bits of the first syndrome S1, the second eight rows correspond to the eight bits of the second syndrome S3, and the third eight rows correspond to the eight bits of the third syndrome S5. The first row of the matrix represents the parity check equation for the first bit of S1, the value of the first bit being given by the parity of the bit-by-bit product of the received code word and the first row of the H matrix, each of which are 255 bits long. The bit-by-bit product is the result of the Exclusive-ORing of the two. The received code word may be subdivided into sixteen-bit chunks, each of which may be processed in parallel with the corresponding sixteen-bit chunk of the corresponding row of the H matrix. After all sixteen partial parities have been computed (the 256th bit is ignored), they can be modulo-2 added to form the total parity, the result of which is the first bit of the first syndrome S1. The same process is carried out for all of the other syndrome bits. According to the invention, a parity matrix derived from the BCH generator matrix is provided as data to a generator vector whereby the generator vector is used as a logical shift function generator. When the logical shift function is applied to the rows of the parity matrix, columns of parity are shifted into an EXCLUSIVE-OR tree to produce the parity bit of the column. The parity bit of the column is then injected into a data stream forming the encoded symbol for transmission, attaching the parity word following the data word. Only the parity matrix without the identity matrix is stored such that the parity matrix is very small. For a 255 bit BCH coding scheme (255,231) which uses 24 bits of parity, only 231×24 entries are required in the parity matrix, which is 5,544 bits in size. In order to better understand the principle underlying the present invention, it is helpful to review the currently-known methods for coding a message vector and then to compare them with the present invention. The simplest way to describe standard coding techniques is to give an example of the typical matrix operations that take place to generate a coded "information plus parity" input vector. Consider a (6,3) coding scheme, consisting of 6 total bits per coded word, 3 information bits and 6-3=3 parity bits. After conventional prior analysis has been completed, a generator matrix G is defined as: ##EQU1## Given this generator matrix, consider transmission of the message m=(1 0 1). To assure that the message is transmitted error free, it is necessary to add the proper parity information to the message m prior to transmission. Thus, should an error occur during the transmission process, this permits reconstruction of the original message from the received error-ridden code word. To produce a transmittable code word u, the message m is coded with the proper parity information defined by the generator matrix G. This is achieved by performing the matrix multiply and add operations as follows. ##EQU2## The coding process is now complete and the code word u of the message m can now be sent out for transmission. In more general terms, to produce a (n,k) code word u, the message vector m, and generator matrix G, operations take the following generalized form. ##EQU3## If it is desired to produce a (255,231) code word as herein, the matrix coding operations would analogously take the following form. ##EQU4## These coding operations can be performed as described by using a microprocessor or feedback shift register, but as described above there are speed limitations to these approaches which are addressed by the present invention. As described above, a fast, convenient way to perform the coding operation is simply to store all combinations of the message vector and its associated parity equivalent in a ROM for future look up. Using the first (6,3) code word example, the lookup table is fairly tameable, i.e., the maximum probable combinations of the message word is 23 =8 and therefore the total number of combinations to store the generator/parity matrix equivalent would require 8×3 bits=24 bits of ROM. If extended to application of type intended for this invention, the (255,231) code word would require 2231 =3.45×1069 combinations of 231 bit message words and therefore requires (3.45×1069)×24 bits=8.282×1070 bits of table look up ROM. Aside from the speed issues of using e.g. CMOS technology, this is a prohibitive amount of memory that makes this approach highly impractical. In order to understand the method according to the invention, the following example is presented. Thereafter is presented a hardware implementation. According to the invention, an encoding system uses the "1's" and "0's" of the message vector m as a switching arbiter to enable the rows of a parity matrix to be "pushed out" and combined by a simple EXCLUSIVE OR function. These operations produce parity information which is concatenated to the message vector and then sent as part of the message on the communication channel. An example follows to clarify the operation. Using the same example above, FIG. 2 represents a coding system 10 having received the message vector m=101. The message vector is copied into a switch column buffer 24 along parity matrix 112. For the sake of the example, a "1" in the switch column buffer 24 implies that the same row in the parity matrix 112 will be "pushed" out by one column at a time to be evaluated by XOR gates 128, 228. A "0", conversely, disables the row pushing action and none of that particular row is sent to the XOR gates 128, 228. Specifically, the message vector m tells the switch column buffer 24 to enable the shifting outputs of rows 1 and 3 and to disable the outputs of row 2. At the same time the message vector m is loaded into switch column buffer 24, it is also loaded into shift register 20. A switch 121 is closed and a switch 122 is open. On the next clock cycle, as in FIG. 3, the first bit A having value "1" of the message vector m is sent out to the channel from the shift register 20. The switch logic pushes the first bits of the parity matrix row onto the XOR array 128, 228 but inhibits the connection for row 2. The XOR function of column 1 bits of rows 1 and 3 produces a value "0". This is the first parity bit B of the message vector m. It is loaded through the switch 121 into the shift register 20 as bit B to be sent out onto the channel following the message vector m. On the third clock cycle, as in FIG. 4, the second bit C having value "0" of the message vector m is sent from the shift register 20 out to the channel. The switch logic pushes the second bits of the parity matrix row onto the XOR array 128, 228 but continues to inhibit the propagation or connection for row 2. The XOR function of column 2 bits of rows 1 and 3 is "1". This is the second parity bit D of the message vector m, which is loaded into the shift register 20 to be sent to the channel following the message vector m. On the fourth clock cycle, as in FIG. 5, the third bit E having a value "1" of the message vector m is sent out to the channel. The switch logic pushes the third bits of the parity matrix row onto the XOR array but inhibits the connection for row 2. The XOR of bits of column 3 of rows 1 and 3 is "1". This is the third and final parity bit F of the message vector m, which is loaded into the shift register 20 to be sent out onto the channel. On the fifth clock cycle, as in FIG. 6, the first bit B of the parity word having value "0" is sent out to the channel. The switch logic of switch 122 is turned OFF so that no row pushing operation takes place while the switch column buffer 24 accepts a new arbitrary-valued message vector m=XXX. In the first position a bit G in the shift register 20 has a value X which is of no consequence to the previously-transmitted data stream. On the sixth and seventh clock cycles, and more specifically at the seventh clock cycle, as shown in FIG. 7, the last bits D and F, having respective values "1" and "1", of the parity word, stand sent out to the channel. New message bits G, J and K are stored in the shift register 20. After the seventh clock cycle, switch 122 is turned ON again and the row pushing operation is enabled to begin computing parity information for the new message vector, m=XXX. The entire process repeats itself for each successive message word thereafter. The above description provides a complete description of a representative operation according to the invention with a small number of bits. It illustrates the combining to produce the proper parity information without having to resort to massive ROM look up tables or complex buffering circuit schemes. An encoder 100 (FIG. 8) or 200 (FIG. 9) in accordance with the invention can be implemented either by rotating the generator/parity matrix columns/rows within a ROM or by hardwiring the matrix. Both embodiments are illustrated. The basic principles may also be applied for hybrid architecture implementations. FIG. 8 represents an encoder 100 following the example using the column/row rotation. In this example, a parity ROM 12 contains the 3×3=9 bits of generator/parity matrix information. A column counter (COL CTR) 14 is a n-k state generator/parity matrix counter. Upon each count the COL CTR 14 addresses the generator/parity matrix ROM 12 to present the appropriate column of matrix information at the ROM outputs. The effect is equivalent to shifting and pushing the matrix rows through the AND gate switches 28, in the AND gate and switch latch 126 combination, and onto the XOR tree 18. Upon computing the proper parity information by this technique, each parity bit is serially shifted into a parity shift register 120 until all the parity bits have been computed. Thereafter, the parity shift register 120 changes to parallel shift mode and both the parity shift register and a message shift register 220 parallel shift their contents to a parallel-to-serial converter (PtoS) 320. A serial-to-parallel converter (StoP) 420 is provided at the input to receive the incoming serial bit stream and convert it to parallel data. At the appropriate time this parallel information is loaded and held in the switch latch 126 and message shift register 220 during the parity computation. All computations take place in real time prior to the block of information comprising the next incoming data input word. When this architecture is extended to the (255,231) BCH code according to the invention, the resultant structure is a maximally fast yet compact encoder. More explicitly, the (255,231) code word design requires only (231 bit message×24 bit parity word =) 5544 bits of generator/parity matrix information to be stored in ROM. The ROM information is sequenced through 231 AND gates and latch switches and 460 column XOR gates. The residual circuitry entails a StoP and PtoS converter, a 255-bit holding latch and minimal timing components. FIG. 9 illustrates an encoder 200 according to the invention embodied in a hardwired matrix apparatus. In this configuration it is still required to store the (3×3=) 9 bits of generator/parity matrix information. However, in order to take full advantage of an encoder 200 according to the invention, the information inputs of the AND gates 28 of the switch are tied to a logical "1" or "0" corresponding to the column/row information of the generator/parity matrix. Therefore, no clocking of the ROM columns is required, and the speed at which the parity information is generated is strictly dependent upon the propagation delay of the XOR gate array. Once again, the input data stream enters through a serial to parallel converter 420. The outputs of the StoP 420 connect to the AND gates 28 which form a switch which has the equivalent of permitting or inhibiting the row information fed to the XOR array. Simultaneously, the StoP 420 outputs are latched into a message shift register 220. The parity information is thereupon computed by allowing the message word to propagate through the bank of XOR gates 18. Once the propagation is complete, the parity information is loaded into the parity shift register 120, and the contents of both the message shift register 220 and the parity shift register are shifted out to the PtoS 320. Extending this architecture to the (255,231) BCH code according to the invention requires (231×24=)5544 bits of generator/parity matrix information or 5544 AND gates, ((460 XOR gates/column)×24 parity bits)=11,040 gates, which is readily realizable in current technology. The residual circuitry entails a StoP converter and a PtoS converter, a 255-bit holding latch and minimal timing components. It is clear from both of the embodiments of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 that the (255,231) BCH code used in this fashion produces a sufficiently low gate count to allow it to be easily integrated onto silicon. A prototype of an embodiment of the invention was built of emitter coupled logic (ECL) components. A block diagram of the prototype is shown in FIG. 10. A serial to parallel converter 420 receives as input a single bit wide data stream. A timing block 421 provides an end of frame or sync pulse signal on line 422, an initial low rate input clock (for clocking the data without parity added) on line 423 and a bit-slip command signal (to account for the end of a code word which is not a multiple of the converter size, e.g., eight bits) on signal line 424. The converter 420 shifts 8 bits at a time into a first byte-oriented shift register 425. The register 425 may have its bit locations numbered 0 to 7 for the first byte up to 224 to 231 for the 29th byte. The timing block 421 provides a 1/8 frequency clock as input for an 8-bit wide shift register via signal line 425. Once the first shift register 425 has been fully loaded, the frame sync signal 422 directed to second shift register 427 and through an inverter 428 to a third shift register 429 causes alternately the second shift register 427 or the third shift register 429 to be loaded with the entire content of the first shift register 425 via 231-bit wide bus 430. Thus, either the second shift register 427 or the third shift register 429 contain an image of the content of the first shift register 425. As soon as the second or third shift register 427 or 429 is loaded, its parallel content is directed via a third bus 431 or a fourth bus 432 to a multiplexer 433 whereby one or the other of the 231-bit wide words is sent to address inputs of a ROM (Read Only Memory) 434 on a bus 435. The ROM 434 contains the data comprising the parity matrix having been precomputed according to the invention. A data output bus 436 (which is effectively 208 bits wide) is provided from the ROM 434 to a tree 18 of EXCLUSIVE-OR gates. The ROM 434 in the prototype is constructed of components which require that the output be multiplexed internally and pipelined to shift out 208 bits in three cycles into the tree 18. The output of the tree 18 is directed via an eight-bit wide bus 438 to a multiplexer 441 to either of two parallel/serial hybrid shift registers 439 and 440. The purpose of these two shift registers is to capture eight bits at a time and then to add serially any excess bits to the data group to match the desired code word length for the parity portion of the output code word. Timing from the timing block 421 controls the parallel loading of three bytes and the serial shifting to add a single bit to account for the odd code word length and the parallel output shifting in eight-bit byte-oriented groups to the shift registers 427 and 429. The bytes are propagated alternately through the second shift register 427 or the third shift register 428 to a parallel to serial converter 320 through the 255th bit, after which a single bit shift adds the 256th bit. The second and third shift registers 427 and 429 load and shift according to complementary timing based on the end of frame clock on signal line 422. This is a so-called ping pong mode of operation which speeds throughput. The first shift register 425 is optionally to be omitted where is more convenient to load input data alternately directly into the second or third shift registers 427 or 429. The entire device can be built in a custom integrated circuit, thereby eliminating the restriction to byte-oriented hardware. However, if it is further desireable to eliminate bit slipping to add odd bits, the shift register structure of FIG. 11 could be adopted. This would allow a designer to built a device which is limited only by the inherent speed limitations of the underlying technology. As is apparent for a (255,231) code, the word sizes are non-binary and therefore cumbersome to use when constructing hardware using complex byte-oriented (8-bit unit) standard components. For example, an attempt to convert data serial-to-parallel using an incoming 231-bit stream, or to convert parallel-to-serial using an output 255-bit stream becomes quite awkward when using standard 8-bit serial-to-parallel or parallel-to-serial converters, particularly due to the nondivisibility of the large word size by 8. To solve this problem, a common denominator was found for both the 231 and 255 bit streams. For example, consider an incoming 231-bit data word. The number 231 is divisible by 11, i.e. 231/11=21. This means that a 231-bit word can be represented as twenty-one 11-bit words shifted serially. Since it is preferable to use standard 8-bit serial-to-parallel converters, 8-bits must be able to divide 231 equally or it will be quite difficult to trace the beginning of each 231 bit word. Since 8×11=88 is divisible by 8 and 11, and 11 can divide into 231 evenly, a solution follows. The cost of such a solution will be 88-bits of buffering. Referring to FIG. 11, which illustrates a converter 500 constructed of 8-bit units, 8-bit parallel information is continuously fed to eleven 8-bit wide shift registers 400. Once the 11×8 shift registers 400 are full with 88-bits of incoming information, that information is immediately (flash) dumped to an eight by 11-bit wide 88-bit shift register bank 402. The Serial to Parallel converter 420 continues to load the 11×8 shift register bank 400 and the above process continues. Eventually the twenty-one 11-bit shift registers of bank 402 are filled with a full 231 bits of information. Once this occurs the 231-bit word is dumped and latched to compute the parity information as described by the techniques suggested in connection with FIG. 8 or FIG. 9. If a 255-bit output is desired, then 15 divides into 255 evenly, 255/15=17, and it is noted that 8×15=120. Therefore, to deformat back to a standard 8-bit parallel-to-serial converter, the newly coded word ((231 message bits)+(24 parity bits))=255 bits, is translated to seventeen 15-bit wide shift registers. When the last 120-bits or 8×15 bits of an eight by 15-bit wide shift register bank is full, the resultant 120 bits are dumped to a 15×8, fifteen by 8-bit wide shift register bank that can now be shifted out to a standard 8-bit parallel-to-serial converter. It should be understood that a complementary structure, augmented to accommodate the increased word size as a result of the appending of the parity, is needed in the system in order to reformat the word prior to its output to the output data channel. Although this procedure appears quite simplistic, it is vital to making the entire system feasible for use with odd code sizes, and it eliminates the need to slow down the StoP or PtoS converters which would otherwise be required to perform complex odd-sized bit slipping operations without breaking the incoming real-time bit stream. The specific embodiment of the invention as described above has been built and tested at data rates in the range of 1 GBPS. Substantially higher rates could be achieved by increasing the size of the data chunks from sixteen bits to thirty-two bits, for example. Conventional CMOS, TTL and ECL integrated circuits have been employed, with GaAs circuits used only for the serial/parallel conversions. Attached as Appendix A is the source code for a syndrome generation processor for a (255,231 BCH code. This processor is used to generate the syndrome used in the present invention. The invention has now been described with reference to specific embodiments. Other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the invention has been described with respect to a particular type of BCH code. The invention can be modified to apply to special cases of error correcting codes having similar characteristics, such as Reed-Solomon codes, which are nonbinary subsets of BCH codes. In addition, the invention applies to a wide variety of linear cyclic invariant codes whose generator polynomials can be factored. However, it is believed that less than all such codes can be decoded in accordance with selected embodiments of the invention. 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- DIRECTORY STRUCTURE - preprocess/ (text preprocessing programs) - count/ (Modify count.pl output from Text-NSP) - matrix/ - (Similarity matrix constructors) - vector/ (Represent contexts as vectors to be clustered) - svd/ (SVDPACKC interface) - clusterstopping/ (Cluster Stopping program) - evaluate/ (Evaluate the results of SenseClusters by comparing to gold standard data) - clusterlabel/ (Cluster Labeling programs) README.Toolkit - SenseClusters Toolkit directory structure with links to all program documentation This briefly describes the structure of the Toolkit directory, and gives a brief idea of what each program does. Directories are indicated with a / at the end of their name (preprocess/) while programs end with the .pl suffix. All of this is contained in the Toolkits/ directory. Note that these are organized roughly in the order in which they will be used by SenseClusters. Please review the flowcharts found in doc/Flowcharts for additional information. plain/ (processes input in plain text format) text2sval.pl - Convert simple plain text into Senseval2 format sval2/ (processes input in Senseval-2 format) balance.pl - Balances sense distribution in a Senseval-2 input file by removing some instances filter.pl - Removes instances associated with low frequency sense tags from Senseval-2 input frequency.pl - Displays frequency distribution of senses keyconvert.pl - Convert KEY file from Senseval-2 format to SenseCluster's format maketarget.pl - Create a Perl regex for the target word by spotting all <head> tags in the given file prepare_sval2.pl - Prepare Senseval-2 data for experiments preprocess.pl - Tokenize and optionally split Senseval-2 input into training and test portions sval2plain.pl - Convert a Senseval-2 input file to plain text format windower.pl - Cut a window of context W words big around a target word in a given Senseval-2 input file reduce-count.pl - Reduce the size of the Text-NSP output created with huge training data bitsimat.pl - Create a similarity matrix for given bit vectors simat.pl - Create a similarity matrix for given non-binary (integer or real) vectors nsp2regex.pl - Creates regular expressions from Text-NSP output to represent features order1vec.pl - Creates first order context vectors order2vec.pl - Creates second order context vectors wordvec.pl - Creates word vectors from Text-NSP output mat2harbo.pl - Convert matrices from SenseClusters format to Harwell-Boeing format svdpackout.pl - Reconstruct a matrix from its singular vectors as found by by SVDPACKC clusterstopping.pl - Predicts the number of clusters that a given data should be divided into. Provides three such cluster stopping measures. cluto2label.pl - Convert clustering output of Cluto to a cluster by sense confusion matrix for evaluation format_clusters.pl - Display contexts that were clustered with assigned sense id, or display senseval-2 format with assigned sense id label.pl - Assign sense tags to the discovered clusters for evaluation report.pl - Report performance in terms of the precision, recall, and F-Measure, and show a confusion matrix clusterlabeling.pl - Selects significant word-pairs from the contents/instances of the clusters and assigns them as the labels to the clusters. Also creates separate file for each cluster. Ted Pedersen, University of Minnesota, Duluth tpederse at d.umn.edu Copyright (c) 2003-2008, Ted Pedersen Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. Note: a copy of the GNU Free Documentation License is available on the web at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html and is included in this distribution as FDL.txt.

Bobbi Augustine Sand is the game designer and author of Knife Sisters, a visual novel published by Transcenders Media. In Knife Sisters, players assume the role of Leo, a non-binary twenty-something exploring BDSM relationships and the occult. Players navigate this black-and-white world by choosing who to spend time with, what kink to explore, and how to respond to new situations, all while safely negotiating power exchange and communicating consent. Bobbi and I start this interview by reviewing the basics, such as what BDSM, edgeplay, and polyamory are, where gamers can learn more about these subcultures, and how people interested in kink can find each other. We discuss the different sexual cultures of Bobbi’s native Sweden versus my own in the United States, how the game’s adult content made it difficult to market internationally, and the resulting challenges for its Kickstarter. And, of course, we talk about Knife Sisters: the different ways Leo and Mo express consent; whether Naomi would’ve chosen to be childfree; how Dagger’s rituals fit into the theme of power exchange; and what exactly Kylo Zen is. Stream the audio edition of this interview below or from iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, Mixcloud, Spoke, Overcast, acast, Pocket Casts, Castbox, TuneIn, RadioPublic, or the Internet Archive. Click past the jump for links to resources mentioned in this episode.

Lise Weil quotes Adrienne Rich: “I choose to love this time for once with all my intelligence.” This approach to loving seems to be the exact conceit of Weil’s intimate memoir. Frequent references to H.D., Virginia Woolf, Mary Daly–as well as run-ins in with Audre Lorde–work to create a robust, and sometimes surprising, portrait of the second wave feminist movement. Throughout In Search of Pure Lust, Weil is driven by this intellectual, all-in loving. In her many relationships, Weil lusts for woman not only as partners and lovers, but as poets, scholars, and visionaries. Judith Barrington’s Long Love is a collection of new and selected poems celebrating her impressive tenure as a writer. Drawing from Trying to Be an Honest Woman (1985), History and Geography (1989), as well as more recent works like Lost Lands (2008), this latest collection is anchored by Barrington’s stripped-back voice and generous poetic ear. below is a selection of our prints. for the full selection, sales, and updates on art shows visit instagram @roman.pace ~ prints are 15$ each or 5 for $50 ~ about the artist roman pace is a sapphic, non-binary artist living in the south. roman places their work within a collective conjuring of queer future. they use collage, photography, and craft to explore the relationship between madness and queerness. they are a co founding member of twiin flame art collective. reach out to them at [email protected] or check out their prints on instagram @roman.pace all art reflects the collective’s values as leftist and loving. want to connect? we love to chat with other queer artist folx! send us a message on the Contact page

Students at a UK primary school will now be told that boys can have periods too under new sex education guidance. The advice to teachers was approved by Brighton Council in a bid to tackle stigma surrounding menstruation, The Sun reports. The report states: “Trans boys and men and non-binary people may have periods”, adding “menstruation must be inclusive of ‘all genders’.” It also orders that “bins for used period products are provided in all toilets” for children and that trans pupils and students should be provided with additional support from a school nurse if needed. The council said it was “important for all genders to be able to learn and talk about menstruation together”. “Trans boys and men and non-binary people may have periods”, adding “menstruation must be inclusive of ‘all genders’.” The guidelines on tackling period poverty come just a few months after Brighton & Hove City Council issued a Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit to encourage sensitivity around student gender identity. In the toolkit, teachers are told to be responsive to the needs of all non-binary and trans children and are reminded that intentionally not using a person’s preferred name or pronoun can constitute harassment. It also recommends a non-gendered uniform so that children are supportive of all students, regardless of gender. In 2016, Brighton College was thought to be the first to change its uniform policy so that transgender pupils could wear what they like. But Tory MP David Davies told the Mail On Sunday it was “insanity” for teachers to be explaining the concept of transgender boys having periods to eight-year-olds. “Learning about periods is already a difficult subject for children that age, so to throw in the idea girls who believe they are boys also have periods will leave them completely confused,” he said. A council spokesman told The Sun: “We believe that it’s important for all genders to be able to learn and talk about menstruation together. We recommend including boys in our lessons on periods and opportunities for girls to discuss issues in more detail if needed. They added: “We are working to reduce period poverty. By encouraging effective education on menstruation and puberty we hope to reduce stigma and ensure no child or young person feels shame in asking for period products inside or outside of school if they need them. “Our approach recognises the fact that some people who have periods are trans or non-binary.” This article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission. Originally published as School teaches ‘boys can have periods too’

The family of Harry Hains has released his first posthumous single “Good Enough.”The song, released under Harry’s artist name ANTIBOY, is the first track from his forthcoming concept album A Glitch in Paradise, due out later this year. A multi-dimensional and compelling musician, actor (most noted for American Horror Story and The OA,) artist, and model, Harry didn’t define himself by the constructs surrounding us. On the heels of PRIDE and at a time when society is rising up to break down old systems of oppression and demanding equality for all, Harry’s inclusive perspective and forward-thinking vision, found at the intersection of our conversations on sexuality, gender, race and self-expression, endures because of its cultural relevance. Harry’s concept of ANTIBOY offers a portal into an age of existence where there is complete unparalleled freedom to live without preconceptions and societal labels. In a digital utopia where there is no inequality, prejudice, or toxicity, Harry (as the genderless transhuman being ANTIBOY) imagines a world in which the human mind and the bionic body merge. Harry lived this through his own identity, which was gender fluid, shapeshifting and open to interpretation just like his music. The focus on the merger of the human consciousness with artificial intelligence, of non-binary existence, and Harry’s robotic, neutral vocal delivery negates gender and labels, opening up a conversation about what the future of our species should and could be. An amalgamation of rock, electronica and gothic pop that cannot be distilled into one type of genre or emotional palette, A Glitch In Paradise explores the virtual world of ANTIBOY as he re-lives his mistakes in order to try to correct them and find happiness. But ANTIBOY experiences glitches and gets stuck in an endless loop of heartache, inspired by Harry’s relationship with then partner Mike. This is introduced in the lyrics of “Good Enough,” a track that questions being good enough for a partner and feeling incapable of moving on “You remind me how it hurts / Make me forget what I learned / Remind me how it hurts / Maybe it’s all too much / Maybe I’m not pure enough for you? / Maybe I’m not good enough for you / Maybe It’s too much force for you / You won’t tell me that you love me / Why do I try / You won’t tell me that you love me / It’s all a lie,” Harry sings gently over emo guitar chords and sparse beats. Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, Harry’s uniquely imaginative mind blossomed as a child. He created horror films on his camcorder and wrote short stories and countless poems inspired by Sylvia Plath and EE Cummings. His patch eventually led him to London for modeling and then to LA to pursue his passions for acting and music. He lived, ate and breathed music, film and art creation. For Harry, art should not be constrained to what it has been previously, just as human existence should be free to evolve. His songs are Trojan Horses packed with such revolutionary ideals. Although Harry isn’t here to speak for his creations, they speak for him, offering up the view he had for a limitless and more modernized world.

Not to be confused with polyamory, polysexuality is a sexual orientation that just might be more common than you think. By Amanda Chatel September 06, 2021 For those who don’t adhere to heteronormative, monogamous relationships, it’s a fantastic time to be alive. The notion of sexuality running the gamut is nothing new, having done so as long as human beings have been on the earth, but modern society has finally reached a place where, if you want, you can put an accurate name on any sexual orientation or gender identity. Earlier generations didn’t have the same luxury. Although such terminology has been around for a while, many labels didn’t get the representation or respect they fully deserved — take pansexual, for example, which wasn’t really known to the general public until Miley Cyrus identified as pansexual in 2015. The same can be said for polysexual, a term that was first used in the 1920s, but didn’t make it to the mainstream until 1974, when Noel Coppage wrote an article for Stereo Review in which he references David Bowie, among others, as being polysexual. At the time, Coppage lumped this term in with asexual, bisexual, and pansexual, which isn’t exactly accurate. There’s also a polysexual flag, which has three horizontal stripes of color: pink, green, and blue, going from top to bottom. So what does it mean to be polysexual, really? Here’s everything you need to know. What Does Polysexual Mean? If you’re more familiar — or only familiar — with the term “polyamory,” it might seem like it goes hand-in-hand with polysexuality, but that’s not the case. The former is a type of non-monogamous relationship orientation in which someone engages in more than one relationship, while the latter is a sexual orientation. “As with all sexual orientation and gender identity terms, the exact definition [of polysexual] may vary based on who is doing the defining and/or self-identifying,” says queer sex educator Gabrielle Kassel, co-host of Bad In Bed: The Queer Sex Education Podcast. “The prefix ‘poly’ means many or multiple. So, generally, someone who is polysexual acknowledges that they have the potential to be romantically, sexually, and/or emotionally attracted to multiple different genders.” What polysexual looks like isn’t set in stone. It differs from person to person, based on whom they’re attracted to, which is also something that can shift over time. “One polysexual person might be attracted to men, non-binary people, and genderqueer folks,” says Kassel. “While someone else might be attracted to men, women, and non-binary individuals.” (See: What It Really Means to Be Non-Binary) In other words, there’s no one way to be polysexual. Polysexual vs. Pansexual, Omnisexual, and Bisexual It can be a bit difficult to understand the difference between these terms. While they’re all sexual orientations and may share some similarities — namely, they all describe sexual orientations that mean a person is attracted to at least two genders — they’re still separate from each other. Bisexual: Bisexuals generally center their sexual orientation within a binary to their own gender and another gender, says Tiana GlittersaurusRex, polyamorous educator and activist, and co-founder of The Sex Work Survival Guide. Bisexuality can be seen as a form of polysexuality since it describes the attraction to more than one gender. Pansexual: Meanwhile, “pansexual implies sexual attraction to anyone regardless of their gender beyond the binary of male and female.” This attraction, explains Kassel, is for “people all across the gender spectrum.” For those who are pansexual, gender plays no role in their attraction to a person. Instead, they look beyond gender, finding that their attraction is based on one’s personality, their intelligence, how they see the world, their sense of humor, how they treat people, and other aspects of being a human being sharing this Earth with other human beings. Pansexuality differs from polysexuality because people who identify as polysexual may be attracted to some — but not all — gender expressions, and may factor those expressions into their attraction vs. being attracted to someone regardless of gender. (Related: The ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Moment That Made Emily Hampshire Realize She Was Pansexual) Omnisexual: Although different, omnisexual (the prefix “omni” meaning “all”), is still similar to being pansexual. Where the differences lie for these two sexual orientations is “due to the full awareness of a partner’s gender, as opposed to having gender blindness,” says GlittersaurusRex. It’s this cognizance of gender that separates pansexuality and omnisexuality most of all. And omnisexuality is different from polysexuality in that people who identify as polysexual may be attracted to multiple — but not necessarily all — genders.

International Wake Up* Retreat for Young Mindfulness Practitioners 18-35 1 – 8 July, 2022 Dear beloved young friends, We are so happy that conditions are sufficient for us to gather once more in Plum Village for time together in nature, to heal and to restore ourselves in this special retreat for young mindfulness practitioners aged 18-35. We will have a week-long retreat from 1-8 July where we we will welcome many hundreds of you, especially from Europe, to enjoy live Dharma talks, sitting meditations, walking meditations, living together joyfully, simply, and happily. There will be time for hikes, listening to one another, bonfires, and touching a spiritual dimension in our life. Please spread the word with your friends and be sure to book early as we still have to limit the number of places. We hope to see you all for this legendary gathering of our spiritual family! * The “Wake Up” movement - Teachings will be in English with French interpretation - There will be Dharma Sharing families in English, French, and Spanish - To support the stability and collective energy of mindfulness, all participants are asked to stay the full week, and only arrive and depart on the designated days: Friday 1 July and Friday 8 July. - There is an opportunity for experienced practitioners to join us and serve as volunteers supporting the retreat. Please apply here. All retreat activities will be in the Upper Hamlet (except for one day), where the monks live. The Lower Hamlet is where the nuns live and is 3km from the Upper Hamlet (a 40 minute walk). You can find more details about our accommodation and pricing here. For friends who identify as being female (limited space in the Upper Hamlet) For friends who identify as being non-binary For friends who identify as being male For couples who wish to accommodate together We ask that all couples be committed to refrain from sexual activity during the retreat. We encourage couples to stay in separate accommodation and fully offer the retreat to yourself. Keeping our Guests and our Community Safe We continue to be mindful of the situation with Covid-19 and have put in place a number of measures to ensure everybody’s safety. Please review our Health Protocols thoroughly before registering. More About this Retreat As per Wake Up Retreat tradition, there will be a half-day of sharing circles in safe spaces on topics of sexuality. To welcome the LGBTQI+ community, we offer Dharma Sharing circles with experienced facilitators to create an inclusive and safe atmosphere. We would like to ask all participants to be respectful of the peaceful and contemplative atmosphere of the monastery. This includes choosing appropriate, modest clothing, refraining from sexual activity throughout the retreat, and observing noble silence during the night. We reserve the right to require anyone who does not adhere to the retreat guidelines to leave the retreat without being reimbursed. If you are physically or mentally impaired, or have other special needs, please communicate with us in advance during registration and we will try to accommodate your as best as we can. The schedule will be slightly different from day to day but a typical day will look something like this: 5:00am: Wake Up 6:00am: Sitting Meditation (followed by Sutra Reading / Touching the Earth / Slow Walking Meditation) 9:30am: Dharma Talk / Presentation 11:30am: Walking meditation 1:30pm: Rest / Optional Guided Relaxation 3:30pm: Service Meditation/Dharma Sharing 6pm: Light dinner 8pm: Sitting Meditation/ another collective practice/ Personal study time 9.30pm: Noble Silence begins 10pm: Lights out There is often time in the early morning or late afternoon for personal exercise (eg. Yoga, Chi Gong, Tai Chi, Jogging) or, depending on the weather, group sports (football, volleyball, frisbee etc). More information about Plum Village Retreats You can find more information about visiting Plum Village for a retreat on this page. For practicalities such as transportation, arrival and departure, what to bring and what to wear, please see our practicalities page.

Hybrid Light: A Few Thoughts on the Future of Virtual Photography John Szarkowski, who was in charge of the photography department at the Museum of Modern Art from1962 to 1991, once called photography “flexible, intuitive, autographic, fast, cheap, tentative, and in some sense not yet understood, accurate.” It is the very simplicity, the very fact that most of us use photography every day, that makes it the perfectly contrasting way to try to engage with these complex virtual systems, which are otherwise only accessible by a tiny population of dedicated coders and engineers. It should be no surprise that artists are deeply intrigued and confused by these same seemingly limitless, but always limited, expanses of virtual places. What could be more natural for an artist than to leap straight into the heart of this mystifying complexity and make art about these place-systems? After all, the great populist art critic John Berger said, “We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.” (His miniseries Ways of Seeing on BBC was a touchstone for anyone trying to understand the big picture of the forces that surround art.) It’s the very complexity, the very tension between original and fake, between public and private, between mediated and real, that comes from trying to make photography in these digital systems that makes this work so vital and so interestingly relevant in a world that seems every more virtual and mediated. In an essay talking about Rian Dundon’s photography book Fan, which is a look at the Chinese movie star system, Erik Be had a fantastically radical but wonderfully simple thought, “Society is one big fandom, consisting of many smaller ones [including art!], often at odds with each other, using the others’ ‘fakeness’ as a weapon to wage their wars.” But he was very optimistic that art, especially art about subcultures, had something important to add in the midst of all this supposed fakeness precisely because, “By revealing flaws in the cultural mythology, we can find ways to create our own life’s meaning.” Whether that meaning is finding a new way forward in photography, trying to come to an understanding of the way the digital world shapes our selves and desires, or even trying to make the familiar strange and thus give those things we take for granted a new sheen of beauty, screenshot and virtual photography becomes a fertile ground for finding those liberating flaws. In my first major essay on video games, titled “Virtual Light”, one of my first big revelations was that you had to leave your preconceptions behind and approach these new photographic methods in a non-binary way. Specifically, though we’re currently exploring virtual photography as art, all of these works all exist in a broad context of other virtual images being made and disseminated for a multitude of reasons: from sharing accomplishments in video games between friends; to covers of magazines; to proof for bug reports from QA testers; to ironic memes; to gallery walls. To understand that virtual photography is used in so many different ways by so many different people is important because it ties directly into the entire history of photography. After all, the history of photography is primarily a story of exceptions, mutants, technological quirks, mistakes, and hybrids. 100 years ago most people, museums, and artists didn’t even consider any photography art. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the first commercial galleries showing photography started up, and even then color photography was considered anything but valid! The various tensions around virtual and screenshot imagery is seems like just one more step along the road of photography’s fraught story. In a weird quirk of fate, I recently finished watching the recent and fantastic BBC4 documentary Synth Britannia. It was really amazing to see many similar complaints were leveled against the early synthesizer-based bands from traditional rock critics as are currently leveled against virtual photography from traditional photography critics: fake-ness, dilettantism, lack of “real” talent, inhumanity, and lack of machismo. But those bands, such as Cabaret Voltaire, Joy Division, Human League, Throbbing Gristle, and Depeche Mode, were all ahead of the curve. They were trying to use new technology to make sense of a society that suddenly seemed both rapidly modern but also increasingly alien and hostile. Which to me seems like a fascinating analog to the way that screenshot and virtual photography are harnessing new, often less-human-seeming techniques to probe the ways we show ourselves in our intensely conflicted context in late post-industrial society. Artist Arjuna Newman’s recent article on Afro Futurist music and art in Via Publication highlighted the need for these experiments to open up new possibilities of thinking about life: “The culture of today instructs the experience of tomorrow.” My art working with video game worlds starts with a similar interest: in the ways that these virtual world systems function, specifically in relationship to photograph’s systems (art historically, optically, socially, technically) and to fandom. First, I was the last generation of photographers to learn primarily on analog gear, specifically intensive 4x5 view camera training, but I spent so much time hunched over in the darkroom that I started to get allergic to the chemistry. As someone who had primary been known for extravagant black and white printing I was spending a lot of time thinking about what it would mean to explore other ways of working with photography. Second, in 2006 I had just finished a five year photo-documentary project looking at the behind-the-scenes work that went into the early anime convention and cosplay scene, and so many of those people, who were also my friends, were getting super-involved in World of Warcraft (aka WoW). Also I was in grad school at CalArts at the time, and those lessons from Alan Sekula about the constructed landscape and New Topographics were fermenting in the back of my mind earlier lessons from JoAnn Verburg and her involvement in the Second View project that went out the American West and rephotographed the contemporary landscape using the identically replicated framing and composition from old 1800s photographers like Timothy O’Sullivan, who were basically making glorified (albeit magnificent) real estate photos. The more I watched my friends playing WoW, the more I got thinking about how curiously similar the that Azeroth (as the world in WoW is called) was both the most technologically advanced virtual world to date and almost totally designed to look like images shot on ancient cameras carried up mountains by donkeys. Both of these virtual places, the American West and Azeroth, had systems put in place that made them seem to be made for adventure, for you to sortie forth and claim fame and fortune. Not just that, but that it was built, by God or by Blizzard, for conquest, glory, and beauty. I didn’t even have an account at the time, so I borrowed my friend’s level 32 Paladin and started making landscape shots just like a would if I was using a view camera. In the earliest iterations, I would then burn the images to film and make traditional chemical-process gelatin silver prints, just like the rest of my work. The finished project was shown at night, hanging from a small grove of trees, lit by lantern (with a dram of Scotch ideally). But as I got more involved with the game, complexity of both the fandom and the games systems started spawning new ways and subjects from which to make images. Photography has seemingly always had an interest, albeit ambivalent, in making photographs of screens. Particularly in the way the screen stands in as a line of connection between larger social power and the individual (Robert Heinecken’s screen photograms, Friedlander’s televisions, Sugimoto’s theaters). But the way that these screen-spaces interact with the camera is as a layering device but also as something otherworldly, flickering, flat. But given the rise of tablets and mobile devices; the coming flood of augmented reality products; the ubiquity of micro transaction games; and the increasing access to virtual production tools poses an ever more multifaceted idea of what might constitute virtual photography. As the desktop becomes less common and the tools to make and modify virtual landscapes (like Minecraft) become commonplace, it might be worthwhile to look for other contexts and other ways of thinking about what might grow out of virtual photography and screenshots. Given that the boundary between the virtual and real will continue to get more blurred, it seems like we’ll see an ever increasing interest in the social, economic, and functional aspects of virtual systems. In fact, I would propose that many of the larger projects of the 70s and 80s of the so-called Pictures Generation and postmodern feminist artists, such as Nancy Burson’s computer composites, Sherrie s’s appropriations of other historically reified art, Cindy Sherman’s movie trope identity play, Barbara Kruger’s immersive advertising installations, or Jenny Holzer’s injection of subversive slogans into digital advertising space, all seem more relevant to the next step of virtual photography into the hybrid-mobile age than the more traditional photographic narrative. The spaces and materials these forward-thinking artists chose as their tools and medium were the very backstage systems that generated and controlled representation in both art and society. These days it feels like drawing connections between seemingly isolated or walled-off sections of culture is more radical than any extreme formalist move. Even the record label I help run, Orenda Records, has this philosophy, where the value of a record is yes, on the execution unique vision of the artist, but also equally on how that record comments on the rest of the catalog, and how it opens up new pathways to art and music that previously seemed discrete. Technology guru Seth Godin has called this a “node” based system of culture, proposing that now it’s not about how much attention you call to yourself, but how much value you add to things that pass though your node, that now determines how interesting an artist is. As a node, virtual photography seems to embrace that role. One of the biggest challenges but also advantages of making art, is that we understand how interrelated the world is. Playing games or using VR technology with a different set of criteria than the system intends radically opens up the possible range of experiences. Rather than winning or losing, finding your way or being lost, these acts of meta-exploration are liberating and enrich our experience with both the systems and reality. Special thanks to David Gilmore and Motherboard for taking an interest in my thoughts regarding screenshots which ended up prompting me to write this essay.

WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER $69, includes 2-course sit-down dinner An invitation to female storytellers of all stripes: we invite you to this intimate salon gathering in celebration of word, storytelling and conversation. Spoken word artists, writers, performers, visual storytellers, take your place at the table. In collaboration with YOKE magazine, this salon style evening encourages voice and words (spoken, written, signed, etc.) as the power behind our creative spirits. Radical and rehearsed storytellers Gabrielle Journey Jones and Vanessa Lee will guide you through the power of word and process of arriving at an individual and collective rhyme. Share your truth: what’s it like to start difficult conversations; what happens when you break silence; and what’s inside of you that you’d like to share? What’s converged in your life to bring you to this moment? All parts of you are welcomed. All women (trans, cis, etc.) and non-binary people are welcomed. TICKETS VIA SYDNEY FRINGE FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT: Accessibility information for this event: - This venue is not very wheelchair-accessible, apologies. Entry by the front door has a few steps. - There is an accessible ambulant toilet. - Seating is chairs with back support, and you’re welcome to bring additional comfort items along. - Food will be vegetarian. With specific dietary requests, contact us. - Alcohol will not be available, but you may bring your own. - First Aid will not be available on site.

Announcing the return to London of Trans*Code, the UK’s only hack event series focused solely on drawing attention to transgender issues and opportunities. Open to trans and non-binary folk, and allies; coders, designers and visionaries of all sorts, Trans*Code is inspired by the groundbreaking Trans*H4CK events created by Dr. Kortney Ziegler. The event that aims to help draw attention to transgender issues through a topic-focused hackday. Community members not currently working in technology are also encouraged to participate. If you have an idea, can code, can design, want to learn, or want to improve the situation of the trans and non-binary communities through technology, please join us. When & Where Friday 8th June, 2018 09:00 – 18:00 3 Queen Victoria Street London, EC4N 4TQ

BBZ BLK BK is showcasing a group show of recently graduated artists who identify as queer womxn, trans & non-binary people of Black Ancestry. Chosen by a panel of established artists, curators & cultural workers. Successful applicants receive an artist fee as well as install costs covered for the production of their work in the show. BBZ in collaboration with sorryyoufeeluncomfortable believes that the commitment and passion of artists who are black and queer deserves to be celebrated. Their intention is to provide a space for artists to be their fullest selves in the presentation of their work, and for audiences to view their work in a space that does not pathologize or ‘Other’ their identities. BBZ BLK BK: Alternative Graduate Show asks both what it means for the artists to identify as they do and also what the qualities of the work are beyond its Blackness and its Queerness. “BBZ BLACK BOOK”, is a new online directory of Queer Womxn, Trans Folk And Non-Binary artists of Black Ancestry. BBZ BLK BK highlights the importance of the digital space and how it has influenced this community around the world, off and online.

Devastating wildfires weren’t the only disaster that struck California during the early weeks of October. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a series of bills authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, that may turn the state into one of the fastest-growing and most-dangerous cultural cesspools in the nation — though some would argue it has already achieved this dubious honorific. Wiener, an East Coast Jewish homosexual, told SF Gate, “There are times when you introduce legislation that you ruffle some feathers. If you don’t, you aren’t doing your job.” This Wiener has been working overtime to debase the state since his election in 2015. To give you a flavor of what Wiener is about, here was the campaign ad that apparently stole the votes of San Franciscans from his Democratic rival, Chinatown machine politician with ties to a convicted pedophile, Jane Kim. The following five bills would likely be viewed as controversial among more traditional (non-liberal) Democrats — had they known about them. Fortunately for Brown, there was a mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1 and one of the worst firestorms in the state’s history on Oct. 8 to distract the mainstream media. Rather than be highlighted, local news about the unwinding of laws designed to protect children, families and communities from degenerate predators was downgraded to mere briefs. Only those who benefit from and lobby for such bills chimed in via mainstream press, leaving the impression that there’s nothing to see here, move along. Au contraire. Let’s review. Oct. 4: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ ‘Bill of Rights’ SB-219 seems innocuous at first glance. In short, it makes it unlawful for nursing homes to discriminate against people based on their sexual preference, gender identity or HIV status. Read further into the bill, however, and it becomes draconian. It also makes it “unlawful” if staff are “willfully and repeatedly failing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns after being clearly informed of the preferred name or pronouns.” That means that not using a resident’s preferred pronoun could lead to civil penalties of up to $1,000, loss of one’s professional license and up to a year in jail, according to CBN News. Oct. 5: Sanctuary State Bill SB-54 (dba “California Values Act”), simply put, bars local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration agents in the identification and capture of illegal immigrants. Police are no longer allowed to stop and question illegal immigrants about their status or share information with immigration officials. Trump vowed to de-fund California if it became a sanctuary state, but he also announced funds would be provided to help Californians affected by the wildfires. We will have to wait and see whether his threat materializes when it comes to non-emergency appropriations. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sought to cut off sanctuary cities from federal grants, but judges blocked the effort. Oct. 6: HIV Criminalization Reform SB-239 decriminalizes the act of knowingly and deceptively exposing another person to the HIV virus via unprotected sex or the donation of blood, tissue or breast milk. What was once a felony punishable by two to eight years in jail is now a misdemeanor on par with other infectious communicable diseases. It also repeals California laws that required people convicted of prostitution for the first time be tested for AIDS and increased penalties for sex workers who previously tested positive for AIDS. This bill to “modernize discriminatory HIV criminalization laws” is evil beyond the pale — but oh what a boon for the prostitution and porn industries! Oct. 6: Sex Offender Registration Act SB-384 will eventually purge California’s existing sex offender registry of 90 percent of identified sexual convicts. Pervert Justice Warriors (PJW), like this gal at Bloomberg, applauded this bill, citing a few rare instances in which the listed convict was threatened. PJWs argue we must embrace and integrate these demons into our community in order to normalize them. Damned be the children, apparently. Press reporting on this bill is full of lies and misinformation, but there were two important things they all got wrong. First, not all registered California sex offenders can be viewed online by the public. California has two registries: a limited one that the public can see via the Internet and a comprehensive one that only law enforcement sees. The one the public can see has been around for about 20 years and is run by Megan’s Law. It primarily consists of those convicted of crimes against children. The data provided includes basic identifying information, their crime and their residential area. It’s meant to allow families to make sound decisions about where to live — or even who to date, if you’re a cautious singleton. Many states have such databases in place, and most don’t limit listings to crimes related to children. In California, even those who end up on the public/Megan’s Law database can apply to be excluded from Internet disclosure. Until today, it seemed to be a moot point because the public database produced nothing but spinners for well over a week. [Convicted sex offender and San Francisco Democratic machine politician Enrique Pearce still isn’t listed in the Internet registry. Maybe he never will be.] Second, articles claim this new misnamed “Sex Offender Registration Act” (as big of a lie as the name “Affordable Care Act”) allows people to have their name removed from the law enforcement registry rather than be listed for life for some petty offense. As LGBTQ group Equality California put it, “The changes will help gay and lesbian people who were targeted by police for crimes like consensual sex among adults in a park.” Offenders can petition the court to be removed, and such petitions are granted. So the difference between the old law and new law is that registration will be tiered based on crime level. Each of the three tiers represents an arbitrary bureaucratic window of time of two to 20 years rather than based on a more personalized review. The old system approached it from the standpoint of safety for the community. The new system approaches it from the standpoint of fairness to a convicted sex felon. Oct. 15: Gender Recognition Act SB-179 allows a person to change the gender on their birth certificate to female, male or non-binary without going through process of having a doctor certify to a court that a person has undergone a physical transformation — as long as it’s not for nefarious purposes. (Right, like somebody would admit to nefarious intent.) It also instructs the motor vehicle department (DMV) to allow people to just put whatever gender they want on their state I.D. card or driver’s license. There is no fiscal appropriation for this bill; however, the DMV estimates it will cost nearly $1 million in system updates. So there you have it. What will tomorrow bring? More satanic drag queens teaching training more children, it seems. This retweet comes from the aforementioned flamus extremus PJW State Senator Wiener himself. ‘LGBT’, Satanic drag queens are teaching our children. No joke. 😮 pic.twitter.com/fRHGe1b8Gr — GRANT J. KIDNEY 🇺🇸 (@GrantJKidney) October 16, 2017 I ❤️ “satanic” drag queens. In honor of this idiot, two drag queens will be the celebrity judges at my annual children’s pumpkin carving. https://t.co/vDSfsCbuwR — Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) October 18, 2017 This article originally appeared on The New Nationalist and was republished here with permission.

Amid ambiguity, ISC, sororities examine rules for non-binary inclusivity Over the past few weeks, Dartmouth sororities and the Inter-Sorority Council have begun examining how their bylaws include or exclude non-binary students. As of now, non-binary and gender non-conforming potential new members interested in joining sororities would have to visit all eight houses during formal rush — a requirement for all PNMs — despite some house bylaws potentially restricting them from joining. Epsilon Kappa Theta president Megan Ungerman ’21 expressed concern over the implementation of this policy, asking, “How can you force someone to go to some house that they're not going to be accepted into?” ISC vice president Megan Zhou ’21 wrote in an email statement to The Dartmouth that all PNMs must attend parties at all eight sororities during the rush process, but the ISC is having “continuous conversation to try and create a fair process for everyone.” Currently, just one sorority at Dartmouth — EKT — has bylaws that explicitly accept non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals. Other sororities’ bylaws only state that they are permitted to extend membership to self-identifying women, although some of these houses may have informally allowed any non-male students to join. After a series of emails and meetings between the ISC and sorority presidents, the ISC has asked Dartmouth sororities to discuss their own house policies regarding non-binary PNMs. ISC sends mixed messages The discussion started during the first week of spring term, when Ungerman expressed concern in a survey administered by the ISC to sorority presidents about the ISC's usage of language that was not inclusive of non-binary or gender non-conforming people. For example, Ungerman said that the ISC refers to its members as “sisters” during ISC meetings. Ungerman also voiced concern to the ISC over the lack of gender-inclusive wording on a ISC slideshow presentation created for PNMs. Although the ISC’s campus-wide emails say that formal recruitment is open to anyone who is “a self-identifying woman or gender non-conforming or non-binary person,” Ungerman noted that there was no gender-inclusive language in the presentation. Ungerman’s concern sparked several conversations about the inclusion of non-binary and gender non-conforming students in formal recruitment between Office of Greek Life program coordinator Jessica Barloga, ISC president Mahalia Dalmage ’21 and Ungerman. On April 28, Dalmage emailed sorority presidents saying that “the ISC has decided to uphold the current bylaws which state that we are open to self-identifying women,” adding “these are not new bylaws, these are the ones that have always been in place.” The email did not indicate that non-binary or gender non-conforming individuals were permitted to participate in formal recruitment. Ungerman said that after the initial email, there was “worry” among some sorority presidents and members “that non-binary people woud be excluded from the ISC,” which Ungerman described as “sad” because there are already non-binary people in EKT. Dalmage’s email seemed to contradict the ISC bylaws, last amended on April 8. ISC bylaws state that “any Dartmouth undergraduate who identifies as a woman and/or gender non-conforming person may participate in Formal Recruitment, as long as the person does not self-identify as a man.” A day later, on April 29, the ISC executive board clarified its stance in a second email to sorority presidents and inclusivity chairs. The message stressed that “people who identify as gender non-binary or gender non-conforming can participate in the formal recruitment process.” Despite the conflicting stances presented in the emails, the ISC maintains there were never any changes to the ISC bylaws. Zhou acknowledged in an email statement to The Dartmouth that Dalmage’s original April 28 email “may have been confusing to some due to poor phrasing.” The second email also added that while non-binary and gender non-conforming students are welcome to participate in rush, the National Panhellenic Conference states that it aims to “promote and advance the common interest of women’s-only sororities.” The NPC is the nationwide umbrella organization that hosts Dartmouth’s chapters of Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta, Kappa Delta and Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities. The ISC wrote that consequently, despite the ISC’s inclusion of non-binary and gender non-conforming members in its bylaws, national houses at Dartmouth are “restricted to extending membership to only self-identifying women.” Local houses are not restricted by the same bylaws as national houses. According to the ISC, membership processes for local houses are at each chapter’s discretion. Bylaw confusion continues However, discrepancies in — and confusion around — ISC and individual sorority bylaws remain. Zhou wrote that houses that do not accept non-binary PNMs are not in violation of the ISC recruitment policy regarding non-binary people, as the ISC controls who can participate in recruitment, not who can be accepted into each house. That said, Zhou stated that the ISC does not want PNMs to “falsely believe membership is attainable at all houses.” She added that the ISC “cannot directly conflict or discredit existing national policies.” According to current local sorority bylaws, Chi Delta, Kappa Delta Epsilon and Sigma Delta are permitted to extend membership to self-identifying women but do not explicitly state that they are open to non-binary and gender non-conforming members. EKT extends membership to women, non-binary and gender non-conforming people. While national chapter wording varies, most include only self-identifying women. The national chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma states in its bylaws that “[e]ach chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has the final choice of its own members,” but also uses the word “women” when describing the organization. The national chapters of Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta and Kappa Delta all use the word “women” when referring to the organization members as well. Sororities consider bylaw changes As a result of Ungerman’s initial concerns and other conversations among sorority presidents and the ISC, the ISC has directed houses to have discussions about their policies around gender and membership. Gigi Gunderson ’21, president of Sigma Delt, said that “Sigma Delt has always been open to self-identifying women, gender non-binary and gender non-conforming folks, to the best of our exec board’s understanding.” Although this language is not in the official Sigma Delt constitution, Gunderson said that the house is “actively” reviewing its bylaws as a result of the ISC directive, planning discussions and aiming to vote on whether to change the language in its constitution to explicitly allow all non-male identifying individuals to join the house. Following an online form sent to its members and a house-wide Zoom discussion on the issue, KDE members are voting on whether or not to change wording in their constitution. The vote closes on Saturday. Despite conversations starting within some local houses, national sororities may remain bound by national policy. Ungerman said that since it is clearly in the ISC bylaws that gender non-conforming people are welcome to rush, all sororities should strive to do what they can to welcome non-binary students in the future. Ungerman acknowledged that “there are real concerns” with the national chapters having to abide by national policies, but said that the ISC should not “hide behind this idea that it’s the national chapters that won’t let [Greek life] be inclusive.” President of local sorority Chi Delt Isabella Frohlich ’21 declined to comment on the issue, citing ongoing conversations within the house. The president of local sorority KDE Jada Brown ’21, as well as the presidents of national sororities — APhi president Bruna Decerega ’21, AXiD president Hayley Divers ’21, Kappa president Caroline Smith ’21 and KD president Svetlana Riguera ’21 — did not respond to multiple requests for comment. As of now, non-binary and gender non-conforming students interested in joining sororities will have to visit all eight houses should formal recruitment occur normally this fall, despite some house bylaws potentially restricting them from joining. While acknowledging the complexity of the issue, Ungerman stressed that it is likely that anyone who opts to go through the rush process “feels like they belong in a sorority.” Ungerman added that having non-binary people go through a different rush process as a result of certain houses not being open to them might be “othering.” Ungerman emphasized the importance of having conversations about gender inclusivity within houses and throughout the ISC in order to work towards creating a more inclusive environment. “When you humanize the problem, it’s not as big as a problem as some people are making it,” Ungerman said. Zhou wrote that the ISC “encourages houses to have these important conversations as soon as possible.” Alumni reflect on Greek life inclusivity Although the topic has come to the forefront this term, gender inclusivity in Dartmouth’s sororities has been an issue for decades. Valerie Price ’88 founded Alpha Beta — a sorority which no longer exists at the College — while at Dartmouth. She said that “the vocabulary used to define people’s gender was not even in existence” when most national sororities formed, adding that it is “strange” and unreasonable that people would rely on bylaws that could have been written at a time when gender inclusion was not a well-known issue. When Dartmouth informed Price after 15 months that Alpha Beta had to affiliate with a national chapter in order to stay recognized and get funding, Price said that Alpha Beta affiliated with the national sorority Delta Gamma because it was the “least racist,” though “still not that great.” Although she noted that there were often things in bylaws that she didn’t agree with, the College did not allow any local sororities at the time, despite several local fraternities existing, essentially forcing sororities to comply with national rules. President of Dartmouth’s LGBTQIA+ alumni association D-GALA Mel Pastuck ’11 acknowledged the importance of female-dominated environments, but she said that she would “challenge [the ISC and sororities] to open their minds” to ask where non-binary people might find community. She said that if by finding their own community, sorority members dismiss others trying to do the same, it is like “the pot calling the kettle black.” Pastuck said that being involved in a sorority at Dartmouth helped her “challenge and explore [gender roles] rather than affirm them.” She said that welcoming non-binary people creates an “environment that is truly open and can explore what gender roles mean.” A former Sigma Delt and OPAL student intern for the LGBTQ community, Pastuck said that while sororities typically “propagate traditional gender roles,” her experience with a diversity of views at Sigma Delt “helped people write their own story about what it means to be female identified.” Over the decades, some sororities have chosen to “go local” and disaffiliate from their national chapters, often due to disagreements between local members and the national chapter. Sigma Delt — the first sorority to go local in 1988 — went local because “[s]isters and alumnae felt there were irreconcilable differences between the Dartmouth chapter and Sigma Kappa National, specifically religion in rituals and an emphasis on men in National songs and overall attitudes,” according to its website. Amanda Rosemblum ’07, co-vice president of D-GALA, encouraged sororities restricted by national chapter rules to go local. “If national sororities are limiting what the students want to do on campus, those students should be creating local chapters,” Rosenblum said, adding that EKT — of which she was a member as an undergraduate — did so nearly 30 years ago. Rosemblum said that she found it “pretty shocking that these are still conversations” 15 years after her time at Dartmouth. Correction appended (May 15, 2020): A previous version of this article stated that Ungerman raised concerns about language used in an PNM powerpoint through a survey administered by the ISC. The article has been updated to reflect that Ungerman’s concerns about the PNM powerpoint came after the ISC survey was administered. A previous version of this article also quoted Ungerman as saying that national chapters should not “hide behind this idea that it’s the national chapters that won’t let [Greek life] be inclusive.” The article has been updated to reflect that Ungerman was referring to the ISC, not national chapters. Correction appended (Nov. 16, 2020): A previous version of this article indicated that Price is a member of the Class of 1987. The article has been updated to reflect that she is a member of the Class of 1988.

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People who learn they are autistic when they are younger may have a heightened quality of life and sense of well-being in adulthood. That’s the finding of a new study, which also found that those who learned of their autism as adults reported more positive emotions (especially relief) about autism when first learning they were autistic. Findings suggest that telling a child that they are autistic at a younger age empowers them by providing access to support and a foundation for self-understanding that helps them thrive later in life. For the first time, researchers directly investigated whether learning if one is autistic at a younger age is associated with better adult outcomes. Many autistic people — particularly females, ethnic/racial minorities and people with limited resources — are diagnosed years after the characteristics are first noticed. In many cases, autistic people do not receive their diagnosis until adulthood. The study was carried out by a team of autistic and non-autistic students and academic researchers. Seventy-eight autistic university students were surveyed, sharing how they found out they were autistic and how they felt about their diagnosis. Respondents also revealed how they felt about their lives and being autistic now. One of the co-authors, Dr Steven Kapp, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Portsmouth, was diagnosed with and informed of his autism aged 13. He said: “Students who learned they were autistic when they were younger felt happier about their lives than people who were diagnosed at an older age. Our study shows that it is probably best to tell people they are autistic as soon as possible in a balanced, personal, and developmentally appropriate way. Learning one is autistic can be empowering because it helps people understand themselves and also helps them connect with other people like them.” However, being given a diagnosis as an adult can often also be empowering. Dr Kapp said: “Learning about autism at an older age is associated with more positive emotions about a diagnosis — especially relief. This finding makes sense, although emotional reactions are often very complex and unique to each person — there has been a lot of emerging research showing that relief is a common response to an autism diagnosis in adulthood.” The study suggests that parents should not wait for children to become adults to tell them they are autistic. No participants recommended doing so, although most highlighted factors to consider when informing a child of their autism, including developmental level, support needs, curiosity, and personality. Findings also suggest that parents should tell their children they are autistic in ways that help them understand and feel good about who they are. One participant said: “I would tell my child that autism is a different way of thinking, that it can be challenging and beautiful and powerful and exhausting and impactful, that autistic people deserve to be themselves, to be proud of their identity, and have supports that help them meet their needs.” Bella Kofner, co-lead author (24), who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 and informed of her autism at the age of 10, said: “This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that learning at a young age that one is autistic may have positive impacts on emotional health among autistic university students. Hopefully, this finding may begin to address concerns parents have about when to talk to their child about autism. ‘When’ the conversation begins is particularly important. Our findings suggest that learning at a younger age that one is autistic can help autistic people develop self-understanding and access support, providing the foundations for well-being in adulthood.” The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Autism, suggest that many aspects of identity, besides age, may contribute to how people respond to learning they are autistic. For example, more exploratory findings suggested that women and non-binary people responded more positively to first learning they were autistic than men did. The authors hope that future research will examine autistic identity development in autistic people who have often been overlooked, such as non-speaking autistic people and autistic people who are multiply marginalized. This paper was a collaboration between the following people: - Tomisin Oredipe (the manuscript was adapted from her honors thesis), Bella Kofner, Dr Ariana Riccio (study data was collected for her dissertation), and Dr Kristen Gillespie-Lynch, College of Staten Island &/or The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, USA - Dr Eilidh Cage, University of Stirling, UK - Dr Jonathan Vincent, York St John University, UK - Dr Steven Kapp, University of Portsmouth, UK - Patrick Dwyer, University of California, Davis, USA

If you are standing in line at the grocery store, you may find yourself face to face with the covers of popular romance novels. Odds are, the characters on the covers of those grocery-store books and the authors who penned them are all white. But if you take the time to look more deeply and more expansively in the romance genre, you will quickly discover a whole of literature from authors of color and novels starring characters of color. “I wanted to put a book together that would be a timeless resource for survivors,” says Lisa Factora-Borchers, editor of new collection Dear Sister: Letters from Survivors of Sexual Violence (AK Press). “It’s not a book about trauma, it’s not a book about all the moving pieces of rape. It’s letters about survival.” For the week around Valentine’s Day, writer Jessica Luther is writing a series of three articles about gender, race, and sexuality in romance novels. This is the first article in the series. Romance novels are incredibly popular. Millions of people—mainly women—read them each year, generating billions of dollars in sales annually. Romance novels are the largest share of the fiction market. And the vast majority of these novels feature white, heterosexual, typically thin, not poor, educated, able-bodied protagonists. But there is an exciting thing happening in romance these days: if you know where to look, you can find are a wide variety of novels that feature people of color, queer relationships, fat characters, and/or protagonists with blue-collar jobs. Did you know the American Library Association has a Feminist Task Force? Of course they do. Each year, a group of people from this task force undertake a mission called the Amelia Bloomer Project where they name the best feminist books of the year for young readers. Brooklyn-based literary magazine n+1 has a small new book out this month that chronicles 13 smart women talking about literature. The slim No Regretsis a set of three transcribed roundtable discussions with 12 participants (all writers, editors, activists, artists, and academics) and moderator Dayna Tortorici about what the women recall from their lives and reading lists in their early twenties. Read an excerpt from No Regrets about trying to read On the Road and other dude-centric books. The literary world gained a valuable new addition last week with the launch of new literary journal THEM, which focuses on the work of transgender writers. Debuting on December 13, THEM proclaims itself to be the nation's first literary journal to specifically focus on trans* voices. While there arenumerous literary journals that highlight LGBT issues and writers, and a couple trans*-focusedanthologies, THEM is the first American journal that publishes only the work of people who identify as "within the trans* umbrella" (using the term "trans*" with the asterisk to include who have non-binary transgender identities). The volunteer-run biannual journal features writers from around the country, seeking to create a space that amplifies trans* voices. Grown women, if Tavi Gevinson makes you feel old and unproductive, take solace in the fact that you're not alone. The now–17-year-old founder and editor of teen-girl website Rookie has been an industry force since she started her fashion blog, Style Rookie, at the wee age of 11. Since then, Gevinson has mashed up her interest in style with Rookie's focus on friends, on feminism, on nostalgia, on culture, and on all manner of interests that, while targeted at a teen demographic, resonate soundly across the board. The second edition of the Rookie Yearbook(which Gevinson edits and art directs) was recently published by Drawn and Quarterly, so this fall has found her on the road for a series of standing-room-only events across this Rookie-loving nation. Gevinson also found time to make her acting debut, in Nicole Holofcener's Enough Said—notable not only for Gevinson's lovely, natural performance alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but for being one of James Gandolfini's final film appearances. Somehow, Gevinson manages to live a relatively regular life as a high-school senior, and last month, I met up with her for a post-class snack at a vegan restaurant in her home of Oak Park, Illinois. On Sunday, November 17th, the British author Doris Lessing died in her home in London at age 94. Lessing’s writing and life were exemplary—she held herself and society to a high standard—and if you were searching for a woman writer who might serve as a role model, you certainly could do much worse. Lessing was a writer who refused to let others define her, and insisted (much earlier than most) that women’s inequality was part of a larger, all-encompassing problem of inequality in the world. She is one of only 13 women who have ever received the Nobel Prize for literature.

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|Dear friends, | We thought you would like to know about the Wages for Housework 50th anniversary three events this week. WinVisible will be joining the celebrations! Info from the Global Women’s Strike: Celebrating 50 years of campaigning to put unwaged caring work on the agenda: isn’t it time for a care income? Throughout 2022, the International Wages for Housework Campaign (WFH) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a programme of events online and in person. They will showcase organising done in different countries, evaluate what this has achieved and launch their archives. WFH Campaign founder, Selma James, who will be 92 this year, and her colleagues based at Crossroads Women’s Centre in London and in other countries, are available for interview. For information contact: Anne Neale: 020 7482 2496 Email: [email protected] THREE EVENTS IN MARCH Image: black-and-white photos of Selma and Margaret speaking passionately · Thursday 24 March 2022, 6pm (Zoom online): Selma James and Margaret Prescod in conversation. Prescod co-founded Black Women for Wages for Housework and is with Women of Colour GWS. Originally from Barbados, she is an award-winning journalist with Pacifica Radio. More information and registration here Live captions. Image: Women holding a Global Women’s Strike Care Income banner in a crowd of people demonstrating · Friday 25 March, 2pm (Zoom online): Empowering Women with a Care Income for People and Planet, UN Commission on the Status of Women. More information and registration here. Auto-captions. Image: black-and-white photo of a woman outside the first Women’s Centre shopfront. Magazine cover of Power of Women, drawing of a Black woman nurse with her arms folded. · Sunday 27 March 2-5pm: (in person): WFH Archives: Moving Forward by Looking Back, Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate London EC2M 4QH. Info here. Clocks go forward one hour on Sunday morning, so it may be starting earlier than you expect 😊 Access: https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/visit/access-info-and-facilities Parking is very limited around Liverpool St Station red route. If Brushfield St Blue Badge bays are full, more spaces further away at 3-6 Steward St, London E1 6FQ via Commercial St. Contact us if you need more info. The first event of WFH’s 50th anniversary was on 8 March—an international survey, What Mothers and Caregivers Want, with speakers from 13 countries. More information here. Selma James put forward wages for housework for the first time in March 1972 at the second women’s liberation conference in Manchester. Since then, she has been a point of reference for a global network campaigning from the perspective of unwaged women who, with their biological and caring work, reproduce the whole human race—whatever else they do. This work goes on almost unnoticed everywhere, in every culture. It is not prioritised economically, politically, or socially, and women are discriminated against and impoverished for doing it. The WFH Campaign continues to organise in the UK and internationally. Since 2000, it coordinates the Global Women’s Strike (GWS) which has coordinating groups in Canada, India, Ireland, Peru, Thailand, UK and US. The autonomous groups which formed within WFH—of women of colour, queer women, sex workers, women with disabilities, single mothers—have worked to ensure that antisexism, antiracism and anti every discrimination are central to all WFH/GWS does. The network of men who share this perspective is integral to this campaigning. The consistent work of the WFH Campaign and the GWS in a number of countries has spearheaded a movement to put unwaged work—in the home, on the land, in the community and for the planet —on the international agenda, including: · coined the word “unwaged” to describe the caring work women do; popularised “every mother is a working mother” and “women count, count women’s work” · popularised the 1980 ILO figure that “women do 2/3 of the world’s work for 5% of the income and 1% of the assets” · United Nations decision to measure and value women’s unwaged work in national accounts at the Decade for Women conference in Nairobi (1985), confirmed and expanded at the follow up conference in Beijing (1995) · time use surveys and legislation in several countries court decisions that recognise the unwaged contribution of women to the family; industrial tribunal rulings against wage discrimination based on caring responsibilities · recognition that there is one continuum between the care and protection of people and of the planet—the care income proposed by the Green New Deal for Europe prioritises both · guaranteed income proposals in a number of countries referencing time to care; waged workers winning time off to care · public debate on the “caring crisis” triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic RECENT RECOGNITION FOR SELMA JAMES Selma James received the Sheila McKechnie long-term achievement award for 2021. On 8 March 2022, City of Women London launched by Reni-Eddo Lodge, Rebecca Solnit and Emma Watson, renamed London’s underground stations after women or non-binary people who had shaped the city. Selma James was chosen to represent Kentish Town—the station closest to the Crossroads Women’s Centre where she and the WFH Campaign are based. PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE Sex, Race, and Class: The Perspective of Winning—A Selection of Writings 1952-2011, Selma James, PM Press (Oakland, 2012) Our Time is Now: Sex, Race, Class, and Caring for People and Planet, Selma James, PM Press (Oakland, 2021) Black Women Bringing It All Back Home, Margaret Prescod co-author, Falling Wall Press (Bristol, 1980) For other publications by James and others see: https://crossroadsbooksonline.net/ “As the planet burns and pandemics rage, Selma James’s work with the Wages for Housework movement shows that we ignore the labor of care at our own peril…If there ever were a moment for James’s feminist vision, surely it is now.” Emily Callaci, Boston Review “Written in James’s characteristically accessible, whip-smart and defiant voice, this collection is an important resource for anyone interested in organising for social change.” Dr Julia Downes, LSE Review of Books “Today, ‘intersectional feminism’ is a buzzword, and the value of caring is in the spotlight thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. But before that, James and her fellow activists were prominent campaigners for the rights of sex workers, lesbians, women of color, immigrants, asylum seekers, rape survivors, and working-class people, viewing all these as part of the same struggle.” Leila Hawkins, Yes Magazine About Black Women Bringing It All Back Home: “So many apparently unrelated aspects of women’s lives are brought together in a powerful analysis. A fascinating book.” New Approaches in Multi-Racial Education ILO, Women at Work (1978/1) “The remunerated and, in particular, the unremunerated contributions of women to all aspects and sectors of development should be recognized, and appropriate efforts should be made to measure and reflect these contributions in national accounts and economic statistics and in the gross national product. Concrete steps should be taken to quantify the unremunerated contribution of women to agriculture, food production, reproduction and household activities.” Paragraph 120, Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, United Nations, 26 July 1985, http://www.un-documents.net/nfl-2.htm “(i) Conduct regular time-use studies to measure, in quantitative terms, unremunerated work, including recording those activities that are performed simultaneously with remunerated or other unremunerated activities; “(ii) Measure, in quantitative terms, unremunerated work that is outside national accounts and work to improve methods to assess its value, and accurately reflect its value in satellite or other official accounts that are separate from but consistent with core national accounts;” Paragraph 206, Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Women, September 1995. https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/CSW Trinidad and Tobago, spearheaded by the WFH Campaign there, was the first country to pass legislation: the Counting Unremunerated Work (2) Bill, 1995, was introduced by Senator Diana Mahabir-Wyatt. http://www.ttparliament.org/publications.php?id=398&mid=28 The 1999 Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela includes Paragraph 88, “The State recognizes work at home as an economic activity that creates added value and produces welfare and wealth. Housewives are entitled to Social Security in accordance with the law.” https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Venezuela_2009.pdf In the US, the Unremunerated Work Act introduced by Representative Barbara-Rose Collins, October 24, 1991, was followed by time use surveys: History: Handbook of Methods: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) In Ireland, the GWS has been urging successfully for Article 41.2 of the Constitution to be reworded not deleted so the recognition of caring work in the home remains and is expanded. Invisibility would undermine carers’ struggle for equity (irishtimes.com) “Time to Care”, Oxfam 2020 https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/time-care https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/value-of-homemakers-work-same-as-hubbys-at-office-sc/articleshow/80125241.cms; Find out why housewives in Kenya might start getting paid | Pulselive Kenya In 2014, a Sheehy Skeffington equality tribunal ruling noted that academic women applicants for promotion at NUIG seemed to be disadvantaged when they declared their caring responsibilities. “Open Letter to Governments: A Care Income Now!”, issued by GWS and Women of Colour GWS with the Green New Deal for Europe, 27 March 2020: https://globalwomenstrike.net/open-letter-to-governments-a-care-income-now/

The relationship between the American church and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people has all too often been rocky, and conflict is inflamed by opposition by churches and Christian political institutions to equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. Opposition to equal rights for LGBTQ Americans is based on the belief among many Christian traditions, denominations, and sects that homosexuality and transgender identity are morally wrong, based on how they interpret a handful of Bible verses. In Part II of a two-part series, Jaye focuses on the non-affirming position of many Christian institutions as it relates to gender identity. She makes the argument that while the non-affirming position on homosexuality is not conclusively supported by the Bible, non-affirming stances in regards to gender identity have even *less* biblical support. These positions also tend to conflate sex and gender, as well as sexual orientation and gender identity. Jaye discusses the immense harm done to transgender and non-binary people by non-affirming positions, many of which are grossly misinformed. CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of transphobia, anti-LGBTQ bigotry and violence, depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

One of the best feminists podcasts, multiple award winner About Masala Podcast Masala Podcast is a show for South Asian women, where we talk about all those things that we’re NOT supposed to talk about in our culture. • Themes include: sex, sexuality, body shaming, periods, menopause, mental health, nipple hair, shame, sexual harassment and many more taboos. • Interviews with burlesque dancers, drag queens, mental health specialists, erotic novel lovers, acclaimed writers as well as queer & non-binary actors. • And personal stories from Sangeeta Pillai, about growing up as a South Asian womxn. We got our chuddies in a twist! Masala Podcast was nominated for two British Podcast Awards 2020. Best New Podcast. Best Sex& Relationships Podcast. And we won silver in the ‘Best Sex & Relationships Podcast‘ category. Cue dupattas flying in the air…

O'Reilly believes strongly in the value of increasing diversity at our conferences and creating a productive and inclusive environment for all participants. To support diversity in the tech community, we're raising funds to send to Techtonica while Velocity registration is open, a nonprofit that offers low-income women and non-binary adults free tech training, along with living and childcare stipends, then places them in positions at sponsoring companies that are ready to support more diverse teams. We ask that you join us in supporting this worthy organization by making a donation when you sign up. O'Reilly will match those donations at the end of the conference. We wouldn't usually make a financial contribution selected by default, but we hope this underscores how crucial we think it is to support diversity. Thank you for considering this project. We welcome your thoughts about this or other successful diversity efforts you've encountered. Send suggestions, comments, and feedback to [email protected]. Tech insight, analysis, and research ©2017, O'Reilly Media, Inc. • (800) 889-8969 or (707) 827-7019 • Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm PT • All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on oreilly.com are the property of their respective owners. • [email protected]

The Scottish Civil Service is pushing a range of controversial Stonewall policies, a freedom of information (FOI) response has revealed. A number of new policies have been introduced in the last few years, as the Civil Service has applied for a place on Stonewall’s ‘Diversity Champions Index’. These include a compulsory “Diversity Objective” for all staff to make the Scottish Government “a more diverse and inclusive place to work”, training on “intersectionality” and “unconscious bias”, and the use of gender-neutral language. In the FOI response, the Civil Service said that most of its policies “were updated to increase inclusion of gender identities and same-sex couples because we believe firmly that it matters that our policies are explicit about everyone’s entitlement to use them”. The paternity leave policy was one of those amended to remove reference to male and female colleagues, and changed terminology from “adoptive father” to “adoptive parent”. The documents also state that ‘non-binary’ employees should be able to use the title ‘Mx’. The Civil Service said it intends to revise its transgender and non-binary policies, part of which would involve collaborating with Stonewall Scotland and the Scottish Trans Alliance to draw up HR guidance for the Scottish Government. It is also intended that guidance for members of staff who have a child who is transitioning or who identifies as non-binary will be co-produced by controversial lobby group Mermaids. The Civil Service added there would be a ‘communications and engagement plan’ “to ensure knowledge of the policy and accompanying parental guidance is widespread throughout the organisation”. Commenting on the policies, Simon Calvert, Deputy Director for Public Affairs at The Christian Institute, said: “The extent of Stonewall’s influence on the Civil Service is alarming, particularly given the controversial nature of some of its political aims. “Stonewall’s stance on trans issues is strongly opposed by women’s organisations, medics and faith groups. Yet, the Civil Service appears to endorse it wholesale. How does this fit with the Service’s duty to remain politically impartial?” He continued: “Staff are encouraged to attend training sessions on ‘intersectionality’ and ‘unconscious bias’. These controversial ideas are disputed in wider society. So it’s concerning that they are written into the training schedule for Civil Service employees. “The compulsory ‘Diversity Objective’ also raises questions. What happens to staff members who hold religious beliefs about marriage, gender or sexuality which differ from those championed by Stonewall? Are they marked down? This could constitute direct discrimination on the grounds of religious belief.”

Our Project Coordinator Janneke has written a powerful piece for us this Mental Health Awareness Week, which we have published below with her permission.Read More Articles in Blog Posts - Mental Health Awareness Week: Janneke’s Testimony - Back in the Saddle – Update 26 - Moving Ahead With The Attitudes And Hate Crime Project - Disabled People on Transgender Day of Visibility 2022 - Back in the Saddle – Update 25 - Back in the Saddle – Update 24 - Back in the Saddle – Update 23 - A busy week of Fair4All Card applications - Back in the Saddle – Update 22 - Back in the Saddle – Update 21 It’s taken me a while, but I have now reached Loch Ness! Only 251km left of my mammoth exercise bike challenge, covering the virtual route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. Even better is that I’m now actually very slightly ahead of schedule to get to the finish before the new end date I set back in January.Read More Transgender Day of Visibility 2022 One of our volunteers has written about five disabled transgender and non-binary people for this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility. They talk about what it’s like trying to find role models as a non-binary and disabled person, especially on days like this. Today I have managed to reach Edinburgh Castle on my exercise bike challenge – pedalling the equivalent distance of the route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. I’m nearly 3/4 of the way through too, and it feels like I might actually be able to achieve this goal. I never envisaged, when I started on 24 January 2021, that I would still be slowly pedalling away as we approach April 2022! However, I am still going, that blue ‘distance completed’ line is gradually getting longer and I will get there eventually. Every turn of the pedals gets me a tiny bit closer to the finish.Read More I am really getting there – I’ve now achieved 2 pretty monumental targets on my virtual exercise bike challenge, pedalling the equivalent distance of the route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. I am 2/3 of the way through the journey AND I’ve reached the England / Scotland border!Read More On Monday I reached the next checkpoint at Hadrian’s Wall, on my exercise bike challenge (covering the distance from Land’s End to John o’Groats). The route from Bradford took me through Penrith. Strange to think that in 2013 we actually cycled through there in real life on our family holiday cycling the Coast2Coast route. I remember cycling through there very well because there was a very steep hill. I’m glad I don’t have to tackle all those hills on my exercise bike! Life has changed a lot since 2013, but positivity, amazing family and friends along with determination are keeping me going.Read More Cary talks about running the applications for a week I’ve had a busy week sorting out Fair4All Card applications, so I wanted to take some time to talk to you about what I’ve been doing. Last week was a bit strange as most of our team were absent for one reason or another, which meant that I had a lot of applications to keep going. I had to pick up some from part way through, and I had to take others through the entire process. But what is that process? Read on to find out. Today marks the anniversary of when I first started my virtual attempt to cycle the equivalent distance of a route from Land’s End to John o’Groats. When I set off, this time last year, I thought I’d be completing about 5km a day and that I’d be able to complete the distance in round about a year. Due to a major Chronic Fatigue flare, which started in March, 2021 really didn’t pan out the way I had envisaged. However, I am proud to say that despite everything, I have managed to get on the exercise bike every single day. Some days I only managed to pedal 0.25km but even these tiny distances add up and they each got me bit further along the route. The youngest woman to climb both sides of Mount Everest and also ski solo to the South Pole, Mollie Hughes, said a great thing in an interview recently. It was something along the lines of, when you are doing a challenge, it’s not about aiming to reach the goal, it’s about achieving the best you can each day. I wholeheartedly agree with that.Read More I’ve made it one final checkpoint before my original predicted finish date for my Back in the Saddle exercise bike challenge. I am now in the Yorkshire Dales National Park! It’s a very long way to the next checkpoint at Hadrian’s Wall – 170km to be precise. Might take me a while to get there I think, even if I do keep managing to do 4-5km a day. Something between 34 and 42 days I reckon. Lots of pedaling to do.Read More

A transgender teenager was murdered in Texas County, Missouri, in a horrifying case in which four have been arrested and charged. This is believed to be at least the 21st murder of a transgender person this year in the United States alone. The body of 17 year-old Ally Steinfeld was found over the weekend, after a frantic search by her family that began earlier this month when she went missing. Her remains were discovered near a mobile home 24 year-old Briana Calderas. Calderas has been arrested for the murder, along with Isis Schauer and Andrew Vrba, both 18. All three have been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse. In addition, a fourth suspect, James T. Grigsby, has been arrested and charged with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Steinfeld was last seen with Calderas, Schauer, and Vrba, and the family felt they were lying when they claimed not to know anything concerning her whereabouts. Police obtained a search warrant to look through Schauer’s phone, finding Facebook messages from Vrba telling her to “stick to the story” and “quit talking.” Vrba admitted to police that he stabbed Steinfeld repeatedly, after first attempting to poison her, but offered no motive. He said he, Schauer, and Calderas then burned her body, and placed some of the bones into a garbage bag, placing it in a chicken coop near the residence. Schauer and Calderas said Vrba told them he also gouged out her eyes and stabbed her genitals repeatedly. Calderas admitted Steinfeld was killed at her home and that she helped burn her body. She led police to the knife used in the murder, as well as to Steinfeld’s phone. Local authorities have so far refused to label the killing a hate crime, saying the motivation wasn’t Steinfeld’s gender identity. They refused to release a motive that could support such an rage-filled and vicious attack that wasn’t motivated by emotion. “I would say murder in the first-degree is all that matters,” Sheriff James Sigman told the New York Post. “That is a hate crime in itself.” Transgender woman Derricka Brown was murdered earlier this month in Charlotte by a man she met up with for a sexual encounter. More recently, non-binary student Scout Schultz was shot and killed by police at Georgia Tech while holding a closed pocketknife and telling them to shoot. It has since been discovered that the officer who shot and killed Schultz had not received crisis intervention training.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The number of lesbian, gay and transgender characters on U.S. television shows have reached record highs, and campaign group GLAAD said on Thursday that their stories were more important than ever given moves in the United States to roll back LGBT acceptance. In it annual report on diversity on the small screen, GLAAD found 329 regular and recurring LGBTQ characters across all broadcast, cable and streaming TV platforms, including the first asexual and non-binary characters. GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said TV was a critical place for the portrayal of LGBTQ characters and their lives. “At a time when the Trump administration is trying to render LGBTQ people invisible, representing LGBTQ people in all of our diversity in scripted TV programs is an essential counterbalance that gives LGBTQ people stories to relate to,” Ellis said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump in July announced he would ban transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. The White House has revoked guidance on letting transgender students use the bathroom of their choice in public schools, and Trump’s administration has said that federal law does not ban discrimination against gay employees. The GLAAD report found that LGBTQ regulars on the main U.S. broadcast channels in TV shows like “Riverdale,” “Empire” “Designated Survivor” made up 6.5 percent of all characters, making the highest percentage in 22 years of GLAAD tracking. Netflix’s dark comedy “Bojack Horseman” and Freeform’s supernatural “Shadowhunters” brought audiences the first asexual characters on television. Showtime financial drama “Billions,” Netflix and Family Channel teen drama “Degrassi: The Next Class” and Spike TV’s comedy “Heathers” all feature non-binary characters, a term used to describe those who experience their gender identity falling outside the categories of man and woman, the GLAAD report said. The emergence of new stories reflects the real world, GLAAD said, citing its own research which found that 20 percent of 18-34 year olds identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning. The GLAAD report examined original scripted series airing or which were expected to air in primetime between June 1, 2016 and May 31, 2017. Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by David Gregorio

Building Resilience In The Quake Of Adversity 03/25/2022 • 3:00PM - 3:45PM EST • Workshop Room 1 Simply Speaks is a non-binary trans speaker that ignites the passion in business owners to push forward despite the obstacles that may challenge their momentum. This presentation takes a bold look at the adversity small business owners face oftentimes alone and the resilience that it takes to bounce back from a setback. Simply is a powerhouse speaker that touches the core of attendees with their authentic presentation style.

Posted on May 3, 2022 The National LGBTQ Task Force is fighting for full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people Note from the CREDO team: This May, the National LGBTQ Task Force is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. As they approach a historic 50th anniversary in 2023, we hope they can count on your vote of support, especially at this time when the LGBTQ community, trans youth, freedom of speech, sexual freedom, bodily autonomy, communities of color and our very democracy is under relentless attack at both the state and national levels. Read this important blog post from the National LGBTQ Task Force below, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this May. The National LGBTQ Task Force lives its values every day – fighting for a just and compassionate world for ALL. We understand that we have multiple, complex identities and full liberation for one means equality for all. Our organization continues to lead the work in Queering Democracy, Equity and Faith advocacy, which is carried out in close partnership LGBTQ and cross-movement partners. We do so by working hard to get out the vote for local and state elections, amplify the voices of our communities – your voices – and make sure to highlight what those with multiple marginalized identities need so that we have full nondiscrimination protections. We’re making sure that we see full representation of our communities across the country through participation in the Census and access to affirming care for our communities, our families and our loved ones. We all deserve to live full lives, have access to employment, and fully participate in our communities, knowing we have protection from discrimination. The last 2+ years have been challenging, yet the National LGBTQ Task Force has kept fighting for all of us. We’ve helped to support efforts such as the Equal Pay Queering Equity Win earlier this year, where the world learned that the four-time World Cup champions of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team won a $24 million equal pay and sex discrimination class action settlement and U.S. Soccer publicly promised to equalize pay and working conditions. We continue to Queer Faith Communities through our Cross-Movement Leadership to create new messaging framework on non-discrimination in health care to shift the narrative towards bodily autonomy in health care, countering political extremists’ anti-woman, anti-trans and anti-queer tactics. The National LGBTQ Task has also had a hand in registering thousands of new voters, and through our work in Queer the Census, we continue to partner with the Census Bureau to bring more focus to LGBTQ people, those people experiencing homelessness, and in reframing how it will communicate citizenship, race and ethnicity on survey questions. And we have been a key organization fighting for passage of the Equality Act, so there will finally be federal-level protections for LGBTQ people and people of color in employment, accommodations and many other areas. Change is possible! Access to democracy, for everyone, depends on full representation in all our communities and census data, and the enforcement of LGBTQ civil rights depends on nondiscrimination protections. Today and always, we fight to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people, especially those most vulnerable in our community, Black and Brown people, transgender and non-binary folx, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty. You can learn more about our work at www.thetaskforce.org and vote for us today at CREDODonations.com!

A TRANS and Non-Binary Guide to Intimacy, Pleasure and Relationships LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE 2019 'Queer Sex is simply phenomenal' - Bitch Media. 'A gift to anyone looking to open their minds and fall in love' - CN Lester. In this frank, funny and poignant book, transgender activist Juno Roche discusses sex, desire and dating with leading figures from the trans and non-binary community. Calling out prejudices and inspiring readers to explore their own concepts of intimacy and sexuality, the first-hand accounts celebrate the wonder and potential of trans bodies and push at the boundaries of how society views gender, sexuality and relationships. Empowering and necessary, this collection shows all trans people deserve to feel brave, beautiful and sexy. All items are delivered directly to your door in plain discreet packaging. For UK deliveries we use Royal Mail Track 48 Hour Service. Quantities of stock are displayed on the product page. Items that are in stock will normally be dispatched within 1-2 working days, with the exception of bank holidays. Some items may be shipped directly from the distributor. International delivery times may vary depending on that countries delivery service. Please allow 14 days before contacting us to chase your delivery. International orders may be subject to customs and duty charges at the recipients end. For items displayed as Backorder Now, these will be dispatched once they return to stock. We will keep you updated on their progress.

Space and access are the watchwords for a lot of people looking to the future, and producers (and friends) Sally Cade Holmes and Rachel Sussman are no exception. Younger, out women working in a traditionally older, male-dominated field, Holmes and Sussman are as dedicated to offering a hand to those coming up behind them as they are to claim their own seats at the table. “I didn’t, until recently, have female mentors,” Sussman says. “There were certainly incredible male mentors for me, but even today, when you think of female lead producers on Broadway, there’s maybe a handful or so. And I’m excited that that is continuing to expand and more women are claiming their power in that field.” Sussman and Holmes are currently represented on Broadway as co-producers this season; Sussman joined the lead producers of What the Constitution Means to Me when it made the transfer to the Helen Hayes Theatre from New York Theatre Workshop, and Holmes is part of the Hadestown team. But both have also found success as producers in the Off-Broadway sphere: Sussman with The Woodsman and Holmes with Puffs. “When I jump into projects, it is through relationships to artists and relationships with mentors,” Holmes says. “With Puffs, I believed in the director’s work; we went to college together. I thought they were doing something really exciting—so of course I am going to put my name on it. Absolutely.” Likewise, Sussman joined The Woodsman creative team in part because of existing relationships but also because she loved the work. She and Holmes are quick to point out that their producing interests are rooted in the here and now. “I tend to gravitate toward dynamic, human stories that feel deeply relevant to the moment we’re in. I’m interested in work that takes risks and sparks conversation,” Sussman says. Holmes agrees, adding, “In certain circles, we’re taught to fear the word ‘entertaining.’ It took me years to say, ‘I want to produce work that is overtly entertaining.’” They are also cognizant of their duty to those who want to follow in their footsteps as creative forces. “I think it’s our responsibility to mentor the next generation,” Sussman says. “We need to actively create a pipeline for rising artistic leaders, specifically female producers, LGBTQ and non-binary producers, and producers of color. They are going to be doing the job with us and after us.” “I think that allowing space is, full stop, what you do as a mentor,” Holmes says. “Creating space and allowing people to discover their own paths.”

March 28, 2022 A pop-up market highlighting transgender, non-binary and gender expansive artists is being held at Love City Brewing in Callowhill next month after two years of postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trans Art Mart was founded by Maine-based queer artist Mel Andrel in 2020, but is now operated by Philadelphia creatives Meg Potoma and Gabriella Grimes. The event will be held on Saturday, April 2 in the lot outside of the brewery at 1023 Hamilton St. from 12-7 p.m. The pop-up will follow Transgender Day of Visibility, which is commemorated annually on March 31. "We hope visitors will recognize the beautiful world of trans artists by meeting with and buying from our vendors," Grimes said. "Trans people bring incredible things to life everyday that they want to share with the world. Trans Art Mart is an invitation to the world to celebrate the trans community for its abundance of creativity." Nearly 40 artists and vendors are participating, including West Philly apparel company Toxic Femme, which hand-prints all of its merchandise on 100% vegan materials. A full list of this year's vendors are available to view on Trans Art's website. Organizers have shared highlights from some of the artists being featured. These include: • Toxic Femme: Apparel company with a focus on punk, goth, and metal aesthetics • Divine Downes Studios: South Jersey-based artist and jewelry maker whose work is focused on love • Cuvo: Philly-based tattoo artist and illustrator • Chilicrisps4spicylips: Small batch chili crisp company, currently partnered with V Marks the Shop in Newbold • Cute Revolution: 90s pop culture-inspired graphic illustrations and prints • Darb Garb: Wearable art and designs for gender expansive individuals • Big Baby Pokes: Philly-based tattoo artist and printmaker • Black Marzian: Metal hair ornaments made exclusively for Black individuals • Allegra Pronesti: Jefferson University graduate and fashion designer providing apparel options that validate queer and trans identities • Bleed Your Heart Out Glass: Small-batch stained glass business Though the event is pay-as-you-go, there is a $5 cover charge. A portion of the proceeds will go to two mutual aid organizations. Housing Reparations Philly is focused on securing housing for Black queer and trans people through wealth distribution. Cars for Philly provides financial assistance to Black queer Philadelphians who need cars. By providing a space for trans, non-binary, and gender expansive artists to get together and sell their creations to a wider audience of people, organizers hope guests and vendors will be able to establish and strengthen their relationships with one another. "We hope that this is also an opportunity for trans creatives to create community among one another," Potoma said. Grimes and Potoma will be checking for proof of vaccination and identification before visitors are able to browse the market. Saturday, April 2, 2022 12-7 p.m. | $5 cover charge Love City Brewing 1023 Hamilton St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

Have you heard of The Wing? It’s a quickly expanding women-focused coworking space and social club with locations in New York City, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, soon to be setting up shop in London, Paris, and Toronto. And The Wing is just one example of women-only coworking spaces popping up across the U.S. and around the world. These spaces encourage women’s career advancement, leadership, collaboration, and community. Read on to find out why women-only coworking spaces are on the rise and explore whether one of these workspaces may be a good option for you. The rise of coworking culture If you’re familiar with coworking at all, you’ll have heard of WeWork. It is worth an estimated $35 billion, and has 268,000 members working out of 212 offices globally. Its explosive growth over the last eight years highlights that coworking spaces aren’t just for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives, but also for nonprofit organizations and full-time staff. "The workplace is changing and quickly embracing more flexible and remote working models,” says founder and CEO Cate Luzio at the newly-established women-only coworking hub Luminary in New York City. “We’re seeing the rise of these spaces for many reasons: real estate costs and availability, lack of space in existing offices, and employees looking for more flexibility but also more options and amenities. Companies and organizations want to increase loyalty and employee fulfillment, so they are figuring out ways to accomplish that." It makes sense that since the way we work is changing, we need spaces where we can get our work done. As Luzio sees it, women-only spaces are a push for social progress. "It’s not just about co-working,” states Luzio. “It’s about community. Historically, we’ve seen men’s clubs and coworking spaces filled with more men than women. It's evident that we have a lot of work to do to reach gender parity in the workplace and … women are seeking strong communities [where they can] have complex and nuanced conversations ... as well as career opportunities. Spaces for women are paramount to creating safe environments.” So, is it discrimination? For all the promise women-only coworking spaces have, it isn’t without controversy: some detractors say that women-only coworking spaces are discriminatory. "It's problematic when you shut men out of the collaborative process,” says Luzio. “At Luminary, membership is women-focused, but we welcome men into the space for specific programming and events, as well as [for] meetings with our members. We developed the space so that we could include men. They are on this journey with us and are a big part of the workforce and our careers. We have to work together." Men may not be able to gain total access or membership to women-only coworking spaces, but there does seem to be some leeway when it comes to stand-alone events meant to educate and empower individuals. It’s also important to note that these women-only spaces aim to include other marginalized groups, like gender non-binary members. Who should join? "The coworking space is for women at any level in [their] career to collaborate and network with one another,” notes Luzio. “That can [include] an entry-level woman or a senior C-suite [executive]. If you're looking to build a community, these are the types of places to help do that." For all the amazing amenities and opportunities a coworking space offers, joining a women-only coworking space is an investment, albeit a worthwhile one if you take full advantage of what’s available. As Luzio sees it, there are three factors to consider when deciding to join a coworking space: 1. Define your goals and what you would like to get out of the coworking arrangement. 2. Understand the benefits and the opportunities available to you at the space. 3. Make sure it makes sense for you financially. - At The Wing, there’s an application process and if you’re accepted, the membership fee—paid annually—costs either $2,350 or $2,700, depending on whether you want access to a single location or to all locations. - There’s no application process to become a member of The Coven, Seattle- and Los Angeles-based The Riveter, or Luminary. - The Coven offers either a monthly membership at $200 or an annual one at $2,200. - A monthly membership at The Riveter starts at $375 for a floating desk at their Seattle location or $450 at one of their Los Angeles locations. - Luminary offers monthly individual memberships from $200 to $400 and annual memberships from $2,100 to $4,300. It also has a 20% discount for nonprofit employees and New York City teachers. - The Coven, The Riveter, and Luminary also have additional options like day passes, and part-time and other flexible arrangements. Become a member Ultimately, Luzio states, "Investing in a space like this is a personal decision—it needs to make sense [for] you." There are other women-only coworking spaces that may be of interest to you. If you’re seriously considering becoming a member of one, focus on what your goals and needs are and which space is the best, most affordable option that will support you. Did you enjoy this post? There's plenty more where this came from! Subscribe here for updates.

with40 million customers. The app, noted for the distinctive ability of best letting people to message first, remains in near competitors withTinder as a “top” matchmaking app. But exactly how really does Bumble jobs — and is they a lot better than Tinder? How exactly does Bumble operate Tocreate a free account on Bumble, join either your myspace levels or your telephone number. From there, your make your profile: create photos, create a biography, display traits like sign of the zodiac and do exercises degree, and response prompts like “I’m a great +1 because.” Before using Bumble, you’ll also wish to put the complement needs. You can ready “big date strain” to find out age and venue selections, also whether you want to read boys, ladies, or everybody else (there is particular option for non-binary or trans users). With a no cost Bumble accounts, possible set two from 11 “state-of-the-art strain” and sort on customers podÅ‚Ä…czenie bronymate based on other variables like way of living (such as for instance drinking or smoking cigarettes) or the things theyare looking for (like one thing informal or a relationship). You can easily arranged as much cutting-edge strain as you would like with reduced account. Here are the in-app costs indexed for Bumble Premium subscriptions: With Bumble Increase, customers can backtrack (change a left swipe); continue opportunity on fits for an added 1 day; accept endless swipes, one limelight per week (putting your visibility near the top of the swiping “stack”), and five SuperSwipes a week (allowing a potential fit see beforehand that you would like to suit). Advanced members see dozens of advantages, plus limitless state-of-the-art filter systems; the opportunity to rematch with expired suits; Travel means (swipe anyplace you should); and witnessing everybody who’s currently liked you (aka your Beeline). After doing their profile and tastes, it’s time to swipe. Bumble resembles Tinder: swipe left to hate, straight to including. Scroll as a result of thought more of a viewer’s profile. Bumble does not bring a particular number of swipes complimentary accounts need per day, if the software notices you’re on a frenzy, they’ll curb your swipes for 24 hours. As noted past, Bumble possess an original function that best enables females to message very first (unless you’re a guy chatting another man). If you’re wanting to know, “How does Bumble work for women?” its easy. In case you are a lady, you really have a day to react to a fit, otherwise it disappears — barring the one extension a day on a free of charge accounts. As soon as you information, it is in your fit’s palms. When they you shouldn’t message back once again in 24 hours or less, the fit expires too. Should both of you message, the match wont disappear completely if you do not by hand submit or unmatch each other. You don’t have to make use of Bumble to date (“Bumble big date”), however. There’sBumble BFF, for all those interested in platonic interactions, andBumble Bizz, a networking offshoot. The UX is similar, for which you swipe to match with customers. People can only just pick one environment each time, however. Is actually Bumble much better than Tinder? GivenTinder’s not as much as stellar character, one may ask whether Bumble will be the better option. Their own user interface is comparable, if you dislike swiping, neither Tinder nor Bumble is the online dating software available. If you do not thinking swiping you perform care about males sending appalling basic communications, though, offer Bumble an attempt. Nevertheless, Bumble’s twenty-four hour rule on both side may be challenging. Sometimes you might not take the feeling to have a chat overnight, or you could be swiping during a work break and forget to evaluate in. Tinder doesn’t have times restraints. Tinder also does not have renewable services like Bumble BFF or Bizz. If you should be already in a relationship but seeking a new particular connections, Bumble will be your best option. Additionally, there is chatter about the”types” of men and women you had come across Tinder versus Bumble, like this customers on second tend to be more significant than those regarding the former. Given thatTinder has actually contributed to lasting interactions and marriages — andso has Bumble — I don’t grab inventory in those assumptions. In, folks are on various types of matchmaking software for all various reasons; the precise software may not make a difference. Do you know the pluses and minuses to Bumble? Bumble is free to use (however some attributes — likeseeing who already liked your — are just readily available for superior users) Lady content 1st — this might be an expert or con, according to the method that you view it Matches must complement each other in 24 hours or less — an expert when you need to avoid flakes Bumble has a lot of filter solutions about life style and hobbies (however can only ready two if you don’t’re reasonably limited consumer) Bumble enjoys fun prompts to answer to make the journey to see your fit much better Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz have the ability to either it’s the perfect time or enhance their specialist circle on the application 30 days of Bumble Increase works you $16.99 per in-app price rates, whereasTinder has actually several subscription tiers beginning at $4.99 monthly Guys can not content 1st, unless they are complimentary along with other people Fits disappear completely if both group do not message in 24 hours or less, unless free people utilize her one extension/day or users need Boost or advanced records

“We realized we needed to be a bit different, stand out, have something unique about Ila,” Net said. “It came to us so clearly that it [the fundraising event] needed to be a space for female founders and female entrepreneurs. There’s never been a space that celebrates female founders anywhere in Thailand, especially in a market format. There’s nothing in Bangkok for female entrepreneurship.” The first Female Founders Farmers Market, held in December, saw 500-plus attendees. The second, held at the start of April, was just as successful. So much so that Ila hopes to hold several events throughout the year. Beyond the fundraising impact of these events and the unique selling point of a women-only space, Net noted that the ambiance of the Female Founders Farmers Markets is special, and that both attendees and vendors picked up on this: “One thing that’s clear from the feedback is that everyone really enjoys the atmosphere, there’s female empowerment in the air. Everyone is just so nice and welcoming, and championing each other and their businesses. And, I don’t know, I’m going to go off on a hunch and say you’re not going to find that in a mixed-gender environment or an all-male environment.” For women who are recovering from gender-based violence, support is integral. One group providing this support is Break the Silence TH, a private Facebook group set up by Jomtien “Jom” Jansomrag and Tanawat “Tata” Suwankanit. Established in December 2019, the group is not only open to women, though most members are female, as Jomtien noted that it’s harder for cis men and non-binary people to speak out on this difficult subject. She estimates around 90% of the group’s members are survivors of sexual harassment and around 10% are survivors of domestic abuse. “Some of the men in our group are actually boyfriends of survivors, as the survivors themselves don’t want to speak out or want anyone to know what happened to them.” In the group, trauma survivors can share how they’re feeling and their experiences. Older members can give advice to newer members, and there’s also a volunteer counsellor who helps take care of the mental health side, as some of the survivors are at risk of suicide. It’s also a place where members can share information, especially news about policy changes and activism related to sexual abuse and gender-based violence. “I thought, why don’t we all come together and talk about it? That’s why I started the group. I want them to know what I know.” Outside of the group, Jomtien arranges meetings in person (until the pandemic prevented such gatherings). Events included a discussion on Thai law, an art therapy session, a Muay Thai session with a female boxer, and a workshop on how to communicate trauma. Members provide each other with support if survivors wish to go through the justice system, and Jomtien is a case worker who accompanies survivors to places such as a police station or hospital, should they wish or need to. “Recently, a survivor was in court for her rape case,” Jomtien said. “Her family wasn’t supportive, so myself and four other members of the group, whose mental health were in a stable enough condition, went along to support her.” Jomtien, a survivor herself, recalls how when she went to her school and family for help, no one supported her. Once she grew up, she decided to become an activist. By speaking out in public about her own trauma, Jomtien received many messages, especially from women, asking for help. “Everyone who contacted me asked me things like: ‘How can I get help?’ ‘I went to the police station and the police denied my case.’ ‘My therapist doesn’t listen when I try to talk about what happened.’ ‘I can’t tell my parents.’ This was the pattern of what survivors asked me, so I thought, why don’t we all come together and talk about it? That’s why I started the group. I want them to know what I know.” The path to healing from traumatic experiences such as rape is not easy, nor linear, and for some it’s a lifelong process. However, the group does have some success stories. In one case, a woman contacted the Speak Out page to tell her story. A man filmed their sexual encounter without her consent and then blackmailed her, later posting the videos on social media. Jomtien got in touch with the woman and they worked on the case together – resulting in the man paying THB200,000 (US$6,400) in damages, the woman recovering from suicidal thoughts and depression and opening up to family members who supported her. Now, she is working with other activist groups and has been able to provide advice and support to other women facing similar experiences. “Just knowing that there are other people going through what you are going through is useful enough,” Jomtien said. “In the future, we want to change governmental policy to be more survivor-centric. Having been through so many cases and seeing where the system need to be changed, we need to speak out more in order to get the policy changed.” One clear phrase that recurred throughout all of our interviews with organizers of women-only spaces was that these were “safe spaces for women.” Yet, this didn’t only relate to physical safety, but also how much more comfortable women feel in women-only spaces (studies show that women speak less in groups where there are more men ), away from the judgment and harassment of mixed-gender and male-dominated spaces. I mean, have you ever read the comments on the mixed-gender Bangkok expat Facebook groups? “There’s a reason why I’ve never posted in one of those groups,” said Chelsea Cochran, the founder of Female Film Co. “I already know there’s going to be snark: ‘If you don’t like it, go back to your country,’ and this super-negative, disgusting… I don’t even know how to put it into words… just this terrible vibe. That used to be how Bangkok felt as a city. I did not always love living here, that’s for sure.” It was this uncomfortable feeling that led Chelsea to create a women-only film photography community, which comprises of photography walks held every month or two, as well as an Instagram page that showcases the work of the photographers. “Thailand in general has got better over the last 10 years, but I think it’s safe to say it does have a very ‘boys’ club’ vibe to it, and the photography scene is no different,” Chelsea said. “It could be a bit (I hate to use this term but) mansplain-y, or in some of the film clubs there can be this air of condescension when you ask a question or say something you think. It wasn’t the most welcoming environment that it could be.” Chelsea curates the photography walk routes herself, which have a collaborative element; there is no teacher role, but rather all the women are sharing their knowledge with each other. The route ends at a café, so participants have a chance to discuss their work and get to know each other. “I’ve joined film walks in Bangkok in the past, but they always lacked a certain social element. You meet up, you’re walking, walking, walking, taking photos, then you go home. So, I wanted to end at a café, so we would have time to talk together and make friends.” Image: Pieng-or Patcharasoravut Image: Rhian Morgan A sense of community is another theme that echoes throughout all our interviews, whether that community is based offline or online, or a bit of both. Kavitha, who ran Wonder Women of Bangkok Meetup group and its Facebook group for the past year before passing the baton, cites community as a prime reason for joining and later leading the group. “As an Asian expat, it was hard for me to meet female friends. I feel like there are very few single Asian expat women around and Wonder Women really helped me to secure a safe circle for myself here. The group is about women seeking solace in each other’s company. It’s a safe zone where women can shamelessly be themselves, regardless of their differences.” An Indian wooden block printing event. Kavitha weaves at a Wonder Women Loom meetup. A Wonder Women belly dancing event. The group welcomes both Thai and expat members, though the meetups mainly attract female expats new to the city, looking to make friends and connections. “Women come and once they find people they vibe with, they meet up on their own,” Kavitha said. “That’s my target – I want you to forge your own friendship group.” Past meetup events have included ladies night drinks, bottomless brunches, art and craft workshops, roller derby, comedy nights, belly dance classes, and much more, which appeal to a wide range of women with different interests. “The group is about women seeking solace in each other’s company. It’s a safe zone where women can shamelessly be themselves, regardless of their differences.” The meetups are also an opportunity for women to support female-owned businesses, and Kavitha notes that she specifically seeks out women-led enterprises when she’s organizing events: “As much as I’m trying to bring people together, I’m also trying to support female-owned businesses, which we can really contribute something to. That is the other really rewarding part of Wonder Women – being able to support women-led, especially Thai women-led, creative businesses during this time.” The pandemic has disproportionately affected women’s jobs , with women accounting for 39% of global unemployment, yet 54% of COVID-related job losses. Factors include the burden of unpaid care, overrepresentation in sectors hit hardest by Covid-19 (manufacturing, care services, travel), disproportionate impact on female entrepreneurship (female-owned businesses statistically employ more female labor) and existing, pre-COVID gender inequalities. Bangkok Boss Babes was set up this year to support the city’s female entrepreneurs during this difficult time. In the Facebook group, members can grow their social media followings and engagement rates through reciprocal Facebook and Instagram “threads.” Image: Bangkok Boss Babes The idea came from entrepreneur Jojo, and the origins of the group lie in her 2020 lockdown goals set to grow her business accounts on social media. “Some of my friends were like, ‘Hey, why is your Instagram growing so quickly? Can you teach me what you’re doing?’” These requests turned into a Line group of women who wanted to support each other and enhance each other’s algorithms on Instagram by liking, commenting and following each other. However, as the group grew, some members found it increasingly hard to keep up all of the time and tensions became evident. As a solution, Bangkok Boss Babes was formed with a team of moderators – Sheila, Tay, G, Dev, and Nat – with different backgrounds, who could keep the group organized. “You can choose which engagement thread you want to do and it’s at certain times of day. So, if you have time to do it, great, drop your link; if you don’t have time to do it, you can skip until whenever you’re free.” Beyond the engagement threads, other benefits of being part of the group started to come to light, as the women learned about each other’s businesses, bought each other’s products, and recommended other members’ products and services within their social circles. Collaborative giveaways were organized that gave members the opportunity to work on cross-promotional marketing campaigns. Tay and G started the weekly “Babe on Spotlight” posts to highlight a different member each week. Jojo started to share tutorial videos on social media and marketing. Nat and Dev make sure that the threads are different, so that members get different engagement for their posts on Facebook or Instagram (and this may be expanding to more platforms in the near future). Naturally, friendships blossomed. Bangkok Boss Babes held their first offline networking event in March, led by Sheila, where many of the members met in person for the first time, while everyone was invited to participate in a live reciprocation thread to better understand how the social media engagements work. Planned future events include talks where members can pitch their businesses in a showcase. Later, the group plans to expand to Southeast Asia, as many of its members ship products overseas. “We do have a king of solidarity; we do want each other to succeed,” Jojo said. “Having that support group is important; it helps motivate you to do better, to learn more. We’re stronger as a team, a tribe, a group.” Amy Poulton identifies as a bookish backpacker and British bookpacker. Hailing from Birmingham, her granddad has suggested that the family is related to the Peaky Blinders. Amy has written for Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Lifestyle Asia, Coconuts Media, Bangkok 101, as well as other leading travel and lifestyle media. She has counted Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico and now Thailand as home. Read more of her work on her portfolio site, Page Traveller book and travel blog, Facebook and Instagram at @amy_pagetraveller.

I owe you an apology, a lot of people do, but you can’t count of them, so this one is from me to you. You are such a beautiful person, inside and out. It’s not the first time you’ll hear this, but unfortunately, you won’t begin to believe it until your late 20’s. I am kicking myself because it took me so long to see it, but I am grateful that it’s happened. At this age, the concept seems incredibly foreign, but believe me, being you is the greatest gift you can give to yourself and others. The truth is, a lot of people in your life, family, friends, teachers, acquaintances, they’re not going to completely understand you, that’s not your fault. You are a complex person, you always have been, and it’s a struggle to navigate. You are funny, quirky, sensitive, intuitive, compassionate, insightful, smart, thoughtful, and very weird. Your weirdness is one of the most powerful things about you. See, all those times you felt like you didn’t fit in, you weren’t the problem. Your instincts were correct all along; all the thoughts and feelings swirling around you were valid. I wish I knew then that I didn’t have to change myself; that the way people react to me is not my business; that I don’t need to compare myself to others; and making other people feel more comfortable only dimmed my light. You are a gem. You literally march to the beat of your own drum; seriously, you find music everywhere, especially in your head. They don’t teach you this in school, but society frowns upon people who are different and think for themselves. I fell into a trap, created by prejudice, and perpetuated by social constructs. Every time you questioned the norm, you were unknowingly reaching for freedom. You’re not crazy, confused, or a freak. Trying to be “normal” is not for you; I’m sorry I forced it, but we didn’t know any better. You don’t have the language down now, but you will, and you’ll be able to verbalize exactly how you’re feeling. You’ll also find out you’re not alone; there’s a whole community of beautiful people going through similar struggles. Each time you allow yourself to be more authentic and open, the right people will surround you, and the ones that drain your energy will fade away. One of the biggest things we will struggle with is finding our identity and our voice. It turns out you have tell-tale signs of anxiety; you’re not just PAINFULLY shy or overly sensitive. You’re going to need a lot of rest and sometimes fake it until you make it. The source of your anxiety is generational; to survive in this world, you have to be hypervigilant. As you continue to get older, you’ll feel like you’re stuck in a chronic existential crisis; but with love, friendships, collective healing, education, and writing, you forge new paths. Forces beyond our control want to ensure we make ourselves as small as possible, but you have to push through the discomfort to take up space. And let me tell you, it’s not easy, but you do it every day. T, you might not believe this now, but you are a proud Black, Puerto Rican, queer, non-binary human being. It’s a mouthful (wink, wink)! You’ve always known this, but as you get older, you truly allow yourself to manifest. It’s a beautiful thing and an ongoing journey of self-discovery and growth. No, it’s not something you need to shout from the rooftops or let anyone else in on. It’s for you; it’s freedom; it’s self-acceptance and self-love. And lastly, it doesn’t seem like it’ll ever happen, but you’re going to make several long-lasting relationships. You have a close-knit support system. Even when you’re difficult or try to push them away, they’re going to stick around and love you no matter what. The scariest part of it all is that shortly after graduating high school and beginning college, you’re going to grow in love with someone that will become your very best friend and an instrumental part of you realizing how amazing you are. It’s going to take a lot of patience and time, but it’s going to be one of the greatest adventures of your life. You’re still in it and it doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, so strap in. I started this letter with an apology because I acknowledge that I didn’t always treat you the best. I was harsh and self-critical when all I needed to do was listen and believe in you. You’re so ahead of your time, but I finally feel like we’re full circle and only getting better. You’ve always been enough; I am sorry it took so long to see. You are worthy of compassion, love, kindness, softness, warmth, joy, advocacy, respect, and so much more. I promise to keep reminding us of this. I am in awe of you and honored to be the person you become. Happy birthday, love. You deserve the very best,

It’s looking grim out there, like the veritable Ghost Town that The Specials so eloquently put it back in 1981 (albeit in response to the spate of riots at the time and rising unemployment). In terms of live music, it is grim. Beyond grim. Suddenly, after decades of uninterrupted live rock’n’roll, there is none to be had. Literally zero. Venues have shut their doors to live music, and as I write this the 50th anniversary of Glastonbury Festival is supposed to be happening. No festivals will be taking place for the foreseeable future. And while pubs are tentatively opening their doors, there will be no live music (the act of singing itself is deemed dangerous to other people’s health…) and probably not even piped music, as it is being guided that people need to be able to talk in normal tones and volume, rather than having to shout to get their point across. God, it’s bad. There are no two ways about it. And for musicians, those who main raison d’etre is to perform in front of an audience, it’s nothing short of disastrous. Resilience, however, comes in many different forms. And for Dream Wife, it currently means spending more time cooking and gardening, and doing the sort of things you meant to get around to doing pre-lockdown “Me and Alice are in the house together in South East London, and Rakel is in Reykjavik, says Bella, of the current whereabouts of Dream Wife. “It’s a tremendously unsettling time, especially with getting the government updates,” she says. “That’s very strange, and very unclear, and ugghh, yeah…. But, in terms of day-to-day life it’s pretty nice in the house, in this routine of having house meals every night. Basically, we’ve been cooking, eating, crying, reading, gardening, dancing, walking in the woods, biting nails while watching the news, making music, yoga, meditation, having meetings, lying really still for a long time, watching TV, DIY, tattoos, knitting, doing interviews about the album, watching the plants grow, drawing, baths, cleaning, worrying and so on.” Alice Go, Bella Podpadec and Rakel Mjöll released their self-titled debut in 2018, earning support slots with the likes of Garbage, Sleigh Bells and The Kills, securing syncs in shows like Orange is The New Black, all the while using their platform to lift up other womxn (as they like to term women in general, including those of a gender fluid aspect) and non-binary creatives with empowering messages and their “girls to the front” ethos. Now, in the midst of lockdown and no live music, the band’s second album So When You Gonna… is out, dealing with topics such as abortion, miscarriage, and gender equality, and produced entirely by a non-male team of producer and mixer Marta Salogni, engineer Grace Banks and mastering engineer Heba Kadry. Like their debut album, it’s full of energy and spice. And in line with the album title’s meaning: “It’s an invitation, a challenge, a call to action.” From the explosive cartoon-like energy of ‘Sports!’ along with its sister-in-arms title track, through to the sparser drive of ‘Hasta La Vista’ and coiled sprung-punk of ‘Homesick’, through to the David Byrne-inspired vocal delivery of ‘Validation’, and the gentler meanderings of ‘Temporary’, and electro-pop foundation of ‘Old Flame’, the album positively reeks of the fun-filled DIY approach that they have wholeheartedly embraced since forming whilst all at Brighton University in 2016. It’s just a shame that we can’t see them doing this live for the time being, although their UK tour is now expected to happen next spring. All we can do is keep our fingers and toes crossed and do what we think are the responsible actions. It’s so painfully obvious to even bring the subject up, but inevitably the question is popped: As a band it must be incredibly frustrating to not play shows… “As a band that likes to play live, it is obviously frustrating,” says Bella, stating the all-too-obvious, whilst hysterically cackling for effect. “What can I say!? “Obviously, as a band who essentially built their career off playing live, we’ve always centered that as part of the experience of being in a band, and the importance of people coming together in a physical space. 2020, in all of our minds, was when we were going to be touring constantly. It’s been a very fast change of pace and perspective. I think the mental journey in accepting that that’s not going to be the way for now, is a difficult thing.” Have you got any plans in terms of performance? Is it even possible for you in the online world? “We’re working on some ideas for some live performances that is semi-live, layering different people’s parts. It’s very much figuring out how to do things differently. A band that is a rock band, it’s about that full experience. It’s very hard to do the stripped back things that are appropriate for this time.” We do have the album, thankfully. And equally thankfully, new music hasn’t suddenly disappeared. Since lockdown there has been a tremendously creative and invigorating outpouring of new music released, from all quarters. If nothing else, lockdown is affording greater opportunities for people to dive into a new release. Like Dream Wife’s new album. “I think that in times of isolation and dislocation, music is a tool for bringing people together and not feeling alone,” says Bella. “I guess it’s hoping for finding ways to do things differently, and work with the situation. I really do think that limitations can be really interesting in breeding creativity. Everyone has to be creative in how they go about these things. And it’s such a constantly shifting situation as well, it feels like you are always trying to get to grips with it all. “In terms of adversity people really need music,” continues Bella, “and I think sticking with the original release date feels really important in terms of being able to provide that. There was definitely a conversation about moving the date, and obviously we’re not going to be able to do the touring that was intended around that. There were tour dates around October this year, but it feels inappropriate, and disrespectful even, to be even thinking about touring. It feels that for the live aspect of the music industry, it’s such a full stop. With so many venues are under threat, it’s like who even knows where people will be playing when live shows come back?” After performing over 200 shows in 2018, Dream Wife took the pedal off the gas in 2019 to concentrate on the all-important second album, the so-called sophomore album. When a band releases its first album, they’ve got all the material they’ve been working on for years to draw from and all the energy of youth behind them. To make a second album that’s any good, they need to start writing new material and be able to handle the stresses of being in a band full-time. Was there a different approach to the making of So When You Gonna…? “Oh yeah! The whole process was completely different. The first album was written over a much longer period, and actually largely written during shows. We would have an idea, try something out, and workshop it in this live environment. At the start of last year when we had finished touring the debut album, we did all these little trips away to write songs, and it was much more focussed, and getting into a zone, really working through something and digging into it. “Just doing the first album we understood stuff about pre-production, and we worked on that, talking about structure and sounds. In the studio, with the first album, we recorded everything within the space of a week, on tape, whilst we also had a bunch of live shows on the go. They were incredibly long days, incredibly busy. With the second album, to be able to spend the time to make sure something was right, was good. And with the tape (analogue tape) you would practice something 20 times, your hands would be swollen. We worked with a producer, Marta Salongi who is the most incredible person – so intuitive, so technically proficient, so humorous, so emotionally engaged in everything we were trying to do, and working with someone so dynamic and creative, that was also pushing you to the point where you were in the zone. Not pushing you too hard, but helping you to find a place where everything is as natural and comfortable as it can be.” “‘Sports!’ is a really fun, silly song, really high energy. We wrote that at my parent’s house. All of my siblings are massively sporty. Two of them have played international rugby, one of them is a black belt in karate, and then there is me over here, this kind of arty weirdo. So, we were in that environment, surrounded by all of those things. The song is acknowledging the ‘silliness’ of sports, and the kind of ridiculousness of it, and we’re drawing parallels between that and other things, expanding the idea of what sports can be, and where you can get those things which you can get from sports. Playing sports is great, if that’s for you, but there are so many other ways to be physical, to be with your body. For us, more often than not, it’s the rock show. Rock’n’roll is an extreme sport and we’re a team.” I can hear the musical ghost of Prince here and there. Like on the Prince-like title of ‘U do U’ and the haunting album closer ‘After the Rain’. “We spoke a lot about Prince during writing! ‘U do U’ is about following your own path, the heartache of not being able to be truly present for loved ones while touring and all the other places you can pour love. And ‘After the Rain’ is an exploration of the thought processes following abortion. It’s a look at personal response, and social response. It questions the existing narratives surrounding abortion and body autonomy more generally.” It looks like it was important to have an all-female production team. “We did a bunch of producer dates with different people, and it happened in a quite natural way. Marta felt unquestionably like the right person to work with. But it also felt really important to support women in the industry. There are still crazy statistics like less than five percent of albums produced last year were produced by women. It’s shocking that is still the case. To work with women who are powerful and acclaimed in their field, it’s good for everyone.” Indeed, the subject of empowerment is very close to Dream Wife’s bosom, as epitomised by their excellent podcast series which sharply focusses on those developing their creative impulses, each episode a one-to-one interview with a different creative person, connected with Dream Wife, about how exactly they managed to start, develop, and hone their craft. Bella, Alice and Rakel take it in turns to interview friends, collaborators and people who inspire them across multiple creative fields. Having always been outspoken about holding up other woman and non-binary people in the arts and creative industries, the band have – as they say on the track ‘Sports!’ -“put their money where their mouth is” with this both informative and engagingly conversational series. What would you call the opposite of gate-keeping?” reflects Bella. “Facilitator? Enabler? It’s all about opening the gates.” It’s this DIY, no-nonsense, direct action approach that has informed the band ever since they devised the band as an art project whilst at Brighton University. Brighton is where it all took shape, including meeting their manager, Tim, and releasing their first EP on his fledgling, incubator label, Cannibal Hymns. “We played a lot of live shows before ever releasing any music. One of these shows happened to be a very last-minute booking to support Karin Park and the now closed Bleach venue in Brighton, which was, at the time just across the road from where Rakel and I lived. Tim was running the venue at the time. Despite a promoter fuck up and literally five people showing up to the show, we gave it our all and developed a sweet camaraderie with Tim. It wasn’t until we were setting ourselves up to self-release our first EP that Cannibal Hymns stepped in at the last minute to release it. We started working closely with Tim from this point and developed deep mutual trust and respect. “Yes, Brighton holds a very sweet important part of our hearts. We formed Dream Wife while studying various art subjects at the university. Honestly, the band was formed around a desire to travel; specifically to visit friends in Canada. It was kind of a joke but ended up being incorporated into an art piece and our first show was an art show on the uni campus. While I wouldn’t ever have described this project as a ‘fake band’ it did initially have a singular purpose of getting us to Canada and it wasn’t until we did that tour and came back that we realised we enjoyed making music together so much it would be a shame to let things end. Dream Wife have just announced that all proceeds from digital Bandcamp pre-orders of So When You Gonna… will be donated to Black Minds Matter and Gendered Intelligence. Black Minds Matter connects Black individuals and families with professional and mental health services across the U.K., and Gendered Intelligence aims to increase understandings of gender diversity, working with the trans community and those who impact on trans lives, with a focus on supporting young trans people aged 8-25.

Alison Evans’s novel Ida has been shortlisted for the 2018 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for best young adult novel, and by all considerations it deserves to win. Ida is a taught thriller, a coming of age tale and, at times, a romance and a horror story. But what sets Ida apart is the way the story is grounded in the authentic experiences of queer and transgender Australians. On the phone from their hometown of Melbourne, I ask Evans, who identifies as genderqueer, if they had to defend having a majority non-cisgendered cast. “I had one review that was very resentful of what they called my ‘gender agenda’,” they laugh, adding, “People who don’t think they know any trans people have been like ‘Oh my god there are so many’, but it reflects my real life.” Evans’s critics tend to accuse their work of pushing ‘political correctness’, not realizing that they are in a shrinking minority. A 2017 study by GLAAD found that twenty percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 identified with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual and a gender identity other than cisgender. “One-fifth of millennials identify as LGBTQ in some way and I love it,” Evans says. “Everybody is trans, so everybody’s going to be trans in the book!” Ida follows the eponymous Ida Wagner, a young woman living in the Dandenongs region of Victoria. At the beginning of the novel, Ida can travel in time by slight increments, allowing her to rescind any decision she makes. However, she soon begins traveling to parallel dimensions – some of which are hauntingly bleak – and finds herself hounded by mysterious doppelgangers with malign intentions. Yet, despite this, Evans does not consider Ida science fiction. “Scifi is about highlighting human nature by taking a human out of their natural life and putting them some place alien,” they say. “And I love science fiction, but for me, Ida is contemporary fiction in the way that it’s rooted in everyday life.” This distinction is an important one. Treatments of gender in science fiction are rare, and many of those already seem outdated. Ursula K LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, for example, while nonetheless on the cutting edge in its time, presents a non-binary conception of gender as something wholly alien. Evans, in contrast, roots their spectrum of queer and transgender characters firmly, not just in the “real world experiences”, but in the distinct and lovingly rendered landscape of suburban South-East Australia. The tree-ferns, drizzling rain, and smattering of Australian slang constantly reminds readers that they are not on another planet or in an alternate dimension. “Is there a right way, then, to handle representation in fiction?” I ask Evans. “It’s very dangerous to think there is a right way,” they reply. “Especially for gender stuff, because our understanding of gender is evolving rather rapidly at the moment. You read a book from even five years ago, and it feels really outdated.” “So how do you approach representation in your work?” “The way I do it is I can only speak for myself,” Evans says. “That’s also why I had so many trans characters in the book, to show that there are many ways to be trans.” As Evans and I talk, we reminisce about the young adult books that shaped our tastes and, quickly, it becomes clear that while there is no right way to approach representation, there is certainly a wrong way. “How did you feel,” I ask, “when JK Rowling revealed that Dumbledore was supposed to be a gay character from the beginning?” Evans audibly winces. “When it first happened, I was pretty happy then, because I was just realizing that I was queer too,” they say. “But now, I find it really lazy and a bit shit, honestly.” “Queerness should be evident in the story,” they add. “Otherwise it’s just cheating. People use the ‘scraps’ metaphor. Cis-het people get a meal and queer people get tiny little scraps and crumbs they are told to be grateful for. I think Dumbledore is definitely a crumb.” “How do you make that evident in your stories?” I ask. “A lot of my issue with queer characters, especially bi characters, in a lot of things they never use the word,” Evans says. “In every single piece of media where a character could be bi, nobody uses the word, which is why I used it in Ida. It would be cool to reach a point where you don’t have to use the words at all, but I don’t think we’re there.” What ultimately makes Ida so compelling is the way it is fundamentally about the process of creating identity. To do so, Ida struggles against her ghostly doppelgangers, but for Ida’s genderqueer partner Daisy and her transmasculine cousin Frank, the struggle is against a world that is at times painfully homophobic and transphobic. Over the course of the novel, all the characters claim agency over external pressures and create their own unique gender identities through lived experience. Evans expresses this conviction in an article they wrote for The Guardian, saying, “We can make a new way of talking about ourselves, one that includes and expresses our gender the way we want to. We are writing ourselves into existence with our words, lives and stories.”1 Such is the power of Ida and novels like it. We need more stories that reflect our rapidly evolving understanding of gender and, more importantly, guide us in constructing and accepting our own gender identities. There is no doubt that Alison Evans will continue to provide some of the best work of this type on into the future. 1 Alison Evans, “My gender didn’t exist in fiction when I was growing up – so I wrote myself into existence,” The Guardian, 28 February 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/28/my-gender-didnt-exist-in-fiction-when-i-was-growing-up-so-i-wrote-myself-into-existence Alison Evans is an up and coming writer in the Australian literary scene, whose work combines science fiction themes with issues of gender identity. With their work becoming known outside of Australia, they agreed to an interview to discuss their most recent novel, Ida. Vernon Meidlinger-Chin is a science educator, writer, and illustrator from southern Missouri. He is the creator of the insect-based rock ‘n roll webcomic Arthropunk (found at arthropunk.com/) and the Chinese poetry translation project “Ghosts Of The Masters” (instagram.com/ghosts.of.the.masters/). He currently lives in New York City.

Editor’s Letter A lot can happen in a few weeks, but we didn’t expect this. Not so long ago, we were adding the finishing touches to this magazine, the second edition of LOUD. It was exciting: we’d switched up our design, interviewed fantastic artists and featured innovative projects. We’d talked with people about their plans for 2020, too; including upcoming tours, releases, and parties. It was a true celebration of things to come, and an applause for successes to date. The magazine was due for release on Monday 23 March. But then things changed – much quicker than we could anticipate. Artists had their upcoming gigs cancelled, venues closed their doors, and projects went on immediate hiatus. And, our advertisers, who help to fund our print run, no longer had events, festivals and entertainment to promote. It meant that some things discussed in the Spring edition had changed, and, inevitably, would continue to change. It was worrying, upsetting, unclear, but, crucially, these things were happening for the right reasons. It was, and still is, essential to stay safe. So it was decided to put the magazine on hold. Then we thought: why let it all go to waste? Yes, some things have changed, but others haven’t. Incredible music, the successes of innovative projects and personal achievements remain, and, in many ways, we need to celebrate them now more than ever. In LOUD Issue 2, for instance, we get to grips with the solution-focused projects which have prompted real change within the city’s electronic music scene. We also meet some of the key figures behind Bristol’s jazz renaissance and delve into brilliant, community-led projects, such as the Bristol Reggae Orchestra. Elsewhere, LOUD welcomes yet another glorious selection of artist interviews. We catch up with Timedance boss Batu as he celebrates the label’s fifth birthday, have a natter with industrial pop performance artist Lynks Afrikka and hang out with Westcountry songwriter Katy J Pearson. And so, without further ado, we’re proud to present Issue 2 - in digital form. After all, LOUD’s aim is simple: to make noise about Bristol music. Stay home and stay safe, Kate and Matt, Editors Matt Robson [email protected] Kate Hutchison [email protected] Cover Design Will Da Costa @pomona_studio [email protected] Sales & Marketing Brendan Murphy [email protected] With thanks to Bristol BID BARBIE Bristol Here & Now 4 Dancefloor Solutions 26 Trinity Centre 36 Banoffee Pies 10 A New Standard 30 Katy J Pearson 14 5 Years of Timedance 32 Ujima Radio 18 Lynks Afrikka 34 Danny Nedelko We meet the people, projects and parties effecting real change Finding out what’s keeping Bristol jazz ahead of the curve Batu takes us through five years of his boundary-pushing label Getting to grips with the gift [set] that keeps on giving A brief history of one of Bristol’s most important cultural spaces The singer-songwriter revels in new-found creative freedom Seven days on one of our favourite Bristol stations The Heavy Lungs frontman talks lasting friendships Label boss Ell Weston reflects on seven successful years Heidi, Catherine, Sadie and Lydia discuss wonky post-punk James and Alex reflect on Scalping’s hunger for extremity The in-demand performer chats about her latest EP, We Fly LOUD Magazine is published by 365 The World Ltd. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without the written permission of 365 The World Ltd. The opinions expressed or advice given in this publication are the views of the individual authors and do not represent the views of 365 The World Ltd. 365 The World Ltd accepts no responsibility for misprints or mistakes, and no responsibility can be taken for the contents of these pages. PHOTOS: MIX NIGHTS OPEN DECKS, ASHLEY REYNOLDS Dancefloor Solutions Meet the people, projects and parties effecting change within Bristol’s electronic music community WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON othing’s perfect, Bristol’s music scene included. Though it’s home to weird and wonderful sounds, landmark venues and innovative labels, it also suffers from a list of problems. Venues under constant threat of closure, a lack of representation both on and off the stage - even discrimination on the dancefloor; these issues aren’t unique to Bristol, but change starts from within. So, who really are the people effecting change? Which projects are providing us with solutions? There’s a few, and it’s time to take note. Here, we meet some of the key individuals and initiatives making moves within the city’s electronic music scene. DJing is a privilege: equipment and records are expensive, learning how to mix takes time, and time is money. And as the old saying goes, it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. It’s a cycle that has no doubt contributed to the industry’s current lack of diversity; both on the decks and behind the scenes. In fact, it’s systematic: favouring those with time, money and mates. So if you want to get your foot in the club door, where the hell do you start? “There’s no excuse for an all-white cismale lineup now” Lizzy Ellis, Mix Nights In September 2016, DJ, visual artist and academic Yewande Adeniran (aka Ifeoluwa) founded Intervention, a free DJ workshop for womxn, non-binary and queer individuals, and people of colour. “Growing up, and constantly being excluded despite my best efforts,” Yewande explains, “I grew accustomed to feeling powerless and an anger that I was never allowed to express. So, I decided I would use this energy for something positive.” A space to “rage, dance and laugh,” Intervention aims to equip attendees with the basic skills and confidence required to DJ. And that it has: in three years, the project has collaborated with venues and initiatives across the UK, including Queer Bristol and the Arnolfini. It’s also supported the likes of Daniela Dyson (aka PMS Casualty) who, last year, collaborated with Young Echo’s experimental hip hop trio, Jabu. Another key initiative inspiring a new wave of DJs in Bristol is Mix Nights. A non-profit project founded by Saffron Records and the nowdefunct Bristol Women in Music, Mix Nights offers a nine-week DJ course for womxn and non-binary people. Under the direction of leading local DJs Em Williams, Danielle and Daisy Moon, attendees learn the basics of mixing with vinyl or CDJs. Serious hype surrounds the course (Boiler Room, Red Bull and Radio 4 have each run stories about it), and with good reason. Since its inception, Mix Nights have trained approximately 130 people; at least 40 of whom now DJ regularly. Some even host their own nights and radio residencies. “Without this course, I would not be where I am now,” says former Mix Nights participant Jozie Doherty (aka grime selector J Oh Zee). “In the year that I did the Mix Nights course, I played over 50 sets; on the main stage at the 02 Academy for Eskimo Dance, on Rinse FM in England and in France – I also got three radio residencies!” Jozie is one of dozens Mix Nights success stories. So, what’s the key? Like Jozie, fellow Mix Nights graduate Averil Cooper (aka drum and bass DJ Averse) mentions the safe and encouraging environment in which training takes place. “My favourite thing about the course was that I could learn in an environment where I felt comfortable and supported,” says Averil. “There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to DJing - it can be difficult to know which advice to take and which to ignore. Mix Nights is so beneficial because you are taught by experienced people whose advice you can trust.” It’s not only former participants who praise Mix Nights. When I speak with Maya Gamble, the Gender Equality Programme Coordinator at Team Love, she mentions Jozie as a key example of the project’s success, alongside Noods Radio resident Ellie Stokes. “That one project has transformed this Bristol scene,” says Maya. “I genuinely think there are many more female DJs here now.” But what’s happening at the other end of the spectrum? While Intervention and Mix Nights provide a solution for those just starting out, (though, both initiatives regularly host events, enabling former participants to showcase their skills following training, such as the Mix Nights Open Decks series), who is supporting DJs further into their career? Well, Maya is. At Team Love, part of Maya’s role involves monitoring the bookings for events like Love Saves The Day, ensuring progress with representation. The importance of Maya’s role is indubitable: in 2018, non-male representation on the Loves Saves The Day lineup stood just below 20%. Since things have improved considerably; last year, that figure increased to 28.48%, and in 2020, the festival predicts non-male acts will make up 38% (or more) of the bill. It’s a progression about which Team Love can be proud, but Maya says there is, of course, more work to be done. Not only that, but Maya explains that achieving a 50/50 main stage split remains a challenge. And so, Maya believes nurturing rising talent is crucial: “something that we’re trying to do at Love Saves the Day, in particular, is, we are populating our smaller stages with loads of womxn, because by investing in them now - trying to give them good stepping stones - we can help to grow them into those future headliners.” It’s a solution-focused strategy that we have on good authority; after all, Maya curated 2016’s successful grime-takeover of Glastonbury’s Sonic Stage. The importance of nurturing new talent beyond the realm of the novice “It’s so important to have those middle spaces where you don’t need to be either novice or expert” Ngaio, Booty Bass PHOTO: ASHLEY REYNOLDS PHOTO: BOBBI O’GILVIE is something echoed by Ngaio (pictured, left), the founder of Bristol collective and party, Booty Bass. “I think when people are trying to book, they’re only looking for a headliner. And it’s like: what about all the things that come before that? You need to give people that space to practice,” she explains. “I think it’s so important to have those middle spaces where you don’t need to be either novice or expert.” Ngaio, who also learned to DJ with Mix Nights, says she was given this space by Easton pub The Plough, where she held a monthly residency not long after completing the course. Ngaio explains how the slot “massively upped” her game: “for four hours, once a month, practising on proper decks – that was huge. It’s not even just the technical,” she adds. “It’s reading the crowd; it’s knowing what to do when something goes wrong - it’s getting feedback.” Ngaio’s residency at The Plough has since become Booty Bass, a party showcasing and celebrating womxn and non-binary DJs, and bass music. It’s also a space for upcoming DJs, too: iterations of the Booty Bass’ crew have included fellow Mix Nights graduates Vanessa Maria, Bungzo and Adibah. The impact of Intervention, Mix Nights and Booty Bass cannot be understated. While these projects enable more people to access the industry, they, in turn, facilitate better representation on event lineups. And better representation on event lineups, says Ngaio, can make for better audience experiences. “What I was really realising whenever I was doing Booty Bass events,” explains Ngaio, “was that when womxn were seeing me DJ, they would come to the front. And because I’m having such a great time, dancing around, dutty winin’ behind the decks, they feel like they can, too. And it doesn’t have to be sexual,” Ngaio adds. “That was always my thing with Booty Bass and the music I play. I was like: I wanna play music that makes people wanna dance, and stuff that you can shake your bum to, and that not be an invitation for someone to come grab it.” It’s an important point to make: while more diverse lineups may encourage party-goers to feel freer on the dancefloor, exactly how to ensure events are safe and welcoming for all is an ongoing challenge. It’s something which Ngaio, alongside the council’s independent advisory group for the night-time economy, Bristol@ Night, have noted. They’re currently in talks to develop a safe space framework, titled ‘Halt Harassment’, to be implemented in venues across the city. The framework will aim to hold harassment to account, giving venues the tools required to handle instances with confidence and consistency. In the meantime, different collectives are working to find solutions for dancefloor safety. Take Repercussion, a new night founded by former Mix Nights participants Hannah Stewart and Jenny Duffy. Inspired by personal experiences of clubs and festivals, Repercussion is a music and performance event. The aim? To “regain the dancefloor from the heteronormative scene,” providing party-goers and performers alike with a welcoming, inclusive and liberating environment. Prior to Repercussion’s first event (which took place at The Exchange on 6 March), Hannah shed light on how they planned to achieve this goal, including the introduction of no phone and photography policy. In doing so, Hannah explained, they hoped to “protect our audience from any potential harm from misleading or inappropriate footage.” Hannah added: “I also believe that the dancefloor is the perfect place to create a sense of community - people using their phones consistently detracts from the moment.” Everyone I spoke with for this article seemed to agree on one thing: there’s more work to be done. Speaking on why Intervention was founded, Yewande explains: “the scene has changed ever so slightly, but the same issues are still there. It’s dominated primarily by white, male, cisgender and straight bodies who by default have access to spaces and opportunities. We’re still being tokenised, paid less and commodified,” Yewande continues. “I doubt it will be finished in my lifetime, but I’ll definitely keep on working towards a more positive future ‘til my last days.” It’s true; there’s a long way to go until lineups become genuinely representative of their audiences, say. Despite this, Mix Nights Project Manager Lizzy Ellis says there are a few things the Bristol music scene can do, right now, to aid improvement: “support womxn all year round, don’t only reach out to us to play at your night on International Women’s Day,” Lizzy advises. “Work with organisations like us [Saffron] to provide initiatives for womxn to progress in the industry, and give a safe and fair platform that is not purely tokenistic. Be prepared to work that little bit harder and dig just a little bit deeper to ensure your lineups and workplaces are diverse do your research! There’s no excuse for an all-white cis-male lineup now.” Too right. PHOTOS: JAMES KOCH, NICK CLAGUE A New Standard LOUD takes a look at Bristol’s flourishing jazz scene, catching up with artists, venues and promoters to find out what’s keeping the city at the forefront of a modern musical renaissance WORDS: MATT ROBSON n days gone by, jazz has been perceived by many as an exclusive art form, the doors of the genre open only to people who have mastered a craft and, essentially, know more about it than you do. Jazz has reached around the world and transcended classical, blues, swing and much more to become a truly all-encompassing form of musical expression. Even the term ‘jazz’ itself is open to endless interpretation, allowing for a wealth of innovation and musical creativity spanning well over a hundred years. Bristol, of course, is no stranger to ‘classic’ jazz. Bars and venues like The Old Duke and The Bristol Fringe regularly host revered wind, percussive and string musicians, and the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival has been showcasing some of the world’s most highly regarded artists since its inception in 2013. The festival’s contribution to Bristol music in particular has been massive, bringing genuinely special live experiences to the city’s favourite stages from the likes of Pee Wee Ellis, Dr John and Fred Wesley among others. “A bit of a myth has prevailed over the years about jazz being rather earnest or exclusive. Bristol’s new generation are blowing that presumption out of the water” Polly Eldridge, Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival Now, though, with sounds and tools more accessible than ever, jazz has taken on intriguing new forms. Musicians influenced by a whole range of other styles, from hip-hop to afrobeat and electronica, are breathing new life into the genre, and in Bristol, a new crop of artists are making strong names for themselves. Whether it’s through the Waldo’s Gift trio’s ethereal improvisation, Ishmael Ensemble’s polished live shows or Run Logan Run’s explosive sound, the jazz scene has emerged as one of the city’s most vibrant. The renaissance of the genre certainly isn’t unique to the Westcountry. London’s jazz revival is well-documented and there are highly-regarded artists coming out of Glasgow and Manchester, but Bristol appears to be cultivating its sound in a way others aren’t. The city “affords artists the time and space to create and experiment,” according to Waldo’s Gift drummer James Vine, an element to life here that isn’t necessarily replicated elsewhere. Not only are a new wave of artists coming through, they’ve got the backing of clubs and promoters that pride themselves on forwardthinking programming. Venues across Bristol, most notably Fiddlers, Leftbank and The Gallimaufry, are providing a platform for exciting local acts. The latter’s role in the contemporary Bristol jazz scene is perhaps the most significant, with various iterations of the genre making up a big chunk of their musical schedule. “Overall I’d estimate around 90-95% of our programming is Bristol-based artists,” says Galli owner James Koch. “We like to work with artists over a period of time to help them or their night develop, but also have the opportunity to bring new acts into the space in between.” The Gallimaufry’s relationship with Waldo’s Gift, in particular, is a special one. “I know how hard they work on their craft – that and the breadth of their musicianship bodes really well,” Koch explains. James Vine, meanwhile, tells me in no uncertain terms that his band wouldn’t be what it is without the support of the Gloucester Road venue. “James [Koch] has given us this platform to express ourselves, experiment and find out what Waldo’s Gift is about. He’s incredibly passionate about the music, so invested in the nights, and it shows. The venue has nurtured so much of the new talent in this city.” the Ezra Collective. Crucially, though, Bristol venues are again playing their part by showcasing leading artists on a regular basis. All of the above - as well as Nubiya Garcia, Kamaal Williams and The Comet is Coming - have played in Bristol in the last 12 months, cementing the city as a hub for jazz and further adding to a rich mix of imaginative new sounds. “In a time of so many venues closing down, I feel incredibly lucky to live in a place where you can go out and find interesting live music every day of the week,” says Pete Cunningham, multi-instrumentalist and the driving force behind the revered Ishmael Ensemble. He highlights the Sun-Ra Arkestra as one of many live acts to have influenced his playing, describing 95-year-old Arkestra director Marshall Allen as “a force of nature” after seeing the group perform at Fiddlers. After more than three years playing weekly sets and developing their sound at The Gallimaufry, Waldo’s Gift have now released a criticallyacclaimed debut EP, played venues and festivals around the UK and Europe, and been tipped by none other than Gilles Peterson as an Emerging Act to Watch in 2020. The opportunity to experience live sets from some of the most talkedabout jazz artists in modern times is a huge plus for local fans and artists alike, but without the efforts of one peerless crew, Bristol crowds may have missed out altogether. You need to have your finger on the pulse and a penchant for a party to keep up with the UK’s constantly-evolving jazz sound. Enter, Worm Disco Club. Bristol’s thriving scene is reflective of what’s been happening in London over the last few years. Scores of acclaimed artists and groups have come out of the capital, including the likes of Alfa Mist, Yussef Dayes and The Worm Disco crew have found a winning formula in Bristol, bringing together accomplished musicians and top-notch venues for a wide range of events with positive energy in abundance. “The remit is simple,” “More and more people are starting to recognise that jazz has taken on new meaning” Nathan Kydd, Worm Disco Club says co-founder Nathan Kydd when I ask about his musical policy. “It needs to have a groove.” As a three-man team with a love of upbeat sounds coming from all corners of the globe, Worm Disco Club have hosted some of the most unforgettable gigs and parties Bristol has seen in recent years. Jazz has been a cornerstone of their operation since starting out in 2014, with Joe-Armon Jones, The Heliocentrics and Wolf Muller having headlined for them in Bristol, performing alongside a multitude of local acts at the city’s favourite venues. “We’ve done events in the PRSC HQ on Jamaica Street, The Crofters Rights, at Jam Jar and all these great places,” Nathan tells me, “and Fiddlers really suits where we’re at right now. The room’s got such a great feel, a wooden dancefloor is always a big plus, everyone can see the stage, it’s a little off the beaten track – overall it’s a really unique space.” In March, Worm Disco Club will be launching their new label, Worm Discs, as part of their first-ever collaboration with the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival. In what is a big step for a festival that has historically showcased jazz in more traditional forms, Nathan and co have been given the reigns for two eagerly-anticipated nights at Fiddlers as part of the official 2020 programme. the genre, and not only that – these young musicians operating in Bristol are more technically accomplished than so many before them.” “The people who play jazz in more classical formats will never go away, but more and more people are starting to recognise that the genre has taken on new meaning,” Nathan says. “Jazz artists today are making music influenced by so many different sounds and styles, they’ve got a bit more freedom to express themselves, and they’ve got a looser understanding or perception of what jazz has to be.” “We really like what WDC do, the artists they pick and how much they love putting really fun events together,” adds Festival PR Manager Polly Eldridge. “Sadly a bit of a myth has prevailed over the years about jazz being rather earnest and exclusive. Brilliantly, though, Bristol’s new generation are blowing that presumption out of the water.” The presence of more young and innovative acts and promoters than ever before at the 2020 Jazz & Blues Festival is perhaps the best indicator that contemporary artists are being taken seriously. There’s an overwhelming sense of positivity coming from the festival team about the prospects of the city’s jazz scene, as Artistic Director Denny Illett explains: “Historically, older generations have been full of negativity about the future of jazz as a viable art form. This new crop of artists has proved them totally wrong. Access to a myriad of new influences has created a new, vibrant and original path for There are plenty more artists and venues we could have spoken to as part of this article. The likes of Snazzback, Run Logan Run and Stanlaey are rightly receiving plaudits across the city and beyond, while venues like Leftbank, The Canteen and The Jam Jar continue to provide vital live platforms. Small venues are offering their spaces to lesser known but fiercely creative acts who are, in turn, drawing serious crowds with their exciting new interpretations of the genre. Whether it’s the artists themselves, the stages they’re playing on or the events and promoters bringing it all together, Bristol’s jazz scene is truly firing on all cylinders right now. 5 Artists to Watch in 2020 with Worm Disco Club Firm Bristol favourites Worm Disco Club know a thing or two when it comes to top bookings. With the launch of their new label, Worm Discs, on the horizon, co-founder Nathan Kydd picks out five acts to keep an eye on in 2020 The Waldo’s Gift guys are heading for big, big things. An absolutely electric three piece out of Bristol, they combine elements of groove, jazz, math and classical to formulate their own unique sound. Run Logan Run Expect immensely powerful sax and drums from Andrew Hayes and Matt Brown, better known as the Run Logan Run duo. These guys are an absolute mustsee, delivering raw power and delicate soul in equal measure. corto.alto are a great eight-piece outfit out of Glasgow, headed by the astoundingly talented trombonist and songwriter, Liam Shortall. Liam’s experimental songwriting draws on all kinds of influences, from jazz, neo-soul and hip-hop to dub and classical. Awale Jant Band Fronted by Senegalese singer Biram Seck, Awale Jant are a seven-piece afrobeat-y soul jazz outfit based in London. Keep your eyes peeled for a wonderful new album on the way at the end of March. If you appreciate what Shabaka Hutchings and Nubya Garcia bring to the sax, then you’ve got to catch Chelsea Carmichael at your first opportunity. A seriously talented musician who’s already played alongside a whole host of esteemed acts. WORDS: MATT ROBSON / PHOTO: KASIA ZACHARKO Batu Feature 5 Years of Timedance (Title/intro) Dreamt up and developed in Bristol, Timedance has been a staple of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electronic music scene since it was established in early 2015. Now, in celebration of its fifth birthday, label boss and revered DJ Batu is taking his brainchild on the road for an inter-continental series of anniversary parties “Bristol, for me, is a real music lovers’ city rather than a music industry city. There’s a really important distinction there” If I remember rightly, Rob [Pinch] put me in touch with my first distributor,” Omar McCutcheon, more widely known as Batu, recalls as we chat over a coffee in Old Market. “I had people like Pinch, Pev, the Rewind Forward crew and loads of other people who I could learn from when I was starting it up.” It takes a few seconds of consideration to journey back to the circumstances surrounding the birth of Timedance, such is the huge progress the label has made in the five years since. Over the course of the next hour, it becomes strikingly apparent that Bristol and Timedance are inextricably linked; that the label wouldn’t be quite what it is had it been based somewhere else, and that the city’s musical identity is woven into the Timedance output. A Bristol resident for a large portion of his 20s, McCutcheon’s musical journey sounds as though it was destined for the city long before he arrived here. He credits his dad and uncle as two of his biggest early influences, both part of the dub scene in Nottingham in the 19 80s before getting into early jungle and dubstep later on. McCutcheon explains that a love of cutting-edge electronic music was “all laid out” for him from the get-go, with his uncle, in particular, opening his eyes to dubstep. Around 13 years old at the time, being exposed to a totally new sound in his formative years had a lasting impact on his view of how music could, or should, be made. “I feel quite strongly about making sure what I do feels contemporary and of a moment in time,” he gradually tells me, clearly choosing his words carefully. “I think the scope of electronic music always needs to be at the forefront of culture and art.” that I couldn’t seem to get the music I wanted to make into the hands of the right people.” McCutcheon’s ‘Cardinal’, the distorted, almost sinister sounding first release on Timedance, was a testament to that desire to go down a new route. It wasn’t long before the label started building a serious reputation at the forefront of Bristol’s notoriously forward-thinking musical community. “Whether it’s a case of using modern tools and software and manipulating sound,” he continues, “or if it’s just rhythmically trying to avoid making big references to stuff that happened 20 years ago, I want to make sure that my music sounds brand-new.” Semi-regular parties carried the torch in Bristol over the next few years, taking over The Island for a string of events that offered something different to the familiar house and techno scene of the time, much more in line with McCutcheon’s own taste. “Five years ago,” he says, “I don’t think the kind of music that Timedance is associated with was very well represented in Bristol clubs, and The Island just worked. It had a few characteristics that have become really core to a Timedance night; things like good sound, bass especially, dark rooms and a very no-frills feel.” In that regard, things started to fall into place for McCutcheon when he started to integrate himself into the Bristol scene after moving to Bath for university, meeting fellow producers – and now close friends – Bruce and Ploy on his music tech course around the same time. Able to look around at his contemporaries for motivation, McCutcheon started Timedance in early 2015. He laughs when I ask what the inspiration was for getting it going, admitting that there wasn’t really a big dream behind it, that it was born out of necessity more than anything else. “I just wanted to put some tunes out,” he recalls. “Around that time I was struggling to find a home for my music – I’d had a couple of releases already but was slightly frustrated “There were some real standout moments” from a series that featured the likes of Lena Willikens, DJ Nobu and Ben UFO, but he goes on to explain that the big-name headliners only tell half the story. “A lot of the fondness, looking back, comes from seeing the same people there, the afterparties we’d have, a lot of connections being made and friendships forming as a result of the parties.” TIMEDANCE: 5 YEARS @ TRINITY CENTRE / PHOTOS: OLLIE KIRK for HERE & NOW TIMEDANCE @ THE ISLAND / PHOTO: ALEX DIGARD The relationship with The Island eventually came to an end with a closing series at the end of 2018, a three-part curtain call put together to, in a sense, prevent Timedance from overstaying its welcome. Ever the innovator, McCutcheon says he was conscious of maintaining a sense of exploration, and that the party series had simply run its course at The Island after three successful years. “By the end there were a lot of nights at The Island that occupied a similar place musically,” he says. “It’s nice sometimes for things to move on before they get old.” All of this brings us to 2020, more than a year since the last Timedance party and five years since the birth of the imprint itself. After half a decade of hard work fine-tuning the label’s identity, McCutcheon has kicked off a 5 Years series, taking Timedance to venues across the UK and around the world. After an opening party in Leeds, the Bristol leg saw Timedance take over the Trinity Centre for a proper hometown affair in February. Giant Swan, Metrist, Anina and Batu himself played to a sea of familiar faces, with headliner Shackleton putting his own trademark spin on proceedings. “Bristol has played a huge role in the development and shaping of Timedance,” McCutcheon tells me. “From people helping me set up the label, to the artists releasing on it, it’s been a really great hub. Even if what you’re doing is a worldwide thing, the atmosphere you come back to here is always so supportive and easygoing. The confidence and selfassurance that gives you to continue to try new things is invaluable.” McCutcheon’s personal taste is far less Bristol-centric these days, his outlook widened by the array of sounds and styles he’s been exposed to through touring over the course of the last few years. Travelling and playing at least once a year in Asia - and at some of the biggest and best clubs in the world - has been eye-opening, but he’s mindful to remain appreciative of the musical environment that Timedance emerged from. “Bristol’s still small and definitely punching above its weight musically. You can get to know everyone here, whereas if you’re somewhere like Berlin or London, you probably have to shout a bit louder to be noticed. Bristol, for me, is a real music lovers’ city rather than a music industry city, and there’s a really important distinction there.” 2020, alongside the 5 Years celebrations, presents an opportunity to further establish Timedance among an international audience. There’s a fifth birthday compilation on the way, as well as a fresh batch of singles to be announced in the near future. Aside from a couple of dream projects, though, there aren’t many big ambitions for the future of the label. McCutcheon’s only worry, for now, is ensuring that Timedance continues to be open-minded and is able to facilitate more musical development. “I don’t want to force anything,” he says, “but the most important thing for me is to remain at the cutting edge of music you’d want to hear in clubs. That needs to be the foundation for whatever I go on to do.” The gift [set] that keeps on giving: the mind behind Lynks Afrikka, Elliot Brett, spills the shower gel on the project’s early days, Spinny Nights and life post-university WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON / PHOTO: @HOLLYEMMW ight now, it seems everyone wants to catch a whiff of Lynks Afrikka. Just days after I speak with Elliot Brett, the producer and performance artist behind the project, Lynks Afrikka track ‘I Don’t Know What I Want’ features on Elton John’s radio show, Rocket Hour. Lynks was also placed centre stage in The Guardian’s ‘50 New Artists for 2020’ list, and more recently, has been announced to perform at the upcoming Icelandic music festival, Airwaves. It’s not surprising, of course. Lynks Afrikka is an enthralling and intricate project – without a hint of pretension. Drawing on the legacy of 90s Club Kid culture, Lynks compounds queer industrial pop with theatrical, extravagant performance and (genuinely) funny lyricism to stupefy the DIY scene. Take ‘Str8 Acting’: a frisky club banger armed with a witty analysis of queer culture’s often reductive presentation. Flipping the diminishing and sexualized stereotypes associated with queer culture, the track reviews straight culture. A hot, straight club? ‘It’s a lot like a pub, but with slightly less chairs.’ And god, it’s working: Bristol, despite its love for straight-faced experimentalism, loves a bit of Lynks. Along with a troupe of choreographed backing performers, the Shower Gels, Lynks has played in our city countless times, headlining venues like The Crofters Rights and The Fleece. I guess it’s because the gigs are so fun and entertaining (and weird), but more on that later. It’s something which has led audiences to miss the point, almost. Elliot says the “number one comment” he gets after gigs is: “it was so fun, but the music’s actually good!” Lynks Afrikka is primarily a musical project, after all. the character. Nowadays, Lynks is just “a heightened version” of himself. Elliot references an Oscar Wilde quote, which, he says, “sums it up” well: give a man a mask, and he will tell you the truth. If anything, then, Lynks is Brett in his purest form: “I think it’s stopped being a character at all,” he later adds. Before Lynks Afrikka, Elliot released music under his own name. His single ‘I Care’ enjoyed a sold-out launch at The Crofters Rights. It was a triumph – until Elliot’s laptop, which stored much of his music, was stolen from the venue. Did this incident force Elliot to conceive Lynks? “You reconsider what kind of music you want to make when you lose it all,” Elliot chuckles. “Who knows? I probably would have arrived at the same point. It might have just taken me a bit longer.” Has Elliot encountered any other misconceptions of the project? Previously, I mention, it appears some have tried to weave deeper meaning into Lynks Afrikka’s music. “But most of the time, you say it’s more about having fun, right?” I ask. “Yeah, you’ve hit the nail on the head,” Elliot laughs. “I am just trying to create something really fun.” Though, he notes how in creating something fun, “it’s natural to find some deeper meaning because comedy comes from stuff you care about.” So, despite what tracks like ‘On Trend’ – a half-serious nod to common social anxieties - might suggest, making grand, political statements was never Elliot’s aim. Instead, they’re a natural side effect, accidental even. “It’s really nice that people read so much into it,” Elliot adds. “We like to intellectualize music a lot, I think. That isn’t really my normal way of doing it, but I can see why people like looking at music through that lens.” It makes sense, given what I recall to be an early Lynks Afrikka’s gig: an effortlessly fun performance, in the basement of a Hotwells student house. It was a show for uni mates, during February 2018. “Was it the one in the basement when I was wearing bin bags? That was the first-ever one!” Elliot says, exuding excitement. “I look back on it, and I find it really crazy that I had the balls to do it, actually.” A 20-minute set of five songs, one of which was a Kate Bush cover, the performance showcased a different Lynks Afrikka to the one we know today. Back then, Elliot had been inspired heavily by drag, which curated a “manufactured” version of Bristol, and in particular, local promoter Spinny Nights, has made a significant impact on the evolution of Lynks Afrikka. Spinny Nights, Elliot thinks, is part of what pushed him to cease making “more traditional music” and experiment. Speaking of Bristol’s influence, Elliot enthuses: “I fell in with the Spinny Nights crowd; this brilliant group of creative, driven musicians; people dedicated to making a super exciting, accepting creative space. That scene really encouraged ingenuity and risktaking.” Lynks Afrikka’s first performance, February 2018 PHOTOS: GUY WOODS @PRETTYGUYFORAWHITEFLY Founded in early 2018, Spinny Nights began as an irregular set of student-led gigs, often platforming musicians from the University of Bristol. Since then, it’s evolved into a local DIY promoter, label and management. Recalling Spinny Nights’ earlier days, Elliot remembers going to shows, where occasionally, he’d see performers “do something weird and,” he pauses, chuckling. “Yeah! I’ll be honest! Objectively a bit shit!” But, he resolves, “there’d still be this atmosphere of acceptance. Everyone would give them rapturous applause.” It was a space in which performers - Lynks included - “were able to fail.” “I think it’s really important to make creative spaces where people don’t feel afraid to fail. Because if you’ve “I think all these things have an expiration date, and I just hope that mine isn’t soon” got a space where people are afraid to fail, then they won’t do anything out of the box.” Take Lynks’ first gig, incidentally also one of the first Spinny Nights events: “that had some real moments of crapness in it,” Elliot recalls, “but that was fine. And maybe in some other scenes, if I’d done that gig, I would have just got a bunch of raised eyebrows.” It’s those kinds of raised eyebrows which, today, Lynks Afrikka tries to eliminate in the gig space; a refutation of hyper-cool, stiflingly-serious events. Elliot puts it well: “by no fault of anyone there, you can sometimes go to gigs in the DIY art scene, and it can feel like everyone knows each other, everyone’s very cool, and everyone’s holding their cards quite close to their chest.” And then comes Lynks. “You get on stage, and you act so ridiculously stupid that everyone’s now got a common comparison,” Elliot laughs. “The bar of stupidness is just raised so high!” In short, who gives a toss if you fumble your words, or spill a bit of your drink? Lynks doesn’t. After all, Lynks and the Gels are on stage, mashing together music, theatre and comedy, while Lynks is “covered in sweat, wearing a bike helmet with pigtails coming out of it.” Elliot wants people to let loose, to dance, to “properly wiggle.” Does Elliot worry that, with the act’s increasing popularity, Lynks Afrikka gigs will become the very sort of environment he’s trying to avoid? “I don’t think so,” Elliot says. “I really hope not! Anyone that’s not up for acting like an idiot probably won’t like Lynks Afrikka very much. And I’m fine with that,” he laughs. “I hope no one would come to a Lynks Afrikka gig to stand at the back and not smile.” In two short years, Lynks Afrikka has developed rapidly. Lest we forget: the project began in a crumbly basement as a bit of a laugh. Has this quick ascent caused Elliot any challenges? “I always try to be really positive about it,” he sighs. “I think when there were no stakes to it, I maybe came up with some of the more creative stuff.” Indeed, there are stakes to it. Lynks’ climb has come at a tricky time: Elliot’s recently graduated. And while peers hoist themselves up the career ladder, Elliot is trying to navigate the world within which Lynks Afrikka sits - alone. “It’s trying to get a business mind on, which takes all the fun out of it,” Elliot explains. “How do I take this up a step? How do I get a label interested in me? How do I try and find a manager? It’s still just me just doing it on my own - in a room. It’s quite a lot.” The timing of it all, Elliot says, “puts an immense amount of pressure” on the project. “On the bright side,” he resolves, “I’m doing something that I really fucking love.” He does - and that was clear to see earlier this year, at Lynks’ headline performance at The Fleece: “I’ve never had a lighting person before – this is AMAZING!” Lynks announced, after bursting onstage. When we speak, Lynks’ latest single is ‘I Don’t Know What I Want,’ released on New Year’s Day. So, would it be stupid to ask Elliot what he actually might want out of 2020? Apparently not. “I just want to be able to keep doing it, to be honest,” Elliot responds in earnest. “I think all these things have an expiration date, and I just hope that mine isn’t soon.” Viridian Ensemble WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON collective of interdisciplinary creatives, Viridian Ensemble offer an intriguing blend of free improvisation and experimental film. To date, they’ve performed at St George’s and more recently, as part of Young Echo’s two-day residency at London’s Café OTO. To learn more about the group’s formation, inspirations and approach to performance, LOUD meets Viridian percussionist Esme Betamax and Laura Philips, the ensemble’s visual and waterphone artist, to find out more. In part, Viridian is a mode of female empowerment and collaboration. They explore different narratives within the women’s liberation movement, and during live performances, work to create a collective voice, thus shunning individualism. Combining image, voice, cello and double bass, the group challenge the image of a sole, female lead. Instead, their live performance is more fluid and synergistic. “Even though I’m down as the percussionist, I’m not the only one who does percussion,” says Esme. “Caitlin can be very percussive on the double bass.” Though the collective has taken part in some impressive events, Viridian hasn’t been around for long. Founded by Laura in 2017, alongside vocalist Dali de Saint Paul, cellist Liz Muir and double bassist Caitlin Alais Callahan (the group’s current iteration also includes flautist Tina Hitchens), Viridian aims to challenge and reimagine tropes of femininity through improvised sound and image, both digital and analogue. The group’s formation, Laura tells me, was prompted by an act of misogyny experienced by a founding member. “So, because of all the layers, quite often people come up afterwards and say: I don’t know what I was hearing. There was a bit – and I don’t know who was making that sound! And I love that. We’re speaking with one voice. It’s not like we’re taking it in turns to do solos, say.” Viridian Ensemble is inspired by the vanguards of feminist free improvisation, such as the Feminist Improvising Group (FIG); an avant-garde ensemble formed in 1970s London to challenge the male-dominated improvisation community. However, Laura says Viridian’s performances are less transgressive than that of FIG. Instead, the ensemble explores narratives of femininity with more subtlety. “[FIG] would sometimes have performances with a lot of nakedness and goading the audience,” Laura explains, “as well as quite out-there free improv. But for us…” Esme laughs: “I’m yet to get naked - is that what you’re saying?” Take Laura’s eerie use of 16mm expanded film and digital projection as an example of this subtly: in conventional Hollywood cinema, she explains, women are depicted as objects of desire and sexuality. “We’re the antithesis of that,” she says. “You might get a part of a body, but you might not necessarily know which gender that body is.” Laura also mentions her subtle use of colour: it references the role of the colourist, one of the first professions in the film industry open to women. In other ways, FIG and Viridian are rather similar. Both are comprised of individuals from different backgrounds, with divergent PHOTOS: EILEEN LONG PHOTOS: DOM MOORE “We’re all creative in more ways than just being musicians, but being in a band with highly trained musicians makes me up my game. It’s exciting.” Esme Betamax experiences of music-making and varying levels of musicianship. Like FIG’s founder, Maggie Nicols, Viridian view these differences as a strength, due to the polyphonic and serendipitous musical effects they can create. Whilst Caitlin, Liz and Tina are classically-trained musicians, Laura, Esme and Dali are self-taught. “Me, Esme and Dali are very punk,” says Laura. Esme, for example, is also part of Bristol punk band The Perverts. “We’re all creative in more ways than just being musicians,” adds Esme, “but being in a band with highly trained musicians makes me up my game. It’s exciting.” A project that exists primarily in the live space (though, Viridian have released an EP, Trotula, on Bandcamp) the group are looking forward to their upcoming performance at the contemporary music festival, Bristol New Music. But what can we expect from a Viridian gig? “People have often said that it’s quite disconcerting and disquieting, watching our performances – they’re often phantasmagorical, or there’s elements of horror,” explains Laura. Enveloping and multifaceted, Viridian’s performances are certainly idiosyncratic, in that they combine the two niches of experimental film and music. And whilst the pair acknowledge the project is indeed leftfield, they say at its core, a Viridian performance is an immersive event. “You can let it wash over you, and you don’t have to get all the references,” says Laura. “It’s more how you would approach poetry. You can just absorb it, and go with it.” I ask how they might explain the project to a newcomer, and Esme happily obliges: “I always talk about the classically-trained musicians, and then I say: and there’s the three of us, who, like, fuck their shit up!” I’m sold – who wouldn’t be? Viridian Ensemble form part of a wider improvisation community in Bristol. Vocalist Dali, for instance, is a prolific collaborator and runs monthly electro-acoustic improv night, The Sound Cupboard, at The Crofters Rights. But another critical space for the community, and Viridian, was the now-defunct Brunswick Club, which closed last year. A community arts venue, the Brunswick provided Viridian with a place to rehearse, gig and meet other creatives. It’s also where Trotula was recorded. Both Laura and Esme speak longingly of the community and collaboration fostered by the Brunswick. If anything, it’s clear that Viridian truly embody the community which first united them; throughout our interview, Laura and Esme mention the discussion, learning and collaboration that takes place within the ensemble. “Women are set up to compete,” Esme says of current political and media depictions of feminism. “They must be competing for a job, or a man, or for something. And we’re putting a challenge out there, saying: no, we all support each other and we all work together. We lift each other up. That comes through in the way we are with each other, and through our music as well.” Laura agrees: “it’s an act of solidarity.” WORDS: MAX TURNPENNY good news story about a grassroots music venue in Bristol can feel like a rarity, but late last year, we got one. In December, The Louisiana announced that they had been awarded a Project Grant by Arts Council England (ACE). A welcome departure from the grim but familiar trend of venues under threat, the grant is a ringfenced subsidy aimed at supporting grassroots music venues which are ‘vital to England’s music ecology’. The Louisiana is one of the first in a wave of UK venues (and the only one in Bristol) to receive support from ACE’s recently-launched Supporting Grassroots Live Music Fund. Laure Noverraz, a key member of The Louisiana team (their artist booker), and a part-time freelance lighting engineer, discusses what this grant means for the venue. Congratulations on the grant, Lor! Are there any big changes in store for The Louisiana? It’s amazing news! We’ve always had reliable gear but this means we can level up with more versatile equipment. Touring bands now have better quality gear and bigger demands, so it’s a great relief to know that we can now provide anything they need. We’ll be setting up a new PA and some new lights. Since 2017, we’ve been working on expanding The Louisiana so that we’re not only being labelled as a ‘Music Venue’. We’re working on increasing the bar trade, opening a pop-up restaurant, and creating recording facilities for our friends. Thanks to the brand new PA system, a little studio/production room is definitely in the back of our minds now. Does this grant help to emphasise The Louisiana’s cultural significance as a Bristol landmark? It’s a great recognition! In 33 years of running The Louisiana, the Schillace Family has never received any funds or financial help, so it’s fantastic news for us. We want everybody in Bristol PHOTO: THE BRISTOL NOMAD The Louisiana to feel welcome at ours. How does the backing of groups like the Music Venue Trust help in securing vital funding like this? The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has been really helpful in supporting us to craft the application form. There’s a lot of lingo we had to learn for that, and thanks to MVT and a friend of ours (who’s the queen of admin), we managed to submit an application which paid off! Would you like to see local bodies like Bristol City Council do more to support grassroots music venues rather than relying on national bodies? Yes, absolutely. It’s extremely important for cities to recognise their music venues as a place of culture and exchange for everyone. But there’s always a long way to go. The support could range from big dreams like financial and law supports, to smaller steps like regular check-ins, and asking how the Council can help. There aren’t many grassroots venues left in Bristol, and yet they’re described as ‘roots’. Cut the roots and nothing will grow. WORDS: MATT ROBSON / PHOTO: KHALI ACKFORD Trinity Centre In an unexpected but welcome change from our all-toocommon ‘*insert venue name here* is Under Threat’ pieces, we delve into the history and cultural significance of one of Bristol’s best-loved live venues he plan for this article, before I sat down with anyone from Trinity Centre, was to write a detailed piece on nearby property developments putting the venue under threat of potential closure. The neighbouring Trinity Road Police Station has been bought, with flats due to be built in its place, potentially leaving the Trinity Centre open to noise complaints. Naturally, we assumed the worst and prepared to put together yet another call to arms to protect a key Bristol venue. Curiously, though, the conversations between the Trinity Centre team, Bristol City Council and prospective developers have, so far at least, been largely positive. Venue Manager Jamell Ackford tells me that, since planning started in early 2018, all parties have been cooperating. The signs, for now, are good. “They’ve been doing sound checks on top of the police station, as well as inside the venue. They’re doing what they need to do, which is great,” he says. Nothing to see here, then. Suddenly, my prepared notes and questions about development time frames, venue protection and how to get behind the Trinity Centre are useless. There’s no point asking a venue manager how the public can save the venue if the venue doesn’t need “Every venue has its place, but the Trinity Centre’s identity is more than just a music venue. It’s a space that is, essentially, part of a wider Bristol story. That character is hard to replicate” saving from anything. Instead, with the pressure off, I spend the next hour with Jamell and Edson Burton, Trinity’s Heritage & Engagement Coordinator, discussing the history of one of the city’s most unique events spaces. The story of the Trinity Centre is one of character, heritage and deep cultural significance. Since becoming a deconsecrated church in the late 70s, the venue has become a vital hub for music in Bristol as well as a space for the local community. From the get-go, when the building was taken over in 1977, the Trinity Centre was about skills development for young people in the area. But, under the management of promoter Roy de Freitas and the African-Caribbean Community Association, it became much more than that. Edson describes Trinity as an incubator, a facilitator of emergent youth movements, from its early days during the birth of punk and reggae to present day interpretations of jazz and afrobeat. “In the 70s and 80s you’ve got these movements taking off that haven’t got a base in the city centre. Then, you get all the punk-reggae mashups like ska and two-tone, classic Bristol bands like Black Roots and Talisman, and acts like Maxi Priest and Benjamin Zephaniah.” All of the above found a home at the Trinity Centre during a crucial part of their respective infancies, when other venues simply wouldn’t give them the time of day. After a brief closure and re-opening in 1992, the Trinity Centre was right in amongst the emergence of dance music in Bristol. The 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order act then forced the free party scene indoors, and Trinity was, again, an indispensable hub as electronic music started to splinter into the huge spectrum of genres we know today. Keeping the pace with Bristol’s ever-changing musical landscape is something that the Trinity Centre team still strive to do. The Young Echo collective launched their first album at the venue in 2018, the inaugural Afrofest was a resounding success last summer, and Jamell explains that they’re totally committed to representing the very best the city has to offer. “We’ve got such a wide range of artists here,” he says, “and Trinity is still such an important nurturing space for emergent sounds.” The Trinity Centre’s charm is soaked into its almost-200-yearold structure, its bespoke wooden dancefloor and striking stained-glass windows. It does, of course, make it easier to attract artists when you’re running one of Bristol’s most distinctive venues. “Trinity has that sense of freedom, that extra energy Performers at Trinity Centre over the years, including Eek-A-Mouse, Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav, poet Benjamin Zephaniah and the Bristol Reggae Orchestra and a huge character, which I think suits some forms of music and some genres really well,” Edson tells me. create here’, you might think. Or ‘how is this band going to make the most of the space?’ “Benjamin Zephaniah here is quite an iconic experience, for example. You’ve got an established performer who grew up in these venues, returning and playing to a packed house and a real mix of people. If you think about roots music as spiritual music, it doesn’t get much more suitable than a church.” It’s a rare feeling to be interested, or even bothered, about where your money’s going when you buy a ticket. But, when you buy a Trinity ticket, you know you’re supporting something more than just the music. “You’re buying into the moral ethos of a social enterprise,” as Edson puts it. “Every venue has its place,” he continues, “but the Trinity Centre’s identity is more than just a music venue. It’s a space that is, essentially, part of a wider Bristol story. That character is hard to replicate.” As we get into more detail about Trinity’s appeal, I’m struck by the way Edson and Jamell are able to articulate what it really means to them personally, to the local community and to Bristol as a whole. The space, and the atmosphere within it when everything falls into place, make for truly one-of-a-kind live experiences. “Because of the eclectic nature of people who come here, the pricing and where it’s situated, there’s a good vibe here. When people feel safe they also tend to have a good time, and a band get to enjoy that and feel that energy. There’s an alchemy between artist and audience, and that alchemy, I feel here, is really quite unique.” When you buy a ticket for a Trinity gig, or a party, your connection with the venue starts the second your payment’s gone through. ‘I wonder what this person will be able to A drumming session has been in full flow upstairs throughout our interview, there are volunteers working on the garden outside, and the office has been a buzz of activity since my arrival. From the moment you walk through the door, you get the sense that Trinity is a proper nerve centre, of music, arts, history and community. Jamell believes that constant activity rubs off on artists when they come to play, further adding to the venue’s atmosphere. “When an artist comes here we might have a conference upstairs, or drumming going on. They’ll meet the team who have been here all day, see the gardeners outside doing their thing, or young people working in the studio, and think ‘wow, ok, what do you guys do?’” As for the developments, it remains to be seen how nearby flats will affect the Trinity Centre long-term. Housing developments are, as we know all too well in Bristol, potentially fatal for venues, but the team are optimistic. Current plans suggest that a percentage of the new builds will be affordable homes, and Jamell is keen to stress that Trinity are wholeheartedly in favour of that. But, given that the venue is so historically significant both musically and for the community, the appropriate steps need to be taken to preserve it. “It’s in everyone’s benefit to make sure that, after losing so many community spaces in recent years, the ones that remain survive and are run well,” Edson says. The volatile nature of Bristol’s venue landscape is all too familiar, and it’s clear that the Trinity team are mindful of being prepared for the worst despite the situation they find themselves in. For now, the Trinity Centre doesn’t need saving, but you should make use of it, support it and enjoy it as though it does. Book that gig ticket. Look into their arts programme. Volunteer your time. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most important cultural spaces in Bristol. This interview was carried out in February 2020. For more news and updates regarding developments affecting the Trinity Centre, head to trinitybristol.org.uk. 5 Love Inn Party Starters with As the Stokes Croft club’s Booking Coordinator, Ellie Stokes knows how to read the room at The Love Inn better than most. Here she picks out five tracks guaranteed to get things going Nicola Cruz ‘Ripple’ The Afro-Latin inspired Ripple has a real, raw energy courtesy of percussive 606 drums. Would be right at home in some pre-historic dance! A juicy, slinky, 80s-informed jam. It’s full of all the fresh vocal samples, guitar and cosmic flare you’d ‘My Dog Has Fleas’ expect from such a hedonistic NYC gang. A good one to push the vibes from the warm up. Kim Ann Foxman ‘Resist the Beat’ Few tracks have got that peak 3am hands-inthe-air magic, but this is certainly one of them. Proper 90s Belgium style. Credit 00 ‘Cruisin’ Definitely one for the warm up. Infectious downtempo cosmic grooves from the German artist and Rat Life label boss. Armando ‘Don’t Take It’ (Thomos Edit) Classic noughties acid house from the one and only Armando. Played many a time at The Love Inn and it always, always goes off! Katy J Pearson Things haven’t always looked so rosy for Westcountry songwriter Katy J Pearson, but with a new-found creative control, she’s thriving aty J Pearson’s music will wash your worries away. A delicious melange of country, pop, indie and folk, it’s sound that feels effortless like silk on the eardrum. Alluring in its warm, mature optimism; Katy’s small but impressive discovery boasts earnest lyricism, velvety vocals and irresistible pop hooks - tinged with a soft country edge. If the Spring ever needed a soundtrack, it’d better call Katy. But things haven’t always looked so rosy for the West Country songwriter. It’s no secret, of course: the Heavenly website talks openly of her past dealings - “writing songs for men in suits.” They’re referring to Katy’s former music project, Ardyn: a sparkly indie-pop duo formed with her brother Rob. The pair were signed just after Katy finished college. “So, Ardyn turned out not to be the experience you had hoped for, then?” I hedge. “Oh, yeah. I wouldn’t sugar-coat it,” Katy responds candidly, adding: “it wasn’t negative - there were a lot of positives to it. I learned so much. So, although it was quite a bad experience at points, it definitely gave me the experience I needed to pick WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON That in mind, it’s not surprising to learn Katy’s signed to Heavenly Records, or that she will support New Jersey’s Pinegrove on their upcoming UK tour. As well as that, Katy’s just a few months away from the release of her debut album. Indeed, as her manager swanks via text: “it’s all go in KJP world.” myself back up and go: let’s do this again.” Katy exhibits extraordinary resilience, and later, acknowledges it could’ve been “quite easy” to have thrown in the towel. So, what really happened with Ardyn? After all, Katy and Rob celebrated getting dropped from their label like Nicole Kidman divorcing Tom Cruise; with utter joy – (and unlike Kidman, with a curry.) Later on, when I ask Katy whether she’d had any ‘fuck this’ moments with Ardyn, she recalls an infamous co-writing session. Katy recounts being censored by a co-writer, who, under the direction of her management, had been told to “shut down” Katy if she tried to write “anything leftfield.” “You know, it’s just crazy that you get put in a room as a 19-year old girl, and someone says: you and this man are going to write a song together, and it’s going to be a success,” Katy says, explaining the co-writing process (I, for one, wasn’t familiar). Sometimes, and rather uncomfortably, Katy says, co-writers would also prey on her personal life: an attempt to use negative experience as lyrical inspiration. The result? Tracks about things rather artificial and impersonal - like “nature” and “the trees.” “We just wrote so much shit,” Katy laughs. “When I’m with my friends, I sometimes show them little snippets of the songs I wrote and I’m like: I can’t believe I wrote these! Just because they weren’t me.” Throughout the interview, Katy is utterly infectious; she’s chatty, candid and giggly. It’s an optimism that infects not only her sound but her outlook on Ardyn. It’s an experience for which, Katy stresses, she is extremely grateful. Katy would even recommend co-writing to young musicians but advises setting boundaries. “It was weird, and it was crazy, but I think getting thrown in at the deep end was the best thing, really. I would never want to take it for granted,” Katy adds, “because I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to do it in the first place - it’s something that people dream of.” “I’m not leaving. I love Bristol so much. If I hadn’t moved here, I don’t think any of this would have worked out” After Ardyn, Katy used the contacts and experience she’d gained to start from scratch. She soon got to work, creating new music in her and Rob’s studio at The Island. A firm middle finger to songs about leaves, Katy is now much more “self-conscious” when it comes to writing; prioritising her opinion rather than that of others. Armed with a new-found creative control and her Heavenly Records’ “family”, Katy’s authenticity has taken centre stage, allowing her to create tracks like ‘Hey You.’ A wholehearted ode to a friend struggling with depression, ‘Hey You’ was written, Katy says, with a Nylon string purchased on a family holiday to Totnes. The song, released in January, arrived complete with a stunning, self-directed video, filmed in the mythical North Wales tourist village, Portmeirion. “People have said so much more about the videos I’m making now than my old stuff because they’re properly me,” Katy says. Filmed during Storm Brendan (“you know that bit where it’s zoomed in on our faces? All of our lips look really blue. We were so cold!”), the video features Bristol band Grandma’s House, alongside Rob, with whom Katy continues to collaborate religiously. It’s also mentioned that Rob is “starting to mix and produce,” and Katy says that she “keeps encouraging” her brother to pursue a music project of his own: “I just think he’s so talented,” she enthuses. Katy moved to Bristol from Stroud in October 2017: “I’m not leaving. I love Bristol so much. If I hadn’t moved here,” she adds. “I don’t think any of this would have worked out.” After all, it’s here that Katy met her first band, alongside her producer Ali Chant. Chant was responsible for sending Katy’s tracks over to Heavenly, despite Katy feeling like the label “probably wouldn’t like them,” thinking they’d be “too middle of the road.” It all brings us here: just months before the release of Katy’s debut album. “I’m releasing it just before End of the Road,” Katy says, exuding excitement. “I just know I’m going to go on the biggest bender of my life-” we break into laughter. “You won’t see me for a week!” This is more than any old album release, though. For Katy, it’s total catharsis - a new beginning. Some songs on the album, Katy explains, were written while she was in Ardyn. And though her former label didn’t like them, she still had to fight to win them back. “I’m so excited to release this piece of work because I’m excited to move on and see what I write next,” she says, grinning. “I’ve been holding onto these songs for such a long time. There’s just so much more to come.” Agreed: it really is “all go in KJP world.” But what is Katy most excited about? A festival? The release? No, it’s much simpler than that: “I think it’s just starting a new chapter, really. I think I feel so calm and so ready for everything. I’ve had to work hard, but it feels like everything’s going at the right pace - and there’s been no drama. So,” she chuckles, “I’m very happy.” WORDS: MATT ROBSON We catch up with Ujima Radio Director, Presenter and Producer Sandra Green to talk the station’s beginnings, its diverse broadcast schedule and the importance of helping young people ristol’s radio waves are about as varied as any nowadays, the regular slew of major and commercial stations joined by much-loved local platforms like BcFM, Noods and Ujima Radio. Most, if not all, Bristolians should be familiar with the latter: a vital channel for news, views, music and much more broadcasting twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Ujima operates much like any other radio station. Breakfast shows go out daily, as well as news, travel and weather updates, chart shows, a drive-time show for the way home from work and specialised musical programming in the evenings. On the face of it, you could be forgiven for assuming it was no different from its competitors, but you’d be wrong. Now a major part of Bristol’s radio output, Ujima was established in 2009 as a service for the city’s African-Caribbean community. An essential platform for a large section of the local population, Ujima is dedicated to getting relevant information to the right people, providing updates on issues that affect African-Caribbean communities locally, across the UK and around the world. The station’s musical schedule is diverse and engaging, combining contemporary sounds with journeys through a wide range of genres, from reggae to hip-hop and dub, dancehall, afrobeat, soul, soca, jazz and much more. It’s a volunteer-run organisation, with an extensive roster of presenters and a handful of paid staff supported by a team of supremely dedicated people behind the scenes. A community-based project itself, Ujima proudly supports young people looking to get experience in radio, offering skills development and training in editing, interviewing, presenting, newsgathering, researching, fact-checking, using computer programmes, scheduling and more. Experience in a variety of roles is, of course, vital for young people seeking a career in the media, and Ujima is committed to providing opportunities to people in the area as part of its mission statement. “There’s something for everyone on Ujima - we’re constantly working on that” “We try to encourage people, who wouldn’t get into big organisations like the BBC, to have media skills,” Sandra Green (pictured, bottom left), Director, Producer and Presenter at Ujima since the station’s early days, tells me. “Whether it’s on radio, social media, researching or whatever else, we try and set people up for a career in media if that’s what they want.” As audience habits change and people’s tastes continue to develop, the Ujima team make every effort to keep ahead of the curve and provide the Bristol public with entertaining radio output. Musicians and notable personalities are regularly invited on the air as guest presenters and DJs, and the station is expected to make its first foray into the world of podcasts later this year. “There’s something for everyone on Ujima, and we’re constantly working on that,” Sandra says. “Having volunteers here and having so many different people with so many different life experiences helps us shape the shows, and there’s always more we can do, and more we can put together.” Those of you familiar with Ujima Radio from journeys to work or rush-hour taxi rides may not give it a second thought, but in spinning the dial to 98FM you’re tuning in to a one-of-a-kind Bristol station, run by a team full of passion for what they’re doing. Ujima remains an integral part of the airwaves, and an irreplaceable platform for thousands of Bristolians. 7 Days on Ujima Radio Ujima mainstay Sandra Green takes us through seven of her favourite weekly shows on Ujima Radio, from Dancehall with DJ Johnny Bling & DJ Mega, to African cultural affairs and contemporary jazz from established and emerging artists around the world. Monday Late Night Boutique with Benito / 20:00 - 22:00 A selection of weekly features, including ‘Old Skool Album of the Week’, ‘Bristol Nites Out’, Weekly Chart, News Selection, Interviews and Exclusive Releases. Tuesday Alternative Review / 14:00 - 16:00 Hosted by proper film buffs Coco, Dan, Mike and Gertie, the Alternative Review is Ujima’s weekly bout of critical dissection of the breathtaking world of Celluloid. You really have to hear this one to believe it! Wednesday Dancehall Generals / 20:00 - 22:00 Box fresh Dancehall and the very best of the genre from DJ Johnny Bling & DJ Mega. Thursday Rise Up BREAKFAST / 07:00 - 09:00 Produced by Jazz, Rise Up BREAKFAST sees Tommy, Presto, Sula-T and James take listeners through a mix of classic and cutting-edge music, accompanied by exclusive interviews and community news. Friday Glocal w/Sister Jendayi and Brother Ajani / 12:00 - 14:00 Focuses on African political, cultural and social affairs as you approach the end of the working week. Saturday Breakfast Show with Sandra Green / 09:00 - 11:00 An engaging breakfast show exploring the roots of black music as well as current and contemporary sounds, featuring classic tracks, artist bios and interviews as well as discussions on film, art and spoken word. Sunday The Journi with Asher / 14:00 - 16:00 See out the weekend with Asher by exploring the very best in jazz from all corners of the globe. Danny Nedelko Heavy Lungs frontman Danny Nedelko talks the band’s latest EP Measure, friendship and ‘forest dogs’ anny moved to Bournemouth (and later, to Bristol) from Kiev, Ukraine, aged fifteen. He’s the inspiration behind IDLES’ pro-immigration anthem, simply titled ‘Danny Nedelko’. When I meet Danny, he checks his phone to find a Facebook memory: it’s been exactly four years since he received his British passport. Danny looks back at his phone smiling. He’d applied for a British passport after losing his Ukrainian one during Russia’s military intervention in 2014. In previous interviews, Danny’s talked openly about his belated introduction to “good” music – it’s something that wasn’t part of his life in Ukraine. While new peers had discovered the likes of Oasis in early adolescence, Danny was playing catch up aged nineteen. “It’s almost like a different form of appreciation - from an outsider’s point of view,” he says. “I guess I have a different love for it, as it wasn’t part of my upbringing.” WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON It was a process of discovery that was influenced heavily by Danny’s step-dad; a musician in his own right who also used to play in bands. Is he still a big part of Danny’s life? “Yeah, man. He’s wicked. He bought me my first bass – he’s always supported me in this pursuit. And a wicked musician himself.” Whether or not Danny discovered LCD Soundsystem long after they’d split doesn’t matter – you wouldn’t know it now. He’s the frontman of a raw and riotous post-punk band, with fans across the world: Danny mentions Heavy Lungs are off on a Scandinavian tour in April. Ah, so you have a lot of fans over there, then? I ask. “I don’t know! Hopefully! But hey, even if we’re playing to a room of twenty people, it’ll still be great because-” Danny half-jokingly finishes, “Scandinavia – what a place.” If I learned one thing during this interview, it was that Danny loves a bit of playful sarcasm. The upcoming tour is, in part, a celebration of Heavy Lungs’ latest EP, Measure, released in October 2019 via Balley Records. The fivetrack record is much like the Danny I come to know during our interview: sometimes whimsical, but more often, capable of poignant insights. While ‘(A Bit of a) Birthday’ brazenly demands the cash of a birthday card, other tracks grapple with the concepts of self-worth, self-esteem and the interpersonal. The EP, Danny says, was written entirely collaboratively between himself and bandmates George, Ollie and James: “it’s like a fluid machine,” Danny remarks, describing their songwriting process. So, what’s behind Measure? What’s the aim? “I guess It’s a reminder to myself, and hopefully others, to appreciate and to believe in themselves more, realising that they have so much – I don’t want to sound cliché - to give,” Danny explains candidly. “I think if someone listens to it and just feels better about themselves, and it inspires them to do more in whichever area they are interested in, then that’s enough.” Measure seems to be a rejection of self-doubt. But, self-doubt is something Danny admits to feeling “consistently. All the time, even now.” So, how does he counteract it? “Listen to the EP, Measure,” he says in an infomercial-style voice, before trundling off into a mumble. “No, I’m joking,” he resolves. “How do I counteract it? I don’t know.” In June, it’ll be three years since Heavy Lungs performed their first gig; an intimate affair at The Crofters “Because I moved changed friendship groups, changed jobs, changed houses – I never had a constant, specific circle” Rights. Last November, the band played a sold-out show aboard Thekla. It’s an impressive trajectory, in which IDLES have no doubt played a part. They’ve been loyal supporters (and close friends) of Heavy Lungs since the beginning. The friendship is no secret, either; last summer, IDLES frontman Joe Talbot brought Danny on stage at The Downs festival for his self-titled song, clutching him throughout. Describing the BRITnominated band as a key source of inspiration, Danny recalls watching IDLES’ recent gig at London’s Alexandra Palace: “watching them, every time, just pushes the rest of the band and me to be better.” And Talbot? “He has such confidence, and gravitas and control about him – and ferociousness and fragility – all at the same time.” In three years, Heavy Lungs have curated a thrilling selection of raucous, post-punk noise; toured with IDLES and METZ, and performed at countless festivals. However, the biggest change the band has undergone appears to be much more personal. In the beginning, Danny was the group’s only common denominator. He’d known Ollie the longest, then George, and met James at work; he united the three in their first band practice, where the group hit it off. Since, Danny says, “great friendships have formed.” “It’s been great learning about those guys,” Danny says with sincerity. “I love them; they’re amazing friends and incredible musicians. Three years in, I’m still learning great things about them.” He pauses. “Obviously, the dream is to form a band with your best mates – and because I moved - changed friendship groups, changed jobs, changed houses – I never had a constant, specific circle. But funnily enough,” Danny continues, “being in this band has actually made up my group of best friends. So, something that I always wanted came true with this band. I’m really grateful for that; for them and for the timings.” Soon enough, Danny returns to his old tricks, pushing the deep stuff to one side. When I ask if there’s anywhere in Bristol he gains inspiration, Danny mentions a recent walk in Ashton Court with George. “Ah, did you see any deers?” I enquire, probably foolishly. “Ah, yes.” Danny responds. “We did see – forest dogs – as they’re known.” Right. “The new album is gonna be written right in the forest of Ashton Court, next to the forest dogs,” he jokes. I cackle back, and finish, asking: so, can we expect any new music soon? “I kinda hope so. We’re working on stuff,” Danny replies. “I can’t say much at the moment. Forest dogs!” Banoffee Pies Records WORDS: MATT ROBSON Label boss Ell Weston has been around the block in Bristol, running parties and releasing a steady string of well-received records for the best part of seven years. Now preparing to move on, we sit down to talk local influences, favourite projects and the future of Banoffee Pies f you’re familiar with Bristol music, chances are you’ve seen – or heard – Ell Weston (aka DJ Autumn) dropping infectious grooves across eager crowds, surrounded by wide smiles and a flurry of moving feet. The pair have been a staple of the city’s party scene since 2013, having gone from hosting 100-cap parties in their early days to running an internationally renowned label from a Bristol HQ. But, as I catch up with Ell on an overcast afternoon in Stokes Croft, I’m met with the news that he’ll be moving on in a few months’ time. Years after getting Banoffee Pies off the ground and developing it into the all-encompassing imprint it is today, a new start in Berlin beckons. “I feel like if I don’t move now, it’ll just get harder and harder,” he says, explaining the motivation for the move. “We’re gonna jump before everything goes full Brexit.” Leaving Bristol behind won’t be easy, though, and Ell clearly has an affinity for the city that helped him cultivate his genre-spanning label. From early releases that featured a slew of Bristol locals as well Christian Jay, Ruf Dug and Flo Filz, Banoffee Pies have gone on to roll out a collection of sub-labels, featuring everything from no-nonsense party tracks to contemporary jazz, hip-hop and minimal techno. The plan for Banoffee Pies was, according to Ell, to create a platform with a wide scope. He tells me he’s got a lot of admiration for labels that stick to a particular sound, but always wanted to keep things broad on his own project. “I didn’t really like the idea of having to pass up opportunities to work with people because ‘I only do techno’ or ‘I’m only into house-y stuff’,” he says. “It’s good to be a bit different and put out different kinds of records in one place.” A quick look at the Banoffee Pies discography will show you they’ve done just that, combining club-ready records from the likes of Adam Strömstedt and Interplanetary Criminal with their Beats hip-hop series and albums from Mark Nicholas, Ishmael Ensemble and How Du. Having spent so many years operating out of Bristol and working alongside local artists, Banoffee Pies have naturally formed friendships with other people and crews involved in the city’s music scene. “There’s so much talent and so many nice people here that are doing great things, so we’ve always been really keen to support people,” Ell says, proudly adding that you’ll find at least one Bristol artist on almost every record Banoffee Pies has released. It’s not just the artists that Ell has been inspired by over the years, either. He speaks passionately while explaining that the city itself has been a huge influence on his label, home to what he describes as a totally unique atmosphere that gives people space to do their own thing. “I think people often try to look for a specific thing that influences you, but the city for me is more of a feeling. Rather than come here and be inspired by this person or that person, it’s the support and the freedom that makes you feel like you can do what you want creatively.” With a move on the horizon, it’s not clear what the distant future holds for Ell and Banoffee Pies itself. Plans for 2020, at least, are more clear-cut, with the next seven records “lined up and ready to go”. Upcoming projects, including a Black Label VA featuring Alec Falconer, an album from Soulstate Jazz and a 12” from New Yorker Tristan Arp, will take Banoffee Pies over the 50-release mark. Ell, an increasingly in-demand DJ in his own right, also has his sights set on a busy summer of parties, not least the second edition of his festival, Headroom, in Wales in late July. Inspired by community- driven events like Freerotation, Ell describes Headroom as an intimate affair, with just 250 tickets available and an emphasis on openness and inclusivity. “It’s about making people feel safe, comfortable and a part of something, and creating that special atmosphere,” he says. Both the lineup and ticket availability are split, slightly in favour of nonmales to males, to ensure proper representation across the board. “You see so many male-heavy lineups around, and you think ‘if you just spent that little bit of time digging, you’d end up with such a better balance of people and artists.’” Banoffee Pies fans can rest easy in the knowledge that Ell’s relocation won’t hinder the label’s output, and will likely open doors to new collaborations with a new crop of artists. “It’ll be a big switch and we’ll be back in at the deep end,” he admits, but this is nothing new for a label that’s pretty much done it all in the last few years in Bristol. Banoffee Pies remains one of the best-loved imprints to come out of the city in a long time. Ticket registration for Headroom Festival 2020 (31 Jul - 2 Aug) is open now at www.headroom.dance Ell ’s Top 5 Banoffee Pies Releases on page 49 Bristol Promoters: Ones to Watch Despite ever-present challenges facing just about everyone involved in the Bristol music scene, the city is still a proud home to some of the UK’s best parties. Check out our rundown of six promoters to keep an eye on in 2020 Illegal Data What is Illegal Data up to right now? We’re currently super LIT UP n BUSY AF planning our next run of nights and releases for 2020! Honestly so excited about the months ahead and all the amazing people we’re gonna work with! How did Illegal Data get started and what’s been the highlight so far? Myself (NE$$) and Harry (Mun Sing) talked for ages about creating a weird pop music night that would be welcoming, diverse and, most of all, fun. I think pop music appeals to us as the term is so loose, but generally what it represents is accessibility & freedom of expression that’s what we wanted Illegal Data to personify. What makes an Illegal Data party unique? There aren’t really any expectations beyond fun and weirdness at Illegal Data, as the lineups are so diverse and ethereal in concept. You could see some huge producer or DJ perform with a bedroom producer and they’re operating on the same level without boundaries or distinction. What do you look for in a space for a party? I think the vibe of the space is most important for us, along with the venue operating ethically & respectfully towards our crowd, the artists and ourselves. Of course, sound is also a factor, but we know a good network of sound systems too so they can always reinforce us! Glances What have you got in the pipeline for Glances in 2020? At the moment we’re just in the process of writing! We’re sitting on a few bits of unreleased material that have been doing the rounds, and we’ll be making our first foray into throwing parties later this year. What can we expect from the new material? Describe it in three words. Deep, trippy, bassy. When is the expected release date? Nothing’s confirmed just yet! Wish we could say more, but it’s all still being finalised. We’re really excited for it all. Minus the new music, what are you most excited for in 2020? Timedance was a big one for us; it was great to have it back in Bristol for a one night only special. Livity Love Inn Thursdays are a bit of a rite of passage at this point, a good excuse to drink a few too many Birra Moretti’s and chat rubbish in the smokers. Which Bristol parties should we be attending in 2020? Obviously we love the Better Days gang, they’ve spent more than enough time on dancefloors so they know exactly what’s up. Peachin’ What is Peachin’ and how did you start it up? Peachin’ was formed in the summer of 2018. I (Lexxi) had a deep love for the dub scene but equally was craving something new, and recognised that R&B and hip-hop nights rarely existed outside of clubs like SWX and Przym. I set up a meeting with Ella-Sian and Amy (SafeSoul) to explore starting a new night, and we instantly clicked. Ella-Sian had just finished the Mix Nights course and I wanted to start a new night, so the timing worked quite well! And what did you set out to do with Peachin’? Cause When did Cause get started and why? It was an idea that we floated around for a while. Promoting events can become so money-orientated, and people forget that events of this nature are about music and art rather than margins and profits. We decided to focus on things beyond profits, and support causes that really matter through our events. What sets a Cause party apart in Bristol? With our brand focused on the charity aspect, it leaves us a lot of creative freedom to play around with event styles, genres and such. We’ve had a funk & soul night with live saxophonists as well as an old skool garage/ dubstep night with live MCs, and everything in between. The styles really vary, and it makes for some really special nights. Peachin’ is centred around feel-good music, creating safe spaces for womxn to have fun in and keeping the vibe light and fresh with a mix of new and old-school music. And what will the charitable aspect of your parties look like this year? What can people expect from a Peachin’ party if they haven’t been to one before? We’re working more closely with the charities we’ve supported thus far to make our events that much more special and personal. It’s all about supporting people who relate to the Causes we aim to raise awareness of. Like the ultimate mix of R&B 90s bangers, a mix of dancehall, dance anthems, afrobeats, funky, garage all old and new. Honestly, it’s one of those nights where you’re about to go to the toilet then another banger comes on, and you need to carry on dancing. Just a super fun space for everyone. And what’s been the best party so far? It would have to be our Birthday boat party in August. Basically 3 hours of great tunes, on a moving boat down the river in the sun - can’t get much better right? What have you got planned for 2020? We’ve secured our own radio show at SWU.FM every month (super gasmode!). We just got booked for LSTD and we’re also doing an all-day takeover at a Rum festival in Newbury. We’ll be be back at The Plough on July 31st for another summer party, and keep your eyes peeled for our 2020 boat party too! Can you pick out three of your favourite Bristol venues? Honestly, we’re blessed in Bristol to have some truly excellent venues. If I had to pick 3, it would have to be The Love Inn, Old Crown Courts and Blue Mountain. And what are your thoughts on the Bristol music scene right now? The Bristol scene is buzzing as ever musically and on the production side, but I sense that the promotion/events side are struggling more now than they have in recent years. Bristol is surviving because of the backbone of culture entrenched in the arts - particularly music. We have a lot of respect for Headfirst and their efforts to raise awareness for the issues they really care about, and it’s great to see Blue Mountain may be around for longer than we had thought. Rotations What is Rotations up to right now? What is Shellingz and how did you get started? At the moment we’re planning our next run of parties and Social events, so expect to see more of us over the next few months. We also have a very special secret guest mix lined up for the next instalment of our mix series… We started Shellingz at the beginning of summer 2019. I (J Oh Zee) created the brand to provide a platform that allowed 140BPM Artists to showcase their talents and skills. After a successful start with a number of smaller shows, I felt it was time to start making the shows bigger, and alongside KLOC everything just blossomed into what it is now - a brand for the people, by the people. What have you got in the pipeline for Rotations in 2020? Our Rotations Social events have been attracting a lot of interest - we’re thinking about doing more with that concept. A space for producers/artists to share their music and network with each other is something we’ve realised people are hungry for. When did Rotations get up and running and what’s been the highlight so far? We’re still figuring out our role in the Bristol scene, but a highlight for me would definitely be our launch back in June. We managed to worm our way into a Red Bull article about Bristol D&B which was pretty cool, we’re in the company of some huge names so it was truly humbling to be a part of that. Which venues are you into in Bristol right now? Asylum is where we hold our club events - we really love the vibe down there. There are loads of cosy arches, nooks and crannies to hang out in with a compact dance floor. We love intimate spaces for our parties - it’s a real family vibe! Our Rotations Social events are all held at To The Moon in Old Market, which we adore. Chris and Gemma are really supportive - it’s a great little spot that slips under a lot of people’s radar. Well worth checking out. Who else are you excited about in Bristol at the moment? Sofa Sound are top of their game and ruling the Bristol underground, not to mention offering the best merch in D&B. Redacted, Shotgun Sessions, High Rise, Collective and all the other D&B promoters keeping the scene healthy deserve a big, big shout! What are your plans for the brand? As a DJ I’ve been researching and learning more about different genres, styles and artists that I’d really love to incorporate into Shellingz. I’m hoping to do an event where we go from 130BPM all the way through to 180, really keep the audience engaged and have something for everyone. What do you think sets Shellingz apart from other parties in Bristol? I think what sets us apart is that we’re really interactive with our audience. We’re always open to views and opinions during the planning stage, and even during the events we encourage artists to come and jump on the mic. We’re all about inclusivity and wanting people to feel as though they’re a part of the family. What’s your favourite Bristol venue right now? Asylum will always have a piece of my heart as it’s the first venue I ever booked, and we held multiple shows there in 2019. It’s the perfect size and all underground so there’s no phone signal, so you don’t see people on Instagram during a party. It’s very ‘Jammer’s basement vibes’ to me and I think that why I love it so much. What are your thoughts on the Bristol music scene right now? I think for me, the only thing that Bristol is lacking is promoters having more accessibility to venues. I feel that owners should be more open to allowing up and coming bands and parties to use their spaces, to give people a chance to utilise the venues that we have left, as so many are closing. Performing Day & Night Meeting the people protecting the city’s night owls: Bristol’s Street Pastors It’s Saturday night, and Helen is heading into Bristol city centre; her rucksack filled with flip flops, lollipops, space blankets, bottled water and sick bags. “You never know what kind of night it’s going to be,” she says. Helen is co-Chair of Bristol Street Pastors, a team of trained volunteers offering care and support around the city centre every Saturday night, partially funded by the Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID). “There’s usually between three and six of us out together, giving practical help like the water and flip flops or picking up glass, but also talking to people and offering emotional support. It’s so rewarding,” Helen explains. “I’ll go on doing it as long as my legs will let me.” Street Pastors are just one of the City Centre BID’s funded measures helping to make Bristol safer at night. On their route around the city, the pastors usually encounter Safeguarding Marshal Chris and his colleague, who patrol the streets between midnight and 5 am on Friday and Saturday nights. The City Centre BID funds their role, primarily to help those who have become vulnerable during a night out but also to talk to local businesses, defuse tension and assist the police where they can. “The pastors and marshals are a reassuring and helpful overnight presence,” says Keith Rundle, Operations Director for the BID. “We’re really proud of what they’re doing to make Bristol safer and more welcoming after dark.” The City Centre BID has also produced and promoted clear guidance on taxi safety, helping people get home safely after a night out as well as supporting the licensed taxi drivers that operate within the city. All of this has directly contributed to Bristol retaining its Purple Flag award; an international recognition for a diverse, safe and vibrant nightlife. Purple Flag assesses qualities such as cleanliness, safety, diversity, accessibility, and partnership working, so holding Purple Flag status means extra reassurance for those planning a night out in the city. When the night is over, the next phase of vital City Centre BID work begins - a deep clean. At 5.30 am, Dave powers up the Max Vac, thoroughly cleansing dirty doorways in the city centre from Thursday to Monday, covering the busy weekend period when it’s most needed. He’s part of a four-strong team funded by BID, in partnership with Bristol Waste, who cover the entire BID area seven days a week, providing enhanced street cleaning over and above that conducted by the city council. Their fleet of specialist vehicles includes a Boschung for scrubbing pavements and an eye-catching milk float to jet wash unwanted graffiti. “We work round-the-clock to make Bristol cleaner, safer, more attractive and welcoming. That activity benefits everyone,” says Keith. “We’re investing for a better city centre, where businesses thrive, and everyone enjoys spending time, day and night.” www. bristolcitycentrebid.co.uk @briscentrebid Slagheap WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON / PHOTOS: JAMES BIRTWHISTLE / LEFT TO RIGHT: SADIE, HEIDI, LYDIA, CATHERINE Wonky post-punk and loads of fun: a natter with Slagheap he band name was a toss-up, between Slagheap and Solar Anus. Catherine, the band’s bassist, claims she came up with the winning title, but Sadie, the group’s guitarist and synth player, isn’t sure. “There’s another Slagheap,” adds Lydia, the band’s other guitarist, “and their song goes: Slagheap stands for fun and friends. And I agree with that.” I’d agree with that, too. When I meet with Slagheap; comprised of Catherine, Sadie, Lydia and drummer, Heidi, sparks fly within the group. Before our interview begins, the four spend time catching up; chatting and joking. They’re so at ease with each other – and they’re hilarious too. It’s lovely to be part of it, even just for an hour. “So, how did you all meet?” I interject. “We shared parents,” says Lydia, gesturing towards her older sister, Catherine. “Still do,” before a short discussion about Catherine having to clean up Lydia’s home birth ensues. Years later, Catherine met Heidi, an amateur drummer, during a “latenight hospitality hangout.” Then, Catherine met Sadie, and soon, the pair found a love of gigs: “we were gig fiends,” Catherine recalls. “We would be really annoying and loud.” It all led to one night at the pub, where Catherine introduced Sadie and Heidi. The three got talking about Sadie and Catherine’s love of gigs, and Heidi mentioned she’d been playing in a covers band, just for fun. It’s when Heidi, who admits she can be “a bit impulsive”, took a chance: “so, I was like: I’m just going to book us a [practice] room. And even if it’s just for a laugh, we’ll just go, make some noise and see what happens.” Lydia was “bullied” into joining the heap at the practice room. “We were just shouting about boobs and stuff in the first one,” Heidi recalls. “But I just had a feeling we’d got good chemistry together.” That was two years ago. In the time since, Lydia, Catherine and Heidi have turned little to no experience with their instruments (Sadie is a trained musician) into an eight-track, selftitled album, released in November last year. Catherine, in particular, learned how to play the bass from scratch. “You wouldn’t guess that,” I tell them. Recently, the group recorded a triumphant live session at London’s Maida Vale Studios for BBC Introducing in the West. In response, they seem coy, before Sadie explains: “we get a bit shy, but we’ve come such a long way as a band. We really like the sound of that DIY, kind of raw, wonky stuff – that’s the kind of thing we’re going for.” “Yeah,” Lydia jokes, “people have said to us from the beginning: don’t get too good.” It’s a progression that has been extremely organic; accidental, even. After Heidi drunkenly asked a promoter to put Slagheap on a lineup (“he was understandably a bit lukewarm”), the group got their first gig - inside a primary school. And since, the bookings have kept coming: they’ve just finished a UK tour with Geneva’s Massicot, and this summer, Slagheap will play their first festival slots. “Although creative practice, being together and hanging out is the most important thing,” Heidi explains, “we are starting to take ourselves and the whole thing a bit more seriously because why not? We’ve had some amazing opportunities and feel really lucky to be doing stuff.” At its root, Slagheap isn’t about external validation (though it “has helped,” says Lydia); it’s about friends uniting to laugh, make noise and express themselves. “Everything “I think we have a natural aversion to taking ourselves too seriously” Heidi, Slagheap else is the sideshow,” says Catherine. “We have this magical space between the four of us,” Lydia expands, “where we are creative, we make each other laugh, and we probably feel safer with each other than most other people in our lives. That’s what we love about it.” Slagheap’s music is funny, raucous and informal; like any group of mates should be. Take ‘Catherine’s Pranging Out’, a “milestone” for the group, as their first-ever song. The track was inspired by a night out gone wrong, in which Sadie, Lydia and Catherine unknowingly attended a sex party on acid. “You just need the perfect environment and that’s the final say on the matter,” Catherine says, tying up a discussion about that infamous night. “If there are unknown elements, you’re just gonna fucking freak out. And then go down a prang hole for the rest of your trip – which is what I did-” the group burst out laughing. Or, take ‘Horsey Girl’, an ode to people like Sadie, who had a “prepubescent obsession” with horses. “I’d go to the library every week and read all the horse books available,” Sadie admits, over cackles. “Usually, a song idea comes from taking the piss out of someone and running with it,” Catherine resolves. “I think we have a natural aversion to taking ourselves too seriously,” adds Heidi. “Also, we want to talk about important things but not in a super worthy, teary, white woman sort of way.” It’s an important point to make. Slagheap isn’t just about taking the piss out of each other – their music springs from real-life irritations and a shared need for catharsis: “we genuinely come to practice confused or confronted by certain experiences or feelings we’ve got, and we work through that confusion together,” Sadie explains. “And I think a lot of our song lyrics show that confusion, like ‘Do I Do I’, which stems from a conversation about what kind of life you want to have.” ‘Power Shower’, too, is a mix of humour and seriousness. Borne from a group joke about repeating the phrase in Sadie’s mum’s Northern Irish accent, the track also relates to autonomy, choice and masturbation. And ‘Love Island’ - a song about old and new relationships – “but then,” Lydia says, “we called it Love Island.” It’s discussion of real struggle without pretension or superiority - it’s just fun. It’s a playfulness Slagheap bring to the live space, too - “an antinode” to the often oppressively cool atmosphere of gigs. “I think it’d be nice to create some space for people to just hang loose and not worry too much about whether they look great or who’s going to ask them what great record they’re listening to,” Heidi explains. “Just, if you like Eiffel 65, live that truth, babe! You know?” And while the group begin work on album number two, Catherine shares their plans to start promoting, returning the favour to those who have shown Slagheap kindness so far: “it’s not enough, I think, for any of us to just be a band in a place. We want to feel like we have cool relationships, and bring up people around us.” WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON. PHOTOS: @ABOYCRIEDBLUE Catching up with Chikaya: ahead of her first-ever appearance at Loves Saves the Day in September, the Bristolbased vocalist chats inspiration and musical development “If you have a genreless style then it’s like you have no limits on what you can do and where you can go” first interviewed Chikaya two years ago, when she performed live on Noods Radio for International Women’s Day. As before, she’s friendly, laidback and takes the time to catch up before our interview begins; we talk (and laugh) about how, for both of us, Noods was our first experience of radio, and we discuss more recent projects. We also chat about time spent outside of Bristol, where Chikaya offers an interesting thought: “Bristol’s always changing, but even though it’s evolving all the time, it never loses its sense of character and individuality. There’s always something new happening that keeps it fresh, isn’t there?” Bristol’s constant evolution has no doubt inspired Chikaya. Since our first meeting, where, she says, she performed nervously on-air (you wouldn’t have known, mind), she’s released a new batch of material and supported Mercy’s Cartel on tour. Chikaya was also selected as one of BBC Introducing’s 2020 Ones to Watch by Radio 1’s Huw Stephens. She’s grown, and people are noticing. It’s no surprise – Chikaya has a certain allure; from her futuristic, violet visuals to her electronic, otherworldly sound. But Chikaya prefers not to attach any concrete labels to her sound, as this is where, musically, she feels most free. “I used to always say [my music] is cosmic trap, and it still has a lot of trap elements, like the rolling hi-hats. But in terms of the actual BPM of trap, it’s definitely evolved,” she explains. “It’s still cosmic-” she pauses. “I think that is the perfect word to describe my music because that’s what I aspire for with my music. It’s a very ethereal type of word, and it’s a limitless word: cosmic means vast. And therefore, there’s a freedom in my music to explore my sound, my style. If you have a genre-less style,” she continues, “then it’s like you have no limits on what you can do and where you can go.” Adopting trap’s commitment to deep, hard-hitting atmosphere, Chikaya’s electronic-led sound layers oozy, glossy melodies with pared-down, punching beats. Yet whilst her instrumental curates something transcendental, Chikaya’s lyrical subjects are often rooted in reality: “I seek inspiration in social situations and my personal life,” she explains. “My friends, my family - my loved ones: whatever we’re going through, we all go through it together.” Take ‘New Wave’, Chikaya’s most recent single (since our interview, she’s released another, titled ‘Stargazing’). The most energetic single of Chikaya’s discovery to date, ‘New Wave’, details a period of personal growth. “New Wave, from the lyrical point of view, was written in 2018,” she says. “I was in a very positive place. I was feeling like chapters were closing, and I was growing as a person. Sometimes we have to unlearn habits and traits because they hold you back,” she continues. “You have to lose those to grow and to improve.” ‘New Wave’ is about the happiness you feel after this process, and how the process can peak and trough. Chikaya is not from Bristol, yet the city has played an integral part in her development as an artist. “Bristol is a great city to find your feet,” she says, as we chat about the city as another key source of inspiration, “because it has got this chilled, laidback vibe to it. I think it enables people to grow in their own time.” Not only that, but Bristol’s different musical communities, compounded by their collaborative and supportive nature, Chikaya explains, contributes to a city-wide “domino effect” when it comes to musical inspiration: “going to Bristol, on any given night of the week, you’re going to be inspired because you can guarantee you’re going to be witnessing music that is going against the grain.” Armed with a brand-new single and a recent live session with BBC Introducing in the West, it seems Chikaya’s 2020 is off to a flying start, and she seems to be taking it all in her stride: it’s an attitude explored in ‘New Wave’, after all. Talking more about the track, Chikaya says it’s rooted in “letting your troubles disappear” and “taking things slow.” In fact, taking things slow is something, Chikaya admits, she is “constantly” having to remind herself of: “everything happens exactly when it’s meant to – I believe that. And I do believe that I’m on the right path. And so, taking it slow is basically just so you don’t trip up over yourself, over your doubts – and that’s something I’ve overcome.” Scalping Scalping’s James Rushforth (bass) and Alex Hill (electronics) reflect on the group’s debut release, Chamber, Bristol and the necessity of extremity I’m starting to realise we’re actually perfectionists,” James says, over coffee at Stokes Croft’s Café Kino. “I never thought I’d be that person, but I’m starting to realise - the amount of fucking detail we go into is just stupid.” It makes sense: Scalping have released only a few tracks. But it doesn’t matter - they’re meaty enough to satiate any craving for severe, genre-defying sound. After all, the audio-visual project (comprised of James, Alex, Isaac Jones [drums], Jamie Thomas [guitar] and Jason Baker [visuals]), shouts a big fat ‘fuck you’ to the separation of electronic music and that of the traditional band. Instead, Scalping unites the two under one, sweaty roof. Six months since their latest release, a track named ‘Ruptured’, Scalping are back at it. Speaking of recent writing sessions, James explains: “we’ve tried to make the metal bits more metal, and the bits that sound like weed more weedy.” They’re taking all facets of their sound, pushing them to their “weirdest” limits and embracing it. It’s a natural progression for the group, who in March last year, released their debut EP, a two-track record titled Chamber. Chamber, a 10-minute release, feels like a fleeting visit to Hell’s nightclub - in a good way. It’s forceful, industrial but infectious; brimming with intoxicating crossovers between traditional, band-like instrumentation and electronically-produced sound. “When we did Chamber,” James says, “it was like: we just need to do the techno thing.” So, the punch and pound of Chamber was a conscious choice. It was a firm declaration of Scalping’s electronica/band crossover; it was something, James insists, that needed to be “very apparent” in their initial output. With what James describes as Chamber’s “130 chuggers,” the EP made something crystal clear: yes, Scalping is a band, but they don’t do dull or formulaic - or 11 pm gig curfews. They’ll see you on the dancefloor instead. And it worked: last summer, Bruce played a Scalping track at Dekmantel Festival, and the group’s recent, late-night event at The Island soldout almost immediately. So with the hybrid firmly asserted, it’s time to push and squeeze experimentation for all its worth. The stuff Scalping have been experimenting with, James says, is “much more psychedelic.” “We still are chuggers - we’ve got chuggers - but now we’re trying to explore it,” he continues, half-jokingly. “We can always come back to sounding like a 4/4 techno band, but that’s not really what makes us Scalping. We want to stay slightly out of all of these tropes and words.” Alex agrees: “the longer we can keep it hard to categorise, the better, basically.” Techno metal, rave metal, acid metal (“that’s probably my favourite one,” says James); Scalping have been labelled all sorts, but they don’t seem to mind. “As long as it stays away from post-punk I’m happy,” James laughs. Whatever the label, though, James says he wants Scalping to be perceived as extreme: “because if it’s not extreme, then that’s not really the point of it. It’s called fucking Scalping!” But why is extremity so vital for Scalping? James, for the first time, seems a little coy: “because there’s “We’re not writing songs that you’ll sing along to, or even put on at home - it’s the whole package, the whole aesthetic” Alex Hill so much boring music.” Alex adds further clarification: “it’s really rare that you see an exciting guitar band.” For Scalping, then, excitement is extremity, and extremity is something which most guitar-led bands lack. “It isn’t weird enough, really,” James resolves. Sure, Scalping make sound with traditional ‘guitar band’ instruments, but that doesn’t mean they want to rehash the age-old, songwriting formula, lolling in the bounds of genre. “It’s just a different way of looking at stuff, I guess,” Alex explains. “We’re more interested in the sound and aesthetic of things, rather than like - a song. We’re not writing songs that you’ll sing along to, or even put on at home - it’s just the whole package, the whole aesthetic.” At its root, Scalping is an audio-visual pursuit. And so, in its purest form, Scalping exists in the live space: “it’s all about the live show. I think it always will be,” Alex confirms. After all, it’s where Scalping’s ambiguous crossover between traditional instrumentation and electronicallyproduced sound becomes most apparent. It’s also where you’ll find a rejection of the ordinary setlist. Scalping gigs take place as one, continuous session, backed by a disorientating set of live, responsive visuals. Surreal, incessant and integral to the project, the visuals are the work of artist and graphic designer Jason Baker. Jason, the pair explain, is left to his own devices, adding elements to the live show so long as they receive an “extreme reaction” - positive or negative. “Because we don’t really have a front person,” Alex explains, “Jason has the freedom to occupy that space, which he really enjoys. And he can get away with anything because we don’t ever try to reign him in.” Scalping’s unholy ascent is rather impressive, given Alex and James admit they “didn’t know much” about electronic music before moving to Bristol. Originally from Stratfordupon-Avon (“ends,” adds Alex), the pair spent their teens playing in bands. Later, they began studying at BIMM. While university, they say, wasn’t particularly informative musically, going to Howling Owl Records events, and seeing bands like Giant Swan, was essential in Scalping’s formation. In fact, Alex names Giant Swan as the band’s “number one” inspiration. “It was the first time I’d ever seen dance music performed live with that much energy,” Alex enthuses, recalling an early Giant Swan gig at The Crown. “I’d seen people do live electronic sets, but it was always quite considered whereas that was like seeing a punk band playing techno. It was chaos.” “Bristol is entirely the catalyst,” adds James. “Scalping wouldn’t exist without Bristol.” Six Quick Questions Name a track that reminds you of your formation. James: ‘Fall Back’ by Factory Floor. Alex: Daniel Avery was quite a big jumping-off point. Do you listen to anything that would surprise us? Alex: Jamie really likes country. James: I basically exclusively listen to soft boy music Puma Blue, Japanese House, Jamie Isaac, King Krule. Really soft stuff. What’s a song that you’d listen to before a live show? Alex: We have this hype song, this Special Request tune - ‘A Gargantuan Melting Face Floating Effortlessly Through The Stratosphere.’ Interesting. Why? Alex: In the moments before a show, we all get a bit stir crazy, especially at festivals if we’ve been sitting around all day. So, we all get a bit excited. James: Yeah, we have the wig out. If you were cast away to a desert island, and you could only take one Bristol record, what would it be? James & Alex: Oliver Wilde, A Brief Introduction to Unnatural Light Years. James: That record is beautiful. It changed my life in a massive way. And if you could only take one other band member, who would it be? Alex: Probably Isaac, because he lives like he’s on a desert island anyway. James: Jamie would just complain – he’d be the last person I’d want to be with. Alex: Yeah, Jamie’s a diva. Banoffee Pies Records’ Top 5 Releases with Having unleashed a wide range of projects onto eager listeners during a busy sevenyear tenure, Banoffee Pies is ready to celebrate a big milestone in 2020. Approaching his imprint’s 50th release, label boss Ell Weston picks out five of his favourite projects so far Marenn Sukie Malinal (OTAKU01) How Du Landing (BPLP003) Gallegos Mad As Hell (BP008) OTAKU is a sub-label under the Banoffee Pies Records platform which focuses on music for home listening. The first of the series came from UK artist Marenn Sukie, with a five-track drum project exploring Trip Hop and Lounge. Undoubtedly one of our favourite releases to date. Our last album, Landing, came from Bristol producer How Du, best known by his hip-hop alias Simiah. The album delves deep into gritted MPC jams with 2 step and Garage influences in an emotional listen. You can catch him live at The Gallimaufry once a month during his Sunday residency. Another Westcountry producer and one of Bristol’s mainstay DJs, Gallegos’ Mad As Hell was the first solo EP released on the label in our original series. A 4-track journey in UK rave and breaks with complex drum patterns and a post-Brexit apocalyptic artwork to match. This was the latest release to land in the Original series Interplanetary in 2019 from Manchester producer Interplanetary Criminal Criminal. A raw selection of UKG tracks with futuristic Move Tools and nostalgic influences, and plenty of sub bass to rock (BP010) the system. Various Artists Limited Series 008 (BPLS008) Released at the end of summer 2019, Limited Series 08 is a deep dive into twisted drums and a range of moods, from broken beat to drum & bass. Each release on the series itself focuses on a specific feeling, with inserts from four or more artists suited to various occasions. WORDS: MATT ROBSON. PHOTOS: MICHAEL LLOYD Bristol Reggae Orchestra Inclusivity, community and passionate musicianship are at the heart of the Bristol Reggae Orchestra, perhaps the only group of its kind in the world. LOUD meets the hard-working artists at the helm of a truly unique collective “When we get together and do it on a big stage, it really is something special” tarted up in Autumn 2009, the Bristol Reggae Orchestra emerged from a community steeped in musical heritage. From roots reggae artists to classical performers, St Paul’s is home to a wealth of musicians - a perfect fit for such an ambitious project. Following a community meeting on potential schemes to bring people together in and around the area, it was agreed that an orchestra would have the potential to tap into an extensive population of musical people. A team of 15 founders including Black Roots lead singer Charlie Bryan and acclaimed reggae guitarist Leroy Forbes - formed the group, and immediately set to work putting their first performance together. Percussionist Barrington Chambers (pictured, bottom left), another of the founding members, is with me as I wait for the band to arrive at the Malcolm X Centre for a Monday night band practice in St Paul’s. Looking back on the group’s origins, he tells me it wasn’t until March 2010 that the orchestra played live for the first time, but once word spread they had no trouble building a buzz. The group sold out its first-ever show at St George’s Concert Hall in less than a week. “Once we got the word out and people started hearing about us, thinking ‘a reggae orchestra – I wonder how that works’, it just grew and grew,” he remembers. In the ten years since then, the Bristol Reggae Orchestra has maintained a strong core group. To date, they’ve performed at venues and festivals across Southern England and Wales, in London, Cardiff, Devon and Southampton as well as Bristol. Today, the group is made up of 36 musicians, led by musical director Ben Jenkins. The group has all the hallmarks of a traditional orchestra, with a few additions that would never have a place in a traditional arrangement. You won’t find a saxophone in a classical orchestra, for example, but nothing is out of the question here until it’s been tried and tested. “There’s such excitement whenever a new instrument joins the orchestra,” Ben says. “What will it bring to the table? What’s the untapped potential of a reggae bassoon? Or a reggae harp?” Most of the band’s songs are covers of well-known reggae tracks – think Bob Marley or Toots and the Maytals – or homages to the key figures of Bristol’s original roots reggae scene of the 70s and 80s. Ben says, though, that the songs that often get the best reception are original productions written by group members. Arden Tomison, baritone sax player with the orchestra for the last eight years, estimates that “around a third of the music we play is written or composed by members of the group.” “In my kitchen,” Barrington adds with a smile. “A lot goes on in my kitchen.” The music, however, only tells half the story of the Bristol Reggae Orchestra. Staying true to the original vision for the group, there’s a big push to involve members of the local community and put together a collective made up of people from all walks of life. “We have a huge mix of nationalities and musical experience in the orchestra,” Ben tells me. “There are people with a great feel for Jamaican music, people with a classical background, and, of course, those who just love a bit of reggae.” The group are keen to work with BAME members of the community, who might not necessarily be aware of what the group does, but may be able to benefit from being a part of such a unique musical project. Even the membership fees – which usually cost £5 per person, per practice – are flexible to accommodate people who struggle to get the money together. “We want to be as inclusive as possible,” Arden explains, “so if people can’t afford the membership for whatever reason, we do our best to work around that. We’ve had people come who are homeless, who are in difficult personal circumstances, but we do what we can to support local musicians to the end.” With a busy summer to look forward to, as well as 2020 performances in London confirmed, the Bristol Reggae Orchestra’s doors remain open to new members. Musicians of all disciplines can get themselves down to a practice session, see what the group is about, and potentially get involved in the truly one-ofa-kind collective. “It’s so relaxed here, genuinely friendly and the atmosphere is always really warm,” Arden says. “And when we get together and do it on a big stage, it really is something special.” Find out more at bristolreggaeorchestra.com, or contact membership@ bristolreggaeorchestra.com to get involved. WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON. PHOTOS: SARAH CURRIE Tilly In 2017, after weeks of internal debate, Tilly Springer sent her CV and a covering letter (“so funny!”) to Noods Radio. She’d hoped to secure a residency with the independent radio station. To her surprise, Tilly earned a quick response from station founders Jack and Leon, so she headed down from Gloucestershire: “I haven’t looked back since.” Nowadays, Tilly is a close friend of Jack and Leon; her monthly show is a Noods staple and needless to say, she’s getting noticed. In the past year, Tilly’s played in Paris, Berlin and London, and booked her first festival slot. In the club, catch Tilly mixing New Beat and EBM – stuff with “a bit of a clang to it.” And on the airwaves, let Tilly take you on a journey; sink into downtempo sound, tease nostalgia with obscure, retro blends of 80s synthpop, disco and wave, or immerse yourself in some “real bathtub trippers.” Often weird, but always accessible and fun, it’s no surprise Tilly’s show is among the station’s best. “I’ve learned you don’t have to be super ‘party-party’ and extroverted to be a decent DJ with the best gigs” What was it initially that made you want to get involved with Noods? I was really desperate to play my tracks without the pressure of a club environment, on a platform that didn’t take itself too seriously, which is hard to find in an industry of elitists and chin strokers. How would you sum up your show? I find it hard to sum up my show, but I would say it’s anything weird and near nostalgic - with tracks you think you’ve heard before, but you’re not quite sure. I guess I’m aiming to put the listeners on “the scent” for music that they were near to discovering. There’s really nothing unusual, cool or rare about what I play, so I don’t want it to feel isolating and distant. I basically want people to tune in and think: “I want to join an independent station like Noods, too.” What has changed for you since you played your first show with Noods? And how crucial has the station been in your progression as a DJ? too. It’s helped with everything; from my confidence to my digging, to my mixing abilities, to my (albeit, small) reach. Noods has been integral to my progression as a DJ in the underground industry. It’s helped me to carve my own path at my own pace: slow and steady. For example, the industry is really driven by networking, and I’m quite introverted, so I find it hard to put on the outgoing act and put myself out there. Despite this, I’m still able to get the most amazing opportunities. I’ve learned you don’t have to be super ‘party-party’ and extroverted to be a decent DJ with the best gigs. Music should be for everyone. How do you source the material you play? Do you have a particular process? No, not really, I have a very inconsistent process – it’s nothing special or niche. I am absolutely obsessed with history; I did a degree in it, so I guess unearthing stuff, wider reading, and learning a story is ingrained in me. Everything and nothing has changed! Momentum, mainly. And access to fully functioning industry-standard equipment. I’m still driven by discovery, but I don’t feel restricted to the machinations of the wider industry. I dig digitally and physically - I think you’re blinkered if you constrain yourself to one or the other. You have to stay open-minded. I’ll also spend hours in record shops and at markets. It honestly depends what mood I’m in, how much money and time I’ve got. For me, Noods has created this wave where I can jump on and off when I feel like it. I haven’t had to change anything about myself to be heard, and the station has encouraged this, Life can get in the way, I have bills to pay - some months I can find and buy loads of stuff, some months I can’t, and that’s fine. DJing is a privilege, so I feel lucky when I’m able to do it. What are some of your favourite sounds to play and mix? Depends where I am and what I’m doing. In the club, I love playing around with New Beat and EBM. I’m not too keen on club music that sounds too slick, clinical and sophisticated. When I’m out dancing, I want to think “what the hell am I listening to?” which is why I like to play around with a lot of European beat records. They’re really fun, silly and cheap to collect. Name a track that you couldn’t live without. ‘My Heart’s On Fire’ by Machinations. Set closer vibes. Name a new track you love. ‘Surround’ by Glas Gesture. It’s from Noods’ debut compilation, Hypha, which features tracks from residents. Name a track that reminds you of Bristol. ‘Here Comes a Raincloud’ by China Crisis because it’s always raining here. Or ‘Walkin’’ by Dhuo because it reminds me of walking along the harbour on summers night – that’s a crackin’ view. What do you do when you’re not on the airwaves? Normal things. When I’m not working, digging for music or enjoying the company of friends, I’ll spend long periods alone to recharge my batteries. Alone time and normality are sacred. WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON. PHOTOS: ELLIE SANDY Angela Jones Introspective and warm, Angela Jones makes music that evokes memories of days spent lolling in the sun. Drawing lyrical inspiration from poetry, Jones’ often acoustic sound is soulful and brims with vivid, idyllic symbolism handpicked from nature. Raised in Peterborough, Jones moved to Bristol to study music. And this summer, she’ll release her debut EP, Rosewater, with the help of Colston Hall’s artist development scheme, Home-Grown Heat. How did you first get into music? Name some early musical inspirations. I started writing poems when I was younger, and I learnt to play the piano on an old keyboard. Lauryn Hill was one of my earliest inspirations when it comes to songwriting. I remember writing a letter to her when l was a kid; l was so inspired by the way she used her music to elevate social and political issues. I also loved Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and the Beatles; they all have a nostalgic, organic sound. It’s so timeless. From your song titles to your press shots, nature is a clear theme in your work. Why’s that? Ahead of your EP release, you’ve put out a new music video for the song ‘Rosewater.’ It’s beautiful! Could you expand on the story behind the song? Thank you! Roses are symbolic of love, and rosewater is used for healing in a lot of cultures, both in a physical and spiritual sense. So, the general idea for the song was about healing a hurt caused by loving someone. Not necessarily in a romantic sense; it can be understood as grieving the loss of someone you love, or being disappointed at experiencing a negative side to someone you love. It’s where l feel most peaceful. The main message is that, even though these things are painful, it’s still better to be open and loving than to be closed off from feeling these emotions at all. It’s the most open and honest song I’ve written in a long time. Are there any places of natural beauty in Bristol that have inspired you? Has the Home-Grown Heat scheme impacted you as a musician? If so, how? In my first year of university, l always used to visit Brandon Hill. It has really pretty gardens, and at the top, you can see so much of the city, but feel like you’re far away from it at the same time. It’s been really good meeting new people; hearing their songs and influences. I’ve gained insights into my songs that I wouldn’t have thought of before. Having someone back and invest in you is so motivating, so I’m glad to be part of it. You draw lyrical inspiration from poetry. So, who is your favourite poet? Maya Angelou is one of my biggest inspirations. Not only as a poet, but as a person; she was so intelligent and resilient, but also open and sensitive to her surroundings and towards other people. She always advocated humanitarian sentiments in her poetry. I would love to be able to sit down and talk to her - I feel like I could gush over her forever. A project supporting the city’s emerging artists and underground talent, Home-Grown Heat connects participants with industry professionals, who can provide mentorship, support and guidance. WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON. PHOTO: CHRIS COOPER Abi Ward Making waves behind the scenes: Abi Ward was crowned 2019’s Stage Manager of the Year by Women in Live Music. LOUD meets with the young, Bristolian freelancer to discuss her impressive career so far omen in Live Music (WILM) is a European platform and online community for women working in live music. Through online discussion, meet-ups and workshops, the organisation aims to connect, educate and inspire women working across the industry; from tour managers to wardrobe assistants. And while WILM nurtures links across Europe (Germany, Finland and Serbia, to name a few), their 2019 Stage Manager of the Year is from Filton, North Bristol. In December, Abi Ward was nominated for three categories in the annual WILM Awards, and secured the Stage Manager of the Year title, as voted for by the general public. When we meet in Hamilton House, Abi tells me she couldn’t quite believe it when she heard of her nominations following a late-night stage management shift: “I emailed asking: are you sure you got the right Abi Ward?” youth scheme, New Generation Takeover. A young events group and progression route into the industry, the programme allowed Abi to get hands-on experience of event promotion and management. Finally, age 18, Abi secured a role with Colston Hall’s Education team. Well, I can certainly believe it. Abi may only be 25 years old, but she’s been working in the live music industry since she left school, and has been involved with voluntary projects since the age of thirteen. Born and raised in Bristol, Abi attended music sessions at Colston Hall “religiously” throughout her teens, where she learned to play bass. Later on, she began volunteering with the Hall’s Having spent much of her teens attending gigs, learning from tutors also involved in the Bristol music scene, and later, programming gigs at Colston Hall herself, Abi started to build a strong understanding of life behind the stage early on. And so, when Abi’s funding started to dry up (initially, she was funded as a BBC Performing Arts Fellow to work with the Bristol Music Trust based “You get to meet people from all walks of life, and I think that’s a really good life lesson” at Colston Hall), she took matters into her own hands. Noticing that the concert venue lacked an artist liaison, Abi propositioned herself as the perfect candidate: “so, I kind of made a job for myself, and I’m still kind of doing it now,” she chuckles. PHOTO: DOMINIKA SCHEIBINGER Nowadays, when she’s not hanging out at the Mother’s Ruin, DJing with tunes she describes as “guilty pleasures” or dabbling in chef duties, Abi works as a freelance artist liaison and stage manager. She’s worked on some huge gigs (in January, she acted as the promoters’ representative at Bombay Bicycle Club’s sold-out show at SWX), and is a regular at big-name festivals. Glastonbury, Shambala and Green Man; Abi seems to love what she does, and she talks about it with passion. But what does it really involve? What does an artist liaison actually do? “I call it a glorified babysitting job,” Abi smiles, “because you’re making sure things run on time; you’re making sure everyone’s happy and content.” Day to day, Abi’s role involves organising schedules for upcoming gigs, communicating with bands and management, and preparing artist riders. “A few of them ask for drugs in a funny way,” Abi laughs, as we chat about the most ridiculous requests, “the funniest one recently was a band asking for weed - they called it jazz cabbage.” Nice try. On the whole, Abi’s job sounds incredibly fun, but she explains how her career, like any, has its challenges. “It’s not as rock and roll as people think it is. You have to be professional,” Abi says, as we discuss the job’s unsociable hours and winter work droughts. Taking photos with artists is also “absolutely off the cards.” But lighter gripes aside, Abi admits she also has experienced misogyny on the job. “It has been hard for me as a young woman because when I was first around, tour managers that had been in the game for forty-odd years would take one look at me and say: ‘where’s your manager?’ I’m like: dude, I’m here to help you!” In better news, Abi says incidents of this kind have been small in number and thinks things have “been a lot better” in the past five years. And day to day, Abi notes communication and interpersonal skill as key when dealing with artists and their management: “It’s about being a people person. And if they’re not really people people, step back.” “You get to meet people from all walks of life, and I think that’s a really good life lesson. There are so many different people in the world, and you don’t know what problems a person’s having, so it’s just knowing the right kind of way to approach someone.” Before we part ways (the hour we’ve spent together has flown by), I ask Abi whether she has any advice for aspiring members of the live music industry. As well as being open to having people shadow her on the job, Abi says it’s all about getting “stuck in.” “Go to your local venue and just put the word out there,” she advises. “The worst they could say is no, and if they do, go somewhere else; because there’s plenty of venues in Bristol.” WORDS: KATE HUTCHISON / PHOTOS: CHARLEY WILLIAMS Musician, DJ, vocalist, spoken word artist, promoter, writer, Inclusion Officer: is there anything Ngaio can’t do? Over coffee, the Arts Council-backed creative discusses her latest projects 58 LOUD Magazine t’s been five months since the release of We Fly; Ngaio’s latest EP created as part of Saffron Records’ Artist Development Programme. Home to an infectious amalgam of genres, the five-track record boasts neo-soul vocals, jazz arrangements and essential discussion. It’s a body of work which, Ngaio says, reflects herself not only as a musician but as an individual: “I was really adamant that I wanted it to be something that I felt really reflected who I am and what I think.” Take ‘Blackbird’, We Fly’s near-nineminute crescendo. A thunderous composition, ‘Blackbird’ offers an exploration of race, identity and representation. Through the medium of pensive spoken word and powerful vocal, listeners are met with Ngaio’s personal experience, “I feel like I’ve been doing loads of groundwork, and now things are starting to come to fruition” too; of being mixed race, of microaggressions and exclusion. It’s a conversation starter, and a piece of work to connect and represent her audience. “People have really heard it in the way that I wanted,” Ngaio says, reflecting on the months since the track’s release. “They haven’t felt attacked or anything, which I think is a big worry.” ‘Blackbird’ had been in development for a while: its spoken word was written over four years ago, which, Ngaio notes, “shows how much things haven’t really changed or shifted. I’ve always written like I’m writing a diary. So,” Ngaio continues, “when I wrote that, it was because I was going through something internally.” The words were also inspired, in part, by Ngaio’s upbringing. She grew up in rural Wales, where, Ngaio says, “there were no other black people around, and I didn’t know what the hell was going on.” She explains that if the song were for a specific person, that person would be her nine-year-old self. Indeed, ‘Blackbird’ is a fearlessly personal track, and thus, ignited a level of vulnerability upon its release: “you’re really putting yourself out there for everyone to pick apart.” However, it’s a vulnerability Ngaio hopes will translate to her audience. Though the track platforms a discussion of critical struggles, they are struggles with which some listeners may not often engage or experience – but that’s okay, Ngaio explains: so long as there’s a willingness to be vulnerable in response; to open up and engage with the content. “It’s a beautiful thing because when people do listen, and they do connect, you can see them becoming vulnerable in that moment of realisation.” Aside from making music, Ngaio works professionally as the Inclusion Officer at Bristol charity Artspace Lifespace. She is also the Director of the Bristol Bass Choir and is the founder of DJ collective and monthly party, Booty Bass. The EP’s title symbolises the purpose of Ngaio’s work: “I wanted We Fly to be the name because that is essentially why I do what I do. It’s the music; it’s the writing, it’s the inclusion and diversity work - I feel like that wraps up what I’m trying to do at the moment, which is for everyone to feel like we’re all succeeding together.” Today, we meet inside Easton’s Orchard Café, and Ngaio is effortlessly warm, chatty and energetic. It’s a positivity she brings to track two of We Fly, ‘Green Eyed Queen’. Although inspired by a friendship breakdown, the song champions seeing the best in others. But equally, Ngaio mentions how she has learned the importance of “quiet days” - days spent alone, focusing on herself. In fact, Ngaio couldn’t escape quiet days when she lost her voice a few years ago: “there was a worry about whether I’d be able to sing again. I had to be quiet for six months.” ‘Well, if there’s one thing that’s never quiet, it’s Booty Bass!’ I respond. “It’s funny you say that,” Ngaio smiles, “because I learned how to DJ when I wasn’t allowed to sing. I was barely allowed to talk, and I just thought: if I don’t find something musical to do, I’m gonna go mad.” It’s when Ngaio signed up for local DJ course, Mix Nights, and became instantly fascinated with mixing. This year, Ngaio will unite her work as a musician and her skills on the decks. On April 17, Ngaio is set to release a new EP via Durke Disco; a remixed version of We Fly. Some of Ngaio’s favourite producers have produced remixes for the release, allowing the EP to enter the club space. Ngaio’s planning on upping her DJ game, too: she’s learning how to sing and DJ, and mix jazz with drum and bass. It’s no surprise, given her recent grant from Arts Council England: “it’s still mind-blowing, to be honest.” The Developing your Creative Practice grant, Ngaio says, will enable her to undertake a production course with LA’s Beat Lab Academy, specialising in dancehall and afrobeat. So, for Ngaio, what is the most exciting thing about 2020? “I think seeing where I’m gonna be at the end of it because I just don’t know. I feel like I’ve been doing loads of groundwork, and now things are starting to come to fruition.” WORDS: MATT ROBSON A Party for the People Rave on Avon is ready for its Old Market debut. After the celebrated multi-venue festival took place in Stokes Croft for the last time in 2019, organisers have confirmed they’ll be turning their focus to BS2 from here on out. Festival Director Ruth Wiles gives us the lowdown on what to expect orn from the ashes of the much-loved Brisfest, Rave on Avon has been running in a few different formats since 2014, when it started out as a boat party around the city’s harbourside to raise funds for the flagship September festival. The first standalone Rave on Avon took place in 2018 after attentions and efforts naturally moved towards it and away from Brisfest. A perfect fit for the vibrant and varied landscape 60 LOUD Magazine of Stokes Croft, the festival made use of the area’s multitude of club venues and event spaces to create a one-day party unlike any other the city had seen before. “From the get-go, the idea was to hold Rave on Avon in Stokes Croft,” Ruth explains. “It was the ideal place to do it – a perfect mix of stages and spaces, a really good vibe and really supportive venues.” Rave on Avon has been immensely popular and one of Bristol’s most eagerly-awaited “You need the right venues, the right staff at those venues and a crowd that’s in it to have a good time. Bristol gets it right in every sense” parties over the last few years, and came to encapsulate the free spirit of Stokes Croft and the venues in and around it. But, of course, all good things must come to an end, and Rave on Avon 2019 – billed as ‘The End of an Era’ – was the last to take place in the area. A combination of gentrification, redevelopments and general uncertainty surrounding a number of venues has, unfortunately, forced organisers to move on, but where else could you take a party of Rave on Avon’s size and stature? “It was such a difficult decision to leave Stokes Croft,” Ruth tells me. “Without Blue Mountain, where are you gonna get that outside space? How would we address the huge hole left behind by Lakota? Stokes Croft is such an artistic hub, one of those areas that’s really defined by its music.” place over the last few years, yet still manages to retain that old Bristol vibe. We’re all about celebrating the very best that Bristol has to offer, and there are so many great venues, bars and independents with their own unique character set up in the area.” With a multitude of new spaces to explore and a new landscape to make use of, Ruth explains that the team are keen to pull out all the stops and put together “the biggest Rave on Avon to date.” Despite the new location, though, the winning formula is set to remain the same. The Rave on Avon mission statement promises to “support and promote local artists, music and culture in Bristol and the South West”, combining a local focus with a selection of top-drawer electronic acts playing across a variety of venues and spaces. As it turns out, the answer to all of those questions lies in Old Market. While few other parts of the city have the capacity to host an expansive multi-venue event like Rave on Avon, Ruth and the team knew as soon as they started looking in BS2 that they had found a new home that fit the bill. 2020 lineup and venue news is being released piece by piece. At the time of writing, Trinity Centre, Jack of Diamonds, To The Moon, The Elmers Arms, Good Store Studio, The Exchange, Stag & Hounds, Dare2Club and Moor Brewery will all be involved, with more venues still to be announced. “We wanted to do something new, and Old Market is perfect. It’s become an increasingly vibrant The musical programme, meanwhile, is one of the festival’s most ambitious to date. World-renowned, Bristol- born tastemaker Eats Everything tops a bill full to the brim with highlyregarded local artists and a selection of the UK’s most exciting up-andcoming DJs. Across a diverse range of spaces, expect killer sets from Bristol favourites GotSome, the ZenZero duo, Em Williams, Ellie Stokes, Daisy Moon, Syz, Ellis Roberts and James Dyer. Elsewhere, don’t miss stage takeovers, marathon sets and more from revered local crews including Alfresco Disco, Friendly Records and Strictly Yes. While Rave on Avon has made the move away from Stokes Croft, the show must go on. The organisers’ drive to provide a polished multivenue festival that Bristol can be proud of, keep ticket prices down and champion local talent, is going nowhere. “You need the right venues, the right staff at those venues and a crowd that’s in it to have a good time,” Ruth says. “Bristol gets it right in every sense. Keep your eyes peeled for lineup news and venue details for another unforgettable Rave on Avon in May.” Bristol Promoters’ Index Looking to put on a gig or start a party? Whether it’s an expansive, multi-room complex, a deep, dark basement or a tried and tested live music space; you’re sure to find something in Bristol. Here’s a list of local venues and their floor capacities to get you started Motion / The Marble Factory | 74-78 Avon Street, Bristol BS2 0PX 200-4000 (Multiple Spaces) | [email protected] | motionbristol.com Lakota | 6 Upper York Street, Bristol BS2 8QN 500-1200 (Multiple Spaces) | [email protected] | lakota.co.uk Blue Mountain | 2 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3PR 400 | [email protected] | bluemountainclub.co.uk Thekla | The Grove, East Mud Dock 500 | [email protected] | theklabristol.co.uk The Love Inn | 84 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QY 300 | [email protected] | theloveinn.com Basement 45 | 8 Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA 300 | [email protected] | basement45.co.uk O2 Academy Bristol | Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA 1800 | [email protected] | academymusicgroup.com/o2academybristol The Crofters Rights | 117-119 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3RW 300 | [email protected] | croftersrights.co.uk Cosies! | 34 Portland Square, Bristol BS2 8RG 110 | [email protected] | facebook.com/cosiesbristoll The Island | Bridewell Street, Bristol BS1 2QD 250 | [email protected] | theislandbristol.com The Loco Klub | Clock Tower Yard, Bristol BS1 6QH 200 | [email protected] | locobristol.com Trinity Centre | Trinity Road, Bristol BS2 0NW 600 | [email protected] | trinitybristol.org.uk The Fleece | 12 St Thomas Street, Bristol BS1 6JJ 450 | [email protected] | thefleece.co.uk SWX | 15 Nelson Street, Bristol BS1 2JY 1100-1800 (Multiple Spaces) | [email protected] | swxbristol.com The Lanes | 22 Nelson Street, Bristol BS1 2LE 500 | [email protected] | thelanesbristol.com The Exchange | 72-73 Old Market Street, Bristol BS2 0EJ 250 | [email protected] | exchangebristol.com The Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ruin | 7-9 St Nicholas Street, Bristol BS1 1UE 100 | [email protected] | mothersruinbristol.co.uk Full Moon & Attic Bar | 1 North Street, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3PR 240 | [email protected] | fmbristol.co.uk Fiddlers | Willway Street, Bristol BS3 4BG 450 | [email protected] | fiddlers.co.uk Jack of Diamonds | 46 West Street, Bristol BS2 0BH 400 | [email protected] | jackofdiamonds.club Mr Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s | 32 St Nicholas Street, Bristol BS1 1TG 270 | [email protected] | mrwolfs.com Rough Trade Bristol | 3 New Bridewell, Nelson Street, Bristol BS1 2QD 150 | [email protected] | roughtrade.com/gb/events/store/rough-trade-bristol The Louisiana | Wapping Road, Bathurst Terrace, Bristol BS1 6UA 140 | [email protected] | thelouisiana.net Take Five Cafe | 72 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QY 100 | take5cafe.co.uk The Trap | 10 All Saints Lane, Bristol BS1 1JH 100 | [email protected] | thecrown-bristol.co.uk/trap Leftbank | 128 Cheltenham Road, Bristol BS6 5RW 120 | [email protected] | leftbankbar.co.uk Arnolfini | 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA 200 | [email protected] | arnolfini.org.uk The Jam Jar | Unit 4a, Little Anne Street, Bristol BS2 9EB 220 | [email protected] | thejamjarbristol.com Dare2Club | 1 Alfred St, Bristol BS2 0RF 250 | [email protected] | daretoclub.co.uk Thunderbolt | 124 Bath Rd, Totterdown, Bristol BS4 3ED 150 | [email protected] | thethunderbolt.net Spring 2020 Where local information matters

Abortion Pills are NOT a Substitute for Making In-Clinic Abortions Accessible Just because they're an option for some doesn't mean that clinic access no longer matters Since Texas's SB8 made abortion access ever more of a nightmare than it already was in early September, there's been a surge in awareness as to the existence of abortion pills. This development is good, and it's also complicated. The fact that more people know that they can self-manage their own abortions is a victory for those seeking abortion care. Abortion pills provide options for pregnant folks in states with swaths of rural areas (think upstate New York, as well as North and South Dakota) who physically cannot get to a clinic, and folks who don't want to go to a clinic and deal with healthcare providers in person. Self-managed abortion isn't a desperate measure for many who use it. On the contrary, it's a relief. It means that people who are fearful of telling the abusive partner or adults in their lives that they're pregnant and don't want to be can terminate their pregnancy in a safe place, without having to tell said partner they were pregnant (or they may choose to say they had a miscarriage). A trans or non-binary pregnant person who has had negative experiences with healthcare providers, or doesn't want to have to argue about or clarify their identity when they're just trying to get a medical procedure done, may find it empowering to self-manage their own abortion. And during COVID, self-managed has proven to be life-saving for many folks who could not leave their homes for abortion care. Any reason to use abortion pills is the right reason, and a good reason. However, just because abortion pills are an option that may prove helpful for some doesn't mean that access to an abortion in a clinic no longer matters. Abortion pills aren't right for everyone. Some people feel safer going to a clinic, where a practitioner will evaluate whether or not the pregnancy has been removed before the patient can leave. One may not know they're pregnant until they're past the point at which abortion pills can be used. It might not be safe in one's home to use abortion pills. And perhaps most importantly, a person should be able to access the kind of abortion they want, not the abortion that they must choose out of desperation. There are laws limiting access to abortion pills in the US. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 32 states require that the provider administering abortion pills be a physician. Not only is there no medical reason this needs to be the case, but this law makes it even more difficult for abortion seekers -- if the only day you can get to the clinic is the the day the physician isn't there, that makes everything more complicated and may even prohibit you from getting the abortion. In 1 state, abortion pills are prohibited after 10 weeks of pregnancy, although misoprostol can be used on its own safely up until 12 weeks. And in 19 states, a clinician must be physically present when the pills are given, meaning that telemedicine can't be used when prescribing abortion pills. So if telemedicine is your only option and you live in one of these states, you aren't getting that abortion. We know that self-managed abortion is safe. We also know that restricting access to abortion has nothing to do with safety, but rather controlling the bodies of people who can get pregnant. Abortion pills should never be seen as a one-size-fits-all model for abortion care, but an option that's right for some and should be fully accessible, like every kind of abortion - not limited by laws and stigma.

During the three a long time of reform and opening up, China has made brilliant achievements, by no means seen earlier than in historical past. Now, China is in a crucial interval of reform and opening up, with very complicated, far-reaching and closely intertwined social problems, which are additionally unprecedented. After deep and detailed analysis the Research Group believes that these issues cannot be resolved only by financial methods. The status of girls in China at present is, nonetheless, far more questionable than the official emphasis on gender equality suggests. In 1991, ladies were still underrepresented in parliament, holding solely 21 per cent of the seats . Many of the women I spoke with said that the coveted verify makes it simpler to take care of trolls. Some outstanding women and non-binary folks in tech are calling out Twitter’s opaque verification process. While Twitter has verified 1000’s of users over the last few years, it says the process is presently on maintain — but some quiet verifications final week set off this newest uproar. And there’s a possibility for us to subsequently be sure that there may be variety in the best way that those companies are funded, founded and constructed and operated. In constructive news, in the last year, there are more female unicorns than some other given 12 months. So it is possible to look out and see these iconic founders of the long run. We want to interrupt that mode and make sure that buyers are looking at the alternatives and that women feel like when they’re coming to the desk, that they’ve a great shot at making this occur. What I do think was actually attention-grabbing this yr was how many people came out to the mounting proof of the economic advantages of getting diversity on the table. California is the fifth-largest economic system, and the chance for investing in and leveraging the variety in the way in which that we fund, discovered and construct firms is enormous. At the identical time that we’re celebrating the success of where the needle has moved, where we’re running behind is actually the funding to feminine firms with female founders, which, for all intents and functions, hasn’t really budged. In a stark turnaround from the early many years of Communist rule, officers now look the other means when employers, reluctant to cowl prices associated to maternity depart, overtly pick males over girls for hiring and promotions. At home, girls are increasingly disadvantaged in divorce and dropping out on features in the country’s property growth. Driving this regression in women’s standing is a looming growing older disaster, and the stress-free of the draconian “one-baby” delivery restrictions that contributed to the graying population. She lived until she was 69, and she’s the inspiration behind Mistress Ching, one of many Pirate Lords in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. In the early 1800s, when the Golden Age of piracy had already light in the Caribbean, a pirate queen was sailing her fleet, commanding as many as 80,000 outlaws , in the South China Sea. History has forgotten her birth name—Ching Shih interprets to “widow of Ching”—but not her amazing deeds, which have put her down within the historical past books as one of the successful pirates in historical past. Ching Shih worked as a prostitute till she married the infamous pirate Cheng I , who had united completely different factions of pirates into his Red Flag Fleet. Consequently, China is currently one of many uncommon countries on the earth with more males than girls. According to official estimates of 2019, the surplus of men among younger adults of marriageable age of 20 to 24 years was almost a hundred and fifteen to one hundred. This notorious deficit of young Chinese females is naturally accompanied by several social, demographic and economic find out more problems, including black markets for brides and elevated age-gaps between spouses. Unlike earlier generations of arranged marriages, the trendy polygamy is extra often voluntary. Women in China face serious pressures to be married, by household and pals. There is a derogatory term for women who aren’t married by the point they’re of their late twenties, sheng nu. It didn’t matter that she had been the first breadwinner for most of their marriage and had made all the mortgage funds. The drawback has turn out to be extra apparent since 2015, when celebration leaders, worried about the influence of slowing population development on the economic system, ended the one-youngster policy and commenced allowing all couples to have two youngsters. Employers usually see ladies like Ms. Wang who are married without youngsters as the largest gamble for hiring or promotions. And reviews abound of pregnant women being reassigned to much less necessary positions, or returning from go away to search out their jobs have been stuffed. With the enactment of the Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women, the so-known as Women’s Law, China has made a contribution in the direction of the elimination of discrimination primarily based on gender. This law was adopted on 3 April 1992 and entered into pressure on 1 October 1992. It contains chapters on political rights; rights associated to tradition and training, work, property, the particular person, marriage and family; and legal safety.

As the opening date of All is Fair approaches, the new business started by Peregrine Honig in the Bauer building on West 18th Street in Kansas City, the usual media and Honig’s own following have little to criticize. Initial reviews, soft announcements of the shop opening, served to entice Kansas City with the promise of new territory being explored in an effort to relieve some of the oppression the trans community faces. The first article, written by Huffington Post writer Kayti Doolittle, spouted some of the usual uplifting predictions for the shop (and at one point even compared her own desire for non-lacey underwear to the trans experience—no I’m not kidding). The lack of critical voices on the matter make it more important than ever to deconstruct the implications of a prominent artist opening up a transgender lingerie shop—separate from her existing lingerie shop—and using the store as a reason to call herself an activist. Let’s start with the obvious: a privileged white woman of a dominant social class is using her business skills and local connections to profit off a product that is marketed to an oppressed minority. Not only that, she is controlling the image on the product itself, injecting her own voice and her work on each garment. What seems like harmless business smarts at first can still be peeled back to reveal a cycle of gender oppression, misinformation, and misrepresentation of a vibrant community by someone who doesn’t belong to it. In my now seven-month long journey to understand this issue from as many sides as possible, I’ve discovered a lot of different ways to approach this issue—ranging from our culture’s problem of appointing Hollywood cis-genders to play trans roles, why high-profile organizations like SAGA believe straight allies accomplish things LGBTQ individuals simply cannot, and perhaps most important of all, how the wide umbrella of Transgender is in a constant state of flux. Everyone I’ve informally interviewed about this endeavor had something to say, most with a mixture of mild curiosity or indifference, some with enthusiasm for the product, others altogether enraged by the venture. One of the strangest things I’ve come across was that most of the straight, cis-gender individuals I chatted with seemed to have no problem at all with the store. What strikes many as support strikes me as an ignorance to the extreme inequality the transgender community faces all the time. It was much easier for the cis-gender straight population to show support and excitement because none of the issues affect them directly. Vehement non-supporters were quick to point out the ways in which this store directly insults or mistreats them/the LGBTQ community they belong to. Same goes for mild supporters, who displayed brief curiosity and a tentative plan to someday visit the store and see what it’s about. The only excited supporters in the LGBTQ community I talked to fell into the drag queen/performance artist category, an interesting point I feel needs to be made. These were all one-on-one conversations. Hardly any of these opinions have made it into any of the major media articles thus far. Every other article I come across is an exclusive interview with Peregrine herself—obviously tooting her own horn for the sake of the business, as business owners do—and so far it seems none of these reporters are actually reaching out to the LGBTQ community for their opinions. Maybe they’re afraid of finding what I found in my journey: groups of people who either don’t care or are only mildly interested. Heading into a community that is always fighting against some injustice in one way or another, it is perilous to discuss something as material as what kind of underwear they would prefer to wear. Perhaps these reporters are content with one person’s opinion—the person who has the most to gain from a positive public appearance. Maybe they just don’t want to put in the legwork. Most likely, I imagine, each individual who has reported on All Is Fair and has put some major positive spin on the piece is of this cis-gender privileged class—the ones who talk about the shop most favorably. My biggest question to Honig, to Kansas City, and to anyone who is watching this story develop: Where are the voices that matter most? Why do the loudest, most supportive voices come from the privileged class? If the trans community is the last to speak up about this, will we still be listening, or will our attentions have drifted again to the next artist using social buzz words to fill their pockets? Without the essential voices that are missing from this conversation, all I can hear is Honig using her media influence to open a new bank account. I can’t prevent that from happening, but I can offer you another side of the issue that is deeper and more sinister than you will hear from other media outlets. I want to break this down so we can examine the ways injustice is hidden beneath an assertion of understanding. Keep in mind, neither I nor my correspondents are authoritative voices in the media, LGBTQ culture, or Kansas City’s art scene. Together, we have simply contributed our voices to navigate this complex and mutable issue in a way that allows for a deeper and more productive conversation to occur. It seems Honig believes a new store front will be more inclusive than it is excluded from Birdies, the existing shop. This simplified model leaves the critical thinkers with more questions than answers. In her unique social position—in society and in Kansas City’s who’s who club—it might not occur to her that what she wants from a store may not be what the trans community seeks in their efforts to become more visible and incorporated into daily life. As Cy Lauz expressed in a written piece about the shop on KCUR: “If you are a trans woman who is not particularly ‘passable’ and are shopping at a store or public venue, you face the possibility of being harassed, judged and even physically hurt.” Although the quote was inserted as a promotion for All Is Fair within the context of that particular write-up, the concerns expressed are dangerously real. Ignoring what Lauz is saying, or worse, spinning it around to support Honig’s crusade, is just one more example of how local media is working with limited opinions while the profiteers get their exposure. The dangers of opening a separated store—in an alley, remember—that is targeted to gain the business (and trust) of the trans community are real and present. Even in the liberal 18th Street district of the Crossroads, nobody is prevented from bringing their narrow-minded hatred for non-binary individuals to a violent head. It sickens us to think it could ever happen, but it happens all the time. It appears the move reflects Honig’s real intentions with the store and does not prioritize the safety of her customers. I wonder if Birdies couldn’t work on rebuilding their brand for inclusiveness and encouragement, rather than detaching other aspects of human sexuality and the spectrum areas between gender expressions in order to remain relevant. All Is Fair is a new segregation, a definitive line between “our” lingerie and “their” lingerie, literally separated by a one-way street that could represent our passing interest in social politics. The trans community might prefer to walk into Birdies and be treated like any other customer, but that might involve changing the overwhelming feminine aspects of the store itself. Simply re-branding Birdies would eliminate a crucial aspect of this project for Honig: the hype-generating click-bait the media will clamber over to report on—an element that Honig has always depended on for each new venture to succeed. The notion that human sexuality and the gender spectrum should be divided into different lanes for purchasing different wares is a dangerous one, one I don’t think Honig has considered from the perspective of the LGBTQ community. Sure, the shape and size of the lingerie will be different, but an eclectic mix of undergarments in an existing store might be more warm and inclusive. In talking with Sandra Meade and Una Nowling, each expressed a similar concern for the concept of stores that might be seen as supporting the notion that transgender people are fundamentally different, and should shop in their own spaces. Both prefer to shop at places for women, like Dillards and Nordstrom, or anywhere else that carries women’s underwear. When we talked about unique proportions to consider, Una made a scientific observation: “It’s inarguable that a transgender woman with XY chromosomes will likely have a different body shape and proportions than an XX woman. If this clothing line takes that into account, along the lines of how good shoes made for transgender women will be built upon a ‘male shoe’ last, then that would be useful.” The prefix to woman or man shouldn’t matter, but as the trend of talking about transgender and transsexual issues continues, more people are choosing to create stores especially for “them.” Thus, the harmful idea of “the other” continues to exist and to profit. Both women, who I want to remind you are not the authorities of trans culture (although their activism is admirable—and they were kind enough to meet with me and have a discussion) said they believe there is a niche market for this brick-and-mortar shop, including among cross-dressers and others who are not yet comfortable in mainstream stores, especially among those with a steady and reliable income, since such specialty shops may be expensive. We talked about the depressing transgender economic status, and that many individuals under the transgender umbrella would simply be unable to afford such material goods. When you think of custom made underwear—made by a prominent artist whose work is collected nationwide—and you think of the details that must be paid regarding each individual’s unique curves and surfaces, the dollar signs start to add up. Factor in high-quality material and manual labor and we’re looking at some pricy undies. (Anyone who has shopped at Birdies can relate, as Honig’s choice of garments hardly ever falls below the $30 mark.) Marketing an expensive product to a community that faces a high rate of job displacement and income disparity based on their identity seems uninformed at best. Paying straight, privileged designers of the upper social class to create these products, only to sell them to a traditionally lower income class, seems stranger still. My correspondent, Vian May–who has helped me understand the issue from an individual perspective– had some things to say: “At the same time, inclusiveness helps create an environment of acceptance almost as much as out living does. But this is an environment that we are still in the process of creating. And the backlash can be disheartening. I’m not sure if I can express the thoughts of other trans guys, much less those of trans women, but I have a legitimate concern over violence in my life due to being a trans man. That violence is a threat to trans women in an exponentially larger set of circumstances and exponentially more violent altercations, up to and including murder. I think it’s easy to say ‘what should be’ when ‘what should be’ doesn’t affect you. Of course my underclothes should be easily available, there shouldn’t be a question of what changing room or bathroom I use, there should be no concern about me losing my job or my clients over my trans status. How things should be is rarely how they are.” As a trans male, Vian’s approach to safety issues and concerns is not unique. An inclusive environment is completely necessary if trans people want to shop for their clothes and materials freely, but that inclusiveness is still in the process of being obtained. The idea that inclusiveness can be reached most effectively by separating “ours” from “their” material goods, rather than educating the public that might nay-say all-gender stores, is not inclusive. It is the exact opposite. Fads are a problem in the art world. The more artists latch on to the hip new socio-political trends, the more they reduce them to their own voice and interpretation. Trans issues are all over the news these days, and although most of this exposure comes from a place of positive empowerment, a lot of it reinforces our existing ideas about the community. The rise of trans roles, often played by cis-male actors like Eddie Redmayne and Jeffrey Tambor, fill our curiosities of “what it means to be trans,” except for when they don’t. More producers, artists, writers, and subcultures are lifting the trans identity and applying it to their own pursuits. I didn’t think about this until just after I saw “Unicorn”—Honig’s first solo exhibition in years. When I got wind of what the new shop was about, something was off in the way “Unicorn” was off. In the middle of the gallery, surrounded by very privileged and familiar individuals, I tried to put my finger on the growing discomfort I felt while watching the audience experience the work. Honig’s main representation of the trans community was a large image of the fabled “Unicorn”: a young woman with a penis between her legs/a young man with small breasts and engorged nipples. A young trans person, essentially. This “slashie” of the sexes disturbed me—not because of the hermaphroditic genitalia—but that now, in the middle of a large gallery filled with the privileged majority, this was the take-away image of “transgender” for this audience. The rest of the subject matter was overwhelmingly female oriented: foxes, bunnies, women’s legs, little lambs—and I was left confused as to how that was representative of the other half of a culture that walk the delicate lines around societal restrictions: Am I masculine, or feminine? Where were the traditionally male-oriented images? Or better yet, where were the genderless creatures—the easily transformed and unhindered symbols that more accurately represent a culture and lifestyle of non-binary gender organisms, like slugs and worms? Why was the female role so heavily portrayed while the male role was completely absent? Did this representation have something to do with Birdies and their feminine image, subliminally encouraging the audience to make the connection between the art, the artist, and the profiting business? It appeared Honig was oblivious to how one-sided her portrayal of the trans culture was, not only because the images seemed heavily influenced by her own feminine experiences, but the crowd itself seemed to lack representation. We often make the mistake of equating popularity with influence, positivity with justice, and agreeability with righteousness. In fact, “activism” in the art world is often nothing more than a minority voice being refracted through a majority person’s prism. This happens over and over again in the Kansas City art scene: we assign the faces we see most frequently to the progression of social change. Those in the media control narratives, and mislabeling artists who appropriate culture as activists is one of their most damaging and pervasive qualities. In reality, it appears these are just the same people showing up to the same parties, riding on the coattails of a buzzword or movement, using their privilege to move between their world and another under an “activist” agenda. Artists somehow get away with this all the time. Start seeing it. Start thinking critically about this trend. This is not to say there are not real activists in the art world. The late Steven Metzler was one of them. There are others like him who have the heart and the means to do real good in this world, but they are often the silent do-gooders, not normally in the spotlight. It must be difficult for a celebrity to distance themselves from the face of their own brand, but that is what Peregrine must do if we are expected to take her “activism” seriously. I have criticized actions like this in the past, and it’s no surprise Peregrine brought her youngest sister, Esther, on board for a photo shoot that appropriates the trans identity. You can see it on Facebook, the image of Peregrine and Esther side by side dressed in casual “boy” clothes with their hair pulled back and feminine features downplayed. Attached to the hashtag #brothers, this image is evocative of modern-day blackface—a theatrical performance that does nothing to drive political or social activism towards a more equal world, but serves to feed the privileged majority an image of a culture they will accept. Like blackface, this image implies that we no longer live in a gendered world. With this gendered title, the Honig sisters have assigned a pronoun to a people who are, in part, trying to dismantle this aspect of language and identity. The very idea belittles anyone struggling against gender inequality, dwindling reproductive rights, lack of fair pay and housing, and sexual discrimination. Esther’s inclusion in the shoot may be the most perfect analogy of a privileged class kowtowing to the famous for seconds of internet share-ability without understanding the greater implications of their support and actions. Sister or not, her agreeability to engage in such a display is a telling sign of the veil of advantage she lives under. Esther is now probably best known for playing this kind of dress up before—a project that succeeded in feeding the beast that creates and perpetuates gender and beauty norms—so I was not surprised to see her continue to treat identity like a costume. The powers that decide what is manly and what is feminine have so much control, it seems the Honig sisters are just as normative as they are. This unaware state of privilege is so glaring, it hurts to look at. The image shadows the idea that maybe Peregrine and Esther are struggling within their heteronormative, privileged lifestyles and that this action is an expression of their truer personhoods. Sadly, like blackface, I think the two are so far removed from what the experience is actually like, they succeeded only in embarrassing themselves to those who face the struggles they pretend to understand. It is simply disrespectful. Appropriation typically involves an exploitation or assimilation into a minority/oppressed culture by a majority/dominant culture. In this case, the dominant—two privileged women who enjoy their class and celebrity status—are laying claim to the identity of a marginalized community they do not belong to. Julia Serano breaks this kind of appropriation of the LGBTQ lifestyle into three motivations: Erasure: Marginalized/minority groups have little power or voice in society. Therefore, when the dominant/majority group takes up their identities, ideas, and other cultural creations, it tends to undermine or erase the context in which they were created, and the original meanings and symbolism that underlie them. In other words, the dominant/majority typically takes up the marginalized/minority group’s creations while disregarding their perspective. Exploitation: Sometimes members of the dominant/majority group will materially profit from aspects or acts that they have appropriated from a marginalized/minority group without ever giving anything back to that community. This tends to further exacerbate economic disparities that may already exist between the two groups. Denigration: This can refer to a couple different things. Denigration can mean “to treat or represent as lacking in value or importance; belittle,” which applies to instances where important or sacred aspects of the marginalized/minority group’s identity or culture are appropriated by the dominant/majority group in an irreverent or disrespectful manner. Denigration can also mean “to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame: to denigrate someone’s character,” which applies to instances where the dominant/majority group appropriates some aspect of the marginalized/minority group’s identity or culture in order to purposefully ridicule, parody, or insult members of that group. These three motivations are not obvious to Peregrine if she is enjoying her dominance without respecting or relating to the culture she is borrowing. It is social colonialism, identity gentrification, and it is responsible for some deep-seated misinformation that manifests into small or large injustices. I’m not forgetting the point of this store: to provide unique, custom made underclothes to individuals who struggle with the annoyances of connecting their body to their mind. I can’t really imagine what that’s like, as my underwear is about as low-maintenance as it gets and my sexual and gender identity fall under a different umbrella, but I can imagine there is something people will want, will benefit from, and will pay for that All Is Fair can provide. But Honig is creating a brand that neglects to imagine a body that does not embrace the cute, frilly aspects of underwear. Handmade garments with her own paintings on them reflects a one-sided understanding of how lingerie works. Has she considered the fact that many trans individuals would rather not draw attention to the parts of them they must alter in order to feel normal? As I was researching and asking about the differences in what trans people want from their underwear, my correspondent provided this: “Why would celebrating the fact that I have to bind, which in our culture, makes me supposedly less of a man, be any different? If they actually manage to make a reasonably priced binder that doesn’t ride up or break your ribs and don’t paint it like it’s goddamned lingerie they may get my business yet, via mail order. It just seems like they still regard trans men as women who want pretty things to celebrate their body, and that offends me. While the wearing of bras and other female undergarments may be a celebration of femininity for trans women, I do not find the daily recognition that my body is not a reflection of myself any type of celebration at all.” This was something I hadn’t considered before. The very act of covering your body in an ongoing attempt to bring it closer to your true identity is something I don’t experience on such an extreme level. Of course, we all attempt to dress in a way that reflects who we are, but we can control and change our clothes whenever and however we want. We’re mostly stuck with our bodies, and trans individuals who do not seek or cannot afford operation must find ways to live with the body they were assigned without the constant reminder that they are not living in the correct body. Some people buy lingerie to celebrate their figures because they want, or want other people, to pay attention to it. It seems there is a great disconnect between the business model of hand-painted, delicate, meticulously created garments and some individuals’ need to just throw something on and not think about it as much as possible. I’m also not the target audience for this store, so I need to recognize there are many different preferences and lifestyles that would find some products in All Is Fair beneficial. Given my experiences at Birdies, with Honig’s “Unicorn” show, and as a viewer of her art on a more general level, I am curious to see if she is able to create a product that is not saturated in femininity. I want to make one thing clear about myself: I do not speak for the transgender community in any way. I do not speak for a population that has a voice of their own. I do not claim to understand more than anyone else, or in a better way. I have not been asked to stand in for another voice, nor have I been assigned the role of reviewer by anyone. I am doing this because I want to say something nobody else has said yet. I am doing this because I have the ability to contribute to the conversation using my own tools. I am doing this because I am afraid we will repeat the past with a new vocabulary, steeped in altruism and communal interest but really guiding the movement in the wrong direction. I am doing this because I am not afraid of Peregrine Honig, her followers, or other people who may not like what I have to say. I am doing this because when a community is being appropriated by the privileged majority—when their lives and identities are being borrowed and used by the profiteering dominant—I want to stand on the side that is fighting for a better and more equal world.

Making appointments with specialists, and obtaining medication was already difficult before COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant influence on quite literally, everyone and everything. In particular, in the health care system where it has affected several, if not all kinds of groups and communities on a global scale. Yet even before the pandemic, barriers in the health care system for certain groups and communities existed. Specifically, transgender and gender diverse individuals, who are the victims of strongly influenced stigma and ongoing discrimination in regards to accessing services. The Ontario HIV Treatment Network clarifies that “due to combined layers of stigma associated with transgender identity, transgender individuals face unique challenges in accessing quality health care. Barriers to care can intersect and act on multiple levels.” The barriers in question lead to a lack of attainable health services as health care professionals often struggle to comprehend the depth of gender identity, which then may lead to delays in assistance. Alice Fradette-Roy, a part-time Seneca College student and Ottawa resident explained the struggle of trying to access mental health services. “Mental health services were very difficult to access before the pandemic. It took months and months to get appointments and when I did get appointments it was always way too quick and way too expensive,” she said. “I felt like a number in the system sometimes. The mental health services I received were good but I had been misdiagnosed several times.” As reported by CTV in March 2020, Trans PULSE’s 2020 survey data showed mental health services are poorly provided for transgender and gender diverse communities. In particular, 45 per cent of trans and non-binary survey participants revealed they had “experienced having one or more unmet health-care need within the past year.” “In a comparison, only four per cent of the general population reported having an unmet medical need in 2015/2016, the most recent year that comparable variables were published,” as mentioned by CTV. The Trans PULSE project also states that when presented with a list of 14 types of public spaces, 64 per cent (of trans and non-binary people in Canada) reported avoiding three or more of the listed spaces for fear of being harassed or outed. These locations can include public washrooms, schools and public transit. Fradette-Roy explained the reality of these statistics when looking to make an appointment with an endocrinologist. “It took several months to come into contact with an endocrinologist, and for the process to actually get started after having waited years before going to my doctor and feeling comfortable enough to ask her to start the process for transitioning.” Of those few mental health services which are comfortable for patients, their capacity levels remain full — causing an added barrier to retain services. Alex Vincent, a registered nurse working as the Trans Health Program Lead, and Noah Parchment, a community support worker at Trans Health Program and Centretown Community Health Centre (CCHC) both claim they have been working at full capacity since around April. The CCHC is a non-profit community health centre which provides hormone initiation services, surgical referrals, counselling services, system navigation and groups for trans and non-binary individuals ages 17 and up in the Champlain region. Though there was a one-month period of stagnancy, Vincent and Parchment reveal, in regards to surgery, the pandemic has affected access to “many, if not all transition-related surgeries” as they were “put on hold for a period at the beginning of the pandemic.” They explain, for hormone therapy, the impact was not as extensive as it has been for surgeries, but “it has caused some delays everywhere due to health care needs exceeding capacity and clinics having to adapt to virtual care models.” “There was also a medication shortage for injectable hormones during the summer, which led to some disruption in hormone initiation,” Vincent and Parchment disclosed. “[There have also been difficulties] for clients to get their blood work completed due to capacity changes, and finally, some clients struggled obtaining safe transportation to attend necessary in person appointments.” Although the pandemic has clearly hampered access to health care for trans and gender diverse individuals, there have been some positives. For example, with services moved virtually, Fradette-Roy personally found that there was an improvement in accessing care and feeling more comfortable. “[Access for requesting appointments] is actually the same, even quicker than before. I can see my doctor and therapist much quicker as everything is on video call now.” “It is definitely easier for me to open up to my therapist [or] psychologist now that I can do things over video call,” expressed Fradette-Roy. A list of health resources for trans and gender diverse individuals is available here.

Recap: Seema accompanies Carrie to her old SATC apartment and is all 'the hell?' as she watches Carrie use her umbrella as a cane to aid with her hobbling up the staircase. Carrie explains that, according to the Internet, she suffers from old lady back [no doubt to match her severe old lady hair braid hairdo] ... and Seema rolls her eyes and asks, "But what does your orthopedist say?", then promptly makes a call to her orthopedist cousin to squeeze in an appointment for Carrie that afternoon. After taking various x-rays, Dr. Vikash Patel informs Carrie that she has an undiagnosed congenital birth defect on her hip, and that he can correct the problem surgically and get her back on her feet in a few months. Over lunch with Miranda, Charlotte, and Anthony, Carrie reports that since she has a birth defect on her hip, she's technically not an old lady after all - but Charlotte argues that any kind of hip surgery is, by default, an old lady thing. Anthony quips about Carrie's good fortune in finding an archeologist who's willing to carve her open and properly re-connect her fossils...and as Carrie giggles in response, Miranda exclaims, "This calls for champagne!" Charlotte's all, "Nooo!" and primly says it's much too early to start boozing, then takes out her iPad so she can show everyone the Excel spreadsheet she created to track their rotating shifts in order to collectively nurse Carrie back to health after her hip surgery. Charlotte is in the kitchen on a Zoom call with the other moms, discussing an upcoming field trip, when one of the moms mentions how funny Rock was in the school play...and Charlotte's all, "Wuh? Who the hell's Rock?" as the other moms are all, "Ack!" and hastily sign off. A few seconds later, Lisa calls Charlotte to explain that Rose has told everyone at school she's now going by Rock...and has no further details about the sudden name change. Charlotte marches into the living room, where Harry and the girls are playing a video game. She comes right out and asks Rose if she suddenly changed her name to Rock, and Rose/Rock confirms she did, and that the official announcement was issued on one of her recent TikTok videos. She pulls up the video on her phone and hands it to Harry, so that he and Charlotte can watch Rock rap about being "the new kid on the block" and then needlessly spell out the word R-O-C-K. A befuddled Harry's all, "Wha-a-at is happening?" and asks his daughter if she's a rapper now, and Rose/Rock explains that these days she's feeling way more Rock than Rose, and that even the teachers are cool with the new name...and what might soon become a permanent non-binary gender status. Luisa ambles into the living room while Miranda is opening a pile of newly arrived Amazon packages...and finds socks and Astroglide lubricant in one of them. Luisa sheepishly takes the socks and Astroglide says she meant to intercept that particular package, then gushes to Miranda about how cool she is about receiving her son's girlfriends' vaginal lubricant in the mail - unlike her mother, who would have choked her to death with her rosary [but yet is somehow OK with her daughter sleeping at her boyfriend's house every night]. Miranda opens another Amazon package, which contains a stop drinking now! book titled Quit Like a Woman. When Luisa gets nosy about what book she ordered, a visibly rattled Miranda insists that the book was mistakenly delivered, 'cause she doesn't yet think that addressing her daily drinking habit is something with which she needs to concern herself. Carrie arrives at the speciality surgical center with Miranda, who complains that Charlotte - who's the likeliest culprit on account of her judgeyness about binge drinking - cheekily sent her the stop drinking now! book without first talking to her about it. Carrie comes right out and asks her if she thinks she needs to "quit like a woman", and Miranda retorts with an emphatic no, then wanders off to go buy herself a cup of coffee. While sitting by Carrie's bedside following the surgery, Charlotte asks Miranda if she ever wished she weren't a girl, then explains that she's going through some gender identity issues with Rose. A few seconds later, Carrie wakes up and announces that she has to pee, so the two help her out of bed...and as Charlotte helps her shuffle over to the toilet, Miranda answers Carrie's phone when it starts ringing and visibly perks up when the caller is Che, who dropped by with some food for Carrie. She invites Che, who's in the hospital lobby, to come right up to Carrie's room - but Carrie vetos the dinner drop-off and makes it clear that she's not in the mood to see anyone other than the two of them and instructs her to "please make that Che visit not happen". Miranda heads down to the lobby to head Che off, and the two end up eating the dinner food in the cafeteria. Che natters about how much healthier they are after (years ago) being diagnosed with diverticulitis - which, incidentally, her father assumed was another term for bisexuality - and adds that Cheryl used to hold everything in and was consumed with unhappiness and shame to the point where she was emotionally and literally constipated. Che, on the other hand, lets it all out by living and speaking their whole truth every minute of every day. An entranced looking Miranda chews on that for a few seconds and says she used to feel trapped working at a law firm, then freed herself by quitting 'cause she figured 'life's too short'. Anthony transports Carrie home via his Hot Fellas bread delivery van, and orders one of his muscular deliverers to carry her up the stairs and deposit her inside her apartment. Later, Carrie podcasts with Che and Jackie from her apartment while looped on painkillers, and is gabbling in blechy detail about the time Samantha Jones reached into her cooch and pulled out her stuck diaphragm. After signing off, she tells Charlotte she finally feels like she's getting the hang of being a raunch podcaster...and a bewildered looking Charlotte asks her if she fully realizes she identified Samantha by her first and last name as she regaled listeners with her 'I once got my diaphragm stuck in my cooch' story, and advises her to come clean to Samantha before she hears about it from someone else. Harry and Charlotte are meeting with Rose's teacher and the school principal about their daughter's name change to Rock. Charlotte makes it clear that she's not resistant to her daughter's gender identity issues, but wants to know how seriously she should be taking this. The principal responds by insisting that she's extremely committed to providing a supportive environment for all genders, that they're all on this journey together, and that Rock has been very clear about their new non-binary status. After the meeting, Harry and Charlotte look grim as they walk down the hall towards the exit. Harry says he's not sure he buys his twelve year old's sudden name/gender change...then sadly adds that having other people tell him about his child has, so far, been his most humbling experience as a father. Miranda is babysitting a napping Carrie when Che drops by Carrie's apartment with a bottle of tequila and a more professional microphone to use while podcasting from home. Miranda invites them in, and the two hang out in the kitchen, giggling while throwing back tequila shots...and soon the giggling devolves into Che once again sensually shotgunning Miranda's face with pot smoke. Carrie, meanwhile, wakes up with an urgent need to pee - just as Che starts finger banging Miranda with one hand while covering her mouth with the other so that Miranda doesn't loudly shriek out her orgasm. Carrie sees the two going at it through a reflection in her full length mirror, then gasps in horror and dramatically turns her face away. She then glances over at the Snapple bottle on her nightstand and decides to use that as a makeshift bedpan - just as Che finishes off Miranda, who breathlessly declares that that climax was the best feeling she's ever had in her life. A flustered Carrie accidentally knocks over the pee-filled Snapple bottle and soaks the bedsheets with her urine as Che tells Miranda she's off to perform their non-binary-centric comedy schtick. They give Miranda a long smooch and invite her to DM if she ever wants to "chill" like that again. Miranda enters the bathroom...and as she sits on the toilet, a vexed Carrie snaps at her to close the door. Miranda's all, "I didn't know you were awake!", to which Carrie snidely retorts that she was woken up by her friend having sex in her kitchen with her podcast boss...and that she spilled pee all over her bed 'cause there was no one to help her hobble over to the bathroom so she could relieve herself. A flushed Miranda apologizes and sheepishly says she had no idea she was awake, and Carrie angrily asks her whassup with a married woman such as herself doing tequila shots in the middle of the afternoon while getting finger banged by Che. Miranda blurts out, "I'm unhappy!", calls herself trapped, and declares that she haaaaaates her marriage. She then bursts into tears and says wants something more out of life than being married to a half-deaf dullard like Steve, admits that she probably does drink [way way way] too much - but then insists that she could quit like that if she really believed she had a problem - and that she's never felt as orgasmic as she did with Che just now. Carrie sends Samantha a text to let her know she blabbed to her podcast listeners about the time she pulled out her stuck diaphragm and hopes it's OK, and Samantha texts back "One of my finest hours". Carrie texts back, "I miss you" but gets no further reply. Miranda is in her kitchen, making herself a cocktail while gigglingly listening to Carrie's podcast, when she gets an email message from Amazon, asking her how she liked her recent purchase of Quit Like a Woman. She stares anxiously into space, decides that maybe she does have a full blown binge drinking issue after all, and hastily dumps all of the booze in her house down the sink. While sitting in the waiting room of Carrie's new physical therapist, Charlotte tells Carrie about The Rock Situation and that she's worried she might be under-reacting. She wonders if her daughter's name change is similar to when she was twelve and gave into peer pressure by getting a perm, and admits that she really hates having to call Rose Rock. Carrie assures her that her daughter is amaaaaaazing regardless of what happens with their gender identity, then points out that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". A few seconds later, Carrie is summoned to begin her physical therapy session with Travis, a ridiculously hot physiotherapist. Travis asks Carrie what her physical therapy goals are, and she says she just has one: to get back to wearing heels. Travis mulls over that skimpy answer and says he'll get started with a lower body massage. Mmm...sounds heavenly. After the appointment, Carrie tells the receptionist she'd like to book another session with Travis, but the receptionist informs her that her insurance plan doesn't cover physical therapy with a guy at that level of hotness, and that her appointment with Travis was a clerical error no one caught until afterwards. She then introduces Carrie to Emmett, a far less hot, disheveled physical therapist...and Carrie's like, "Nope" and tells the receptionist that she's willing to pay out of pocket for more Travis. Three months later, Carrie is flouncing around her apartment wearing a long glittery dress and a pair of stilettos on her feet, looking smugly thrilled to finally be back in heels. Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying TVofYore's recaps, consider thanking me by buying me a "coffee"!

I’ve been a little lax in writing the weekly blog. I have been working on a photography project for an exhibition that opens July 20 and I just learned that my project has already been done by another photographer. I am also making a film, by which I mean I have descended into a surreal world of jugglers, dogs that play poker and melting clocks where I spend my time pushing a massive piece of granite up a Teflon hill. The film is from a script I wrote called Bob Dylan Stole My Wife, which is about a man who neglected his wife and when she doesn’t return from a Dylan concert where she was spotted getting into Bob’s tour bus, the hubby assumes the worst. He must join forces with a small town music critic who claims to know the bard, and who further asserts he can help get the dude’s missus back. The entire film takes place between Kewaskum, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota—arguably the whitest swath of America this side of the Mason Dixon. Trying to raise the money to make the movie is like getting your first job out of college, or putting socks on an octopus. Investors want to know which stars will be in the movie before they pony up, but the stars want to see the money before they agree to be in the film. My producing partner and I figured we should start with a casting agent who could help us navigate this great divide. The first casting agent we contacted was in Los Angeles. He allegedly read the script before proffering tips as to how we might make the movie better. I spent a hundred years making TV commercials so perhaps I am unfamiliar with the wily ways of Hollywood. Even so, it seems forward and a bit presumptuous for someone whose job it is to find actors to fill a role written by a screenwriter to send the screenwriter “notes” about the screenplay particularly when the “notes” suggest a major retooling of the entire plot. Specifically, we were asked whether we might consider making the male leads lesbians, and if that was too “out there,” how ‘bout we make them black? In addition, he wanted to know whether we were married to the title Bob Dylan Stole My Wife because Chance the Rapper is on fire right now and Bob Dylan is sort of…yesterday. Oh, and could the story take place in the Bahamas? I’d give my right eye to work with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jodie Foster or Chance the Rapper, and hailing from the fine state of Wisconsin I would relish the opportunity to spend a few months in a tropical paradise, but the reality is that I wrote a story about a clueless ostensibly tone deaf white dude in Kewaskum, Wisconsin who believes his wife to have run off with an aging, Nobel Prize winning, poet laureate of rock n roll. Next, I fully expect someone to suggest we animate the whole shebang with dwarf non-binary lobsters from Bed-Stuy who speak Italian because…Fellini. As I have often said about the process of having a book published, the writing is really the easy part. It’s all the crap that comes after that causes you to sweat. But we soldier on. This week we scored our first star for one of the supporting roles. Mind you, Bob Dylan Stole My Wife is what we call a buddy road pic so other than the leads, i.e. the buddies, the supporting roles are smaller, yet respectably well written and meaty. When the actress learned we planned to shoot in Wisconsin, which is not the same as Minnesota although almost equidistant from LA, she said she was “going to need more pages,” by which she meant she wants a larger role with more screen time. I can’t wait for the eight-year-old who plays a visually impaired altar boy to send us his contract rider. At this rate the movie should clock in at a tidy 9 hours. I apologize for being remiss in blogging especially when there is so much to say about gun violence, politicians who are bought literally lock, stock and barrel, boycotts and teenage revolutionaries, but I am swimming hard as I can just to keep this world of make believe afloat. Comparatively speaking, it’s not so bad being surrounded by jugglers, dogs that play poker and divas. Come to think of it…cue the lobsters. Miss Thing is ready for her close up. See ya at the movies!

How do our various identities, such as gender, sexuality, ability, race, ethnicity, and more, affect our experiences in the world? Explore these questions at North Idaho College's Diversity Symposium beginning at 9:00 am on April 16, 2019. The day-long event features keynote speaker and Pulitzer Center grantee photographer Daniella Zalcman. Zalcman will discuss her ongoing project, "Signs of Your Identity: Forced Assimilation Education for Indigenous Youth," a portrait series of survivors of Indian Residential Schools. Her project received the 2017 Arnold Newman Prize, a 2017 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, the 2016 FotoEvidence Book Award, the 2016 Magnum Foundation's Inge Morath Award, and is part of Open Society Foundation's Moving Walls 24. The documentary photographer also is the founder and director of Women Photograph, an initiative working to elevate the voices of female and non-binary visual journalists.

Digital Photo Editor, National Geographic Mallory is a digital photo editor for National Geographic where she works on original cross-platform storytelling on the website, Instagram and Snapchat. She is also the photo editor for National Geographic's Special Investigative Unit, dedicated to exposing wildlife crime through in-depth reporting. She has worked on stories that have been recognized in Pictures of the Year International and Society of Publication Designers. She is also Managing Director of Women Photograph, an initiative designed to elevate the voice of female visual journalists. It consists of online database of over 500 female and non-binary photographers from around the world, as well as programs for grants, travel stipends, workshops and mentorship.

We are searching data for your request: Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials. A UK design student has designed a ‘smart’ clothing item that makes chest binding more comfortable. Chest binders may be used by transgender men and non-binary people to flatten the appearance of their breasts and make their upper torso appear more typically masculine. This can have huge mental health benefits but may cause restricted breathing ability, skin irritation and in the summer, even increase the risk of overheating. In some cases, binders have even been known to cause ribs to break. Binders can take many forms from wrapped material to very tight singlets made of stiff material. The ‘smart’ binder from Loughborough University industrial design student Miles Kilburn aims to make binding safer and more comfortable. Breathe - in name and action The ‘Breathe’ binder looks similar to a cropped tank top and is created from mesh panels that keep the wearer cool. The panels contain a smart alloy material called Nitonel that, which when electrified, collapses the garment and loosens the binder. The binder is operated by a small remote and the user can adjust the tightness of the binder with discretion, with no need to go to a private space. The product also has an optional feature that automatically loosens it, when the wearer is playing sport. Binder gives options Breathe’s designer is looking to the future: “My long-term vision for Breathe is to see it as an alternative form of treatment for transgender people through the NHS,” Kilburn said. “A lot of transgender people who are wearing chest binders are often experiencing a lot of pain while binding, so much so that they can feel pressured into having top surgery – which is the removal of your breasts – so that they have a permanently flat chest.” “Top surgery is very much an expensive and permanent decision, so for many transgender people having a product like Breathe could be an alternate option which gives them more time to consider whether they want surgery whilst experiencing much less pain from binding.” Trans community welcomes tech-based ideas Kilburn worked closely with his university’s trans community on the design of the product. One of the community members, Jamie, commented: “Chest binding is a way for me to feel more masculine when I’m going outside because it flattens out my chest and it means I feel more comfortable presenting as male." “The problems that I face is more to do with discomfort – it gets very hot. I think Breathe could definitely help because it reduces discomfort and means that people can use their binder for more situations; they don’t need to take it off for sport, for example.” Kilburn hopes to make the product available on a rental system so people can try both the act of binding and the product before committing to the cost. They also hope to make repairs of the garment available for free and provide replacements for users' changing body shape. High quality binders are often very expensive which leads some people who bind, to use unsafe practices like wrapping or even using tape. I think people who can’t afford existing binders probably won’t be able to afford this option (although it will be available to rent as well as being bought) hopefully it could be seen as a low cost, non-permanent alternative to people considering getting top surgery ☺️? https://t.co/4rJBt75WFi— Miles Kilburn (@miles_kilburn) June 16, 2019

They will formulate their projects early in the course, so there will be sufficient time for discussion and iterations with the teaching staff, as well as for system design and implementation. Activities will include a small number of lectures, discussion of relevant literature in each field, and a project, in which students will work together in groups to design and carry out HCI research. Monday, Wednesday, Friday Course number = Link to Course Description. Among the overarching goals of this course are to inspire students to explore unfamiliar waters, without fear of failure, create an intensive, shared experience, accessible to all students, and build community among students. The goal of the course is to give students insight into the difference between programming and programming well. Computer networks have become even more critical these days since remote activities have become a new norm. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Hanspeter Pfister Want help shape your grad year, plan great initiatives, and add more experie… https://t.co/43H2GneJIS, RT @UVicIntlCoopCar: Check out our booth to book at 15 minute session with the International Co-op Coordinator! Monday, Wednesday Third, blockchain technology, which underlies Bitcoin, creates a new trusted network infrastructure for many new distributed applications. The emphasis will be on the development of technical discrete mathematics skills, rather than rigorous proof. For admission to graduate studies in Computer Science for students without a background in Computer Science we recommend the following two term program. Links to both descriptions and outlines of computer science (CSC) and software engineering (SENG) courses offered by the department appear in the tables below. You will also learn a range of design principles, effective creativity-related practices, and techniques for rapidly creating and evaluating product prototypes. Students will be required to produce non-trivial programs in Python. mathematics or physics). Course Number: CS 3305 Prerequisites: CS 2205 Credits: 3, This course addresses more advanced topics in software engineering. Students will work in groups on a number of projects, ranging from small data-transformation utilities to large-scale systems. 33293 If you are thinking about completing a degree in Computer Science, consider registering in the following courses in your first year. This course is primarily intended for students majoring in Computer Science. For a snapshot of courses being offered by Harvard School of Engineering over the next four years, visit our Muliti Year Course Planning tool. These techniques will lay the foundation for future computational libraries and packages for both high-‐performance computing and energy-‐efficient devices. Topics include computer organization, memory system design, pipelining, and other techniques to exploit parallelism. Nada Amin Are there true mathematical statements that can't be proven? Topics include computational social choice (identifying optimal voting rules), fair division with applications to political redistricting (avoiding gerrymandering) and apportionment (allocating seats on a representative body), sortition (randomly selecting citizens' assemblies), liquid democracy (transitively delegating votes), and weighted voting games (analyzing legislative power through cooperative game theory). In this course we shall pursue this computational complexity approach, whose origins go back to Turing and von Neumann. This course will help students to acquire the necessary fundamental mathematical knowledge which represents the foundation for several courses in the Computer Science Program including the Linear Algebra course. Topics include differentiable programming, neuro-symbolic systems, constraint and probabilistic programming, interpretable AI and more. The course discusses topics like buffer overflows, web security, information flow control, and anonymous communication mechanisms such as Tor. James Waldo Topics will include number systems, sets, logic, induction, elementary counting techniques, relations, functions, matrices, and Boolean algebra. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Anticipated Undergraduate Course Offerings. Whether you're new to the world of information technology, or are seeking to advance in your existing career, completing a course can only enhance your options. Computer science is the study of step by step processes and of specifications of the outcomes that such processes can realize. If you do not have the appropriate introductory programming course(s), it will be necessary to take CPSC 110, 121, and 210 to obtain the necessary prerequisites for the courses specified in TERM 1. Course Number: CS 4406 Prerequisites: CS 3304 Credits: 3, This course presents an introduction to current concepts in machine learning, knowledge discovery, and data mining. 12:00pm to 01:15pm. Third and fourth year Computer Science and Software Engineering courses are restricted to students in a Computer Science (including Combined) or Engineering program. 200-level 09:00am to 10:15am. Core Courses; Elective Courses; CE Systems Electives; Special Topics Courses; Natural Science Courses; Courses & Websites; CSE Core Courses . You will also have several opportunities to formally communicate your design ideas to a variety of audiences. Courses are displayed by our best guess of anticipated Are there encryption schemes that can't be broken? Fourth, distance learning and virtual meetings will push the limits of current multicast and network management technologies. Course Number: MATH 1211 Prerequisites: MATH 1201 Credits: 3, This course introduces students to fundamental concepts and issues surrounding software development for programs that operate on the web and the internet such as static and dynamic content, dynamically served content, web development processes, and security. Computer Science office staff are now working remotely, Matrix Institute for Applied Data Science, Trans, Two-Spirit and Non-Binary Resources, MATH 100 or 109 – 1.5 units (requires Math 12), MATH 101 – 1.5 units (requires MATH 100 or 109), MATH 122 – 1.5 units (requires MATH 100 or 109). In the process, we will cover the ideas and techniques used in the design of modern computer hardware and discuss major trade-offs involved in system design as well as future trends in computer architecture and how those trends might affect tomorrow’s computers. 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A real-time wavelet-matched optical correlator is implemented by using four-wave mixing via reflection gratings. Photorefractive crystals BSO with different thickness are used in the experimental set-up. The square modulus of the Fourier transform of the Mexican-hat wavelet has been utilized to implement the wavelet filtering. The edge enhancement property of the wavelet transform is experimentally demonstrated in this scheme. Several non-binary filters with different dilation factors have been considered for different crystal thicknesses. When proper dilation factors are used, a higher robustness to the noise introduced by the finite crystal depth is obtained. The convenience to use a non-binary filter is experimentally demonstrated.

Young Adult Gender Services We provide services for individuals across the lifespan, and have found that young adults may have specific needs. We offer several options that young adults may find particularly helpful such as: - support in gender exploration across the spectrum, including non-binary identities - support in navigating issues that may impact gender exploration and transition such as: coming out to family, becoming financially independent, navigating gender when living at home with parents, navigating first jobs or college experiences - low dose hormone options for non binary and genderqueer identified people - trans full spectrum young adult therapy group Our young adult group meets twice per month and is aimed at transgender/genderqueer/non-binary/gender exploring individuals. Topics covered include navigating medical interventions and transition, coming out to friends and family, exploring where you fit on the spectrum, navigating social transition, managing legal and social aspects, sexuality and dating, friendships, and much more. Our medical provider provides hormone therapy options, including low dose hormones. We also provide referral letters to medical intervention providers, such as surgeons, for other medically necessary treatments for gender dysphoria. Family therapy and relationship therapy is also available. Our therapists are familiar with alternative relationship models including poly and non monogamous relationships.

Review by Alexandra Rosbotham – Arts and Media Editor “Sex Education” has made its way back onto our screens for season three with a bang (quite literally), after much anticipation and a cliff-hanger to end all cliff-hangers in the season 2 finale that premiered more than a year and a half ago. Despite the Internet sensation that “Sex Education” has become since its debut in 2019, the show has still somehow managed to slip through the fingers of some of its young adult target audience. This is something I found out for myself whilst discussing the new series with a few friends who disclosed to me that they’d never watched it. Inspired by this discovery, this week I’m recommending Netflix’s series “Sex Education”, hoping to give you a short and sweet taster of this fantastic piece of television in the hopes that you watch. “Sex Education”, I believe is one of the best teen/young adult dramas that has come out in the last decade for so many reasons, with season three only giving further reason to believe so. It’s honest, hilarious and heartfelt and when this is paired with fantastic writing and phenomenal characters, it is a very difficult task to find something about this show to hate. For me, season three has only further illustrated the skill and mastery at work amongst the writers that was on display throughout seasons one and two, if not taking it up a notch due to the massive variety of topics that are discussed throughout. Weaved throughout the 8 hour long episodes, the show discusses issues such as the effects poverty can have on a person’s talents and ability to reach their true potential, the gender spectrum and the longstanding effects sexual assault on a person’s wellbeing and relationships. Issues such as these being given screen-time only enriches the show further and creates a necessary depth and realism that many teen tv show dramas currently lack, and importantly doesn’t engage in the romanticisation of the more serious topics throughout which is becoming all the more frequent in similarly formatted shows. Alongside the fantastic writing and the inclusion of important topics into plot lines, the character development this season is also a sight to behold. Many supporting characters like Adam, Mr. Groff and Ruby are given a chance to bloom, and they do so beautifully. No longer two dimensional, almost every character in “Sex Education” gets a backstory, helping them come to life even more so than before. It does this in such a masterful way that it’s not long until you find yourself loving the once stern and emotionally stunted headmaster Mr. Groff as he grows more self-aware, learning from his troubled childhood and attempting to fix his fraught relationships. Similarly with Ruby, we peek behind the queen bee of Moordale’s tough exterior, helping us to understand and empathise with her just that little bit more. Alongside previous characters being brought to the forefront, there is also the inclusion of new characters. One of which is Cal, a new student in Moordale who is also non-binary. Cal’s character is one in which effortlessly helps illustrate the issues and dealings of non-binary and trans people in everyday life. This is particularly evident in Cal’s dealings with the new headmaster; Hope; who discriminates against Cal whilst trying to implement her conservative ideals surrounding uniform and sex education (or the lack thereof). At times the third season can seem to spread itself thin with so many characters at the forefront and the number of plot lines that are simultaneously occurring, it occasionally makes the show feel as if it is tackling too much at one time. However, its writing and plot lines continue to stay strong in the process and never falter, even when dealing with so many complex characters, and that certainly is commendable. Overall, season three of “Sex Education” holds up just as well as the previous two seasons, striking the perfect balance between heartfelt storylines that hit a bit too close to home for some and quirky humour that you just can’t help but audibly laugh at, which is only further testament to its fantastic writing. Whether you’ve not watched “Sex Education” at all or you just haven’t found the time to watch season three yet among all the buzz of freshers, I hope this short taste of what’s on offer is enough to get you on board, it’s definitely a tv show that’s not to be missed.

The music industry, especially the rock music industry, is a field dominated by men. From the beginning, girls are encouraged to be nice and polite and not make too much of a ruckus. Girls Rock camps challenge this concept– encouraging girls to express themselves through music without hesitation or fear of judgement. We talked with Girls Rock Indianapolis director Michelle Marti about her experience in music, and how going to a music camp like Girls Rock can be beneficial to girls. How did you get involved in music? I’m originally from Australia. I started playing music in my early teens, around the age of 12 or 13 I picked up the guitar. I was really into rock music at the time, it really moved me. I had such an emotional connection with music. I taught myself to play and the first live performance I did was in high school, I was in an AC/DC cover band. We played two songs onstage, and it was scary and mind blowing. I was sold from then on. I moved to London in my early 20’s and joined a band there– it was more punk. I taught myself to play guitar and bass. When I moved to the U.S a bunch of years later and started having kids, I started teaching music. I teach music and movement classes to very small children, ages 1-8. I have my own business called ShooBeeLoo music and movement. How did you first get involved with Girls Rock Indianapolis? My eldest daughter is now 15 and I signed her up for Girls Rock camp when she was 9. It seemed like a really professional organization, and I had no idea that they were always in need of volunteers. When I dropped her off, I heard that they are always looking for people to help out. So the following year I signed up to help at camp as a bass instructor, and I just found my people. It’s such an empowering and positive environment. I was heavily involved in it from then on. What appealed to you about Girls Rock’s mission? I just love that they are empowering women to get involved with music. I never had that as a child. I did some music, but it was always very secondary, especially in the mind of my family. I remember when I was a teenager I saved up to buy myself an electric guitar– it was gold and it was beautiful, and then I really wanted to buy myself an amplifier and I was told that I couldn’t because it was too loud. We often tell girls not to be loud, and to wait to be asked to do things. This seemed like a great opportunity for my daughter, to show her she can do music, being a girl. Why is it important for a music camp that’s only for girls to exist? Often times girls’ voices are not heard in certain areas. There are certain areas that women’s voices are very prominent in, but music and rock music are not one of those. And I think to find the bravery to express yourself in the rock music arena as a female is hard. It’s hard to come up with that confidence to do it. I think putting girls in an environment where it’s all girls or non-binary people, basically marginalized genders, makes it easier to have that confidence. We have a very diverse group of girls, but there is no male presence to dominate the conversation. What sort of activities do the girls do at camp? Songwriting is a huge part of it, and I think that’s what sets us apart from a lot of other organizations who have music camps. We are empowering girls to express themselves, and songwriting is one of the best ways to do that, whether you’re writing lyrics or writing a tune. They write their songs with groups, they practice their songs, they have instrument lessons in their chosen instrument four mornings a week, and they have social justice workshops throughout the camp. Bands and musicians also come play for them at lunchtime almost each day, and they all have a female presence. We have a pretty full schedule.

“A wild wish has just flown from my heart to my head, and I will not stifle it, though it may excite a horse-laugh. I do earnestly wish to see the distinction of sex confounded in society, unless where love animates the behavior.” – Mary Wollstonecraft An excerpt from a polemic against the 18th-century society rife with gender prejudices resonates, rather sordidly, with our 21st-century world, yearning still for empathy and humanity. Five decades ago, in a small Manhattan inn, a handful of people stood defiant against a police crackdown on their slice of liberty, a place of refuge for LGBTQ patrons. The protest that spilled into streets as riots for days, famously known as the Stonewall Uprising, became a galvanizing force for gay rights activism across the US. Its first anniversary on June 28, 1970, witnessed America’s first-ever gay pride parade. The echoes of the voice raised against social discrimination, and institutional oppression reverberate across the globe. We observe June as the ‘Pride Month’ vowing to make it ever so louder each year. Closer home, our country has had a long history of acceptance as well as persecution. Ancient scriptures of Rigveda proclaimed “Vikriti Evam Prakriti,” meaning what seems unnatural is also natural. We also see non-binary representations like Ardhanarisvara avatar of Lord Shiva or Shikhandi in the tales of Mahabharata. However, contemporary times have not been so kind. WHO declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1990 and the same global prejudice reflected in the Indian legal system of the time. Our fight against the archaic Section 377 of IPC could start only after a public interest litigation was filed in 2001. After a short-lived victory in 2009, courtesy Delhi High Court, the real change came later. The Supreme Court affirmed the fundamental rights of transgender people in 2014, recognized right to express sexual orientation as inherently protected by the Indian Constitution in 2017, and eventually decriminalized homosexuality in 2018. Considering the nascence of legal recognition, we must be more mindful of translating these changes to our collective conscience. So when Mumbai’s historic CST lit up in the rainbow colors of Pride last year, it illuminated the lives of the LGBTQ+ community, even if fleetingly. We cannot continue to see people from the lens of rigid stereotypes and bigoted perceptions. The tyranny of the majority must be checked. History has taught us repeatedly. Defining someone by what clothes they choose to wear or who they choose to love or how they choose to identify, should not be the norm. Biology may very well have preordained classifications, but we know better than to believe that individuals are just the sum of chromosomes and hormones. A society worth living in ought not to ostracize its members if they fail to conform to conventions or instill fear in someone for being true to themselves. The societal structure should be such where the agency of individuals, in the mainstream or the fringes, is acknowledged. If we want to progress collectively, we must let everyone flourish individually; and to ensure that one of the critical cogs is affording respect. When we respect people around us for who they are, they can become who they are meant to be. We are taught about ‘Unity in Diversity’ since childhood, but its dimensions cannot be restricted only to languages or geographies or cuisines. There must be diversity in our understanding of diversity as well. Sexuality is a spectrum, and just like being left-handed is not a “phase” or a “disorder,” neither is homosexuality or gender fluidity. The flip side of celebrating diversity is inclusion. It is the only way to expel the feeling of otherness; it is the path from ‘them’ to ‘us.’ In the spirit of inclusion, which is one of our core values of IIM Udaipur, the Institute had the pleasure of hosting Ms. Naaz Joshi, Miss World Diversity, for a Leadership Talk. It was an opportunity for our community to get an account of tribulations of a trailblazer of LGBTQ+ cause. A small step in providing the due representation, we hope it was a harbinger of a culture of speaking up and embracing empathy. About the Author Ayush Sharma is a management scholar at IIM Udaipur and wishes to make a career in Marketing. As a Student Representative in the Council of Student Affairs, he manages multiple portfolios, including ‘Health, Women & LGBTQIA+’ and ‘Clubs and Committees.’ He is a movie buff, Liverpool fan, and an avid reader of anything from old magazines to Gogol’s of the world and everything in between.

She is the newest young face on the block- breaking every barrier, shattering every class ceiling, and proving every doubter wrong. Meet Aaron. Photos courtesy of Jasmine Weber Jenna: Tell me a little bit about yourself. Aaron: My name is Aaron Philip! I live in the Bronx, NY, but I was born on the small island of Antigua & Barbuda. I'm a 16 year old aspiring model, social rights advocate and creative. JE: When did you know that modeling was something that you wanted to pursue? AP: My modeling pursuits were explored within the seeking of proper representation for those like me in the art and fashion world, who are black, trans and/or disabled. JE: Do you think that where you come form & your culture has influenced your aspirations, and how you approach them? AP: My culture has definitely influenced me to be strong and genuine within everything I do- those are two key Antiguan values that I hold close to my heart being that I want to stay true to myself and keep it real with everyone as I continue to grow as an artist, advocate and model. JE: As someone who is a teenage, gender fluid, differently-abled person of color, how does your life differ on a daily basis in ways that people wouldn't necessarily expect? From little things to big things? AP: As a young, black, physically disabled non-binary femme, I know I have to work harder and prove myself to people with that much more emphasis and focus when I do something. There is almost no room for failure- it's all about hard work, knowing who you are, confidence and warmth. JE: Who/what has been your greatest influence in your craft? AP: I have many influences and reasons that have driven me to be so in love with my aspirations. I'd like to start off first with acknowledging my talented and brave mother, Lydia Philip. She can do literally anything she puts her mind to and by that I mean she'll be watching YouTube diy craft videos one second, and the next you'd see these gorgeously intricate little trinkets all over the place that she makes all on her own. She is dedicated to whatever she wants to do, and that's something I resonate with heavily in my life right now. Duckie Thot, Jazzelle Zanaughtti, Hunter Schafer, Gabrielle Richardson and Salem Mitchell are all so inspiring to me and I'm more than honored to call 3 of these outstanding women my mutuals. They're so special to me as I feel as if each of them are coming into their own and reinventing/re-evaluating the typical beauty standards within fashion. That is just so beautiful! JE: Besides modeling, what other mediums/fields do you enjoy working in? Why? AP: Besides modeling, photography, digital art and social rights advocacy has always been a huge part of my life. With everything I do, the "disability" factor always comes into play with these interests, for the better or worse. There's a real intersection between my physical identity and my social identity. My advocacy always ties into what I do. When I was younger I wrote a memoir and managed a blog on Tumblr called Aaronverse detailing my day to day experience as someone with a physical disability. I've also had the honor of being in several panel discussions throughout my life discussing physical barriers within large public spaces and dismantling ableism in all of its forms. Everything I do is in hopes of seizing the chance to amplify the voice of my communities with the platforms I'm receiving. JE: Again, as teenagers in general, we tend to face a lot of undermining and misinterpretation from older generations. What is one thing you wish more people would understand about "millennials" as a whole? AP: Millennials are the future. Our values are becoming more inclusive and accessible to all who are deserving of it. Get with the program, boo! JE: If you could be mentored by one person, and spend the day with the, who would it be, why & what would you like to do? AP: If I could be mentored and spend the day with one person, it would have to be Rihanna, or at least one of the Fenty girls! We're both on the same creative, pisces, west Indian baddie energy! Rih takes so many risks and is so in touch with her creativity and devotion to diversity. I think we would really get along! JE: What are some goals you have set for the future, pertaining to what you want to do in this world as well as some personal goals? AP: My goal for the future is to genuinely become a successful supermodel, and prominent social rights advocate. I just hope to be the best I can be and for people to really see it in me. I want to use my status as a famous supermodel to simultaneously involve and intersect my community into the world of fashion and art because we deserve to be recognized. JE: Where do you hope to be in 10 years? AP: In 10 years I really hope to be an icon, like Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks. I want to have THAT kind of impact. Mediocrity is not an option for me. It was such a pleasure getting to chat with Aaron, and hearing everything she had to say. There is no doubt in my mind that the incredible soul dwelling in this beautiful femme will change the world one day!

- What is the gender of a boy? - Is a male a boy? - Are males gender neutral? - How many genders are there? - What are the 52 genders? - Why are men stronger? - Can a girl transform into a boy? - Do trees have a gender? - Can chickens change gender? - Can you have 2 genders? - Who is called third gender? - What does NB mean LGBT? - Is it OK to say guys? - Can you say guys to a group? - Is it 50/50 Boy or girl? What is the gender of a boy? Men determine the sex of a baby depending on whether their sperm is carrying an X or Y chromosome. An X chromosome combines with the mother’s X chromosome to make a baby girl (XX) and a Y chromosome will combine with the mother’s to make a boy (XY).. Is a male a boy? A boy is a young male human. The term is usually used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man. Are males gender neutral? Generic words for humans Another issue for gender-neutral language concerns the use of the words man, men and mankind to refer to a person or people of unspecified sex or to persons of both sexes. Although the word man originally referred to both males and females, some feel that it no longer does so unambiguously. How many genders are there? There are more than two genders, even though in our society the genders that are most recognized are male and female (called the gender binary) and usually is based on someone’s anatomy (the genitals they were born with). What are the 52 genders? The following are the 58 gender options identified by ABC News:Agender.Androgyne.Androgynous.Bigender.Cis.Cisgender.Cis Female.Cis Male.More items…• Why are men stronger? Males remain stronger than females when adjusting for differences in total body mass, due to the higher male muscle-mass to body-mass ratio. The greater muscle mass is reported to be due to a greater capacity for muscular hypertrophy as a result of higher levels of circulating testosterone in males. Can a girl transform into a boy? Sex reassignment surgery for female-to-male transgender people includes a variety of surgical procedures that alter anatomical traits to provide physical traits more comfortable to the trans man’s male identity and functioning. Non-binary people assigned female at birth may also have these surgeries. Do trees have a gender? Lots of trees are hermaphroditic — that is, their flowers contain both male and female reproductive parts. Other species have male trees and female trees, which you can tell apart by looking at their flowers: The male reproductive parts are the pollen-laden stamen; the female parts their egg-holding pistils. Can chickens change gender? Chickens can sometimes undergo natural sex changes. … In the absence of a functional left ovary, the dormant right sex organ may begin to grow, if the activated right gonad is an ovotestis or testes, it will begin secreting androgens. The hen does not completely change into a rooster, however. Can you have 2 genders? Bigender, bi-gender, or dual gender is a gender identity that includes any two gender identities and behaviors. … Some bigender individuals express two distinct personas, which may be feminine, masculine, agender, androgyne, or other gender identities; others find that they identify as two genders simultaneously. Who is called third gender? Third gender, or third sex, is a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither man nor woman. It is also a social category present in societies that recognize three or more genders. What does NB mean LGBT? neither male nor femaleNONBINARY A person who identifies as neither male nor female and sees themselves outside the gender binary. This is sometimes shortened to N.B. or enby. Is it OK to say guys? Addressing a group of people as “guys” isn’t gender inclusive. True, the word guys has a gender-neutral sense in Dictionary.com of “persons of either sex; people.” But the most common and prominent meaning of the word is “a man or boy; fellow.” … We don’t have many options for second-person plural pronouns. Can you say guys to a group? The trouble with ‘guys’ when referring to women With no good phrase for the plural of ‘you,’ the plural term ‘guys’ ended up evolving into the colloquial alternative to refer to a group of people, regardless of whether group members are male or female. Is it 50/50 Boy or girl? My general response is that it’s a 50/50 chance that a woman will have a boy or a girl. But that’s not exactly true – there’s actually a slight bias toward male births. The ratio of male to female births, called the sex ratio, is about 105 to 100, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

20 Years of Rosie’s Girls – Nell Carpenter This year we are celebrating Rosie’s Girls 20th year in Vermont! That’s 20 years of empowering campers to follow their passions, try new things, and believe in themselves. Since its inception in 1999, each person who has interacted with camp has contributed to its current form. From instructors who inspire us to think outside of the box, to campers who push us to meet their evolving needs, to community members who support camp each summer; we are so proud of how far this program has come in responding to the needs of girls and gender non-conforming youth in the state. Thank YOU for being a part of this journey. As for where we are headed – this fall we will be piloting our first Rosie’s Girls afterschool program in schools around the state. This will allow us to deliver programming year-round and in more regions, ultimately increasing our impact in Vermont. Additionally, gender-based discrimination in the workforce impacts all people of marginalized gender identities, starting in career exploration at young ages. We recognize that young people are increasingly likely to identify outside of the binary and therefore it is crucial to provide spaces that are inclusive and welcoming of non-binary identities. Rosie’s Girls will continue to persist for as long as disparities in wages and career representation exist. We will continue to make loud noises with saws and sparks with plasma cutters and take up space in Vermont as we empower young people to defy society’s expectations one tool at a time. -Nell Carpenter, Education Program Coordinator

Artist Nisrine Boukhari (Damascus/Vienna) in the MAWA apartment. She completed a residency at MAWA April 1-30, 2015. National and International Artist in Residence at MAWA Application deadline: Friday, August 2 by 4pm Central Time for residencies to take place spring, summer and fall of 2020 MAWA is offering our urban, loft-style apartment to women and non-binary visual artists for residencies of 2-4 weeks in duration. Applicants can use this space and time for research, reflection, networking and/or production. We will provide the accommodation for free. The MAWA apartment is 25’ x 28’ or 7.6m x 8.5m (approximately 700 sq. ft. or 65 sq. metres), with four large openable windows, adjustable blinds, a smart TV and DVD player and an exposed brick wall. The MAWA apartment is fully furnished and includes a kitchen, a dining area, a bathroom with shower, a queen-sized bed, a double futon/couch and a designated parking space. All bedding, towels and cooking utensils are provided. The apartment is located on the second floor of 611 Main Street in downtown Winnipeg. It is a walk-up and is not wheelchair accessible. Pets and smoking are not allowed in the apartment. Artists’ family members are welcome. MAWA’s apartment is a clean space that is not conducive to painting and many forms of sculpture. However, we can introduce you to other Winnipeg art centres that may be able to help you gain access to the facilities you need. While at MAWA, you will be expected to present your work to our members in a form of your choice (screening, talk, performance, showcase of work-in-progress, etc.). MAWA will pay you a $315 fee for this presentation. MAWA will provide a letter of invitation to successful applicants but is unable to provide or help artists secure travel and/or production funding. Artists at all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply. Equal consideration will be given to emerging and established artists. The MAWA residency program is intended to increase dialogue between our geographical community—Winnipeg—and the art world beyond, to create networking opportunities for artists and to provide an oasis in which artists can do whatever they need to do in order to move their practices forward. Applications must be emailed to [email protected] with the subject heading “residency 2020” and should consist of a single pdf containing the following elements: - a cover letter saying why you would like time in the MAWA apartment and what you will be working on (goals, rationale) - first choice of preferred dates; second choice of preferred dates (including start and end dates) between May 1 and October 30, 2020 - an artist’s CV - up to 20 images or links to up to 2 videos no longer than 4 minutes total If you have any questions, contact 204-949-9490 or [email protected]

Research Scientist, Mosaic Who You Are: Applicants for Research Scientist on the Mosaic team at AI2 should have a strong foundation (typically PhD level) in one or more of the following areas: natural language processing, machine reading, automatic knowledge base construction, large-scale textual inference and entailment, knowledge representation and reasoning, computer vision and machine learning, or question answering and explanation. We look favorably upon extensive work experience and publishing demonstrating application of your research. AI2’s Mosaic team seeks a creative Research Scientist who has a strong foundation in NLP and machine learning. Research Scientists at AI2 contribute to AI2's impact-driven mission in an exciting, fast-paced research environment. They also have the opportunity to: - Author and present high-quality scientific papers and presentations for peer-reviewed journals and conferences - Take a leading role in implementing software systems supporting AI2’s research, - Collaborate with and learn from team members across AI2, including scientists and engineers, - Mentor early-career researchers and interns on their projects, and - Help develop collaborative relationships with relevant academic, industrial, government, and standards organizations. The Mosaic team collaborates frequently with researchers on AI2’s other teams focused on machine learning and the Semantic Scholar engine, among others. Researchers excited about such internal and external collaborations are encouraged to apply. Interested in building machines with commonsense intelligence? With the Mosaic team, you will be at the forefront of research in Commonsense in AI. As a Young Investigator, you’ll have the opportunity to work on various aspects of commonsense in AI: - How should we model commonsense reasoning capabilities? - How should we represent commonsense in our AI models? - How should we reason across modalities -- e.g. images and text? - How should we collect and organize commonsense knowledge? - How should we benchmark commonsense reasoning capabilities of AI? - How should we reason through generation? - How should we identify and mitigate biases in our datasets? - How should we <your ideas here>? Your Next Challenge: AI2 currently has projects in the following areas: - Language and Vision - Information extraction and semantic parsing - Question answering - Language and reasoning - Machine learning and theory formation - Semantic search - Natural language processing - Diagram understanding - Visual knowledge extraction and visual reasoning - And more…. AI2 Research Scientists will have a primary focus in one of these specific areas but will also have the opportunity to contribute and engage in a variety of other areas critical to our research and mission. These include opportunities to participate in or lead select R&D projects, work with management to develop the long term vision for knowledge systems R&D, take a leading role in overseeing and implementing software systems supporting AI2’s research, author and present scientific papers and presentations for peer-reviewed journals and conferences, and help develop collaborative and strategic relationships with relevant academic, industrial, government, and standards organizations. What You’ll Need: Applicants for Research Scientist at AI2 should have a strong foundation (typically PhD level) in one or more of the following areas: natural language processing, machine reading, automatic knowledge base construction, large-scale textual inference and entailment, knowledge representation and reasoning, computer vision and machine learning, or question answering and explanation. We look favorably upon extensive work experience and publishing demonstrating application of your research. Who We Are: The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence is a non-profit research institute in Seattle founded by Paul Allen and headed by Professor Oren Etzioni. The core mission of AI2 is to contribute to humanity through high-impact research in artificial intelligence. In addition to AI2’s core mission, we also aim to contribute to humanity through our treatment of each member of the AI2 Team. Some highlights are: - We are a learning organization – because everything AI2 does is ground-breaking, we are learning every day. Similarly, through weekly AI2 Academy lectures, a wide variety of world-class AI experts as guest speakers, and our commitment to your personal on-going education, AI2 is place where you will have opportunities to continue learning alongside your coworkers. - We value diversity - We seek to hire, support, and promote people from all genders, ethnicities, and all levels of experience regardless of age. We particularly encourage applications from women, non-binary individuals, people of color, members of the LGBTQA+ community, and people with disabilities of any kind. - We value inclusion - We understand the value that people's individual experiences and perspectives can bring to an organization, and we are building a culture in which all voices are heard, respected and considered. - We emphasize a healthy work/life balance – we believe our team members are happiest and most productive when their work/life balance is optimized. While we value powerful research results which drive our mission forward, we also value dinner with family, weekend time, and vacation time. We offer generous paid vacation and sick leave as well as family leave. - We are collaborative and transparent – we consider ourselves a team, all moving with a common purpose. We are quick to cheer our successes, and even quicker to share and jointly problem solve our failures. - We are in Seattle – and our office is on the water! We have mountains, we have lakes, we have four seasons, we bike to work, we have a vibrant theater scene, and we have so much else. We even have kayaks for you to paddle right outside our front door. We welcome interest from applicants from outside of the United States. - We are friendly– chances are you will like every one of the 100+ (and growing) people who work here. We do. AI2 is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected] or you may call us at 206-548-5600.

Last year, the world’s largest non-profit membership association of certified cybersecurity professionals, (ISC)², announced the findings of its Cybersecurity Workforce Study. For the first time, they estimated that the cybersecurity workforce was almost 3 million, and a growth of 145% (just over 4 million) was needed to close the skills gap and better defend organisations worldwide. The latest figures depict a shortage of cybersecurity professionals at a time when protecting the world’s operating systems has never been as important. Now, if you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’re wondering how has this shortfall happened? And, why have efforts to plug the skills gap not worked? Whenever I talk about what’s occurred, people are dismayed, so I often use an analogy. It’s as if we (in cybersecurity) have been paddling in the ocean when the tide was out. We were up to our ankles, enjoying the view and smelling the fresh sea air. Then, all of a sudden, the tide has come in, risen quickly, and we’ve found ourselves up to our necks in water. Choosing to swim, means working on the root cause, and I believe the problem behind these statistics may be the perception of cybersecurity, specifically that there’s only one role in cybersecurity and for only one type of person. So, with so many myths surrounding the industry, especially when it comes to starting a career in cybersecurity or attracting more women into the field, let’s bust the myths I regularly come across. If you’d like to know more about how to kick start your career in cybersecurity, or are a parent who thinks your child might enjoy it, please visit these exciting apprenticeship opportunities https://bit.ly/QACyberApprenticeships. Myth #1. You’ve got to have specific cybersecurity qualifications, experience, or be a genius. When it comes to specific qualifications and experience, typical misconceptions are that you need cybersecurity qualifications, a STEM degree, or have military, law enforcement, or tech experience. Additionally, that you’re super clever or a genius. The truth of the matter is this. Within cybersecurity, there are a significant number of professional qualifications, or certifications that are globally recognised and in demand. These are: - Certified Information Security Professional (CISSP), - Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), - Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), - Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), and - GIAC Security Essentials. Data from recruitment agencies, such as Burning Glass, show that over 35% of all cybersecurity jobs require at least one of these five globally recognised certifications and that more than 80% of cybersecurity related job postings want a bachelor’s level or higher college degree plus a minimum of three years’ experience. As most of these certifications require years of industry experience, don’t be deterred if you don’t have them, or exams aren’t your forte. Whilst many hiring managers specifically require certain expertise, all jobs require far more than academic knowledge or proof that you can pass an exam. Although meeting any one of these criteria would be advantageous to you, in reality, you can start a career in cybersecurity without any of them. With growing cyberattacks and a huge shortage of qualified cybersecurity talent, companies and government agencies are united in their message: ‘If you don’t have a Computer Science degree, don’t write off a career in cybersecurity. If you’re lacking qualifications but are interested in cybersecurity, then you can still get a job.’ Qualifications certainly don’t make a hacker, consultant or practitioner and there are so many positions within the cybersecurity ecosystem that are available to you—from cryptographics, mobile device forensic analysis and incident response to penetration testing (hacking), endpoint security, or security awareness, and so on. It all comes down to your starting point, i.e. what skills you have, what career route you want, what pay you’ll accept, and what your future employer’s investment will be. A great example of a starting point is an apprenticeship. Take the UK Government Security Profession’s scheme, which is currently available. They are looking for candidates with an understanding of basic IT principles to join the cybersecurity apprenticeship scheme and they want to attract a broad spectrum of applicants from diverse backgrounds, who’ll be 18-years old by November 2020, not in full-time education by November 2020 and are either UK nationals or have lived in the UK and/or EU for 3 years prior to November 2020. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a great place to start when you’re researching what type of job you want and finding out more, as it’s listed all the different jobs and opportunities in cybersecurity. Certainly, over the 22-years I’ve worked in cybersecurity, I’ve witnessed many cybersecurity professionals getting into the industry with Arts and Humanities degrees, or from other non-technical routes, such as law, marketing, accounting, advertising, journalism, and HR. In fact, when it comes to degrees, there’s evidence that the second most popular degree for recruiting cybersecurity professionals is English (Language). Continuing, I’ve also seen astrophysicists, PAs, nurses, hairdressers, florists, dry cleaners, singers, actors, teachers, artists, and builders get in. These people are capable, have a self-starting open mindset, and have done well. However, none are genius’. So please understand. Cybersecurity is crying out for men and women who come from different walks of life. The industry is well aware that just having the same types of people within it is limiting its effectiveness. It knows that as cyberattacks are becoming more creative, and hackers are becoming more collaborative and business-like in their approach, it needs to modify its approach. It needs people who can see things in non-binary ways and to help it be not so blindsided. Myth #2: You’ve got to be a techie and have a passion for cybersecurity. Today's cybersecurity professionals fulfil a wide range of job roles—some are technical, and others are more business-focused so you really need to think about what area you enjoy and want to specialise in. Nowadays, it’s widely accepted that one of the greatest threats comes from the human aspect—the insider threat, and that’s why knowledge of human behaviour, culture, ethics, and language, or specialisms in psychology, geopolitics, and economics are so readily sought. As for having a passion for cybersecurity, this is utter nonsense, and it makes me mad whenever I come across this. It’s just not needed. Curiosity, interest, a willingness to learn, and an understanding of why you’re committed to doing this job are. If you’ve got a burning passion for cybersecurity, then that’s great—a bonus—but there’s really no need for a “strong and barely controllable emotion.” Let’s leave that for teenage love! 😉 Myth #3. You’ve got to be young to work in cybersecurity. The perception is that you’ve got to be young, male, geeky, and wear a hoodie to work in the industry, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. People with all manners of dress codes—punk, gothic, new age, high fashion, etc work in cybersecurity, and with 90% of the industry’s employees being over thirty years old, there’s certainly no correlation between age and cybersecurity practices. Cybersecurity—like all other industries—requires diversity to thrive. Being successful in it requires a multitude of skills and creative thinking abilities from people of all ages. The industry only cares if you can spot problems (typically vulnerabilities and compliance failures), get to the root cause, fix them, and communicate the issues along with corrective measures. And, when it comes to women entering the field, statistics have repeatedly shown that women typically enter cybersecurity beyond the age of thirty. Myth #4. The hours and pay aren't good in cybersecurity. The demand for cybersecurity experts is increasing exponentially as the world becomes more digitally connected, data becomes the new currency, and cybercrimes grow. It’s why city analysts predict cybersecurity jobs growing between 32% to 37% between now and 2028, which is a higher percentage growth than the average for all other occupations. This is good news for those in the industry. It signals it’s an applicant’s market and rising salaries, especially in specialist roles, when moving companies, or geolocations. Looking at the UK alone, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport identified 393,257 cybersecurity-related job postings over the past 3 years, with 105,194 being labelled as cybersecurity jobs. Their research further highlighted: - Geographic hotspots of activity in London, Edinburgh and Belfast, as well as parts of the West Midlands and the South West, (e.g. Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucestershire). - The most in demand roles being security engineers (18%), security analysts (13%), security architects (10%), security managers (9%) and security consultants (8%). - The sectors who most wanted cybersecurity talent being finance and insurance, information and communications, and professional services. - The most in demand technical skills areas being network engineering, risk management and technical controls, operating systems and virtualisation, cryptography and programming. - Approximately 653,000 businesses (48%) with a basic skills gap, i.e. people in charge of cybersecurity in businesses who lacked the confidence to carry out the kinds of basic tasks laid out in the UK Government’s endorsed Cyber Essentials scheme, for example the setting up configured firewalls, storing or transferring personal data, and detecting and removing malware. When it comes to the hours cybersecurity professionals work, occasionally these may vary, as it’s regularly viewed as an emergency service. So, you may need to work non-traditional hours, nights, or weekends when a data breach or cyberattack occurs, or during systems updates, security upgrades, and certification implementations. As for future-proof work, cybersecurity is well placed. Thanks to cybercriminals and employee mishaps, data breaches can occur at any time as threats are continually evolving. It’s one of the reasons 93% of women who work in cybersecurity say they feel safe in their job. In fact, its longevity is so well placed The Balance Careers lists cybersecurity, specifically information security analysts, as being one of the highest of the seven fastest-growing tech jobs, with a projected growth of 28% through to 2026. When it comes to pay, those in cybersecurity can quickly earn more than other professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, accountants and engineers. Salaries for apprenticeships such as the UK government range from £22,700 to £25,997 and according to the 2020 Cybersecurity Salary Survey, 50% of cybersecurity professionals are currently earning more than $50,000 and 1% are earning up to $190,000, excluding bonuses. In North America, the average salary is $90,000 and in the UK it’s £54,644. Myth #5. Cybersecurity is a desk job with limited opportunities. You might think cybersecurity is a desk job with limited opportunities, but this isn’t the case. Cybersecurity professionals are occupied at all levels of business, and their influence extends so much further than the IT department. Many different roles are available when it comes to your career progression and often you get to travel and see much of the world. With digital disruption, risk mitigation and the skills shortage being three of the biggest topics facing business leaders today, if you want to climb the career ladder then a C-level, VP, MD, CEO, Partner, or NED role is well within your reach. Myth #6: Your existing skills won’t be useful. Cybersecurity is a dynamic field, and whether you’re entering it with strong communication skills, technical know-how, military experience or business wisdom, you’ll soon discover the relevancy for your existing skills. Like problems in any other profession, you’ll soon discover some that are similar and others that will be unique. In cybersecurity, it all depends on the environment—the technology that’s involved, the resources that are available, and the risk (attacks or compliance failures). Whatever the case, you won’t be dumped in it and left to figure things out for yourself. The stakes are too high. Your manager or team will direct you when it comes to how to accomplish your specific cybersecurity duties. Myth #7: The career path is too hard, takes too long. Although becoming a cybersecurity practitioner or consultant doesn’t happen overnight, you can be working much sooner than you think. It all depends on your way in. For example, if you’re hired by an organisation without tech skills, cybersecurity qualifications, or a degree, they’ll typically help you get the cybersecurity certifications that are necessary for their specific work and get you shadowing another cybersecurity professional’s work. Depending on your experience and how fast you learn, you may get up-to-date on the latest trends and technology and be adding real value within a few weeks or several months. Apprenticeship schemes, like the UK Government Security Profession, referred to earlier and which is detailed here, plus larger consultancies, tech giants, and system integrators do this really well. If your route in is via a training accelerator, chances are you’ll get access to foundational courses, extensive hands-on skill building, guided product training and possibly security clearance. Being full-time or part-time, and taking on average 12-weeks, these accelerators will either match you to an employer at the start of their programme or once you’ve successfully completed it. Typical job roles include tier 1+ SOC analysts, threat intel analysts, security consultants, compliance analysts, security engineers, technical analysts or penetration testers (hackers). You can always self-learn, too, and if so one of the best entry-level certifications to get is CompTIA Security+. You can then build upon your skills via free, self-learning platforms like Cybrary, Immersive Labs, and of course YouTube. Then, connect with mentors or sponsors who’ll help you to network your way in. Myth #8: Everyone in cybersecurity is aggressive and unwelcoming. Cybersecurity has a unique culture. It has people whose job it is to be on the attack—the offensive, and those whose job it is to protect—the defensive. As a result, you’ll see some conflicting behaviour within it. Despite this, I promise you, when you join, you’ll find your niche, will fit in, and be warmly welcomed. The people make this industry fun, challenging and progressive. It’s why I’ve remained in cybersecurity for so long. Myth #9: Cybersecurity is not for women. Women are a perfect fit for cybersecurity as countless studies have shown how they see risk in a different way to men. Women excel, too, as they score highly when it comes to emotional intelligence (EQ), which is a key ingredient in relationship building, and often a better determinant for success in the workplace, leadership, and personal excellence than intelligence (IQ). In fact, a study found that women’s EQ can be, on average, four points higher than men’s, and they generally score higher on self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Women spot changing patterns of behaviour easily, especially when something doesn’t intuitively feel right. They tend not to fall for attacks that are being created just for men, and being compliant with rules, they’ve been found to embrace organisational controls and technology much more than men. It doesn’t make women better than men, but it does make the industry stronger when both genders work together, and the numbers are more balanced. It’s one of the reasons why there’s a drive to get more women working in cybersecurity. Today, women in cybersecurity are growing in numbers. According to reports, there are between 15-24% of women performing cybersecurity duties, worldwide. More and more are joining the industry, adding value and becoming visible role models for other women. As I repeatedly advocate, cybersecurity is an exciting career choice with so many opportunities. Closing the skill and gender gap in cybersecurity would impact the world’s economy tremendously. For example, if the number of women working in cybersecurity rose to equal that of men, it would add $30.4 billion to the industry’s economic contribution in the US and £12.6 billion in the UK. Just imagine what good could come from that—more innovation, peace, stability, distributed wealth, and care for the environment. People being happier, healthier and more productive than ever before. Now I want to hear from you… - If you work in cybersecurity, help me bust some more myths. Which ones have you come across that aren’t mentioned? What’s the perception of cybersecurity but in your view just not true? Tell me in the comments below. - If you’d like to know more about how to kick start your career in cybersecurity, or are a parent who thinks your child might enjoy it, please visit these exciting apprenticeship opportunities https://bit.ly/QACyberApprenticeships. These apprenticeships present exciting, challenging and stimulating jobs in some of the key Government departments and agencies managing digital networks and information security risks impacting on all aspects of life in the UK. You’ll receive excellent on-the-job experience and training which will enable you to develop the advanced technical skills needed to prevent cybercrime, decrypt data, and clarify and resolve malware issues. The apprenticeship will also help you build a foundation level of knowledge in critical areas of cybersecurity, setting you up for a successful and rewarding career. Here’s the link again https://bit.ly/QACyberApprenticeships. Finally, in the spirit of full disclosure, once more, please be aware that I’ve received compensation for promoting this #ad for QA, a specialist technology provider of learning and talent services.

Top 10 Best Sites Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more. The Short Version: DinkyOne is a free dating site that proves passion comes in all shapes and sizes. This niche network caters to men with small penises — and the online daters who love that about them. Having an undersized member doesn’t stop men from finding sexual partners in this fast-paced and nonjudgmental dating scene. It’s free to create an account on DinkyOne and meet local date prospects who don’t need girth to prove their worth. The saying “bigger is always better” is definitely not always true. Sometimes bigger is way worse than smaller. For example, a huge sandwich may seem appealing in theory, but once you get it in your hands, the oversized meal can be too much for you to handle. It can be downright intimidating, not to mention jaw-straining, to have such a big one on your plate, and many people have found that something smaller can still satisfy their appetites. Okay, I’m not just talking about sandwiches here. Contrary to what some men think, bigger isn’t always better in the dating scene. Men with small penises can be a better fit for some women or men who know that size isn’t the only thing that counts in the bedroom. DinkyOne is a dating site dedicated to removing the stigma against men with smaller members. Its matchmaking tools help singles find sexual satisfaction without worrying too much about size. DinkyOne has gotten a lot of attention for its outlandish premise, and it seems to have struck a chord among modern daters. The average penis size is about 5.5 inches, so any man measuring under that is welcome to join DinkyOne and meet people who value them as they are. By creating an online dating network that praises the undersized, DinkyOne builds men up and encourages them to cultivate a more positive body image. “Don’t forget that the average size means that 50% of the males in the word are bigger and 50% are smaller,” the DinkyOne team pointed out. “Therefore, 50% of people who are in a relationship have a smaller than average size penis. This means that a smaller penis is not a barrier to dating or having a relationship.” The DinkyOne dating site may not look like much at first glance, but this high-performance tool has satisfied many customers. Over 60,000 people have joined the network so far. The site has proven to have a big appeal to male users. About 74% of users are male, 24% are female, and 2% are transgender. The registration process gives newcomers a lot of room to express themselves and report their defining traits. DinkyOne profiles offer 22 non-binary gender options and nine sexual orientation options. Unlike mainstream dating sites, DinkyOne asks for a person’s age rather than a birthdate and first name rather than full name to reduce the number of personal details a user has to disclose to set up an account. Don’t worry, men, you don’t have to divulge your size or anything about your appearance in your dating profile. Once they’ve filled out the basics, members can make selections from a list of 21 descriptors (intelligent, vegan, student, etc.) and 25 interests (fitness, gaming, travel, etc.) to add to their dating profile. The DinkyOne team has been in the online dating industry since 2007, so it has a lot insight and guidance to offer single men and women. For instance, in the Upload a Photo page, the team offers advice regarding the best practices for online dating photos. Nude photos are not allowed on the site, but users can crop out their faces if they wish to remain anonymous. “Your main picture is shown in search results — make sure it’s your best,” the team says. “You can add up to nine, so use them all.” Members can rank higher in search results by opting in for message alerts and allowing DinkyOne to email them dating tips and updates. If you want to make a big splash in the local dating pool, you can choose to send a Flirt Message to all users who meet your match criteria for age, location, and appearance. This message must be under 500 characters and contain no graphic language. A smart algorithm reviews all messages sent through the DinkyOne network and flags any that appear suspicious or inappropriate. It’s completely free to set up a DinkyOne dating profile and message local singles. Free members have the run of the dating site and are not obligated to upgrade to a VIP membership, though doing so may up their odds of meeting someone special. A VIP membership can cost as little as $10.95 for a one-week trial or $10.33 a month for six months. VIP members can send messages to international users and do not have a sending limit. DinkyOne doesn’t require members to strike a mutual match before they send a flirty message. This is a swiping-free zone where straightforward search filters help compatible singles connect. Everyone on DinkyOne has low expectations when it comes to penis size, so it’s easier for men to feel comfortable flirting and make a good impression in online conversations and offline dates. That can be a huge relief for men who have felt insecure or ashamed of their small size. “When you’re a smaller man, dating is very complicated,” said a 36-year-old DinkyOne user. “It’s far better to date online with strangers and even better on a dedicated site such as DinkyOne.” Many women have also reported feeling more at ease knowing the men on DinkyOne won’t have oversized egos when it comes to intimacy. “Being a dominant woman, the idea of dating a man with a small dick really appeals,” said a 42-year-old woman. “He should be pleasing me orally or with toys.” “I find sex painful with a man bigger than four inches,” one 28-year-old woman said. She uses DinkyOne to date guys who are just the right size for her. DinkyOne is part of a growing network of online dating brands, and users can choose to add their profiles to another niche site with one click by going to the Switch Site tab. In addition to gamer dating and trans dating options, the network includes BIGOne, a dating site for men with large penises. Joining such a site can help singles grow their match list and meet a lot of quality people online. Whether you’re ordering lunch or choosing a sexual partner, you shouldn’t always assume the biggest is going to be the greatest. It’s all about finding a good fit for you. People with smaller openings may get more satisfaction from something more reasonably sized because it won’t make them stretch too far outside their comfort zone. DinkyOne offers a safe and private space where men with smaller penises can date without hiding who they are. They’re free to match and chat with people who won’t judge them for being undersized. “Some men are big, some are average, and some are below average,” DinkyOne Founder David Minns said. “DinkyOne lets smaller men date people outside their circle of friends with the safety that everyone using the site is fully aware. Members can focus on shared interests and get on with dating.”

There’s a lot to be said about your significant other. Whether introducing them to your friends, or talking about them when they’re not there, it’s important to use a language to describe your better half that reflects the relationship. Though my girlfriend and I easily pass for a straight couple, it doesn’t always feel right that two non binary people use the term “boyfriend and girlfriend.” It’s your relationship after all. Nobody else has the right to define it, so call it what you want! A simple way to show the person that you love that you care can be by asking what kind of term they want to refer to you by. Plus it can be a fun conversation to have, and a creative one to boot! An absolute classic that has a ton of unique uses which may make defining your relationship otherwise a little tricky. Maybe you feel you’ve outgrown the “Boyfriend/Girlfriend” phase in your life? Maybe you or your significant other don’t strictly fit those terms? Maybe you feel like it’s a step up from “Boyfriend/Girlfriend” and signifies a longer-lasting relationship? No matter your reason for picking Partner as a term for your cuddle buddy, know that it signals acceptance. As a non-binary person, I feel comforted a little when I hear other people use the term Partner, especially heterosexual couples. It normalizes the term and makes it much easier to pitch to the person I am involved with when the time comes. I don’t know about you, but I think this one is an amazing throwback. Nothing like sharing a milkshake at the diner after school with your sweetheart on a Friday afternoon. Maybe Dad will let me take her out for a drive in the stationwagon on Sunday! The 1950s are a vibe for sure. There’s a reason it’s the chosen decor of many greasy spoons across the continent. Now dodging all of the more problematic aspects of the time like rampant misogyny and racism, they had one thing going for sure: sweetheart. It’s cute, it’s romantic, it’s even a type of Valentine’s Day candy. Sweetheart is the pinnacle of the rose-tinted glasses relationship where nothing can ever go wrong and you’re happy as a clam. While obviously nothing can ever be that simple and relationships are complicated, Sweetheart is the term I use for mine when I catch a hint of perfection in my partner’s eye. Now this one may be a little out there, and I will admit it is a term of my own creation. (I didn’t invent the word sidekick obviously, but I think I’m the first to use it regularly to describe myself in a relationship.) Ok let me explain myself. Who is the most famous superhero and sidekick duo? Batman and Robin of course! Mind you, we haven’t seen much of Robin in recent Batman movies, but any older rendition of the Caped Crusader would be nowhere without his trusty sidekick. Yes their relationship is strictly platonic. Yes the Dark Night and the Boy Wonder often have a questionable age difference when they appear together. But their relationship is just that! A relationship! They work alongside each other just as a couple does to solve problems, share resources, and even catch bad guys. Now mind you, my hero and I aren’t exactly saving Gotham City when we hang out, but it’s a cute term and it works on multiple levels. It may seem one-dimensional to refer to oneself as a bit of a secondary character, but if we return to the Batman analogy Robin has a whole lot going on. He even becomes his own superhero named Nightwing when he and ol’ Bruce part ways from time to time. Plus who could resist the opportunity to say “hold on a second, my sidekick is calling me.” No matter what you call your boo, there’s a whole lot of options to choose from, and what you pick can speak volumes about your relationship progress, your orientations, and even your crime-fighting capabilities. Having this conversation with my sidekick (yes, I seriously, I call her that) definitely stepped our relationship up a notch. One other way we’ve been keeping so close is with the Couple’s Bucket List. It’s a fun, healthy way to explore conversations that may never come up normally, and it keeps both of us on our toes and being the best partner we could be.

The Autonomous Revolutionary Nordic Alliance (ARNA) published a call for the No G20 protests in Hamburg from July 6 until July 8th of July. On their blog the alliance writes “We are a network of anti-capitalist, feminist and antifacist groups from the Nordic countries, wishing to organize a strong Nordic participation in the protest against the G20 summit in July.” The alliance will organise transportation to Hamburg for people who want to join the protests against the G20. Originally published at ARNA Note: Enough is Enough is not organizing any of these events, we are publishing them for people across the US and Europe to be able to see what is going on. The ARNA alliance has been formed in anticipation of the G20-meeting in Hamburg but our ambition moves far beyond this: we hope to create a lasting network for joint action, logistics and political discussion. Our internationalist ambition means that we move beyond borders in our activism to create a joint resistance against state, patriarchy and capitalism. A call for Nordic participation in the G20 summit in Hamburg 6-8th of July Trump. Putin. Merkel. Erdogan. Juncker. The list of invitees to the G20 summit is akin to a gallery of movie villains. Add to the main cast the supporting roles of the coup-maker Temer from Brazil, Xi Jinpeng from China, the murderer Duterte from the Phillipines and the disgraced Park from South Korea and the G20 reveals that it is a grotesque carnival of reaction rather than the dignified gathering of world leaders that it wants to portray itself as. Indeed the tarnished and almost comical state of the global elite mirrors the state of capitalism itself. This is no coincidence. These powerhungry jackals are not the architects of capitalism but its spawn. They merely execute the bloodshed, misery and death demanded by the capitalist system itself, a system in deep crisis. Andalthough this current batch of madmen, thieves and liars might seem particularly vile they are but players in a game who follow a set of rules given by the rulebook of capitalism. Today we see that the suspension, limitation and abolition of the few democratic rights won by people in struggle are increasingly attacked on a global scale by all of the G20 countries, this in order to limit the capacity for people to struggle back. We resist these measures while at the same time working to create a society from below. The G20 is no true fight between different ideologies but a squabble between different groups of capitalist countries and interests who all put profit and capitalist order over the lives of people. Workers in different countries are put against each other with the threats of outsourcing and wagedumping which opens up for racist politics which in turn continue business as usual. The G20 is one of the main instigators of capitalist policies which the working class in every country has to fight against, our cause is common because capitalism exists globally. In these times of austerity, the “luxury” of climate change reforms are passed over due to capitalism’s short-sighted nature. This desire is evident in political choices of ripping up the few pitiful voluntary agreements onfighting climate change and instead expanding heavy industry, expropriating land for fracking and extraction of oil, gas and minerals. The system is not merely heading for a social disaster, it’s also ravaging the very planet it subsists on due to its brutal desire to make profit, thereby destroying the very existance of it’s future inhibitants. This is untenable; every reform has so far been too little and too late and the G20 threatens to further set back any work against climate change. The wars started by or supported by the great powers at the G20 has created refugee movements which they are now cutting off, effectively murdering thousands along the borders of Fortress Europe and Turkey. The G20 appears as a competition between differing state interests but this only hides that the interests of migrants and non-migrants alike are never considered. On the agenda of the G20 is the proposed “Compact for Africa”, a push to trap migrants inside of Africa and to keep their misery and death far away from the eyes of Europeans. The G20 is not an end for us but a start. It is a time when we can take back the momentum as the main force of opposition in society. It is a place where we can learn, mobilize, gain confidence and energize our movements together. We will go to Hamburg along with social movements from far and wide to protest their world and envision another. Everyone to the G20 in Hamburg 6-8 July! Autonomous Revolutionary Nordic Alliance Political platform for the Autonomous Revolutionary Nordic Alliance We want a society without classes and and without states Our political ambitions are guided by the same goal: that we want to liberate humanity and create a free association of everyone for everyone. By necessity this means the end of reckless exploitation of nature, an end to war and an end to nation-states. We are revolutionaries Class society is a murderous creature, all historical progress in it has been combated through violent resistance from the system itself. We know that we need a revolution in order to overthrow capitalism and usher in a new world. We are against parliamentary politics Bourgeoisie parliaments are the administration of the capitalist system, a system which necessarily changes the most hardened revolutionary who goes into parliaments into a bureaucrat for the upholding of class society. We are against reformism Reformism is always intrinsically linked with parliamentary politics and class society, it divides movements and leads them away from being able to smash capitalism and instead strengthens it. We are opposed to all groups, movements and tendencies which strike deals with our class enemies and which for this cause attempts to represent and reign in radical movements. We are feminists Patriarchal domination exists on every level of our society. We combat sexist tendencies both in the streets and inside of the revolutionary movement itself. Fighting the lack of access to power and resources which women and non-binary individuals suffer is at the forefront of any anticapitalist development, there is no revolutionary struggle without a feminist struggle. We are antifascists Our society is built on a global division of labor and exploitation. Tens of thousands are left to suffer and die due to the politics of the European countries. Fascist mobilizations and reactionary groups try to whip up racist antagonisms which hide the true conflicts in society, those between the global working class and the owning class. Thus we develop antifascist and antiracist strategies and practices in all sectors of life. We are in solidarity with each other Solidarity is not just a slogan for us but a way of life and an absolute necessity. Solidarity means to organise to support each other in order to form true collectivity, beyond national borders and against the attempts of the state and capital to divide us. Solidarity is our weapon. We are a network which means that groups retain their autonomy even as we strive towards working closely with one another on the principles ofsolidarity and free association. We continuously accept new groups in the alliance. We only accept groups as members of the network, not individuals, however individuals can always form groups for the opportunity to join the network. To join or start a discussion concerning some issue please email the closest group to you as there is no central organizing structure of ARNA outside the groups themselves. DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ARNA? GET IN CONTACT WITH YOUR LOCAL GROUP SÖDRA KLUBBEN (MALMÖ) RÖDA KÄRNAN (ESKILSTUNA) RÖTT SKIMMER (GÖTEBORG) ANARCHO-SYNDICALIST YOUTH FEDERATION GOTHENBURG ANARCHO-SYNDICALIST YOUTH FEDERATION LUND ORGANISING AUTONOMOUSLY (LUND) ANARCHO-SYNDICALIST YOUTH FEDERATION MALMÖ ALUSTA ANARCHIST FEDERATION Are you a group from Norway and do you want to join ARNA? – write one of the other groups ASAP Are you a group from Island and do you want to join ARNA? – write one of the other groups ASAP

See the latest news from Screenwest and the Western Australian Screen Industry, including new initiatives from Screenwest, projects filming in Western Australia and achievements by WA creatives. Brighter Ideas Sets Internationally Successful WA Talent to Work as Screenwest Announces New Initiative for Female and Non-Binary Creatives Alison James on the set of Judas Collar © Jessica Wyld Photography Podcast: VFX with Double Barrel’s Stuart Campbell VFX with Double Barrel’s Stuart Campbell In today’s episode, we’re… Applications Open for West Coast Visions 2018-19 Screenwest has opened applications for West Coast Visions 2018-19. Applications close Monday… Get the latest What’s happening in Western Australia? Find out the latest news about Screenwest supported projects, achievements by WA creatives, what’s filming in Western Australia, upcoming events, and opportunities for you to watch and support WA projects! Image credit: Cast and crew of Blueback on location in Bremer Bay, Western Australia © David Dare Parker

The United Methodist Church has appointed a transgender deacon. By Julie Zauzmer, June 7, 2017 The bishop spoke the traditional words as she placed her hands on the new deacon named M with just a slight difference from the way those words have always been spoken before. “Pour out your Holy Spirit upon M,” the bishop said. “Send them now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry.” Not “send him now” or “send her now.” “Send them now.” That’s what M Barclay has been working for 12 years to finally hear. Barclay, a transgender person who identifies as neither male nor female and thus uses the pronoun “they,” was commissioned on Sunday as the first non-binary member of the clergy in the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church is one of the largest denominations in America, falling behind only the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention. The mainline Protestant denomination has been bitterly divided over sexuality and gender identity: Its official rules say clergy must either be celibate or in heterosexual marriages, and can perform only such marriages, but American bishops have ordained gay and transgender clergy before, and clergy have conducted same-sex marriages. In the Northern Illinois Conference, where Barclay was commissioned Sunday, Bishop Sally Dyck said in a statement: While M’s journey over the last few years has included gender identity, all of those who were commissioned or ordained on Sunday have been on some kind of journey that has brought them to new places of faith, life and relationships. Likewise, I hope the church will find itself at a new place in the near future when it comes to full inclusion. Note: This was my family and childhood church in rural Virginia. Makes me proud.

Students are being urged to help Exeter’s menstruating homeless and vulnerable population – by donating tampons and other sanitary products. Student-led group Provide a Pad have announced a donation drive during week eight in an attempt to support Exeter Foodbank and other charities in the city. “We’ll be collecting products from anybody who wants to come and donate,” Provide a Pad’s Charlie Morrison told Exeposé. “People who want to get involved just need to buy a pack of pads, or have pads on them and give them to us.” Provide a Pad was founded in Spring 2016 by then-Postgrad Taught Officer Sherv Cheung. After a collection in June, the team delivered the products to Exeter Foodbank and told Facebook fans they were “extremely proud to make a significant donation” to the charity. They will return to the Forum street this week to collect pads and tampons from students, staff and visitors. “We’ve been happy to see so many students wanting to get involved,” Morrison said. “It’s great to see people who are so interested and compassionate.” The campaign’s relaunch comes a month after outreach workers warned of “ridiculously high levels” of homelessness among women in Exeter – with women making up an estimated third of Exeter’s homeless population, twice the national average. Donations will again go to Exeter Foodbank, but if the team receive enough, they plan to support local homeless charity St Petrock’s. “We’ll probably try to split it evenly,” Morrison said, “so the greatest amount of people will be able to access those donations.” Exeter Foodbank told Exeposé they were extremely grateful for Provide a Pad’s support last term. There is such relief on the faces of women who we have passed on the pads and other items to. It’s one less thing to worry about. Joy Dunne, Foodbank Manager “Buying sanitary towels is an added expense that is hard to find the money for,” she said. “Imagine having to take children to school, looking for work every day or attending a Uni lecture – all without finance to buy sanitary items.” Provide a Pad is currently an all women team – but Morrison is keen for male volunteers to get involved. “Everyone is welcome!” she stressed, adding: “it would be great if we could have some more gender diversity among the people volunteering. “We are trying to break down the stigma around this issue, especially as there’s been a recent rise in homelessness among transgender and non-binary people, who will also experience menstruation,” she explained. “We’d also like to be aware of these people’s difficulties and needs.” Exeter’s PearShaped magazine is currently planning a fundraising gig for Provide a Pad, President Robert Scott told Exeposé. Details are yet to be confirmed – but it’s hoped the gig will take place on 29 November at the Lemon Grove, with support from the Guild’s Society Annual Grant Scheme. Provide a Pad will be in the Forum street between 9am and 6pm until 11 November.

The Gashtrays' Gallery is an open space for independent artists and makers to sell their creations and share their stories. Gashtrays currently exists within a scrumptious yet dishearteningly small echo chamber of sex and body positive art. Despite its wonderfully inclusive intentions, there is still a serious lack of diversity within our community and the small business world in general. The Gashtrays Gallery is an open space for independent artists and makers to sell their creations and share their stories. We recognise that the world of sex and body positive art is currently dominated by white, cis artists. The Gashtrays Gallery project hopes to challenge this imbalance by amplifying underrepresented artists. By sharing these platforms, we hope to diversify the art we see and support independent small business owners. If you would like your work profiled on The Gashtrays Gallery, submit below: Tosin is a self taught digital artist juggling their art with their full time studies. A photo studio for sex workers, by a sex worker, offering creative, editorial and artistic photoshoots and videos. Nan Dorrego is a non-binary artist who’s work explores their connections with queer and peripheric experiences. New Zealand based Daniel Ido is a surrealist illustrator who's work focuses on the fantastical and absurd. A line of smokeware and other creations to release some pent up 2020 anger and give time to creative change. Smokeware & Illustration Homeware & Illustration Rosa O’Mara is a politically and socially engaged illustrator and maker from South London. A small batch, sustainably produced clothing brand created by and for the underrepresented. A collection of activist bandanas, worn as a silent protest to spark conversations on taboo topics. AMAKHI combine's artistic design with high quality products that are handmade in very small batches. Home & Beauty Manchester based and inspired sustainable streetwear. Ceramics By Hani is a homeware and accessories range focussing on sustainable methods and materials. As reported by FSB, ‘Only 5% of small enterprise employers are run by leadership teams where the majority are from black and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.’ 'Only 15% of SME employers are women-led’. As most research on this issue only ever addresses the gender binaries, queer owned business rates are very difficult to specify in the UK. How it works... Each artist has their own profile on the Gashtrays website where they can sell their work and share their experiences of running a small business. Their work will also be routinely shared through our social media and blog posts. Theres are many platforms out there that collect and share other people work, however they are often curated to stylistically match each other. This method of curation often means that the same kind of artwork is repeated again and again, and those that don’t classically fit the bill are left out. Our diversity panel assesses all submissions to ensure an unbiased curation of makers. We aim to curate a space of diverse perspectives that challenge conventional standards around sexuality, gender, class, race and identity. Please send us an email if you would like to be a part of our diversity panel. We want to hear from you! If you have any feedback on how we could run the Gashtrays' Gallery better, any suggestions on artists/makers to submit, or any questions in general, please do get in touch!

Emerson’s Los Angeles campus received a shipment of eight new stickers from the Boston campus that state: “Gender diversity is welcome here. Please use the restroom that best fits your identity.” These stickers were placed this month on the doors of all men’s and women’s rooms with multiple stalls, ELA Vice President and Executive Director Allison Sampson said. Vice President of the Social Justice Center Sylvia Spears said Sampson saw something missing on the LA campus after visiting Boston last year. “We have a culture [at ELA] of acceptance and support,” Sampson said. “We have more signs on order too.” The campus has two single-stall restrooms and multi-stalls with men’s and women’s signs next to the door, Sampson said. Unlike the Boston campus, the west coast campus does not have inclusive symbols for men, women, and non-binary people installed permanently next to the door of multi-stall restrooms. Instead, Sampson said the multi-stall restrooms either have a men’s or women’s sign next to the door, but she said the new stickers override the signs. “There are better things to spend money on for the school than drilling out the [men’s and women’s] signs,” she said. Lauren Lopez, vice president of Emerson’s Alliance for Gays, Lesbians, and Everyone, said there is a difference between the inclusive signs and a sticker that is temporary and can be peeled off. “You can slap a gender diversity or whatever sticker on it all you want, that’s not going to change anything,” they said. “If I decided one day that I just wanted to walk into a restroom that was labeled ‘men’s’ because of the sticker, that’s still a men’s restroom, like people are still going to look at me weird. A sticker isn’t going to do anything.” Before the new stickers, ELA had laminated signs with the gender-inclusive symbol, but the signs would easily fall off, Sampson said. “It’s hard for things to stand out, everything is blended into the architecture,” she said. “But these [new stickers] are just beautiful.” The design for the stickers was created during an initiative two years ago on the Boston campus by EAGLE and the Social Justice Center, formerly the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The organization intended to encourage individuals to use the restroom that best fits their identity, according to a community-wide email Spears sent out to announce the installation in 2016. ELA Associate Director of Student Life and Housing Turi Daoust said before the new stickers, the two single-user stalls, which students used as gender neutral, were hard to find because of the confusing architecture of the building. “I had a few students coming into my office to ask me where the [single-user] restrooms were,” Daoust said. “The architecture of the building is so complex that a map wouldn’t have even helped.” Senior Samson Amore said he struggled to find these restrooms. Amore said he could pass through any restroom without being questioned. He identifies as a transgender man. He said there is always going to be someone who doesn’t have that luxury or someone who doesn’t feel comfortable using a certain restroom at all. “I had pretty much been to every room on that campus, and I thought I had used nearly every restroom there, and I never saw one,” Amore said. “If [gender-neutral restrooms] were there, they didn’t do a good job of telling us where they were. But I also never thought to ask.” Daoust or one of her coworkers had to walk ELA students to neutral single-user stalls due to difficulty explaining the location. She said she is happy about the new signage. “I think that for students who are gender-nonconforming, who identify as transgender, or just believe in the idea of gender inclusive restrooms, [the stickers] present a safe space for students to go about their daily lives,” EAGLE representative Dylan Walton said. ELA has not posted information about gender-neutral facilities online. Walton, who contributed to making the stickers in 2016, said even though the administration is demonstrating support for gender-inclusivity, it is still not enough. “I think the lowest level and bare minimum [of support from administration] is the gender-inclusive sticker,” he said.

With all the down time I’ve had as a result of the pandemic, I’ve been trying to catch up on all the films I’ve marked “to-watch” on my various platforms. I don’t know about you, but when I run across a film or television show I want to see I keep track of it so when I’m sitting around trying to figure out what to watch I have a place to start. Honestly, I don’t have a perfect system because in the current climate we’re forced to subscribe to various platforms to enjoy media. Through one means or another I have access to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Google Movies, Disney Plus, HBO Max, YouTube TV, IMDB, and a host of other platforms. There is no great way to keep track of what you want to watch, so as a result I have multiple watch lists. If I had the time and inclination, I could probably cross-reference them all and add them to one single watch list — but who has time for that? All this is to say I have hundreds of titles available to watch at any given time. Lately though, I’ve been catching up on documentaries. I’ve always considered myself a lifelong learner and often people ask me how I know so much random crap and I usually say I read a ton and I watch educational television and films. Documentary films in particular allow you to do a deep dive on an issue and usually you end up learning something valuable. Yes, some documentaries are more about entertainment and the subject matter can be trivial or frivolous (Tiger King comes to mind), and yes there are far too many true crime documentaries for my taste, although I do watch them sometimes if the subject is of particular interest. I recently watched the Amanda Knox documentary on Netflix because I’ve read a lot about her case and I’m fascinated by the travesty of justice displayed by the Italian court and the focus on a wild but unproven theory about a sexual tryst gone wrong. That poor girl was nearly destroyed simply because she didn’t react “normally” when her roommate was killed. But what I really look for in a documentary is an opportunity to learn something significant. Some of my all-time favorite docs include Hoop Dreams, Man on Wire, Religulous, When the Levies Broke, Roger & Me, An Honest Liar, Super Size Me, An Inconvenient Truth, Searching for Sugar Man, Sherman’s March, and The Thin Blue Line. I love me some rock documentaries, especially Amy, Stop Making Sense, and A.K.A. Doc Pomus. I have seen tons of food documentaries, from Food Inc. to Forks Over Knives to The Future of Food. Some documentaries are funny, some are serious, and some are a little of both. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a film is a documentary or a drama, like Zelig or This is Spinal Tap. These are glorious times if you like documentaries given there are so many streaming sites. Right now I have a few dozen docs lined up in my queue from Crip Camp to 13th to I Am Not Your Negro to What Happened, Miss Simone? I hope to catch up on a bunch of them over the next few weeks given I’m off work. Earlier this week I watched a documentary that had been in my watchlist for a while but I hadn’t gotten around to it. It is called Disclosure and its about depictions of trans people in Hollywood past to present. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I have to say I learned more about trans people in 1 hour 48 minutes than I had in my previous 54 years on the planet. Disclosure is a series of interviews with trans actors and actresses who share their experiences and thoughts on various key trans moments in film over the years. It features a who’s who of trans actors and actresses, including a few I knew something about like Laverne Cox and Chaz Bono and tons I knew very little about. It was so eye opening. It may be true the world is awakening when it comes to trans people, and while there’s a long way to go I was struck by a few things I learned in the film. I know this makes sense, and of course it’s true, but there have always been trans actors and actresses in film. It’s just that for the majority of the time the average viewer had no idea we were watching a trans performance. It was fascinating to hear from some of these actors and actresses who performed on film for years without anyone knowing their true gender. I couldn’t imagine having to hide such a significant thing about yourself in order to do your job. The most striking thing I learned in the film was that up until very recently, like the past couple of years, trans people were ridiculed on the screen and we all thought nothing of it. There were a couple of specific (and loosely related examples) highlighted. Most film fans will remember 1992’s The Crying Game, about a man who unknowingly entered into a relationship with a trans woman. While Jaye Davidson was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, and the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, (spoiler alert) upon learning he’s been having sexual experiences with a trans woman Stephen Rea’s character reacted by literally throwing up at the thought of it. Imagine how that might have felt if you were a young trans person watching the film at the time? How horrifically irresponsible of the filmmaker. Two years later blockbuster Ace Ventura: Pet Detective spoofed the scene by having multiple characters throw up simply upon seeing a trans person. In fact, a trans person is the villain in the film. This too is a common theme in Hollywood, that of the villainous trans person — from Psycho to Silence of the Lambs. I never really thought about trans portrayals on film and on TV. Over the past few months I’ve been watching the Showtime series Billions, which stars TVs first significant non-binary character in Asia Kate Dillon’s Taylor Mason. They are wonderful in the series, but it took until 2016 for Hollywood to write in a non-binary character with some meat to the part. And as for trans characters, they’ve long been subjected to roles as sex workers, murder victims, or comedic interludes. Disclosure is ultimately a film about the positive turn underway in Hollywood. Trans actors are being taken seriously, and they are getting roles written as trans to be acted by trans actors and actresses. Orange is the New Black was a breakthrough moment for the trans community with Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset portrayed as much more than a sideline character for comedic relief. In fact, Sophia’s storyline is both heartwarming and tragic and it’s definitely not one dimensional. I have not seen the show Transparent, but I understand that while there has been some negative reaction to CIS actor Jeffrey Tambor playing a trans woman, the show does in fact provide some meaty roles for actual trans actors and actresses including Alexandra Billings who is interviewed in Disclosure. And of course there are the Wachowski sisters, Lilly and Lana, who wrote and directed The Matrix films and who are setting the bar for trans power in film. The bottom line is I had never thought much about trans portrayal in Hollywood but it makes sense that popular opinion of trans people will be both reflected by and influenced by film and television. It’s important if we are going to continue to advance as an inclusive society that we recognize the past and fight for the future. We all have a role to play, and educating ourselves is a good start. I’d like to think I’m already a good trans ally for the trans people I know — and I know more and more people transitioning all the time — but there’s a difference between surface-level knowing and deeper understanding. There are so many lessons for the CIS community in Disclosure that I recommend it for everyone who wants to be a better ally.

| We control what| you think with |Said and done| |Jargon, buzzwords, slogans| Esperanto is a constructed international auxiliary language (auxlang) invented in the late 1800s by one Ludwig Lazar Zamenhof as a replacement for other "international" languages such as English, French, and Latin, with the intent of creating a language with no attachments to any existing body. The name is from the pseudonym that Zamenhof used in his original publication covering the language, meaning "one who hopes"; the original title given by Zamenhof for the language was simply a descriptive name, "Lingvo Internacia" (international language). The language has something of the status of a grassroots movement. It rose to prominence in the aftermath of Johann Schleyer's Volapük[note 1] (which survives today mostly in a few old books and a silly Russian slang word for a form of chatroom Cyrillic transliteration, although there is also still a Volapük movement); Esperanto filled the same need as Volapük as a politically neutral auxiliary language, but eliminated much of the grammatical complexity, bizarre word mutations, and confusing pronunciation that had decimated the international auxiliary language community.[note 2] Esperanto is still thought to be the most successful auxlang ever invented (the "runner-up" being Volapük), but no real statistics exist on the number of speakers it commands. The language itself is mostly Indo-European in vocabulary. Its grammar is Indo-European with respect to verbs,[note 3] but its system of agglutination more closely resembles the Finno-Ugric languages, without vowel harmony and with a strong bias towards simplification. There is also a verbal causative suffix, -ig-, that has no exact equivalent in the Indo-European languages and was probably influenced by Hebrew.[note 4] The word list is drawn (somewhat arbitrarily) from most of the languages prominent in international discourse at the time, notably English, German, French, Latin, Russian, Yiddish, and a bit of Polish. Many previous auxlang proposals had focused primarily on a single language for grammar and vocabulary.[note 5] Conspiracy theories and hands-on persecution There's a fair amount of criticism surrounding the language and movement. It tends to evoke very strong and emotional reactions, even in people who have never looked at or heard a word of the language. While Esperanto is fairly inoffensive in itself, it seems to have raised the ire of a number of different groups. Having arisen in the late 19th century, it was subject to the antisemitic zeitgeist, as Zamenhof was ethnically Jewish. In the wake of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and prior to their exposure as a forgery, antisemitic conspiracy theories ran rampant in Europe on both the left and right.[note 6] Anticipating backlash, the early movement took pains to hide Zamenhof's Jewishness, though this eventually proved unsuccessful. Adolf Hitler classed Esperanto as a Jewish language meant to enslave the minds of non-Jews, a story oddly similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's Black Speech. Stalin initially tolerated the language but later persecuted Esperantists, calling it "the language of spies."[note 7] Far too many Esperantists ended up paying with their lives — for what is essentially a hobby. In another nasty twist of fate, all of Dr Zamenhof's children ended up dying in Nazi concentration camps. However, on the flipside, Esperanto has been used by some far-left groups. The Yugoslav leader Tito is also known to have been a speaker, and in fact encouraged its use. The Ayatollah Khomeini apparently condoned its use as well, until he found out Esperanto is one of the Bahá'í religion's pet projects.[note 8] Bahais are not very popular with the Shia fundamentalist government of Iran. Fascist Italy also liked Esperanto, because it has lots of phonetic similarities with Italian. Not surprisingly, as a proposed global language, Esperanto has drawn the fire of conspiracy theorists, who, like Hitler, consider it a weapon of any combination of the Zionist Occupation Government, freemasonry, the Illuminati, cultural Marxist academics, and George Soros (who is (or was) a speaker of Esperanto). Some Christian fundamentalists have classified it as a Satanic language, despite the fact that a significant number of Esperantists are devout Christians and the Bible is available in the language.[note 9] There are also at least three translations of the Qur'an into Esperanto, plus translations of the Analects of Confucius, the Tao Te Ching, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Dhammapada, among many other religious works.[note 10] There is also a fair amount of controversy over exactly how the language is supposed to be developed; the project forked early on, with a competing language, Ido, created by Esperantists who felt quite strongly that the language's grammar needed to be more precise. Many Esperantists consider Zamenhof's work to be immutable;[note 11] the practical reason given is to preserve intercommunicability and prevent the development of dialects, though it's not uncommon to find a fundamentalist mindset and even a bit of persecution complex among some speakers (not entirely unjustified given the movement's history). Some, especially authors of constructed languages, hold up Esperanto as an example of how not to design a language. Zamenhof was not a trained linguist and therefore made a number of choices that, even where they exist in natural languages, are often considered unacceptable in a constructed language with pretensions of universalism: - The primary document of the language, the Fundamento, misleadingly gives the language a 16-rule grammar, then goes on to elaborate upon it with a series of practical examples of the language called the Ekzercaro, which serve by means of example to create a much more complex grammar. Systematic grammars of Esperanto, usually derived from a combination of the 16 rules and the Ekzercaro, are longer than 16 rules and weirdly ambiguous.[note 12] There are also contradictions between the Gramatiko and the Ekzercaro, such as a pronoun that exists only in the Ekzercaro, ci. These contradictions have never been ironed out because the Fundamento itself is considered immutable. - The two-case noun system can be seen as unnecessary complexity for speakers of languages with no real case marking, or that have lost most of their case marking. It is often explained by analogy to English I/me, he/him, she/her and French je/me, tu/te, etc. Of course, it is less difficult for speakers of languages that still mark direct objects, such as German,[note 13] Turkish, Japanese,[note 14] Hungarian, Finnish, Slavic languages, and Modern Standard Arabic. - Many common concepts, such as "bad" and "left," have no dedicated root, and are formed using a prefix attached to their antonym. This prefix, derived from a secondary meaning of a French prefix, is mal-, so in order to say "bad" you actually say malbona, which sounds ridiculous to speakers of Romance languages, like saying "badgood" to mean "bad." Incidentally, this was the inspiration for George Orwell's Newspeak. - The vocabulary and affix systems are gender-asymmetrical, leading to allegations of sexism[note 15] where many female-specific words are simply derived from male-specific words with the addition of the suffix -ino. There are far fewer words that are inherently female than inherently male, even to the point of using patrino, a derivative of the masculine patro, for "mother."[note 16] The standard masculine prefix in Esperanto is vir-, but some people find this insufficient and have created a non-standard, explicit masculine suffix, -iĉo (Paired with rendering all default male roots as gender neutral). Singular inclusive language is not possible in strictly standard Esperanto, though it can sometimes be worked around using plural speech, where the prefix "ge" can be used to describe a gender-neutral group (e.g. "gepatroj", parents); one could arguably use "ge" with singulars to indicate whether any particular gender might fill the role, but this is not standard. More recently there have been some moves to ameliorate some of the gender differentiation in the language. - There are three separate third-person pronouns: li (he), ŝi (she), ĝi (it). To a speaker of English this might appear normal and even necessary to avoid ambiguity, but many other languages, such as Hungarian, Turkish, and Chinese, have absolutely no gender distinction in their pronouns.[note 17] According to the World Atlas of Language Structures, the majority of world languages have no such distinction. This system came under criticism from feminists in the 1970s, leading to the creation of an all-encompassing pronoun ri that has never been officially adopted. In recent years, as the world has become more aware of non-binary people, the pronoun ri has been getting more attention, and this may be its best chance for eventual officialization.[note 18] - The phonology may be difficult for monolingual native speakers of many non-Indo-European languages. It is highly influenced by and closest to Belarusian, a rather obscure language for most people. While the vowel system is simple enough, there is a fairly high number of consonants and somewhat difficult consonantal clusters. Highly difficult consonant clusters are possible in the word formation such as dormĉambro (-rmch-), which could alternatively be written or spoken as dormoĉambro without being the least bit incorrect. Still, consonant clusters are common even in basic vocabulary (/stsientso/ for science), and some languages don't even allow those at all (like Hawai'ian and other Austronesian languages) or highly restrict them (Japanese allows "n + any consonant" only). For this reason, Esperanto's non-European speakers find Esperanto more difficult to learn than Europeans do, although they find it much easier to learn than English. - The Esperanto alphabet has five consonants — ĉ ĝ ĥ ĵ and ŝ — with a circumflex diacritic over them (usually replaced with a "h" or "x" in ASCII text)[note 19]. This is highly nonstandard typographically, borrowing from and conforming to no system used in any natural language's orthography standard. - Oddly, all Esperanto verbs are inherently either intransitive or transitive. For example, the Esperanto verb bruli means "to burn", but only in the sense "to be on fire". To make the verb transitive, a causative suffix must be added: bruligi, "to set (something) on fire". Inherently transitive verbs such as vidi "to see (something)" must take a suffix -- vidiĝi ("to appear, seem") -- before they can be used without a direct object. Whether a verb is inherently transitive or intransitive, as these examples show, cannot be determined from the citation form. - Nearly all of the vocabulary is drawn from Indo-European languages, and specifically from European ones. Responses to criticisms Those who still wish for Esperanto to be an international language[note 20] often point out that points 2 and 6 apply much more to the current de facto international language, English, than to Esperanto. English has three cases (nominative, oblique, and genitive) that are irregularly applied, one of the most complex syllabic structures of any language, anywhere from fourteen to twenty-four separate vowels and diphthongs, and two very uncommon sounds represented by the digraph th. Point 5 applies equally to English as to Esperanto. Point 7 sounds bad until you compare it to the chaotic etymological orthography of English, which takes much longer to memorize than it takes to configure your keyboard to type Esperanto diacritics. And while Esperanto's grammar takes more than 16 rules to explain, it's nothing compared to that of English, which grammarians still haven't quite figured out yet. Another common response to such criticism is the theory vs. practice argument: there has never been a single example of a more practically successful constructed universal language. The languages often pointed out as superior to Esperanto are relative lightweights to say the least. There have been an endless series of projects purporting to be better than Esperanto, such as the language Ido, which once had a very large movement. The reforms introduced in Ido included: - a more detailed grammar; - only marginal use of an accusative case; - dedicated roots for common concepts; - the more international opposite-forming prefix des-; - gender symmetry, with masculine words formed using the suffix -ulo and feminine words with the suffix -ino;[note 21] - a genderless third-person pronoun, lu; - no diacritics whatsoever, only the standard Latin alphabet. Yet it very quickly lost steam and died out. Its community is very small nowadays, despite the fact that Ido is about as old as the Fundamento de Esperanto, the book that fixed Esperanto's basic grammar, and despite the fact that it once had plenty of momentum. Interlingua has been around since the 1950s, although the roots of its movement date back to a pre-Esperanto language called Latino Sine Flexione. Hence, Interlingua's movement can be said to have dated back before Esperanto even started, and it has never picked up the sort of momentum that Esperanto or even Ido has picked up. Culture, or lack thereof Inside and outside the Esperanto movement, people have referred to it as a cult, or as having cult-like traits. Though Zamenhof is long dead, he was a very charismatic leader, and is still looked up to by many within the movement as a god-like figure. He wrote a great deal of utopian poetry, often even centered around the language itself. Since his death, a considerable number of people have written similarly idyllic poetry about him. Within the Esperanto movement itself, there are different shades of opinion on the language's status as a future "universal language." The vast majority of Esperantists see it as more of a hobby with a very colorful history, that would be a good universal language if everyone spoke it, but has no chance of ever actually being adopted. In 1980 a manifesto was published by youth in Rauma, Finland saying that Esperanto was probably never going to be an international language, but that Esperantists belonged to a "self-chosen language minority diaspora," and that the benefits of Esperanto included (to paraphrase) serving as a stepping stone to other languages, contact between people of various cultures without discrimination, and a "new type of world culture" shared by Esperantists. Though their goal was to get the movement away from its utopian visions, some people took this to another extreme and started a micronation called the Esperanta Civito, ultimately drawing their own accusations of being a cult. Regarding the "new type of world culture," a very common critique of Esperanto involves its potential homogenizing effect.[note 22] Were the entire world to adopt Esperanto, the practical result would probably be the death of a large number of minority languages, even if Esperantists had the best of intentions to keep these languages alive. Some of the more politically radical members of the Esperanto movement have promoted an ideology called "anationalism," encouraging homogenization, although this ideology is unpopular even among most radical Esperantists. An unrelated and probably contradictory criticism is that Esperanto has no culture of its own. Some people see the cult-like aspects of Esperanto as extreme manifestations of Esperanto culture, which also demonstrate that such a thing exists. One of the most common criticisms of Esperanto revolves around its artificiality, and the question of whether an artificial language can be a language at all. Noam Chomsky recently added to this controversy, claiming that Esperanto was not a language but a dictionary and grammar book. Esperantists often counter this by pointing out that humans use lots of artificial things, such as roads, houses, medicine, cooked meals, cellular phones, and computers, to do things that used to be done "naturally." Hating artificial languages for being artificial is, by this argument, exactly as rational as vitalism, fear of GMOs, or anarcho-primitivism. For fun, here are a few "false friends", i.e. words that look or sound similar to various English ones, but have a completely different meaning. - adulti - to commit adultery - atendi - to wait - bildo - picture - blanka - white - demandi - to ask - dika - thick - dungo - employment - farti - to fare, as in "Kiel vi fartas?" ("How are you?") - fake - by specialization - flava - yellow - foresto - absence - frazo - sentence - homo - human - jam - already - Mi longe penis - I tried for a long time - novelo - short story - piĉo (sounds like "peacho") - cunt - pretendi - to claim - romano - novel - ŝati (sounds like "shatee") - to like - UK - abbreviation for "Universala Kongreso", the Esperanto World Congress The Green Star The first edition of the Fundamento was bound in a cover with bright green stars on it, because that was the only cover the printer had lying around that day. As a result, the green star quickly became the emblem for Esperanto, to the point where you can now buy Esperanto stickpins that display a green star. Of course, this meant that green became the official color for Esperanto and for the Esperanto movement. This causes no end of confusion with environmentalism, whose advocates also use green as their color. The fact that it uses the same color as another worldwide movement has thus far not caused major headaches. On the whole, Esperantists are mostly sane and well-meaning people, and there's no harm in learning it and becoming part of the community. However, the Auxlang community is known to be rather quick to fight and stir up trouble, and the Esperanto community, being the largest single portion of it, is no exception. It is a relatively easy language for just about anyone to learn,[note 23] though speaking it is not typically as easy as many proponents may claim, especially if the speaker is not familiar with European languages. - Esperanto.net—Language information in English - Vikipedio: Wikipedia in Esperanto - Justin B. Rye's extensive fisking of the Esperanto language and culture - Rebuttal to Rye's site by Claude Piron - On a Critic of Esperanto by Claude Piron - From two words, "vola" (genitive of "vol") and "pük", both taken from English meaning ... "World" and "speech". No, we're serious. - Yes, it literally killed every tenth new language… it was that horrible. Like listening to Vogon poetry in Ubbi Dubbi. - In the sense that verbs have morphological past, present, and future tenses, imperative/jussive and conditional moods, and more complex tenses formed with participles. - Hence manĝ-ig-i ("cause someone to eat", or feed); compare Hebrew לִמֵּד ("cause someone to learn", or teach). The closest Indo-European has are certain verbs derived from adjectives, such as Latin "magn-ificare," represented in both Esperanto and Hebrew the same way as the verbal causative: Esperanto "grand-ig-i", Hebrew גִּדֵּל. Even this is not an inherent feature of Indo-European, but was derived from "magnum facere." - Volapük used heavily modified English words with a grammar that most closely resembles conservative Germanic languages (although oddly, verbs inflect for gender like in Arabic or Hebrew), Universalglot used the Spanish/Italian-like Romance languages but not Latin itself, Communicationssprache used French, and Solresol is based on no natural language. - An example on the left was the collectivist anarchist Mikhail Bakunin. - Possibly because Esperanto was popular among communists and the ever-paranoid Stalin didn't speak it. - The Baha'i faith does not endorse Esperanto in any way, although a minority of Baha'i's speak Esperanto and advocate for its adoption. - Unsurprisingly, given that almost any language has a Bible translation — some languages are even almost entirely lost to the historical record — except for their Bible translation; Gothic for one. However, Esperanto is arguably one of only two constructed languages with a fully translated Bible. The other would be Charles Ogden's Basic English, although this is debatably not a constructed language, so Esperanto might be the only one to date. Some others, such as Interlingua and Volapük, have the full New Testament and parts of the Old Testament. There are currently Klingon, Quenya, and Na'vi translation projects, but nothing presentable yet. - There seems to be a close connection between religious fanaticism, or other forms of idealism, and fanaticism for Esperanto. Zamenhof even went so far as to invent his own religion, called Homaranismo (literally, member-of-humanity-ism). - In fact, Zamenhof designed certain aspects of his language to be immutable. The extent to which this applies to certain things is a matter of constant, tiresome debate. - The most complicated of these is the Plena Analiza Gramatiko de Esperanto (Complete Analytic Grammar of Esperanto) originally published by Kalman Kalocsay and Gaston Waringhien in 1935. The most well-known and widely-used grammar today is the Plena Manlibro de Esperanto Gramatiko (Full Handbook of Esperanto Grammar), by Bertilo Wennergren. - In the masculine singular: Der Apfel ist gut vs. Ich habe den Apfel gegessen. - The postposition を (o). - While this is true of many natural languages as well, the issue is whether such a situation is appropriate in a constructed language with an explicitly political, arguably left-wing mission. - In this regard, Esperanto takes minimalism to an extreme: as stated above, the "proper" word for "bad" is literally "dis-good" (malbona). As such "patrino" is suffering the same fate; however, many feel that such a situation is still unacceptable. - Although Chinese characters written after European contact have sometimes distinguished male and female, corresponding to no spoken equivalent. - Obviously, non-binary people have never actually needed to wait for their existence to be declared official, in Esperanto or any other language. - The letter ŭ has a breve diacritic, not a circumflex diacritic; in ASCII text, it is usually replaced with a plain u, as it is only found in diphthongs. It can also be replaced with a "w" or "ux". Of course, Unicode has existed for a very long time now, so there has been no need to render Esperanto in ASCII for a long time, and you only see it in older websites or, rarely, in chatrooms. - These people, known as finvenkistoj, are often mocked within the broader community. - In Esperanto the suffix -ulo forms a word for a person or being: bona good, bonulo good person. Ironically, it is inherently genderless. - Alexander Gode, author of Interlingua, was a noted proponent of this criticism, and hence never saw his language as a universal one, despite many members of the movement feeling differently. - So they say. - Psychological Reactions to Esperanto - Árpád Rátkai, Informfalsantoj kontraŭ Lazar Markoviĉ Zamenhof, Beletra Almanako, issue 22 (February 2015). - Adolf Hitler considered Esperantists to be part of the International Jewish Conspiracy (as he explained in Mein Kampf), and therefore needed to be destroyed. A brief article (in Esperanto) on Nazi-era language politics surrounding Esperanto and a translation. - An article in Spanish about the Holocaust and its effects on the Esperanto community. - "Donald J. Harlow, The Esperanto Book, chapter 7". Donh.best.vwh.net. http://donh.best.vwh.net/Esperanto/EBook/chap07.html. Retrieved 2010-12-05. - See the Wikipedia article on L. L. Zamenhof. - Lins, Ulrich (2008). "Esperanto as language and idea in China and Japan" (PDF). Language Problems and Language Planning (John Benjamins) 32 (1): 47–60. ISSN 0272–2690. http://benjamins.com/series/lplp/32-1/art/05lin.pdf. Retrieved July 2, 2012. - La utilización del esperanto durante la Guerra Civil Española, Toño del Barrio and Ulrich Lins. Paper for the International Congress on the Spanish Civil War, (Madrid, 27–29 November 2006). - Esperanto: The World's Most Popular Constructed Language, Part 1 - The billionaire native Esperanto speaker? - B. A. Sherwood., Statistical analysis of conversational Esperanto, with discussion of the accusative. Studies in the Linguistic Sciences, 1982. - Here's a good video about the differences between Finvenkismo and Raǔmismo

We are proud to stand with the 35//50 Initiative. We recognize our artistic community has not reflected the wonderfully diverse makeup of Treaty 6’s greater community. Change must come, and we passionately commit to being a part of that change. Our sincerest thanks to the 35//50 Initiative committee for calling on us, and for providing our community a clear, concise roadmap. Together, we will enact change, measure progress, and better hold each other accountable. Catch the Keys Productions is an ad-hoc collective voluntarily run by co-Artistic Producers Megan Dart and Beth Dart. Creatively, we are project based and focus on the development and production of new immersive and site specific work. Collaborators, performers, designers, technicians etc. are contracted on a per project basis when funding allows. Until 2017, Catch the Keys was also an independent event production company working with corporate clients in realizing their arts-based events. Under this missive, we contracted a robust roster of artists in multiple disciplines. While we are no longer pursuing corporate events as part of our work, we do still engage in community-based opportunities that allow us to showcase local artists (for example, the curation and production of Late Night Cabaret and the Wine Tent Music Series with the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival). We believe in creating safe(r) spaces where artistic risk flourishes. We value equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. We believe in creating and upholding an open, supportive, receptive, and collaborative creation process. The work we engage in is empowering, provocative, and impactful. The work we explore is at times dark, joyful, painful, thrilling, and playful. We honour the vulnerability of the artistic process, but not at the risk of those who make it, those who deserve to be in the room but aren’t, and those who never had a chance to get in the door in the first place. We are invested in our community, and we aim to work with community to realize the goals of the 35//50 Initiative. We acknowledge racist, white supremacist, patriarchal, and capitalist systems of oppression are intertwined, and have unjustly advanced non-racialized groups in our community. We’re here to do the work, no matter how uncomfortable that work might be (especially as two white cis straight-passing women with immense privilege). By the 2025 season, we aim to provide quality paid positions in our project-based work to at least 35% IBPoC and 50% women and non-binary folks. While we strive to introduce new collaborators to our process at the start of every new project, we acknowledge that we often return to some of the same collaborative relationships. It’s time we examine how we engage with new collaborators, and how we can better offer quality opportunities to a broader base of artists in our community. As independent artists, we are fiercely committed to mentorship and community engagement. We will bring that same enthusiasm to our projects under the Catch the Keys banner. Going forward, we will transparently report on how and who we have engaged in our creative undertakings. We commit to reviewing and reporting on our creative activity from 2015 – present, and will make this information available at the close of the 2020/21 season.

Here in Multnomah County, Democrats are leading the way on voting reform. We now use a preference voting system with an automatic runoff. It’s called STAR Voting, and it eliminates vote splitting, assures a winner preferred by the majority and enables voters to vote their conscience, knowing their vote will always go to the candidate they prefer most. After 18 months of study, the state party Election Integrity Caucus released its Alternative Voting Methods Report, in which STAR Voting emerged as the method that best met criteria called for in our state party platform. It’s a game-changer for democracy and we are leading the way. STAR stands for Score Then Automatic Runoff. It’s familiar and easy for voters, and we’ve now used it successfully several times to elect officers and delegates in local party elections. In both recent elections, candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities did well. From a field of over 100 candidates in the January Organizing Meeting, 20 candidates who were people of color or from other marginalized communities won 25 of 39 delegate positions (64% of the seats.), showing that STAR did not disadvantage minority candidates in that race. Similarly, at the CD3 Committee Meeting, while representing less than half the overall candidates, candidates from traditionally marginalized communities won 60% of the delegate and alternate positions. For those who have questions about STAR Voting at the 2021 Reorg, we’ve gathered some Q&A from experts who watched the elections. On Sunday, the CD3 Committee hosted a meeting to elect new delegates and alternatives to the DPO Standing Committees. The committee used STAR Voting to run the election, and the voting system worked well to smoothly and quickly elect a group of candidates supported by the majority of all voters. Two months earlier, in January, the Multnomah County Democrats used STAR Voting to elect officers, as well as SCC Delegates and Alternates. That meeting had numerous interruptions and got sidetracked into long discussions, but the actual voting process (the act of voting and tabulating results) went smoothly and quickly. Indeed, had we been using the former system, the meeting could have taken even longer! While most people felt comfortable using the STAR ballot and voting required minimal instructions, it is worth noting that giving proper instructions for any new voting system is important. In both sets of elections, candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities did well. From a field of over 100 candidates in the January Organizing Meeting, 20 candidates who were people of color or from other marginalized communities beat the other 80% of candidates to win 25 of 39 delegate positions (64% of the seats.), showing that STAR did not disadvantage minority candidates in that race. Similarly, at the CD3 Committee Meeting, while representing less than half the overall candidates, candidates from traditionally marginalized communities won 60% of the delegate and alternate positions. For those who have questions about STAR Voting at the 2021 Reorg, we’ve gathered some Q&A from experts who watched the elections. Some Questions & Answers about the 2021 MultDems Reorg Q: The last election for MultDems used a different voting method. What was the new system? A: In September of 2019 Multnomah County Democrats voted by a supermajority to adopt STAR Voting for all internal elections with three or more candidates. Officers are now elected using single-winner STAR Voting, and for multi-winner races such as for State Central Committee and congressional district delegates Bloc STAR is used. The new system was first used in a Party Reorganization (regular election for party offices) on January 23rd, 2021. Q: Is there a voter guide for how to vote in the new system? A: Yes. This link to the guide on how to vote with STAR Voting from the Equal Vote Coalition can be found here, in both English and Spanish. These resources are available in additional languages on request by emailing [email protected] Q: Results were gender balanced. What does that mean and how does it work? A: All multi-winner elections for Multnomah County Democrats are gender balanced, with neither male or female identifying candidates able to win more than ½ + 1 of the seats for each delegation. All candidates are listed on the same ballot, and non-binary candidates are able to win a seat anytime they have the most support, regardless of gender. Gender balancing is an additional step that’s performed after the STAR Voting election is tallied. The election is tallied according to STAR Voting, and a candidate ranking is generated, showing who came in 1st place, 2nd place etc. Gender balanced winners are then selected by going down this list alternating between male and female candidaets and electing non-binary candidates any time they are at the top of the list. Q: Why did the meeting take so long? A: This was the first electronic Reorg meeting hosted by the Multnomah County Democrats, which is the largest county party in the state. The meeting was 100% staffed by volunteers, and included over 320 participants. There were some significant technological hurdles with credentialing, volunteer coordination, and tech support for participants, as well as the logistics of emailing multiple resources to so many people, both before and during the meeting. Party bylaws are clear that participants should not be automatically muted, but with so many people on the call, waiting to be called on was challenging in some cases, due to the volume of participants. A few issues came up with technology and a few mistakes were made, including a mix up with the sample ballot and real ballot links, and incorrect voting links were distributed a couple of times. Correcting the mistake ended up requiring the body to debate and then approve proposed solutions and extended timelines. Mistakes happen and democracy can be messy, but the meeting length didn’t have anything to do with STAR Voting. Results were available following voting within the expected time frame. Q: What takeaways were there from the Bloc STAR election outcomes? A: In the MultCo election, diversity won big and polarizing candidates from both factions appear to have done worse than in the past, though that is an inherently subjective determination. Here are the diversity results. “From a field of 100+ candidates, 20 diverse candidates (all but two,) won 25 of 39 delegate positions (64%.)” Q: Slates encouraged voters to give their candidates 5 stars. Did that give them an advantage? A: The old system, Bloc Plurality is notorious for being SUPER gameable. Factions who all voted as a block for a slate, and voted for exactly the number of candidates as the seats available, got a huge advantage in the old system. That’s why slates have historically been such a big deal. Individuals who didn’t vote with the block were at a huge disadvantage with the old system. Bloc STAR mitigates those issues, making slates less powerful, and making it less important to vote for the exact number of candidates running. Of course getting good endorsement will always be helpful, and of course voters will ideally score at least as many candidates as there are seats, but if there are 10 seats you do not need to give 5 stars to all 10 candidates, unless there are 10 you truly love. You should show your honest preference order. Q: Is Bloc STAR vulnerable to strategic voting? A: With any new system people experiment with how to game it. With Bloc STAR the key to good strategy is the same as in single-winner. Give your favorites 5, your worst candidates 0, and show your preference order and level of support for the rest. In short, honesty is the best policy. Even if voters are strategic in Bloc STAR the results will be much more representative, and those who vote strategically will have less of an edge. No voting method can eliminate all possibilities for strategic voting, but in STAR Voting strategic voting is not incentivized or effective. Attempting strategic voting in STAR can backfire, and most voters will get the best results if they are honest. For example, a voter who only loves 9 candidates but who strategically decides to give 5 stars to 21 candidates because there are 21 winners for SCC is giving up their power to have a say in which of those 21 will win, or in what order. If you honestly just want any of the 21 to win that is an honest good vote. If you want your favorites to win the top spots then you should only give top scores to your favorites. A good vote in this situation would be to give a top score to your 9 favorites, and then give other candidates you hope will win 4 stars, or the number of stars you think they deserve showing your honest preference order. Q: Do people who give less high scores have less power? A: No. Your scores will help your favorites pull ahead of the rest. If your have lots of favorites give lots of high scores, if you only have one favorite then only give your top score to them. It’s up to you to decide what your honest vote looks like. Showing your preference order and level of support for the candidates helps ensure that your scores help the best candidates advance to the runoff and hopefully win each seat. A key point here is that in the runoff, each ballot is one vote. Whether voters give lots of 5s or just a few your final vote will go to the finalist you prefer. The runoff is binary, and it actually will correct for any strategic voting or distortion from normal variations in voting behavior, to the extent possible. Q: Do we propose voting like this, with multi-winner Bloc STAR and lots of winners, for governmental elections? A: No. The SCC elected 21 delegates off one ballot. That’s not a situation we ever see in Oregon governmental elections. Having this many winners in a single governmental election would compromise geographic representation, so it’s not recommended. Multi-winner bloc voting may be a good option for a few limited situations where a small multi-member district makes sense, but in general At-Large elections are not recommended for a number of reasons that are beyond the scope of this FAQ. This system makes good sense for delegate elections and is a big step up from what we had before. In the future Proportional representation could be another good option worth considering. Q: Would Bloc STAR be good for a primary? A: Yes. Bloc STAR would be the best choice for a top 5 primary as it would eliminate vote splitting and accurately advance the top 5 most viable candidates. With STAR voting primaries could be eliminated entirely, or they could advance the top 10 or top 5. We like 5 when a primary is needed, but in most cases it’s better to just skip the primary, which is more inclusive, cheapest, and has real advantages for reducing the influence of money in politics.

In 2004, Puberty Blues star Brenna Harding appeared in a “Through The Windows” segment of Play School with her friend Merryn and two mums Vicki Harding and Jackie Braw. Little did she know then that the moment would go on to shape her into the incredible queer activist she is today. The Play School segment was like many others on the show: An eight-year-old Brenna rode dodgem cars and a Ferris wheel at Wonderland amusement park in Sydney with her friend and parents. Harding described the experience to PEDESTRIAN.TV as one of the best days of her life because she felt like a celebrity. “We got media passes which meant we could go around on the rides and just flash our media passes and didn’t have to get off,” she recalled. “At eight or nine-years-old, that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. And then of course it came out and was so divisive.” The clip was criticised by many as being controversial when it aired despite the fact that Harding’s parents barely even held hands in it. News Corp ran a headline at the time (according to The Guardian) calling the show “Gay School” which tbh sounded like something I would’ve enjoyed watching as a kid. Conservatives like former Prime Ministers and known bigoted baboons John Howard and Tony Abbott told reporters they were ~concerned~ with the ABC showing the family’s chill day out. Federal Minister for (probably white Christian) Children at the time Larry Anthony called it “offensive”. Anthony used the debate around Play School to goad then Opposition leader Mark Latham into supporting the Federal Government’s fucked bill to ban same-sex couples from adopting children from overseas. The government argued the bill would have given “tYpiCaL fAmIlY aRrAnGeMeNtS” priority over the few children up for adoption. TL;DR: it was a lot of emotion from crusty, old straight men for what was really just a child having a wholesome time for a children’s program on the telly. For LGBTQIA+ people, it was an attack on their identities and attempted to invalidate the lived experiences of same-sex parents and their children. It’s hard to process that this only happened 16 years ago. But none of the volatile comments appeared to phase Harding as a child. She told PEDESTRIAN.TV it reminded her just how beautiful her family and their love for each other were. “All my friends were seeing me on the news,” she said. “And I apparently just felt like I was famous. I was so thrilled about it. “I don’t think I’ve ever said this to media before but apparently I said to my mum, ‘I’m as famous as Britney Spears.'” “As a child of same-sex growing up in the queer community, you’re really primed and you really start to understand your position in the world,” she continued. “I already knew that I had a different family ‘to the norm’. But I had always thought that was something really special and powerful. “So to have public figures talking about that and talking about it as a bad thing, instead of making me feel like it was a bad thing it just made me feel like as an eight-year-old, I had more wisdom than all of these adults who were in control of the country.” “I actually found it really empowering in the end that I got to be this person for same-sex families and that I got to have a chance to convince some of the adults who didn’t quite understand it, that it was okay,” Harding said. “Infuriatingly, adults who were yet to be convinced we’re more likely to listen to a child who was yet to be proven queer [or] could be straight than the gay adults around them. And so all of a sudden my voice had more power.” Harding learned from the reactions to her Play School episode that there was power in her own voice. She spoke about her experience as a child of same-sex parents at the NSW Inquiry Into Same-Sex Adoption in 2009 when she was 12-years-old. She also brought Wear It Purple Day, which advocates for the lives of LGBTQIA+ plus young people, to her school. She would cut up ribbons in her bedroom and burn the ends to sell them for 50 cents at school to support the not-for-profit organisation. She joined the Board of Directors as Vice President in 2019 and told PEDESTRIAN.TV that Wear It Purple now reaches more than 750 schools, workplaces and organisations across the country. “It’s been really incredible to be a part of the team and see what we can do with that potential and how we can make the greatest impact,” Harding said. “I think [being on Play School] shaped not only my activism but also my career as an actor, who I am as a person and the way that I communicate and possibly my queer identity as well. “It was definitely an understanding and a love of activism that was lit at a young age through Play School that continues to be an essential part of my personhood.” Play School featured another same-sex family 12 years after Brenna Harding’s episode— twin girls Ezra and Wednesday and their two dads. The video followed the young girls’ dads teaching them how to swim and practicing yoga before bed. It was super cute. Ezra and Wednesday didn’t face the same level of national backlash as Harding and her family did when the 2016 segment first aired. But it explicitly showed the pair were raised by a same-sex couple whereas the clip with Harding’s mums merely touched on it. That alone is a testament to how far we’ve come regarding LGBTQIA+ on-screen visibility and telling queer stories in Australian media. A milestone that could only have happened because of the sacrifices Harding and her mums made 12 years prior. “There was a very little backlash when that happened,” Harding said. “It definitely didn’t have the same ripple that it did when I was younger. And that was nice to see that we had come further than what at that stage was quite an infantile reaction. “And we have gotten to a place where that representation on children’s TV is not so shocking.” “There are still problems—the representation of transgender and gender diverse people is far behind and there’s still cisgender people being cast in transgender roles,” she added. “But I do think that we have made quite a few gains since 2004. The reaction to Ezra and Wednesday’s episode as opposed to my episode of Play School demonstrated that to a degree.” Now can we get some gorgeous, gorgeous transgender and non-binary representation on there too? If Grover from Sesame Street can come out as non-binary then Jemima can too. Wear it Purple Day is held annually on the last Friday of August. Visit the Wear it Purple website to get more information about holding a Wear it Purple Day at your school, organisation, institution or workplace.

2. Structural Composition i. Sectional Work: encounter(s) ii. Developmental Work: guilty soundings 3. Sound Synthesis: The sunlight in Matsumoto barely reaches the water 4. Collaborations: FRINGE 2018/documentary 5. Exterior projects i. White Gums ii. great statue iii. Breaking Out THNMF iv. Folk music 6. Electronic Music Overview writings I met Felicia Atkinson in July; the French experimental electronic music producer sat across from me in the dimly lit Late Night Valentine basement after her set. She told me she had only started using Logic recently, and before that had used Garageband to produce all her music. She told me that I didn’t need ‘gear’ to perform electronic music. She told me I didn’t need to Ableton and production experience to produce electronic music. I didn’t tell her she was the first person who made me feel like I was allowed to write electronic music, allowed to be inexperienced, allowed to be learning, and allowed to be both vocalist and producer. This, amongst other realisations, has imparted a sense of creative independence, agency and confidence within me, encouraged by particular peers and mentors within the music community. Units this semester have happened to align to support this personal development, the mixing and sound synthesis units providing me with access to skills, knowledge and tutelage that I have found difficult to access outside of university. After every Electronic Music Overview lecture I went home and wrote something new, inspired by the sounds I was perceiving, the information I was receiving. I have felt challenged but valued, supported in my endeavours yet more than ever aware of the homosocial power structures within the electronic music community. This has prompted me to really question my identity as a female composer, whether that be within electronic music circles, experimental genres or folk and acoustic scenes. I feel a sense of political responsibility more than before, but I feel saturated with creativity and ambition. 2. Structural Composition 2.i encounter(s) sectional structure This piece started by recording a brief sample of different motion sequencer presets from the Sculpture synth in Logic, including: (and a white noise oscillator) See the larger score here Working with DAW presets is sometimes perceived as a cop-out, or cheap production, but the idea isn't so objectionable to me. For one, having a background in folk music, I remain aware that most musicians working in acoustic genres are all using the same instruments. This has been tradition for hundreds of years in Western Art Music, and then Western popular music, yet musicians aren't criticised for using a guitar, they're evaluated on how they use the guitar, and what they write with it. Now in electronic music production, I understand the option to create our own instruments is available, and in this age, very accessible too. But as someone who has only recently started producing electronic music, I find the process of starting from presets and then synthesising specific parameters, to be an efficient and educative process for me; educative because I am coming to understand how this specific synthesiser functions, becoming familiar with the GUI of the plug-in, and getting an example of the capabilities of the synthesiser with presets of a complexity far beyond what I might be able to configure at this stage. (It's also a little funny that because I'm using the undesirable, free, 'packaged' presets in Logic, not many other electronic producers might be familiar with the sounds I'm using). The compositional process was definitely investigatory, opposed to writing to express an emotion or personal idea, the method of writing that comes most naturally to me. Like a new instrument, composing in a DAW provides me with the opportunity to explore and master electronic production techniques. The sonic results of this exploration feel so fresh and exciting that they satisfy a different part of my creative brain. I usually reach creative satisfaction by accurately, and concisely expressing an emotion/idea in a sonic form, whereas in the writing process for encounter(s), the satisfaction was not so much in achieving concision, but in assembling sonic moments in one aesthetically pleasing structure, that alludes to hundreds of other possible assemblages, and variations on the musical content of those moments. It feels very different to how I’ve written previously; being hyper-aware of the ease in manipulating the sounds created, reordering moments etc. rather than being restricted by the capabilities of acoustic instrument players, the sonic capabilities of their instrument, and recording logistics. This piece can be described following a sequential non-linear block structure, as a listener can easily identify discrete sub-structures, or ‘moments’ (Stockhausen) occurring in succession (never over-lapping). encounter(s) snatches between musical content in sudden twitches, but (I feel) remains playful it it’s unexpected movements and changes in pace. While the exposition of the piece appears random, a kind of narrative arises over the duration of the piece as the listener becomes familiar with the 6 ‘voices’ (presets) and can begin to follow movements as a dialogue between these voices. A more predictable narrative emerges at the end of the piece, with the opening voice (‘Fat Groove’) descending in pitch each time it reappears. This descent brings the piece to a resolution; without it I feel the structure could easily continue on. The entire piece is underpinned by vocal samples, which I created using Karlheinz Essl's Sequitur Max MSP patch. The patch takes an audio input (I used a condenser mic through an interface) and outputs a 'canon' part, which works using a number of delays, tapped at irregular periods. It then has a number of effects that the vocalist can control during performance; harmony, flange, ring modulator, comb filter, reverb (which is set at a default level when the patch is opened), and tremolo. These effects can be controlled manually, or using the space bar (which moves through a series of effects in an order pre-determined by Essl's vocal piece Sequitur, which the patch was designed for). Also available is an EQ, and volume levels of the direct audio input, the canon part, and the main volume. There is an inbuilt 'record out' function, which results in a dry input recording, and a 'wet' recording of the patch effects. The 'wet' recording audio files are what I used to create the base layer of guilty soundings, splicing the original audio file into smaller parts and then arranging them to create a melody, harmony and rhythm (the intentional clicks give a real percussive attack to the samples which I love, though when appropriate I have avoided this by cross-fading between clips). Other electronic instruments include a bass preset, 'trap bass', and a percussive sound, 'FM builder', both from Logic's ES2 instrument. The only 'acoustic' sounds are field recordings, some taken using a ZOOM H5, some taken with an iPhone. These sounds include: coins being rubbed together an analogue clock buzzing whistling/humming at the same time a children's toy two women singing John Come Kiss Me (myself and a friend) a Panadol package rustling a pan flute a dog running over floorboards sharp intakes of breath a friend singing a folk song at the Perth wetlands in the cultural centre birds at ECU car driving past at night choir singing cluster chords 2.ii guilty soundings Karlheinz Essl's Max MSP patch 'Sequitur IX' The field recordings are separated into two tracks and have panning automation that usually place consecutive samples in opposing positions in the LR array, giving a wider stereo image. None of the field recordings were taken specifically for this piece; I already had them on my hard drive, left over from a number of different projects, as well as some I took as a kind of personal archive. Though they share nothing in common other than having all been recorded by me, I suppose the basis for choosing which sounds got included was mainly to do with the aesthetic value of them. Most of the field recordings in the first half are close-up recordings of small domestic items, (eg. clock, coin, children's toy, Panadol packet), which I think are all really beautiful, under-appreciated sounds that create quite an intimate mood in the beginning of the piece. Quite crucial this feeling of intimacy is each sound having its own moment to shine. Appearing in rhythmic unison with the vocals, each field recording appears individually, never overlapping with another. Working with field recordings and audio samples in this way is a practice that I have been developing while writing radio music. The process involves having a huge amount of material, selecting parts of this material (often very small samples, possibly less than a second long), arranging the selected parts to form rhythms/melodies/narratives/harmony. In a way this is similar to what more traditional Western Art Music composers do; they have a huge selection of instruments to choose from, and a (more limited) selection of pitches. (Note I'm referencing composers working within conventional/traditional genres). Working using a process influenced by radio music/collage places far more focus on the sound object, a term coined by Pierre Schaeffer, and used in musique concréte theory. The samples I work with can't be heard as pitch or rhythm alone, and must be evaluated according to a more complex, and I believe subjective manner, as most samples I choose have a recognisable source, and come with their own set of connotations (either societal or particular to the listener) guilty soundings (score excerpt) Inside out development: a kernel or 'seed' musical idea is multiplied and transformed to generate the musical material 'upwards' to the large scale. The piece begins with a the ‘kernel’ melody/phrase, created by sequencing 4 samples of vocals put through Essl’s Sequitur Max patch. This melody is then repeated and slowly transformed/developed. Timbral & textural complexity increases as the melody is punctuated with field recordings, found sounds, glitches and electronic instruments. 3. Sound Synthesis studio composition: The sunlight in Matsumoto barely reaches the water You’re a pink coat You’re an open book on the carpet You’re too indecisive to believe it’s Tuesday You’re a Taurus, or maybe a Gemini Your uncertainties are contagious You’re like a Joni Mitchell song that comes on in the car You’re like a Joni Mitchell song in my head in Matsumoto You’re like the water it looked that day You’re an undulation You barely know each other, it still hurts Begins with Pulse Sequence, an arpeggiator from the ES1 instrument in Logic, and audio of me breathing, which is bussed to an aux channel with reverb effect from the Space Designer reverb plugin. The particular reverb effect is called ‘Nomadic’ from within the ‘Drone Tones’ selection, which essentially creates a pitched reverb which sounds at a base pitch of C. The Pulse Sequence arpeggiator emerges slowly, beginning with an attack time of 188ms, and gradually being automated down to an attack time of 3ms. Simultaneously, the cut off is being increased from the minimum (25%) to around 80%, giving the arpeggiator a fairly rich harmonic spectrum, and a little bit of twang that cuts through other elements in the mix. a recording of a trio improvisation (Shanae, B and my avant folk group) enters, giving the piece a little more organicism. This audio runs throughout the duration of the piece, remaining very hidden for the most part, but eventually emerging in the last minute. I’ve used a Voice Memo of me (very sick at the time) singing the line from Mac Demarco’s song Watching Him Fade Away, ‘Even though you barely know each other it still hurts watching him fade away’. In The sunlight in Matsumoto barely reaches the water I’ve only used the part of the line ‘you barely know each other it still hurts’, and I’ve segmented and repeated this phrase throughout the piece. In a way it becomes the ‘hook’ later on after the verse vocals, where more high quality recorded vocals join in on the phrase. The iPhone quality recording does introduce a grainy, candid, unprocessed sound that I like to incorporate into my electronic music (sometimes contrasting Macbook microphone recorded vocals with high quality condenser recorded audio). the Pulse Sequence arpeggiator is doubled by another identical track, the MIDI data displaced by a quaver so that the two arpeggiators, panned left and right, create a dialogue that bounces around the stereo image and the melodic pattern is less predictable. Note, the attack time on the left panned Pulse Sequence is slightly slower. I might have been able to achieve a similar effect by using a delay (I’ve effectively done that manually). At the same time, the instrument ‘Mountain Flute’ from the Sculpture instrument in Logic enters, providing a sustained harmonic accompaniment to the bouncy arpeggiator (but using the same MIDI data). I’ve become a little more familiar with the Sculpture synth, often manipulating parameters in existing presets to get the sound I’d like. ‘Mountain Flute’ is an instrument that I quite like the sound of already, so I did little tampering, aside from slightly shifting the position of the wave shaper selector in Sculpture, moving it to a position between Nylon and Steel, which gave the synth a kind of resonance where the higher harmonics appear slowly throughout the sustain. The instrument ‘Synthetic Double Bass’ from Sculpture synth enters, which has an attack that begins almost a semitone above the dictated pitch, and slides down to the pitch. This gives the bass a kind of wobbly, organic feeling despite holding a steady pedal for the entire piece. Verse begins, one-take vocals panned hard left and right and offset by a very small amount to give a wide stereo image. I’ve come to enjoy recording one-take vocals, improvising the melody from poetry I’ve written (which has also been devised in an relatively improvisatory, non-critical manner). Three harmony vocals enter for the hook/refrain, ‘you barely know each other, it still hurts’, panned in between the two wide main vocals. Punctuating the end of the hook/refrain are ‘weird mic sounds’, (recorded from when my interface was making strange sounds), and heavy breathing audio, both contributing to a kind of panicked, airy outburst that dissolves back into the steady arpeggiator motion. The same verse vocals enter, but I use the Vocal Transformer plugin to create effects. I automated the formant very gradually over the verse duration, the left-panned vocals increasing (towards an ‘e’ sound), and the right-panned vocals decreasing (towards an ‘o’ sound). I also automated the fine pitch, the left-panned vocals increasing, and the right-panned vocals decreasing, which doesn’t alter the pitch that much, but when pushed to the limits creates an artefact that sounds almost like a tremolo; a wavering quality that I really like. The last three minutes of the piece, the two arpeggiators are being automated to decrease the cut off and increase the ‘sub’ harmonic which combines to make it feel like the arpeggiator is descending. After finishing, I also decided to automate the tempo, to at points hold back the arpeggiator, or push it forward, just to create a little interest rhythmically. I like that kind of glitchy-ness, I feel it adds a human quality to electronic music. 4. Collaborations: Short documentary film & FRINGE 2018 Tender at FRINGE 2018 with Michelle Aitken for Micromoves Whatever you are trying to escape will be there to catch you when you fall, and to return to when you become frightened of being by yourself. Tender is a dance about, among other things, women that love the wrong people. About conflicting desires to be held, and to be free. The space between holding and harming, nurturing and supressing. How the line can be crossed before you even know it’s there. Three female dancers, each moving with an arresting and soulful individuality, traverse a landscape of shifting images. They are compelled away from and into each other’s arms as though magnetic. The world is dark yet warm, with an new emotionally raw score by composer Annika Moses, that meets between electronic soundscapes and organic field recordings and vocals. Those seeking protection encounter those seeking to not let go. The dancers break into restless, sinuous solos, and come together in images that shift back and forth between the symbiotic and the parasitic. Tender is a dance about being held so tightly you can’t breathe. Holding something so tightly that it is crushed out of existence. Dance as a medium lends itself for me to playing in the necessary ambiguities of communication without words. I’m interested in making choreography that stems from the nuances of bringing into contact characters with shifting desires. Solos will be generated from rigorous explorations of physical states. Writing and movement prompts will enable the sensations of memories and past experiences to play out in the body. House of Joys at FRINGE 2018 with KAN collective; Annika Moses, Noemie Huttner-Koros and Kate Thresher for Peaks ups, finger painting, face painting, activities that encourage laughter and a kind of reckless abandon; this is a world where the rules of the adult world are suspended. Then each member is led individually into the House of Joys for a time of reflection, immersed in the tactile, calming blanket fort, safe from the worries of the outside world. In here participants engage with one of our artists and are encouraged to reflect upon the ways they incorporate play and fun in their everyday lives. House of Joys is a playground for adults to rediscover the freedom and fearlessness of children in a safe and warm environment. House of Joys is a place where adult participants can re-enter a world of play that they knew as children. It is an intimate and sensory experience wherein one audience member interacts with each of the artists in turn and is immersed in the safety of the House of Joys. This house will most likely resemble a kind of cubby house or blanket fort, which participants enter one by one. The participant is met outside of Paper Mountain by one of our artists and warmly welcomed up into the ‘play space’, where they are encouraged to play and make fun with other participants. There is a chest of dress- for Georgina Taylor (RMIT) My piece Mean Reds (pt | & ||) was used for the credits of Georgina Taylor's short documentary film Choice. This piece was written as part of my recent electronic project great statue 5. Exterior Projects (Alex Jones & Annika Moses) Alex and I curated a gig at 2 Cafe in Darlington, with performances from Jacob Wylde (folk), White Gums, and Ryan Burge ending the night with a glitchy, trip-ambient electronic set. Alex prepared visuals that were projected onto the stage, nestled into the corner where the two large glass walls of the space meet. It was really successful; the vibe was friendly and attentive, there was a big turn out and we were able to pay all the performers a very reasonable fee. Improvisation using Casio keyboard, guitar, loop pedal, Ableton push pad, samples Improvisation with Alex on guitar, Annika on vocals/keyboard Improvisation with Annika on guitar, Alex on vocals 5.iii Breaking Out THNMF 2017 The stage name ‘great statue’ came from the lyrics from one of my folk songs, Great Statue of the Salt Lake. It comes from a real place of vulnerability, guilt and self-criticality after taking the blame for a break up. But this year I’ve become more aware of how self-criticality and insecurity extends more widely into my performance practice. When I separate the great statue from its context in the salt lake of tears, guilt and insecurity, an image of power is left. It’s also kind of a play on the trend of male electronic producers using hyper-masculine stage names and creating an edgy, intimidating public presence. The idea of producing electronic music without audiences knowing I’m female is empowering and appealing. Other artists, for example o.blaat, who also explores a displacement of performer presence on stage, have created similar personas. Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, is an incredible producer who writes, records and produces all her own music, as well as raises a social awareness of the patriarchal and homosocial structures that often gate-keep women from becoming involved in powerful positions in electronic music scenes. The music I’ve produced under great statue is a real mix of aesthetics and compositional ideas; I’ve been testing the water. A few of the pieces follow this slow-evolving structure underpinned by an arpeggiator, and layered with improvised vocal melodies and field recordings/organic found sounds. A lot of musical typing has taken place (I unashamedly enjoy the imperfect, twitchy results from creating MIDI data using the MacBook keyboard). I’m often working with layering field recordings/found sounds as I feel it lends an organicism to the stark digital sound, and I enjoy contrasting high-quality condenser recorded vocals with MacBook microphone, or iPhone recordings. Another compositional approach I’ve taken is recycling audio/musical ideas/MIDI data to create new grooves from old ones. This has really been informed by the idea of sampling, and listening to artists like The Books. Lots of the pieces I’ve written have two distinct sections, I’m divided about using my voice in these pieces. One on hand, my voice is the instrument most natural, most close to me, and most developed technically. But I detest the idea of falling into the role of a ‘female vocalist’ within the electronic music scene. I admire artists like Lana (Rothnie) and Felicia Atkinson who use their voice within compositions and performance, but manage to construct an artistic image that falls outside of a ‘feminine’ coded role. Whether or not my gender has been explicit in the music I’ve created, I’ve really enjoyed having a sense of agency that comes with anonymity. This is as much about being able to incorporate traditionally ‘folk’ or ballad aesthetics, into electronic music, as it is about being able to try more experimental electronic aesthetics into my practice, or move between genres. I’d like to develop a live music performance practice for the great statue project that somehow addresses patriarchy in the electronic music scene In a composed dialogue between live vocalist and radio host, Annika Moses explores the physical and sonic spaces inherent to radio broadcast, within the limitations of a concert performance. The found-audio component is a cassette recording of a jazz radio program broadcast from the Cocos Islands in the late 1980s. Photo by Bohdan Warchomij Annika Moses perfoming at the Breaking Out concert, Totally Huge New Music Festival The piece VKW 96FM; duet for voice and radio was an exploration into combining radiophonic music, essentially a laptop based performance practice, with live performers and acoustic elements. The title duet for voice and radio is really just adding to the theatre of the piece, trying to animate the composed dialogue between the live vocalist and the recorded radio host; on stage it appears more as a duet for voice and laptop. Especially in my performance at the Breaking Out concert, as I performed sitting at a table with my back to the audience, the vocalist is very absorbed in the task of watching the session scrolling through (so as to receive cues from the wave forms of the radio host’s speech), while reading the script like a score to keep track of their own speech. I even dramatised the vocalist-laptop relationship further by including a section in the piece where the vocalist types (nonsense words) frantically in the silences between radio ‘air’. The compositional process was a little stunted by self-criticality and procrastination, but basically followed the same method as my other radiophonic works: starting with a large amount of ‘found audio’, in this case a found cassette tape of my grandfather hosting his last pass radio show on Cocos Keeling Island in the late 1980s; selecting parts of this audio to include in the piece, usually listening for interesting inflection and syntax; assembling these samples to condense or extend the original narrative, create a new narrative, juxtapose between samples, or create aesthetically pleasing melodies/rhythms/phrases. New to my process was choosing how to incorporate a live vocalist into this assemblage of samples. The dialogue between the two vocalists can be composed using all the same musical parameters as a duet between two instruments, just with an added layer of subtext, connotation, and explicit narrative because the performers use text and language. I compiled a list of ideas/compositional techniques that I could explore in this specific kind of radio work: 5.iv Folk music In August I recorded a few folk songs while I was house sitting (living in a student share house with 6 other people is rarely a conducive environment for recording). With this set of songs I really tried to implement the skills I’d learnt in Lee Buddle’s mixing unit, and fuse a folk genre with lo-fi aesthetics, experimental and improvisatory processes, field recordings, toy instruments and grunge/home studio aesthetics. Perhaps the most difficult part of working with these aesthetics is finding a balance between lo-fi and hi-fi; making a convincing track, that has intention in its infidelity. I'm interested in compiling the tracks into an album format that flows in one narrative, using 'interludes' to transition between tracks and add 'glue'. Albums like A Seat At The Table - Solange, Pleasure - Feist, and To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar, have influenced this album aesthetic. 5.v trio (whispered) For the WAM Experimental Showcase, Shanae, Be and I prepared a piece using the poem Arctic Fox for vocals, broken banjolin and acoustic bass guitar. Our process involved taking the phrases, or words from the poem as prompts and devising musical and physical gestures as expression. Even within prepared pieces we leave space for improvisation, and the second half of our set was totally improvised (see below). 3 part folk genre harmony vocals extended techniques using acoustic stringed instruments & toy instruments extended vocal techniques using poetry as improvisatory prompt exploring dialogue between voices 6. Electronic Music Overview writings engaging in a social discourse Riverside Rave: a review Under the gaze of East Perth Power Station, possessing a kind of industrial glamour with its imposing features being lit up from below, people begin to gather. From the carpark nearby, we walk along the riverside path, following the sound of music. There’s no entry fee, there’s no door; people have set up a generator, a desk with CDJs, and PA speakers on stands pointing towards the Power Station facade. When we arrive, around 11pm, only 15 or so people are there, most of whom are talking and drinking behind the decks where a small jetty pokes out onto the glimmering black water. Someone turns one of the speakers around to face the river. The first DJ1 is playing a fairly melodic techno set, complemented by the second, who plays a similar vibe but incorporates a few more house tunes. The DJs seem to be harbouring a kind of playfulness in their performance tonight, contrary to the ‘serious image’ I have seen conjured at past events. For instance, the first DJ pays homage to techno classics like Ben Klok’s Sub Zero, played long before its usual call time at 4am, and rather than appearing cheesy or lame it comes off as a joke between a group of friends (which has now grown to the size of 60 or so people). It’s a diversified collection of people that continue to gather. People with clothing, haircuts, styling that disrupt common culture and heteronormative concepts of gender. The first DJ is a non-binary person, the second a gay woman. In a music culture/scene that now glorifies the big-name ‘celebrity DJ’, and praises arrogance, even machismo in male DJs, it’s refreshing to see minorities behind the decks. Our congregation seems reminiscent of Detroit’s warehouse raves in the 80s. The techno and house music playing seems to hark to Eno’s ambient music theory, in the regard that it ‘allows you any listening position in relation to it ... music that can be background or foreground or anywhere’ (Eno, 2009). In this space, people can socialise and talk, barely moving, alongside people dancing wildly entranced. With none of the usual separation between dance floor, bar, and outdoor areas, the social landscape of this event is unspecified and subject to change. There are no restrictions on smoking, which allows for people to smoke and chat while they dance. There’s also no separation between booth and dance floor; no altar raising DJ above dancer. In fact, people are giving the DJ affectionate welcomes behind the decks as they arrive. The open space of the riverbank encourages this egalitarian social landscape, creating pockets of movement and inactivity that are constantly negotiating boundaries, morphing between the two, and sometimes ending up in between. Traces from the Detroit rave scene and Eno’s ambient music aren’t the only echoes from the past that we receive tonight; the hundred-year-old East Perth Power Station reminds us of Perth’s fundaments, and the river takes us back farther, one of the lasting features of the landscape cared for by the original custodians, the Noongar Whadjuk people. Interacting with (what remains of) the natural landscape reminds us that dance and movement are ancient and inherently human, and only exaggerates the frustration I have felt of late in the dance music scene, dominated by commercialised venues, commodified DJs, and capitalist, heteronormative social hierarchies. Many nights I have wondered whether our isolation and infancy as a city couldn’t give us a chance to (re)define the electronic dance music subculture in Perth as one that better reflects what were once core foundations of liberty and integration. Tonight, I am content dancing by the riverside. Resisting patriarchy, homo-social power structures and heteronormative behaviour in the electronic music scene does not necessitate an overtly political musical content; the female artists discussed in this essay reject patriarchy using a wide range of tactics, each individual and appropriate to their practice. They embrace radical independence, refuse to be critiqued according to irrelevant expectations of mainstream media, engage in the cultivation of a female/trans/non-binary supportive community, and produce work that is irrefutably excellent. Eliane Radigue shows a radical independence from the heteronormative hierarchies towering over her in the mid to late 20th century, disrupting the expectation that women must conform to domestic maternal roles regardless of professional ambition, reaching musical prosperity relatively late in life, and creating music with virtuosity and extreme dedication to her artistic vision. ‘I’ve always been digging in the direction where I want to go, without paying any attention to how it was perceived’ (Radigue, 2006). Born in 1932, Eliane Radigue emerged in a time when female ambition in the music industry was severely suppressed, exemplified by her limitation to an assistant role while studying electroacoustic music techniques at the Studio d’Essai in Paris under Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry (Rodgers, 2010). The two Pierres refused to acknowledge Radigue’s experimentation in tape feedback as valid, let alone innovative. After showing Schaeffer her work for the first time in the early 50s, “the only thing nice that he said was, I considered you the best of my assistants, and look at what you are doing!” (Radigue, 2006). Radigue left Studio d’Essai and moved to the United States with her then-husband, the French-born American artist Arman, which put her in contact with more supportive network of artists, including James Tenney, John Cage, David Tudor and Philip Corner (Radigue, 2012). Her musical ambition was curbed for a time as she raised her three children, taking on a single-mother role after separating with Arman and returning to France. But in 1970, with her children fully grown, she met her new ‘love’; the Buchla ARP 2500 synthesiser, in New York City (Radigue, 2006). The Buchla became the instrument that realised her sonic aspirations, allowing her to adjust ring, frequency and amplitude modulations in very small measures using the pentiometers to change the timbral qualities of the sound rather than changing the basic frequency oscillators. This method characterises her meditative, slow-evolving sound works, such as her three hour long Trilogie De La Mort, influenced by the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan book of the dead. Radigue imbues the trilogy with an energy that breathes and pulses, capturing what she calls ‘the spirit’ of the piece (Radigue, 2006). This huge undertaking showcases the extreme patience and meticulous care she gives to her music, layering at least thirty to forty elements in a mix, after months of rumination, to achieve her very particular sonic ideas (Dax, 2012). Not to mention the technical virtuosity required to tame the revered Buchla synthesiser, an instrument often gender-coded as masculine because of its mathematical and technological complexity. So although Radigue’s music isn’t overtly political in its content, it is clear that the trajectory of her career is non-normative. Her career path subverts the patriarchal hierarchy in the electronic music industry and her practice disrupts dominant culture expectations of gender roles in wider society. The feminist, electro-punk collective Le Tigre (Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman and JD Samson) are a group that overtly engages in feminist/LGBTQI histories and politics with their lyrical content, but their wider practice also engages in smaller, less obvious political acts which are just as valuable. The group formed in 1998, originally as a collaboration between Hanna, Fateman, and video artist Sadie Benning, who was later replaced by JD Samson in 2000. The project started with a drum machine, sampler and keyboard, while Hanna and Fateman ‘slowly [figured] things out’ as they developed their technical skills and understanding (Fateman, 2002). Though Le Tigre are often described as ‘post-riot-grrrl’ (note Hanna’s former involvement in the feminist punk band Bikini Kill), their use of electronic technology in their compositional process, production, and performance practice sets them apart from other electronica or dance music styles. Their lyrical content also characterises their sound, and drives their public engagement with feminist and queer issues. The song Hot Topic, from their self titled album, contains a (very) long list of women that have inspired and influenced them, excerpted below: “Tammy Rae Carland and Sleater-Kinney Vivienne Dick and Lorraine O'Grady Gayatri Spivak and Angela Davis Laurie Weeks and Dorothy Allison Stop, don't you stop Please don't stop We won't stop” Hot Topic (1999), Le Tigre The lyrical aspect of their music is a very obvious political engagement, but the group perform smaller political acts in their practice, web presence, and industry involvement that are just as valuable and effective in disrupting patriarchy in the electronic music scene. Le Tigre uses their website to reach out to their fanbase about issues like sexual abuse and coming out as LGBTQI, which raises a political consciousness within a music sphere. They also put energy into nurturing other supportive communities for female/trans/non-binary within the music scene, such as contributing to the online forum Pink Noises, started by Tara Rodgers in 2000. This is in preference to securing a standing within male dominated media circles which often offer a reductive depiction of women in music, as Fateman says: “if there’s gonna be a supporting culture for women to make electronic music, it’s not gonna be by us getting our foot in the door at a magazine! … [that’s] not indicative of a positive feminist community around electronic music.” (Fateman, 2002). And the very act of producing feminist punk music with electronic dance music equipment and processes, without conforming to either of those genres, demonstrates their agency as musicians, whatever their political alignment, gender, or sexuality. While South African born, London based Chantal Passamonte might not ‘[sample] George Bush or something’, she insists ‘you can be political in your personal life’, leading by example (Passamonte, 2004). Passamonte’s artistic development demonstrates that her identity as an immigrant female did not limit her ascension through the patriarchal power structures enforced in electronic music, and that skills, ambition, and an authentic artistic voice can surpass gate-keeping structures and dominant culture pressures. Passamonte moved to London in 1991 to pursue the music career that had always seemed so unreachable under the South African sanctions and cultural boycotts she grew up with. In the UK she started out working in a record store, and gradually started getting into organising gigs and DJing, performing under the stage name Mira Calix. She earned a job running publicity for Warp Records and 4AD for a number of years, and after having developed her DJing proficiency to an exceptional level, moved into producing her own music (Rodgers, 2010). Already, the professional diversity in the early stages of her career grants merit, but Passamonte continued to extend her horizons moving into avant garde electronic music production, installation works, video/performance art collaborations, and site-specific commission pieces from museums and institutions across Europe (Passamonte, 2004). Passamonte’s artistic voice is one of ‘textural organicism and coherent eclecticism’, weaving together analog hardware sounds, found sounds, elusive vocals, and wooden and stringed folk instruments, which she collects around Europe (Rodgers, 2010). The album Skimskitta (2003) released under Warp Records is an example of Mira Calix’s individualistic voice, with a 30 second long, glitchy opening track Again, It Starts, a playful second track Poussou that pairs a childlike piano and synth sounds with lo-fi beats, and a third track Woody which suddenly falls into an ominous, twitching groove with spooky distant vocals. In an interview with Tara Rodgers, Passamonte reflects upon her separation from the metropolitan scene, now living on a farm with her own studio where she produces music; “humanity doesn’t run at a clock around you, and that’s actually quite nice, it’s quite liberating … I quite like not knowing if it’s a Sunday. Because those things are not relevant to me, ‘cause I’m lucky enough to work for myself, effectively.” (Passamonte, 2004). Passamonte’s departure from commercial success, despite being extremely successful, and her isolation from mainstream media and capitalist values of time and money demonstrate the political choices she has made in her personal life and professional practice. Her success wasn’t achieved by conforming to ‘feminine’ coded roles in electronic music, such as singer or dancer; opportunities were granted to Passamonte because of her excellence, professional dedication and authentic individual voice (Farrugia, 2012). Though Radigue, Le Tigre and Passamonte exercise very different practices and approaches towards music composition and production, they all disrupt patriarchy and dominant culture gender roles within electronic music, whether that be through overt musical content or more subtle choices in their practice. In reality, so under-represented are we, that any female/trans/non-binary artist who pursues a career in electronic music and resists mainstream media pressures to conform to ‘feminine’ roles within that sphere, is contributing to a political awareness and rectification of current norms.

All of us know the feeling: You’re drained after work and all it is significant to enact is take a seat back out and eye some beautiful movies on Netflix. Nonetheless you’ve got no concept the attach to originate up and even what you’re in the mood for. That’s why we’ve curated guides for the single movies on Netflix for in relation to every style we would possibly maybe maybe also mediate: fright, comedy, indie flicks, rom-coms, serial killers, anime, kids movies, nature documentaries, movies in step with upright tales, standup specials, TV reveals, thrillers, 4k movies and TV reveals, and extra. We’ve combined the blurbs from about a of these lists and written rather about a extra to impression this supreme manual to what to eye on Netflix. We’ll be updating this checklist of the single movies on Netflix monthly, so that you simply would maybe maybe maybe relaxation assured that in case you watch one thing you cherish right here, you would maybe maybe maybe hasty add it to your queue. |Identical outdated||$12.ninety 9| |Top charge||$15.ninety 9| Celebrity Beauty: The A hundred only movies on Netflix 1) Final Inch situation The Final Inch situation films don’t rather derive the repute they deserve, especially grading on the fright movie curve. This first movie kicks off, memorably, with Alex (Devon Sawa) having a premonition of a horrific airplane accident. Whereas Alex is unable to forestall the tragedy, he’s in a situation to derive another folks off the airplane. Nonetheless death has a notion for all americans, and the survivors originate up death in rising convoluted programs. The stress-free of Final Inch situation, and most of its sequels, are the Rube Goldberg death scenes, which tease and taunt the viewers as grand because the characters. —E.S. 2) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Is there a better Stephen Spielberg movie than Raiders of the Lost Ark? Indiana Jones movies have extra or less labored on an every-other pattern, so offered that common sense, we’re due for an attractive one rapidly. But it’s exhausting for any of them to evaluate to Raiders, the celebrated staple of what a in style motion/adventure movie desires to be. Netflix would possibly maybe maybe also don’t have any longer too lengthy in the past dropped The Godfather, but as some distance as uneven, traditional franchises hobble, on the least they gave us Indiana Jones in return —C.O. 3) Monty Python and the Holy Grail British comedy nerds will remark you Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the funniest movie ever made, and they also’re doubtless no longer depraved. From “I fart for your traditional route” to “It’s expedient a flesh damage” to “We are the Knights who tell… NI,” the movie’s absurdism is 2nd to none, and space the tone for cinematic comedies for years to come. If you happen to haven’t considered it, I expedient have one quiz for you: “What… is the air-drag drag of an unladen swallow?”—C.O. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is without concerns concept to be one of many single superhero films of the previous few years, standing alongside Sunless Panther in relation to visual imagination and joyfully modern spend of the source fabric. It’s a fresh and humorous fresh pick on Spidey’s foundation memoir, specializing in Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) with a supporting solid of Spider-other folks cherish Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy (aka Spider-Lady). The mix of CG and hand-drawn animation is innovative, and the movie is self-referential without being smug. Moderately than counting on drained tropes to possess in the gaps, Into the Spider-Verse provides us all the pieces we have to indulge in and plight Miles: A satisfyingly personal memoir, embedded in a uniquely energetic visual skills. —Gavia Baker-Whitelaw Between the did-it-topple-or-did-it-no longer-topple ending and the thoughts- and gravity-defying visuals, Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi blockbuster is idea to be one of many defining movies of the final decade. The single ingredient about Inception is that, despite a two-and-a-1/2-hour runtime, you’re by no manner some distance from seeing one thing awesome, from cities folding in on themselves or zero-gravity fights. Nonetheless Nolan anchors the visual razzle-dazzle in a memoir that is moreover emotionally enticing. —E.S. 6) Olympus Has Fallen Upon its release, Olympus Has Fallen used to be savaged by critics for its absurd screenplay and over the head violence. Ironically, that’s exactly why Olympus Has Fallen developed a proper cult following, come what would possibly ensuing in two theatrical sequels. The movie follows a disgraced Secret Carrier agent has he tried to infiltrate the White Home after it gets taken over by North Korean terrorists. Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Ashley Judd lift an air of gravitas to this over the head motion extravaganza. Region aside its problematic geopolitics and resolve in for a large time. – JMB 7) Region Jam Martin Scorsese’s seek for ingredient has developed him a repute as a master of mob movies, but he brings that seek to every manufacturing. The Aviator sees the director stepping some distance from crime to remark the painstakingly recreated existence memoir of Howard Hughes. Led by Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes, The Aviator explores the eccentric billionaire from his days making groundbreaking movies to his revolutions in airplane skills. Thrilling, humorous, and heartbreaking, The Aviator is a triumph of historical cinema. – John-Michael Bond Inspired by his childhood in Seventies Mexico City, Roma is basically the most in style movie from visionary author/director Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity; Formative years of Men). It’s a involving autobiographical drama about a younger lady who works as a housemaid for a well to derive Mexican family, in step with Cuarón’s preferred childhood nanny. It’s in point of fact concept to be one of many ideal movies of 2018, destined to are dwelling on as a spotlight of Cuarón’s career. —G.B.W. 9) Inglourious Basterds Inglourious Basterds would possibly maybe maybe also no longer be Quentin Tarantino’s most iconic movie (that would possibly maybe maybe be Pulp Fiction). Neither is it his most favorable (that would doubtless be Jackie Brown). Neither is it his most classy (the Extinguish Invoice films), his most socially wide awake (Django Unchained), his most tightly scripted (Reservoir Dogs), and even his longest (The Hateful Eight). Nonetheless Inglourious Basterds expedient would possibly maybe maybe also very well be his only. He says as grand himself with the movie’s winking final line, delivered into camera by Brad Pitt’s Lt. Aldo Raine: “I mediate this expedient would possibly maybe maybe also very well be my masterpiece.” Inglourious Basterds is a cinematic declaration for the ages. The performances, writing, and directing are all immaculate. More resplendent is that the movie feels virtually cherish a play at moments, with obvious scenes stretching on for a 1/2 an hour at a time. —C.O. Soni is a movie about a society that devalues females on a systemic and personal level. The movie follows two females who work for the Delhi Police: Soni (Geetika Vidya Ohlyan), a younger police officer with a penchant for no longer taking crap from other folks, and her supervisor Kalpana (Saloni Batra). Both females battle routine sexism and bureaucratic complications, and the instances they derive gradually involve crimes in opposition to females. No matter the Delhi atmosphere, Soni’s observations of inequality transcend borders. It’s cherish having a explore in a mirror: You watch what’s upright in front of you, but moreover all the pieces around you. —E.S. Eleven) The Raze of the Tour Even supposing many shut to the leisurely author denounced the movie upon its release, The Raze of the Tour’s portrayal of acclaimed author David Foster Wallace doesn’t necessarily would possibly maybe maybe also easy be correct to be affecting. Following journalist David Lipsky’s unpublished yarn of Wallace in the final days of his e book tour for Endless Jest, the movie is a extremely good work on artwork, interviewing, genius, depression, and the style inventive other folks scrutinize every other. Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel enact about a of the single work of their careers as Lipsky and Wallace, bringing official chemistry to this short but extremely good relationship. —C.O. 12) The Social Network A movie about the beginning of Facebook didn’t must be this beautiful. Nonetheless that is what occurs when A-listers all the arrangement by arrangement of the board are working at their peak. During the extremely stylized visions of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin, the movie is built on the topics that can impression it relevant eternally. Friendship, jealousy, betrayal, ambition—these are the constructing blocks of traditional drama. Zuckerberg and Facebook are well into the “are dwelling lengthy sufficient to ogle your self become the villain” segment, but The Social Network continues to recuperate with age and repeat viewings. — Eddie Strait 13) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles In in style cases we’ve become inferior by the glut of enormous-worth range blockbusters for even b-checklist superheroes cherish Bloodshot. 1990, alternatively, used to be a diversified time. It’s improbable that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ever got made, but even extra miraculous that it’s a large movie. Thirty years after its release the special results easy defend up, taking into legend thrilling motion sequences elephantine of ninja war. Nonetheless the movie’s secret enchantment is its overwhelming coronary heart, rising fully fleshed-out characters out of our humorous e book heroes. Whereas the sequels learned exhausting into teenagers’s entertainment, the celebrated stays a miserable but family-proper traditional. – JMB 14) Below the Pores and skin In Below the Pores and skin, Scarlett Johansson is an alien who stalks, seduces, and…does one thing to men she picks up in Scotland. The movie is stuffed with indelible imagery, and it’s a memoir that provokes as grand because it disturbs. —E.S. 15) Blue Is the Warmest Shade Steeped in controversy upon its release (and for beautiful motive,) Blue Is the Warmest Shade is nonetheless a in relation to unparalleled achievement in twenty first-century filmmaking. Discussions about male watch and directorial ethics are particular to practice many of us’s viewing, but we moreover don’t derive many story, three-hour lesbian indulge in tales. There are substances of Blue Is the Warmest Shade that easy feel famous, if for no other motive than that we need extra of what the movie gets upright, even whereas needing less of what it gets depraved. And naturally, there are the performances from lead actresses Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos, who rightfully grew to become the first actors ever to be awarded the Palme d’Or when the movie premiered at Cannes. Taking part in the 2 halves of younger couple Emma and Adèle, Blue Is the Warmest Shade’s main ladies folks are both so beautiful, it’s no longer expedient that they’ve created an indelible cinematic indulge in memoir—it’s as in the event that they’ve reinvented the cinematic indulge in memoir itself. —C.O. Sixteen) The Photographer of Mauthausen Netflix honors a World Battle II hero and photographer Francisco Boix in its newly received Spanish movie, The Photographer of Mauthausen. The movie, which follows Boix as he makes an are trying to smuggle footage that incriminate the Nazi event of warfare treason whereas in the Mauthausen concentration camp, is predictably dark, somber, and extremely grand to eye—but a very grand movie about the Holocaust and the importance of upholding the fact. —Tess Cagle 17) Beasts of No Nation Netflix’s first foray into situation cinema, on the least in relation to tale filmmaking, used to be this miniature one soldier drama from 2015. Upon its release, Beasts of No Nation straight declared that to boot to to supplying you with day-to-day doses of ‘90s nostalgia, the streaming enormous used to be committed to socially engaged tales too. Directed by Correct Detective’s Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba in what would possibly maybe maybe also easy’ve been an Oscar-nominated performance, that is an intense eye but moreover a rewarding one. If nothing else, it’ll impression you responsive to how few depictions of Africa we in point of fact watch onscreen, and how grand that desires to be corrected. —C.O. 18) Taxi Driver In Taxi Driver, a unhappy Vietnam Battle outdated takes a night shift utilizing a taxi around Novel York City. As a result, his job provides him a front-row seat scrutinize of the city’s seediness. Warped by his have delusions, he radicalizes himself, and he makes an are trying to make a selection a presidential candidate and a pimp. Martin Scorsese expertly ramps up the stress in the movie, and Robert De Niro’s all-ingesting, largely internalized performance cements Taxi Driver as an all-time traditional. —M.J. Excessive Flying Bird tells the memoir of a sports agent caught in the crosshairs of an NBA lockout who tries to entire it on his have. A trusty script from Moonlight screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney and a main performance from André Holland impression doubtless insider memoir compelling, and the movie takes on the NBA’s lengthy history of exploiting Sunless athletes in the plot. —Michelle Jaworski 20) Groundhog Day At no longer up to 2 hours Groundhog Day will be concept to be one of many shortest offerings on this checklist, but it’s without concerns the funniest. When the days originate up to escape collectively and all feel the identical pick comfort in watching Invoice Murray piece your distress. This 90s hit finds Murray as a smartass TV weatherman who finds himself reliving the identical day again and again whereas reporting a memoir. Directed by the leisurely large Harold Ramis, Groundhog Day is a masterpiece of family-proper dark comedy. Snuggle up with Punxsutawney Phil for some grand-wanted laughs this quarantine season. – JMB 21) Gerald’s Sport It’s the year of the Stephen King adaptation, and Gerald’s Sport would possibly maybe maybe also very well be the single one. Mike Flanagan (Hush, Oculus) takes a fresh that has lengthy been concept to be unfilmable and imbues it with tension and emotion. Carla Gugino provides a standout performance as Jessie, a lady who is left handcuffed to a mattress in a faraway cabin after her husband Gerald (Bruce Greenwood) dies . The bulk of the movie concerns her survival and how deep into the previous she will be able to hobble, and it in point of fact improves upon the radical. —A.S. 22) The Bare Gun Parody films aren’t designed to face the test of time, but derive the broadest laughs after they’re released. All too gradually these movies date themselves straight by going overboard with references. What makes style titans cherish Airplane and The Bare Gun such uncommon treasures are their dedication to celebrated jokes. Leslie Nielson’s preferred police parody follows an idiots cop as he races in opposition to time to pause an assassination are trying in opposition to the Queen of England. The Bare Gun’s focal point on parodying cop reveals provides it an odd sense of timelessness, but we’d be mendacity if acknowledged our favourite gag wasn’t the gigantic condoms. – JMB - The 30 only standup specials on Netflix whilst you happen to in point of fact desire a laugh - 30 movies on Netflix assured to impression you cry - What’s fresh on Netflix - The 12 only warfare movies you’ll receive on Netflix - 14 thoughts-blowing nature and science documentaries on Netflix 23) The Other Guys On this planet of underrated Will Ferrell movies, no title deserves rediscovering cherish 2010s The Other Guys. For a long time motion movies have positioned a spotlight on the adventures of gun-toting hero cops cherish Riggs, Murtaugh, and Callahan. Now it’s time to satisfy the different guys, pencil pusher Detective Gamble (Ferrell) and his disgraced associate Detective Hoitz who as soon as shot Derek Jeter by mistake. Together this now doubtless now not duo space out to battle a bloodthirsty corporation and an ocean of cop movies cliches along the style. Approach for Ferrell, pause for Michael Keaton quoting TCL the entire movie. – JMB 24) Blue Valentine Blue Valentine is the extra or less movie that’s so unhappy, it every so gradually feels cherish it’s attempting to rip your coronary heart out by arrangement of your chest. The movie stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as Dean and Cindy, a couple whose relationship we watch give arrangement because it cuts between after they first got collectively and their older, extra damaged selves. Director Derek Cianfrance, who would hobble on to impression The Region Past the Pines and The Light Between Oceans shot the flashback scenes in a extra or less grainy, Instagram-mighty style that come what would possibly serves to impression them extra romantic, whereas the show-day scenes ogle sleeker and chillier, reflecting a extra or less harsh realness. Both performances are heartbreaking (Williams used to be nominated for an Oscar for hers), doubtless since the 2 leads in point of fact spent time dwelling collectively cherish a accurate couple between filming the scenes space in the previous and these space in the long hotfoot. By the purpose their characters had to spoil up, it feels all too accurate. —C.O 25) Lucid Dream A South Korean riff on Inception, Lucid Dream follows a journalist, Dae-ho, working to receive his son, who used to be kidnapped three years earlier. The investigation has long gone cool, but an experimental plot enables Dae-ho to relive the day his son used to be taken by arrangement of lucid dreaming. For a premise as inherently grim as a guardian in search of a misplaced miniature one, Lucid Dream is surprisingly stress-free. The investigations taking just in dreamland and the right kind world intersect in attention-grabbing programs and the memoir is constantly upping the stakes. —E.S. Topped gradually as the single movie of the year when it used to be released in 2013 and most regularly cited as concept to be one of many single films of the final decade since, Spike Jonze’s unconventional indulge in memoir between a man named Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and his cellphone named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson is immaculately made. The beautiful cinematography, distinctive manufacturing and costume map, and haunting tune all work collectively to impression a utterly celebrated portrait of the come future. Phoenix and Johansson both give performances that rank among the very only of their careers. —C.O. 27) Killing Them Softly The mid-2000s financial give arrangement felt cherish a bloodletting for People of all lessons, an act of industrial violence that reverberated all the arrangement by arrangement of the nation. The single beautiful ingredient that came out of it is artwork cherish 2012’s Killing Them Softly. In this darkly comedic, but absolutely thrilling, crime allegory a card sport theft goes depraved, collapsing the entire financial system of a neighborhood of gangsters. It’s up to a mob enforcer (Brad Pitt) to tune down the robbers and lift justice to the local financial system. Brutal violent, but brimming with pitch-dark humor, Killing Them Softly is idea to be one of many single-hidden gemstones on Netflix. 28) The Killer This well-carried out Brazilian shoot-em-up flick cuts no corners in telling its serpentine memoir and spares no gory famous elements. Branded as O Matador exterior of the United States, the movie stars Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado as Cabeleira, a manchild assassin in search of his adopted father by arrangement of the lawless badlands of Pernambuco. —Kahron Spearman 29) The Ring Within the digital generation, The Ring would possibly maybe maybe also have without concerns misplaced its energy. Nonetheless thanks to most attention-grabbing pacing and a gradual be aware of its main villain, this ghost memoir has held up lengthy previous when most households had a VCR. The premise is easy: There’s a tape that kills all americans who watches it within seven days. Equal substances execute mystery and ghost memoir, this gradual-burning fright traditional throws twists at you until its final minutes. As creepypasta begins to domesticate the campfire tales of a brand fresh generation, it’s good to ogle aid at The Ring as a precursor to the horrific urban legends to come. — JMB Ant-Man and the Wasp had the very now doubtless now not activity of following Avengers: Infinity Battle, and it wisely chose to enact its have ingredient as a replacement of attempting to 1-up Thanos. Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who’ve been on the escape from the FBI since the events of Captain The us: Civil Battle, have built a tunnel that can pick them into the Quantum Realm so that they’ll rescue a trapped Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer). Nonetheless they need a missing piece of the puzzle from Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who’s three days some distance from the stop of his house-arrest sentence. With quite loads of callbacks to the first Ant-Man, the visual and verbal gags basically land, and the motion scenes are enticing and pick elephantine profit of its landscape. Even supposing it doubtless won’t convert any viewers who aren’t alive to on its titular hero, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a stress-free and humorous movie that doesn’t overstay its welcome. —M.J. 31) Frances Ha Noah Baumbach is having an extremely prolific leisurely career—churning out Greenberg, The Squid and the Whale, Mistress The us, Margot on the Marriage ceremony, and Whereas We’re Young in an incredible decade-lengthy stretch. Proper by arrangement of that span, he moreover made Frances Ha, a riff on Annie Hall as considered by arrangement of the lens of Godard, Truffaut, and the masters of the French Novel Wave. Moderately than watching a couple slowly waft apart, Baumbach tracks the dissolution of a only friendship between Frances (Greta Gerwig, in her famous particular person-making just) and Sophie (Mickey Sumner). It’s no longer only an gorgeous Woody Allen homage but concept to be one of cinema’s only portraits of millennial disaffection so some distance. —N.L. 32) Monster Home Every neighborhood has that house: the one kids remark tales about, the one house that creeps out even the adults. Monster Home is ready that house—a apprehensive house coming to existence—and the trio of teenagers it terrorizes. Monster Home feels cherish an ’80s throwback, in the vein of one thing cherish The Goonies. It’s inventive, impartial a miniature spooky, and the animation appears large. Even better, this apprehensive house memoir is the extra or less family movie that adults will skills expedient as grand, if no longer extra, than kids, a mighty add to any family Netflix queue. —E.S. 33) Paris Is Us Elisabeth Vogler’s Paris Is Us follows Anna, a younger Parisian lady seeking actuality, official experiences, and one thing else that can tether her to other folks and the sphere. Feeling an rising sense of isolation, Anna questions all the pieces about actuality, from day after day experiences down as to whether she’s expedient dwelling in a simulation. Paris Is Us is pretentious and upright, and it won’t be for all americans. Vogler shoots the movie with a floating, fluid camera that creates indelible imagery and locations you in Anna’s headspace. It’s an immersive and odd skills. —E.S. Barry Jenkins’ Most sensible seemingly Image-a hit movie tells the memoir of Chiron in three substances as he grows up and is derived to terms with his sexuality and learning to be joyful in his have pores and skin. Chiron is a homosexual, Sunless man, and the movie’s focal point is narrow, but its topics are universal. The solid is great, including the three actors who play Chiron, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monae, and Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. Moonlight is idea to be one of many lowest-grossing Most sensible seemingly Image winners, that manner a ton of oldsters must eradicate up with it. —E.S. 35) She’s Gotta Luxuriate in It Dramatically deciding whether any person is upright or depraved for you is a total trope in the relationship world (and in romantic comedies), but having to impression a different from three other folks is one more memoir. Directed by Spike Lee, She’s Gotta Luxuriate in It follows Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) who is in the guts of picking between three men on utterly diversified ends of the persona spectrum. One man is a total narcissist, one more a controlling alpha male, and the third a afraid geek who appears basically the most proper. Darling’s activity of trial and mistake is slightly silly, but it moreover leads her to peep grand extra about herself than she knew sooner than. —Kristen Hubby - The single Netflix celebrated movies - 14 Netflix hacks that can commerce your existence - The single Netflix celebrated series - 15 Netflix celebrated documentaries worth watching tonight 36) Free Fire Sooner than Brie Larson grew to become a famous particular person with Captian Shock she honed her motion chops it this brilliantly ballistic crowd pleaser. 2016’s Free Fire is an motion-packed dark comedy about an fingers deal long gone depraved, leaving two rival gangs caught in a warehouse elephantine of weapons and grudges. Past Larson, the solid is easy bonkers, with Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, and Jack Reynor rounding out the sharply dressed crew of killers. Free Fire doesn’t spoil fresh flooring, but it reveals expedient how some distance impartial a miniature redesigning can hobble to tidy up a well-recognized concept. – JMB 37) The Screen of Zorro Within the pantheon of huge 90s movies, we humbly post that The Screen of Zorro is idea to be one of many uncommon reboots that in point of fact surpasses the flicks that impressed it. Antonio Banderas brings the swashbuckling masked vigilante to existence with boundless enchantment, injecting quite loads of humor into this motion packaged hit. This movie moreover served as concept to be one of Catherine Zeta-Jones’s first predominant main roles because the adopted daughter of Zorro’s nemesis. Paunchy of story sword fights, huge-scale battles, and romance The Screen of Zorro is an exhilarating address. – JMB One of basically the most favorable substances of the explosion in superhero movies over the final a long time is seeing filmmakers originate up to experiment with the style. Freaks is a minute indie movie with huge abominations that label themselves as a ideal mix of sci-fi and fright. 7-year-ragged Chloe by no manner leaves her house or her father’s aspect. The duo have barricaded themselves in their house in fear of Abnormals, superpowered those that threaten humanity’s existence. Nonetheless a seek recommendation from from a stranger opens Chloe’s eyes, and her entire world will come crashing down. – JMB 39) Dallas Shoppers Club As a movie about LGBTQ field matter, Dallas Shoppers Club leaves one thing to be desired. No longer only does it cross over substances of the right kind Ron Woodroof’s memoir, it fails to clearly account for whether Rayon, the movie’s 2nd lead, is transgender, a execrable-dresser, or identifies in a single more non-binary manner. The attach Dallas Shoppers Club does prevail is in its depiction of the AIDS disaster, stigmatization that came with an HIV-particular prognosis, and the some distance-reaching results it had in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto’s Oscar-a hit performances as Woodroof and Rayon, respectively, are moreover among the single of their careers (particularly in Leto’s case), and the route from Jean-Marc Vallée (Immense Tiny Lies) is resplendent. —C.O. Forty) Mr. Roosevelt In her directorial debut, Noel Wells (Grasp of None, SNL) plays Emily Martin, a struggling YouTube-infamous comic who hasty strikes aid to her fatherland of Austin and has to adjust to the fresh relationships around her—and the death of a cat. It’s a indulge in letter to a time and just, although no longer exactly a indulge in memoir. Emily is directionless, but her self-discovery involves some very relatable moments and a large Holly Hunter impression. —A.S. 41) Spring Breakers Team spirit Korine’s awful crime drama about a neighborhood of Four school ladies who defend a restaurant to fund a debauched spring spoil outing has come what would possibly hit Netflix. Starring susceptible Disney icons cherish Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez, Spring Breakers can’t opt out if it desires to be a serious movie or a trashy exploitation thriller. Happily that manner it’s packed elephantine of nudity, sex, and even one oddly hot threesome with the grossest James Franco you’ve ever considered. —John-Michael Bond forty two) A Futile and Tedious Gesture A Futile and Tedious Gesture, Netflix’s characteristic movie adaptation of Josh Karp’s 2006 e book of the identical identify, is an exploration of the introduction of humor mag Nationwide Lampoon and its odd-couple co-founders, Henry Beard (Domhnall Gleeson) and Doug Kenney (Will Forte), it’s removed sufficient from its Seventies origins to give fresh perception into its generational impression—and it moreover re-contextualizes satire in an generation littered with “pretend news.” —A.S. Forty three) The One I Cherish This low key sci-fi mindbender specializes in a couple (Angry Men’s Elisabeth Moss and Save Duplass) getting better than they bargained for in opposition to a weekend getaway. Moss and Duplass encounter clones of themselves, and the extra they work along with their alternates, the less trusty their relationship turns into. Because the twists and confusion elevate, the emotional stakes upward thrust and become extra spirited. It’s the extra or less movie that would have coasted on its frigid concept in lesser hands, but McDowell and author Justin Lader, with a stellar solid, concocted one thing that can linger after it’s over. If you happen to’re a fan of Shane Carruth’s high-browmindbenders, impression a whereas for Charlie McDowell’s directorial debut. — E.S. Forty Four) Pricey Ex Sooner than death, Seng Cheng-yuan came out as homosexual and left his wife, Liu San-lian, and son, Seng Cheng-hsi, so he would possibly maybe maybe also are dwelling with his boyfriend Chieh. With their lives already upended, Cheng-yuan’s death leaves his family wracked with grief. Pricey Ex is a darkly comedic ogle at three grieving other folks as they battle to derive their lives aid heading in the suitable route. The trusty writing, performing, and directing aid the movie come at some involving emotional truths. —E.S. Hush is an hourlong cuticle-ripper. The 2016 movie facilities on Maddie (Kate Siegel, who co-wrote the screenplay), a deaf and peaceful author who lives in a secluded cabin in the woods. And there’s a killer on the loose, carrying a creepy white cowl. This premise would possibly maybe maybe also sound awfully well-tread, but Hush upends the same outdated house-invasion thriller by letting us watch the threat (The Newsroom’s John Gallagher Jr.) unmasked, forcing the stress to impression as Maddie finds diversified programs to thwart his murderous advances. By immersing us in Maddie’s quiet world, the stress is even extra palpable, and the indisputable fact that she’s a author of fiction enables the movie to enlarge in some inventive directions, whilst her fate stays in doubt. —A.S. forty six) John Carter Few films in history had been as unfairly attacked as John Carter, a infamous box workplace bomb whose only crime used to be being marketed terribly by Disney. Primarily based utterly on Edgar R. Burrough’s John Carter of Mars, the movie tells the memoir of a Civil Battle outdated who awakens in the future on Mars. His quest for survival leads into warfare with the quite loads of alien cultures on Mars, and come what would possibly aid proper into a existence of warfare he tried to abandon. Superbly designed and brimming with thrilling motion John Carter is a sci-fi motion extravaganza that deserves a 2nd ogle. – JMB 47) The Interview With the upright actors, a large script, and a proficient director a movie doesn’t need enormous locations to be beautiful. Within the case of The Interview, it in point of fact only wants one room. A man is pulled out of his mattress by cops and thrown in an interrogation room. They remark him they mediate he stole a automobile. Nonetheless the police’s questions defend meandering to other subject matters, and rapidly it turns into sure there are other crimes they’re having a explore into. The Interview is an exhilarating, gradually chilling ogle into banal adversarial. Hugo Weaving will be only known as Mr. Smith in The Matrix, but that is his scariest villain. – JMB 48) The Ip Man Trilogy Donnie Yen (who audiences will acknowledge because the blind warrior Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One) stars in the trilogy of biographical martial arts films as accurate-existence Soar Chun master Ip Man, who come what would possibly grew to become Bruce Lee’s instructor. The first movie specializes in events that happened in opposition to the Sino-Eastern Battle, the 2nd movie follows Ip after he opened a Soar Chun school in Hong Kong, whereas the third featured a younger Bruce Lee (played by Danny Chan) going to Ip’s Soar Chun school to study martial arts. Whereas the fights are excellently choreographed and carried out, it’s the emotional memoir that brings it house. —M.J. forty 9) Inexperienced Room If you happen to loved Blue Kill, you would maybe maybe maybe additionally easy confirm out author-director Jeremy Saulnier’s practice-up, Inexperienced Room. A punk band, led by the leisurely Anton Yelchin, stumbles all the arrangement by arrangement of one thing they shouldn’t watch and finally ends up trapped in a venue in the guts of nowhere. Did I uncover that the club is escape by neo-Nazis? Smartly, it is, and the Nazis are led by Patrick Stewart. The band has to battle its manner out, and that’s about it for region summary. The movie is violent and extremely disturbing, and the filmmaking and storytelling are as lean, muscular, and vicious as an attack canines. —E.S. The Incredible Jessica James opens on one thing many of us are all too accustomed to: a very awful Tinder date. Jessica Williams plays an aspiring playwright, working by arrangement of her failures in Novel York. She’s no longer above stalking her ex on Instagram or mendacity to her of us. Nonetheless Williams provides us a performance that reminds us that we’re all human and that falling down is no longer one thing to be ashamed of. Within the plot, she breathes existence into the drained rom-com style. —Sarah Jasmine 1st viscount montgomery of alamein - The 12 only ’90s movies on Netflix, in step with the critics - The single upright crime to binge on Netflix - The single documentaries on Netflix 51) Sound asleep with Other Of us As grand because it will probably probably maybe maybe also seem cherish Sound asleep with Other Of us is attempting to be an “edgy” romantic comedy from the trailer, it’s in point of fact a trusty celebrated-bearer for the style. Written and directed by Bachelorette’s Leslye Headland and starring Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis, this time-honored memoir about two other folks who’ve known every other since school but can’t derive out of their very have manner to be collectively is When Harry Met Sally for the Instagram generation. It does have about a raunchy moments, but total is manner extra sweet than salty. —C.O. fifty two) Mudbound Tailored by Rees and co-author Virgil Williams from Hillary Jordan’s fresh, Mudbound traces the tales of two families in opposition to WWII, one white, one dark. They intersect when the McAllan clan buys the farm the Jackson family has labored on as sharecroppers for years. It’s worth watching Mudbound for its devastating ending by myself. It’s very now doubtless to now not stammer that Hollywood is most attention-grabbing for taking a large gamble on filmmakers cherish Dee Rees and tales cherish this. —C.O. fifty three) 1922 There’s but any other Stephen King adaptation touchdown on Netflix, and this one involves rats and execute. In Zak Hilditch’s pick, Thomas Jane plays Wilfred James, a Nebraska farmer who has a disaster of judgment of appropriate and unsuitable when wife Arlette (Molly Parker) says she desires to switch to the city and pick their teenage son. What follows is a signature King ghost memoir but it expands in Jane’s dead-eyed portrayal of Wilfred. Mike Patton provides the terror-inducing soundtrack, and it couldn’t had been a better different. —A.S. Fifty four) Wheelman Wheelman stars Frank Grillo as an acceptable getaway driver who finds himself with $200,000 in his trunk and some very awful other folks on his tail after a financial institution job goes pear-fashioned. Staged virtually entirely in opposition to the confines of the auto, Wheelman blends an intense neo-noir storyline with a gritty, charismatic lead performance by Grillo. More French Connection than The Like a flash and the Mad, Wheelman is a lumber well worth taking. —David Wharton Fifty five) Hell or Excessive Water Within the oppressive heat of West Texas a pair of desperate brothers opt to defend banks in an effort to repay their mortgage. It’s a easy notion and one who would also work if weren’t for the Texas Rangers on their heel or one brother’s reckless dispositions. Hell or Excessive Water is a movie that lives in the miniature moments: Out-of-towners being schooled by an ragged waitress, brothers sharing a meal, companions bantering, and cops and robbers having standoffs. There’s a motive this movie grew to become a sleeper hit on the box workplace and scored a slew of Academy Awards nominations. Times will be tricky for the characters, but the viewers reaps the advantages. —E.S. When Lisa, a instructor frustrated with her existence, discovers concept to be one of her students, Parker, has a skills for poetry, she takes a particular curiosity in him. Because it turns into sure to her that no one else values his gift as grand as she does, she turns into obsessed. Her resolution to nurture Parker’s skills leads her down a miserable direction. Maggie Gyllenhaal provides a huge performance as Lisa, and author-director Sara Colangelo makes a trusty impression with tricky fabric. —E.S. fifty seven) The Hateful Eight Prolonged, bloody, and shamelessly self-indulgent, The Hateful Eight is peak Tarantino. The memoir facilities on two bounty hunters and a prisoner who pick refuge one night with a neighborhood of 5 other suspicious characters in a Wyoming haberdashery to derive away a blizzard. Pasts are explored, secrets and tactics are unveiled, and rapidly our bodies originate up to topple. Tarantino’s mix of provocation and exploitation doesn’t work besides right here because it does in about a of his other films, and the three-hour runtime makes it a tricky take a seat, even in case you saw the roadshow model that contained an intermission. Nonetheless the movie appears improbable, shot on 70mm by cinematographer Robert Richardson, and it elements a career-high performance from Jennifer Jason Leigh as infamous criminal Daisy Domergue. Nonetheless the single segment of The Hateful Eight hands down is its receive, for which composer Ennio Morricone won a grand previous due Oscar. —C.O. 58) Lupin the 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro Launched in 1979, The Castle of Cagliostro is severely diversified from Hayao Miyazaki’s extra infamous works at Studio Ghibli. Whereas he went on to impression other adaptations cherish Howl’s Shifting Castle, Cagliostro is basically segment of a grand broader franchise. It belongs to the anime/manga series about Lupin III, a master thief impressed by the early 20th-century literary personality Arsène Lupin. His adventures topple somewhere between Sherlock Holmes and comedy heist capers, with The Castle of Cagliostro following Lupin as he tracks down the foundation of some false money. (Money that he stole, naturally.) —G.B.W. Fifty 9) The Region Past the Pines Even supposing no longer as totally soul-crushing as his breakout movie, Blue Valentine, director Derek Cianfrance’s The Region Past the Pines is easy a tour de force in disappointment. Telling three diversified tales over two generations, Pines is a movie about the bond between fathers and son and how the picks we impression resonate well into the long hotfoot. Even supposing it falls attempting its story ambitions, the movie is a large throwback to the gritty American dramas of the Seventies—now to now not uncover the uncommon “guy cry” movie, i.e. it has motion but will moreover assign you alive to with your emotions. Co-lead Bradley Cooper is lovely in the movie’s 2nd fragment, but the movie by no manner rather gets over Ryan Gosling’s towering performance in the first. As a carnival awful boy expert in bike stunts, Gosling (reteaming with Cianfrance right here following the success of Valentine) is the tattooed coronary heart of gold on the guts of this image. —C.O. 60) 6 Balloons In Marja-Lewis Ryan’s 6 Balloons, one lengthy night checks the boundaries of compassion. It tells the memoir of Katie (Huge City’s Abbi Jacobson) a lady who’s attempting to devise a surprise birthday event for her boyfriend. Nonetheless because the day goes on she collides with her brother Seth (Dave Franco), a heroin addict who’s the utilization of again. “The loneliness inner these dark moments is virtually extra crippling… no longer being in a situation to focus on the issues; no longer luminous the attach to focus on,” Ryan tells the On a typical foundation Dot. “If this isn’t your memoir, then maybe you would maybe maybe maybe assemble impartial a miniature empathy for oldsters who are experiencing this. And if it is your memoir, with rather of luck, you would maybe maybe maybe feel moderately less lonely.” 6 Balloons is intensely grand about center-class addiction, in step with a identical night Ryan’s only friend (and the movie’s co-producer) Samantha Housman skilled: Her brother, a lawyer, used to be addicted to heroin. —A.S. sixty one) To Your entire Boys I’ve Loved Sooner than To Your entire Boys I’ve Loved Sooner than grew to become a elephantine–blown Web sensation upon its release final August. And to be upright, it doubtless desires to be. No longer only is it a humorous, bright rom-com with particular representation in the vein of Loopy Affluent Asians and Netflix’s other fresh additions to the style, it’s moreover a savvy replace on the conventional template assign forth by John Hughes. For these of you proceed to no longer in the know, the movie is determined in motion when the non-public letters of high-schooler Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) are unleashed upon the sphere, and despatched to all her secret crushes. To duvet her tracks, she makes a pact with hunky lacrosse player and fresh Web boyfriend Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) designed to to aid defend both of their social standings. As you would maybe maybe maybe additionally’ve guessed, issues don’t hobble as deliberate. Cue viewers swooning. —C.O. sixty two) Y Tu Mamá También Help in the days when video stores were easy a ingredient, I rented Y Tu Mamá También on a recommendation from a friend, no longer luminous what it used to be about. Given that it had “Mama” in the title, I figured that supposed it used to be family-proper and invited my mother to eye it with me. (Minimize me some slack; I used to be 14 and in point of fact, in point of fact insensible.)If you happen to’re accustomed to the region of Y Tu Mamá También, you’re wide awake that call used to be a large mistake: The 2001 Mexican-space drama is ready a steamy indulge in triangle between Tenoch (Diego Luna); his only friend, Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal); and his cousin’s wife, Luisa (Maribel Verdú), who is death of most cancers. She accepts an invite with them to switch on a avenue outing to ogle a secret beach known as “Heaven’s Mouth,” and their dart hasty turns proper into a tangled mess of erotic fantasy. The humorous ingredient is that both my mother and I stopped up adoring it—although for extraordinarily diversified causes. She loved how boisterous Alfonso Cuarón’s Oscar-nominated screenplay used to be (loaded with waggish, scatological banter between carmates), and I loved the movie’s sexual politics, with the movie space in opposition to a time of governmental and social upheaval. It’s some distance a time in Mexican society when Tenoch and Julio’s homosexual male friends have boyfriends, which makes the pair’s have erotic encounter the total extra awful.—N.L. Sixty three) Nationwide Fancy The sector elephantine of motion movies, but the journey style is mostly drowned out by machine gunfights or large-powered battles. Happily there’s Nationwide Fancy, a family-proper adventure around the sphere in a drag in opposition to adversarial to assign history. Gash Cage stars as Ben Gates, a historian and cherish hunter who’s must defend the Declaration of Independence from greedy criminals. If you happen to’ve continuously daydreamed of a The attach in the World is Carmen SanDiego movie, that is your only wager. -JMB Sixty Four) Step Brothers Step Brothers is an immaculate comedy that doesn’t lose any luster regardless of how gradually you’ve considered it. Dale (John C. Reilly) and Brennan (Will Ferrell) would possibly maybe maybe also easy have ended the escape of developmentally arrested white guy characters in a expedient world. Who wants only friends whilst you happen to can pause in and eye Step Brothers any time you want? —E.S. Sixty 5) Mustang Island At the beginning up of Craig Elrod’s dark-and-white indie drama, Invoice (Macon Blair) has been dumped, and he’s no longer taking it well. He enlists his brother and friend to trace up for him on a avenue outing to the South Texas flit to aid derive her aid, but for sure, issues hobble astoundingly depraved. Some very dark comedy is drawn from their foibles, but Mustang Island moreover drives house the importance of having other folks for your existence who derive you. —A.S. sixty six) Below the Shadow In 1980s Tehran, in opposition to the Battle of the Cities, a mother and daughter pause huddled up in their house as their city is bombarded by missiles. The historical fright and PTSD-inducing sights of rockets cracking roofs desires to be terrifying sufficient, but then an adversarial spirit takes curiosity in the miniature lady and issues hobble from awful to worse. Directed by Iranian-born Babak Anvari, Below the Shadow deals with the social disorders of a lady’s just in a fundamentalist Muslim society as grand because it does demonic forces. –J.M.B. Sixty seven) The Meyerowitz Tales (Novel and Chosen) Noah Baumbach has efficiently usurped Woody Allen’s title because the ideal dwelling director of Novel York comedies. His most in style indulge in letter to the Immense Apple is available in the map of The Merowitz Tales (Novel and Chosen), a thoughtful meditation on the venture of letting the distress brought about by a guardian hobble. Dustin Hoffman’s Harold Meyerowitz is an getting outdated sculptor, largely overpassed in his time. His teenagers, played respectively by Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and Elizabeth Shock, are all semi-dysfunctional, thanks to Harold’s over or below-alive to parenting. As a comedy, it for sure isn’t a laugh rebel, but it absolutely leaves an impression. —C.O. sixty eight) The Shawshank Redemption Viewed right this moment as a in style traditional, The Shawshank Redemption bombed on the box workplace but fortunately easy got an Oscar nomination for Most sensible seemingly Image. Sentenced to existence in penal advanced for the execute of his wife, unassuming banker Andy Dufresne expedient desires to enact his time and pause out of the style. No matter his only efforts, distress and friendship receive him in the aid of bars, changing the lives of his fellow cellmates both within and exterior the penal advanced walls. Primarily based utterly on a Stephen King novella, The Shawshank Redemption is a feel-beautiful movie from the thoughts of a fright master. — JMB sixty 9) Neruda Director Pablo Larraín has described Neruda as an “anti-bio” of the poet Pablo Neruda. Indeed, the movie, which stars Luis Gnecco as Neruda and Gael García Bernal as a cop on his lumber, plays with biography and fiction, famous particular person and politics. Neruda lived in attention-grabbing cases and Larraín plays up the parties and speeches in resplendent ingredient, balanced out by a noirish sport of cat-and-mouse. —A.S. Perceive You The day outdated to this stars Eden Duncan-Smith as CJ, a science prodigy who invents a pair of time-touring backpacks with her friend Sebastian (Dante Crichlow). When a police officer kills any person shut to them, they must spend time dart to assign him without screwing up the timeline. The movie’s zany humor and colorful well-behaved pick cues from Help to the Future and Invoice & Ted, and Duncan-Smith provides a charismatic breakout performance, smoothly involving between youthful banter and the surprising shock of grief. deal extra thoughtful than your life like Netflix celebrated movie, Perceive You The day outdated to this marks Bristol and Duncan-Smith as ones to eye. —G.B.W. Seventy one) Ex Machina Author-director Alex Garland is idea to be one of many single sci-fi minds in the movie industry upright now. He favors heady tales that persist with you, and his debut in the aid of the camera isn’t any diversified. Ex Machina is a disturbing, claustrophobic movie about the ethics and barriers of man made intelligence, and the catastrophic penalties if obvious lines are crossed. Apart from launching basically the most well-preferred movie gif of 2014 (Oscar Isaac’s pink-light dance number), the movie established Garland as a directorial force. —E.S. Seventy two) The Matrix Trilogy Significantly? Conclude you severely need me to remark you how beautiful The Matrix is? The arrangement it’s the Wachowskis’ most sublimely cerebral, gloriously uncommon, well-carried out work ever? The arrangement it changed the face of Hollywood, atmosphere the gold celebrated for sci-fi and motion movies for years to come? How Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss created about a of basically the most iconic movie characters of all time? The arrangement it’s the movie that makes you hobble, “Whoa”? Significantly, enact I’ve to remark you all that? If the acknowledge is definite, I expedient, I will’t with you. Salvage out of right here, hobble eye this movie already. —C.O. Paddleton follows Andy and Michael, two only friends who must grapple with Michael’s prognosis of terminal most cancers. The 2 men follow their routine, which involves watching kung fu movies and playing their made up sport called Paddleton. Save Duplass and Ray Romano give terrific performances in the main roles, taking pictures what it manner to be a friend, even though their characters have a exhausting time expressing themselves. Paddleton is a minute, intimate movie that’s both humorous and unhappy without ever changing into overly sentimental. —E.S. - The single Netflix celebrated series - 8 Netflix celebrated docuseries all americans would possibly maybe maybe also easy watch - 15 Netflix celebrated documentaries worth watching tonight - The single Netflix celebrated movies seventy Four) The Stranger Even supposing he’ll continuously be only-known for Citizen Kane, serious cinephiles would possibly maybe maybe also easy moreover impression an effort to confirm out Orson Welles’ less infamous works. This movie, from 1946, stars Edward G. Robinson as a warfare crimes investigator hunting down a susceptible Nazi (Welles) dwelling below an assumed identification in Connecticut. It’s attention-grabbing to ogle Robinson, infamous for portraying onscreen gangsters, ostensibly playing the beautiful guy right here. The Oscar-nominated script, which involves contributions from an uncredited John Huston, is moreover elephantine of huge dialog. —C.O. seventy five) Kung Fu Hustle Steven Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle isn’t in step with an anime, but it’s the closest we’ll ever come to experiencing a Dragon Ball Z or One Punch Man battle on veil. This legend of hubris and surprising energy specializes in a warfare between the residents of a slum and the brutal Ax Gang. At the guts is Speak, a loser con man who dreams of becoming a member of the team in the future. Explaining extra would give away the single gags in this hysterical comedy-motion hit, but don’t let that idiot you. The fights listed right here are expedient as mad as one thing else you’ve ever considered. – JMB seventy six) Repeatedly Be My Maybe In Repeatedly Be My Maybe, childhood only friends Sasha and Marcus reconnect in their fatherland of San Francisco after going 15 years without uttering a observe to 1 one more. Each person—including Sasha and Marcus—continuously concept maybe they would maybe maybe also stop up collectively, but 15 years later, the 2 are dwelling conflicting existence. The embrace of the “two only friends topple in indulge in” region makes it feel cherish a accurate away traditional—but moreover formulaic. Essentially the most modern segment of Repeatedly Be My Maybe is its normalization of two Asian-People playing the leads in a romantic comedy, making it a indulge in letter to in style Asian-American culture without turning all of its characters into stereotypes. As predicted, Wong and Park lift quite loads of chemistry to the movie, making it very now doubtless to now not root for any ending that doesn’t lift Sasha and Marcus collectively. —T.C. seventy seven) Candyman The ’90s were an odd decade for fright. Whereas classics cherish Bawl have held a just in our hearts for his or her scrumptious revivalism, for some distance of the final decade fright lived in an odd limbo. The style used to be unloved and underfunded by studios, leaving a quite loads of unrealized beautiful solutions on the table. Candyman is an exception to that concept—a sensible, brutal legend of apprehension that tickles all of your fright wants whether you’re a gore fan or merely need a ghost to spook you. Following a grad scholar, as she tries to impart the upright memoir in the aid of an urban myth, Candyman lays down the identical connective tissue to right this moment’s creepypasta myths as The Ring does. The adaptation is the style Candyman draws attention to urban blight along the direction to its blood-spattered conclusion. Add in an even receive by avant-garde composer Philip Glass, and also you’ve got got concept to be one of many underrated inventive gore fests in fright history. —J.M.B. seventy eight) Sunday’s Illness In Sunday’s Illness, the uncooked emotions between a mother and the daughter she deserted 35 years in the past are on elephantine show as they use 10 days collectively, displaying what would possibly maybe maybe also had been and what’s going to by no manner be with painstaking beauty. Mom Anabel (Susi Sánchez) and daughter Chiara (Bárbara Lennie) consistently push and pull at one one more even after they aren’t in every other’s orbit. Sunday’s Illness would possibly maybe maybe also have taken its concept proper into quite loads of directions with the backdrop—and impeccable cinematography—of an remoted house positioned on a wooded mountain that helps space the tone. Instead, the movie goes down a extra emotional and every so gradually unhappy direction, climaxing in a profoundly existence-changing skills. Luxuriate in the snapshots we watch, we’re left questioning what it will probably probably maybe maybe also all tell. —M.J. Seventy 9) The Stanford Penal advanced Experiment The Stanford Penal advanced Experiment takes the awful 1971 peep on perceived energy by Stanford professor Philip Zimbardo and turns it into one thing cherish a psychological thriller. Starring a who’s who of younger Hollywood actors, led by Billy Crudup playing Zimbardo, the movie recounts the disturbing events of the experiment by stretching them out in a gradual, painful burn. Primarily based utterly on footage from the right kind peep, it feels cherish director Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s fictionalized model took painstaking ingredient. —C.O. No longer The Room, expedient Room. Tumble the “The” and commerce Tommy Wiseau for the infinitely extra charming Brie Larson. Room is in step with the bestselling Emma Donahue fresh of the identical identify and it’s about a lady who used to be kidnapped and has spent 5 years dwelling in a room with her son. It’s for sure harrowing, but the movie opens up in the 2nd 1/2 when mom and son (Jacob Tremblay, doing impartial a miniature trusty kid performing) pick up their freedom. It’s an emotional gauntlet, but one who is worth going by arrangement of for Larson’s Oscar-a hit work. —EE.S. eighty one) Amy Amy Winehouse stands as concept to be one of basically the most tragic figures in the history of in style pop tune. Blessed with the insist of an angel, and cursed with the demons to compare, Winehouse came aid from a slightly a hit debut called Frank to space the pop charts on fireplace with Help to Sunless. Her songs were tinged with dark humor that belied a substance abuse reveal, which come what would possibly resulted in her death in July of 2011. Amy is a heartbreaking portrait of an artist wrestling with success and the penalties of having too grand, too rapid. —J.M.B. eighty two) Molly’s Sport From 2004 to 20013 Molly Bloom ran unlawful poker games for prime rollers in Los Angeles and Novel York that drew in all americans from celebs cherish Tobey Maguire to Russian gangsters. Her reign on the head came crashing down when she used to be arrested as segment of a racketeering investigation. At the age of 35, Bloom used to be coping with 10 years in penal advanced and an empty checking legend. Aaron Sorkin and Jessica Chastain crew up for this of hilarious, every so gradually terrifying, exploration of the sphere of underground gambling. – JMB Eighty three) Our Souls at Evening Louis Waters (Robert Redford) has lived a tranquil existence since his wife’s death years sooner than. Then one night his neighbor, Addie (Jane Fonda), herself a widow of a long time, knocks on his door with a easy proposal: “Would you cherish to sleep with me?” Our Souls at Evening would possibly maybe maybe be worth watching even though it used to be expedient to ogle Redford and Fonda working collectively again, but fortunately, it moreover serves as a gradual reminder that it’s by no manner too leisurely to receive indulge in. Once in a whereas you expedient must derive out of your comfort zone and knock on some doors. —D.W. eighty Four) Someone Mountainous When Rolling Stone calls, aspiring tune journalist Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) knows she has to acknowledge to—even though it manner involving all the arrangement by arrangement of the country to San Francisco and jeopardizing her relationship with Nate (Lakeith Stanfield), her boyfriend of 9 years. Someone Mountainous is a coming-of-age memoir about transitioning out of your twenties and announcing goodbye to other folks and areas that no longer belong for your existence. The coronary heart-wrenching and relatable movie challenges its viewers with the root that every so gradually, the single decision for your self is the hardest one to impression. —T.C. eighty five) Five Parts Ninja Park Kung Fu traditional, segment splatter masterpiece, Five Parts Ninja is an ultra-violent Martial Arts traditional. After his martial arts school is massacred by a rival dojo, a younger warrior gadgets out for revenge in opposition to ninjas who harness the energy of the substances. In actual fact a hasty escalating series of advanced fights, Five Parts Ninja is stuffed with wonders cherish ninja bushes, underwater ninjas, golden solar ninjas, underground ninjas, and every other ninja you’ve ever wanted to ogle. Correct be ready to ogle the blood flee. -JMB 86) The Edge of Seventeen Author-director Kelly Fremoon Craig’s The Edge of Seventeen is idea to be one of many strongest filmmaker debuts of the outdated couple of years. It’s a coming-of-age memoir that facilities on Hailey Steinfeld’s Nadine, an ungainly teen who can’t pause making issues extra awkward. (Is there every other extra or less teen?) No matter Nadine’s fumbling, the movie is de facto about a family struggling in the aftermath of a tragedy. It doesn’t afraid some distance from displaying the uglier aspects of the characters, and it by no manner condemns or condones them. The Edge of Seventeen is come what would possibly about being joyful sufficient with your self to label that you simply aren’t the single one with concerns. —E.S. 87) Nefarious Me Planning to derive the moon isn’t any minute activity, even for an skilled supervillain cherish Gru. Appropriate as he’s about to pull off the heist of a lifetime, Gru finds himself the unwilling host to three younger orphan ladies in search of a father. There aren’t sufficient teenagers’s films with beautiful villains, and Nefarious Me’s depiction of the nuances of a foul guy impression it one thing special. Moreover, in case you simply know Minions from disturbing memes, you deserve a large gamble to topple in indulge in with the miniature yellow devils for accurate. – JMB 88) Casa de mi Padre The Western-comedy is a well to derive subgenre in opposition to the Western style as a total. Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, shall we embrace, is idea to be one of many single American comedies of all time. There haven’t been rather about a offerings in this custom right this moment, and these now we have gotten (The Ridiculous 6, A Million Suggestions to Die in the West) had been no longer up to stellar. That’s what makes Will Ferrell’s Casa de mi Padre, from 2012, such a memorable outlier. As grand a send-up of/tribute to telenovela cliches as Western ones, this memoir of a rancher (Ferrell) who goes up in opposition to a drug lord is told entirely in Spanish, with English subtitles. In an even little bit of casting, the movie co-stars Y Tu Mamá También’s Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, and used to be co-written and directed by Andrew Steele and Matt Piedmont, who’ve made a career of dissecting style tropes on the IFC reveals The Spoils of Babylon, The Spoils Sooner than Demise, and the Lifetime celebrated movie A Deadly Adoption. —C.O. 89) Crimson Rain Prince cemented himself as concept to be one of many 80s biggest stars with Crimson Rain, a 1984 rock musical/cultural match that’s easy melting hearts right this moment. Prince stars as The Baby, the younger frontman of Minneapolis’ The Revolution. His house existence is hell, but on the stage he’s a god, but can The Baby receive salvation in his tune sooner than the sphere destroys his dream. Sexual, campy to an incredible level, and overflowing with traditional tune, Crimson Rain is the same outdated all rock musicals desires to be judged by. – JMB 90) The Invitation If you happen to ignored 2016’s twisty The Invitation, you’re no longer by myself. Nonetheless you’re moreover in for a address. Karyn Kusama’s thriller about a neighborhood of friends at a dinner event is simplistic in premise but proper in execution. It’s a movie so intimate, so completely claustrophobic, you’ll feel, virtually cherish the characters in the movie, trapped by a extra or less relentless dread whereas watching it. Because the region unfurls and the event stretches on, secrets and tactics and ulterior motives are printed, the total style up to a breathtaking climax. Intense because the skills is, you would maybe maybe maybe additionally straight must eye it again, if no longer on legend of it’s large then on the least to impression particular you bought all the pieces. —C.O. ninety one) I Am Mom Region in a post-apocalyptic bunker, I Am Mom is a sensible thriller about a lady named Daughter (Clara Rugaard) who used to be raised from beginning by a robotic named Mom (Rose Byrne) after a mysterious plague wiped out the Earth’s population. Daughter’s mild existence gets upended when a human survivor (Hilary Swank) arrives from exterior the bunker, main Daughter to quiz what other lies Mom has been telling. I Am Mom is a twisty, self-contained sci-fi drama that explores wider topics with a minute solid, sparing the refined world-constructing and merely giving Rugaard and Swank quite loads of attention-grabbing fabric. —G.B.W. Ninety two) Oasis: Supersonic Oasis: Supersonic paperwork how brilliance, arrogance, substance abuse, and impartial a miniature luck propelled a minute rock band from Manchester, England to the stadiums they easy play right this moment. If you happen to miss VH1’s Within the aid of the Music, Supersonic has the total juicy in the aid of the scenes chaos you would maybe maybe maybe additionally ever need. —JMB ninety three) Moon Moon is idea to be one of many single sci-fi movies of the twenty first century. Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell, an astronaut working a solo mission on the moon. Along with his assignment nearing its stop, Sam finds out that his replacement is… himself. The extra Sam tries to opt out the upright nature of his work, and himself, the extra his world upends. This is the single work of Rockwell’s career, and he has a blast playing quite loads of variations of his personality. Director and co-author Duncan Jones delivered a top-tier debut with Moon, and the resourceful filmmaking marked him as a gleaming fresh insist. Nonetheless that is Rockwell’s show, and he crushes it. —E.S. ninety four) Okja Bong Joon-ho’s Okja is an odd and oddly touching memoir about a lady, Mija, and her genetically enhanced superpig, Okja. Region in Korea and the U.S., Okja elements a various solid, thrilling space objects, and sufficient emotional moments to defend you engaged even when the movie indulges its more moderen elements. No matter the movie’s tonal shifts, Joon-ho’s agility and prowess as a filmmaker ties all the pieces collectively and makes it feel if a bit. Okja is without concerns the single Netflix celebrated movie so some distance. —E.S. Ninety five) To the Bone It goes to be exhausting to convince your self to take a seat down down for a harrowing memoir about a younger lady’s battle with anorexia. No matter To the Bone’s dour field matter, Marti Noxon’s script has sufficient humor to behave as a release valve, and it’s concept to be one of many single movies on Netflix. The performances from lead actress Lily Collins to supporting gamers Alex Engrossing, Keanu Reeves, Retta, and Lily Tomlin are large. The memoir is in step with Noxon’s previous experiences and that comes by arrangement of in the intimate and empathetic manner she takes. —E.S. ninety six) I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore Ennui, violation, ham-fisted vengeance: It all comes collectively in Macon Blair’s directorial debut, starring Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wooden as two amateur detectives in search of justice in a world long gone mad. It’s concept to be one of many single movies on Netflix and odd to the carrier. —A.S. ninety seven) The Evening Comes for Us This Indonesian motion extravaganza follows Ito (Joe Taslim), a mercenary for the Southeast Asian Triad who decides to leave his brutal standard of living. Nonetheless he hasty finds out that there are usually now not any orderly getaways and all the pieces has a mark. With the entire Triad out to derive him, Ito must battle for his freedom and existence. Author-director Timo Tjahjanto delivers a raucous two hours elephantine of intricate motion scenes both tall and intimate in scale. This movie is a must-await someone who likes motion movies and doesn’t thoughts impartial a miniature (or plenty) of bloodshed. —E.S. 98) Evident Baby A younger comic’s existence gets thrown for a loop when she turns into pregnant. No longer in a situation to derive away with dwelling existence casually, Donna (Jenny Slate) must confront her fresh actuality and impression grand picks, including whether to struggle by arrangement of with getting an abortion. The style author-director Gillian Robespierre navigates grand fabric gadgets the movie apart. There is a romantic subplot to Donna’s memoir, which the movie moreover deals with in a thoughtful and favorable manner, but that is extra of dramedy with a romance than a stereotypical rom-com. No matter, on legend of Evident Baby is expedient an attractive movie whatever the style you classify it. —E.S. ninety 9) Austin Powers: The Survey Who Shagged Me Falling in indulge in with Austin Powers again didn’t pick grand, expedient a ten-year spoil from all americans asking “enact I impression you involving infant?” Now with its catchphrases blissfully in the previous, it’s time to revisit the gloriously uncommon world of Austin Powers. The Survey Who Shagged Me is idea to be one of many uncommon instances the attach a comedy’s sequel is most attention-grabbing than the celebrated. With a sharper script, better space objects, and the introduction of Verne Troyer’s improbable Mini Me, The Survey Who Shagged Me is the series’ high point. – JMB A hundred) The Spectacular Now Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is the king of his high school, and he’s committed to partying his manner by arrangement of the comfort of senior year. That is until his lady friend Cassidy (Brie Larson) dumps him for his or her class president. Sutter goes on a bender and wakes up in the front yard of his classmate Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley), whose identify he doesn’t even know. The 2 come from reverse worlds, but that doesn’t pause them from falling exhausting for every other. Correct to its title, The Spectacular Now is a candid, heartfelt movie about abandoning your reservations and picking to indulge in your existence in the moment, on legend of that’s all you’ve got. —B.R. |Identical outdated||$12.ninety 9| |Top charge||$15.ninety 9| Need extra solutions? Right here are our Netflix guides for the only warfare movies, documentaries, anime, indie flicks, upright crime, food reveals, gangster movies, Westerns, and movies in step with upright tales streaming upright now. There are moreover unhappy movies assured to impression you cry, uncommon movies to soften your mind, and standup specials whilst you happen to in point of fact must laugh. Or confirm out Flixable, a search engine for Netflix. Editor’s demonstrate: This memoir is mostly updated for relevance.

Give the child loads of help, and probably a library book that explains totally different orientations in a factual, accepting method. Don’t worry about it too much; everything is pretty innocent throughout childhood, and with love and assist, the kid will determine things out. Pansexual is you are attracted based on personality quite than gender. Pansexuals are usually interested in most if not the entire gender spectrum. Pansexual is common; you do not thoughts relationship any gender and that included non-binary. A person with out outlined sexual parameters is dangerous and unstable in society’s eyes as a outcome of they can’t easily be monetised. Tick the box that says “gay” or “straight”, “single” or “married”, and you’ve got placed yourself in a category as a customer. The time period since advanced and started gaining traction within the Nineties in relation to growing activism and consciousness of non-binary and genderqueer identities. The web presence of the term, in accordance with Google Trends, started in 2007, following shortly after ‘genderqueer’. If you’re thinking “what if I’m both?” you are not alone; some folks determine as BiPan . Words used to explain one’s gender can embody male, female, man, girl, nonbinary, queer, genderqueer, genderfluid, and more. Race, shade, faith, national origin, sex , age, incapacity, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, previous or present army service, or any other standing protected by the laws or regulations in the places the place we function. Â Pansexuals may be in relationships with individuals who don’t classify themselves as purely male or female. Â All sexual orientation and preferences in between are coated when talking concerning the feelings of attraction concerned in being pansexual. Â For this very reason, pansexuality can additionally be referred to as the identical with polysexuality wherein the attraction entails multiple sexes. Â In uncommon events, pansexuality can also be utilized to organizations that look like gender-equal in phrases of their hiring or employment insurance policies. Â A pansexual organization for example simply implies that it’s open to staff regardless of sex or gender. One of those misconceptions is that bisexuality reinforces the gender binary, or that bisexual people only date cis people. Another common perception is that bi individuals are drawn to solely 2 genders. “It is completely completely different from gender id, which refers to how someone identifies their very own gender.” “Pansexuals are typically people who find themselves sexual with out regard for gender,” says Masini. Bisexuality doesn’t put emphasis on the attention and recognition of different sexual and gender identities aside from female and https://beccapiastrelli.com/talk-to-women/ male sexes. It solely emphasizes on its inclinations in path of the two universally and usually accepted gender identities of women and men. However, pansexuality promotes the awareness of other less famous gender identities and sexualities. Bisexual people are able to having intimate relationships with either of the 2 genders. It’s important to remember that whereas this sassy character has a fruitful and healthy intercourse life, each pansexual individual is different, so her journey can’t be held as a mould https://bestadulthookup.com/xcams-review/ for other pansexuals. For occasion, many would level out that her relationship with three cis men, while still leaving her as a pansexual, doesn’t show the complete breadth of what it means to be pansexual. If you finish up fantasizing about being with somebody of your own gender, likelihood is you, on some stage, want to experience it firsthand. The connection between Cable and Deadpool has been the source of much hypothesis . For some couples, it means pursuing a dedicated additional associate. All of those might fall loosely underneath the umbrella of getting an open marriage or relationship. An open marriage or open relationship could be many various things depending on whom you ask. For some people, it means they by no means become exclusive partners with anybody and date and have interaction in sexual exercise freely. Coming out as pansexual—or any orientation that is not heterosexual—can evoke a broad range of feelings for the individual who is coming out. Those on the opposite side of the controversy believe that having it in a guide for mental well being problems perpetuates the stigmatization of transgender and nonbinary people. For now, there are many sources obtainable online and interviews of individuals who have been courageous enough to return out and can address what being pansexual means for them. For instance, although it is mentioned within the context of different LGBT publications and boards, it’s not broadly accepted by everybody locally. Many bi sexual people really feel the implication of a pansexual identification makes bisexuality seem far more closed off than it’s. Many folks disagree about whether to determine as bisexual or pansexual. Pansexuality refers again to the status of getting a sexual or romantic attraction to folks regardless of intercourse or gender identification. ” The person which will determine as bisexual says, “I like more than one color! ” The distinction between bisexual and pansexual could be as simple as a difference within the number of colours they like. There’s a lot uncertainty globally, and there’s no guidebook to tell you the method to answer your questions about your own sexual orientation. Giving your self a label is a call you make as an individual. Knowing what the distinction is between bisexual and pansexual and between other sexual orientations is an effective first step. It is a matter of private choice to label oneself into one of the identities. A pansexual person also can name oneself a bisexual person, but a bisexual particular person can’t determine oneself as a pansexual as their choice is just restricted to male or feminine people. Thus, it can be seen that a pansexual id is extra inclusive in comparison with a bisexual identity. More importantly, since they are more inclusive, they usually stress on nearer emotive bonds and search to type the identical when commencing a relationship with a associate from one other gender category. Unlike other people from different sexual orientations, pansexual persons are considered to be gender blind.

In recent years, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (henceforth LGBT) issues have become a source of great divide among nations and countries. While a number of Western countries such as The Netherlands, Canada, and Spain, to name a few, have recognized same-sex marriage, several other countries have also made legal steps to acknowledge the non-binary gender category that is often dubbed as the “third gender”. In addition, there have been a series of actions to recognize, establish, and mainstream human rights standards to protect LGBT people. In 2006, a meeting for international human rights in Yogyakarta, Indonesia resulted in the creation of the Yogyakarta Principles which became a major legal instrument for LGBT movements. A similar historical move was then also followed by the United Nations in mandating the appointment of an independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. These developments have further helped to spread the globalization of discourse on LGBT rights into many parts of the world, including the Southeast Asia region. Two years ago, Vietnam finally lifted the ban on same-sex marriage, allowing many same-sex couples to plan for wedding ceremonies. By the end of last year, the LGBT anti-discrimination bill reached the Philippines’ Senate plenary for the very first time in 17 years. This historic victory has given hope to the LGBT community, in light of the high transgender murder rate in the country. Similarly, in Bangkok, where transgender individuals are highly visible, Thai Airline has been recruiting transgender flight attendants since 2012. Despite progress, some reports still reveal that stigma, discrimination, and bullying against LGBT individuals in those countries remain rampant. In 2015, the US Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality and emphasis on marriage rights also seemingly increased LGBT rights discourse at the international level. This has unfortunately become a basis for apprehension and conservative backlash in many parts of the world. LGBT activism in Indonesia, for example, is has increasingly become associated with efforts to legalize same-sex marriage, which has also led the government to announce publicly that there is no such place for LGBT movements in the country. Equally as frightening, increasing visibility of LGBT issues also prompted Brunei Darussalam to adopt sharia law, which views homosexual practices as an act punishable by death by stoning. Section 377A of the British legacy Penal Code that outlaws “unnatural sex acts” in neoliberal Singapore also still remains in effect. Having considered different responses toward LGBT issues in Southeast Asian countries, I have selected a predominantly Muslim country, Indonesia, as a departure point to explore how the internationalization of LGBT rights discourse generates national homophobia, which subsequently reveals its complexities and incongruities. The rise and fall of LGBT issues in Indonesia It is abundantly clear that 2016 was a significant touchstone for LGBT Indonesians. While negative sentiment toward LGBT people from the state and religious fundamentalists has been intermittent over the past few decades, these attitudes have started to transform into a series of public denouncements since last year. Ministers, public officials, religious organizations, and even some civil society organization representatives have made generalized and derogatory statements in public, criticizing efforts to legalize same-sex marriage and associating homosexuality with pedophilia, mental illness, and sinful and contagious behavior. As a consequence, the government also requested the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other international humanitarian organizations to stop channeling financial and technical support to local LGBT organizations. Despite the fact that media uproar surrounding LGBT issues at the national level subsided in mid-2016, an Islamic pro-family group continues to take legal steps to outlaw homosexuality in the country. Mostly consisting of women positioning themselves as “mothers”, the Family Love Alliance [Aliansi Cinta Keluarga/ AILA] argues that “LGBT behavior” would imperil children and the young generation; homosexuality is contagious through pleasure derived from anal sex, and same-sex marriage would subsequently increase the incidence and spread of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and anal cancer. The association of LGBT people with the legalization of same-sex marriage is also widespread in the anti-LGBT rhetoric. Having gone through this anti-LGBT vitriol, what I found incredibly fascinating was that the anti-LGBT groups inadvertently promoted and mainstreamed the term LGBT and increased its use in public last year, despite misconceptions that surrounded the term. Previously, the term LGBT was only circulated among activist networks or people who were familiar with gender and sexuality issues. Besides, it was commonly circulated in urban middle-class spaces. Recently, I was surprised when some people addressed me as "LGBT" instead of "gay", noticing that the term nowadays does not seem to be perceived as an acronym of a variety of sexual and/or gender identities. It rather becomes a single category to address people with non-normative genders and sexualities. More interestingly, the absence of the terminology in state policies—the Pornography Bill and the 2012 Ministry of Social Affairs’ classification of minority groups, to name a few—signaled the government’s unfamiliarity with sexual and gender labels. However, the unexpected popularization of the term LGBT in the country has further escalated its use in state discourse. The 2016 Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Creative Youth Ambassador Selection required participants to submit a medical certificate demonstrating that they were not involved in “LGBT behavior”. Before the use of LGBT, Indonesians with non-normative genders and sexualities identified themselves as "gay", "lesbi" (derogatory term for lesbian), "tomboy", and "waria" (which is inadequately translated as transgender woman). These terms have been used mainly since the late 1970s, and there were in fact a number of gay and lesbian organizations during that period. However, human rights language was barely used. Rather, their practices formed something which I would call cultural activism—spreading awareness that homosexuality is normal through publications and dialogues, and forming networks of homosexuals throughout the archipelago. Self-acceptance was still a major concern for activists. This was partially due to the fact that the discourse of LGBT rights was not yet widespread, and Indonesian society was still grounded on strong filial relations— individuality was immoral and against societal norms. The heterosexual and reproductive family principle strongly bound the state. Many gay Indonesians even married people of the opposite sex, since they perceived their sexuality as “abnormal”, “an illness”, and “against family norms”. There was no effort to defend the rights of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Such discourse was still far-off. When HIV/AIDS and reproductive health became a concern in Indonesia, gay activists also used public health issues as a vehicle to reach out to their peers and sensitize them to sexual health related information and self-acceptance. There was a natural convergence of sexual and reproductive health advocates and the movements for gay and lesbian acceptance. The growing concern about HIV gave gay groups access to a strategic channel and financial support for strengthening self-worth and instilling confidence in gay men. Further, gay and lesbian activists began to formally include waria into their activism in 1994 as one of the resolutions from the first congress of Indonesian gay and lesbian activists. The collapse of the authoritarian regime in 1998 has led Indonesia towards democratization. These moves towards democracy have successfully led to the proliferation of human rights concerns to amend the state violations in the past. Freedom of expression and media have begun to be legally protected and guaranteed. Human rights discourse and activism have flourished, with transnational connections and financial support from LGBT, HIV and sexual health and humanitarian/human rights organizations helping to mushroom LGBT organizations. This has further helped to increase use of the term LGBT and human rights rhetoric in their movements. The influx of foreign assistance and interactions with transnational LGBT movements enables the flow of Westernized knowledge on gender and sexuality into the local landscape. As a consequence, sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) is increasingly being perceived as an innate feature of the individual. This shift has gradually been transforming the local understanding of sexuality. While in the past, sexual orientation was placed before family and nation, it has increasingly been treated as a crucial part of the individual that needs to be accepted. Opponents of LGBT rights often argue that not criminalizing LGBT sexuality would be a threat to the family principle. Aside from the family principle, LGBT has also been recognized as a serious threat to traditional gender norms. Simultaneously, democratization was unpredictably providing a fertile ground for previously suppressed Islamic politics to burgeon, shown through the rise of religious conservatism in political landscapes. The conservatives used decentralization in several provinces to enact sharia-based bylaws or local ordinances that police non-normative sexualities, including prostitution and homosexuality. What is intriguing about these bylaws is that they conflate homosexuality with prostitution and confuse gay/homosexual identity with same-sex practices. Moreover, other bylaws at provincial levels police individuals with non-normative genders and sexualities on the basis of being a “public nuisance”. Juggling through this mishmash, I see that these laws are practically difficult to implement and not always applicable to every LGBT Indonesian. Many warias, due to limited access to employment, work as street musicians and/or sex workers; they are the ones who are more visible and easily become the target of these bylaws as a “public nuisance”, alongside homosexuals who cannot afford private spaces, and homosexual sex workers. Class and economic power thus inevitably complicate the vulnerability of LGBT Indonesians. Religious conservatism, coupled with the government’s inaction to control religious vigilantes, have led to a number of violations in civil private spheres. Increased visibility and the mushrooming of LGBT organizations after the collapse of New Order also provoked counter-movements from the conservatives. Religious vigilante groups, particularly the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), have been the main perpetrators of raids and attacks at queer-related activities and events. The activists thus consolidated their organizations for the very first time at Indonesia’s LGBTIQ Forum [Forum LGBTIQ Indonesia] in 2010, not so long after the raid against the first International Lesbian and Gay association (ILGA) Conference in Surabaya. In order to avoid potential raids, the activists avoided using the term LGBT publicly, distributing information through limited communication channels, removing any attributes that might associate the event with LGBT, and holding the events surreptitiously. Although it is relatively easy to see that democratization has been detrimental to LGBT Indonesians in helping the resurgence of Islamic politics to counter-attack LGBT, I tend to see the democratization period as a frame in which multiple events happened, converged, and interacted with each other. The globalization of LGBT rights discourse, including the push for same-sex marriage, also happened during Indonesia’s democratic period, and has been continually and significantly contributing to recent anti-LGBT vitriol which I will address in the next section. The LGBT Globalization and Political Homophobia Since the 2000s, the internationalization of LGBT rights has been strong and widespread thanks to The Yogyakarta Principle, the UN advocacy messages and mandates on sexual orientation, and the push for same sex marriage and fulfillment of LGBT rights in many countries. Human rights language is increasingly deployed to advocate for the protection and recognition of LGBT people. What I see vividly through this LGBT globalization is the universalization of LGBT identities and the merging of variations of same-sex and/or non-normative sexual desires and practices into one category: “LGBT”. For example, bissu (indigenous non-binary gender shaman in Bugis society) and waria (wanita-pria / female-male or inadequately translated as male-to-female transgender) began to be associated with LGBT. While they provided strong justification that non-normative genders and sexualities do not originate from the West, the moves to label other same-sex practices and other gender diverse indigenous cultures as “LGBT” run the risk of erasing local practices and reducing them to LGBT identity. The rise of LGBT discourse has led to sexual practices being recognized as a part of one’s identity, bringing greater visibility and citizenship rights, which in turn gave birth to what is now popular as “LGBT rights”— a concept that is still foreign to Indonesian society, in which sexuality is taboo and barely talked about in public. Heterosexual marriage and building a family remain intact as the primary marker of an ideal citizen and adulthood in society. The US marriage equality and human rights language deployed in international LGBT discourse has also provoked a reactionary response towards LGBT Indonesians, since their movements are always associated with efforts to legalize marriage equality and Western infiltration. Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu even argued that the LGBT movement is a form of proxy war to culturally defeat another country. Opponents of LGBT movements also claim that marriage equality would dismantle family principles, traditional gender norms, and societal norms. Therefore, with all of this misjudgment, the government has stated that there is no such place for LGBT movements in the country. Scholars Dennis Altman and Jonathan Symons have an interesting outlook on this trend. While LGBT rights discourse cannot be seen as separate from shared liberal values in Western societies, efforts to transplant it to non-Western countries could be counterproductive and would only result in further damage and peril to local communities. Also, an unfortunate fact we have to acknowledge is that most of the Indonesian public still sees homosexuality as a mental illness, sinful behavior, and irreconcilable with Indonesian culture and society. The persistent enforcement of LGBT rights and a liberal approach would simply lead to nowhere, if not provoking a conservative backlash. However, as I talked anonymously to some ministerial staff members working on health and social inclusion for minorities to explore the impact of the anti-LGBT vitriol in 2016, I unearthed some surprising facts. Far from total denial toward the existence of LGBT people, these ministerial offices are actually still working for gay men, men having sex with men, and transgender people through supporting shelters for warias, sensitizing health workers to provide non-discriminatory health services to men having sex with men (henceforth MSM) and gay men, and providing livelihood skills for waria to eradicate this stigma. Many warias are still stigmatized as sex workers and public nuisances. Compared to their gay and lesbian counterparts, many of them come from a poor socio-economic background, exacerbated with the structural impediments to enter the workforce and higher education, just because of their non-normative gender expression. According to my key informant, the program his office implemented trains warias to be good hairdressers or to have other livelihood skills. This program gradually eradicates the stigma of being waria in her surroundings. For example, a waria begins to be known as “Anita, a good hairdresser”, instead of her waria identity. He also argued that their sexual practices would not be problematic as long as it was practiced in private spaces. This discussion brought me forward to the cultural concept of “achievement” [prestasi] that resonates strongly with Indonesian society. Contribution to society at large remains a valuable asset to influence people’s perceptions of an individual. Boellstorff (2007) argues that Prestasi, which can come in the form of personal achievement or contribution to society, could help the public to change its negative prejudice against LGBT people. By succeeding in one’s career or contributing positively to people around that person, this would help to loosen the association of being gay and the myth of gay sexual promiscuity. Taking advantage of prestasi potentially serves as an entry point for gradually obtaining social acceptance. Differing significantly from Western gay discourse, which overemphasizes sexual identity, this Indonesian model places a greater significance on the achievements and contributions to society, rather than “coming out as LGBT”. Similarly, since HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are quite prevalent among MSM and gay men, one of the ministerial offices still works on sensitizing health providers to gender and sexuality-related information, or what she referred to as “SOGI” (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) training. My key informants told me that this program was really useful to equip the health workers with adequate knowledge on MSM and gay men’s health issues. In addition, it also reduces the stigma against homosexuals among healthcare providers. These discrepancies between the state’s public denouncement and the real practice of some ministerial offices reveal the complexity of political homophobia. The state is always about both representation and practices. Both can be either coherent or contradictory. In this case, political homophobia actually operates primarily at the representational level. The idea of ideal/common citizens or what the state apparatus refers to as the “public” has been envisaged through normative attributes— heterosexual, religious, moral-oriented, and reproductive. The widespread anti-LGBT pressure from various elements of civil society and religious groups confirm these persisting ideas; citizens demand that the state fulfill and endorse these normative ideals. In other words, the state’s representation of political homophobia here aims to cater to the “normative public” upon which the state relies and from which the state derives its power and legitimacy. At a practical level, although the state is still working for these non-normative groups, it frames the practices in a “non-liberal” way—it is about access, health, and poverty reduction, and does not coincide with liberal identity politics. Nevertheless, it is should be noted as well that State comprises of multiple institutions that might be contradictory with each other. While particular State institutions might work for gay or transgender people, the other institutions might commit the opposite actions. For example, the recent arrests of gay participants in the alleged ‘gay sex party’ in Surabaya and Jakarta were actually carried out by police. Alongside the international media hysteria on the issue, it should be noticed that the criminalization in these cases is actually deployed through the anti-pornography law and the information and electronic transaction law. It is not through their homosexuality per se that the outlawing process occurs, but through other practices – the possession of pornographic materials and the transactions occurring before the participants joined those gay sex parties. What is next? I do not close this article with a conclusion. Conclusion often is too limiting. Realities multiple and shift rapidly these days, so do the LGBT issues in ASEAN, particularly Indonesia. As such, the increasing visibilities of LGBT people and the globalization of LGBT rights have inadvertently affected the region. Unfortunately, LGBT issues have not been discussed thoroughly yet, although efforts of criminalization and political homophobia have been rampant in some countries, Brunei, Malaysia, and also Indonesia. In 2006, ethics philosopher Peter Singer simply argued that homosexuality is not immoral because it harms no one. The Indonesian case of homophobia (or even some other ASEAN countries) reveals that homosexuality issues are more complex and are more than just moral or immoral debates; they are about national reactions to the rapid transmission of global discourse, the dynamic of movements and counter-movements in democracy, and also the state’s multifaceted representation which place sexuality as a political issue of our contemporary time. Hence, in the “50 Years of ASEAN”, no exaggeration that LGBT issues are the pressing issues for the region. *This article was written from January- March 2017 when the author was also doing fieldwork for his thesis. See John Boudreau and Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen. (2015). Gay weddings planned as Vietnam marriage law is repealed, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-07/gay-weddings-planned-as-vietnam-marriage-law-is-repealed. See Camille Allemia. (2016). After 17 years, LGBT anti-discrimination bill up for Senate debate, http://www.rappler.com/nation/156139-lgbt-anti-discrimination-bill-senate-plenary. See Kate Hodal. (2012). Flying the flag for ladyboys: Thai airline takes on transgender flight attendants, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/17/pc-air-transgender-flight-attendants. See the UNDP’s Being LGBT in Asia – Thailand, Vietnam, The Phillipines’ Country Reports (2014), http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/operations/projects/overview/being-lgbt-in-asia.html See Dennis Altman and Jonathan Symons.(2015).The Queer Wars. UK: Polity. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). Double standards: the defining of homosexuality as pornographic in Indonesia, http://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2016/10/21/double-standards-the-defining-of-homosexuality-as-pornographic-in-indonesia.html; Hendri Yulius. (2016). LGBT goes to campus: What’s the big deal?, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/26/lgbt-goes-campus-what-s-big-deal.html. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). What does the Indonesian LGBT movement want?, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/19/what-does-indonesian-lgbt-movement-want.html; Hendri Yulius. (2017). Indonesia and “transparent sex”, http://www.newmandala.org/indonesia-transparent-sex/ See Hendri Yulius. (2016). How Indonesia (inadvertently) promotes LGBT, https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/10/indonesia-inadvertently-promotes-lgbt/#bLk1wo2vCurvvbCy.97; Hendri Yulius. (2016). Who constructed LGBT identity in Indonesia?, http://www.newmandala.org/from-margins-to-centre/ See Baiden Offord, (2010), Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia: Arrested Development! in Manon Tremblay, et. al, The Lesbian and Gay Movement and the State, England: Ashgate. He argued that, “In my research over the years with gay Indonesians, for example, sexual identity is placed well after the priorities of family, nation, and Allah or Jesus, and has no explicit place in filial and social relations (Offord 2003a)” (pp. 145). See Tom Boellstorff. (2005). The Gay Archipelago: Sexuality and Nation in Indonesia. Princeton: Princeton University Press. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). Ahok and hate speech: the (unexpected) outcome of democracy, http://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2016/11/03/ahok-and-hate-speech-… See Hendri Yulius. (2015). Regulating the bedroom: sex in Aceh criminal code, http://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/sex-in-acehs-criminal-code/. As I argued here, “The law criminalises liwath, which is defined as anal penetration between men... It is unclear whether criminalising liwath is intended to criminalise gay sexual orientation. There is an obvious difference between sexual practice and sexual orientation: not all gay men practice anal sex, for example, while some heterosexual couples do”. As I explained in Who Constructed LGBT Identity in Indonesia?, “Today, waria or gender non-conforming gay men continue to be arrested alongside female sex workers by local public order officers, and sent to assessment camps for creating a public nuisance”. Their non-conforming gender expressions and visibility also increase their vulnerability to this discriminatory practice. See Dennis Altman. (2001). Global Sex, Chicago: The Chicago University Press; Dennis Altman & Jonathan Symons. (2015). The Queer Wars, UK: Polity. As I argued in Over the rainbow, “It is interesting to see how waria and bissu—two local elements of gender and sexual identities—have also increasingly been conflated with Western LGBT identity in Indonesia. The term waria (wanita-pria/female-male) often frivolously translated as male-to-female transgender, was introduced by the Indonesian government in 1978, while the term bissu held a special status in Bugis society that instilled androgyny with a sacred meaning— a God can descend only to a gender-free body. These local identities and indigenous practices definitely provide strong justification for the contemporary Indonesian LGBT movements to demonstrate that non-normative gender and sexual expressions and identities do not originate from the West as Indonesian conservatives believe and often claim. However, the emergence of the term LGBT in Indonesia last year has inadvertently changed the way people see non-normative gender expressions and identities. Besides entering everyday language, the Indonesian public now increasingly associates men with feminine mannerisms with being LGBT”. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). The War on Homosexuality, http://www.newmandala.org/war-homosexuality-indonesia/. I argued, “LGBT is now not only a sexual or gender identity category but also suffused with citizenship rights, including marriage. Unexpectedly, this sexual citizenship model has become increasingly universalized”. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). The Burkini, LGBT People, and the Global Sex Wars, http://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2016/08/30/the-burkini-lgbt-peop… As Dennis Altman and Jonatan Symons (2015) argued, “It is difficult to separate the idea of an ‘LGBT’ identity or community from a particular set of individualistic values that are not necessarily shared beyond western liberal societies, and we recognize that the language of activism has helped promote a backlash. Above all, the emphasis on same-sex marriage has become a touchstone for unease in many parts of the world” (2015: 107). See Victor Hoff. (2012). POLL: Indonesia Sees Sharp Spike In Anti-Gay Hate, https://www.queerty.com/poll-indonesia-sees-sharp-spike-in-anti-gay-hate-20121029. The report demonstrates that “The Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) reported that almost 81% of those surveyed would object to having a gay or lesbian neighbor, about double the number who would object to someone of a different religion”. This term refers to “men who have sex with other men, but do not label themselves as gay”. It is commonly used in public health, particularly HIV and other STD-related discourses. As I argued in The War on Homosexuality, the idea of “sexual rights” is still foreign to Indonesian society. Further, “The globalization of sexual identity politics and related rights has condensed varieties of same-sex or non-normative sexual desires and practices into one category — ‘LGBT’. This consequently sees the emergence and universalization of LGBT identities. And when sexualities become identities, they are imbued and entangled with citizenship rights, which in turn gave birth to the notion of sexual rights and citizenship”. See Hendri Yulius. (2016). Overcoming the catch-22: reflection of the current anti-LGBT hysteria in Indonesia, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hendri-yulius/overcoming-the-catch22-a-_b_9589264.html. In The emergence of political homophobia in Indonesia: masculinity and national belonging (2004), Tom Boellstorff argued that political homophobia (and/or homophobic violence) is seen as “the properly masculine response to these events [which] indicates how the nation may be gaining a new masculinist cast. In the new Indonesia, male–male desire can increasingly be construed as a threat to normative masculinity, and thus to the nation itself”. However, in this article, I reveal that political homophobia is more complex that just restoring masculinist ideas to the nation. See Hendri Yulius. (2017). Moral Panic and the Reinvention of LGBT. http://indonesiaatmelbourne.unimelb.edu.au/moral-panic-and-the-reinvention-of-lgbt/ See Peter Singer. (2006). Homosexuality is not immoral in Project Syndicate, October 16, 2006.

Anika Gardenhire Shares Why It's Important to be True to Yourself This Women’s History Month, Centene is highlighting women leaders who are making a difference every day. Anika Gardenhire, Regional Vice President, Digital Solutions and Products, joined Centene in 2020. A registered nurse, Anika focuses on digital transformation and Centene’s Value Creation strategy to continually improve how we serve members, providers, and other customers. In the following Q&A, Anika spotlights her background and role, perspectives on intersectionality, and the importance of being true to yourself. Q. Tell us about your background, your career at Centene, and your current role as Regional Vice President, Digital Solutions and Products? A. I'm a registered nurse. I practiced in cardiovascular recovery (immediately post open heart) and cardiovascular ICU. I consider myself a nurse first, and by that, I mean, while my career has been wonderfully diverse, I am always anchored on the driver that what I want to do/be is a caregiver — someone who does work that supports the well-being of people. I am very fortunate to be doing that work with the exponential impact that technology allows. Our department scope is: “Deliver the business capabilities enabled by technology” (digital solutions and products) for the business to be able to successfully deliver against its healthcare enterprise goals, business operations, and regulatory demands. We accomplish this by creating business cases that support investment, delighting key business stakeholders — prospective and actual members, prospective and actual providers, broker, government, and internal client operators/users — along their journeys and interactions with Centene. We also drive the highest possible value creation — experiential, financial, and competitive differentiation — from the company’s comprehensive portfolio of digital solutions and products. Q. What is the most meaningful part of your job? A. The most meaningful part of my job is the opportunity and responsibility to ensure our member populations show up in healthcare’s digital transformation. Whether it is how we develop new solutions, how we partner, or who we choose to buy from through our supplier diversity initiatives, we are doing the work of ensuring that we build, buy, and partner in ways that center around the vulnerable members we serve every day. Because we are doing that work, we ensure that we use solutions that are centered around our very specific consumers. It is a very humbling and unique opportunity to serve in this manner. I also feel a particular obligation to ensure our solutions have health equity at the forefront of development and that we are the best at ensuring we have bias-checking in our digital solutions and products. We must be the absolute best at understanding that the exponential impact I mentioned can be both helpful and harmful. We must ensure it is always a benefit. Q. Who influenced you most during your career and why? A. First, my mother and grandmother. I am incredibly fortunate to have been surrounded by incredibly strong women. My mother and grandmother instilled in me the core values of leadership work ethic, never underestimating the value of being a nice human being, knowing how to listen, and as my grandmother would say: “Everything goes down better with a little bit of honey on it.” My mother let me believe I could do or be anything, while helping me understand I may have to climb through windows when doors are not open, and I may have to work harder or wait longer, but I only fail if I quit. I also had a simply amazing mentor — Mordia Bryan-Salmon. Mordia was an amazing nursing leader from Jamaica. I met her as a young travel nurse in Los Angeles. Mordia had been in clinical leadership for years when we met. It was the first time I was seeing a nursing leader who looked like me. I am a first-generation college graduate, and Mordia took me under her wing not only as a mentor, but she made me family. She gave me my first leadership opportunity, and in the best and most authentic way, showed me how I would need to “show up” to continue to grow. I continue to be incredibly fortunate to have wonderful mentors and sponsors surrounding me, and I am humbled and forever grateful for what I consider one of the greatest gifts — time. Q. What advice do you have for aspiring female leaders? A. One of the best pieces of advice given to me early in my career was first, know who you want to be, then focus on what you want to be. I consider myself a relatively ambitious person, and I think a drive for growth and lifelong learning are traits we have opportunities to better cultivate in female leaders. Speaking what you want into existence can still be a tightrope female leaders have to walk, and it is not always celebrated as readily as it could be. But I think knowing where you want to be and having a plan for how you will get there is incredibly important. Mapping out your network, mentors, and sponsors to support you along your path is not calculating – it’s good planning. Understanding what you have to give back to those who will invest in you is just as important. But again, the most important thing I think I have tried to cultivate as I've grown is a sense of self. Working to know my boundaries and ensuring on the other side of every storm, opportunity, and new experience, that at the core of it all, I'm still me. The values my mother and grandmother instilled in me are core to my being, and I try my best to ensure how I choose to treat people every day would make them proud. I focus on those things as a very real part of my career plan. Q. How is Centene’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion different from other companies? A. The approach is very real and a part of the fabric of the organization. When I look at our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Councils and things like Courageous Conversations, they can appear similar to other organizations on the surface, but when you realize that those councils are sponsored and supported by the highest executive leaders and that we build this work into the very fabric of the company from hiring to supplier diversity, you realize how unique we are in our approach. I am honest enough to say out loud that we as a company, a nation, and society have so much more work to do in this space. I believe it is real work that will only create change through dedication of real resources to making this shift. We are doing the work with dedicated leaders who work very hard to hear the voices of those impacted most by these efforts. Q. Can you talk about the importance of intersectionality and how can we use an intersectional lens to enhance care to our members and the communities we serve? A. I simply love this question. I think the best lesson we have to learn from intersectionality is that people are not one thing. People are multifaceted, and the causes we support and programs we need to support our members must be as multifaceted and personalized as possible. I believe that personalization will be the great differentiator for organizations over the next 10 years. It requires we start with understanding, and understanding more than the three to five boxes we often want people to check. We must have contextual information about individuals and create personalized services to support the whole person. We have an obligation to ensure that the things that make us unique show up in our care. We have to deeply understand why health outcomes impact one group of people differently from another, and we have to ensure that we perform things like “segmentation” or population intersections in culturally sensitive and non-biased ways. In essence, we have to go beyond the boxes to see, respect, and value the differences and personalize our services accordingly. Q. What are your thoughts on the significance of Women’s History Month? A. Similar to Black History Month, I think it is a wonderful time of reflection and gratitude for those who forged paths for women, men, and non-binary alike. I also think it is a great time to take stock and ask ourselves as women: “Are we doing enough to support the women around us? Are we showing up not only as mentors, but also as sponsors for the women we know and those we do not?” It is an opportunity to adjust depending on the answers.

One of the two winners of the Man Booker Prize for 2019. I bought all the shortlisted books, so I will slowly make my way through them. I tend to be a bit apprehensive about the Man Booker Prize nominees. I always think they will be extremely difficult to read, even though I enjoyed The Luminaries and Milkman immensely. And since we’re in lockdown I’m trying to chip away at my TBR (at the same time supporting the trade by buying a ton of books on AbeBooks, so really it’s not all working that weel when it comes to minimizing my TBR). So I decided to overcome my fear and dig into Bernardine Evaristo’s novel. And that’s the first thing that is not really true, for it is a collection of short stories really, rather than a novel. Evaristo gives us glimpses of the lives of eleven black women and one non-binary person. Their lives and paths cross at points in time, but there is no continuous plot. Rather each of them fights for their space to tell their story. And because of what this story is the book touches a number of topics across the 20th and 21st centuries such as racism, privilege, feminism, rape and sexual abuse, immigration, history and how it can be manipulated, gentrification and social inequalities, ability to discover happiness in our lives, as well a the bitterness it can cause. It all comes together in the experience of Evaristo’s protagonists. They are not just characters, each of them is active, has an agenda and we feel their urgency. But what is best about this book is that it is a fantastic read. It draws you in, you really sympathize with the people described, even when at times they become petty. Evaristo accepts everything about being human and makes us accept it too. The book is funny and touching, moving, and relaxing. It keeps the pace through changing narratives and the extremely well-developed voices of each person. In talking about the important issues it makes us think, but in the way it is talking about them, it also keeps us entertained. It is one of those rare books that are smart, and entertaining at the same time. You actually want to meet the people Evaristo describes. Spend some more time with them. Evaristo does not glorify any of them, they all make mistakes and hold opinions you may well disagree with, but she shows us how they got there. Making someone understand another human being is a gift. One that Evaristo has in abundance. On top of that, there’s the writing. Melodic, sometimes poetic, the words come together sometimes as long sentences, sometimes as exclamations and sometimes as repeated incantations. I don’t think I’ve seen this musicality in writing, at least not since Solar Bones and there the rhythm was very different, a lot more somber and requiem like. Here we’re all about life, its ups, and downs, but in the end the sheer joy of living. Despite all the hardships and suffering the people in the book go through each story is shot through with hope and appetite for more, appetite for life, no matter what. As I read it in the third month of lockdown (my company locked us a few weeks earlier than BoJo caught up with the reality) it was exactly what I needed to get me out of the stupor of repeating days, ridiculous government announcements and hanging in the limbo of inability to plan anything. There’s always life. A life to live and it’s on us to live it. Even if it is limited to a few walks in the neighborhood and talking to the loved ones on the phone. For the last few posts, I’ve been writing about the synchronicities that happen when I’m more observant in the lockdown. In the case of this book, there was just one, at one point Evaristo describes how one of the characters was taught by their white fiancee the joys of walking for pleasure. This reminded me of what I learned from Wanderlust, that walking for pleasure and appreciating landscape for the sheer joy of it is a cultural construct. And one quite specific to privileged white classes. The working class had to fight for it and for many underprivileged people it is still a foreign concept.

claribel a. ortega pre-order my book, GHOST SQUAD! @Claribel_OrtegaI too would like to see a big witch boom in YA and I have a new witchy book that is the best thing I’ve ever written just sayin 🤷🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/RElw898pna Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm all for witches. In YA, but particularly MG #mswl Thao Le @ThaoLe8Since I'm reopening to submissions today, I thought I'd share what's currently on my #MSWL, though many of the things I've tweeted about in the past are still relevant. I'm most hungry for: ANY AND ALL Middle Grade, be it fantasy or contemporary, but it has to have lots of heart. Some recent MG I've enjoyed are Front Desk by Kelly Yang, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, and all the Rick Riordan Presents books have been stellar #MSWL Alyza Liu @alyzaliui can’t believe i forgot to say—in these most autumnal of falls, i’d love to acquire a #middlegrade or #graphicnovel with strong “over the garden wall” vibes 💀🍁🌕 Wenqing Yan @Yuumei_ArtOld fanart of #SpiritedAway :D Been so busy I haven't had much time to draw new things yet but soooon! What's you favorite #Miyazaki movie? Mine has always been Princess Mononoke, the intricate story about protecting our environment is truly timeless. pic.twitter.com/xYrDsw3MEW #MSWL a Princess Mononoke style fantasy about environmentalism and nature. MG, YA, or even Adult. Tohad @sylvainsarrailhBackgrounds from Kiki's Delivery Service (Majo no Takkyūbin, 1989 Studio Ghibli) : pic.twitter.com/Be1sjEoyJE My current #MSWL is a contemporary fantasy in the vein of Kiki's Delivery Service (MG or YA). Yes, we need dark stories in MG/YA because kids need to have their problems/struggles acknowledged. But please remember to infuse hope. I want less focus on the trauma/suffering and more on successes and healing. Marginalized kids need to know they deserve happy endings #MSWL I'm preparing to reopen to queries next week and wanted to share my current #mswl: Contemporary Fantasy in the vein of the films About Time and Your Name Diverse MG like Aru Shah and the End of Time and Amina’s Voice Foodie Magic like Chocolat and Garden Spells Lindsey Hall @LindseyHall17#MSWL fantasy w/ a translator protag. There's so much power in language-- how they translate for a ruler effects a whole kingdom, eg. I want to see the nuances & consequences of deciding how & what to translate, word play between languages, times when translation falls short YES. Also on an adjacent note... I was an ESL student, I'd love to get a contemporary middle grade or YA featuring a MC learning a second language that is not the MC's native language. #MSWL Gearing up to reopen to submissions (possibly in the next couple of weeks). I want to see more Middle Grade and Contemporary YA! Especially stories from POC and non-binary voices. Please no issue books. I want fully developed plots, strong hooks, and nuanced characters. #mswl BNnoblesville @BNnoblesvilleLove getting new #kidsbooks in stock 💕 Some are so beautiful they NEED to be shared...Littler Women: a modern retelling by Laura Schaefer pic.twitter.com/Js3dGPaRcS Thao Le @ThaoLe8Bonus: check out my updated MSWL page! manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/thao… #mswl I'm dying for more contemporary YA and middle grade to add to my list (particularly from marginalized voices) #mswl Thao Le @ThaoLe8As a fan of board games and escape rooms I'd love a puzzle-y or geeky mg/ya about them #mswl I'm also down for geeky conventions as a setting, role playing, cosplay, and gamer girls in my mg/ya! #mswl

Oregon could be first state to add 'non-binary' gender option to driver's licenses PORTLAND, Ore. — More than 75 people attended Wednesday's public meeting in Southeast Portland to convince the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles to create a third gender option to the state's driver's licenses and identification cards. The DMV held another public hearing in Eugene recently. More than 50 people attended that meeting. Oregon DMV spokesman David House says of the approximately 50 people who attended, 22 testified. All of them, he said, were in support of the DMV adding a third gender option. If the DMV approves the change, Oregon would become the first U.S. state to allow residents to identify as "non-binary," neither male nor female. The designation would be signified by an "X." Last year, a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge allowed Portland Army veteran Jaime Shupe to legally identify as neither male nor female. Legal experts believed the ruling was a first in the United States. In doing so, it required the state to explore a third gender option. Basic Rights Oregon Co-Executive Director Nancy Haque says it validates those who identify as transgender. "There're transgender people and there has always been," Haque told KATU. "It's just that we're at a point in society where we are recognizing the rights of transgender people." According to The Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles, an estimated 20,000 Oregonians identify as transgender, and 1.4 million nationwide. "The person's name is still their name. Their height is still their height. I don't think it changes anything because our gender shouldn't make a difference," Haque told KATU. "Gender is a spectrum, and along the spectrum are many people who do not identify as either a male or female." House told KATU for the past year, the DMV consulted with stakeholders, including local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and organizations. He says, if approved, the ID could be used out of state, airports and on legal documents without a problem. "When a state updates the format of the driver license: upgrades, its security features, for example, there is a national system to share that information with other DMVs," House said. "So, if I show up to another state and show them this totally new driver's license, they are already aware of it." House says the DMV will review all testimony, and then decide how to best change the DMV's administrative rule. Once that is complete, it may only take a month for non-binary designated identification cards and driver's licenses to become available. You can still submit testimony by mailing a letter addressed to the DMV at 1905 Lana Avenue NE, Salem, Oregon 97314, or by emailing Lauri Kunze at: [email protected]

Transgender Students’ Deadnames Placed on Kimmel Steps, NYU Begins to Address the Issue The names were placed on Kimmel’s stairs to thank seniors who donated to the 1831 fund. After complaints by transgender students, the university has offered to replace the names of any affected seniors. May 8, 2019 After an effort to recognize seniors who donated to the 1831 Fund by placing their names on the stairs of the Kimmel Center for University Life, some transgender students and allies were angered since their legal names were used instead of their preferred ones. In a tweet, Senator at-Large and Gallatin junior Victor Markhoff said that some transgender students were deadnamed — the legal names that these students no longer associate with were plastered onto the stairs. “These names were legal and have publicly deadnamed many trans students, which is not only humiliating but a real safety risk,” Markhoff said in a tweet. “Shame to a university that prides itself on LGBTQ Rights, and on [the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots] of all years.” Two people have already come forward to the university requesting that their legal names be changed to their preferred names, according to university spokesperson John Beckman. “We are taking steps to replace the names currently posted with the preferred names,” Beckman said in a statement to WSN. In addition to taking steps to replace the deadnames currently on the Kimmel stairs, the university will email an additional 600 students whose names are set to go up soon asking if they would like to use a preferred name instead. Students whose names are already up were emailed on Tuesday night asking if they’d like their name to be replaced. The initiative was organized in conjunction with the 2019 Class Activities Board. In an email to WSN, CAB19 president and Tandon senior Claire Liu said that the group tracked students who contributed to the 1831 fund through their net IDs. The identifiers gave CAB19 and the 1831 Fund names and emails that appear on Albert, and those names do not necessarily reflect the student’s identity. Liu added that students who donated before the deadline had the option to opt out of having their name on the stairs and were asked questions about the initiative. According to Beckman, each donor received two emails specifying that the name in NYU’s records would be used. However, notification that students’ names in NYU records would be used on the steps was in small print and the email did not offer to use a different name. Liu apologized for the frustrations the initiative may have caused for transgender students. “I do understand how frustrating it must be for senior trans-students to be misidentified and misrepresented on the stairs, which were intended to show appreciation for the student donors, not put them at risk,” Liu said in an email to WSN. Liu attributed the mishandling of transgender students’ names to NYU IT and Albert. Students can change their preferred name in Albert and that name is then used in university business whenever possible. For some students, this poses a problem due to the fact that their parents may see the preferred name in mail or messages sent home, potentially outing them as transgender. Students who are not out to their parents may not wish to input a preferred name, even if they do not want their legal name to be referenced by friends or, say, the Kimmel steps. So far, NYU has not released a feature on Albert that accounts for all gender identities. There have been efforts by members of the Student Government Assembly and NYU’s Queer Union to make Albert more accommodating for non-binary and transgender students by adding more preferred pronouns and gender indentities. Currently, students have the option to switch to the gender they prefer on Albert. Email Meghna Maharishi and Victor Porcelli at [email protected]

Disney+’s Godmothered might be the silly story of an out-of-touch fairy godmother trying to prove magic is still needed in the world, but at its core, there’s a heartwarming message of accepting ourselves. Nowhere is this better shown than in a tiny, blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment that star Jillian Bell said brought her to tears. During a press junket for Godmothered, io9 asked Bell about an animated sequence in the film where (avoiding spoilers here) we see a group of young godmothers in their big, beautiful dresses getting ready to practice magic. One of the godmothers pictured has a short, boy-length haircut, leading Bell to believe they could be a boy or someone who was gender nonconforming. Bell said she “teared up” upon seeing the character and was thrilled to see them included in a Disney movie. “I actually got to see just a one-sheet of all the little fairy godmothers, and I immediately wrote back and I said, ‘Is that a boy or is that a non-binary person? Whatever, I’m very—either way, I’m very excited,’” Bell told io9. “This is progressive and inclusive and will make someone feel seen. I think at the end of the day, if we can be doing that in such a big movie, and a Disney movie, that’s a beautiful thing.” Now, a lot of women and girls have pixie-length short hair (myself included), but Bell felt the character’s inclusion left the door open for anyone to see themselves in the little godmother. Several co-stars, including Isla Fisher and Jane Curtin, nodded emphatically in agreement. (We reached out to director Sharon Maguire, as well as writers Kari Granlund and Melissa Stack, for confirmation, but they were unavailable for comment.) This comes at a time when we’re seeing a lot more growth regarding gender identity and expression in Hollywood. Singer Harry Styles recently made headlines when gracing the cover of Vogue, telling the magazine: “I find myself looking at women’s clothes, thinking they’re amazing.” And actor Billy Porter will play a fairy godmother in an upcoming live-action adaptation of Cinderella starring Camila Cabello. It’s about recognizing that everyone can be anyone they want: a princess, a pirate, even a fairy godmother. As Curtin put it, it’s about creating the happiness that you want. “If you want it, if you believe that you can get it, it’s something that is not reliant on magic,” Curtin said. “I think that that’s really something that we all have to remember, that we are capable of such amazing things and such positive things for ourselves and for others. And that’s happily ever after.” Godmothered —which also stars Santiago Cabrera, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, June Squibb, Jillian Shea Spaeder, Willa Skye, Artemis Pebdani, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Stephnie Weir—debuts on Disney+ on December 4. For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom.

Wow, I thought I was going to be elated by this Papi and Angel duo, but now I am just disappointed. I wanted them to push for the best in each other, which is not sniffing cocaine off of a table at a party. It got me thinking about the power of choices that we make because every choice we make has a consequence. The consequence can be negative, positive or indifferent and when we are young, we believe those choices will never catch up to us. We see both Ricky and Angel make choices that felt right to them in the moment, but not thinking of the impact of what those decisions would have on their lives. It feels a little like self-sabotage to me because of the self deprecating stories they tell about themselves. With Angel we see this fear of not feeling good enough and a fear that people will find out about her identity. Though these feelings are valid, the ways in which she copes with them enhance her negative self talk and clouds her judgment. Then Ricky —who has felt alone and hopping from person to person to fill a void—causing emotional harm to himself and others. (The fact that he tried to hit on Pray Tell clearly highlights his need to unpack his connection to love and intimacy). Add the layer of not using protection and the fact that he is in disbelief that he has HIV, just showcases his detachment from his choices and the harsh realities of the world. How many of us risk making choices that are likely not to yield the outcome we desire? Where does the want to make such habitual choices come from? When we do not feel understood or seen we do things to get noticed or that make us feel good temporarily, which highlights the importance of elders in our community. I remember the first time I started to come into my queer identity and Googling all the ways to ensure that people knew. Watching shows that never really allowed me to see myself because when is the last time you’ve seen a fat black non-binary femme represented on your T.V screen… (I’ll wait). As I was navigating the world I wished I had mentorship, someone to tell me that what I was thinking in my head was not unique to me, that the challenges I would face were similar to the challenges of my queer ancestors, someone to share stories of my queer black history that spoke of resistance, commitment, and love that I had no clue existed until later in my life. Protecting, listening and accepting mentorship from elders is crucial to community. The moment between Pray Tell and Ricky, as Pray shares the importance of honesty and lets him know that what you are feeling is nothing new. Taking Ricky to the hospital to get tested so that he would not be alone, or giving Lulu, Damon, and Ricky a project to do in order to restore hope are just some of the beautiful things that come out of the relationship of elders. When we think of the many LGBTQ+ youth who may become estranged from their families due to their identities as we see in ‘POSE’, guidance from elders is linked to survival and hope in oneself. Creating space where intergenerational conversations can take places allows for shared learning and an unleashing of power and innovation. I am eager to see the ways in which Angel and Ricky work through their situations. I know that they may experience more pain, but I know they will also experience more joy. To learn about how you can help LGBTQ+ youth in need, visit SOULE’s non profit arm, the SOULE Foundation.

Give Your Money to These 13 Feminist Bookstores Support the literary communities where women readers and writers are seen and heard Electric Lit relies on contributions from our readers to help make literature more exciting, relevant, and inclusive. Please support our work by becoming a member today, or making a one-time donation here. I t’s no secret that women authors have been historically overlooked. If you read the New York Times’ column Overlooked, you’ll find an embarrassing number of very successful female authors who were not given obituaries in the newspaper because the editors (men) decided they weren’t important enough — Sylvia Plath and Charlotte Brontë to name a few. Many women have gone by male pen names so their novels would be taken seriously. Simone de Beauvoir probably wrote most of Jean Paul Sartre’s Being and Nothingness, but he’s the one lauded as the voice of the existentialists. Feminist bookstores create a safe space for the literary community to convene, where women readers and writers are seen and heard. Here are 13 bookstores dedicated to championing the literary works of women and non-binary authors. The Second Shelf in London, U.K. A.N. Devers is an author and rare book dealer who decided to open her own rare books store after she discovered the price discrepancy between male-authored and female-authored books. She told the Guardian in an interview, “I pulled two books of the shelf and gaped at the prices. The woman’s book was $25. The book by the man was hundreds.” Devers’ store specializes in rare books, modern first editions, manuscripts, and rediscovered works by women writers. Persephone Books in London, U.K. Persephone Books reprints literature by women from the 20th century that has been overlooked or forgotten. The proprietors find titles that have gone out of print and bring them back to life with an elegant jacket and a preface by a contemporary author. The most important criteria for the Persephone Books team is that they only publish books that they completely, utterly love. In addition to their unique publishing house, they have a shop located on Lamb’s Conduit Street in London. Bluestockings Bookstore in Manhattan, New York Located in the Lower East Side, Bluestockings is a collectively-owned, volunteer-powered activist bookstore with topics ranging from queer studies to dismantling oppression. It’s also devoted to maintaining a safe space for customers. In 2017, the store peacefully dealt with a group of alt-right provocateurs who attempted to plant their shelves with white supremacist books. Advertised on its website as 98% radical and 2% glitter, Bluestockings has a lot to offer including 6,000 book titles, zines, journals, menstrual products, and a cafe with “darn good coffee brimming with zapatismo.” Cafe con Libros in Brooklyn, New York Cafe Con Libros is a cozy little bookstore cafe owned by Kalima DeSuze, an Afro-Latinx woman veteran. Located in Crown Heights near Prospect Park, the bookstore “is a space explicitly dedicated to the stories of womyn and girls of all identities and, where lovers of said stories can come together to build community.” Violet Valley Bookstore in Water Valley, Mississippi Wedged between two large brick buildings, this bright, narrow store with an eggshell blue awning and a proudly displayed rainbow flag is a little oasis of feminist and LGBTQ+ books, both new and used. A Room of One’s Own in Madison, Wisconsin A Room of One’s Own is an independent bookstore with a wide variety of genres and a focus on women’s studies and LGBTQ+ fiction. The space is often used as a meeting place for community events and small discussion groups. Women and Children First in Chicago, Illinois Ann Christophersen and Linda Bubon were studying literature in university and had trouble finding women authors in their local bookstores and libraries. They decided to take things into their own hands and opened Women and Children First in 1979. This feminist bookstore has since become a staple in the literary community of Chicago, hosting incredible voices such as Gloria Steinem, Maya Angelou, Alison Bechdel, Eve Ensler, Hillary Clinton, Margaret Atwood, and more. The Women’s Bookshop in Auckland, New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, houses a literary refuge for women at The Women’s Bookshop. In addition to its extensive collection of feminist literature, it has become the country’s go-to bookshop for therapy and counseling books. Womencrafts in Provincetown, Massachusetts Womencrafts provides its customers with a “welcoming space that lends itself to partners embracing and kissing, intimate stories being shared, and staff often crying and reaching for tissues.” Although the books in stock are largely LGBTQ+ focused, the genres range a wide selection of carefully curated titles all written by women. Antigone Books in Tucson, Arizona Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus in Sophocles’ plays, a resilient and virtuous character who maintains her values in the face of adversity. This bookstore was named after the ancient Greek character and fashioned its mission after its eponym. The store enriches the community with a variety of workshops and book groups, and a devoted staff that frequently shares advice on what to read next with their recommended reading lists. Librairie L’Euguelionne in Montreal, Canada Montreal’s féministe bookstore, called L’Euguelionne, is difficult to pronounce but thankfully offers a helpful mnemonic device on its website: “ler-gay-lee-onn — you can think of a gay lion, even though it’s not what it means.” L’Euguelionne offers feminist literature in all forms, from magazines and art books to essays and textbooks, with an emphasis on celebrating diverse authors. Charis Books & More in Atlanta, Georgia The South’s oldest independent feminist bookstore offers an array of specialized sections on important topics that seem to have slipped through the cracks of the more corporate bookstores. Subsections cover topics from coming out to domestic violence, and political reading lists include “Understanding and Dismantling White Supremacy.” And if you think it can’t get better than that, think again; the store hosts a weekly yoga class. Sister’s Uptown Bookstore & Cultural Center in Manhattan, New York In 2000, two sisters, Janifer and Kori Wilson, opened Sister’s Uptown Bookstore in Harlem, which has since expanded into the cultural center that it is today. This Black-owned indie bookstore provides “resources for members of the community to nurture their minds, hearts and souls with present and past works of gifted African American authors and other great authors and intellectuals including masters of spoken word.”

Barn day Camp Girls and gender non-binary Boys and gender non-binary Red Spruce Grove I hope you enjoyed our video highlighting an incredible Summer 2021. What a summer... After a whirlwind few days, we’re getting into the rhythm of life at Red Spruce Grove! It’s amazing... It seems like a study comes out every week about the importance of gratitude. Everyone agrees that...

Author: A.M. Strickland Narrator: Lauryn Allman Audiobook Length: 14 hours 38 minutes A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead. In Thanopolis, those gifted with magic are assigned undead spirits to guard them—and control them. Ever since Rovan’s father died trying to keep her from this fate, she’s hidden her magic. But when she accidentally reveals her powers, she’s bound to a spirit and thrust into a world of palace intrigue and deception. Desperate to escape, Rovan finds herself falling for two people she can’t fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling, rebellious princess; and Ivrilos, the handsome spirit with the ability to control Rovan, body and soul. Together, they uncover a secret that will destroy Thanopolis. To save them all, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and spirit battling for her heart—if she doesn’t betray them first. In the Ravenous Dark has been on my TBR for quite some time and even was featured on one of my many TBR posts. I debated on whether to do the audiobook version or the ebook and ultimately went with the audiobook. I loved the audiobook as the author added a nice range of emotions throughout the book. It was nice to also hear all the places and characters spoken aloud rather than trying to figure them out in my head. The novel hooks the reader right away with a very dramatic prologue with the main character’s father sacrificing himself to save his family. Rovan is the main character in this story and is secretly a 19-year-old blood mage. She is also illiterate, which was well done on the author’s part. I love that this did not hold her back and not stigmatized, while also being acknowledged as part of her character. In order to prevent capture by the crown, she needs to keep her magic a secret. However, she makes a mistake and her powers are revealed. She is taken captive and brought to the royals where she is entangled in the secrets, betrayals, and royal drama. Although the character comes across as selfish, she was still enjoyable. I appreciated that she made many poor decisions and was not perfect. Sometimes her character was a little much in her stubbornness, but there is so much going on in the story that it did not take away from my enjoyment. Rovan grows a lot and goes through a lot of trial and error during the story as she enters a world that she knew little about. The amount of representation in this novel is insane as it showed great talent on the part of the author. Each character is written well with their own great personalities and backstory. They all fit well in the story and none of them feel forced or out of place. It was very refreshing as everything felt natural and did not feel that the author was being preachy about each character or wrote them one way or another for the sake of adding representation. (Apologies as I am having difficulty expressing my exact thoughts.) Rovan is a pansexual, Lydea is a lesbian, and Japha is a non-binary asexual. Polyamorous relationships are explored in this story and, again, it is not stigmatized in the story, which was enjoyable. While I loved all the romances and potential romances (whether platonic, familial, or romantic), many of them felt rushed as I did not feel there was enough build up before they actually happened. There is a lot of plot in this story and, at times, I wished that this were changed to a duology, as there was definitely enough material. While the story made sense and the characters worked well, I feel there is a lot more that could have been explored to expand this standalone into a duology without stretching it too thin to go fully into a trilogy. The different magic systems are very intricate and while they are well described, I still would have liked more exploration of them, including some more history. On the other hand, I did appreciate that this was a standalone, as they seem to be rare. It was nice to pick up a fantasy story and know that everything will wrap up by the end and I would not have to read the next one to find a conclusion. Overall, this story has amazing potential. The premise is amazing and the execution was almost there. The main issue just seemed to be there was a lot of material and not enough time to fully connect with everything. The romances were amazing, but I felt that the story jumped from point A to point C while missing point B, which is usually that building tension before the characters acknowledge the romance. The story itself did keep me guessing, as there were many twists and turns within the plot. The main character was extremely intriguing as, again, she was not perfect, yet she worked hard to find a way to save herself and those she cared about There is an excellent found-family concept in this story that was heart-warming. The novel had a fantastic premise and was greatly enjoyable, but I do wish that it were a further explored duology.

LUSU election underway as most candidates gather at The Outpost for debate Sam Mathers, News Editor With voting already underway, the 2018-2019 LUSU Executive and Board Election Debate was held on Friday at the Outpost. Students heard from candidates running for President, Vice President Operations and Finance, Vice President Advocacy, Vice President Orillia, and the Board of Directors. Common themes throughout the debate were the need for more transparency and accountability within the student union, food insecurity among students, and unity between the Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses. Notably, current President Leah Ching and current Vice President Operations and Finance Farhan Yousaf, who are both running for re-election, were not in attendance. Both emailed statements to be read to the audience by the Chief Returning Officer and Deputy Returning Officer. Yousaf cited “prior commitments” and invited students to visit his office. Ching cited a midterm and invited students to connect with her on her Facebook page. She credited students who were attending the debate to “have [their] voices heard, question [their] candidates and be involved in [their] student union election.” The absences did not go unnoticed by those in attendance or by those running for Board of Directors. Richard Mullin Cote, who is running for the Board of Directors on a platform of transparency and accountability, commended the current Vice President Advocacy Lindsay Kelley for being the only sitting member of the executive to attend the debate. Tannis Kastern, who served on the Board of Directors last year would like to see transparency within the Student Union, calling for the requirement of executives to be in the office for 40 hours a week. Kastern was critical of the current administration, saying: “I do believe that we have many strengths at LUSU and I do believe we have many weaknesses – today I’ve seen obvious weaknesses without two executives that were not here…we all know as students that we’ve had to rearrange exams and meetings and so forth and our time, this date has been set in print for awhile and I do believe that arrangements could have been made so that we could have had our executives here that are running.” Seeking re-election for a second term as President, 4th year Political Science student, Leah Ching, launched the first Mental Health Outreach Week on the Thunder Bay campus this year and has worked at developing wi-fi equipped study spaces in addition to planning for a new Multipurpose Athletics facility. Students will also see Booster Juice on campus and wi-fi in the Ryan building. If re-elected, Ching plans to “invest in campus development, empower student leaders and entrepreneurs,” particularly international and racialized students and “give back to students.” If elected for a second term, Ching promises that LUSU collected student fees and food prices at The Study and The Outpost will not increase. Running against Ching is Jessica Kearney, LUSU’s current Vice President Orillia. At the debate, Kearney spoke of her constitutional duty to have a presence on both campuses. If elected, her goal is to have a “united student body across both campuses while also recognizing the unique features of each campus.” Kearney spoke of the precedent that has been set by the executives in Orillia, who often stay late and regularly attend campus events – something she plans to continue if she moves to Thunder Bay. Promising to regularly visit the Orillia campus, Kearney says she will ensure that all voices in both Thunder Bay and Orillia are “acknowledged, and heard, and represented.” When asked what can be done to strengthen the communication and the relationship between the Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses, Kearney said: “we need to have the executives that are in Thunder Bay and the executives that are in Orillia to be going to the other campuses, this is part of the mandate of all executives … It’s been a disappointment for the Orillia students to not be able to interact with the Thunder Bay executives and vice versa.” Farhan Yousaf is running for re-election as Vice President Operations and Finance. In his statement read to the audience, he said “during my two years, we have made some important improvements to student life on campus and I would like to continue working on that.” In his past year as VP Finance, student fees were kept the same and more funding was given to students than had been in previous years. Yousaf spoke of creating new student bursaries that would benefit all students and provide new student spaces in both Thunder Bay and Orillia. His goal is to continue giving back to students. Rob Strachan, who currently runs the LUSU Food Bank, is running against Yousaf for Vice President Operations and Finance. He spoke to the massive amount of food insecurity on campus, and hopes to develop a free lunch program every day for students. He also hopes to create more student jobs, partnering with community agencies, “to get students field specific skills.” Strachan also hopes to increase student support, such as free or discounted on-campus first-aid certification for nursing students. He also intends to look into “investing student fees into renewable energy such as solar panels,” which would bring a 10% return on the investment. When asked where the funding for daily free lunches would come from, Strachan suggested several different models, which included: the shuffling around of already existing student fees, taking money from existing investments or surplus assets, in addition to community donations. According to Strachan, the Food Bank received $5,000 in donations last year. He stressed that the “last thing that [he] would want to do is increase student fees to pay for free lunch when they’re already having trouble making ends meet.” Lindsay Kelly, current Vice President Advocacy was the only sitting member of the executive that was present at the debate, something that did not go unnoticed by those in attendance or to those running for a seat on the Board of Directors. Running for re-election, Kelly spoke of the moment that they knew they wanted to be involved in student politics—when they realized during Lobby Week that “the government doesn’t really understand what we’re doing here, and they don’t really understand what we need.” Kelly spoke about international students, co-op students, students with families and working students who are studying “in a system that is set up for them to fail.” Kelly’s dream is a barrier free education for all students, regardless of background. They hope to see better policies and growth, particularly in relation to food insecurity and mental health – like the inclusion of mental health days into syllabi. Running against Kelly, is Stephen Powell-Chambers, who is “doing this because students need someone to stick up for them…I’m that kind of person that won’t stand up for injustices toward students.” He spoke of the importance of inclusivity and embracing other cultures, as well as dealing with the problem of food insecurity, especially among first year students. Both candidates were asked about the lack of gender neutral washrooms on campus and what they would do, if elected, to create safer spaces. Before speaking of the work that still needs to be done, Kelly stated that “there is one in the LUSU office that is open to absolutely anybody who wants to use it – it says ‘staff only’ but that’s a lie.” Kelly stressed the importance of making washrooms accessible not only for transgender and non-binary individuals, but also individuals who need to use a change table, as well as the importance of having conversations with security staff to ensure that these spaces remain safe. Powell-Chambers spoke to his disappointment that the need for gender neutral washrooms is even an issue today, saying “bathrooms should not be inaccessible to people. These bathrooms should be available to anyone, anytime.” Running for Vice President Orillia are Theresa VandeBurgt and Cody Avery. VandeBurgt sat on Orillia’s Board of Directors last year, and has been the President of Orillia’s Mental Health Outreach Team for the past two. She plans to continue to advocate for mental health awareness on both campuses and within the community as well as for better transit accessibility on both campuses – something that is a major issue, particularly in Orillia. Avery is in his third year of the criminology program and is currently a LUSU staff person, working as Events Commissioner. He has had the opportunity to work with faculty, administration, staff, and students, and is excited to bring new ideas to the student union, stating: “the reason for being up here is pretty simple, I want to have a more engaged student body.” Timothy Thompson, Mathew Nowak, Victoria Mechis, Jake Penton and Konnor J. Davidson are running for a seat on the Board of Directors as members of the Reform Alliance, whose principals are based on transparency, accountability, and student engagement. Others at the debate hoping for a seat were Joseph Carew, a third-year Indigenous learning student who hopes to focus on realistic change, Josh Pogue, who believes in the transparency and accountability of the student union, Prabhjot Singh Ahuja, who wants to make the student union accessible, Lauren Kaus, who would like to bridge the gap between white students, Indigenous students, and international students, as well as focus on mental health issues and food insecurity. Harleen Bhullar, who has been involved in many different clubs and organizations on campus and served on the Board of Directors last year, Shahroze (Shezzy) Arshad who has been involved with LUSU in many capacities over the last four years and also served on the Board of Directors last year, and James Barsby, who hopes to drastically improve the accessibility services on campus. Also running for a seat on the Board of Directors is Basil Patrick, Feras Battah, an Electrical student who has been involved with LUSU for almost three years, Annah Malik, who is passionate about mental health, giving back to students, campus development, more food options on campus, as well as keeping LUSU transparent and accountable, and Victoria Erickson, who also served on the Board of Directors last year, and is passionate about equal opportunity for students. Regardless of where you stand, get informed and exercise your right to vote. Your voice matters. Voting will be open until February 7th and can be done online at http://lusu.ca/vote/.

March 23, 2018 Amy Nugent is a Vancouver-based cultural worker and resource developer. As the former president of Artspeak’s board, she has been recognized with a 2016 Mayor’s Arts Award from the City of Vancouver. Her own research over the past five years has focused on the history and restitution of sculptors Frances Loring (1887–1968) and Florence Wyle (1881–1968), the current state of Canadian art collections and the limited acquisition funds to support them. From March to July, 2018, Nugent will be a 221A fellow. Her project continues to examine the history of artists Frances Loring and Florence Wyle, who were crucial members of Canada’s early 20th century art history. The contributions of these artists has been unfairly eluded in national art history, and as a way to fulfill the final wishes in their last wills and testaments, Nugent’s research will develop The Sculpture Fund, a resource available to collecting institutions, public galleries, museums and schools for the commissioning and acquisition of sculpture work by woman and non-binary artists. A collection at Pollyanna 圖書館 Library will accompany Nugent’s research, and public programs are forthcoming. Future program announcements relating to The Sculpture Fund will be posted at https://polly-anna.ca March 7, 2018 Throughout the Spring season, 221A hosts sum of the parts, a curatorial research project by Jenn Jackson which brings together a selection of films, performances and installations by artists who activate personal histories which are drawn from familial and public record. Artists, Deanna Bowen, Felix Kalmenson, Divya Mehra, Krista Belle Stewart, and Casey Wei, present compelling excavations of the past, by drawing from familial, historic, and archival sources; visualizing narratives of race and class, and their recognition within official records. Each film and performance provides a framework for a larger narrative of archival complexities—offering a visual key to examine discourses on the commodification and construction of historic record in relation to the business of archival storage, preservation, and dissemination within the public realm. In mining the potential of the private and public archive, these artists interrogate the visual and material nature of historical reference and activate immaterial records. Research associated with sum of the parts will form a new collection at Pollyanna 圖書館 Library. For the second event in the series, join media analyst Svitlana Matviyenko and curator Jenn Jackson at Pollyanna 圖書館 Library for the screening of artist Felix Kalmenson’s films Neither Country, Nor Graveyard (2017) and A House of Skin (2016), Wednesday, May 16 at 7 pm. January 30, 2018 William Dereume. Photo by Juli Majer. 221A welcomes artists William Dereume and Juli Majer as fellows of Note on Permanent Education (N.O.P.E. 2017), the organization’s collective research program. Working with 221A Librarian Vincent Tao, Dereume and Majer will develop social and cultural infrastructures informed by their artistic practices. 221A provides its fellows with subsistence resources to lead the organization’s research, production, and public programming. January 8, 2018 Thanks to over 80 donors, 221A is pleased to have met 96% of its goal of $1,700 a month towards its Research Fund. The funds will support the organization’s shift towards a Fellowship model, including direct financial support for artists and cultural workers such as upcoming Fellow, Amy Nugent. 221A would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our donors for their trust and commitment to the leadership of artists and in 221A’s organizational approach. We look forward to sharing further programs and services in the coming months. For inquiries about the Research Fund, donation tax receipts or other inquiries you can contact our office email at [email protected]. To make a contribution and help us close our 4% gap please visit here. Pollyanna and Semi-Public 半公開 will re-open Tuesday, January 9.

This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Thu, August 23 2018 8:44 PM UTC +00:00. Cosmonauts Avenue was founded by badass women writers on the core idea that the literary world needs to do more to support and amplify marginalized voices. We knew that work needed to be done, and we decided not to wait around for anyone else to do it. We launched our first issue in 2014, and since then our editorial staff has worked to carve out literary space for ourselves — for writers of color, ciswomen, trans men and women, non-binary folks, members of the LGBQA community, people with disabilities, international writers, and non-Christian writers. In an online, monthly literary journal, Cosmonauts Avenue curates a space that pays careful attention to craft while remaining urgent and surprising. Now, we want to take the work of our incredible contributors and turn it into a beautiful print anthology, curating stories and poems from the last four years of publication. With your help, we’ll create a 200-page collection of jubilation, side-eyes, survival tactics and jagged-edged wisdom. We’ll feature 30 poets, 6 fiction writers, and 3 nonfiction writers. Our editors—the same ones who pick the critical and vibrant work we publish on our site—are already laying out a constellation of pieces from pathbreaking artists like Kristen Arnett, Colette Arrand, Destiny O. Birdsong, MK Chavez, jayy dodd, Natalie Eilbert, Megan Fernandes, T Kira Madden, José Olivarez, Raquel Salas Rivera, and Candace Williams. We’ll be working with a trusted print shop to ensure the appearance of the final product is as striking as the words you’ll find inside. With the proceeds from selling the anthology, we will begin paying contributors for the life-changing and necessary work they’re doing. We will be able to continue hosting contests with wonderful judges, and keep up with the costs that come with running a journal. Up until now, we’ve raised money primarily through contests, judged by Roxanne Gay, Ocean Vuong, Claudia Rankine, Eileen Myles, Tommy Pico, and Porochista Khakpour. Since we’re an entirely volunteer-run magazine, contest submission fees help us pay our lovely judges and subsidize website hosting, Submittable fees, mailing, etc. Since we intend to always keep regular submissions 100% free, sales of our print anthology would provide the jolt of revenue we need to become a self-sustaining publisher. We’re excited about taking the stellar work we’ve featured online and putting it physically in your hands. We hope you are too! If you’re interested in the poems, stories, essays and reviews we’re putting out, and you want to help us reach a whole new stage of stability, please support this campaign. Meet Our Team! Editor-in-Chief, Bükem Reitmayer is a Turkish-Canadian writer. Her work has appeared in No Tokens, PANK, Minola Review, and Carousel, among others. Senior Poetry Editor, Aba Micah Collins-Sibley writes poems in their black, queer, disabled voice and all of their poems are political. Their poems can be found in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Felt, Peach Magazine, Cosmonauts Avenue, Poetry.org, and are forthcoming in Split Lip Press' 2019 Anthology. Senior Fiction Editor, Madeleine Maillet is a writer, translator and editor. Her work has appeared in Prism International, THIS Magazine, Joyland, The Journey Prize Stories Anthology (McLelland and Stewart) and other places. She is a PhD Candidate in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. Non Fiction Editor, Aliza Ali Khan is a Pakistani-American writer. Fiction Editor, Paige Cooper's book of short stories, Zolitude, came out with Biblioasis in 2018. Poetry Editor, Jay Pabarue is a mixed-race poet from Philadelphia. His poems have appeared in Diagram, The Vassar Review, Gargoyle, Redactions: Poetry and Poetics, and others. Illustrator, Max Winter lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is a frequent illustrator, editor, and writer. Risks and challenges There are two primary risks and challenges to our project’s successful completion after funding: Problems with the print shop: The translation of typeset files into printed works is a complex process, and errors at this stage of production can be costly. We’re working with a printer we trust, and have confidence that they’ll able to deliver smoothly, at the promised price, even if roadblocks come up. Illness/Death: Well, this is dark. And pretty unlikely. But we are a small team, and it’s possible one of us ends up out of commission for unforeseen reasons. Still, if anyone has to drop out of the project, we’re committed to seeing it through.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

A friend of mine living in Albuquerque posted about an art project s/he recently completed, and I messaged hir to find out more about it. What follows is an interview with the artist, Harley Kirschner, in which we touch on toxic masculinity, safety, artistic processes, and a whole lot more! Kam: How did you get involved in it? Did you propose the idea? Harley: I work at Winnings coffee shop again, after a few years in plumbing and pipefitting , unemployment, self employment and other jobs. We have artists do murals in our bathrooms and it was time for a new one.The need was expressed and I jumped on the opportunity. I got free reign over what I wanted to do and as a trans artist who is getting into what I like to think of as oversized zines, naturally I created a zine installation about using public restrooms as trans in a public restroom. Kam: Is it related to your plumbing career, your art career, or both? Can you elaborate on that? Harley: My plumbing career collapsed which I now see as a blessing. However, in that collapse, after living stealth 24/7 I really collapsed emotionally. Everything about my art and my loud trans non-binary self is because I failed at fitting the mold of what a plumber or pipefitter or man is supposed to be. Trying to be someone that I’m not almost killed me as I was terrified and disassociated all the time. I do share my experience with how bathrooms were such a huge part of that in this installation. However, although I would usually put my name on my story, due to the location being my place of employment and coming to embrace myself as non-binary and using mixed pronouns when I feel safe, I felt too vulnerable. I thought about censoring my story but felt the content was important so I chose to leave off my name. I found empowerment in taking a bathroom and making it my own and a safe place for trans people after my experience in the plumbing industry which has rules (which are laws under the guise of safety… Most are.), about gendered bathrooms. That was one issue that I always had issues with myself. My experience in the plumbing and pipe fitting industries was heavy industrial for the most part so I did very little in bathrooms and actually very little with water. Mostly, I piped refrigerant and coal. I still use some of my skills in doing irrigation. When my plumbing career fell apart and I started talking about it in zines and about how toxic masculinity makes me want to kill myself, I started getting recognized for my art and it was very clear to me that where my art had been lacking in the work that I had been showing wasn’t in the technical sense but rather in the voice. I knew that if I wanted to achieve what I wanted with my art, to make trans people feel beautiful, I had to use my own voice and make it loud. I had been very scared to do that. Partly because it was incredibly unsafe in my plumbing career and partly because I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself. When I had nothing to lose career wise and my sanity and breath depended on taking up queer and trans space I knew that taking the steps to enhance my literary voice would give my fine art real value. Kam: What are your goals with the project? What would you like people to get out of it? Harley: To make Winning Coffee Company the most queer and trans friendly coffee shop in Albuquerque. To take back bathrooms after they made me feel so unsafe. To embrace the diversity within my community by feeling the love and support of not only trans people but of all the people who love my work. I feel that it is very new to me to feel the amount of love and support around being trans from cis people that I do and I would like to offer that same safe feeling in a public place in Albuquerque for all trans people. I am very lucky to have such great supportive coworkers that helped make this happen, including making the bathrooms gender neutral (a few years ago) and helped me paint the walls. Kam: Do you see ways to expand on this? Other places or other ideas? Harley: I would like it to be an ongoing conversation. As the installation deteriorates and get tagged (unfortunately a given with the Winning’s bathroom-nothing offensive just disrespectful in general) I would like to replace the paper with different stories. People are encouraged to contribute any stories they have about using the bathroom as a trans person. I have thought about doing this bathroom in other spaces but am too busy artistically to take on another project right now. Kam: What did your artistic process look like for this? Harley: I used matte black paint on all the walls but chose to keep the ceiling white and paint the door white so it didn’t create a feeling of being trapped. There was a metal frame that used to have an advertisement poster in it. The advertising company closed but the frame was still there. It reminds me a lot of the welding that I was working with at the job that I reference in my story so I chose to keep it and decoupage the plexiglass that it holds. It works very well with the symbolist element of my work. I wallpapered large photocopies of stories and photocopied collages of images related to being trans and using bathrooms. I incorporated images from my time in the union, including an image of my shadow where I look like I’m holding a gun and I’m going to shoot, an image of a sign that says “ouch”, and images from one of my textbooks. My favorite part is the dictionary words “restricted” followed by “restroom”, nothing could have been more appropriate. In my photocopied collages I incorporate transfers to overlay images. There is a grainy quality in oversized prints that I find particularly appealing. Kam: Anything else you wanted to add that I didn’t ask about? Harley: Thank you very much for asking me to talk about my work on your blog. Your writing has always inspired me and I hope that my voice will be as touching to others as yours has been to me. Back in October, I was asked to be a part of a group performance art piece, an interpretation of John Cage’s Variations III. We were given a sheet of transparent plastic with 42 circles on it. Our task was to cut out each circle, take a 11 X 8.5 inch sheet of paper, drop the circles onto the white paper, clear any circles that landed outside of the paper and also any circle that wasn’t overlapping with another circle. Then we took a photo of our “circle configuration.” Mine looked like this: We were then supposed to distill this pattern into a “score” that would span 2 hours (including 5 minute breaks for every “event.” According to the directions, “Starting with any circle, observe the number of circles which overlap it. Make an action or actions having the corresponding number of interpenetrating variables (1+n). This done, move on to any one of the overlapping circles, again observing the number of interpenetrations, performing a suitable action or actions, and so on. Some or all of one’s obligation may be performed through ambient circumstances (environmental changes) by simply noticing or responding to them. Though no means are given for the measurement of time or space … or the specific interpretation of circles, such measurement and determination means are not necessarily excluded from the ‘interpenetrating variables.’ Some factors though not all of a given interpenetration or succession of several may be planned in advance, but leave room for the use of unforseen eventualities. Any other activities are going on at the same time.” So, in less dense terms, 24 performers were given a space of roughly 4 feet by 6 feet, all in one big room. And we could do any activity we chose, for a length of two hours, off and on, as was guided by our circle permutation. So, basically, I had 9 circles which meant 9 events, and I tried to have each overlap “dictate” how each of the 9 events was structured. The performance was on December 1st. I decided mine would be about doing drag. There was really nothing else that made sense. Drag has been the only form of performance art I’ve done, and I was excited to, in a way, deconstruct and leave up to chance, the way it played out. I brought an alarm clock radio with a tape player, 100 cassettes tapes all in a display case, 9 wigs & hats, 4 skirts, 2 pants, one dress, a bunch of shirts and coats and belts and cumberbunds, 4 shoes & boots, a makeup bag, 4 “microphones,” a mirror, a blow dryer, and a hair buzzer. I think I was the performer with the most “stuff,” and over the course of 2 hours, I proceeded to make a mess of all of it, within my space. This was reminiscent of any time I would do drag. After a show, my room would be a disaster of dress-up options. So, for each of the 9 events, I threw “circles,” onto the ground (including cds, tokens, bracelets, and mason jar rings). I then pretended to have these circle formations dictate what I wore and what tape I played. In a vague sense. It all did work out in the end – I had 9 different outfits and 9 different songs, all chosen at random. Some of those included REM – Drive, XTC – Summer’s Cauldron, Tears for Fears – Shout, and Kate Bush – Jig of Life. I didn’t know these songs by heart, so I just pretended to lip-synch. Due to the cacophony in the room though, I was the only one who could hear the clock radio anyway – I had to hold it right next to my ear! Other peoples’ actions included baking things, bicycling, playing instruments, creating play-dough art, playing video games, reading aloud, dancing, and much more! Observers just walked among us. It was unclear whether they were supposed to engage with us or not. One guy did come up to me and ask if he could talk to me. I said, “Sure.” He said he thought earlier I had silver lipstick on and now I don’t, so what happened? I said, “Oh, that lipstick was so old it didn’t go on right. It was all clumpy. So during one of my breaks, I went to the bathroom to take it off.” “Was that part of what was supposed to happen?” “No!” And we both laughed. He asked more questions about why did you do this, why not this? Afterward I talked to a handful of acquaintances – it felt good to be social. That guy came back up to me and said, “You know, when you put on the lipstick, you really had me convinced.” “Convinced of what? That it looked bad?” “No, that you were a woman.” “Oh, whoa, OK, so, I’m a little bit of both. As is all this stuff.” I gestured to all my clothes and junk, still strewn about. My two friends I was talking to backed me up, which felt awesome. I think ultimately, I was going for that response, for people to be confused about what genders I was playing out or not playing out. So even though his forwardness made me uncomfortable in the moment, it was an important element, or “takeaway,” from the night. I’ve been corresponding with Linda Coussement, a video artist from the Netherlands. She reached out because she recently made an awesome short video (3 minutes) about a transgender artist in Berlin. She thought people who read my blog would enjoy it. So, here it is, along with further information about Linda and a short interview: Miss Tobi is a 44 year old anarchist who makes amazing metal sculptures, plays in several performance art groups, and is also a part-time physical therapist. Check out the video! Linda: “My background: Well, my name is Linda Coussement, I’m 36 years old and I’m from the Netherlands. […] I’ve only recently decided to step out of the business world and follow my (he)art on this epic adventure. I used to work as a business coach but I now plan to make a living through these videos somehow. On the short term I will probably have to get by on donations and funds, on the medium to long term, I plan to have books, events and workshops to sell. What’s perhaps also good to know is that I’m not just doing this for myself and my own personal growth as a human being. I ultimately wish to inspire as many people as possible. To show that we’re all human beings, no matter what we look like, where we’re from or what we do. We all love and fear. We all have hopes and dreams. And we all sometimes struggle with relationships, money, confidence and loneliness. Personally, I’ve learned that the moment you realise this is the moment you can empathise with another person and because of that build a meaningful relationship. And that’s what I would like to see more of in the world!” JQ: How did you get into this project? What inspired you? LC: I’ve spent about 12 years in the business world (amongst other things as a business consultant and startup cofounder) but I’ve always had a keen interest in the more human side of life. This expressed itself through teaching yoga, doing lots of personal development training courses and coaches and being overall very reflective of myself and life in general. Though this question popped up in my head a few years ago, it was in May of this year that I realised that it was this human side that I wanted to explore more at this point in my life and I made a spontaneous decision to ask the question ‘how is it to be you?’ to all sorts of people around the world (hence renting out my house and traveling) and document it through blogs and video. JQ: Is this video part of a larger series, or does it stand on its own? LC: This video is the first of a much larger series. There will be supershort videos on Facebook (where I randomly ask people in the street this question), these 3 minute videos (the next one will be about a banker turned hand made paper maker in the Czech countryside) and ultimately a book, a long documentary and live events. Concerning the video of Miss Tobi, it’s very likely that I’ll also make an 8 minute version that will be sent into several festivals. JQ: How did you meet Miss Tobi? What came first, meeting her, or the idea for the video? More information can be found here: How It Is To Be Miss Tobi: I Don’t Feel Like a Woman, I Don’t Feel Like a Man, I Feel Transgender My partner and I met up with friends in Pittsburgh last week. We did a bunch of fun stuff – Andy Warhol Museum (on his birthday!), ate at a church converted into a brewery, saw an outdoor concert at an art gallery… But I was most impressed by a contemporary art museum called The Mattress Factory. It was housed in 3 buildings on the same block. There were some permanent art installations that took up whole rooms and kinda blew me away. One in particular was called, “It’s all about ME, Not You,” by Greer Lankton. I’d never heard of her before, so I did a little bit of research (both at the gift shop and later, online). The room was a fantasy version of her actual bedroom in Chicago. It had an astroturf carpet and was filled with hand-made dolls and shrines. Shrines for Jesus, Patti Smith, Candy Darling… There were Raggedy Ann dolls and Troll dolls. It’s hard to see, but the bedspread and floor next to the bed is overflowing with prescription bottles (all hers). Greer Lankton was born in 1958. She transitioned in 1979, which was so long ago that it’s still simply stated that she had “sexual reassignment surgery,” or “a sex change,” as if that’s all that transition entails, as if that’s an appropriate way to sum it up. I wonder what it would have been like to transition in that era. She went to Pratt Institute and lived in NYC for years before moving to Chicago. She made a name for herself in the art world by making realistic dolls of friends and celebrities. Wikipedia says she transitioned while she was a student at Pratt, and it states, “She had previously been the subject of a local newspaper article about people transitioning to a new gender.” I tried to search for this newspaper article online with no luck. I am so curious about what it would have said! She struggled with drug addiction and an eating disorder and passed away in 1996, shortly after finishing this installation at The Mattress Factory. It became a permanent room in 2009. At the gift shop, we saw a poster that featured Greer Lankton and many other famous transgender people. My partner ended up buying one and so did our friends. The posters were made as a way to raise funds for MOTHA (Museum of Transgender Hirstory and Art.) This is a museum that is not physically in existence yet, but it will be once enough money is raised. It’ll be in San Francisco (of course!) Even though it’s not yet built, the MOTHA is already doing all kinds of stuff – just check out their website. If you’re ever in Pittsburgh, make sure to check out The Mattress Factory, and especially this one particular room on the third floor of the main building! And if you’re ever in San Francisco at an unspecified date in the future, be sure to go to MOTHA! My partner and I attended the opening exhibition for this ongoing project that has been really gaining momentum in the last few months. Rhys Harper launched an indiegogo campaign to raise funds for a cross-country road trip this summer, photographing trans and gender-non-conforming people along the way. The results are beautiful 24X36 inch black and white portraits, along with brief bios of each subject, to illustrate who they are as people, beyond their gender identities. I first heard about the project in May and donated immediately to the campaign. We exchanged a few emails and then I met Rhys in person at the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference. When he asked if I’d like to get my photo taken by him, I said, “yes, definitely.” Not realizing he was taking photos right there at the conference! (I think.) I said it more as, yes, let’s set that up! D’oh, haha. Since then, we’ve been messaging further, and I’m very much hoping to be a part of this ever expanding collection of photographs which are gaining visibility and audiences! My partner and I made a trip of it this weekend – we went to a vegan restaurant, book store, art museum, Mediterranean restaurant, and then to the event. It was a blast; nice to get out of town. The art museum portion of the day was totally bizarre and surreal. The docent seemed surprised we wanted to pay the full $5 each suggested donation. No one else was in the museum except for her and a very friendly (and bored?) security guard. Or so we thought, until we headed toward the stairway to the bottom floor – there were loud banging noises and the sounds of screaming children en masse. I just kept visualizing a stampede of school-aged children horsing around and slamming into the glass cases housing invaluable ceramics. I wasn’t too far off – it was indeed a stampede of children, but they were contained within a “play area.” We wandered around for a solid 2 hours, and were trailed by the guard for much of that time. She made sure to let us know we could take photos of the ceramics, as long as we didn’t use flash. She pointed out some specific ones to us, commenting, “this one fools a lot of people,” etc. She asked us if we’ve ever heard a player piano before (part of one of the exhibits) and we felt obligated to follow her back into a room we’d already been in, because the piano was rolling out the music. I asked her how many times the piano kicks on per day. She said, “three or four.” There was an A/V exhibit where you could record a 10 second digital video of yourself, while manipulating special effects. So, we went ahead and did that, and playback mode shows what you just recorded, followed by everyone else’s segments… Our block was followed by 10 seconds of the guard, pacing the room at a slight distance, all pixelated and swooping (she must have recorded herself earlier in the day). It was a distorted version of our real life experience, at the art museum. It was a moment. The gallery event was incredible. Very well attended. Lots of snacks and drinks (I usually make a bee-line for the free snacks at these kinds of things). Seeing these images (many of which I’ve seen online) on these white walls, in person, felt really powerful. There’s an Episcopal nun. A fire fighter. An ex-military person. A cat rescuer. A MMA fighter. A DJ. And so many more. I think Rhys’s project is going to go far. He’s already going far! He recognized me right away, and we talked further about my being photographed in the future. We also talked about being introverts and stuff like that. He invited us to an after-party outing which was super nice, but we politely declined (since my partner and I are such introverts. Haha.) The opening was a joint effort with Gavin Rouille, a conceptual and graphic artist living in Minneapolis. gavinlaurencerouille.wordpress.com. If you go to his website and click on “personal” (personal work), you’ll come upon a lot of really cool visual stuff. The text on the card reads: “Dear friend, I am a boy. I am sure you did not realize this when you called me, ‘lady, girl, miss, she, her, or ma’am.’ In the past I have attempted to alert people of my gender identity in advance. Unfortunately, this causes them to react to me as pushy, or socially inappropriate. Therefore, my policy is to assume people don’t make these assumptions about me, and to distribute this card when they do. I regret any discomfort my presence is causing you just as I am sure you regret the discomfort your assumptions are causing me.” Edit: I JUST saw this: this article about Rhys’s photos was published 2 hours ago in Cosmo. (!!!) Cosmopolitan article: 14 Beautiful Photos That Will Change How You See Gender Forever

Stay on top of the country’s statistical news throughout the day! Most recent publications Ready, set, garden! Got a green thumb and plan to storm your favourite nursery this weekend? With the warm weather upon us, many Canadians will be stocking up on flowers, plants and seedlings to get the gardening season started. Filling gaps in gender diversity data in Canada With the release of the 2021 Census, Canada became the first country to provide census data on transgender and non-binary people. Calculate your personal inflation rate Have you ever wondered how your experience of inflation differs from that of the average Canadian household? Zoom-ing in on Canadians’ Internet use before and during the pandemic In 2020 and early 2021, three-quarters of Canadians reported that they were online more frequently than before the pandemic, increasing their Internet use to contact family and friends, access entertainment or government services, buy food and goods, and to work from home. Fewer babies born as Canada’s fertility rate hits a record low in 2020 Canada is a low-fertility country, or below the no-migration population replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. Fertility rates have been steadily declining since 2009, with the trend intensifying since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: Canada’s fertility rate decreased from 1.47 children per woman in 2019 to a record low of 1.40 children per woman in 2020. Juno Awards: And the winner is… The 2022 Juno nominees for Sunday night’s “Artist of the year” award include 11-time Juno winner Shawn Mendes, 8-time winner Justin Bieber as well as Charlotte Cardin, JP Saxe and The Weeknd. For the Canadian performing arts industry as a whole in 2020, however, most artists, executives and employees in the industry were singing the blues. Time to cut the green green grass of home Let’s look at how Canadian households cut the grass, gathered leaves and, perhaps most importantly of all, how many owned a chainsaw in 2019. Can you read this? If you’re above the age of 45, you might need to go get your glasses. As we age, most of us experience a decrease in our ability to see without correction. Youth mental health in the spotlight again, as pandemic drags on More than two years into school closures, virtual learning, isolation, and fewer gatherings with family and friends, data collected on younger Canadians from the earlier months of the COVID-19 pandemic have provided some insight on its effects on their mental health. Red Dress Day—remembering loss, looking to justice A picture alone can tell a thousand words. The red dress, a bold and tangible symbol of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, represents innumerable words—their stories. Will higher gas prices put a damper on Canada's love affair with trucks and SUVs? There was a time, not so long ago, when most Canadians drove a car. Back in 2009, for example, approximately half of the new motor vehicles sold in Canada were passenger cars.

More than 25 percent of Penn’s undergraduates have gone Greek, but transgender students are few among them. In interviews with Greek organization leaders, administrators and transgender students, the low representation was attributed to structural inequalities, slow institutional change and cultural norms. The unwelcome ratio Common aspects of Greek life, like ratios of women to men determining access to parties, marginalize genders outside of the male/female binary. “I think that frats and sororities as a whole are stuck in very regressive gender roles,” College senior Roderick Cook said. Cook, a transgender student who uses they/them pronouns, is the president and co-founder of Penn Non-Cis, a group dedicated to trans students at Penn through discussion of gender identity issues and awareness. To their knowledge, none of the members — which number about 12 — are in a fraternity or sorority. “I think the entire point of traditional Greek life is very strict gender conformity,” Cook said. Cook identified ratios as especially unwelcoming to transgender people. “Assessing people for their gender and their attractiveness right at the door is something that affects everybody, but in particular for gender non-conforming people, that plays out in really bad ways,” they said. Other leaders in the Greek community agreed that ratios are harmful for transgender students because they reinforce the notion that only men and women are welcome. “I have trans friends who have gone to frat parties with the ratio and have been asked, ‘Are you a guy or girl?’” Wharton junior and Pi Lambda Phi President Christian Urrutia said. “It’s outright misogyny.” For gender non-conforming students, some of whom are still in the process of transitioning, the strict gender binary encouraged by ratios is directly exclusionary. “I think that the main issues that are criticized in general for frats are just something that piles on when you add gender identity into the mix,” Cook said. Changing law and culture National chapters can slow down the process of opening up membership to transgender students, administrators and students said in interviews last week. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life leaves matters of membership to the individual chapters in coordination with their national organizations. Greek groups are exempt from the Title IX gender equality requirements, meaning the national headquarters for each group can determine membership free of federal anti-discrimination claims. Occasionally, national organizations are unbending to the will of local chapters in expanding membership. Pi Lam has petitioned its national organization to become officially co-ed at Penn for six years, but the chapter has repeatedly rebuffed their request. At Penn, the chapter operates as a co-ed organization, but the national chapter only counts males for official documentation. Despite bureaucratic hurdles to becoming gender inclusive, student leaders attested to Penn’s acceptance of non-binary students within gendered fraternities or sororities. “We haven’t had a necessity to bring it up with the administration if a transitioning or transitioned person has been recognized,” Urrutia said. Two nonbinary students have been members of the fraternity during Urrutia’s time in Pi Lam, including one current student. OFSL Director Eddie Banks-Crosson agreed that convincing national organizations to change chapter rules can be difficult, especially when national executives aren’t exposed to the conversations about race, gender identity and privilege that occur on college campuses. “Working in the field for quite some time, I’m thinking that ‘OK, I’m living in an environment where we’re constantly talking about these issues.’ These people who are steering these groups do not,” he said. Cook believes the problem of trans-inclusivity in Greek life is rooted more in the homogenous culture of the groups, rather than in any one group’s membership rules. “Even if you look at mainstream sororities and fraternities, you don’t see a diversity of race, you don’t see a diversity of body type, body size, you don’t really even see a diversity in interests,” they said. Wharton senior and Interfraternity Council President Jacob Wallenberg admitted that fraternities often have checkered pasts but remained optimistic about future inclusivity. Many of these “organizations were founded in 1850 when women weren’t allowed to go to college. It’s possible that there’s still relics of that,” he said. “If there’s any biases left, they’re more cultural than institutional. Then that becomes a student problem more than a Greek problem.” Going beyond co-ed The community that Greek organizations provide can often be found in other campus groups, Cook said. “Companionship and spending time closely with a group of people are something that can be replicated at places like APO [Alpha Phi Omega] and even in groups like the Writers House,” they said. Cook knows other trans people that have “really enjoyed” being members of APO, a co-ed service fraternity. “Even the marketing of co-ed also does imply a gender binary that a lot of people don’t ascribe to,” Cook said. Cook added that while “LGB” people may be represented at higher rates in co-ed fraternities, the groups “fall into the same category in terms of not exactly being safe or welcoming for trans people.” Starting a Discussion Continuing to make transgender students feel comfortable and welcome within Greek life will be an ongoing issue, not solved by or restricted to correcting instances of cultural insensitivity. “It’s up to the students to start the conversation,” Banks-Crosson said. “We can be here as experienced professionals to support and guide the conversation, but I think they need to start it.” But is rectifying occasional instances of insensitivity enough to become more welcoming? “There’s only so much you can do with sensitivity training and changing certain dynamics within Greek life that will make them more accepting,” Cook said. Though Cook reiterated that they do not speak for all trans people at Penn, they believe it’s unlikely more trans people will be attracted to Greek organizations anytime soon. “I think there’s something inherent in the structure of how fraternities and sororities interact with each other that is never going to be a welcoming place for trans people,” Cook said.Comments powered by Disqus Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The Observer have an article on the fiftieth anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of sex between men in 1967. They've called it Glad to be gay: leading figures on 50 years of liberation. Given that the writer of the song referenced there is bisexual you'd think that… ha, of course not. Someone who's made a documentary, Queerama, about LGBT life before 1967 says they were repeatedly "floored" by the "courage of the gay men, bisexuals and lesbians and anyone transgender or non-binary who came out in the first two-thirds of the 20th century". I hope you enjoyed that quote. It is the only use of the word 'bisexual' in the entire piece. The only use. Because I infamously like doing it (even if I don't like having to), I can tell you that the article says 'gay' seventy six times. I might be a bit out with that, because I didn't double count its use in pull quotes. It says 'homosexual/homosexuality' thirteen times. It says 'heterosexual' three times (and 'straight' seven). It says 'lesbian(s)' four times. But bisexual only once. And that in the context of someone effectively spelling out LGBT. One reason for that is that the director who did that is a woman and the six "leading figures" are all men, and all identify as gay. Now, you can – and the Observer do – say that 'We chose to interview only men because it was to men that the Sexual Offences Act applied'. You could also see that they say that as a tiny step forward: they wouldn't have even seen the need to say anything a few years ago.* But all gay?!? Did I miss something in the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 saying that its criminalisation of any sexual act between men didn't apply if one or more of the men identified as bisexual or had sex with another gender? No, I didn't. It was what was used to convict Oscar Wilde, for example. Not that the author doesn't know that plenty of men who identify as gay now haven't (and don't) have sex with women. Not that she puts it that way. Instead she asks.. Did you experiment with being straight at all? Even when one of the interviewees talks about things like bisexuality it's done in this way: Alan Hollingsworth: Yet there is a much more fluid and complex understanding of sexuality emerging now, and often a reluctance to define yourself as one thing or the other. As a writer, too, I like the idea of exploring rather than defining sexuality. 'often a reluctance to define yourself as one thing or the other'?? Another married a woman. Another of the interviewees gets that it's not the same for everyone: Young people of colour have a much harder time on the gay scene in general. There is a lot of prejudice within the gay community. .. but .. I would tell them not to worry, that it all works out in the end. Gay white male privilege, what's that then? Coming from someone who specifically acknowledges that having "good job and being middle-class" (as well as being a white gay man) meant he had piles of privilege, the level of cluelessness about that would be shocking if it weren't so typical. Another reckons that.. Even now, at the top end of the City establishment, being openly gay is hard. You have people like Christopher Bailey, chief executive of Burberry. And then there is Charles Allen who ran Granada and John Browne who ran BP – openly gay men who were not openly gay when they were chief executives of their companies.** If only there were a bisexual in the City, someone like the Chief Exec of Lloyd's of London, perhaps. Although Tom Robinson doesn't get a mention at all, the former Cabinet member who came out as bisexual, Ron Davies, does.. but in the context of The Sun asking "are we being run by gay mafia?" We may not be, but sometimes it feels like every mention of the LGBT communities is, it really does. This is what erasure looks like. * The other small plus point is that it acknowledges that the Act applied to England and Wales only – it took until 1980 for sex between men in Scotland and 1982 for sex between men in Northern Ireland to be partially decriminalised. It also mentions it stayed an offence in the merchant navy and armed forces. On the other hand, it doesn't say anything about the 'in private' aspect, which meant that having anyone else present (involved or not) meant the participants were all committing a crime. ** Memory is telling me that John Browne was definitely out: what did for his job at BP is that he didn't want to admit how he'd first met his boyfriend – when he booked him as an escort – and lying about that in a court case, not that he had a boyfriend.

3 falling out 8 television static For fans of: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, lovesliescrushing, aspidistrafly Genres: experimental ambient, glitch-bliss, sound art 21-year-old Eila Star’s debut ranges from lo-fi ambient glitch-bliss to roaring fuzzed-out noise collages. Drone/ambient soundscapes abruptly collide with chilly, piercing, and eruptive aggressions. The processed guitars, synths, and subtle vocals blend and blur within the ocean of serene/chaotic moments. This evocative album doesn’t play softly. Spaces‘ eight tracks wind through distinct atmospheres: euphoric, other-worldly, chopped, anesthetized. Noise weaves freely throughout, pushing through the mix and navigating space. With seven years of recordings sampled, resampled, layered, reshaped, and resampled (yet again), Eila created Spaces in France, Canada, Utah, Texas, and Mississippi. Studio recordings, live shows, jam sessions and sentimental instances of sounds that come through everyday life conspire on these nostalgic, personal journeys through heavy emotional and dissociative states. Eila Star is a non-binary French-American writer, musician and visual artist currently living in Mississippi. Born in Texas in the year 2000, Eila has been writing, recording and performing music under various monikers since they were twelve. Over the years they’ve ghostwritten and produced on songs and albums by other artists. Written, performed, and recorded by Eila Star Artwork by Eila & elz Alejandro Garza – bass on ‘lucid’ elz – recording on ‘fleurs’ Karalee Hobson – guitars and additional vocals on ‘garden’ Noah Garcia – saw on ‘fleurs’ & ‘television static’ Phillip Leo Bennett – acoustic guitar on ‘television static’

2018 National Transgender HIV Testing Day April 6, 2018 National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) will be observed on April 18, 2018. UCSF’s Center of Excellence for Transgender Health has led this initiative to recognize the importance of routine HIV testing, status awareness and continued focus on HIV prevention and treatment efforts among transgender and gender non-binary people. In the United States, it is estimated that around 1.4 million adults identify as transgender. Transgender women are at high risk of having HIV and of contracting HIV. Transgender women of color, especially Black/African American and Hispanic/Latina women, experience disproportionately high rates of HIV. There is a gap in research on HIV and transgender men; few studies have gathered HIV prevalence data for this population. The CoE encourages community-based organizations, health jurisdictions and HIV prevention programs to host local transgender HIV testing community events and/or develop trans-specific HIV testing campaign materials and resources in support of NTHTD. The CoE has listed a variety of NTHTD resources and information below, please feel free to tailor content to your local trans community’s voice and just be sure to use the #TransHIV, #NTHTD, and #DoingIt hashtags wherever possible so we can find and share your activities!

Yesterday I put the finishing touches on Space Carl OR How to Get Lost on Planet Venus *no relation. Thus closes what accidentally became a trilogy. In The Untitled Pirate Play, after a bad breakup, Carl sets off on a hero’s journey like young Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island. The ambition of the other characters is more than enough to propel the play, and Carl spends most of the story hiding or in the brig. When he finally tries to take a stand, other plot elements have come together at that moment to destroy the ship he’s on. The play is about ambition and the corruption of power, and in the end both the guilty and the innocent suffer the consequences. Carl is the only survivor. There was something delicious about taking the form of the hero’s journey, positioning a character as a lead, and then having this character have no impact on the play. In And Then, She Picks Up the Sword, Carl happens to be an attendant to the obnoxious Prince Driftwood who is supposed to marry Princess Wimberley. He spends most of the play having lost all his memories and thinking that he’s a dragon. He dies when his heart is used to make a potion, but he’s resurrected with a borrowed heart. He misses the climax of the play. The process for creating this play was innovative – based on a student’s set design – but a major element was that this was my response to elements of Shakespeare rom coms that bother me – essentially, how the love stories happen. Initially Carl appeared as a wink to people who knew Pirate, but he ended up having his own transcendent moment at the end… and I knew he needed a story of his own. I have a complicated relationship with the hero’s journey, both as a trope and a structure. Structurally, it centers the entire story on the actions of an individual, and the ‘right’ way for the story to end is through their choices. Luke blows up the Death Star; Odysseus defeats Penelope’s suitors. I question this for a number of reasons that I won’t get into. It’s also considered a ‘masculine’ form, and is usually centered on men. I wanted to make a play that both uses and subverts the hero’s journey genre. And the ending of Space Carl, I hope, does this – his body is ‘hosting’ an alien organism, he escapes the climax, the villains are defeated by poetry, and more. Gender representation is an issue. I did worry that it would appear that I’d written three plays for male leads, but I also know that Carl’s impact is so negligible on Pirate Play and he’s such a side character in Sword that he’s not actually a lead in either. Part of the joy is that the audience may expect him to be the protagonist, but he’s not. Also, it doesn’t change either play to have him be a Carla. In Space Carl I knew that pretty much any part could be played by any gender, but I also knew that if you’re trying to subvert a masculine genre, when you make the lead a woman, the statement on the subverted structure becomes, “This is the GIRL version of a hero’s journey. It’s not a real hero’s journey.” For our production, I did end up casting a young woman, though she’ll play it as a guy for that reason. The beautiful thing about making a play set in space is that gender explodes and the limitations that are usually placed on casting go out the window. On his journey, Carl stumbles on his ex, but his ex had an encounter with a body switcher, so ANYONE can play that part. The ex (named JJJJ) has a second ex, but this character has also switched bodies. As for the other aliens, what I realized was that, although most sci fi universe bifurcate genders into male and female, you could just as easily have a species with one or five or six hundred genders, which means that every part could be played by anyone. Why is this important now? One of the first questions people making theatre with young people ask about a play is ‘how many boy roles and how many girl roles?’ This question bothers me on many levels (not the least of which is that there are many trans and non-binary kids coming out at younger ages, and this question is insensitive to them). It gives me great joy to write a play where, should this be produced by others, that question becomes meaningless. Anyway, there’s a new play in this world now, and I love it.

"While there are tons of fathletes, fat people are often excluded from the fitness world — especially when it comes to working in the fitness industry." Image: flickr.com Using the corporate logo, a Gold's Gym franchise in Egypt posted a picture of a pear with the caption "This is no shape for a girl" to their Facebook page. There was an immediate backlash, which led to a bizarre non-apology apology that looks like it was written by Donald Trump's full time "Apologizing for Stunningly Offensive Stuff" Team: our apology, this post was not meant to offend anyone, and not against god's creation, or any type of women's body, it was meant to refer to a Healthy Fit body and cutting fats, NOT THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE BODY. So Again our Apology. for all the women out there. Now, it’s possible that English is not the first language of the person who wrote this, and I’m not addressing syntax or grammar. What I am concerned with is sexism and an extreme level of fucked-up-edness. If we are going to compare women's bodies to fruit, can we at least be clear that there are many women who are shaped like pears and there is nothing wrong with that? Seriously. They are, ostensibly, a gym filled with fitness professionals, so one would expect them to know that “healthy fit bodies” and “cutting fat” will not make all women look like whatever fruit they think it is better for a women to look like than a pear. But, really — can we, for the love of all that's holy and unholy, stop comparing women's bodies to fruit in the first place? I would say we should stop comparing all bodies to fruit, but you'll note that there is no mention of men here (and also no mention of non-binary people, which is shitty because of the constant exclusion of these folks, but on the other hand perhaps it's better not to be dragged into this particular mess.) Based on this picture, either it's only ok to compare women's bodies to fruit, or it's ok for men to be shaped like pears. Either way, this reeks of sexism and policing women's bodies. And the “apology”? Let’s take a minute to break it down, shall we? Our apology, this post was not meant to offend anyone Can we just stop these non-apology apologies? It doesn’t matter if it was intend to offend, because it was offensive. I find that when people are really sorry, they say something like, “I fucked up, I’m sorry, and I’ll do better moving forward.” Maybe try that? and not against god's creation, or any type of women's body Maybe it’s just me, but it’s tough to believe that an ad with the caption “This is no shape for a girl” wasn’t “against any type of women’s body.” It doesn't matter why our bodies are the shape that they are, fitness companies should not try to profit off of the policing and shaming of them, period. it was meant to refer to a Healthy Fit body and cutting fats, NOT THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE BODY They posted a picture of a fruit that is often used to represent the shape of women’s bodies, they added a caption that said “This is no shape for a girl,” and now they want us to believe that this was about health and fat grams and “NOT THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE BODY”? So not only do they think women need them to tell us what our body shape should be, but they also think that we are utterly devoid of reading comprehension skills? Or do they think that we won’t be able to see past all those capital letters to read the original text? S-pear me. (See what I did there?) Unfortunately, while there are tons of fathletes, fat people are often excluded from the fitness world — especially when it comes to working in the fitness industry. This happens because, instead of realizing that athletes and fitness experts come in all sizes, fitness centers simply rely on stereotypes. This leads to gyms only hiring people who meet the stereotypical idea of a "fit" body, and who also buy into the mistaken notion of the stereotypical idea of a "fit" body. Not only does this mean that fat people who work out at these gyms rarely have positive role models and instructors who look like them, but it also means that gyms publish ridiculous shit like this because there is nobody working there to point out how absolutely terrible it is. So, of course it isn't until they put it out into the world that it gets thoroughly smacked down, and of course they proceed to issue an apology that is almost equally terrible — because it is put together by the same people who didn't understand the problem with the ad in the first place. The website listed on the Facebook page isn’t currently working, which has led several people to suggest that this isn’t even a real gym, just a troll account that uses the Gold’s Gym name to publish fatphobic memes (this pear-based travesty is far from the only picture of its kind on their site). If wishing made it so… unfortunately, it appears to be all too real, with information here on the official Gold’s Gym Egypt website. Here’s the good news: all of our protests reached Corporate, who are taking real action: Dear Gold’s Gym Members, Followers, Franchisees and Team Members Around the World, Words cannot express how shocked and appalled we were by the recent posts of Gold’s Gym Dreamland, a sub-franchise in Cairo, Egypt. Not only were they offensive and disgusting, they go against everything we believe in and stand for. For years we have been dedicated to helping people feel empowered by fitness, not intimidated or ashamed by it. We believe that strength comes in many forms… be it physical, mental or emotional… and that our purpose (and rallying cry) is to help people Know Their Own Strength. Upon learning of this sub-franchisee’s insensitive posts, we immediately took action by working with Facebook to have their page removed. Also, after consultation with our master franchise in Gold’s Gym Egypt, we are in the process of expediting the termination of this sub-franchisee’s agreement. This incident only confirms that Gold’s Gym Dreamland does not uphold the values and inclusiveness that Gold’s Gym promotes throughout our global network. With all of this said, we sincerely apologize for these posts. Even though they were created and posted without our knowledge, they were associated with our logo and there’s no excuse for that. We are currently reviewing our internal procedures for how both domestic and international franchisees create and share social media posts so that nothing like this ever happens again. More importantly, to our members, fans, team members and franchisees around the world, we share your anger. We are mothers, sisters & daughters too and this is unacceptable. We understand that as a brand with a presence in 30 countries, we have a responsibility to spread a message of empowerment. To let people know that no matter where you live or who you are, fitness should make you feel strong in every way possible. That’s our commitment. Always. We hope everyone will also take just a moment to see what Gold’s Gym is really all about. You can simply visit our website or Facebook page to see our official campaign, which features incredible people of all shapes and sizes from around the world using determination, passion and inner strength to achieve incredible things. Yours in Health & Fitness, So the morals of today’s story are that body shaming is wrong and shouldn’t ever happen, and that activism makes a difference!

TOBIN: So, Kathy. [THEME DRUMROLL IN] TOBIN: Here at Nancy, we use the word “queer” a lot. KATHY: Queer folks, queer politics, queer art. Everything is queer! TOBIN: Yeah, people have been really embracing this word lately. But it can be really loaded for some folks. KATHY: There are lots of people in the community who have painful memories around the word. But other folks feel very affirmed by it. TOBIN: Mhm. So, our dear friend Helen Zaltzman does this awesome podcast called "The Allusionist," from Radiotopia. And every week she digs deep into language, y'know, the words we use and the history behind them. KATHY: This week, we’re dropping an episode of her show, all about the complicated past and present of the word "queer." TOBIN: And, bonus, Kathy and I make an appearance! KATHY: Here’s Helen. HELEN: This is about a word that currently means a lot of things to different people: AMY SUEYOSHI: So, I see "queer" as an umbrella term, as a political call for revolution as well as unity across different groups of people. JONATHAN VAN NESS: I think of it with definitely positive and, like, loving ... uh ... energy around it, like, I don’t think of it as an insult at all; I think growing up, I felt it would have been more of an insult. I think that it was in 2015 when we got marriage equality, and just, like, the way the media -- the -- especially the LGBTQ+ media, started to phrase "queer" as a more, like, umbrella, loving term that was, like, just something that we could all kind of be a part of. So I think I kind of, like, got the cue from reading, and media, to know that it was -- it was, like, a gorgeous, amazing word, not like one to be ... that like -- it's one that, like, we're taking the love back and it wasn't one to be offended by anymore. KATIE MINGLE: I haven’t always loved the term for myself, because it feels like an umbrella term that, like, you can use if you’re gay and in a relationship with someone of the same sex, or you can use if you’re, like, a basically straight couple that, like, occasionally, like, has a threesome with somebody. That’s what "queer" has come to mean, is, like, anyone who’s thinking a little bit outside the norm. AMY SUEYOSHI: I think it's rejecting things like patriarchy and heteronormativity, right? Mandates of morality. Uh, not just to be able to keep things gray or to be postmodern, post-category, right? But instead, rather, to call for a true revolution of the way we see the world, the way we categorize the world. Uh, so it's not just about LGBT rights per se but it's about creating a world that's, uh, more respectful of equity and -- and thinks about diversity as a plus and values different ideas as a side of radical change rather than fear. KATIE HERZOG: I sort of hate it. It’s too broad. TOBIN LOW: It's so useful. I mean, especially as there is this proliferation of identities that people can call themselves and identify with and really claim, it's a great way of just sort of acknowledging that it's all in the umbrella. It's just like a way of acknowledging the validity of all the things, which I think is great. ERIC MARCUS: [LAUGHTER] This word has tortured me. [PAUSE] I'm Eric Marcus and I'm the creator and host of "The Making Gay History" podcast. HELEN: The subtitle of Eric’s podcast is ‘Bringing the voices of queer history to life’; but even so, he struggles with the word ‘queer.’ ERIC MARCUS: Because, for me to say the word 'queer', having grown up in an era when the word was the same as calling someone a faggot, um, or a homo ... so I'm hardwired to experience the fight-or-flight response when I hear the word 'queer.' So for me to say the word ‘queer,' as I'm doing [LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY] now, sends all kinds of adrenaline through my system, and all I want to do is -- is fight or run. TOBIN LOW: My name's Tobin. KATHY TU: I'm Kathy. TOBIN: We are the cohosts of “Nancy,” which is a podcast about all things LGBTQ. KATHY: It's queer. It's a queer podcast. HELEN: So what does the word 'queer' mean to you? KATHY: To me, I've been using it interchangeably with LGBTQIA. TOBIN: Yeah, I would say the same. I use it as a blanket term to refer to a very wide-ranging community [KATHY HUMS IN AGREEMENT] and to sort of make the point that I feel unified with those people. And when I say “those people”, I mean, like, across the community -- TOBIN: -- that it's not just, like, me as a gay person; that I feel connected to trans people, intersex, asexual, bisexual; that we're in a community and we should be taking care of each other. HELEN: And do you self-identify as queer? KATHY: I do, yeah. [TOBINS HUMS IN AGREEMENT] I call myself a queer woman. TOBIN: I identify sexually as gay and maybe, like, politically as queer, if that makes sense. HELEN: So the Venn diagram would be queer, and then gay would be a subset in the Venn diagram for you. HELEN: But, for some people, this term is not very welcome. KATHY: Yeah, well, it wasn't welcome for me when I was younger. I thought it was -- I really didn't like the word. I just honestly didn't use it very much in my life, so when I heard it I was like, "I think this is derogatory, so I'm going to see it that way." And so I just really avoided it. TOBIN: It feels like one of those words that you grow up and it's on a list of words you know you're never supposed to say. TOBIN: And maybe not everything on that list you know why it's on that list. [LAUGHS, KATHY AGREES] You just get the information of like, oh, I am never supposed to say this word. ERIC MARCUS: I have to be a little more flexible and consider the fact that language is constantly evolving, and what may have been a pejorative at one time only has sting if I choose to allow it to be so. But, that said, for those of us who are older and grew up at a time when that word was hurled at us like a baseball bat, we do have a -- a hard-wiring in our brains that leaves us a little sensitive to using the word ourselves, or hearing it used in conversation, and feeling that it's benign. Well, I grew up in such a different time. And the anxieties that went along with being gay in 1976 are still buried deep in my brainstem. So I struggle with -- even as out as I am, and I don't know if you can be much more out than I am, given the work I do especially -- [HELEN LAUGHS] I still face issues around my internalized homophobia and my anxiety of how people will react to me if they know I'm gay. And I will take that to my grave with me. [ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC STARTS] HELEN: ‘Queer’ has been in the English language for at least the past 500 years. For the first 400 or so of those years, it meant ‘strange’ or ‘oblique’ -- something out of the ordinary. And that meaning would be applied to people too, initially for reasons other than sexuality, but by the late 19th century, it was in use to imply that somebody was not behaving heterosexually. The first known written instance of ‘queer’ as a slur for gay men was in a letter from 1894 by John Douglas, the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, complaining that, I quote, ‘snob queers’ had corrupted his sons. One of said sons, Francis, had been rumored to be having a relationship with the prime minister Lord Rosebery; his other son, Alfred, was famously the lover of Oscar Wilde, who was targeted by Queensberry until he was imprisoned in 1895 for gross indecency, which was then a legal term for sexual acts between men. Who knows how or why the Marquess of Queensberry opted for the word ‘queer’, or whether he even intended it specifically to mean homosexuals. Probably unbeknownst to him, the word was already being used thus -- but not as a slur. AMY SUEYOSHI: The term 'queer' definitely was a flag of same-sex sexuality before 'queer' meant 'queer' as we understand it today. HELEN: Amy Sueyoshi is the interim dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. As a historian, she specializes in race, gender, and sexuality, and her research has found that, as far back as the 1870s, people were describing themselves as queer to denote their sexuality. AMY SUEYOSHI: This idea of sexual identity was not as solidified or firm as we think of it now. And so people would participate in same-sex activities and they're calling themselves also queer and thinking of their acts as queer. Uh, and it doesn't have the same kind of negative connotation that begins to take hold in the 1950s, right, when homophobes start yelling “Queer!” and things like that. HELEN: Why did ‘queer’ gain that negative connotation, and why at that point in time? AMY SUEYOSHI: There's a -- a number of key points that happened in the turn of the century -- 1890s to 1920s: sexology becomes, uh, more popular, whereas previously, even after works by Kinsey or Ellis were published, people didn't really read them. And so it's not until several years later that people start reading them, in conjunction with, uh, y'know, the rise of cities that have urban areas where lots of folks are congregating, combined with, um -- in San Francisco there's Presidios, right? Where military congregates -- large groups of men -- and they kind of engage in activity that is not conventional and not suspect. And so I think it's sort of the nexus of all these three things that historians talk about, sort of: the rise of -- of gay consciousness, or modern gay identity as we understand it. And as we see more of a modern gay identity coming to the fore, being more public, then the state says, "Hey, there's something going on; [LAUGHS] there's a trend. It looks like more people are queer. And they're forming community around it and we need to really keep an eye on this, if not shut it down, because it is -- goes what we think is the key to a democratic society, the heterosexual household." Uhh. And so it's in this context really that the rise, not only of awareness around gay sexuality and identity comes to the fore, but the state also begins to worry. HELEN: And then what do they do with those fears? AMY SUEYOSHI: So they start doing things like, umm ... creating anti-sodomy laws. They might have a clause in their books that says, uh, "crimes against nature," right? But it's not really defined. No one really knows what it is. But then it becomes increasingly defined as more, uh, police begin to arrest folks for same-sex sexual activity. In San Francisco there's an interesting case, uh, called the Baker Street Vice Ring: in the nineteen-teens, a group of pretty well-off white middle class men, if not richer, are arrested for a fellatio ring where they have all gathered on 2525 Baker Street, um, and they sang songs and read poetry on the first floor and then they gave blowjobs and had anal sex on the second floor. And it went all the way to the California State Supreme Court! There was one particular case where two men were convicted of fellatio. And the judge ruled that the term ‘fellatio’ was not in common understanding; that it wasn't in English; that in fact it was “a word as obscure as Chinese, or Japanese characters, or Mexican hieroglyphics” is what the judge says. [LAUGHS] And under the Constitution you can’t be convicted of a crime that is not easily understood or undefinable. And so all the fellows in the fellatio ring -- they were exonerated. And so that's kind of interesting to think that even in the nineteen-teens, fellatio is not clearly defined. My friends would argue that even today no one really knows what fellatio means, but, umm -- HELEN: I think some people have figured it out for themselves. [BOTH LAUGH] AMY SUEYOSHI: -- but, uh, I -- I think that in that early period, it wasn't totally clear what same-sex sexuality was or what people did with each other, yeah? HELEN: Amy pinpoints the First and Second World Wars as significant for same-gender sexuality, as those allowed large numbers of young men and women to congregate, and also towns with lots of service personnel flowing through tended to be more liberal. AMY SUEYOSHI: There's this real burgeoning of gay and lesbian culture, right? And as we see gay and lesbian culture burgeoning in the military, people start to freak out. And so there's a public clampdown, uh, and then, y'know, it gets conflated into other things like the Cold War and how gayness somehow seems, like, equivalent to communism, right? HELEN: Because communism was seen as subversive, and homosexuality was seen as subversive. Therefore communism and homosexuality were the same ... Didn’t need to make sense to be an excuse to fire gay and lesbian people from government jobs in the 1950s in the US and UK. AMY SUEYOSHI: It gets, then, wrapped around xenophobic, homophobic kind of tirades and ‘queer’ definitely, then, began to be used as a sword to vilify, uh, people, for sure. HELEN: And it was around this time that ‘gay’ became the predominant term that homosexual men would use to describe themselves, as ‘queer’ had become such a brickbat, and, broadly, queer as a slur was more directed at men. [LOW DRUM COMES IN] AMY SUEYOSHI: The gay men are more targeted because sort of what they do amongst each other is criminalized more explicitly in the law. It seems like the law is very concerned about the penis, like, what people do with the penis. But they're less concerned if there's no penis involved, um, at least in this early period of persecution. So I do think that queer folks were under severe state- as well as a sort of social attack. So social stigma as well as state repression; gay bars literally being invaded; people getting fired from their jobs, right? And in this moment, I think that radical gays and lesbians as well as trans folks, they rose up and they decided to form this queer umbrella. TOBIN: More on that after the break. KATHY: “Nancy” will be back in a minute. KATHY: And we’re back, with an episode of "The Allusionist," about the word "queer." TOBIN: Here’s Helen. HELEN: It did take many years to open up that umbrella, or even to call it 'queer.' But a major move towards the word’s reclamation came in 1990. In March of that year, the activist group Queer Nation had formed, and at a Pride march in NYC that June, they handed out a leaflet called ‘Queers Read This’, in which they explained: “We've chosen to call ourselves queer. Using 'queer' is a way of reminding us how we are perceived by the rest of the world.” AMY SUEYOSHI: What's interesting is that, in the 1990s, uh, in the wake of HIV/AIDS, we see another rise of sort of queer as a way to reclaim the ways in which gay bodies are stigmatized and seen as diseased and so we take back queer to say, “Hey, we're queer, we're proud, y'know, we're deviant, we're proud. We don't want to be normal.” HELEN: Queer Nation’s pamphlet also explains why they rejected the suggestion of using ‘gay’ as the blanket term for the movement: “Queer, unlike GAY, doesn’t mean MALE. And when spoken to other gays and lesbians it's a way of suggesting we close ranks, and forget (temporarily) our individual differences because we face a more insidious common enemy. Yeah, QUEER can be a rough word but it is also a sly and ironic weapon we can steal from the homophobe's hands and use against him.” ERIC MARCUS: There was a school of thought -- there is a school of thought -- that by embracing a word that was used in a negative way, that you can rehabilitate the word and take the sting out of it and change it. Umm. I don't happen to subscribe to that school. Umm. It takes a lot of energy to -- to change that. AMY SUEYOSHI: The one thing that's important to remember is that historically, uh, gay and lesbian activists actually reclaimed the word ‘queer,’ right? So it's a word that they're choosing for themselves. So if you're gay or lesbian and you want to be called 'gay' and 'lesbian,' then great! Call yourself 'gay' or 'lesbian,' you don't need to call yourself 'queer,' right? But it's important for gays and lesbians who dislike the word 'queer' that there's a reason why part of the gay and lesbian population called themselves 'queer.' TOBIN LOW: With anyone who wants to reclaim a negative term, I think it's also about forcing people to recognise the negativity, that you never wanna, like, abandon and pretend this thing didn't happen, that it didn't have a really hurtful, negative connotation for a long time. So I -- Ithink reclaiming is also about forcing people to reckon with what has happened before, and maybe even forcing somebody who might think of it in a negative way, um -- or use it in a negative way rather -- to, uh ... I -- I guess it would be, like, if someone thinks of it as a negative thing they can throw at you, if you use it also, [KATHY AND TOBIN LAUGH] it's taking that power away; it's subverting the power structure of the word. HELEN: ‘Queer’ has had this gradual, incremental development towards becoming this umbrella term, and it’s tricky to find the precise point at which it broadened to encompass gender, expressing trans and non-binary identities. This remains a contention for some, who don’t want sexual orientation and gender identity to be united under one term. AMY SUEYOSHI: I love ‘queer’ because it does kind of blur sexual identity and gender identity. I -- I think that it's a privilege for folks to be able to separate sexuality and gender. Most of us live with it overlapping. KATHY TU: I would also say that I know that some people don't like the word 'queer,' not because they have, um, a negative association with it, but because they really crave a very individualized, like, focused label. That makes them feel like they are seen, and, I mean, that's fine too, if that's why you don't want to use the word queer. I get that. JONATHAN VAN NESS: Can you understand me? Like, can I understand you? Why can’t I be queer and a cis gay man? And I think we can claim both. AMY SUEYOSHI: There's a way in which, uh, queer politics really defines this larger community where gay men and lesbians and other folks can come together and create this unified formidable force to change society. And in that way I've always found ‘queer’ to be, uh, productive, not just for obviously gays and lesbians, but other -- all folks who are in the queer community that that also don't fit those neat categories. KATHY TU: One of the reasons I personally identify as queer is because, um, it's a shortcut in trying to tell people what my identity is. Um, because I would say I identify as a bisexual person but I don't date men, and immediately people are like, "Well, that's not -- that's not bi!" [LAUGHS] But the thing is, I don't -- I don't date men because I don't fall in love with them. And so the easiest thing for me is to say that I identify as a lesbian. But then they're like, “But are you, though?” [CHUCKLES] TOBIN LOW: You have a lot of people defining you for you. KATHY: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I identify as queer instead of having to explain the whole backstory, and maybe I don't really honestly crave a singular label like some people do -- which, like, it's totally okay if you do, okay if you don't. HELEN: People who have no real business in your life -- HELEN: -- why are they so anxious to categorize you? KATHY: Well, I think it might be because we host a podcast about queer life. TOBIN: To be fair, we invite some of it. KATHY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. TOBIN: Because we ... KATHY: I'm like, "We're queer!" [LAUGHS] And then they're like, “Well, what kind?" And they really zeroed in on certain things like I've been asked so many times, like, what did I mean in our very first episode when I said, "I'm not completely gay," which was my attempt at explaining to my mom this very fuzzy middle ground that I actually live in. HELEN: Not that you have a heterosexual knee? [KATHY AND TOBIN LAUGH] TOBIN: For me, I have the most heteronormative feet, you know? They're just straight as can be, my feet. Nothing I can do about it. [1980s MUSIC PLAYS] HELEN: In the late 1980s, people started using initialisms to refer to identities that aren't heterosexual and cisgender. First there was LGB: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual. Or GLB: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual. Then expanding to LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans. LGBTQ: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer. LGBTQIA: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual. LGBPTQQIAAGNC+: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Allied, Gender Non-Conforming, Plus. JONATHAN VAN NESS: It’s so long! HELEN: Easier to have one syllable. JONATHAN VAN NESS: Yeah! And it’s just, like, a way for us to come together. I think as, like, marginalised people, it’s important to be able to come together as a family. And so it's ... Like, let’s, like, try to be, like, more connected than separated. HELEN: So now, to express spectrums of sexual orientations and gender without having to provide specific categories or an impractically long list of initials, many will just use the word ‘queer’ instead. ERIC MARCUS: I think that the wonderful thing about this one word -- and I'm really pushing myself to say the wonderful things about this word — HELEN: You’re really making a lot of progress today, Eric. [BOTH LAUGH] Hope it's cathartic! ERIC MARCUS: Better than my therapy session! [HELEN CACKLES] Um, I think the wonderful thing about the word is it does not make distinctions between gender identity, sexual orientation. We are all so different, and as we continue to evolve in our understanding about sexuality and gender expression, the cumbersome salad of letters to identify the different variations on the human theme will become completely unwieldy. And just to add the plus sign at the end of a long list of letters is gonna leave somebody left out -- will leave people feeling slighted. So, yeah, by having one word that's inclusive, people feel included. By the same token, there are people who feel excluded by not being identified explicitly. TOBIN: I -- I feel like a lot of people are very scared at this moment to just ask someone, like, "How do you identify?" or, like, "How -- What's -- What is your truth?" or whatever. [LAUGHS] And -- And I think that there's no shame or no fear in asking that question if you're coming from a place of respect, of like, “I want to respect you the way you want to be respected.” So I think if someone uses the word ‘queer’ for themselves and you feel weird about it -- TOBIN: -- it's not that big a deal to be like, "Is it cool if I also refer to you as 'queer'? Is that kosher? Like, how would you prefer I refer to you?" I think that there's [PAUSE] a lot of stigma around that conversation, and as long as you're being respectful about it, I think that's totally fine to ask. ERIC MARCUS: I think, in that regard, it's terrific that -- that young people growing up do have the breadth of options in terms of their gender expression and their sexuality expression that I didn't have growing up. It was ... [LAUGHS] There weren't many choices at all. I think it also offers challenges, and I've watched the children of friends grow up and some have struggled mightily with -- with great confusion over themselves, um, and feeling that they needed to declare one way or another; and the word ‘queer’ does simply give them the option to make it a placeholder. So you could say, “I'm queer.” And then you can figure out along the way as you grow through your adolescence [PAUSE] where you fit within that within the subcategories, if you choose to place yourself in one of those subcategories. These are all social constructs -- aside from behavior. The labels are something we've made up. And why should young people -- why should any people -- be bound by these conventions which are artificial to start with? So the word 'queer.' or a word that takes in all of the variations of humanity, is not a bad thing. I just wish it weren't the word 'queer!' [LAUGHS] [NANCY END CREDITS MUSIC STARTS] TOBIN: This episode was produced by Helen Zaltzman. Music and production help by Martin Austwick. Special thanks to Caroline Crampton, Dan Hall, Dave Pickering, Phoebe Judge, Eleanor McDowall, as well as Gerard Koskovich and Nalini Elias at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco. KATHY: You can find "The Allusionist" on Facebook and Twitter -- "allusionistshow" is the handle -- and at allusionist.org. TOBIN: I’m Tobin Low. KATHY: I’m Kathy Tu. TOBIN: And "Nancy" is a production of WNYC Studios. [NANCY END CREDITS MUSIC ENDS]

Here are some images from an ongoing project of mine that were published on Adolescent this week: www.adolescent.net/a/lucky-a-star-is-born Lucky: A Star is Born is an ongoing photo project focused on my best friend, Lucky, that is part documentary, part creative outlet. I started taking pictures of Lucky in 2011 when we first met and started dating (at the time—now I just consider them family, and they are happily engaged to an amazing woman). I document everything in my life quite compulsively, so I would say it started that way, taking diary photos of this person I love. Around 2013 and 2014, Lucky was going through a lot of hardships with their mental health, so I started documenting that journey more closely with the intent to make a photo book about it. In the end, though, I realized that the work wasn’t ready yet. I decided to let it sit for a bit and continue to document them until I was ready to publish a fuller body of work. Since then, we’ve both gone through many transitions in our lives, and I’ve continued to photograph them. Even though most of my work tends to be conceptual fine art, I’ve always had a strong interest in documentary photography. With this project I really want to blur the lines between the two. At first, my aspiration was to document a gay relationship in a tender, loving way. Then it became about depicting mental illness, and then it became about showing what intersex bodies can look like. Right now I’d say my main motive is to show androgyny in a way that’s not “neutral” but rather the opposite—extreme masculinity mixed with extreme femininity. That’s something we’re both really interested in. Ultimately, I hope the full body of work will show the complexity of identity, all of its layers, our existence as queer, trans, working class, mentally ill, beautiful humans. This work is really about identity as an unstable force. I hope that the series can also shed a light on nonbinary trans bodies and the beauty of existing as everything all at once. Here is a photo essay I shot on my iphone in May & was published in The Photographic Journal last month: http://thephotographicjournal.com/essays/silent-retreat/ I shot these images on my phone while i was on a silent retreat in May. My mom had talked about wanting to go one of these retreats for years so for her birthday this year I signed her up for one and decided to go along with her. I had been feeling really overwhelmed by technology and needed some time to be alone with my thoughts. The retreat was run in an old catholic nun’s retirement home and the second I got there I was overwhelmed with the desire to photograph everything. Even though we were instructed to only reflect on ourselves through writing, I honestly couldn’t help myself so I shot these images whenever I was alone. Spent the weekend thinking about, my body, my past, my family’s catholic past, colours, gender, the usual. Hi! June has been such a hectic month! I am in the middle of moving so life is a bit all over the place right now but I’ve had a lot of projects released this month I am excited to share <3 The first and most exciting in my eye is that I shot the cover of the Vice photo issue which came out this month! I was approached a few months ago by Elizabeth Renstrom, the current photo editor at Vice, to participate in this year’s photo issue and could not be more excited about it. The theme of the issue is “privacy & perception”, and I got to shoot some new work from my ongoing series “me vs others” for it. The cover I shot is about being single and being queer, and how those two identities co-exist/ it’s about loving myself but also yearning for romance. You can read more about the issue here: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/topic/the-privacy-and-perception-issue & more about my work for it here: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/zm88xj/these-photos-explore-the-multiple-identities-we-have-online-and-off-v25n2 Here are images of my some of my spread + cover This month I also had two archival print in the second edition of the “boys boys boys” auction on Paddle8 in collaboration with The Little Black Gallery in London, you can see the selection of works here : https://paddle8.com/auction/boys-boys-boys-pride/ In other pride news, I also had some work featured on W Mag alongside some really great contemporary queer photographers, you can check that out here: https://www.wmagazine.com/gallery/queer-photographers-pride Some other cool press that happened this month is that I got featured on Adweek’s 100 creatives of 2018 list!! Feels very surreal to be getting this kind of mainstream recognition but I’ve been working at this for over 10 years now so, I’ll take it!! You can view the list here (& in this month’s printed issue of adweek) : https://www.adweek.com/creativity/adweeks-2018-creative-100-meet-the-multitalented-masters-behind-todays-most-innovative-work/ Last but not least, this month I got to shoot some pride-related still lives for refinery29, which was a very interesting challenge, because pride is not a product you can photograph, you know? to me pride is more than anything about history, and it’s about social change, not about partying or corporations waving pride flags in the name of consumerism. Anyway, more on these thoughts another day, for now here are some of the images I shot : Hi all! I’ve got so much new work coming out this month (or next month I guess; june) but first I thought I’d share this exhibition I currently have in Cracow, Poland. The exhibition is titled “no boys, no girls, no nothin” (which comes from a tattoo in a picture I shot of natalia last year for my non-binary series) and was organized by Fundacja Nosna, you can check it out on their website here: http://nosna.pl/en/laurence-philomene-no-girls-no-boys-no-nothin/ - if you’re in poland the exhibition is up until june 15 so make sure to check it out!! It feels very special to be able to show this work in a country where LGBTQ rights are being denied and simply existing as such is a very political act at the moment. Also big thank you to Kinga Michalska who was also a big part in making this happen, you can view her work here : https://kingamichalska.com/ Below are some images from the show, shot by Michalina Rolnik I shot some images for converse’s one star spring campaign in collaboration with Adolescent Content - I wanted to play with monochromatic and springtime vibes, had a lot of fun with it ~ below are the images!