The Week in Patriarchy is a weekly roundup of what’s happening in the world of feminism and sexism. If you’re not already receiving it by email, make sure to subscribe.
As children continue to be detained – imprisoned, really – across the country without their parents, I can’t help but think of the conservatives’ insistence that they’re “pro-life”. Let’s not even get into the women that will die should abortion become illegal; let’s talk about the children who are already here, who are suffering, whom Republicans have abandoned.
Reports have come out of children with lice, bed bug bites, and emotional trauma. Children who haven’t been bathed in weeks or more. Children who are being forcibly injected with drugs to keep them docile.
Do the so-called “pro-lifers” only care about potential children – not actual children? Because I’m ill over the rightwing hypocrisy that claims to care about families as this sort of torture continues.
Glass half full
There are still good men in the world. Jay Smooth, host of the much-beloved hip hop radio show The Underground Railroad, resigned this week from WBAI in protest against the station putting Leonard Lopate back on air. Lopate had previously been fired for misconduct against women. (This comes after the station made thinly veiled threats against Smooth for his criticism of their decision.)
Now, it’s not exactly good news that a principled man left his radio show while one accused of harassment remains. But I know Jay will go on to do great things; and it gives me hope that there are still men willing to take difficult stands against sexual harassment.
What I’m RTing
The Mar a Lago dilemma: to frame or not to frame https://t.co/uyWXKawWMe
— Hari Kunzru (@harikunzru) July 19, 2018
Co-workers making up for employers lack of adequate maternity leave is not a feel good story https://t.co/tvvET9tEGm
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) July 19, 2018
The scariest thing about this video? Everything in it is real -- and is the actual policy Trump is getting ready to put into place. #NoGagRule https://t.co/8fvNnKRlUM
— Erica Sackin (@ericajanes) July 18, 2018
On the day a Russian agent is charged with infiltrating the NRA, the Trump administration announces the NRA and similar groups can keep the identity of their donors totally secret https://t.co/uTVTxUoZO7
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) July 17, 2018
Who I’m reading
Mona Chalabi about the disparity in media coverage when it comes to terror attacks perpetrated by Muslims v terrorism committed by non-Muslims; the New York Times on what it takes to get an abortion in Mississippi; and Christina Cauterucci on how Trump’s policies on women are based on being as punitive as possible.
What I’m writing
On the strange census research that showed when women made more than their husbands, both partners lied about it.
How outraged I am
The Republican congressman Jason Lewis once bemoaned not being able to call women “sluts” any more, and that women were more guided by “emotion than reason”. So on a scale of one to 10, I’m a solid eight. The only reason I’m not at a 10 is because so long as we have a pussy-grabbing president, nothing shocks me any more.
How I’m making it through this week
Just trying to be like this guy.
