#decolonizing

"LAND BACK"

It's weird. I didn't notice men until I was almost 30. It's been traumatic. Relationships with men and also women who date men. I've been detangling myself from both and trying to see things as clearly as I did before. The cultural programming and conditioning is so deep for me even though I came so late to the game but that's because it was taught since I was tiny. I'm single right now, have a life I'm rebuilding, after it was gutted by a man, a childhood destroyed by male molesters, and still the virus (the patriarchy) permeates me.

I find myself wanting the same sexual dynamic -- I thought it would stop on it's own but it hasn't. I'm going to have to work at decolonizing myself -- this shit predates me ever having sex, noticing men, or even realizing that sex was a thing.

I had some idea about safety with men, purity+ whiteness (im not), goodness, and girlness, and this leading to some place to offer vulnerability (including sexual at the top level) with men = specialness, princess concepts, and protection= love.

What is this even? It's out in the open. Underneath its some little girl screaming choose me, protect me, value me, respect me, and some grown woman showing up as pick me. 🤢

This virus is dizzying and is a nasty undertow in my life. I have to keep decolonizing myself.

Men don't protect women and the ones that do, are destroyed by other men anyway. I keep thinking about Wind River. I may watch it tonight.

Questioning the ways in which we think of national icons and the place they occupy in our culture is always a useful task. Yet, long before the decolonial bandwagon rolled in, the appropriation of Shakespeare by myriad global cultures should have told us something about his relationship to those challenging injustice and seeking to speak truth to power.

“...it is estimated that 75 percent of American Indian adults have lactose intolerance. Yet the Dietary Guidelines advises that everyone eat two or three servings of dairy foods, despite the reality that other foods, such as green, leafy vegetables and beans, also supply calcium.”

There is also a video on YouTube about decolonizing diets:

Alt-Text: Banner reads "Abolition, Decolonization, Liberation" held by protestors on the steps of a courthouse.

Attribution: activist group "Decolonize This Place"

Photo Description: Women standing on the steps of a courthouse holding a red banner encouraging the abolition, decolonization, and liberation of the systems in the United States (the protest took place in New York City).

Decolonizing language requires reflection on why we use the words we do when we do. Consider words that are now considered to be derogatory where they "didn't use to be," where language, particularly English, is a colonizer language that is continuously used to oppress and use stereotypes to limit groups of people.

How does the way we talk about our environment adjust the way we treat it? How would it change if instead of using ableist language we used inclusive language, free of judgment?

These are questions we need to be asking ourselves to be good allies, yes, but also to change the continued white supremacist system which only lends itself useful to the upper-class white men that continue to rule over society.

Alt-Text: Woman wearing a mask holding a sign that reads "Only Insecure Men Control Women's Bodies" with skyscraper buildings seen in the background.

Attribution: Katie Godowski

Photo Description: Resist the systems that control women's bodily autonomy

Decolonization can take place in many ways, and it must. I'm emphasizing the decolonization of language because it is a step most people can take without having to leave the comforts of their home, but I encourage participating in courses like "How to be Anti-Racist," reading on the topics from people who experience these oppressions.

Here is a list of recommended reading:

How to Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

A Beginner's Guide to Building Better Worlds: Ideas and Inspiration from the Zapatistas by Levi Gahman et al.

The 500 Years of Resistance Comic Book by Gord Hill

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

The Feminist Killjoys blog by Sara Ahmed (https://feministkilljoys.com/)

A Knock on the Door: The Essential History of Residential Schools from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

so the hyperfixation hit hard (and for good reason) because trice forgotten is engaging and fascinating and absolutely wonderful. i figured i’d copy my official review on itunes, because it says everything better than i could, were i to rewrite it:

If you like queer found family narratives, scientific and nautical tales, and period pieces, this podcast is for you. (And even if you don’t, give it a listen anyways—it might surprise you!)

Trice Forgotten is one of my favorite podcasts of all time (if not my absolute favorite). As a science nerd who also likes history and wants to be a writer someday, the Below Decks episodes were absolutely fascinating. They add so much depth (haha) to the plot of the story, as well providing fascinating context for the historical settings.

Nemo Martin is such a skilled and hard-working writer, and it’s clear that the rest of the crew working on the podcast gave their very best. The sound design and music are excellent, as they set the scene(s) really well. Every part of the podcast was crafted with love and care, and you can see the level of skill and passion shine through in every detail.

From a story standpoint, I adore this podcast. I’m deeply attached to each and every one of the main crew (Siva and Noor being my absolute favorites). I was continually impressed by how Nemo and the other writers developed characters in a consistent and entertaining way while not sacrificing the plot—and in only 10 episodes! As a character-driven writer, that’s something I aspire to in my own works.